WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and pro debuting MMA star Francis Ngannou spoke about Fury’s split decision win on Saturday evening at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Tyson Fury: “That definitely wasn’t in the script. He’s one hell of a fighter. He’s strong, a big puncher, and a lot better as a boxer than we thought he would ever be. He’s a very awkward man, and he’s a good puncher. I respect him a lot, before the fight and afterward.

“He was very awkward. He wasn’t coming forward. He was standing back and waiting for me to land my punches and then try to counter. He’s a good fighter. He’s given me one of my toughest fights in the last 10 years.

“[The knockdown] is part of boxing. I got caught behind the head again. My legs weren’t hurt or nothing. I was alright. And I got back up and it was what it was. And I got back to my boxing. I don’t know how close it was. But I got the win, and that’s what it is.”

Francis Ngannou: “We can run it back again, and I’m sure I will get better. This was my first boxing match. It was a great experience. I’m not giving any excuse. I know I came up short. But I’m going to go back and work harder with a little more experience and a little more feeling of the game. And I will come back even stronger.

“At first, I was a little nervous. This is a new sport that I never did. Now I know I can do this sh*t. So, get ready!”

WBC super featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster (21-2, 11 KOs) scored a come-from-behind stoppage of KO artist Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez (34-2, 31 KOs) in the twelfth round on Saturday night at the Poliforum Benito Juarez in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Hernandez pressed the action, was busier, and was ahead on the cards. Round eleven was a round of the year candidate. Foster rocked Rocky, who then came back to shock O’Shaquie. Foster then dropped Hernandez twice in round twelve and the bout was stopped. Time was 2:38.

WBO #15 heavyweight Justis Huni (8-0, 4 KOs) hammered out a hard fought ten round unanimous decision over former cruiserweight title challenger Andrew Tabiti (20-2, 16 KOs). Scores were 100-90, 98-92, 98-92.

IBF #4, WBO #10 super featherweight KO machine Eduardo Nunez (25-1, 25 KOs) knocked out 39-year-old former world title challenger Oscar Escandon (27-7, 18 KOs) in the second round. A huge right hand laid out Escandon at :38.

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) got all he could handle from MMA star Francis Ngannou (0-1) in a ten round non-title fight on Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “The Gypsy King” suffered a small cut on his forehead in round two. Ngannou dropped Fury with a left hook in round three.

Fury started to outbox Ngannou in round four. Rounds were competitive with Fury’s jab saving him. Ngannou won the exchanges in round eight. Fury went back to the jab in rounds nine and ten and won by split decision. Scores were 95-94 Ngannou, 96-93, 95-94 Fury.

With the win, Fury set up a December 23 clash against WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed title at the same venue.

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In a grudge fight between undefeated British heavyweight standouts, WBA #11 Fabio Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) halted WBO #9 David Adeleye (12-1, 11 KOs) in round seven. Wardley dropped Adeleye with a left hook and got a referee’s stoppage moments later. Time was 2:43. Adeleye didn’t like the stoppage and shoved the referee.

Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs), currently rated WBO #6, IBF #6, WBC #10, knocked out Simon Kean (23-2, 22 KOs) in round three. An uppercut put Kean on the deck where he was counted out. Time was 2:04.

WBC #3, WBA #5, IBF #10, WBO #13 heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov (18-0, 17 KOs) needed just 70 seconds to steamroll Junior Anthony Wright (20-5-1, 17 KOs). Makhmudov dropped Wright with a right hand, then got a referee’s stop when he connected with another crushing right.

Hot heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma (6-0, 4 KOs) demolished Istvan Bernath (10-2, 8 KOs) in the first round. Itauma dropped Bernath, then got a referee’s stoppage with his follow-up barrage. Time was 1:53.

WBA #2, WBC #9 heavyweight Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) scored a fourth round TKO over 42-year-old Carlos Takam (40-8-1, 28 KOs). 299lb Bakole overpowered and battered Takam to get a referee’s stoppage at 2:15.

In a bout upgraded to the WBO interim junior flyweight title, WBO #4 Rene “El Chulo” Santiago (13-3, 10 KOs) scored a twelfth round KO over previously undefeated #15 Kevin Vivas (7-1, 2 KOs) at the famed Alexis Arguello Arena in Managua, Nicaragua. It was a close fight until a Santiago jab to the breadbasket finished Vivas at 1:18.

The original main event between WBO junior flyweight champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez and Gerardo “Cascabel” Zapata was scrapped when Bomba withdrew due to illness.

In the co-feature, welterweight puncher Harvin “Manimal” Aguirre (9-0, 6 KOs) took an eight round majority decision over crosstown rival Israel Lopez (11-4-1, 8 KOs). Scores were 78-74, 76-76, 78-74

Report/Photos: Scott Foster

Undisputed female featherweight champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over WBO interim champ Danila Ramos (12-3, 1 KO) on Friday night at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Serrano pressed the action the whole way and punished Ramos for 36 minutes instead of the normal 20. Scores were 120-108 3x.

Only Serrano’s WBA, IBF, and WBO belts were on the line as the WBC wouldn’t sanction the match because they view the duration of twelve 3-minute rounds as unsafe for women.

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Unbeaten WBA #14 welterweight Damian Lescaille (6-0, 4 KOs) scored a spectacular ninth round KO against Ray Barlow (7-4, 4 KOs). A right hook laid out Barlow at 2:58.

2016 Olympian Antonio Vargas (17-1, 9 KOs) outscored rugged former world champion Hernan “Tyson” Marquez (47-11-2, 33 KOs) over ten rounds in a bantamweight bout. Scores were 99-89 3x. Marquez down twice.

Photos

WBC/WBO world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales will collide in an undisputed junior featherweight showdown on Tuesday, December 26 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Inoue, already a four-division world champion, seeks to become the second fighter to earn four-belt undisputed status in a second division.

Inoue-Tapales and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ in a special early-morning presentation.

“The sensational Naoya Inoue astounds with every performance. We are witnessing an all-time great fighter in the prime of his career,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He has a very difficult task at hand on December 26 against a tough, powerful Filipino champion in Marlon Tapales, but I am confident ‘The Monster’ will pass this test with flying colors.” Continue reading “Inoue-Taples set for Dec 26 in Tokyo”

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

In a huge upset, undefeated Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan (32-0, 17 KOs) knocked out WBO #1 welterweight Alexis “Lex” Rocha (23-2, 15 KOs) in round six on Saturday night at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. Santillan put a beat down on Rocha. Rocha’s nose was pouring blood early. Santillan dropped Rocha twice in round five and finished him with another knockdown in round six.

Going straight at it and fighting on the inside, Rocha and Santillan went right at it a phonebooth fight. Santillan staggered Rocha to begin the second round. Pressing to begin the third, Santillan pumped the jab as Rocha’s nose appeared to be busted gushing blood, but that did not stop the Santa Ana fighter’s momentum. The fourth round began with Santillan landing a chopping left, the San Diego fighter continued and connected with a sharp combination as Rocha appeared very sluggish and on the receiving end of Santillan’s offensive.

Santillan dropped Rocha to begin the fifth. The bloodied Rocha got up and continued showing grit. Rocha was droped again was saved by the bell. Santillan finished off Rocha in the sixth, knocking him down for a third time as referee Ray Corona waved it off at 1:13.

In the co-feature bout, Los Angeles’s John “Scrappy” Ramirez (13-0, 9 KOs) scored a fourth-round knockout over Ronal Batista (15-4, 9 KOs) of Panama in a WBA super flyweight title eliminator. It was a slow start for Ramirez as he took his time stalking and measured Batista early in the fight. Things began to sizzle as Ramirez connected and cornered Batista in the third landing with hooks and chopping rights flush on the chin to finish the round. A crunching left hook to the body by Scrappy dropped Batista in the fourth, then Ramirez finished him off with a vicious right knocking down Batista for a second time as referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight at 2:33.

Gabriela Fundora (12-0, 5 KOs) of Coachella, California won the IBF flyweight champion by knocking out Arely “Ametralladora” Muciño (32-4-2, 11 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico in the fifth. Mucino attacked Fundora at the opening bell, taking swings at the much taller opponent as Fundora adjusted to strike with a solid straight, later to close the round Fundora staggered Mucino to the corner as she was saved by the bell from the attack. Continuing where they left off, Mucino charged as Fundora countered and connected with straight shots. Mucino was dropped to begin the fifth and continued to fight, referee Jack Reiss gave Mucino a standing eight count but she couldn’t continue and Reiss stopped the fight at 1:18 of the fifth. Continue reading “Upset: Santillan knocks out #1 Rocha in six”

Super lightweight contender Jack Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision against 38-year-old former multi-weight world champion Jorge Linares (47-9, 29 KOs) on Saturday night at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. Linares pressed the action, but had problems getting past Catterall’s jab. Catterall drove Linares into the ropes with a big shot at the end of round five, but he never really went for an early finish and was content to win a cat and mouse game. Scores were 117-111, 116-112, 116-112. Fourth straight loss for Linares.

In what was billed as his final fight, ageless former world champion Firat Arslan (55-9-3, 40 KOs) knocked out Edin “Iron Puki” Puhalo (23-2, 22 KOs) in round six to claim the WBA gold cruiserweight title on Saturday night at the EWS Arena in Goeppingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The aggressive 53-year-old Arslan, rated #4 in the world by the WBA, mostly got the better of the exchanges with Puhalo, 35, who is rated WBA #5. Arslan dropped Puhalo with a left hand late in round two, then floored Puhalo three times in round six with lefts to the ear that really rattled Puhalo. Time was 1:29.

It’s official. After a successful 38-year run, the Showtime network will no longer air boxing after the end of 2023.

Parent company Paramount Global issued the following statement:

“As we evolve our strategy to more efficiently allocate resources and align our content offering across the business, we’ve made the difficult decision not to move forward with boxing and other content produced by the Showtime sports team. Showtime will continue to air and support the remaining 2023 boxing slate and honor obligations through the end of the year.”

Showtime is the main broadcast vehicle for Premier Boxing Champions, so PBC will need to find another outlet.

Recently elevated WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs), making his first world title defense, scored a twelve round unanimous decision over iron-jawed Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) on Sunday at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. Close first half of the fight with both having their moments. Tszyu started to take over in round seven and he methodically broke down Mendoza the rest of the way. Scores were 116-111, 116-112, 117-111.

Former world champion Miguel “El Alacrán” Berchelt (39-3, 35 KOs) beat up former world champion challenger Diego “El Profeta” Ruiz (24-8-1, 12 KOs) in a lightweight clash on Saturday night at the Poliforum Zamna in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico. After Berchelt dominated the first two rounds, Ruiz said he couldn’t continue due to a hand injury.

In an IBF flyweight eliminator, undefeated Angel Ayala (17-0, 7 KOs) scored a very controversial twelve round unanimous decision over former world champion Felix “El Gemelo” Alvarado (39-4, 34 KOs). Alvarado seemed to do more than enough to win, but the judges scored it for Ayala 114-113 3x. To add insult to injury, Alvarado was initially announced as the winner.

In a middleweight unification clash, WBO world champion Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs) took the belt of IBF world champion Vincenzo “Il Capo” Gualtieri (21-1-1, 7 KOs) with a sixth round TKO on Saturday night at Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas. Alimkhanuly overpowered Gualtieri from the get-go. A counter left uppercut from Janibek in the fifth round hurt and dropped Gualtieri. After buckling Gualtieri multiple time in round six, the bout was waved off by referee David Fields. Time was 1:25.

By David Finger

With only two weeks since his last fight, it may be a little early to be asking “who is next” in regards to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but at the 36th Annual WBO Congress in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic boxing fans and insiders got a strong indication as to who the front runner might be.

Former WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs) who has not fought for a world title since vacating his 154-pond title in 2019, but who has nonetheless remained a viable contender in both the middleweight and later the super-middleweight division over the last four years, appears to have emerged as the betting favorite to win out on the upcoming Canelo sweepstakes. Continue reading “Canelo vs. Munguia inches closer to reality”

Elite boxing trainer Brian “Bomac” McIntyre has avoided the usual five-year minimum jail term for possessing a gun in the UK. Judge Nicholas Dean acknowledged that the case had “exceptional circumstances” and that the gun was brought into the country accidentally and sentenced BoMac to a 20 month jail term, suspended for two years. Among those testifying on BoMac’s behalf was undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford. BoMac is reportedly already headed back to Omaha, Nebraska.

In a WBA cruiserweight eliminator, Zurdo Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision against Joe Smith Jr. (28-5, 22 KOs) from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Ramirez moved well and outboxed Smith over the first half of the fight. Smith rallied down the stretch, but it was too little, too late. Scores were 99-91 3x.

WBA #7, WBO #9 super middleweight Bek “The Bully” Melikuziev (13-1, 10 KOs) broke down and stopped 6’4 Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (28-5-1, 13 KOs) to retain his WBA Intercontinental title. Melikuziev, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, dropped Fox to a knee in round four and got a referee’s stoppage with his follow-up barrage. Time was 2:44.

Unbeaten light heavyweight Darius “DFG” Fulghum (8-0, 8 KOs) destroyed Alan Campa (18-9, 12 KOs) in the first round. Body shots finished Campa. Time was 2:58.

Unheralded super welterweight Jose Sanchez (14-3-1, 4 KOs) upset previously unbeaten Eric Tudor (9-1, 6 KOs) by eight round unanimous decision. Sanchez gave Tudor all he could handle to win 78-74, 77-75, 77-75.

IBF #1 super middleweight William Scull (21-0, 9 KOs) shut out Cristian Fabian Rios (23-19-3, 7 KOs) over six one-sided rounds on Saturday night at the Stadthalle in Falkensee, Germany (a suburb of Berlin). Scores 60-53 3x. Scull is staying sharp while he waits for his mandatory shot against undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.

Other Results:
Haro Matevosyan W12 Mirko Natalizi (super welterweight)
Dusan Veletic TKO7 Erik Pfeifer (heavyweight)
Thomas Piccirillo W12 Marten Arsumanjan

In an all-British world title clash, WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) knocked out former two-time IBF champ Josh Warrington (31-3-1, 8 KOs) in round seven on Saturday night at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England. Warrington had it going his way until round seven when Wood connected with a right hook that staggered Warrington. A barrage of punches from Wood then dropped Warrington and left him unable to continue.

By Joe Koizumi

South African Lerato Dlamini (20-2, 11 KOs), 125.5, eked out a split decision (116-112 twice, 113-115 against him) over formerly two-division champ Tomoki Kameda (40-4, 22 KOs), 125.75, over twelve see-saw rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. It was ballyhooed as an IBF eliminator to decide the #2 mandatory contender, and it was such a competitive contest that both speedsters kept swapping fast jabs and combinations all the way. The tenth saw Dlamini hitting the deck, but it was ruled as a slip and was verified by a video replay afterward. Tomoki, three years his senior at 32, accelerated his attack down the stretch, but it might not be enough to overcome his early deficits on points.

Promoter: KWORLD3 (AKA Kameda) Promotions.

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten Japanese southpaw, WBC interim minimum champ Yudai Shigeoka (8-0, 5 KOs), 105, scored a nearly shutout decision (119-109 twice, 117-111) over defending WBC full ruler Panya Pradabsri (40-2, 24 KOs), 105, from Thailand, over twelve fast-moving rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Historically it was the second achievement that brothers acquire world belts in the same category in the same promotion, following Charlo brothers in Las Vegas in May 2016.

Yudai, three years his senior at 25, dethroned the formidable titlist just an hour after his younger brother Ginjiro, 23, did the same to IBF titleholder Daniel Valladares. Yudai, from the start, dominated the contest with his aggressiveness despite Panya’s occasional retaliation. The open scoring system indicated Yudai leading after the fourth—all 39-37 and after eighth—all 79-73. Yudai maintained the pressure to the still game and gallant champ, winning almost every round. Panya, 32, failed to score his fifth defense of the WBC belt, but he showed his heart and durability against the fast-rising southpaw puncher. The referee was Steve St. German (Canada).

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten Japanese southpaw, IBF interim minimum champ Ginjiro Shigeoka (10-0-1NC, 8 KOs), 105, impressively halted IBF full titlist Daniel Valladares (27-4-1-1NC, 15 KOs), 105, at 2:15 of the fifth round to unify the IBF belts on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Ginjiro quickly decked Daniel with a southpaw left in the first round to take the initiative. Sweeping all rounds, the Japanese lefty, 23, badly shook up the Mexican, 29, again with a solid left and swarmed over him with a flurry of punches to prompt the referee Charlie Fitch (US) to declare a well-received halt.

All the judges had Ginjiro leading on points: identically 40-34. They had once exchanged gloves to a technical draw with Valladares unable to go on due to an accidental butt. In their anticipated rematch Ginjiro finally seized the unified belts with a fine TKO victory.

Undefeated Tim Tszyu (23-0, 17 KOs), now elevated to full WBO junior middleweight champion, makes the first defense of his world title when he battles Brian Mendoza headlining action live on Showtime October 14 (Sunday, October 15 in Australia) from the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia.

Tim Tszyu: “There was no celebration, no nothing when Charlo stepped in the ring against Canelo and I became world champion. I’ll feel like a world champion once this fight with Mendoza is done. I want to earn it that way Brian and I are both in that top one percent of fighters in the world. He’s a style I haven’t faced before and I know he thrives on that underdog mentality. So, he of course has my respect. But he’s in there with someone that’s a different breed and it’s not going to end well for him. I promise to turn any remaining non-believers into believers. This is my time and my division now.”

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya revealed to ESPN that junior welterweight Ryan Garcia will return against Oscar Duarte. Duarte has a record of 26-1-1, 21 KOs and it will be a big step up for Duarte. The fight will take place on December 2 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and be streamed on DAZN.

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) dominated undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) over twelve rounds on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After a slow first round, Canelo began teeing off in round two. He continued to stalk and rough up Charlo. In round seven, a Canelo right hand sent Charlo to a knee. Canelo then outworked Charlo the rest of the way. Scores were 119-108, 118-109, 118-109. Continue reading “Canelo dominates Charlo, still undisputed”

Former world title challenger Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (19-1, 18 KOs) dethroned NABF cruiserweight champion Alante “Bam Bam” Green (10-2-1, 7KOs). of Cleveland, Ohio, by spectacular tenth round KO on Saturday night at the Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. A tough, grueling fight ended suddenly when the heavy-handed Rozicki connected with a devastating left hook that put Green down face first in the final stanza. Time was 1:55.

Rozicki, who is rated WBC #8, IBF #8, WBA #9, and WBO #9, has now won six straight fights since his only loss as a late sub against Oscar Rivas in a WBC bridgerweight world title fight. Continue reading “Rozicki wins NABF belt with spectacular KO”