With every seat sold along with an additional 80 standing room tickets sold, opening night of the 10th Anniversary Year of Fight Club OC shows set an attendance record as 1,476 fans packed The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. And what a night of fight action for local fight fans with all but one bout going the distance and money thrown into the ring after three of the six bouts. Continue reading “Fight Club OC Opening Night Sets Record”

By Robert Coster

Boxing fans at the Club Deportivo Calero in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, flocked to watch a much-anticipated shootout between unbeaten local prospects Frency Fortunato (8-0, 6 KOs) and Misael Vazquez (6-0, 5 KOs) in the jr featherweight class. Both young boxers are hard punchers and came out swinging from the opening bell but it was evident that Fortunato had superior skills, speed, and power. In the second round, Fortunato cornered his foe on the ropes and unleashed a violent non-stop barrage of punches that forced the referee to intervene. An impressive showing for Fortunato who now lives in the USA.

The co-main event saw Miami-based heavyweight prospect Amron Sands (11-0, 9 KOs) win a unanimous decision over 8 rounds over tough local fighter Cristian Galvez (17-6, 15 KOs). The 6’6 Sands knocked down Galvez at the end of the first round. Galvez, however, held his own from there on and offered stiff opposition. Sands told Fightnews.com® that he hurt his right hand in that first round. The young Bahamas-born heavyweight, signed with DiBella Promotions, is also one to be followed. Continue reading “Fortunato, Sands victorious”

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will weigh-in today, but there will reportedly be no face-to-face photo-op afterward. The Nevada State Athletic Commission has banned the two from the traditional faceoff after they hit the scale due to their shoving match at Wednesday’s press conference.

By Ron Jackson

Golden Gloves Promotions and Charing Cross Promotions have announced details of their tournaments for March. First up on Sunday, March 15, at the Blairgowrie Recreation Centre in Randburg, Charing Cross Promotions have a five-fight bill headed by a ten round International cruiserweight bout between the promising unbeaten Akani Phuzi (10-0, 4 KOs) and Maroy Sadiki from the DRC who has a reported record of 16-2-1, 7 KOs. Continue reading “Plenty of action in South Africa in March”

Boxeo Telemundo kicks off its first event of 2020 tonight. The series returns to the Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in Miami, Florida presented by Felix “Tuto” Zabala, All Star Boxing, Inc. The season opener will feature another chapter in the famed classic “Puerto Rico vs Mexico” boxing rivalry.

In a battle of former world title challengers, WBO #8, WBA #13 Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (22-3-1 13 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico takes on WBO #15 Saul “Baby” Juarez (25-10-2, 13 KOs) of Mexico City. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds in the light flyweight division with the WBO/NABO title at stake. Continue reading ““Bomba” Gonzalez headlines Telemundo tonight”

WBC Statement: An “A” Sample the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) collected from Ms. Alejandra Jimenez on January 10, 2020, the day before her bout against Franchon Crews Dezurn for the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) Word Female Super Middleweight Championship, yielded an adverse analytical finding. The WBC honored Ms. Jimenez request to witness the opening of the “B” Sample container, which took place on February 19, 2020.

Ms. Jimenez has been informed that the test of the sample in the “B” sample container confirmed the adverse analytical finding of the “A” sample. Continue reading “WBC Statement on Alejandra Jimenez”

Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez 108 vs. Saul “Baby” Juarez 107.8
(WBO/NABO jr flyweight title)

Robeisy Ramirez 125 vs. Rafael Morales 125.8
Nicholas Irizarry 141.6 vs. Marcello Willams 139.6
Julio Buitrago 122.8 vs. Dominique Francis 122.4
Antonio Vargas 120 vs. Juan Centeno 121.6
Elvis Rodriguez 140.2 vs. Kaylyn Alfred 139.2
Sergio Aguilar 131.2 vs. Ofacio Falcon Jr 131.8
Wayne Reid 160.6 vs. Harry Cruz 157

Venue: Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in Miami, Florida
Promoter: All Star Boxing
TV: Telemundo

Super Lightweight Semi-Finals
Ohara Davies 139.9 vs. Jeff Ofori 139.3
Tyrone McKenna 139.75 vs. Mohamed Mimoune 139.6

Featherweight Semi-Finals
Ryan Walsh 125.8 vs. Tyrone McCullagh 125.3
Leigh Wood 125.75 vs. Jazza Dickens 126

Venue: York Hall, London, England
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: ESPN+

Photos from Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Fighters stepping into the ring this Saturday, February 22 on the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II undercard previewed their respective showdowns at the final press conference Thursday before they step into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Charles Martin (27-2-1, 24 KOs) vs. Gerald Washington (20-3-1, 13 KOs)
(12 rounds IBF heavyweight title eliminator)

Charles Martin: “I’m a heavyweight and we come to deliver knockouts. That’s all I know how to do. Knockout in four. That’s what’s happening Saturday night.”

Gerald Washington: “We will be cool before the fight and we will be cool after, but we are fighting for a title eliminator and we both want the same thing.” Continue reading “Wilder-Fury Undercard Quotes”

The purse bid for an WBO light heavyweight elimination contest between Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and Eleider Alvarez took place Thursday in the lobby of the MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas. Top Rank was the only bidder, securing the rights to promote the fight for $350,000 USD. The split will be 50-50. Tentative date is May 30th in New York.

By Przemek Garczarczyk

Fighter presentation + Martin-Washington face-off.

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Hours before the Deontay Wilder versus Tyson Fury rematch — Lucien Reid (8-0-2, 4 KOs) and Brad Foster (11-0-2, 4 KOs) will settle a score of their own. Foster will defend his Commonwealth and British super bantamweight titles in a 12-round rematch Saturday from London’s York Hall on a card promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. Foster and Reid fought last September, with Foster retaining his titles via majority draw in a pitched battle that saw both men cut. Foster-Reid II will headline a scheduled six-fight card on ESPN+.

DiBella Entertainment’s acclaimed Broadway Boxing series, celebrating its 17th year, will debut in Miami, Florida, on Thursday, March 12. The 114th edition of Broadway Boxing will be live streamed on UFC Fight Pass from The Warehouse at Magic City Innovation District in the Little Haiti neighborhood.

The card will be headlined by WBO#2, IBF #6, WBC #10 lightweight Emmanuel “The Gameboy” Tagoe (31-1, 15 KOs) facing Rey “The Technician” Perez (24-11, 8 KOs) in a 10-round clash. Tagoe’s only defeat came in his 2004 pro debut.

Unbeaten welterweight Harold Calderon (22-0, 15 KOs) takes on Gustavo “El Perrito” Vittori (26-6-1, 12 KOs) in the co-feature. Continue reading “Broadway Boxing invades Miami”

By Gabriel F. Cordero

The result after the opening of B sample of WBC female super middleweight world champion Alejandra Jiménez was positive it was announced at a hearing of the Texas Athletic Commission.

A source has reported a possible appeal in U.S. court. Promoter Pepe Gomez is expected to issue a statement shortly.

Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japanese Hall of Famer Joe Koizumi (a fight reporter, television commentator and international matchmaker/coordinator) has another talent in Chinese calligraphy and India-ink drawing, as some people have already known well.

Joe, 72, successfully held a one-man show of his artwork for a week from last Thursday at Bashamichi Otsu gallery in Yokohama, Japan.  Many boxing fans and calligraphy aficionados visited the gallery to watch Joe’s calligraphy works and drawings and chat with him for awhile. Continue reading “Joe Koizumi’s Calligraphy Exhibition in Yokohama”

By Robert Coster

 

Amron Sands 270 vs. Cristian Galvez 240
Francy Fortunato 123 vs. Misael Vazquez 122
Ramon De La Paz 147 vs. Abraham Peralta 146
+ eight more fights

Promoter : Shuan Boxing and Domini Boxing
Venue : Centro Deportivo Calero, Santo Dominico, Dominican Republic

Top Rank for sale? Promoter Bob Arum told Business Insider that he has had discussions with talent agency Endeavor, telecommunications company Liberty Global and DAZN about selling TR’s brand, fighter contracts, video fight library and a gaggle of Las Vegas real estate.
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Looks like the WBC/WBO super lightweight fight between Jose Ramirez and Viktor Postol that was originally slated to take place February 1 in China before being scrapped due to the Wuhan coronavirus, will be rescheduled for May 9 in Ramirez’ backyard of Fresno. ESPN will air the fight on one of their platforms.
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The hotly rumored imminent announcement of Canelo vs. Billy Joe Saunders on May 2 at T-Moble Arena in Las Vegas still hasn’t happened yet.
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IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin was reportedly booted out of Victor Conte’s SNAC strength-and-conditioning program in San Carlos, California.

By Przemek Garczarczyk

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury finally decided that it’s time to drop the “nice guy/all the respect” routine from previous weeks. Who won battle of the words at last press conference? You be the judge…

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Promoter Felix “Tuto” Zabala Jr held the final presser for Boxeo Telemundo’s 2020 season premiere as both Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez and Saul “Baby” Juarez were face to face. Both ‘Lil Giants’ are looking for a world title opportunity.

Also on hand was world-renowned trainer Freddie Roach with his latest top prospect Elvis Rodriguez (5-0, 5 KOs), as well as 2x Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez, who was greeted with fan enthusiasm as he walked the Dolphin Mall property. Doors at Miccosukee Indian Gaming open at 7PM/EST First Bell 8PM/EST.

By Przemek Garczarczyk

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Michael Hunter, one of the new faces and powers in the heavyweight division, is in Las Vegas. The “Bounty Hunter” talks about his future, possible fights, the place for Oleksandr Usyk at heavyweight, and, of course, Wilder-Fury 2. “This fight is already won…by Wilder,” said Hunter. “We’re just waiting for this to happen in the ring.”

Unbeaten WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and undefeated former heavyweight champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury nearly came to blows at a heated final press conference Thursday as they previewed their rematch on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Tyson Fury: “The 12th round of our first fight was a good round, and credit to Wilder, he got me with two of the best punches I have ever seen thrown in a 12 round heavyweight fight. As we have seen, that has become very famous, the ole’ knockdown of the Gypsy King was very active online and all over the world. But the thing Wilder must be thinking is, I hit that guy with my hardest punch in round 12, and he got up. What do I have to do to keep him down?…The biggest puncher who ever lived should have no problem opening my cut up. He could not keep me down in the 12th round, so now I want to see if he is able to get up off the floor. I don’t think he has the guts to get up.”

Deontay Wilder: “Round 12 has been in his mind since day one, that’s why he ran away from the rematch. In the back of Fury’s mind, he will think about how I gave him a concussion and how he had no idea how he even got on the ground. So, I do believe that round is in his head, and if he says otherwise, he is lying…I don’t believe anything Fury says. I think he is just trying to butter me up and use a lot of mind games. He did that in the first fight to try and steal rounds, so we were lucky that we had experienced judges that weren’t influenced by that. I am not concerned with what he says, I am more focused on what he does. I am a man of action.”

For Opening Night of the 10th Year Anniversary Fight Club OC show Thursday, February 20th. Tickets at www.socafights.com

Andrew Segura 129.6 vs Lucnor Discerne 129.8
Trent Meaux 136 vs Benji Gomes 136
Uriel Villanueva 139.8 vs John Ornalas 139.6
Danny Silva 145.8 vs Dennis Fisher 145
Austin Brooks 124.8 vs Javier Navarro 125.4
Joey Dorado 138.9 vs Keith Carson 139.5

Venue: The Hangar in Costa Mesa, CA
Promoter: Roy Englebrecht Promotions

Referee Kenny Bayless will be the third man in the ring for Saturday’s Wilder-Fury rematch in Las Vegas. Judges are Glenn Feldman, Dave Moretti, and Steve Weisfeld.

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has confirmed details of the rematch clause for Saturday’s rematch between his fighter Tyson Fury and WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. “The loser has 30 days to call on the rematch and that has to be accepted,” Warren told BBC Radio 5 Live.

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This is interesting. While the betting odds are pretty even, polled heavyweight boxers young and old are overwhelmingly predicting that WBC heavyweight Deontay Wilder will defeat Tyson Fury on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Evander Holyfield – Wilder: “I’m picking Deontay Wilder based on his confidence and the fact that he does all of the right things to remain in great shape, and that he’s committed to his craft. Wilder’s not just a big guy with a right hand, but he’s also become more calculated in his approach. That’s why I’m picking him to win this second fight against Tyson Fury.”

Larry Holmes – Wilder: “Deontay Wilder will knock out Tyson Fury in the seventh or eighth round if he does what I know that he can do, which is stay on the outside, use his jab, throw that right hand over the jab.” Continue reading “Wilder-Fury Notes”

WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury made their grand arrivals Tuesday afternoon at MGM Grand, kicking off fight week events for their heavyweight showdown on Saturday. Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) rolled up in a red Ferrari, while Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) arrived shortly after in a Rolls-Royce SUV.

Deontay Wilder: “I’m going to knock out Tyson Fury in devastating fashion on Saturday night. After I show the world what greatness lies inside of me, I will continue to go even further and do more amazing things in this sport.”

Tyson Fury: “I am knocking that bum out in two rounds. It’s going to be an early night. I’ve done all I can, and I can’t wait for Saturday night to be here. The WBC belt is the only major title I’ve yet to win. Saturday night, it will be mine.”