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WBO #2, IBF #3, WBA #5, WBC #7 cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith (17-1, 12 KOs) scored a devastating fifth round highlight reel knockout against Armend Xhoxhaj (14-3, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at the Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England. Xhoxhaj got off to a good start, but Billam-Smith ended matters with a barrage of punches that laid out Xhoxhaj.

British light heavyweight champion “Super” Dan Azeez (18-0, 12 KOs) broke down and stopped former world champion Rocky Fielding (30-3, 17 KOs) in round eight to claim the vacant Commonwealth title. Azeez punished Fielding from the get-go and got the “W” when Fielding’s corner threw in the towel. Only Azeez was eligible to win the C’wealth belt after Fielding missed weight.

2020 Olympian female lightweight Caroline Dubois (5-0, 4 KOs) needed just 60 seconds to annihilate Sofia Rodriguez (5-8, 1 KO). Caroline is the sister of WBA “regular” heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.

Heavyweight Steven “Drago” Robinson (6-1, 4 KOs) took a beating until suddenly turning the tables and dropping previously undefeated “Glasgow Warrior” Nick Campbell (5-1, 5 KOs) twice in round four and getting a referee’s stoppage at the end of the round.

WBA #15 welterweight Michael McKinson (23-1, 2 KOs) returned for the first time since his August defeat against Vergil Ortiz Jr. to outpoint Roberto Arriaza (19-5, 14 KOs) over six, 59-55.

In a clash between unbeaten lightweights, late sub Jimmy First (15-0, 4 KOs) outscored Cori Gibbs (17-1, 3 KOs) over eight rounds 76-73. Gibbs had three point deductions for repeatedly losing his mouthpiece.

Lightweight contender Ryan Garcia says he’s pulling out of a planned January 28 fight against 135lb division gatekeeper Mercito Gesta. He is slated to face WBA regular lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis on April 15 in a non-title bout at a 136-pound catchweight.

“F*ck the tune-up. Bring on Tank. SPARKING HIM OUT IN 2,” said Kingry via his Twitter account. “Been thinking about it during the time they were figuring out this fight and I feel the fans and everyone who supports boxing have seen these tune-ups already. It’s time that we give the fans what they want. Also, he requested the tune-up, not me. So let him handle business. LETS GO!”

Davis is defending his belt against WBA super featherweight champion Hector Luis Garcia in a January 7 PPV fight before moving on to the Kingry showdown.

Featherweight Bryan De Gracia (29-2-1, 25 KOs) of Panama returned to action Saturday morning in a scheduled for eight round main event at the Coliseo de Pescaito David Ruiz Ureche in the tourist beach city of Santa Marta, Colombia. He scored a fifth round TKO over local favorite Manuel Felipe Gomez (11-4, 11 KOs) of Colombia. It was a dominant performance by De Gracia, who systematically broke down the heavy-handed Gomez, who didnt answer the bell for round five.

Unbeaten WBC #4, WBA #5 heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov (16-0, 15 KOs) scored an easy first round TKO over Michael Wallisch (23-6, 16 KOs) on Friday night at the Centre Gervais Auto in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. Makhmudov dropped Wallisch early on, then Wallisch took a knee two more times in round one. Makhmudov was deducted a point for repeatly hitting behind the head. Wallisch then didn’t come out for round two. Makhmudov retained his NABF and NABA belts and showed that he needs tougher opponents.

In a shocker, female super welterweight fringe contender Femke Hermans (14-4, 5 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over highly regarded and previously unbeaten Mary Spencer (7-1, 5 KOs) to claim the IBO belt. Hermans took the fight to Spencer, connecting with quick combinations much more often than Spencer’s occasional power shots. Scores were 99-91, 97-93, 96-94. The 38-year-old Spencer, who turned pro last year after a long amateur career, was on the fast track to a world title shot and came into the fight as a 35:1 favorite.

IBF #14, WBC #15 middleweight Steven “Bang Bang” Butler (32-3-1, 26 KOs) and Joshua Conley (17-5-1, 11 KOs) went ten tough rounds with Butler winning by scores of 96-94, 97-93, and a ridiculous 99-91. Butler retained his NABF title. Continue reading “Makhmudov whallops Wallisch, remains unbeaten”

Raul Curiel 146.6 vs. Brad Solomon 147
(NABF welterweight title)

Diego De La Hoya 131 vs. Jose Gonzalez 130.4
Aaron Silva 167.4 vs. Alan Campa 166.2
Jousce Gonzalez 134.8 vs. Ivan Cano 134
Nick Sullivan 134 vs. Angel Vazquez 135
Cecilia Braekhus 152.4 vs. Marisa Portillo 148.8
Martin Leon 138.4 vs. Ricardo Quiroz 140.6
Gregory Morales 125 vs. Diuhl Olguin 125.8

Venue: Commerce Casino, Los Angeles
Promoter: Golden Boy
TV: DAZN

Michel Rivera  134.5 vs. Frank Martin 134.75
(WBA lightweight title eliminator)

José Uzcátegui 167.5 vs. Vladimir Shishkin 167.25
(IBF super middleweight title eliminator)

Vincent Astrolabio 117.5 vs. Nikolay Potapov 117
(IBF bantamweight title eliminator)

*Omar Juarez 141 vs. Austin Dulay 140.5
*Elijah Garcia 164 vs. Cruse Stewart 162.5

Venue: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Promoter: TGB Promotions
TV: Showtime, *YouTube/Facebook

Dan Azeez 173.3 vs. *Rocky Fielding 176
(British, Commonwealth light heavyweight title)
*Fielding did not make weight)

Chris Billam-Smith 199 vs. Armend Xhoxhaj 197
Steve Robinson 240 vs. Nick Campbell 260

Venue: Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, England
Promoter: BOXXER
TV: PPV (US), Sky Sports (UK)

Bryan De Gracia 125.25 vs. Manuel Felipe Gonzalez 126.6
(Contracted maximum weight 127)

Site:: Coliseo David Ruiz Ureche, Santa Marta, Colombia

Saturday’s heavyweight clash between Mahmoud Charr and Lucas Browne in Dubai has fallen apart after the promoter failed to make some payments. The bout was to be available on PPV in the U.S.

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has parted ways with trainer Robert Garcia after just one fight.

IBF female bantamweight champion Ebanie “The Blonde Bomber” Bridges offers boxing fans a chance to “see beyond the boxing” on her new OnlyFans page.

Former undisputed female welterweight champion ‘The First Lady’ Cecilia Braekhus (36-2, 9 KOs) has been added to Saturday’s Golden Boy show at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. Now competing at super welterweight, the 41-year-old Braekhus will face former world title challenger Marisa Joana ‘La Nena La Piba’ Portillo (19-15-3, 4 KOs).

Correction: WBO #3 super featherweight Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) will step in for injured Oscar Valdez against current featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete in a fight for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title on February 3 in Glendale, Arizona. The fight will air on an ESPN platform.

Showtime will stream a pair of bouts on their YouTube channel and Facebook page prior to their Rivera-Martin Showtime Championship Boxing telecast on Saturday night. The stream will feature super lightweight Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez (13-1, 5 KOs) against Austin Dulay (15-3, 11 KOs) in a ten-rounder, and unbeaten 19-year-old middleweight Elijah Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs) against Cruse Stewart (8-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Lightweight contenders Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera and Frank “The Ghost” Martin went face to face on Thursday before they meet in a WBA title eliminator headlining action live on Showtime this Saturday at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Michel Rivera: “I’m dedicated and motivated. On Saturday, everyone will see a new superstar in the ring.”

Frank Martin: “Protect yourself at all times. Because I can get you up out of there at any moment in the fight.”

The press conference also featured fighters competing on the undercard. In a pair of twelve round IBF eliminators, super middleweights José Uzcátegui and Vladimir Shishkin clash in the co-feature, while bantamweights Vincent Astrolabio and Nikolai Potapov kick off the telecast.

Quotes

Arslanbek Makhmudov 265.4 vs. Michael Wallisch 234.4
(NABF/NABA heavyweight titles)

Mary Spencer 152.8 vs. Femke Hermans 152.8
Steven Butler 159.6 vs. Joshua Conley 159.6
Thomas Chabot 126.8 vs. Jonathan Carrillo Baranda 127.2
Alexandre Gaumont 159.6 vs. Pablo Polanco Fernandez 156.4
Luis Santana 134.6 vs. Jonathan Uribe Hernandez 134.4
Leila Beaudoin 130.4 vs. Valgerdur Gudstensdottir 130.8

Venue: Centre Gervais Auto, Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada
Promoter: EOTTM
TV: ESPN+

By Robert Coster

Ernesbedi Begue 168 vs. Lucas De Abreu 167
(WBA super middleweight Fedecaribe title)

Rene Santiago 107 vs. Geraldo Zapata 107.5
(WBO Latino light flyweight title )

Gilberto Lenin Castillo 184 vs. Alex Theran 185
Brainer Vasquez 130 vs. Delvyn Hernandez 130
Sanderson Diaz 178 vs. Reinaldo Gonzalez 130.5
Victor Santillan 124 vs. Ramson Robles 124
Plus 3 more fights

Venue: Pabellon de Esgrima, Centro Olimpico, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Promoter: Shuan Boxing Promotion and Domini Boxing

Two international fight cards will stream live and exclusively this weekend in the U.S. on ESPN+.

The fight action starts Friday, as undefeated heavyweight wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (15-0, 14 KOs) defends his NABF and NABA straps against Michael Wallisch (23-5, 16 KOs) in the 10-round main event from Centre Gervais Auto in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. Makhmudov is rated WBC #4, WBA #5.

The ESPN+ fight marathon continues Saturday from Parc des Expositions in Nantes, France, as super middleweight knockout artist Christian Mbilli (22-0, 20 KOs) steps up against Vaughn Alexander (17-6-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Mbilli is rated WBC #2.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

“Monster” Naoya Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs), 117.75, unified all the four belts of the bantamweight category when he patiently kept stalking the WBO titlist Paul Butler (34-3, 15 KOs), 118, and finally sank him with a flurry of punches at 1:09 of the eleventh round in a scheduled twelve in Tokyo, Japan. Some 15,000 sellout spectators were in attendance at Ariake Arena, newly constructed for the 2021 Olympic Games. Naoya, usually an early finisher, didn’t try to bring home the bacon early but steadily weakened the cautious counterpart from UK with his constant pressure on him. Inoue this time demonstrated his skills in jabbing with precision, averting a few but occasional punches from Butler and giving him a lesson of punching upstairs and downstairs. Having both hands down like Roy Jones Jr. to urge Butler to punch out of his peek-a-boo shell in round six, Inoue attempted to have the negative champ more aggressive, but in vain. Butler didn’t become more positive in trading punches with Inoue throughout the contest.

“For what did you come to Japan? Not to win over me and win the belts?” said Naoya, after his victory, on his interim impression of Butler’s strategy during the bout. Frustrated by Paul’s extremely defensive strategy, he was bewildered but decided to patiently take the initiative and open the way to finally demolish him in the end. Naoya kept jabbing to penetrate Paul’s tight guard, which had him nose-bleeding and had the face reddened. To the eyes of the huge crowd Butler looked more intimidated than cautious by Inoue’s superior power. Continue reading “Inoue-Butler Full Report & GIANT Photo Gallery”

By Ron Jackson

With the Coronavirus now under control South African boxing has picked up and the number of tournaments around the country has increased with a better year for South African boxing and the fighters. 

Review of the Year

At the end of the year South Africa had two new world champions with the outstanding achievement being the 23-year-old Sivenathi Nontshinga (11-0, 9 KOs) who travelled to Hermisillo, Mexico and beat the homeboy Hector Flores Calixto on a split decision to win the vacant IBF light flyweight title.

Another outstanding performance by a South African fighter was by Hekkie Budler who was having only his second fight since 2018 and at the age of 34, beat Mexico’s Elwin Soto 19-2 in a final eliminator for the WBC light flyweight title. Budler (34-4, 10 KOs) now qualifies to meet Japan’s Kenshiro Teraji for the WBC light flyweight title. Continue reading “Supersport Boxing Roundup for 2022”

By Mauricio Sulaiman
Son of Jose Sulaiman/President of the WBC

The world of sports and entertainment is fascinating, it is what enthuses humanity week after week, month after month and year after year. Just as the FIFA soccer world cup in Qatar keeps us all entertained, excited and with passion on the verge of each game, also on Sundays it is American football NFL and during 162 long games it is the MLB baseball season and the national soccer leagues of each country plus the boxing fights or the Formula 1, the Oscars, the Grammys. Entertainment in theater plays and all about music concerts all over the world .

In short, being able to attend and witness one of these events is quite an experience. From the one who is right beside the lamps in the last seat of the arena or the one who is in the front row. The atmosphere that is generated is the union of emotions that comes from the soul, generating moments that are stored the heart with unforgettable memories and feelings. All these events that are witnessed by thousands of people in arenas and stadiums and millions more on television or digital media take place as an event which lasts specific time until it is finished. Continue reading “Backstage in Boxing”

By Boxing Bob Newman

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By Boxing Bob Newman

The final official seminar of the WBA Centennial convention was the referee seminar. The main focal points were knockdowns- was it or wasn’t it a knockdown? Raul Caiz, Jr. helmed the lecture, at the outset, paying homage to his many mentors in the sport. The remaining panel was the same as the judges seminar (Raul Caiz, Sr., Luis Pabon, Gustavo Padilla, Octavio Rodriguez & Jose Torres).

Caiz, Jr. invoked and paraphrased the famous Vince Lombardi quote, saying, “Boxing is a game of inches.” A referee could be an inch too far to the right or left, missing critical moments or action that can determine the outcome of the fight. Not only distance- measured in inches, but time- measured in seconds, make the difference in the outcome of a fight. Continue reading “WBA Centennial Convention Referees Seminar”

Moments before WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford’s spectacular knockout against David Avanesyan, the fight was briefly stopped while officials examined damage to both of Crawford’s Everlast gloves. The bout was allowed to continue without a glove change and the kill shot connected shortly after. Everlast has blamed the incident on “a batch of defective leather,” and absolved Team Crawford of any foul play or tampering.

Everlast Statement: We take safety and performance seriously. As the leader in professional boxing equipment, it is ever more important that we ensure the necessary steps are in place to review our product development process and the integrity of our gloves. This process includes close scrutiny of all materials used and construction methods employed in the production of our professional competition gloves. Our top priority is to ensure that every fighter who uses our products has a safe and secure experience.

During the development cycle of the custom fight gloves used in Crawford vs. Avanesyan a batch of defective leather was used in production resulting in a malfunction during the competition. In such cases, Everlast follows proper protocol by providing backup competition pairs to be replaced pending a decision by the sanctioning body overseeing the fight. A stoppage was called to review the equipment malfunction and the commission deemed the equipment was still suitable for competition. No foul play was at hand, nor was there any tampering of the product on behalf of Terence Crawford and his camp. Continue reading “Everlast comments on Crawford’s gloves”

WBC interim super middleweight champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) has again renewed his exclusive multi-year promotional agreement with Sampson Lewkowicz/Sampson Boxing. Benavidez will face former IBF champion Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant in a final WBC 168-lb title eliminator in March to decide the mandatory for world champion Canelo Alvarez.

Currently deep in training for the match, Benavidez says he’s happy to continue his promotional relationship with Lewkowicz. “I feel great re-signing with Sampson,” he said during a break. “I’m happy to continue with him and very appreciative for his help building my career from nearly the beginning.”

The world female light flyweight unification championship between WBC champion Kim Clavel (16-0, 3 KOs) and WBA champion Yesica Nery Plata (28-2, 3 KOs), is confirmed and will take place on Friday, January 13, 2023, at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada. Clavel, fighting out of Montreal, is fully recovered from the flu and fever that knocked her down a few days before her originally scheduled fight on December 1. She resumed training last week.

Undefeated super lightweight Mazlum Akdeniz (17-0, 8 KOs) will defend his WBC Continental Americas belt against Cristian Bielma (19-4-2, 7 KOs) in the co-feature.

A world title clash between WBA flyweight champion Artem Dalakian (21-0, 15 KOs) and unbeaten David Jiminez (12-0, 9 KOs) will be the co-feature in support of the forthcoming Artur Beterbiev-Anthony Yarde blockbuster at the OVO Arena in London on January 28, live on ESPN in the U.S. and BT Sport in the U.K.

Dalakian, 35, won his world title belt in February 2018 with a points victory over Brian Viloria and has subsequently made five successful defenses. Jiminez, 30, has previously won the WBA Gold world flyweight title.

Also on the bill and in title action against opponents to be confirmed shortly, light heavyweight Karol Itauma (9-0, 7 KOs) will fight for his first professional belt with the WBC International title being on the line and, also at light heavy, Willy Hutchinson (15-1, 11 KOs) will battle for the WBO Intercontinental championship.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten IBF#8 super light Andy “Da Blade” Hiraoka (22-0, 17 KOs), 140, retained his WBO Asia Pacific junior welter belt by dispatching Korean Min-Ho Jung (13-4-2, 3 KOs), 140, at 2:06 of the eighth round in a scheduled twelve on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. In a semi-final to the Inoue-Butler unification bout, Andy had a tough time coping with the durable Korean, but finally found the openings to deck him twice with a countering left uppercut and a left counter respectively in the fatal eighth. Andy had better improve his defensive skills to make good use of his talented power.

Ohashi Promotions.

BoxRec: Andy Hiraoka

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By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten ex-K-1 world champ, currently OPBF super bantam ruler Yoshiki Takei (6-0, 6 KOs), 122, kept his regional belt as he kept circling to counter IBF#7 super light Bruno Tarimo (26-4-2, 5 KOs), 121,5, had him streaming blood from a gash caused by his legal shots and finally scored a TKO win at 2:17 of the eleventh round in a scheduled twelve. Takei, a Japanese Naseem Hamed stylist, utilized his unorthodox southpaw style and sometimes caught the onrushing Tanzanian residing in Australia with precision. Tarimo hit the deck with Takei’s counter in the opening session, but continually kept stalking the footworker all the way. After the eighth, the official tallies were 79-72 twice and 80-71, all in favor of the champ. Takei, however, seems to have some rooms to learn from his trainer, former three-division world champ Akira Yaegashi. Continue reading “Inoue-Butler Undercard: Takei halts IBF #7 Tarimo”