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Conor Benn Statement: “Another day, another attempt to create a headline with my name…I am involved in a confidential procedure and I have respected my confidentiality obligations. Yet each day brings a new leak and a misrepresentation of what’s actually happening. There is no news. Being “charged” is a start of a process by which an athlete has to defend themselves. I have not been sanctioned by anyone and I’m not banned from boxing. I remain free to fight in events that are not sanctioned by the BBBoC. I don’t even have a BBBoC license.”

Statements released by UK Anti-Doping regarding Conor Benn:

A UKAD spokesperson, said:

“Following a public consultation in late 2020, and having considered the results of that consultation, UKAD’s Board decided in February 2021 that UKAD will not routinely publicly disclose the fact that an athlete has been charged or provisionally suspended before a charge has been resolved. However, it was also recognized that there might be limited and rare examples where it is appropriate to do so in ‘exceptional circumstances’, as set out in UKAD’s Policy on Public disclosure of provisional suspensions and charges available here.

“Following reports in the media and comments made by professional boxer Mr Conor Benn on Tuesday 18 April 2023, and in exceptional circumstances, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirms that Mr Benn was notified and provisionally suspended by UKAD on 15 March 2023 in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules. Whilst provisionally suspended Mr Benn is prohibited from participating in any capacity (or assisting another athlete in any capacity) in a competition, event or activity that is organized, convened, authorized or recognized by the British Boxing Board of Control or any other World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport. Continue reading “UK Anti-Doping suspends Conor Benn”

World-ranked super lightweight Batyr Ahkmedov was incensed when he heard the news on Wednesday that WBA champion Alberto Puello had tested positive for clomiphene, a performance-enhancing drug, and would be stripped of his title. “We fought for the title last August and I knew something was off in the fight,” said Akhmedov, (9-2, 8 KOs), lost a split decision to Puello for the WBA title. “I thought I was winning the fight and hitting him with the harder punches, he was just trying to survive. But in life, things like this usually catch up to you. I hope that justice will be served and I can fight for the world title again soon.

“Our fight was the last fight for both of us and looking back on it now, I’m very suspicious about what might have taken place. I’ve fought in hundreds of amateur and professional bouts and can see when another boxer just doesn’t look right.”

IBF super featherweight champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhmiov and challenger Joe Cordina faced off at the final press conference ahead of their world title fight on Saturday night in Cardiff, Wales. The bout can be seen on DAZN.

Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov: “I’m born ready. I have a very good team with me. I have a great, the best coach in Freddie Roach. We know the key to the victory and we will prove it on Saturday. We will just show it in the ring on Saturday.”

Joe Cordina: “Yeah, of course. People ask me, What do you think of him? He’s a world champion at the end of the day.. He’s tough. He’s strong. He’s fit. But you’ve got to have that little bit more and I just don’t believe he has it to beat me. But we will see on Saturday.”

Super welterweight Angel “Relampago” Ruiz (18-2-1, 13 KOs) knocked out 41-year-old former world champion Luis Collazo (39-9, 20 KOs) in the sixth round on Wednesday night at the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Ruiz, 25, dropped Collazo twice in round three. A body shot put Collazo down for the count in round six. Time was :32.

Collazo, who took the fight on short notice, announced his retirement after the fight. “For boxing I’m done,” said the former WBA welterweight king. “This is the end for me now. Ruiz did what he had to do and came out with the victory. I give them credit and wish him nothing but the best. Now I will get to spend more time with my family and with the grandchildren.”

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In a battle between unbeaten welterweights, Vadim Musaev (6-0, 5 KOs) scored a first round TKO against Martin Alvarez (7-1, 6 KOs). A left hook dropped Alvarez and after he wobbled after regaining his feet, the bout was waved off by the referee. Time was 2:03. Musaev was the silver medal winner at the 2021 World Amateur Championships.

In a clash between unbeaten super bantamweights, Jose “Chapulin” Salas (12-0, 9 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over 2008 Olympian Prince “Octopus” Dzani (23-1, 19 KOs). Salas dropped Dzani in round nine en route to a 100-89 3x shutout.

WBA super lightweight champion Alberto Puello has reportedly failed a VADA test and his scheduled defense against Rolly Romero on Showtime May 13 in Las Vegas is off. Puello allegedly tested positive for the banned substance clomiphene. Showtime still plans to go ahead with the telecast as of now, possibly with Romero now taking on WBA #1 Ismael Barroso for the vacant title in the event Puello is stripped.

IBF super featherweight champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhmiov does pad work with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach during his open workout ahead of his defense against Joe Cordina this weekend in Cardiff, Wales.

Photos: Sumio Yamada

Brothers Yudai and Ginjiro Shieoka made history last Sunday in Tokyo, Japan, when they both won interim strawweight world titles on the same day. Check out this GIANT Shieoka Brothers photo gallery for some incredible shots. Also includes the official scorecards.

Photos

…follows his father’s footsteps

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten prospect Keisuke Matsumoto (8-0, 7 KOs), 126, very impressively gained the vacant Japanese featherweight belt by scoring a nearly shutout decision (99-91 twice, 98-92) over IBF#8 Ryo Sagawa (12-3, 7 KOs), 126, over ten Tom-and-Jerry rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Keisuke followed his father ex-national 126-pound ruler Koji’s footstep by winning the same belt. Koji (26-6-1, 15 KOs), his trainer, unfortunately, failed to win the world belt three times, losing to Young-Kyun Park in 1992, Yong-Soo Choi in 1997 and Freddie Norwood in 1998.

The shaven-skulled son, 23, controlled the fight with his superior speed and skills from the outset, making best use of his faster footwork. He made a beautiful display of hit-and-run tactics all night, though Keisuke, having finished all seven victims by knockouts, was expected to try to swarm over Sagawa and dispatch the 29-year-old ex-champ early. Instead, Matsumoto fully utilized faster jabs, counters and footwork to hit without getting hit. In Japan, it is called “oya-koko” (filial piety) that one fulfills his dad’s unsuccessful dream coming true. Keisuke may pursue oya-koko. Continue reading “Matsumoto wins Japanese 126lb belt”

Gervonta “Tank” Davis and “Kingry” Ryan Garcia officially kicked off fight week events Tuesday afternoon by making their grand arrivals at MGM Grand before they go toe-to-toe this Saturday headlining a Showtime PPV production from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

Tank Davis: “I won’t let my people down…hopefully he comes ready. If not, it will be an early night.”

Ryan Garcia: “In the blink of an eye, it will be finished. That’s what’s going to happen. Everybody will be shocked. Nobody will have anything to say. No words will be spoken.”

Luis Collazo 152.6 vs. Angel Ruiz 154
Vadim Musaev 147.2 vs. Martin Alvarez 150.8
Prince “Octopus” Dzanie 121.8 vs. Jose Salas 121.8

Venue: ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida
Promoter: ProBox
TV: ProBox TV

By Brad Snyder-The Undercard

Undisputed female middleweight world champion Claressa “GWOAT” Shields and current WBC women’s heavyweight champion Hanna Gabriels faced off at the kickoff press conference for their June 3 rematch at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. This will be the first boxing event in the history of the 20,000-seat venue. DAZN will stream the card.

-On Shields being the first boxing event at Little Caesars Arena
Mark Taffet: “The very first fight at Little Caesars Arena. You can only be the first once. And it lasts forever.”

-On where Shields ranks in his mind
Mark Taffet: “Floyd Mayweather, Roy Jones Jr., and Claressa Shields are the three best I have seen. And not particularly in that order.” Continue reading “Shields-Gabriels II Kickoff Press Conference”

Undefeated WBA “regular” super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. says he has no concerns about a late change in opponent as he prepares to face Olympic Bronze Medalist Yamaguchi Falcao this Saturday in the co-main event of the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia PPV in Las Vegas. “I have plans to take him out and send another message to the entire super middleweight division,” proclaimed Morrell. “Falcao is a good fighter, but I’m better in all aspects.

“With all the big fights in the super middleweight, winning this fight means everything. If I’m going to fight David Benavidez, Canelo Alvarez, Jermall Charlo or any of the other big names in boxing, I must win this fight. So, everything is on the line on April 22. A win will get me to the biggest fights in the sport.

“My goal is to shine on the big stage and steal the show.”

Three Lions Promotions (Daniel Otter) has announced a June 10 card in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, headlined by a twelve-round cruiserweight clash between former world title challenger and WBC #6 Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (17-1-0, 16 KOs) and current EBU European Union champion Jean Jacques “Hercule” Olivier (15-2-1, 10 KOs) of Paris France.

Rozicki, ranked in the top 15 by all four major sanctioning bodies, suffered his only loss against Oscar Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) in October of 2021 when he challenged for the vacant WBC bridgerweight title.

Olivier made global headlines in 2019 after being shot in the chest during an alleged confrontation in a supermarket car park in France. Since the life-altering incident, which had left Olivier in intensive care and questioned his abilities to continue boxing, he has made a miraculous comeback and became the Euro champion, beating Olivier Vautrain (18-4-1, 8 KOs) by RTD last March. Continue reading “Rozicki-Olivier collide June 10 in Nova Scotia”

IBF super featherweight champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhmiov and Joe Cordina first face off with the iconic backdrop of Cardiff Castle ahead of their world title fight this weekend on DAZN.

WBA “regular” lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis is currently a 2.5 to 1 favorite to defeat Ryan “Kingry” Garcia on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Showtime’s PPV price is $84.99, however, if you have DAZN you can get the PPV for $60.

A limited number of tickets have been opened up for Saturday’s clash and can be purchased at AXS.com.

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By Joe Koizumi

WBO #3 flyweight, Japanese southpaw Riku Kano (15-3-1, 7 KOs), 112, barely kept his regional belt as he was held to a split draw (115-113, 113-115, 114-114) with lefty compatriot Daiki Kameyama (10-5-2, 3 KOs), 112, over twelve hard-fought rounds on Sunday in Osaka, Japan. Kameyama fought well, taking the initiative in early rounds, but the more experienced champ Kano gradually regained his rhythm and showed his last surge to retain his title with his best effort.

Promoter: Taisei Promotions.

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten ex-amateur star Yuga Ozaki (3-0, 3 KOs), 108, impressively acquired the WBC Youth light-flyweight belt as he decked Thailand’s former Muay-thai campaigner Worawut Salaptan (4-2, 4 KOs), 105.5, in the opening session and halted him with a furious combination that dropped him again and prompted the referee’s intervention at 2:12 of the second round on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.

Ozaki, a taller southpaw, kept battering the Thai lefty in the long range and punished him so effectively that Worawut couldn’t fight back well. Ozaki will make his first defense of the WBC Youth belt this summer.

Promoter: Taisei Promotions.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

IBF #8, WBC #10, WBA #11 super lightweight Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) will be in action against tough Mexican Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (26-3-1, 16 KOs) on May 6 at the Estadio Akron, Zakopan, Jalisco, Mexico on the undercard of the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. John Ryder 168-pound IBF, WBC, WBA, WBO championship event. Spark is currently in Thailand training and was interviewed by Paul Nasari.

Steve Spark: “It’s always hard training in Thailand and that’s why my trainer Brendan Smith brought Michael Katsidis here for all their world title fights as it has the harshest conditions in the world with temperatures up to 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) where you got to spar and run and keep up the same work rate. Continue reading “IBF #8 Steve Spark training in Thailand”

By Ricardo Ibarra
Photos by Mike Blair/Boxingprospects

Pacific Northwest prospect Luis Gallegos (6-0, 2 KOs) maintained his unblemished record on Saturday night at Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington, eking out a six-round split decision win over Gregory Cruz (5-2, 3 KOs). The eighteen-year-old local jr. lightweight, who currently trains out of the Benavidez Sports Gym in nearby Burien, was fighting in the US for only the second time, having fought most of his young career in Mexico. Continue reading “Gallegos edges Cruz in Auburn, WA”

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten southpaw Japanese Yudai Shigeoka (7-0, 5 KOs), 105, won the WBC interim minimumweight belt by halting ex-WBO titlist Wilfredo Mendez (18-3, 6 KOs), 105, at 0:25 of the seventh round in a scheduled twelve on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan. The Shigeoka brothers became interim world champs in the same category on the same night.

(More to come)

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten southpaw Japanese prodigy IBF#4 Ginjiro Shigeoka (9-0-1NC, 7 KOs), 105, acquired the vacant IBF 105-pound belt as he came off the canvas in the first round, and dropped back IBF#3 Filipino Rene Mark Cuarto (21-4-2, 12 KOs), 105, four times in rounds six, seven and ninth (twice), scoring an impressive knockout at 2:55 of the ninth round in a scheduled twelve on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan. Ginjiro’s southpaw body shot was the haymaker.

(More to come)

By Ron Jackson

South Africa’s Kevin Lerena returns to action Saturday 13 May at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park in South Africa, when he meets the capable former WBA cruiserweight champion, Côte D’Ivoire-born Ryad Merhy who fights out of Brussels, Belgium, in a WBC bridgerweight title eliminator.

The bridgerweight class (200-224 pounds) was created by the World Boxing Council in July 2020 and is the only boxing organiztaion to recognize this weight class.

The first world championship fight took place on 22 October between Oscar Rivas and Ryan Rozicki, with Rivas winning on a 12 round unanimous points decision. The title is currently vacant with Merhy rated at No. 2 and Lerena at No. 4 in the latest ratings. Continue reading “Lerena to return in WBC bridgerweight eliminator”