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WBA gold super bantamweight champion Ronny Rios (33-3, 16 KOs) scored a one-sided ten round unanimous decision over WBA #13 Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (19-3-2, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Rios outboxed and outworked Negrete to win 100-90, 100-90, 99-91.

“I should have sat down more on my punches,” said Rios. “I went in a little bit too much with my head, and I kind of waited too long. But I’m happy with the win. I really want a world title shot for my next fight, and I think this fight was a necessary step in that direction.”

Middleweight Shane Mosley Jr. (17-3, 10 KOs) won by fifth round TKO over Cristian Olivas (19-8, 16 KOs) on Diaz-Rakhimov undercard Saturday night at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. The bout was stopped at the end of round five due to Olivas’ right eye being swollen shut.

Unbeaten light heavyweight Bektemir “Bek Bully” Melikuziev (7-0, 6 KOs) scored a third round KO over Morgan Fitch (19-5-1, 8 KOs). Referee Jack Reiss called a knockdown on Fitch in round three when he turned his back. The bout resumed and a body shot (below the belt) finished Fitch. Time was 2:08.

WBA #2, WBC #7 super bantamweight Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (19-3, 16 KOs) stopped Enrique Bernache (24-13, 12 KOs) in round eight. Bernache down in round two. Continue reading “Mosley Jr, Bek Bully, Crazy A victorious”

In a huge upset, featherweight Mauricio “Bronco” Lara (22-2, 15 KOs) knocked out previously unbeaten former IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at the SSE Arena outside London. Warrington, who relinquished his IBF title after the governing body refused to sanction a unification clash with WBA champion Xu Can, was outgunned the whole night. Lara dropped 25:1 favorite Warrington in round four and Warrington barely survived the round. Warrington was still hurt at the beginning of round five and was repeatedly staggered as the bout progressed. Lara finally laid out Warrington with a huge left hook in round nine to end it. Time was :54. Continue reading “Shocker: Lara KOs ex-champ Warrington”

World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Miguel “Alacrán” Berchelt and his Coach, Alfredo Caballero, offered a press conference in Hermosillo, Sonora, in the build-up to the big fight next Saturday, February 20th. Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) will defend his world championship, against two-time Mexican Olympian and former featherweight world champion, Oscar Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs).

Berchelt commented: “I feel very happy and anxious. It is the most important fight I have had in my career because the name of Oscar Valdez was already known before being a professional and before becoming a world champion. He is a two-time Olympic fighter, it is a great challenge that I have in front of me. But in the face of great challenges always bring out the best in me and this is not going to be the exception.” Continue reading ““Alacran” ready to sting Valdez”

In the scheduled ten round main event, super bantamweight Alberto Ezequiel Melian (8-2, 5 KOs) defeated fellow Argentine Luis Fernando Molina (8-6-1, 6 KOs) by way of ninth round TKO on Friday night at the Microestadio Municipal, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Melian dominated the action in route to winning the vacant World Boxing Association Fedebol superbantam title. Continue reading “Melian TKOs Molina in Argentina”

Sad to report the passing of former heavyweight boxer Mitchell Rose at the age of 51. Rose, a career journeyman with a mark of 2-11-1, 2 KOs, first came into the national spotlight when he handed the previously unbeaten Eric “Butterbean” Esch a shock defeat by second round TKO at Madison Square Garden. Seven years later, Rose was in the news again after a scuffle with Mike Tyson inside a Brooklyn nightclub. He later wrote a book on the incident, titled “Mike Tyson Tried To Kill My Daddy.” We’ll update this story when more information comes in.

Both the undefeated sons of former two-time heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman were victorious in fights last week.

Heavyweight Hasim “Gold Blooded” Rahman Jr. (10-0, 5 KOs) notched a second-round TKO over Mexico’s Alejandro de la Torre at the Salon de Eventos in Heroica Matamoros, Mexico on Friday, February 5. Younger brother Sharif “C3” Rahman (4-0, 3 KOs) scored a third-round TKO over Haitian opponent Gladimir Jacinto at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday, February 6.

The brothers, both signed to New York-based promoter Greg Cohen’s GCP, say it was nice to get back in the ring after an extended Covid-related period of inactivity. Continue reading “Rahman Bros remain unbeaten”

Richard Commey 136 vs. Jackson Marinez 135.5
Adam Lopez 126 vs. Jason Sanchez 126
Jared Anderson 249 vs. Kingsley Ibeh 276

Eric Puente 137 vs. Sergio Vega 136
Jahi Tucker 144 vs. Eric Rodriguez 144.5
Troy Isley 157 vs. Bryant Costello 158
Floyd Diaz 117 vs. Fernando Macias 118

Venue: The Bubble, MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: ESPN, ESPN+

Update: The fight will go on. After Diaz missed weight, the IBF super featherweight title will only be up for grabs for Rakhimov.

Joseph Diaz 133.6 vs. Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov 129.8
(IBF jr lightweight title)
Note: Diaz weighed 3.6 pounds heavy. Only Rakhimov will be eligible to win the vacant belt IF the fight takes place.

Patrick Teixeira 153.4 vs. Brian Carlos Castano 153.8
(WBO jr middleweight title)

Ronny Rios 121.4 vs. Oscar Negrete 121.6
Shane Mosley Jr 161.6 vs. Cristian Olivas 161.6
Bektemir Melikuziev 170.6 vs. Morgan Fitch 170.8

Venue: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California
Promoter: Golden Boy
TV: DAZN

Josh Warrington 125.2 vs. Mauricio Lara 125
Zelfa Barrett 128.75 vs. Kiko Martinez 128.25
Leigh Wood 125.25 vs. Reece Mould 125.75
Dalton Smith 142.75 vs. Ishmael Ellis 138.9
Hopey Price 122.9 vs. Daniel Mendoza 122.8
Ibrahim Nadim 123.25 vs. Jonny Phillips 123.75

Venue: SSE Arena, Wembley
Promoter: Matchroom Boxing
TV: DAZN, Sky Sports (UK)

We’ve known it for awhile, but now it’s official. Former four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner will end his two-year hiatus from boxing when he faces Jovanie Santiago in a 12-round super lightweight bout Saturday, February 20 on SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The telecast also pits former heavyweight world title challenger Dominic Breazeale against highly touted contender Otto Wallin in the 12-round co-feature. The telecast opener features former world champion Robert Easter Jr. facing off against contender Ryan Martin in a 12-round super lightweight bout. Continue reading “Broner opponent officially named”