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Janibek Alimkhanuly 159.6 vs. Denzel Bentley 159
(WBO middleweight title)

Seniesa Estrada 103.8 vs. Jazmin Gala Villarino 105
(WBA female minimumweight title)

Raymond Muratalla 135 vs. Miguel Contreras 135.2
Emiliano Vargas 133.8 vs. Julio Cesar Martinez 134
Javier Martinez 162.6 vs. Marco Delgado 162.6
Floyd Diaz 122.4 vs. Edgar Joe Cortes 122.2
Charlie Sheehy 135 vs. Markus Bowes 135.6
Karlos Balderas 135.4 vs. Esteban Sanchez 135.2
Antonio Mireles 269.6 vs. Eric Perry 279.8

Venue: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: ESPN+

Hall of Famer Don King has signed WBC #2 cruiserweight and silver beltholder Noel Mikaelyan (26-2, 11 KOs) to a promotional contract.

“The fantastic WBC silver cruiserweight champion, Noel Mikaelyan, believes that there is no one out there he can’t beat, said King, who also promotes the current WBC cruiserweight world champion Ilunga Makabu. “Both of these two super great WBC super cruiserweight champions feel they are the world’s best. My mission has always been to give the people what they want and pit the best against the best. What a super sensational attraction that would be if these two fighters would eventually meet. Continue reading “Don King inks WBC #2 cruiser Noel Mikaelyan”

Unbeaten WBO top-ten ranked cruiserweights Brandon “Bulletproof” Glanton (17-0, 14 KOs) and David “The Great White” Light (19-0, 12 KOs) have commented on their December 2 ProBox TV clash on December 2 at the White Sands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

Brandon Glanton: “This guy is my next victim. I have been training pretty hard for him. I take everybody seriously, but I am going to melt this guy. He is a one-two fighter and has decent hand speed – not much foot movement or power but he’s a veteran and knows his way around the ring. He will look to make it a rangy fight, but I am just the opposite. For as long as it lasts it will be a great fight for the fans. I won’t pick what round it will end – it will come down to however way I am feeling. I am going to knock him out and the tougher he is the better. I am going to hurt this guy. I will lay him out cold.”

David Light: “Training is going great – it’s hardest I have ever trained in my life and I am leaving no stone unturned. We have watched Glanton and he’s a very good strong fighter, the sort of guy people avoid but we are up for the challenge and totally believe we have got what it takes to win. We coming to beat him at his own game. We are coming to put him to sleep. After December 2nd everyone is going to know who I am as losing is not an option.”

Continue reading “Glanton: I am going to melt this guy”

Montana Love 140 vs. Steve Spark 140
Richardson Hitchins 140 vs. Yomar Alamo 138.5
Raymond Ford 126 vs. Sakaria Lukas 128
Christian Tapia 129.5 vs. Thomas Mattice 129.5
Raynell Williams 130.5 vs. Ryizeemmion Ford 131
Nikoloz Sekhniashvili 153.5 vs. David Rodriguez 155
Khalil Coe 174 vs. Bradley Olmeda 175.5
Beatriz Ferreira 130.5 vs. Taynna Cardoso 131

Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: DAZN

Natasha Jonas 149 vs. Marie-Eve Dicaire 152.3
(IBF/WBC/WBO female super welterweight unification)

Kaisee Benjamin 139 vs. Dalton Smith 139.3
Frazer Clarke 271 vs. Kamil Sokołowski 243
Bradley Rea 158.3 vs. Tyler Denny 159.3
Ross McGuigan 194.3 vs. Viddal Riley 200

Venue: AO Arena, Manchester England
Promoter: BOXXER
TV: SkySports, FITE ($9.99)

* * *

Ricky Hatton 160 vs. Marco Antonio Barrera 161
*Hatton-Barrera will be an exhibition with eight two-minute rounds and no decision rendered.

Venue: AO Arena, Manchester England
Promoter: Europa Combat
TV: SkySports

* * *

Note: BOXXER and Europa Combat are sharing the venue. The Hatton-Barrera event will begin after the BOXXER main event and show has concluded.

In a clash between unbeaten super bantamweights, Shabaz Masoud (11-0, 4 KOs) scored a twelfth round KO over Jack Bateson (17-1, 4 KOs) in the Edwards-Alvarado co-feature on Friday night at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England. Masoud appeared headed to a decision win until he dropped Bateson in round twelve and then finished him with his follow-up barrage. Time was 2:00. The bout was for the WBA Intercontinental title and also served as a British title final eliminator.

Middleweight Hebert Conceição (3-0, 1 KO), a 2020 Olympic gold medalist, outpointed Gideon Onyenani (4-2, 0 KOs) over six workmanlike rounds. The ref scored it 60-54. Continue reading “Edwards-Alvarado Undercard Results”

Super lightweights Montana Love and Steve Spark faced off at the final press conference for their WBA Intercontinental title clash on Saturday night at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, live worldwide on DAZN.

Montana Love: “He’s getting too comfortable. I’ve been playing it cool because you are from out of town and you’ve been humble, but I will step on you, in or out of the ring. you are tripping, being disrespectful – just keep it on boxing, keep it cool…we’re going to run Stevie into some traps and we’re going to put his ass to sleep. I know he is coming to fight but he’s getting taken out.”

Steve Spark: “I haven’t come halfway across the world to not beat Montana Love. And not just beat him, I’m going to knock this man out. He’s chinny and he’s got a glass jaw…it’s do or die in this fight. All or nothing. I’m not going home without that belt. I’m taking it back to Australia.”

WBO middleweight champion Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly (12-0, 8 KOs) and Denzel Bentley (17-1-1, 14 KOs) faced off Thursday in advance of their ESPN+ streamed world title showdown on Saturday at the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Janibek Alimkhanuly: “I don’t know why nowadays champions don’t want to fight with the other champions. I don’t think they should be afraid. I am here. I am a champion now. I am here to fight the champions. Hopefully, Top Rank can organize a fight with another world champion next.”

Denzel Bentley: This is what every fighter dreams of. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be here in Vegas and fight for the WBO world championship against the champion himself. You’re going to see something special.”

In The co-feature, WBA female minimumweight champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (22-0, 9 KOs) defends against Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-1-2, 1 KO). Also, lightweight Emiliano Vargas (1-0, 1 KO), the youngest fighting son of Fernando Vargas, will make his Top Rank debut.

By Boxing Bob Newman

Aussie boxing legend and Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech took the time to speak with Fightnews.com® about his recent coronation to 4-division champion at the WBC convention in Acapulco, Mexico. Fenech was unceremoniously denied the WBC super featherweight title 31 years ago after his fight with fellow legend Azumah Nelson was judged a draw. The WBC decided to form a panel, rescored the fight, and unanimously found Fenech as the winner. Hear his thoughts on the decision, as well as how life is treating him.

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Report/Photos by Boxing Bob Newman

Starting late due to a rocking good time at the awards dinner last night, the final day of meetings began with a moving video presentation by Mykola Kovalchuk from Ukraine. Canine search and rescue dog Athos was awarded with a mini WBC belt. He was injured in the Russian attacks on Ukraine.

The WBC Muay Thai video report was shown, displaying the development of the sport internationally, with the support of the WBC.

The medical board delivered their report on their meeting from earlier in the convention. Topics were transgender athletes, neuro-imaging (both MRI & MRA), female boxing in regards to length of rounds (2 minutes vs 3 minutes) and number of rounds 10 vs 12 in title fights) and boxers fighting after 40 years of age. Continue reading “WBC 60th Convention Closing Day”

By Boxing Bob Newman

Wednesday night in Acapulco, Mexico, on the promenade of the Palacio Mundo Imperial hotel, the 60th WBC annual awards banquet was held. Easily, 1000 attendees were on hand, including over 50 champions, male and female.

Awards were as follows, but not limited to:

Couple of the Year: Bismark & Elena Morales
Good Fellow Award: Patrick Cusack
Committee Chairman of the Year: Dean Lohuis
Lady of the Year: Christiane Manzur, Jill Diamond and Lilia Schaefer
WBC Ambassador: Marcos Arienti
Commissioner of the Year: Domingo Matas
Confederation of the Year: British Boxing Board of Control
Working Horse Award: Oksana Semenishina
MVP: Kevin Mooney
Commission of the Year: Middle East Professional Boxing Commission
Woman of the Year: Enza Jacoponi
Confederation of the Year: NABF
Human Equality Award: Charlie Hall
Lifetime Achievement Award: Charlie Giles
Committee Member of the Year: Malte Müller

Continue reading “60th WBC Convention Awards Dinner”

The undercard has been announced for the WBC super lightweight title fight between #1 ranked Jose ‘Chon’ Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) and #2 Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis (27-1, 23 KOs) set for November 26 from ‘The War Grounds’, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Undefeated WBC and WBO female super flyweight champion Evelyn ‘La Princesita’ Bermudez (17-0-1, 6 KOs) defends against Yokasta ‘Yoka’ Valle (26-2, 9 KOs) in the co-feature.

Unbeaten junior middleweight contender Charles ‘Bad News’ Conwell (17-0, 13 KOs) faces Juan Carlos Abreu (25-6-1, 23 KOs) in a ten-rounder.

Unbeaten 6’7 2020 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Bakhodir ‘The Big Uzbek’ Jalolov (11-0, 11 KOs) meets Curtis Harper (14-8, 9 KOs) in another ten rounder.

Opening the PPV in a super welterweight six rounder is ‘Son of a Legend’ Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs) against an opponent to be announced.

Sunny Edwards 111.25 vs. Felix Alvarado 111.1
(IBF flyweight title)

Jack Bateson 120.5 vs. Shabaz Masoud 121.8
(WBA I/C super bantamweight title)
(British title final eliminator)
Hebert Conceição 163.1 vs. Gideon Onyenani 162.5
Thomas Essomba 114.5 vs. Marcel Braithwaite 115.5
(British superfly title final eliminator)
Braithwaite missed weight.
Nicolie Campbell 169.25 vs. Frane Radnic 169
Ishmael Davis 156.5 vs. Dustin Ammann 157.5
Levi Kinsiona 136 vs. Alin Florin Ciorceri 136.5
Lisa Whiteside 120.5 vs. Eva Cantos 122.5
Bradley Cousins 175.25 vs. Genadij Krajevskij 175.25
Khalid Ayub 176.25 vs. Danail Stoyanov 174.25

Venue: Utility Arena, Sheffield, England
Promoter: Probellum
TV: FITE

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBA #1 middleweight Michael Zerafa has revealed that he received police protection after being informed there was a contract hit placed on him related to his last-minute pullout against Tim Tzsyu 16 months ago.

“I’d been told by people that I had a hit out on me. Zerafa told Fox Sports. “Obviously I couldn’t take that lightly so I went to the police, made statements, it was out of control. Nobody knew how true the threat was but the police were involved, Echo was involved … it was chaos. The cops even had me mix things up every day and change my whole routine, even change the way I drove to the gym.” Continue reading “WBA #1 Zerafa says he was under police protection”

By Kam Singh Dhadad

Former IBF light flyweight world champion Felix Alvarado (38-2, 33 KOs) of Nicaragua will look to become a two-division world champion when he challenges unbeaten IBF flyweight world champion Sunny Edwards (18-0, 4 KOs) this Friday at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England.

It has been quite some time since Alvarado has entered the ring as the underdog. Edwards will have the support of the local fans but Alvarado isn’t focused on the local fan support for Edwards or the odds. Fightnews.com® caught up with Alvarado at his hotel just days away from his fight. Continue reading “Alvarado poised to dethrone Edwards Friday”

Ideta, 38, dethrones Japanese 154Lb champ Kawasaki

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

It was truly a night of upsets where we witnessed four unexpected results with our great surprise on Tuesday night at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Unheralded Isao Aoyama (13-10-1, 4 KOs), 114.5, upset former OPBF, Japanese flyweight champ and two-time world title challenger Takuya Kogawa (32-8-1, 14 KOs), 115, at 1:13 of the fifth round in a scheduled eight.

Less experienced Japanese rookie Katsuya Yasuda (10-1, 7 KOs), 135, upset WBO AP #14 Rachata Khaophimai (12-3, 9 KOs), 133.25, from Thailand, at 2:22 of the second round in a scheduled eight.

Underdog Yuni Takada (10-8-3, 5 KOs), 105, upset JBC#1, WBO AP#2 minimum Katsuki Mori (10-2, 2 KOs), 105, at 2:45 of the fifth round in a scheduled eight. Scheduled to fight for the vacant WBO AP belt early next year, Mori was shockingly flattened with a right counter with a thud, to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher.

In the main event, JBC#6 Yuichi Ideta (16-16-1, 9 KOs), 153, upset Japanese super-welter champ Makoto Kawasaki (13-9-2, 2 KOs), 154, to halt him at 1:52 of the ninth round to wrest the national belt to our greatest surprise. The reason why his coronation became so sensational in sports media is that Ideta previously suffered no less than eleven consecutive defeats (can you believe?) but kept on fighting until thirty-eight years of age. Who on earth had expected Ideta to be a champion? Continue reading “Night of Upsets”

Report/Photos by Boxing Bob Newman

WBC Board member Simon Block, started things off with a song “Never Give Up.” That song was recorded and produced at the famous Abbey Road studios. The song will be produced and sold, with the proceeds going for the construction of a respite home for boxers in the UK.

Tony Gonzalez and Vonda Carson accepted an award for Don King, who was unable to attend this convention.

John H. Stracy, the first WBC world champion crowned under the presidency of the late Jose Sulaiman in 1975, spoke about being a member of the WBC family and the privilege and joy of attending the WBC convention every year.

A panel of multi-division champion Nonito Donaire and former DEA agent Rocky Herron, did a Q&A session regarding the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program. Donaire spoke from the viewpoint of the boxer while Herron spoke from the vantage of law enforcement as well as a father. Continue reading “WBC 60th Annual Convention Day 3”

IBF flyweight champion Sunny “Showtime” Edwards and mandatory challenger Felix Alvarado, a former 108lb world champion, faced off at the final press conference for their showdown on Friday at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England. The bout will stream on FITE.

Sunny Edwards: “Alvarado is a great champion from the weight below but I genuinely think I’m past his level, I believe I am at elite level. We’ll find out if this will be my toughest fight. I’ve had ‘tough’ fights, but I’ve made them not look that.”

Felix Alvarado: “The opponents Sunny has fought are different to me and on Friday, he will find this out.”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

A previous Jaime Munguia victim, durable and determined Takeshi Inoue (19-2-1, 10 KOs), 154, regained the OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific 154-pound belt by scoring a fine TKO win over Ryosuke Tenyu Maruki (18-8-2, 13 KOs), 154, at 2:31 of the sixth round in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. In a main event of the dual regional title event, Takeshi displayed more straight punches than previously, often connected with left-right combos and finally overwhelmed the perennial contender Maruki to prompt the referee’s stoppage. Continue reading “Inoue stops Maruki, wins vacant OPBF, WBO AP 154lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten OPBF middleweight champ Kazuto Takesako (15-0-1, 14 KOs), 160, Japan, kept his regional belt by halting OPBF#11 Korean Gyung-Mo Yuh (8-8-3, 1 KO), 158.75, with a single right shot to prompt the referee’s intervention at 2:51 of the third round in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. For Takesako, 31, it was his initial defense because of the prolonged pandemic since he acquired the belt two years and a half ago. Takesako said, “I’m willing to square off against WBO AP champ Hiroya Nojima (10-1, 5 KOs) for regional unification.” It will materialize next year, hopefully. Continue reading “Unbeaten Takesako stops Yuh, keeps OPBF 160lb belt”

The WBO Championship Committee has sent a letter to the camp of undisputed women’s welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill asking them to “show cause” within the next ten days as to why the WBO women’s welterweight championship should not be declared vacant after McCaskill’s loss to Chantelle Cameron in a bout for the junior welterweight title.

The McCaskill-Cameron clash was sanctioned by the WBO on the condition that 1) if McCaskill won she’d have ten days after the bout to determine which belt (140lb or 147lb) she’ll keep; and 2) if McCaskill lost her WBO welterweight title would be declared vacant. These conditions were agreed and accepted by Matchroom Boxing.

Report/Photos by Boxing Bob Newman

Day 2 of the 60th annual WBC convention was packed with presentations, champions in the house and the ever-popular, never-boring ratings meeting.

WBC Continental Americas champion Serhii Bohachuk addressed the panel, thanking them for interior support of Ukraine and Ukrainian fighters.

Marcos Arienti and Eunice Rendon gave a brief talk on the “Don’t Throw the Towel,” program, which works with the prison inmate population.

The “In Memoriam” video segment was then played to pay respect to those in boxing who were lost in the last year. Continue reading “60th annual WBC convention Day 2”

Unbeaten welterweight Panagiotis Tsochataridis (10-0-1, 6 KOs) of Greece kept his 0 intact defeating Marko Dmirovic ( 10-8, 5 KOs) of Gradiska, Bosnia and Herzegovina by fifth round TKO. It was a dominant performance by Tsochataridis and the referee waved the bout off before the start of round five.

Tsochataridis won his first professional title (WBF international title) The event took place in Ub, Serbia.

Super Lightweight Montana Love (18-0-1, 9 KOs) fulfills a dream on Saturday night – headlining for the first time in his hometown of Cleveland as he faces Steve Spark (15-2, 14 KOs) for the WBA Intercontinental title at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday night live worldwide on DAZN.

“The city is showing me love and getting behind me,” said Love. “It’s a proud city and we look after each other and back. It’s a dream come true, being able to headline in the biggest arena in my home. Cleveland means everything to me. We don’t have much, but we stick together and get the job done. Continue reading “Love: I want to win in spectacular fashion”

Montana Love and Stevie Spark face-off in Cleveland, Ohio for their upcoming fight on DAZN Saturday at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.