Fightnews.com

Heavyweight Joe Joyce (15-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO interim world title against 6’6 Zhilei Zhang (24-1-1, 19 KOs) at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday, April 15, live on BT Sport. It will be the first defense of the belt for the ‘Juggernaut’, who put himself first in line for a shot at the full WBO title with a KO victory over Joseph Parker in September of last year in Manchester.

Joe Joyce: “It is a great fight. He had a tough fight against Hrgovic but I thought he won the fight. Zhang is a big, strong southpaw who is massive, and he has been to the Olympics and all that. So, he has the experience and I think it will be a great fight. He bangs so I will have to watch out for it…it will be a good preparation for Usyk or Fury, plus I haven’t fought a southpaw since I won the Commonwealth title against Lenroy Thomas.”

Zhilei Zhang: “I am always up for the challenge and when the opportunity rings the bell. Joe Joyce and I share a lot in common – we both are Olympic silver medalists, both are big punchers, and are nearly the same size. This is going to be an explosive, epic and tremendous fight.

Middleweight Chris Eubank Jr has two more weeks to exercise his rematch clause to get a return fight with Liam Smith. Smith’s promoter Ben Shalom/BOXXER told Sky Sports “[Liam Smith] wants Golovkin. It’s in Eubank’s hands and we can’t really look past that until the time has elapsed and we expect him to want to rematch. I can’t see a better option for Eubank Jr right now.”

The rematch could take place in late May in Liverpool, Smith’s hometown.

Rising undefeated super featherweight contender Andres Cortes (17-0, 11 KOs) faces the tough Puerto Rican Luis Melendez (17-2, 13 KOs) this Friday night at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ and shown live on ESPN+. Cortes talked about a future showdown with Emanuel Navarrete and Shakur Stevenson and gave his predictions on Haney-Loma, Benavidez-Plant, KingRy-Tank and the potential super fight of Spence-Crawford and much more in this Fightnews.com® exclusive interview.

_

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO #14 heavyweight Justis Huni (7-0, 4 KOs) has signed a multi-year promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. The 23-year-old Australian becomes Matchroom’s latest recruit from Down Under. In his most high profile win to date, Huni became the first man to defeat Paul Gallen when he battered the former rugby league star before stopping him in the final round of a PPV clash that attracted worldwide attention in June 2021.

“I’m extremely proud to announce I’ve signed with the world’s premier promoter,” said Huni. “Many thanks to Mick and Fran at Tasman Fighters. Let’s get it!” Continue reading “Matchroom inks Justis Huni”

Two-division world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) and Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) faced off Wednesday at the final press conference for Friday’s clash for the vacant WBO 130-pound belt at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Emanuel Navarrete: “For me and my team, being a three-division world champion will be the culmination of yet another goal in my career. We know that it won’t be easy. But, by doing that, I’ll feel that I have done something good in my career, and I’ll be satisfied with what I have achieved in my 10 years as a professional boxer.”

Liam Wilson: “This means everything. This is what me, my team, my promoter, my manager and my trainers have worked for. We’ve taken the risks and challenges, and I know that on fight night I have a tough fight ahead of me. Navarrete is a great champion, but I do plan on giving him the fight of his life. I’m going to win.”

7:1 favorite Amanda Serrano (43-2-1 30 KOs) is poised to complete her collection of featherweight belts against WBA champion Erika Cruz  (15-1, 3 KOs) on DAZN Saturday night at the Hulu Theater inside New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

“Undisputed means a lot,” said Serrano. “It means you are the best; you have everyone looking to beat you, you are top dog, unquestionably number one in the division. Becoming the first undisputed champion at featherweight would be so cool after being a pro for 14 years. Continue reading “Serrano ready to be undisputed”

2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (7-0, 5 KOs) will face Emmanuel Tagoe (32-2, 15 KOs) in a lightweight ten-rounder on the April 8 Shakur Stevenson-Shuichiro Yoshino card according to ESPN, which will air the card from Newark, New Jersey. Tagoe went the full distance Ryan “Kingry” Garcia in his previous fight, so if Davis can get him out of there it would be a big feather in his cap.

Erik Bazinyan 167 vs. Alantez Fox 167.5
(NABF/NABA super middleweight titles)

Yves Ulysse Jr 140 vs. Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela 139
Alexandre Gaumont 160 vs. Carlos Gallego Montijo 161.5
Raphael Courchesne 150 vs. Diego Garduno Reyes 148
Christopher Guerrero 149.5 vs. Edwin Villareal Flores 147
Avery Martin-Duval 132 vs. Eduardo Mota Garcia 129.5
Wilkins Mathieu 164 vs. Zsolt Birkas 162.5

Venue: Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Promoter: Eye of the Tiger
TV: ESPN+

By Ron Jackson

One of South Africa’s most exciting young fighters Roarke Knapp returns to action on Saturday 18 March at Emperors Place near Kempton Park, when he meets the experienced Frenchman Ahmed El Mousaoui in a ten round junior middleweight bout, on a Golden Gloves Promotion.

The 24-year-old Knapp (15-1-1, 11 KOs) who made his pro debut on 28 May 2016 is possibly one of South Africa’s most exciting young fighters, who is never in a dull fight, as he likes to rumble. Continue reading “Roarke Knapp returns to action at Emperors Palace”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech has predicted WBO #3 super featherweight Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) will upset WBO featherweight champion Emmanuel Navarette (36-1, 30 KOs) when they clash for the vacant WBO 130-pound championship on Friday at the Diamond Desert Arena in Glendale, Arizona televised on ESPN. Navarette is as much as a 20:1 favorite.

“Oh, I think the bookies are making a huge mistake with this one,” Fenech told Fox Sports. “I’m actually shocked by the odds. And I honestly believe there’s a heap of money to be made on Liam Wilson this weekend. Because not only do I think he becomes Australia’s newest world champion, but he gets there by knockout.”

Looks like Alen Babic will have to go to Poland to face Lukasz Rozanski for the vacant WBC bridgerweight championship. Today, during the WBC’s weekly press conference, the official purse bid was held for the rights to organize Babic-Rozanski. Andrzej Wasilewsky of KnockOut Promotions got the rights by offering $425,000 against the $350,000 offer from Matchroom Boxing, who was represented by Tom Dallas. For this fight, the WBC will apply its purse division rule for purse bid fights. The split is 45/45 with 10% of the total bid reserved to be paid as a bonus to the winner.

By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán & WBC President

“The Dallas Cowboys lost” is what most say today, but had the Cowboys won, they would say, “We won.”

Such is life, as fans suffer defeats and enjoy victories. It will be a long drought of emotions until next season, when we will put on our team jerseys again and start the dream all over again. It’s already been 28 years without a Super Bowl, without a championship. Something like this happened with my favorite Mexican soccer team Cruz Azul, and don’t even mention it with my Cincinnati Reds in baseball. Even so, I have never changed allegiance ever since I was a child. My loyalty is unwavering.

Loyalty: Feeling of respect and fidelity to one’s own moral principles, to established commitments or to someone. It is a principle that, basically, consists of never turning your back on a certain person or group that is united by ties of friendship or by some social relationship. That is the fulfillment of honor and gratitude in a relationship which stands the test of time. In a group. It is a fulfillment of what the strength of fidelity and honor require.

Loyalty was always the principle that my dad so valued in life. How easy it is to be loyal, when things are going well, when success is around! And in turn, how easy it is to see how that loyalty disappears and dissolves when everything is not going well, as it once was! Continue reading “Loyalty – What A Sacred and Wonderful Principle”

Undefeated IBF #13 super lightweight Richardson Hitchins and promoter Eddie Hearn pose for a selfie today in New York City. Hitchins (15-0, 7 KOs) takes on fellow unbeaten John Bauza (17-0, 7 KOs) for the IBF North American and USWBC titles on Saturday night’s Matchroom Boxing card at Madison Square Garden. Hitchins is the main male attraction on a card headlined by two undisputed female championship fights.

“It’s been a while since I’ve boxed in my city,” said Hitchins. “It’s a homecoming I’ve craved for some time. That is enough to get you up for it. It’s going to be a special night and it’s the perfect venue and platform to showcase my skills and make a wider statement to the division. Continue reading “Hitchins poised for clash with Bauza”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has indicated that they want to create a pathway for Russians and Belarusians to compete as independent athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympic games. However, former heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist Wladimir Klitschko has called on IOC President Thomas Bach to instead ban all Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Games. “The Russians are Olympic champions in crimes against civilians,” stated Klitschko. “They have the gold medal in deportation of children and rape of women. You cannot put your Olympic emblem on these crimes because you will be an accomplice of this abominable war.”

_

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO#3 super-featherweight Liam Wilson (11-1, 7KO’s) will be facing former WBO featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (36-1,30KO’s) for the vacant WBO 130-pound championship on Friday at the Diamond Desert Arena in Glendale, Arizona, televised on ESPN.

“It’s crazy man,” Wilson told news.com.au of the chance to fight for a world title. “It’s just around the corner. I haven’t done it yet. That’s the last job I’ve got to do. I’ve done the hard work in training. I’ve got a fight to win and that’s to become world champion. It’s been a dream of mine for many years. I made a promise to my dad when I was a young kid that I’d be world champion for him one day.”

Fight week is underway for the undisputed doubleheader featuring Amanda Serrano vs. Erika Cruz and Alycia Baumgardner vs. Elhem Mekhaled at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday February 4, live worldwide on DAZN. The four fighters joined promoter Eddie Hearn for a first face-off at Edge at Hudson Yards this morning to kick-off the historic event in style.

Former female world champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy (23-2, 4 KOs) will battle Taynna Cardoso (5-1, 1 KO) in a eight round super featherweight bout in the main event at Sony Hall, in the heart of Times Square, mid-town Manhattan, on Thursday, February 23.

In the co-feature, light heavyweight Frederic “French Revolution” Julan (12-2, 10 KOs) will clash with Decarlo “3medno” Perez (19-7, 6 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Elon “El Leon” de Jesus (4-1, 3 KOs) will fight in a six-round super bantamweight contest and three additional fights will soon be added.

The event is being promoted by Boxing Insider in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Former unified junior middleweight world champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd (24-2, 16 KOs) will return on March 4 for the first time since a June 2021 split decision loss to Luis Arias. Hurd will take on Armando Reséndiz (13-1, 9 KOs) in a Showtime-televised ten round middleweight bout at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

“Y’all must’ve forgot, but I’m back to remind you what ‘Swift’ Jarrett Hurd is all about,” said Hurd. “I’m in a new weight class and I’m looking to dominate like I did at 154 pounds. I can’t wait to show everyone what I’ve been working on in the gym and display my talents on March 4. I know Reséndiz is going to make the most of this opportunity, but I’m ready to make a big statement of my own.”

Hurd-Resendiz will be the co-main event for the clash between former world champions, Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa (22-1-1, 17 KOs) and Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (24-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant WBC interim featherweight title. The telecast will also a clash of unbeaten young middleweights as Amilcar Vidal (16-0, 12 KOs) and Elijah Garcia (13-0, 11 KOs) meet in a 10-round attraction.

WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood training session ahead of his upcoming world title fight against Mauricio Lara in Nottingham on February 18th.

Super lightweight Jesus Saracho (13-1, 11 KOs) of Guanajuato, Mexico is fresh off his huge upset of previouly unbeaten Cesar Francis. Some odds had Saracho as much as a 8:1 underdog. The 21-year-old Saracho shocked many with the clear victory over the world-rated Francis but his manager Ray Frye was not surprised. Saracho was a highly decorated amateur amassing nearly 200 fights with success at both the international and national amateur level. He was highly world ranked by the WBA and WBO just a year ago at 135 prior to being upset by unbeaten Deonte Brown.

Saracho has since won three in a row and following his latest victory has an opportunity to return to the world rankings. Fightnews.com® caught up with Saracho and Frye to talk about defeating Francis and the future. Continue reading “Team Saracho targets top 140-pounders”

Three straight nights of boxing this week with the highlight being all-action Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete in the ring on Friday night.

THURSDAY
ESPN+ heads north to the Montreal Casino in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, for a super middleweight clash between unbeaten WBA #2, WBO #3, WBC #4, IBF #10 Erik Bazinyan (28-0, 21 KOs) and Alantez Fox (28-3-1, 13 KOs) for the NABF and NABA belts.

The co-feature is WBC #14 super featherweight Yves Ulysse Jr (22- 2, 12 KOs) faces Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (25-3-1, 15 KOs)

FRIDAY
ESPN+ presents a clash for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title, as reigning WBO featherweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) attempts to become a world champion in a third weight division against WBO #3 contender Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

In other action, unbeaten junior welterweight Arnold Barboza Jr. (27-0, 10 KOs) hopes to earn a career-best victory against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs), a former two-weight world champion.

SATURDAY
It’s an undisputed women’s world title twinbill on DAZN as Amanda Serrano (43-2-1, 30 KOs) meets Erika Cruz (15-1, 3 KOs)for the undisputed featherweight title and Alycia Baumgardner (13-1, 7 KOs) faces Elhem Mekhaled (15-1, 3 KOs) for the undisputed super featherweight title at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Unbeaten super middleweight prospect Luis Rodriguez (11-0, 11 KOs) continued his KO winning streak as he stopped Encarnacion Diaz (15-3-9 KO’s) of Nicaragua in two rounds to capture the World Boxing Association Continental Americas title on Saturday night at Peskaito By Blas Perez, Los Andes Mall in Panama City, Panama.

After dominating the first round, Rodriguez scored a knockdown in the second round with a devastating left hook. He went on to finish Diaz with a flurry of punches that dropped him again. Referee Guillermo Padilla then counted Diaz out. Rodriguez, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who is ranked #14 by the WBA, captured his first belt as a professional. He is expected to return to the ring in March in Florida.

By Joe Koizumi

Former WBC light flyweight champ Masamichi Yabuki (15-4, 14 KOs), 108, displayed a fine form, dropped IBF#7 Venezuelan Ronald Chacon (28-2-1, 20 KOs), 108, three times and finally halted him at 2:35 of the eleventh round in a scheduled twelve on Saturday in Nagoya, Japan. Having forfeited his world belt to ex-titlist Kenshiro Teraji via third-round knockout in a rematch in March last year, IBF#8 Yabuki utilized his left hand to keep the distance and control the contest from the outset. Wild willing mixer Chacon attempted to mix it up, but it was Yabuki that moved well and kept outboxing the hard-punching Venezuelan. The ex-champ floored Chacon twice in round seven and once more in the eighth—with a flurry of punches after solid right crosses. His surge in the eleventh had Chacon at bay, when the ref Nakamura waved it off to save the loser from further punishment.

Promoter: Midori Promotions.

It was a battle of unbeatens in the six round welterweight main event Saturday night at The Shed Dockyard in Sandys, Bermuda. The local hometown favorite Andre “Showtime” Lambe (7-0, 5 KOs) kept his 0 intact by unanimously decisioning Crisanto Lucio (5-1, 3 KOs) of Maryland. Lambe outclassed the aggressive Lucio who could not mount any effective offense. The packed crowd on hand roared whenever the southpaw Lambe landed his frequent counter lefts to the head of Lucio. The official scores were 60-54, 60-54 and 59-54

Promoter Oscar de la Hoya announced on Saturday’s DAZN telecast that he and partner Bernard Hopkins had a good lunch meeting with WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford. Oscar stated that Golden Boy can help Crawford get the much anticipated unification clash with WBC/WBA/IBF champion Errol Spence. Oscar also stated that Crawford vs. WBO #3 Alexis Rocha is another possibility.