Photos: Sumio Yamada

Middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. (29-2, 22 KOs) claimed the WBA interim middleweight title when Matt Korobov (28-3-1, 14 KOs) dislocated his left shoulder in round two on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The bout ended suddenly when Korobov threw a straight left and his shoulder popped out. He tried to keep going but the arm was useless and he had to quit. Time :34.

“He just turned around and stopped,” Eubank said after the fight. “I was going to go jump on him. I guess something happened with his shoulder. There’s nothing to take from the fight. I threw like three or four punches. I was just warming up.”

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Photos: Sumio Yamada

In a bout for the IBF interim junior featherweight title, Ryosuke Iwasa (27-3, 17 KOs) scored an eleventh round TKO over Marlon Tapales (33-2, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Iwasa, who formerly held the full version of this belt, was credited with a knockdown in round three, although replays showed came from a head clash (no instant replay used in NY). Iwasa scored a legit knockdown in round eleven with a straight left. Tapales beat the count, but then wobbled and the bout was waved off. Time was 1:09.

At the time of the stoppage, Iwasa led on all three scorecards (97-92, 95-94, 97-92). Continue reading “Iwasa TKOs Tapales for IBF interim 122lb title”

IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (32-1-2, 22 KOs) TKO’d Miguel “Aguja” González (31-3, 8 KOs) in round six on Saturday night at the Auditorio GNP Seguros in Puebla, Mexico.

Former world title challenger Miguel Marriaga (27-3, 25 KOs) laid out Alfredo “Rambo” Mejia (14-3-3, 5 KOs) in round six with a severe left hook to the liver. Marriaga was struggling with Mejia’s boxing until his KO-artist power ended the fight with one punch. Time was 1:01.

Photos: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME

In an all-action rematch for the WBC female interim atomweight championship, Louisa “Bang Bang Lulu” Hawton (10-2, 5 KOs) scored a very exciting ten round unanimous decision over Lorraine Villalobos (4-3, 2 KOs) on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Hawton was very aggressive and brought pressure from the opening bell. Villalobos often connected with the left hook and dropped Hawton with that punch at the end of round six. But Bang Bang Lulu dug deep and responded by being even more aggressive for the rest of the fight. Hawton looked to be a clear winner, however the official scoring (95-94 on all three cards) was ridiculously close.

Hawton previously scored a fifth round TKO over Villalobos one year ago in Los Angeles.

In a bout fought at a 163-pound catch weight, Ronald Ellis (17-1-2, 11 KOs) won by majority decision against WBC #11 middleweight Immanuwel Aleem (18-2-2, 11 KOs). Scores were 97-93, 98-92 for Ellis and 95-95.

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Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz commented on what went wrong in his world title loss to Anthony on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia.

“It was his night and I think I think I didn’t prepare how I should have,” Ruiz said after the fight. “I gained too much weight, but I don’t want to give no excuses. He wanted to box me around, but if we do the third fight you best believe I’m going to get in the f–king best shape and be in the best shape of my life…[the weight] kinda affected me a lot. I thought I was gonna feel stronger, I thought I was gonna be better, but I think next fight I’m going to get more prepared. I’m going to work with my team a little bit more. I tried to train myself for my last preparation. Like I said, I don’t wanna give no excuse. Anthony Joshua did a helluva a job.

“I think I was chasing him too much instead of cutting the ring. I was hesitating too much. My arms felt like I couldn’t throw my combinations. But you know what? I know next time I’m going to do a lot better. Who wants to see the third trilogy fight right here in Saudi Arabia, baby?”

Photos: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing, Dave Thompson/Matchroom and Ian Walton/Matchroom

Superbly conditioned Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) regained the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles by outboxing 283-pound Andy Ruiz Jr (33-2, 22 KOs) over twelve rounds on Saturday night at the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

Joshua set the tone and easily won in round one, cutting Ruiz over the left eye with a sharp right hand. Joshua was cut over the left eye in round two, but landed the better shots. Joshua successfully kept Ruiz at bay from the outside as the rounds progressed. Ruiz connected with a few shots here and there, but Joshua did more and put round after round in the bank. Ruiz was able to rough up Joshua in round eight. Round nine was close. Joshua got back to boxing the rest of the way. Scores were 118-110, 118-110, 119-109.

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Photos: Emily Harney

In a hastily made fight, comebacking light heavyweight Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo Jr. (42-7-2, 23 KOs) scored a bizarre and unsatisfying fourth round TKO over Milton Nunez (37-23-1, 32 KOs) on Saturday night inside Foxwoods Resort Casino’s historic Fox Theater in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

The bout was abruptly and inexplicably halted by Nunez’ corner much to the surprise of both Nunez and Manfredo. Time was 1:39. It was a competitive fight up to that point with Manfredo rebounding after being rocked and arguably knocked down in round one. Manfredo called the stoppage “terrible.”

The 38-year-old former “Contender: Season One” star and two-time world title challenger Manfredo returned from a three-and-a-half-year retirement with a 79 second KO just two weeks ago. Continue reading “Manfredo wins after “terrible” stoppage”

Former WBA heavyweight champion and WBA #6, WBC #6, IBF #10 Alexander “Sascha” Povetkin (35-2, 24 KOs) and WBA #7, IBF #7, WBO #8, WBC #14 Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (18-1, 12 KOs) duelled to a hard-fought twelve round draw in an eliminator for the WBA world title on Saturday night at the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Hunter, the son of former heavyweight contender of the 90s Mike “The Bounty” Hunter, tried to bum rush Povetkinin in round one. The 40-year-old withstood the attack and rocked Hunter in round five. Hunter hurt Povetkin in round eleven but Povetkin took round twelve. Scores were 115-113 Povetkin, 115-113 Hunter, 114-114.

Newly vindicated WBC #1 heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over 39-year-old former world title challenger Mariusz Wach (35-6, 19 KOs). Whyte never got untracked against the 6’7½ Wach, who put up a very good fight. Scores were 98-93, 97-93, 97-93. Whyte was suspended by the WBC after being flagged by UKAD for banned substances in his system six months ago. The test result was voided due to suspected contamination.

WBA #9, IBF #9, WBC #11 heavyweight Filip Hrgovic (10-0, 8 KOs) manhandled and stopped 37-year-old two-time former world title challenger Eric Molina (27-6, 19 KOs). 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Hrgovic floored Molina in round two with a body shot and put him down for the count with a right to the head in round three. Time was 2:03. Continue reading “Povetkin-Hunter draw; Whyte, Hrgovic win”

Heavyweight Dillion Whyte has been cleared by UK Anti-Doping and the doping charges that led to his suspension by the WBC have been withdrawn. The testing organization ruled that trace amounts of metabolites found in Whyte’s sample in June 2019 are consistent with an isolated contamination event and are not suggestive of doping.

UKAD/Dillion Whyte Joint Statement

UK Anti-Doping and the professional boxer, Dillian Whyte, can today jointly confirm that Mr Whyte was charged with an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) earlier this year, but that this charge has now been withdrawn.

The charge was brought after a sample provided by Mr Whyte on 20 June 2019 indicated the presence of two metabolites of a steroid. UKAD initiated an investigation with which Mr Whyte cooperated fully. UKAD has accepted the explanation provided by Mr Whyte and, in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules, the charge against Mr Whyte has been withdrawn. Continue reading “Dillion Whyte cleared of doping charges”