Sad to report that super welterweight Patrick Day is in a coma and fighting for his life at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Day underwent emergency surgery last night after being knocked out in the tenth round by Charles Conwell in a bout streamed worldwide on DAZN. Went he went down, Day’s head bounced off the canvas. Medical personnel couldn’t revive him and he was taken from the ring on a stretcher. While being rushed to the hospital, he reportedly suffered a seizure. Prayers for Patrick Day.

Official Update on Sunday evening: Patrick Day suffered a traumatic brain injury during his bout on Saturday night. He was rushed to Northwestern Memorial hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. As of Sunday evening, Patrick is in a coma caused by the injury and is in extremely critical condition. On behalf of Patrick’s team, we appreciate the outpouring of support, prayers, and offers of assistance from all corners of the boxing community.

Updates will be provided as circumstances change. In the meantime, we ask that the privacy of Patrick and his family be respected during this difficult time.

Photos: Sumio Yamada

In his heavyweight debut, formerly undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) scored a seventh round TKO over late sub Chazz Witherspoon (38-4, 29 KOs) on Saturday night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

Usyk started slow, but things heated up as the bout progressed. The 38-year-old Witherspoon looked close to being stopped in round six. The game but gassed Witherspoon, who took the fight on four days’ notice, took more big shots in round seven and the bout was stopped after the round.

Photos

Photos: Sumio Yamada

WBA light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol (17-0, 11 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over #15 rated Lenin Castillo (20-3-1, 15 KOs) on Saturday night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Bivol outboxed Castillo from the beginning. He dropped Castillo with a right hand in round six, then continue to dominate. Scores were 120-107, 119-108, 119-108. Bivol successfully defended his title for the fifth time.

“Who wants to fight me? Who wants to try to beat me, I’m ready for all comers!” said Bivol after the fight. Continue reading “Bivol easily retains WBA light heavy title”

IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington (30-0, 7 KOs) scored a second round TKO over Sofiane Takoucht (35-4-1, 13 KOs) at the First Direct Arena in his hometown of Leeds, England. In round two, Warrington dropped Takoucht twice, then got a referee’s stoppage. Time was 2:54.

Commonwealth super featherweight titleholder Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) scored a ninth round stoppage over Jordan McCorry (18-7-1, 4 KOs).

Unbeaten light heavyweight Lyndon Arthur (16-0, 12 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Emmanuel Anim (14-3-1, 12 KOs) to claim the vacant Commonwealth title. Arthur dropped Amin in round four. Scores were 115-112, 117-110, 117-111.

The World Boxing Association (WBA) has ordered an immediate rematch of the September 28th junior welterweight world title fight between Batyr Akhmedov and Mario Barrios. The two sides now have thirty days for a free negotiating period before a purse bid is called. Barrios won the first fight by scores of 114-112, 116-111 and 115-111, which were widely criticized.

At the request of World of Boxing Promotions, the WBA conducted a review of the fight by independent judges and concluded an immediate rematch was in order.  Continue reading “WBA orders Barrios-Akhmedov rematch”

By Joe Koizumi

Four-division world champ Kazuto Ioka (24-2, 14 KOs), a skillful Japanese speedster, will make a mandatory defense of his WBO 115-pound belt against #1 Jeyvier Cintron (11-0-1NC, 5 KOs), Puerto Rico, on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo, Japan.

It was publicly announced on Thursday with Ioka in attendance. Cintron was a two-time Olympian representing Puerto Rico in 2012 and 2016. In London the fast-moving southpaw footworker became a quarter finalist. Ioka, 30, said, “I’d like to show the difference of professional experience and keep my belt.”

In a stunning upset, journeyman Armando “Alacran” Torres (25-18, 19 KOs) knocked out former WBC light flyweight champion and WBC #5 rated Ganigan “Maravilla” Lopez (36-10, 19 KOs) in the first round on Friday night at the famed Blackberry Auditorium in Mexico City. The heavy-handed Torres dropped Lopez twice to end it and claim the WBC Latino fly title.

Photos: Emily Harney

Former two-time light heavyweight world champion “Bad” Chad Dawson (36-5, 19 KOs) cruised to an uneventful eight round unanimous decision over Denis Grachev (19-9-1, 10 KOs) on Friday night at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut.

Dawson was in control from the opening bell. Grachev’s best moment was round six when he connected with several punches. Scores were 80-72, 80-72, 79-73. With the win, Dawson claimed the vacant WBC USNBC title.

It was short, but sweet. Unbeaten heavyweight Cassius Chaney (17-0, 11 KOs) needed just 63 seconds to annihilate former cruiserweight title challenger Santander Silgado (28-8, 22 KOs). A crushing right hand laid out Silgado for several minutes. Continue reading “Dawson dominates; Chaney steals the show”

Undefeated WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) will defend his title against Dennis Hogan (28-2-1, 7 KOs) on December 7 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Showtime will televise.

Charlo will be making his second defense against volume puncher Hogan, who gave WBO jr middleweight champion Jaime Munguia all he could handle in a majority decision loss in April.

Eye of the Tiger Management has announced that former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux (40-4, 34 KOs) will face Ukrainian Max Bursak (34-5-2, 15 KOs) on December 7 at the Bell Centre in Montreal. This will be Lemieux’s debut at super middleweight. He will be returning after a 15-month layoff.

Other featured bouts on the card include a pair of former heavyweight champions playing gatekeeper roles. 43-year-old former WBO champion Siarhei Liakhovich (27-7, 17 KOs) faces Simon Kean (17-1, 16 KOs), and 39-year-old former WBC champion Samuel Peter (38-8, 31 KOs) goes against Arslanbek Makhmudov (9-0, 9 KOs).

By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Naoki Fukuda

Who expected WBC#2/IBF#4 122-pounder Shingo Wake (26-6-2, 18 KOs), 125.75, to lose to such a mediocre Filipino underdog named Jhunriel Ramonal (16-8-6, 9 KOs), 125.25, today (Friday) in Tokyo, Japan?

Furthermore, Wake, when he was the OPBF ruler, had demolished Ramonal in three one-sided rounds here in 2013.  It was an easy-going safety-first matchmaking that booked Wake against Ramonal, just #8 featherweight by the GAB (Philippine commission) in a rematch, but an unbelievable upset happened before the stunned crowd at the Hall. Continue reading “Shocker: WBC #2 Wake stopped by Ramonal”

WBA super featherweight world champion Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (21-4-2, 16 KOs) will defend his title for a second time in a 12-round rematch against Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (31-8, 20 KOs). The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. and will be streamed live exclusively as part of fight season on DAZN.

In the co-main event, Xu Can (17-2, 3 KOs), China’s third world champion, will defend his WBA featherweight world title against rising contender Manny Robles III (18-0, 8 KOs) of Los Angeles in a 12-round fight. Robles is a crafty fighter whose grandfather and father were renowned trainers. Continue reading “Golden Boy announces Nov 23 world title twinbill”

By Przemek Garczarczyk

Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn talks about why DAZN will be still paying big money but ONLY for big fights, what happened with Joey Dawejko’s contract, Oleksandr Usyk’s worldwide popularity, the choice of Chazz Witherspoon as his first heavyweight rival, why he believes that you can actually make big fights in Chicago + more…

–

WBA middleweight and super middleweight and WBC franchise champion Canelo Alvarez today discussed last weekend’s Golovkin-Derevyanchenko fight, and potential future fights with IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade.

“Obviously for me, Derevyanchenko won the fight,” said Canelo. “It was a fight where he really looked good. It was his fight. Regarding Triple G, we all know, everyone knows, it’s unnecessary to say more, but he looked slow, and I think I gave everyone the pathway to see how to hurt him, which is the body, and that’s what we saw.” Continue reading “Canelo: Neither GGG or Andrade present a challenge”

WBC/IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. suffered serious injuries in a 3 a.m. one car crash this morning in Dallas, Texas. Police say Spence lost control of his white Ferrari while traveling at a high rate of speed. The champ’s car rolled multiple times and Spence, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle. He was rushed to Methodist Dallas Medical Center where he’s being treated in the Intensive Care Unit.

Spence defeated Shawn Porter in a twelve round war to unify the WBC and IBF belts just 12 days ago.

–

#BREAKING Exclusive video from a nearby security camera shows the crash that injured Championship Boxer Errol Spence Jr when he lost control of his Ferrari and it rolled multiple times ejecting him. Fortunately he survived and expected to be ok pic.twitter.com/2Z1xh9DDiA

— J.D. Miles (@jdmiles11) October 10, 2019

Lightweight contender Oscar Duarte (17-1-1, 12 KOs) will defend his WBC Latino lightweight title in a 10-round main event against Richard Solano (20-2-2, 13 KOs) on the October 19 edition of Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch at The Gimnasio Rodrigo M. Quevedo in Chihuahua, Mexico.

However the co-main event might steal the show as all-action former world champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (25-2-2, 18 KOs) will make his highly anticipated return against Ezequiel “Sheke”Aviles (16-4-3, 6 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight fight. Vargas has been in several fight of the year candidates. Continue reading “Bandido Vargas set for ring return Oct 19”

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has doubled down on its total and categorical opposition to professional boxers being competing in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman announced Tuesday that the WBC, boxing’s largest professional organization, is forwarding a letter to the International Olympic Committee voicing its opposition.

In 1992, a so-called “Dream Team” of professional basketball players from the United States blew everyone off the court to win the Olympic gold medal. But Mauricio Sulaiman stressed that as a contact sport, “You can’t play boxing! This is in the name of the world boxing community. The voice of millions of people, the voice of the world. We cannot take a backward step for commercial or personal motives! Continue reading “WBC TOTALLY opposes pros in the Olympics”

Oleksandr Usyk will face Chazz Witherspoon in his heavyweight debut at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Saturday night, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK. Witherspoon (38-3 29 KOs) second cousin of former two-time heavyweight ruler Tim Witherspoon, is unbeaten in five years with his last win coming in March in Atlantic City over Santiago Silgado and now the 38-year-old Philadelphian gets a huge opportunity to pull off a massive upset as Ukrainian pound-for-pound king Usyk moves up to heavyweight after leaving the cruiserweight division as the undisputed ruler.

“I can’t wait to face Usyk in Chicago,” said Witherspoon. “I have been in training ready for a big fight, and it doesn’t get bigger than this. Oleksandr is stepping up to heavyweight – and he’s going to find out that it’s a totally different game. Continue reading “Chazz Witherspoon to face Usyk Saturday”

By Bob Ryder

Ivana Habazin has posted that her trainer James Ali Bashir is back in a hospital in New Jersey with a brain bleed. Bashir was injured at the weigh-in for Habazin’s fight with Claressa Shields last Friday when he was struck from behind and knocked to the floor. He was taken to a Detroit hospital where he underwent surgery and was released.  As of yesterday, it was reported that the Flint Police were requesting an arrest warrant for the suspect believed to be Shield’s brother although no official confirmation of that has yet been announced.

Heavyweight Derek Chisora will now face David Price at The O2 in London on October 26. Chisora (31-9, 22 KOs) was scheduled to face former WBO champion Joseph Parker until the New Zealander was forced out through illness. Price (25-6, 20 KOs), who was scheduled to fight in Liverpool on November 23, steps in to face Chisora on the back of his career-changing win over Dave Allen.

“It didn’t matter who got in the ring with me on October 26th I’m ready for WAR. Parker b*tched out, it’s like he thinks he is Peter Parker not Joseph Parker with his Spider-Man excuses. It’s cool, let him do his thing,” said Chisora.

“David Price has stepped up and I’m ready for whatever he brings. If he thinks I’m just going to stand there and be a punch bag like Dave Allen he is in for a shock. This is north versus south and in my home town I write the rules. Saturday 26th October get ready to scream TIMBER!”

Promoter Eddie Hearn has announced that heavyweight Tyrone Spong is out as Oleksandr Usyk’s opponent this Saturday night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago. “We have been contacted by VADA to inform us that there has been an adverse finding in Tyrone Spong’s test,” Hearn announced on social media. “It has been sent to the State of Illinois Commission and further information will be released in the morning. We have reserve opponents standing by.”

• Former undisputed cruiserweight champ Usyk (16-0, 12 KOs) will be making his heavyweight debut.
• Spong reportedly tested positive for the banned substance clomiphene.

WBA and WBC (franchise) middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez says he wants new challenges for his career, not a third fight with IBF middleweight king Gennady Golovkin. In an interview with Azteca 7, Canelo stated “I am the one to beat, the one everyone wants to face. Ever since Golovkin fought me, what has he done? He didn’t do anything.”

“…I’m facing a pure world champion and going up two weight divisions and his opponents come from losing. He no longer poses any challenge. I’ve already beat him. I gave him 24 rounds and he couldn’t do it. What’s going to happen in the third fight? I’m going to beat him again. I’m even going to knock him out. It’s just business.” Continue reading “Canelo: Golovkin no longer poses any challenge”

Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

Friday night in Philadelphia was a night to remember as the City of Brotherly Love paid homage to Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz, who celebrated 50 years in the business by presenting a card at the 2300 Arena.

In the main event, unbeaten super lightweight prospect Victor Padilla (6-0, 5 KOs) who took a unanimous decision over Romain Tomas (8-3, 1 KO). The bout was scheduled for six rounds, a throwback to a century ago when Pennsylvania state laws set such a limit on all main events. Padilla won by scores of 59-55, 60-54 and 60-54. Continue reading “J Russell Peltz celebrates 50 years in boxing”

WBC interim lightweight champion Devon Haney says he might get elevated to full champion status, while current WBC lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko would be bumped up to WBC franchise champion.

“We’re waiting on the WBC to make their ruling,” said Haney on Saturday’s DAZN stream. “Either they’re gonna make Lomachenko the franchise champion and make me the WBC regular champion, or they’re gonna mandate the fight (between Loma and Haney).

“As of now, we don’t really know. We’re just waiting and towards the end of this month, we’ll see the decision they’re gonna make. But if they make me world champion, I’m happy with that. If they mandate the fight, I’m happy with that. All I wanna do is become world champion!”

So far, Canelo Alvarez is the only WBC franchise champion, a special status that offers privileges in regard to mandatory obligations, holding multiple titles and competing for titles of other organizations.

Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko have commented on their epic war for the IBF middleweight title at Madison Square Garden in New York City

Gennady Golovkin: “I told you, he’s a very tough guy. This is huge experience for me. Right now, I understand I need more. Focus is boxing. This was a tough fight. I need a little bit more. I need to still get stronger in my camp. Just more serious. I need to work hard. I need a little bit more focus.

“Right now it’s bad day for me, it’s a huge day for Sergiy, his team. This is huge experience for me. Right now I know what I need exactly. I lost a little bit of focus. Sergiy was ready, I really respect him. He showed me such a big heart. I told him, Sergiy, this is best fight for me. It’s a huge experience. It’s maximum destroy. I just respect his team.

“Rematch? Absolutely. Big fight for DAZN, for the people, of course I’m ready. I’m a boxer, I’m ready for anything.

“Absolutely I still want Canelo, I’m just open to anybody. There are so many great champions here. Sergiy, a lot of guys. Everything is ready, just call Canelo. If he says yes, let’s do it.”

Sergiy Derevyanchenko: “The cut really changed the fight. I couldn’t see at times. And he was targeting the eye. But no excuses, it is what it is, I was trying my best. When I started moving, I felt like I was giving him room and I was getting hit with those shots that he threw and that’s why I started taking the fight to him and getting closer and not giving him room to maneuver.

“He hit me in the back of the head. He hit me behind the ear. I didn’t really see the punch but it didn’t really affect me that much. I got up and I wasn’t really hurt so I continued to fight, so it was nothing, nothing too bad.

“I would like the rematch if it’s possible, I’m ready.”