By Miguel Maravilla

WBO junior middleweight world champion Jaime Munguia (33-0, 26 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico returns to the ring next month as he takes on Patrick Allotey (40-3, 30 KOs) of Ghana. Munguia squares off against Allotey on Saturday, September 14 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California live on DAZN.

“This will be a good fight. Allotey has a great style. This is a very worthy fight for September 14th,” Munguia told Fightnews.com®.

After Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez conceded the big fight weekend, things opened up for 22-year-old Munguia to headline on Mexican Independence weekend.

“I feel very happy to be the main event for this Mexican Independence Day fight. It’s going to be a great day for boxing and a great day for Mexico. I got the opportunity to headline and I’m just grateful.” Continue reading “Jaime Munguia: I’ll look for the knockout”

IBF #1-rated heavyweight contender Kubrat “The Cobra” Pulev has responded to former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s public claims that he turned down a fight with “The Gypsy King.” Pulev asserts it is the exact opposite situation, in fact.

“Fury is using me and some other boxers that he knows are currently unavailable for different reasons, just so he can get some PR,” said Pulev. “A few years ago, Fury refused a fight with me and not because he wasn’t available like I am right now. He was available. He was just scared!” Continue reading “Pulev: Fury using my name for PR”

Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury isn’t sold on current WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. When asked to give a prediction on Ruiz’ rematch with Anthony Joshua on Saturday night’s ESPN telecast, Fury said, “I’d like to give you a prediction, but the thing is we don’t know how Ruiz is training. We don’t know how this newfound fame and newfound fortune have changed the man’s life.

“Is Andy Ruiz Jr the second coming of Buster Douglas…had his big shot and didn’t back it up in the rematch. We’ll never know and until he’s in there. Until he starts showing us that he’s going to take it seriously and be in the gym and train and stop living like a movie star or a superstar because he won one fight…I know he’s not training right now.”

As far as arch-rival Deontay Wilder’s upcoming rematch against Luis Ortiz, Fury stated, “Ortiz is 49 years old. He’s on his last legs. I think Wilder does him inside of six rounds.”

By Miguel Maravilla

WBO junior featherweight world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (28-1, 24 KOs) will make a quick return to the ring following his third round TKO over Francisco de Vaca on Saturday night. Navarrete has earned a spot on the September 14 Tyson Fury vs. Otto Wallin undercard at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum confirmed it. “He’s Mexican. He’s proud of being Mexican. September 14 is Mexican Independence Day weekend, and the best fighter in Mexico will be there to defend his title!”

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside
Photos: Sumio Yamada

WBO junior featherweight world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (28-1, 24 KOs) scored an impressive third round TKO over previously unbeaten Francisco “Panchito” de Vaca (20-1, 6 KOs) before 3,944 on Saturday night in the inaugural boxing card at the Banc of California Stadium located on the site of the former Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Navarrete came out landing big punches in the opening round snapping de Vaca’s head back a few times. De Vaca answered with some solid counters as the things began to warm up. In round two, Navarrete landed a three punch combination dropping De Vaca. The third round saw Navarrete go for the stoppage as he came out attacking De Vaca and bloodying him. Credit to the challenger as he kept fighting back but the champ’s attack was too much and referee Raul Caiz Sr. stepped in to stop the fight at 1:54. Continue reading “WBO champ Navarrete stops de Vaca in three”

WBC light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk (17-0, 14 KOs) and IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev (14-0, 14 KOs) will fight in a highly anticipated title unification bout Friday, October 18 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ESPN will televise.

“This could very well be the fight of the year,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “These are two evenly matched, undefeated light heavyweight champions. There is nothing better in the sport of boxing.”

By Przemek Garczarczyk

IBF #1 heavyweight Kubrat Pulev is a VERY interested party in the (hopefully) upcoming Ruiz-Joshua 2 bout, so I decided to ask his opinion about the recent IBF decision and a prediction of what will happen in the ring when Andy and Anthony meet again.

Kubrat Pulev: “I wasn’t all that surprised that the IBF gave the exception for the rematch, but we do want some of the conditions clarified so that we can be sure that the winner will fight me next. I have been waiting for this to happen for over 3 years. I will remain focused and keep getting ready for the winner.

“The rematch is a 50/50 fight, and I see Ruiz winning again. I’m currently in training camp in Las Vegas and feeling that great things are about to happen!”

Former heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Lennox Lewis have gotten into a squabble after Lewis criticized Joshua and his trainer Rob McCracken.

“Lennox is a clown,” Joshua told Sky Sports. “I don’t respect Lennox…me and Lennox aren’t the same. My legacy is to sit back and enjoy the younger generation coming up. And not really be involved, just appreciate what it takes to get there. Lennox isn’t like that. Me and Lennox are cut from a different cloth.”

Lewis responded via social media, “Disappointed in AJ’s words but I understand that this ‘jealousy’ narrative was only fabricated AFTER I criticized them for Wilder negotiations. All of the sudden I’m a hater. Ask who benefits from such a simple-minded narrative? Not AJ. Not me.”

Joshua’s conqueror Andy Ruiz Jr., who will face Joshua in a December rematch, agitated the situation a bit more by tweeting “Lennox all day,” when asked who would win a fight between the two in their primes.

Popular knockout artist James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland (32-2, 28 KOs) returns from a 4-year absence on August 24 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The 35-year-old Kirkland will take on journeyman Colby Courter (13-14, 10 KOs) in a six round middleweight bout. It will be Kirkland’s first fight since a KO defeat against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in May 2015.

In addition to Kirkland, the card features three other fighters under the Davies Entertainment banner. Middleweight Eddie Ortiz (8-0-2, 4 KOs) battles Jas Phipps (10-6-2, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder, welterweight Daniel Baiz (13-1, 5 KOs) meets Marquis Hawthorne (7-11, 1 KO) in an eight-rounder, and middleweight Benjamin Whitaker (11-3, 2 KOs) faces Raymond Guzman (3-2, 2KO) in a six-rounder.

WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. told fans during a live chat that he’s not planning on having his rematch with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia as announced by Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn.

“AJ got the rematch, yes we do got the rematch, but it’s gonna be on MY terms,” Ruiz said. “We’re gonna bring it back here in the United States. AJ, he’s scared. Hell yeah. Why do you think he’s over there trying to make the fight in Saudi Arabia?”

Hearn told SkySports that Ruiz absolutely WILL be fighting in Saudi Arabia. “His choice is to have a legal battle that could put him out of boxing for years, or to defend his belts for a lot of money against a guy he has already beaten. There isn’t any doubt he will take the fight.” Continue reading “Andy Ruiz balks at fighting in Saudi Arabia”

Photos: Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos/Golden Boy

WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (33-0, 26 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, and his new trainer Erik Morales hosted a press conference today at the Golden Boy Headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif. ahead of Munguia’s title defense against Patrick Allotey (40-3, 30 KOs). The event will take place on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. and will be streamed live on DAZN.

Erik Morales: “I’m very grateful to be working with Munguia. He’s a great fighter and a young fighter with a lot of desire to show. It reminds me of when I was younger. He has been improving over our last two months of working together. I assure you that the Munguia you know will be different, but will also deliver the same explosive style he has. We are showing him and guiding him.”

Jaime Munguia: “I feel very happy to be the main event for this Mexican Independence Day fight. It’s going to be a great day for boxing and a great day for Mexico. My desire on September 14th is to demonstrate everything I’ve been learning with my new trainer Erik Morales. I have a great fighter in front of me and we are going to show it in the ring.” Continue reading “Morales: Munguia reminds me of when I was younger”

By Miguel Maravilla

Welterweight world champions Errol Spence Jr. (25-0, 21 KOs), the IBF king from Dallas, Texas, and Shawn Porter (30-2, 17 KOs), the WBC ruler from Akron, Ohio, held a press conference Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for their upcoming pay-per-view unification showdown on September 28.

Here is what the champs had to say:

Errol Spence: “This is an amazing event. Make sure you tune in for this main event. We’re going to do this on September 28th. Shawn is a warrior, he comes ready and leaves his heart on the table. This could be a fight of the year candidate. I will put on an amazing show and performance. I’m looking for the stoppage.”

Shawn Porter: “Listen. This fight demand the excitement and energy. Errol Spence Shawn Porter are coming to Staples Center for all of you. September 28th you need to be here. When we get in the ring September 28th. Nothing but respect. September 28th it’s going down.” Continue reading “Errol Spence-Shawn Porter LA Press Conference”

Unbeaten rising star Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (24-0, 16 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov (7-0, 6 KOs) for the WBA super lightweight title and popular veterans Josesito López (36-8, 19 KOs) and John Molina Jr. (30-8, 24 KOs) meet in a 10-round welterweight attraction as part of undercard action on the Spence-Porter PPV on September 28 from Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The main event will be the welterweight title unification match between IBF champion Errol Spence, Jr. and WBC champion Shawn Porter. In the previously announced co-feature, WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell will defend his title against unbeaten former champion David Benavídez.

* * *

Also, on FOX leading into the Spence-Porter pay-per-view event, former three-time world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (35-6-1, 20 KOs) battles Jerry Thomas (14-1-1, 8 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight match and undefeated super welterweight prospect Joey Spencer (8-0, 6 KOs) appears in a six-rounder vs. TBA.

Less than three months since his second-round destruction of Tom Schwarz at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, heavyweight Tyson Fury (28-0-1 20 KOs), a.k.a. “The Gypsy King,” will return against the undefeated Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs) on September 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Fury-Wallin will stream live on ESPN+. Tickets start at $105 and go on sale Friday.

“I am pleased to be back in Las Vegas. I loved my time there in my last fight and I am going to put on a show at the T-Mobile Arena,” Fury said. “Otto Wallin is a world-ranked fighter and is tall, something we want with the Deontay Wilder rematch around the corner. He is also a southpaw, which will bring its own obstacles, but I will be fully focused to get this job done because the rematch needs to happen.”

The worst-kept secret in boxing was officially announced Tuesday morning. Undefeated WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders (28-0, 13 KOs) has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, with his next fight to be announced next week.

“This move is going to benefit me massively,” said Saunders. “Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing can put me right out on the branch for those big fights. I’m on Golovkin and Canelo’s turf. I’ve made this move to make them fights because I’m sick of hearing their bullshit excuses. Those fights make financial sense and they make sense because we’re on the same network. Continue reading “Saunders: I’m sick of hearing their BS excuses”

In the main televised boxing match this weekend, all-action WBO super bantamweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (27-1, 23 KOs) will defend his belt against unbeaten Francisco de Vaca (20-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday in Los Angeles. The bout will air on ESPN in the US and on Azteca 7 in Mexico. Navarrete comes in off two impressive wins over Isaac Dogboe.

“We had a great preparation. We want to be a champion for a long time and for that we have prepared thoroughly. We’re ready for whatever my opponent brings and we’ll achieve this victory that allows us to think about unifying the title,” said Navarrete.

By Jeff Zimmerman

How you would rate your performance?

I think my first round was OK. I almost got him out of there. I am kind of proud of myself how I stepped back and tried to analyze the situation. In rounds two, three and four, I got a little off track and I just had to listen to my corner and that’s when everything fell into place.

How tough was Orozco?

It took everything I had to get him out of there. I thought I was going to knock him out in the 4th or 5th round, he was so tough, tougher than I imagined to be honest. Continue reading “Vergil Ortiz Jr. Post-Fight Quotes”

By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

Former WBA super featherweight champion Jason “El Canito” Sosa (23-3-4, 16 KOs) continued on his quest for another world title shot, dropping “The Hackman” Haskell Lydell Rhodes (27-4-1, 13 KOs) three times en-route to a seventh round stoppage Saturday night at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA on the card promoted by Top Rank, Raging Babe Promotions and Peltz Boxing.

Sosa took control late in the third with constant pressure, which forced Rhodes to be on the defensive. The constant pressure from the man nicknamed El Canito continued throughout the fourth round. Sosa finally sent Rhodes to the canvas with left hook. Rhodes rose to his feet and Sosa continued to batter him around the ring. Rhodes was sent to the canvas again with a counter right. Continue reading “Ex-champ Sosa stops Rhodes in seven”

By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside

Unbeaten welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr scored a sixth round KO over Antonio Orozco to win the WBA gold belt and an accompanying world title challenge on Saturday night at The Theatre at Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Ortiz Jr (14-0, 14 KOs), out of Grand Prairie, TX, and fighting in his hometown for the first time as a pro, came out smoking from the opening bell as he landed a big body shot against former world title contender Antonio Orozco (28-2, 17 KOs) right from the jump. He soon followed up with a flurry of shots in the corner, before Orozco escaped initially. Ortiz got Orozco in trouble later in the round with power punches to the head and body, but Orozco showed his championship mettle by withstanding the initial onslaughts of Ortiz. In the 2nd round of the pro-Ortiz crowd, both guys landed to the body as Ortiz was going for the KO. Orozco went toe to toe with Ortiz who his trainer Robert Garcia called a future multi division world champion. Continue reading “Ortiz KOs Orozco in six for WBA gold title”

Former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr (51-3-1, 32 KOs) made quick work of Evert Bravo (25-11-1, 19 KOs) with an impressive first round KO on Saturday night at Estadio “Antonio R. Márquez” in San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, Mexico. Chavez pinned Bravo in a corner and put him down and out with a hook to the liver. Time was 1:22. It was Junior’s first fight since facing Canelo Alvarez more than two years ago.

“Boxing is like that,” said Chavez afterward. “I wanted to give the fans more of a show, but that hook was well connected. I’m very happy. I prepared like never before. I want to return in September against “Perro” Angulo and then go for the super middleweight or light heavyweight title!”

Photos

By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

Unheralded Adan Gonzales (5-2-2, 2 KOs) did the unthinkable in the four round featherweight co-feature on Saturday night at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, spoiling the professional debut of two-time Cuban Olympic Gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (0-1) by capturing a split decision victory.

Gonzalez dropped Ramirez in the opening seconds of the fight with a short counter. The knockdown seemed to give the Adan Gonzalez confidence and he opened up his offense with short little shots which seemed to keep the Cuban from letting his hands go. Rounds two and three were close, but Gonzalez wouldn’t back down his attack. Ramirez landed enough to make the rounds close. Ramirez caught Adan in the final seconds of the fight with a couple big lefts over the top as both traded, but just could not deter the busier Gonzalez. One judge saw the bout 38-37 for Robeisy Ramirez, but was overruled as the other to officials had it 38-37 and 40-35 for Adan Gonzalez, giving him the upset split decision victory.

Undefeated KO artist Edgar Berlanga (12-0, 12 KOs) kept his first round knockout streak intact, needing only two minutes and twenty four seconds to stop French middleweight Gregory “Nounou” Trenel (11-5-2, 3 KOs). Berlanga stunned Trenel with an eight punch combination early in the first round. Trenel tried to back out, but was sent to the canvas with an overhand left up top. Trenel was game and tried to survive as Berlanga rocked him with crushing shots. Referee Benjy Esteves Jr finally had seen enough and stepped in and called a halt to the contest at 2:24 of the opening round. Continue reading “2x Olympic gold medalist Ramirez loses pro debut”

Today in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Regis Prograis and DiBella Entertainment, Inc. filed for a declaratory judgment that Comosa AG, the owner of the World Boxing Super Series, has breached its contractual obligations to Prograis and DBE. Prograis and DBE further informed Comosa that Prograis is withdrawing from the WBSS, effective immediately.

The lawsuit cites a long and repeated pattern that includes late payments, scheduling delays, bad faith representations, missed deadlines, and broken promises.

On Monday in London, Eddie Hearn will chair a press conference along with Omar Khalil, Managing Partner of Skill Challenge Entertainment, official event partner in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to formally announce Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua 2 ‘Clash on the Dunes.’ The bout will take place December 7 in Diriyah, Saudi Ababia.

By Jeff Zimmerman

Vergil Ortiz Jr. (13-0, 13 KOs), out of Grand Prairie, Texas, who recently moved up from 140 to 147, has quietly become one of the hottest young fighters in boxing. The heavy handed and personable yet humble Ortiz appears destined for greatness, although he won’t be the one to tell you. And even though he has fought on the undercard of the biggest name in boxing in Canelo Alvarez multiple times and is the same age, 21, of another one of Golden Boy’s young stars in Ryan Garcia who boasts 3M Instagram followers, the spotlight is new to Ortiz.

The light will surely brighten on Saturday night as he faces his toughest foe to date in former world title contender Antonio Orozco (28-1, 17 KOs) in the main event, a fight that will also be his first in his hometown and take place at The Theatre at Grand Prairie and shown live on DAZN. Continue reading “Vergil Ortiz Jr is a rising star”

Japan’s ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue (18-0, 16 KOs) and legendary Filipino-American Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire (40-5, 26 KOs) clash for the 118lb Ali Trophy at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on November 7.

Inoue has sent shockwaves throughout boxing and the wider world of sport with his quarter-final and semi-final performances. The ‘Monster’s total fight time in the tournament is incredible 5 minutes and 29 seconds against the likes of Emmanuel Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Payano.

Donaire won his quarter-final when Ryan Burnett was forced to retire after four rounds due to a lower back injury. Donaire got another break in the semis when IBF champ Zolani Tete pulled out with an injury and he instead faced late sub Stephon Young, getting a sixth round TKO.