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For the second week in a row, we have heavyweights seeing action on both Saturday cards.

FRIDAY
The three undefeated matchups include fighters with a combined record of 61-0-1 and 43 knockouts headline the first SHOBOX: The New Generation card of 2023.

In the main event, Sean Hemphill (14-0, 8 KOs) is set to face David Stevens (11-0, 8 KOs) in an eight round super middleweight clash. In the co-main event, Atif Oberlton (7-0, 6 KOs) takes on Artem Brusov (12-0, 11 KOs) in an eight round light heavyweight matchup. The telecast opener pits Julian Gonzalez (8-0-1, 8 KOs) and Rosalindo Morales (9-0, 2 KOs) in an eight round super featherweight bout.

SATURDAY
DAZN will present an all-British dust up between Chris Eubank Jr (32-2, 23 KOs) and former world champion Liam Smith (32-3-1, 19 KOs) from AO Arena in Manchester, England. Good undercard too. Unbeaten IBF #2, WBC #5, WBO #11 cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe (15-0, 11 KOs) faces former WBO champion Krzysztof Głowacki (32-3, 20 KOs), plus former WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (30-3, 21 KOs) meets Jack “One Smack” Massey (20-1, 11 KOs).

Hall of Fame promoter Don King kicks off 2023 with a $19.99 pay-per-view showdown between WBA #12 heavyweight Jonathan “The King” Guidry (18-1-2, 10 KOs) and former WBC champion Bermane “B.Ware” Stiverne (25-5-1, 21 KOs) from Casino Miami Jai Alai in Miami, Florida.

Lightweight Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin (14-1, 9 KOs) won an eight round unanimous decision over Gustavo David Vittori (27-12-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at The Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Scorecards read 80-72 across the board.

“This is the start we were looking for, a good win over a tough opponent to start my year off right,” said Tomlin after the fight. “I was gunning for the knockout, but this guy was tough, and he wasn’t going away. I hit him with some good shots, but credit to him, he took them and made it to the final bell.”

Tomlin is now looking to fight three to four more times, if possible, this year. His goal is to build his record up to 20-wins by the end of 2023.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In a stunning upset, unheralded hard-puncher Jin Sasaki (14-1-1, 13 KOs), 147, impressively dethroned WBO Asia Pacific welterweight champ WBC#14, WBA#13, WBO#11 Ryota Toyoshima (16-3-1, 10 KOs), 146.5, with an unexpected first-round stoppage at 1:56 in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Despite his tremendous power punching WBO AP#9 Sasaki, 21, was an underdog due to his sole defeat and eleventh-round shellacking by Andy Hiraoka with the WBO AP 140lb belt on the line in 2021, when Jin failed to make the super light limit by four pounds to be suspended afterward. A young tiger Jin exploded his powerful left hooks to the temple of the champ that had him rubbery legged prior to his lethal shot that decked Toyoshima, 27, on the back. The champ managed to raise himself, but couldn’t keep his equilibrium to be saved by the referee Biney Martin. Continue reading “Sasaki upsets Toyoshima, wins WBO AP 147lb belt”

By Boxing Bob Newman at ringside

Nigerian heavyweight Efe “Silent Roller” Ajagba won a ten round unanimous decision over St. Louis’ Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw to close out the show on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Ajagba was looking to make it two in a row after his lone setback to Frank Sanchez in October 2021, while Shaw was looking to remain undefeated.

Things opened up cautiously, each man looking to establish their jab in round one. Ajagba move forward in round two, again behind his jab, while Shaw opted to use good lateral movement, countering on occasion and initiating the action only when Ajagba stopped his forward momentum. At the end of the fourth, the first sign of crowd dissatisfaction showed as boos cascaded the ring due to the tactical, if not scintillating action. With two heavyweights known for their knockout power, this was a very carefully fought match, with neither man wanting to risk getting caught in a wild exchange.

Yet, after each round, Shaw would pump his right fist in the air as he walked to his corner, if not to convince the judges that he won that round, then to convince himself. Despite the fact that the action had been an instant replay of itself round after round, the crowd rained down another avalanche of boos midway through the ninth. Late in the tenth round, the cacophony boos repeated itself which seemed to Ajagba to unleash a Gatling gun of jabs that snapped Shaw’s head back violently. While each man appeared to employ very different game plans it appeared Ajagba’s was the more successful. In the end, the judges agreed as all three scored it 96-94 in favor of Ajagba, now 17-1, 13 KOs. Shaw loses his first at 18-1, 13 KOs. Continue reading “Ajagba tops Shaw in snoozer”

By Boxing Bob Newman at ringside

In the opening bout of the ESPN telecast on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, undefeated Italian Olympian Guido Vianello was defeated by former sparring partner Jonnie Rice via seventh round TKO in a scheduled 10 round heavyweight bout. Vianello worked behind his long, pawing jab while Rice tried to counter but didn’t match Guido’s work rate. In the fifth round, the crowd grew very vocal with their discontent at the lack of meaningful action. Suddenly, a long left jab by Rice in the sixth snapped Vianello’s head back. Then a Rice right hand opened a nasty cut on Vianello’s left eyebrow. The corner was not able to successfully stem the flow of blood, prompting referee Benjy Esteves to call in the ringside doctor early in the seventh.

After a brief inspection, the doctor recommended the fight be stopped. Initially, Esteves told all the judges to score the round, thinking that the cut was caused by a clash of heads. After a review of the video replay, the decision was reversed and it was deemed that the cut was caused by that telling punch in the sixth. Winner by technical knockout – Jonnie Rice, now 16-6-1, 11 KOs. Vianello drops his first at 10-1-1, 9 KOs. Incidentally, Vianello was ahead by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56. Continue reading “Rice stops Vianello on a cut”

By Boxing Bob Newman at ringside

In a highly skilled and very tactical fight, Junior Lightweights Abraham “Super” Nova and Adam “Blu Nose” Lopez lived up to the predictions that they might deliver the fight of the night. After three tactical rounds, things heated up in the fourth with a nice toe to toe exchange late in the round. In the fifth, a beautiful right-left-right combination deposited Lopez hard on his back. As Nova tried to cut off the ring and follow up on his advantage, he could be heard saying, “It’s my birthday…I got to get this win,” to a retreating Lopez. (It is in fact Nova’s 29th birthday). Nova was credited with another knockdown in the sixth, as Lopez tried to hold on after being raked along the ropes and stumbled to the canvas when he couldn’t keep his grip on a backpedaling Nova. Lopez managed to gather himself in the seventh and actually appeared to take the eighth, snapping Nova’s head with some beautiful combinations at the end of the round.

Nova was able to hop on his bicycle in the ninth and hold off a charging Lopez with his jab. The tenth and final round was something out of the movies. Both men teed off on each other seemingly non-Stop for easily two out of the three minutes that the round lasted. It was amazing that nobody went down, but Nova capped the round and the fight off by staggering Lopez with the final blows of the fight. Even though 2023 is only 14 days old, it will take some doing to pass this is the round of the year! The final scores were 97-91 and 98-90 twice, all for Nova who comes back with a hard fought win after his loss to Robeisy Ramirez last year, raising his record to 22-1 15 KOs. The hard luck Lopez falls to 16-4, KOs. Continue reading “Early Results from Verona, NY”

British YouTuber KSI knocked out Brazilian YouTuber FaZe Temperrr in the first round of their $39.99 pay-per-view boxing match on DAZN Saturday night in front of a sold out crowd of 12,000+ at the Wembley Arena in London, England. A KSI left hand laid out FaZe, who tried to get up, then collapsed back to the canvas. After the fight, KSI called out Jake Paul.

In a WBC/WBA female light flyweight world title unification, WBA champion Jessica Nery Plata (29-2, 3 KOs) hammered out a close, but unanimous decision to take the WBC belt from previously unbeaten Kim Clavel (16-1, 3 KOs) on Friday night at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada. After ten spirited rounds, Plata was declared a 97-93, 97-93, 96-94 winner.

Unbeaten super lightweight Mazlum Akdeniz (18-0, 8 KOs) successfully defended his WBC Continental Americas belt with a ten round unanimous decision against Cristian Bielma (19-5-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Akdeniz dropped Bielma in rounds three, five, and seven en route to a 100-87 3x verdict. Continue reading “Plata beats Clavel in WBA/WBC unification clash”

Undisputed bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue has announced that he will make the jump to the super bantamweight division in his next fight and, therefore, will vacate his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO 118-pound belts. At a press conference held in Yokohama, Japan, Inoue told reporters that he will be looking for new challenges in his career after having dominated the 118-pound division. The 29-year-old boxing superstar stressed that he is in the process of adapting to his new weight and that he is already looking for the best opponents in the category to face them.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Unbeaten WBO #10, IBF #11 heavyweight Demsey McKean (22-0, 14 KOs) says he’s one of the frontrunners to clash with former WBA, IBF, WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) on April 1st in London. “I could be (the man to retire Joshua) and I am very confident I can do that,” McKean told Sky Sports. “But don’t get me wrong, there are still more fights for AJ if he loses to me, a top-10 heavyweight, as well. That shouldn’t be the end…but three losses in a row. Does he need to keep doing this? Is he well set up now? He probably still has his doubts. He still doubts himself a lot. I know that. But who wouldn’t when they are at the top, in the limelight, and cop a lot of criticism. There are a lot of factors but I have the skills to (retire him) for sure.”

By Boxing Bob Newman

Efe Ajagba 235.25 vs Stephan Shaw 239.5

Guido Vianello 239 vs Jonathan Rice 274.25

Adam Lopez 129 vs Abraham Nova 129
Floyd Diaz 122 vs Edwin Rodriguez 121.5
Brian Norman, Jr 149 vs Rodrigo Damian Coria 148.25
Haven Brady, Jr 133 vs Ruben Cervera 130.25
Dante Benjamin 174 vs Emmanuael Austin 175
Bruce Carrington 128 vs Juan Antonio Lopez 127.5
Bryce Mills 143 vs Margarito Hernandez 144.25
Rohan Polanco vs Julian Smith

Saturday 14, January 2023
Venue: Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York, USA
Commission: Oneida Indian Nation Athletic Commission
Promoter: Bob Arum (Top Rank)
Matchmaker: Brad Goodman

Top Rank has confirmed that former unified 140-pound world champion Jose Ramirez (27-1, 17 KOs) will meet former lightweight world champion Richard “RC” Commey (30-4-1, 27 KOs) in the 12-round junior welterweight main event on March 25, at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The co-feature will be a world title unification clash, as WBA female minimumweight world champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) collides with WBC world champion Tina Rupprecht (12-0-1, 3 KOs). Ramirez-Commey and Estrada-Rupprecht will be broadcast live on ESPN.

The undercard, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+, is scheduled to include unbeaten lightweight Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (16-0, 13 KOs), 2016 Olympian lightweight Karlos Balderas (14-1, 12 KOs), 6’9 heavyweight Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles (6-0, 6 KOs), lightweight Charlie Sheehy (5-0, 4 KOs), middleweight Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (8-0, 2 KOs), and flyweight Jessie James Guerrero (3-0-1, 3 KOs). Opponents are all TBA.

In a clash of unbeaten heavyweights, highly regarded David Adeleye (10-0, 9 KOs) will face Dmytro Bezus (10-0, 5 KOs) in the main event at London’s York Hall on February 17, live on BT Sport. Adeleye fought only twice last year due to injury, but managed to add two stoppages to his KO-count against Chris Healey and Elvis Garcia.

In the co-feature, IBF European lightweight beltholder Mark Chamberlain (11-0, 7 KOs) will go up against Vairo Lenti (10-4-1, 1 KO), the former champion of Italy.

“This is a great opportunity for Mark Chamberlain and David Adeleye to enjoy top billing at York Hall,” said promoter Frank Warren. Continue reading “Adeleye tops York Hall card on Feb 17”

Former WBA super middleweight champion Rocky Fielding has announced his retirement from boxing. “Dreamed of being a world champion and fighting in Madison Square Garden with Michael Buffer calling my name [and] that came true,” said Fielding in a statement. “Now for life after boxing.” Fielding finishes with a record of 33-3, 18 KOs.

Fernando Vargas Jr. and Amado “El Malvado” Fernando Vargas, sons of former world champion Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas, have signed promotional contracts with MarvNation Promotions. The two were on hand at the Derby Room in Pomona, Calif. Thursday to announce their signing to the media. The two rising prospects will return to the ring on Feb. 11 as part of MarvNation’s “BoxFest” series at the aforementioned venue. More details regarding the card will be announced soon.

“El Feroz’” other fighting son, Emiliano “El General” Vargas, inked a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank last year.

The IBF has ordered a flyweight eliminator between former world champions and fellow countrymen Felix Alvarado (38-3, 33 KOs) and Cristofer Rosales (35-6, 21 KOs) of Nicaragua. The winner will be the #1 mandatory challenger to current unbeaten world champion Fernando Martinez (15-0, 8 KOs). Rosales ranked #3 and Alvarez #4 are the highest-ranked available contenders. Negotiations should be concluded by January 27 per the IBF. Continue reading “IBF orders Alvarado-Rosales eliminator for #1”

Heavyweights Efe Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) and Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs) faced off at the final press conference for their ESPN clash on Saturday at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

Efe Ajagba: “I have the name ‘The Silent Roller’ because I don’t talk much…I’ve made adjustments for Saturday night. We’ll see how it goes. I’m ready for him.”

Stephan Shaw: “I’m a third-generation fighter. I’m looking to become a world champion. Saturday night, I’m going to make my mark.”

The 10-round co-feature sees 2016 Italian Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs) stepping up against noted spoiler Jonnie Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs).

Guido Vianello: “Jonnie has a lot of experience, more than me. But I’m ready. I’ve been training very hard. I’ve been training very hard for four years since I moved to the USA. I train all the time to fight in a war, so I’m ready for this.”

Jonnie Rice: “This means the world to me right now. It’s another chance to beat another undefeated fighter. And that’s what’s on my mind. I’m going to go in there and beat him.”

By Ron Jackson

Gerrie Coetzee known as the Boksburg Bomber the former South African and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee died at his home in Blouberg Strand in the Cape yesterday. He would have celebrated his 68th birthday on April 8, but had been ill for some time.

Boxing’s heavyweight championship has always been considered to be the richest prize in sport. And Coetzee once held at least a portion of that prize. It must be remembered, too, that when the Boksburg Bomber won the WBA title, there was only one other recognized heavyweight champion – Larry Holmes, who held the WBC title. Continue reading “Former heavyweight champ Gerrie Coetzee passes”

With a combined following of over 60 million fans across their social media channels, British YouTuber KSI and Brazilian YouTuber FaZe Temperrr faced off at the final press conference for their six-round boxing match on Saturday night at the Wembley Arena, London, England. They meet in a $39.99 PPV stream on DAZN.

Promoter Kalle Sauerland stated, “I have been in this sport 25 years and when you deliver numbers like we have, you’re a hot commodity. DAZN has been a fantastic partner and we are going to grow this together. Misfits Boxing is seven months old; we smash records. I believe that the card on Saturday night is the best crossover boxing card bar none. We put the bar very high with the first show in the O2, ‘Two Fights, One Night’, with KSI fighting. When I heard it, I said it’s not possible you don’t do that in boxing, its not possible. It’s unheard of in boxing and we did it. We went to Sheffield, we went to Austin, Texas, here we are in Wembley, and we are announcing another card in the UK for February. In April we are heading back to the states. It’s ongoing, it’s consistency and it’s great fun. These guys and girls are super fun to work with. I love my traditional boxing space and we have a big fight next week with Chris Eubank Jr fighting. This is so much fun though, so fresh, and the characters in it are second to none. I love meeting all these new people.”

Undefeated 6’3 featherweight Oscar Alvarez Jr. (7-0, 7 KOs) will be fighting in an eight-round bout against former WBA Fedalatin beltholder Nicolas Polanco (20-3, 11 KOs) on Wednesday, January 25 at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida, streamed live on ProBox TV. The Alvarez Jr-Polanco clash will be the co-feature to the WBO Latino super lightweight title fight between undefeated Cesar “Rainman” Francis (12-0, 7 KOs) and Jesus “Junior” Saracho (12-1, 11 KOs) for a scheduled ten-rounds.

Kim Clavel 107.8 vs. Yesica Nery Plata 104.2
(WBC/WBA female light flyweight unification)

Venue: Place Bell, Laval, Quebec, Canada
Promoter: GYM
TV: ESPN+

Undefeated NABA super flyweight champion John “Scrappy” Ramirez (10-0, 8 KOs), of Los Angeles, and veteran Thai boxer Sirichai Thaiyen (64-4, 42 KOs) have accepted offers from the (WBA to clash in a WBA title eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger for WBA Super flyweight world champion Joshua “El Profesor” Franco (18-1, 8 KOs).

The date, site and other details for the title eliminator are to be determined. Ramirez’ manager David Shu (3 Point Management “3 PM) confirmed, after being informed of the title eliminator at the recent WBA Convention. Ramirez is rated #2 by the WBA, Thaiyen #3, and the #1 spot is unrated with the Ramirez-Thaiyen winner to be elevated into that position.

Today the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF), announced the honorees selected for induction into its hall of fame. The 7th Annual Awards & Induction Weekend will be held Friday, September 29th, through Sunday, October 1st, 2023, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

Fighters: George Foreman, Shannon Briggs, David Tua, Pinklon Thomas, Tracy Harris Patterson, Doug Dewitt, Darroll Wilson, Shamone Alvarez and Jamillia Lawrence.

Contributors: Arnold Robbins {Trainer & Manager}, Matt Howard {Advisor}, Joe Hand Sr. {Promoter}, Lee Samuels {Public Relations} Rudy Battle {Referee}, Benyj Esteves Jr. {Referee} and Joseph Santoliquito {Media}

Posthumously: Buster Drayton {Fighter} and Marty Feldman {Trainer & Manager}

Pioneers: Horace M. Leeds {Fighter}, Joe Miller {Promoter}, Rocky Castellani {Fighter/ Official}, “KO” Becky O’Niell {Manager}, Willie O’Niell {Trainer} and Frankie Polo {Fighter}

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO#1 super featherweight Liam Wilson has been forced to travel to England to train because of visa problems ahead of his showdown against former WBO featherweight champion Emmanuel Navarette for the vacant WBO 130-pound title on February 4 in Phoenix, Arizona. Wilson had been training at Headbangers Gym in Washington DC.

“It really is just a small chink,” Wilson told Fox Sports of his London trip. “The flight is only six hours each way, and I’ll be there for just a few days. Initially we already had in mind that we might have to fly back to Australia or even go to Colombia. So London isn’t too bad and I’ll find somewhere to train over there. Get some work in. But we’ll sort all that out when we land. There’s no shortage of gyms in London.”

Friday night’s ESPN+ streaming action on the Clavel-Plata WBC/WBA women’s light flyweight unification undercard will include the following fights:

• Mazlum Akdeniz (17-0, 8 KOs) will defend his WBC Continental Americas 140-pound belt against Cristian Bielma (19-4-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
• Female welterweight prospect Marie Pier Houle (7-0-1, 2 KOs) looks to extend her winning streak to six against Marisol Moreno (6-3, 0 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
• Former amateur standout Eric Basran (2-0, 1 KO) will take on Juan Carlos Ramirez Garcia (4-2, 0 KOs) in a six-round lightweight tilt.
• Female featherweight prospect Caroline Veyre (1-0, 0 KOs), who represented Canada at the Tokyo Olympics, makes her second professional appearance against Estefania Gonzalez Franco (3-5, 0 KOs) in a six-rounder.