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Undefeated heavyweight Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (24-0-1, 19 KOs) has touched down in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia a few days early to prepare for his IBF heavyweight title eliminator against Filip Hrgović (14-0, 12 KOs). The fight is the co-feature for the unified heavyweight championship rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua on August 20th at Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Hrgović-Zhilei winner will become the IBF’s number one heavyweight contender.

“I’m happy to be in Saudi Arabia. This is a business trip for me. I had the best training camp of my career. I wanted to come early and adjust to the time difference. I am ready for next Saturday.” Continue reading “Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei hits Jeddah”

Tuto Zabala’s All Star Boxing, Inc returns to the beautiful Seneca Resort and Casino in Niagara Falls, New York on Friday, October 14 with their successful series “Seneca Fight Nights”. “Our winning formula does not change,” stated Zabala. “Supporting the local talent from Western New York is key and our main priority. After two prosperous sold out shows with exciting matches we will continue to bring the fans more of the same at one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Niagara Falls.” Continue reading “Boxing back in Niagara Falls”

The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee has called a purse bid for the light heavyweight world title bout between the champion Dmitry Bivol and his mandatory challenger, Gilberto Ramirez to take place Sunday, August 21, at the Caribe Royale Hotel, in Orlando, Florida.

After the negotiation period from July 11 to August 10 expired and the parties did not reach an agreement, the WBA made the decision to call for the bidding.

The communication was officially sent to both parties on Thursday, August 11. The minimum amount to participate is $400,000 with a split of 75% for the champion Bivol and 25% for the challenger Ramirez as established by the rules of the body.

The WBA Championships Committee has made the decision to withdraw the recognition of Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada as super flyweight champion of the organization. With the decision, Joshua Franco remains as the only WBA 115-pound champion.

The decision was made based on the WBA internal rules and taking into account all the events that have taken place in recent months. Continue reading “WBA Championships Committee strips Estrada”

By David Finger

It will be a busy weekend of boxing for the state of New Mexico as two of the most promising young prospects in the Southwest headline separate cards in Las Cruces and in Albuquerque.

On Friday promoter Isidro Castillo of School of Hard Knocks Boxing returns to the Pan Am Center on the campus of New Mexico State University as undefeated prospect Stephanie Han (1-0) takes on a fellow undefeated prospect in Destiny Jones (2-0) in a lightweight fight. Han, the sister of former world champion Jennifer Han and former world ranked contender Abraham Han, already has boxing insiders talking about a possible world championship fight in the near future, but she has a tough test in Destiny “Too Sweet” Jones of Texas. Continue reading “Busy weekend of boxing in NM”

Next Fight Up Promotions is scheduled to bring fight fans a  night of boxing this Saturday at the Bayou Event Center in Houston, Texas. Seven bouts are scheduled to take place in all.

In the main event,  super featherweight Gabriel “Slick” Smith (11-2-1) of Houston takes on the highly touted prospect Eridson Garcia (16-0) of the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in a ten round battle. Garcia is putting his NABF super featherweight title on the line.

In the co-main, Houstonian Giovanni Marquez (2-0), son of former IBF jr middleweight holder Raul Marquez puts his undefeated record on the line against William Marcell Davis (5-13-1) of Memphis, Tennessee in a super lightweight four-rounder. In the main event. Continue reading “Boxing back in Houston”

Former undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez will make his junior welterweight debut Saturday evening in the 10-round main event against Pedro “Roca” Campa at the Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World Las Vegas. Here’s what they had to say at the final press conference.

Teofimo Lopez: “I can’t wait to show why Teofimo is the greatest of all time…this guy is in front of me to stop my dreams and stop everything that we’re shooting for. Every time I go out there in the ring, I’m risking everything. I’m risking my life. We double down, every time. When it comes to me, it’s just me versus me, no one else. I thank God for that. He’s always in my corner…Campa has that Mexican style of boxing. He’s going to be aggressive. This is going to be an all-out war. This is going to be a fight. And I’m very excited about that. I love competition.”

Pedro Campa: “We know the kind of fighter we will be fighting this Saturday. Honestly, I trained very hard because, as I repeat, we know the kind of opponent we have. Manny Robles is a trainer with a great understanding. He knows what he wants me to do, and I’m ready to obey what he says…we can do interesting things in the ring. Firstly, I think I’m coming for the victory. By any means necessary, I want to take the victory to Mexico and for my people in Guaymas and Sonora.”

“I have a lot of haters because of how great I am. It’s kind of like I’m Floyd Mayweather, but in a woman’s body.”

Boxing superstar Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields held a media workout in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area on Thursday as she nears her upcoming undisputed middleweight world championship showdown against longtime rival Savannah Marshall. Shields vs. Marshall will take place on September 10 in London and be available on ESPN+ for audiences in the U.S. Shields will bring the WBA, WBC and IBF middleweight titles into the showdown against Marshall and her WBO strap. Continue reading “Claressa Shields media workout quotes”

Popular KO artist Brandun Lee (25-0, 22 KOs) will take on Will Madera (17-1-3, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout on August 20 live on Showtime from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The newly added bout will serve as the opener to a four-fight Showtime Championship Boxing telecast headlined by four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner against former world champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa.

Additionally, Showtime Sports will offer live streaming coverage of unbeaten heavyweight Lenier Peró (7-0, 4 KOs) battling Joel Caudle (9-6-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round bout and undefeated middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn (19-0, 12 KOs) taking on Gilbert Venegas Jr.  (11-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round duel via their YouTube channel and Facebook page prior to the start of the televised quadrupleheader. Continue reading “Brandun Lee added to Broner-Figueroa card”

By Brad Snyder-The Undercard
Photos by Bob Ryder

The combined records of the main event and co-main event combatants was 58-1-2. The main event and co-main event had two fighters with devastating punching power. Shohjahon Ergashev (23-0, 20 KOs) demanded from his promoter Dmitry Salita bigger fights in his post fight speech. His 5th Round 1:24 TKO over Angel Martinez Hernandez (14-2-2) looked easy. Hernandez came out swinging in Round 1. He was wild and off-balance. Eventually, Ergashev was able to connect his left easily from the southpaw position. In Round 4, the devastation had Hernandez on the canvas. In Round 5, Ergashev scored another knockdown. Then he jumped on Hernandez, again, until Referee Frank Garza stopped the fight. Hernandez got bloodied in the last assault from Ergashev. The Super Lightweight bout showed Ergashev is ready for championship boxing. Continue reading “Detroit Brawl Full Report”

Undisputed female lightweight champion Katie Taylor has blasted the suggestion of archrival Amanda Serrano’s promoter Jake Paul that a rematch of their Madison Square Garden showdown should be at 126lbs or a 130lbs catchweight. Taylor (21-0, 6 KOs), who edged Serrano back in April to retain her lightweight crown stands firm that a rematch will only happen at lightweight.

“What is that about?” said Taylor. “I’ve never heard such nonsense in all my life. I’ve never heard someone say something as stupid as that to be quite honest. I think they’re just trying to play a few games. I’m pretty sure Jake knows I’m not going to get down to 126, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a situation in boxing where the champion wins but has the rematch in a lower weight division. It is real nonsense! I don’t know if he’s playing games or it is naivety but the rematch is going to be at 135lbs. Continue reading “Katie Taylor shuts down Jake Paul ‘nonsense’”

Formerly undisputed lightweight king Teofimo Lopez (16-1, 12 KOs) went through the paces for more than 30 minutes to kick off fight week Wednesday with a media workout at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas. He hit the mitts with his father/trainer, Teofimo Lopez Sr., and even conducted an impromptu pushup session in the middle of the ring. Lopez launches The Takeover 2.0 in the junior welterweight division on Saturday night against Pedro Campa (34-1-1, 23 KOs) at the Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World Las Vegas. ESPN will televise.

By Damon Gonzalez/LatinBox Communications

A Dominican vs. Puerto Rican rivalry is in play as  Wesley “El Bongocero” Ferrer (16-1-1, 8 KO’s) from Brooklyn, New York way of Santo Domingo will be battle tested as he collides against Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez from Juncos, Puerto Rico for the NBA intercontinental lightweight title on Saturday night at Plaza Live Orlando in Orlando, Florida on a card presented by Undisputed Promotions. Ferrer and Velez faced off for the first time in Wednesday’s press conference.

The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee ratified the mandatory fight between light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and his mandatory challenger Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

After receiving a request from Bivol’s promoter Matchroom for special permission to fight Joshua Buatsi, the WBA denied such permission, so Bivol and Ramirez had until yesterday (as originally planned) to reach an agreement or the fight would go to purse bid.

“We find the ruling fair and honest considering Zurdo Ramirez has fought two elimination bouts and has been the number one contender for this fight since his victory against Sullivan Barrera in 2021,” stated Golden Boy Chairman Oscar De La Hoya. “We will continue to work hard to support Ramirez as he campaigns to one day become a two-division world champion.” Continue reading “WBA ratifies Bivol-Ramirez”

Unbeaten super lightweight Shohjahon Ergashev (23-0, 20 KOs) showed why he’s rated IBF #6, WBA #12, WBO #8 with an impressive fifth-round stoppage of Angel “El Furioso” Martinez Hernandez (14-2-2, 14 KOs).on Wednesday night at the historic Garden Theater in Midtown Detroit.

In the co-feature, WBO #12, IBF #11, WBC #7 light heavyweight bulldozer Ali Izmailov (9-0, 6 KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Eric Murguia (now 14-1, 12 KOs) to win the USBA 175lb title.

Also, bantamweight Prince Dzanie (23-0, 19 KOs) scores a second round KO over Juan Gabriel Medina (14-12, 12 KOs).

Full report to come…

Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno (16-1-2, 14 KOs), a former amateur standout with one-punch knockout power, will replace Shinard Bunch against Hugo Alberto Roldan (21-0-1, 7 KOs) in the ten round super lightweight main event on the September 9 edition of ShoBox: The New Generation live on Showtime from Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino’s Grand Ballroom. Bunch was forced to withdraw for undisclosed personal reasons.

Adorno, who owns two early victories over current unified super featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, will fight for the fourth time this year and third straight at super lightweight after campaigning mostly at lightweight throughout his career.

“The opportunity to fight on ShoBox couldn’t have come at a better time in my career,” said Adorno, who is managed by Dave McWater and promoted by Vito Mielnicki’s GH3 Promotions. “I’ve never felt stronger after moving up to 140 pounds and I’m eager to showcase my power in front of a national audience. I just fought less than three weeks ago, so I’m already in great shape, and I’m predicting another sensational knockout against Roldan, who’s never faced anyone with my power and pedigree.”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Slick-punching southpaw footworker Kenta Nakagawa (22-4-1, 12 KOs), 114.75, defeated only once-beaten JBC#1 Hayate Kaji (15-2, 9 KOs), 115, by a unanimous decision (97-93 twice, 96-94) over ten fast rounds to keep his Japanese super-flyweight belt on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Nakagawa, 37, made good use of shifty mobility and averted mix-ups with the willing mixer, steadily piling up points. After the fifth, the open scoring system indicated the champ leading on points: 49-46 twice, 50-45. Kaji, 25, attempted to take back the initiative, but the tide didn’t turn in his favor with the champ continually controlling the second half. Continue reading “Nakagawa defeats Kaji, keeps Japanese 115lb belt”

Soon to be unretired WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury announced he will be trained for his next fight by Isaac Lowe and is no longer with Sugar Hill. The Gypsy King (32-0-1, 23 KOs) is eying a third fight with Derek “War” Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) because he says he wants to be the only heavyweight champion in history to fight two trilogies and because he always said he would fight Chisora at the end of his career.

Hill’s response? “Good luck with that!”

Fact check: Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali also fought two trilogies, Joe Frazier and Ken Norton.

Former world champion Omar Figueroa Jr. held a San Antonio media workout on Tuesday as he nears his super lightweight battle against four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner on August 20 live on Showtime from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

Omar Figueroa Jr: “Honestly, there was a time when I was a little bit jealous of Broner. He had such an amazing career and, like me, things got to us. As we all know, things haven’t gone the smoothest for us. So, I’m getting the word out about mental health, doing more to bring it to the mainstream and I’m glad my opponent is Adrien Broner because he’s a great advocate for that too. I feel he can make a huge difference if he sheds a little bit of light on it. Other than that, this is a great opportunity and I know it’s going to be a hell of a fight.

“I don’t watch his stuff online and see what he’s doing. Even if he does start trash talking, it’s all part of the show. He’s been through his share of struggles and I can say I honestly respect Adrien Broner. I’m not sure what kind of dance partner I’ll see. This is going to be a great fight for the fans of the sport.”

Streaking super featherweight, Jordan White won his 10th straight fight as he retained the WBC USNBC title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Derrick Murray in front of another Jeter Promotions sold out crowd at The Hall inside Live Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland. White of Washington, DC made the first defense of his title by scores of 100-88, 97-91 and 95-93 to raise his mark to 14-1. Murray of Saint Louis, Missouri is 16-6-1.

In the co-feature, Demond Nicholson scored a third-round stoppage over Christopher Brooker in a scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout. The end came at 2:24 of round three for the Laurel, Maryland native, Nicholson, who is now 26-4-1- with 22 knockouts. Brooker of Philadelphia is 16-12.

Shohjahon Ergashev 140.4 vs. Angel Martinez Hernandez 142.6

Ali Izmailov 174.2 vs Eric Murguia 173
(USBA Light Heavyweight Championship)

Prince Dzanie 118.8 vs. Juan Gabriel Medina 116.6
Joseph Hicks Jr 166.6 vs. Jonathan Batista 174.2
Joshua Pagan 141.8 vs. Maycon Oller Da Silva 143.6
Da’Velle Smith 160.4 vs. Devontae McDonald 158.8
Darius Fulghum 174.4 vs. David Murray 176

Venue: The Garden Theater, Detroit, Michigan
Promoter: Salita Promotions

WBO featherweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (35-1, 29 KOs) makes the third defense of his world title against Mexican countryman Eduardo Baez (21-2-2, 7 KOs) in San Diego next Saturday (Aug. 20) at the Pechanga Arena (formerly San Diego Sports Arena).

Emanuel Navarrete: “He’s a warrior with an imposing, come-forward style. He is intelligent and has good technique. The fight will be difficult in the first six rounds until I figure him out. In the second half of the fight, we expect to be able to connect combinations to the body to weaken my opponent and achieve the victory.”

“This has been the best training camp of my career. We started camp in Mexico City, and we finished in Tijuana.”

“I’m ready to come back after a long layoff. Sometimes you start getting doubts when you spend so much time away from the ring. But as soon as training camp starts, the positive mentality returns.”

A clash between middleweight Chris Eubank Jr (32-2, 23 KOs) and welterweight Conor Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) is on for October 8 at the O2 in London as the sons of two of the sport’s most famous names battle it out in a second-generation showdown on DAZN. It is reported the bout will be contested at a 156lb catch weight.

Chris Eubank Jr: “I grew up watching their legendary battles and always wanting to emulate that, and find my own arch nemesis… could this now be Conor Benn? We will find out. He has walked the same path as I have. I know his struggle. Living in the shadow of a legend and trying to break out of that shadow and make his own name. If he can beat me, his name will be made, and he will never walk in his father’s shadow again.”

Conor Benn: “This fight is for the legacy and was an opportunity I felt I couldn’t pass up. My team and I had other options on the table as I’m currently ranked top 5 with all governing bodies at welterweight and no doubt I’m looking for a World Championship fight very soon, but this fight is embedded with so much history and I know it’s one the public really want to see. To me this fight is personal – it’s more than titles and rankings, this is unfinished business between our families!” Continue reading “Eubank-Benn to collide Oct 8 in London”

This Friday night’s R&B Promotions fight card on board the Battleship New Jersey in Camden has been rescheduled for Sunday, August 28th. A full card of boxing with many of the same fighters that were ticketed for Friday night’s show will see action on August 28th. A formal announcement with the updated card will be released shortly.

By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán & President of the WBC

I was present at the Congress of the Association of Boxing Commissions of the United States (ABC), which was at Niagara Falls, in New York.

This group was formed in the 1980s, when some commissioners from the states with the most activity in this sport in that country sought to unite to address priority issues, with the intention of achieving uniformity in regulations and procedures.

The ABC was founded by boxing greats, like Duane Ford, Sam Macias, Dickie Cole, Arlen Bynum, Greg Sirb and Randy Gordon, among others, who had the vision to see goals and perimeters even further afield, concerning a sport that is complicated to manage, due to the unique model that no other encompasses. Continue reading “The evolution of boxing”