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Jaime Munguia 159.6 vs. D’Mitrius Ballard 159.6
(WBO intercontinental title)

William Zepeda 135 vs. Yerel Siezar 135
Diego Torres 140 vs. Jonathan Escobedo 140
Rafael Espinoza 125 vs. Alie Laurel 126

Venue: Plaza Monumental de Playas, Tijuana, Mexico
Promoter: Golden Boy
TV: DAZN

Arslanbek Makhmudov 259.2 vs. Mariusz Wach 260.8
(NABF/NABA heavyweight title)

Simon Kean 248.4 vs. Shawndell Terell Winters 211.2

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

Zaur Abdullaev 135 vs. Jorge Linares 134
(WBC lightweight eliminator)

Mark Urvanov 129.7 vs. Ángel Rodriguez 129.5
WBA super featherweight eliminator)

Venue: RCC Boxing Academy in Yekaterinburg, Russia
Promoter: RCC Boxing
TV: ESPN+

Former world champions Amir Khan and Kell Brook both made weight for their grudge match at the AO Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday, live on Sky Sports in the UK and ESPN+ in the US. Khan weighed 147.3 and Brook weighed 148.3, both within the 149lb catch weight limit.

Other Weights:
Natasha Jonas 149.5 vs. Chris Namus 147.5
(WBO female super welterweight title)
Frazer Clarke 256 vs. Jake Darnell 248.5
Adam Azim 138.4 vs. Jordan Ellison 138.5
Brad Rea 160.5 vs. Craig McCarthy 161.5
Viddal Riley 199 vs. Willbeforce Shihepo 198.5
Charlie Schofield 168 vs. Germaine Brown 168
Abdul Khan 127 vs. Ricky Starkey 128.5
Ibrahim Nadim 123.5 vs. Taka Bembere 129.5
Hassan Azim 150 vs. MJ Hall 148

Kell Brook is a -175 favorite in his grudge showdown with Amir Khan on Saturday night in Manchester, England. The ESPN+ streamed bout is being contested at a 149lb catch weight. There is a six-figure fine for every pound either fighter is over the 149lb limit, which was insisted on by Khan.

Other Odds:

Middleweight Jaime Munguia is a 20:1 favorite over D’Mitrius Ballard on the DAZN stream from Tijuana.

Heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov is 11:1 over Mariusz Wach on the Punching Grace PPV stream from Montreal.

Lightweight Jorge Linares is a slight -120 favorite over local favorite Zaur Abdullaev in a WBC eliminator at Ekaterinburg, Russia. Real crossroads bout there. On the same card, super featherweight Mark Urvanov is a 10:1 favorite over Angel Rodriguez in a WBA eliminator. ESPN+ will stream the card.

WBC champion Oscar Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) and WBO king Shakur Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) will clash on April 30 in a junior lightweight title unification matchup at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Stevenson and Valdez are vying to become the first unified 130lb champion since ring legend Marco Antonio Barrera in 2005.

Oscar Valdez: “I want to make it clear that I am the best 130-pound fighter in the world. We know Shakur Stevenson is very good at fighting, but he’s even better at social media. I’ll let my fists speak for themselves.”

Shakur Stevenson: “I have been chasing this fight for nearly three years since we were both at featherweight. On April 30, I’m going to show him and the world why he ducked me all this time. I’m the best young fighter in the world, and I will become unified champion.”

Bob Arum: “Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson are the world’s best junior lightweights. The fans and the fighters demanded this matchup, and we are proud to deliver it live on ESPN for no extra charge. The winner becomes a superstar, and I know both men will rise to challenge.”

By Boxing Bob Newman

Super Featherweights Jordan White and Brandon Valdez will vie for the WBC USNBC title on a stacked Jeter Promotions card Saturday, February 19 at Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover, MD.

The 11 bout card is co-headlined by Demond Nicholson vs. Gabriel Pham in a scheduled 10 rounder at super middleweight.

Said Tony Jeter, head of Jeter Promotions, “This is going to be a packed show with great, TV quality fights. Beside the USNBC title fight and demons Nicholson, we’ve got undefeated (4-0) Mansaborie Conde who is the real deal at Super Middle.” Several other undefeated prospects are filling out the card, including: Victor Williams (3-0) at Super Welter, Joseph Crazy (5-0) at Super Welter, Tyhler Williams (5-0) at Super Light and Brandon Chambers (6-0-1) at Feather.” Continue reading “White-Valdes headline Saturday in Maryland”

Undefeated middleweight Jaime Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs) and D’Mitrus “Big Meech” Ballard (21-0-1, 13 KOs) faced off at the final press conference for Saturday’s DAZN-streamed fight at the iconic Plaza Monumental de Playas in Tijuana. Both fighters were civil and respectful. Continue reading “Munguia-Ballard Final Press Conference”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Breidis (28-1, 20 KOs) has contracted COVID-19, forcing a postponement of his world title defense against IBF#3 Jai Opetaia (21-0, 17 KOs). The bout was originally planned for April 6 at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre in Carrara on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, but will now be delayed for three to four weeks.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO #1 light middleweight Tim Tszyu has offered to step in and replace injured WBO light middleweight champion Brian Castano against IBF, WBC, WBA light middleweight champion Jermell Charlo to save the March 19 show in Los Angeles.

“We’re looking to take the place of Castaño,” Tszyu’s promoter George Rose told Fox Sports News. “Tim Tszyu has been in a training camp already for the last seven odd weeks. He’s happy to put his hand up and save the show, to step in against Jermell Charlo.”

Tszyu was scheduled to clash with Terrell Guasha on the Castano-Charlo undercard.

The World Boxing Council has introduced the Union Belt, to be presented as a special trophy to the winner of the fight between WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and WBC interim heavyweight champion Dillian Whyte. The Union belt extols special elements to celebrate and commemorate the United Kingdom through boxing.

According to some reports, the target date for Fury vs Whyte is Saturday, April 23. The fight is set to take place in the UK, with Cardiff’s Principality Stadium eyed as the most likely venue. This is due to the fact it has a roof and so can hold big events year-round. However, other football stadium options may be considered with the spring date opening the possibility of an open-air event.

Lightweights Yuriorkis Gamboa and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz have reached an agreement to fight on April 16 in Arlington, Texas, in what will be the co-main event of the card headlined by Errol Spence Jr. or Yordenis Ugás will unify the welterweight titles. For Gamboa, it’s a great opportunity after losses against Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney, Cruz is coming off a close decision loss to Davis last December, after accepting the fight at short notice.

The eagerly anticipated Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Carlos Castaño rematch is postponed due to injury. It was supposed to take place on March 19 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, but unfortunately will have to be postponed due to a bicep injury that Castaño suffered in training camp.

Jamaine Ortiz 134.25 vs. Nahir Albright 134
Paul Kroll 152.5 vs. Marquis Taylor 151.75

Venue: Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida
Promoter: Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions
TV: Showtime

Bitter rivals Amir ‘King’ Khan and ‘Special’ Kell Brook exchanged words in front of over 100 media attendees at Thursday’s official pre-fight press conference in Manchester, England. On the line this Saturday night are the bragging rights in a rivalry that started when both men were teenage amateurs and will now finally be settled with millions watching around the world, live in the UK on Sky Sports Box Office and in the US on ESPN+.

Amir Khan: “I’m gonna hurt him and he’s gonna be put in his place. I’m going to shut him up for good. Something he’s going to remember for a very long time.”

Kell Brook: “He’s definitely gonna sleep Saturday night when I smash him… After Saturday, nobody’s going to be interested [in Amir Khan].”

More quotes

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Former world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas is confident of his charge landing the fight against undisputed IBF, WBA, WBO and WBC franchise lightweight champion George “Ferocious” Kambosos in Australia. “I have a very good feeling that the fight is going to happen between Lomachenko and Kambosos,” Klimas told The 3 Knockdown Rule show. “We’re talking right now about a two-fight deal, including if Lomachenko wins, to do a rematch. I know some interest coming from the Australian government. We’ve been talking dates. I don’t know. Hard to say right now. End of May, June, somewhere in that area. Continue reading “Loma-Kambosos talks advance”

Undefeated middleweight Jaime Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs) and D’Mitrus “Big Meech” Ballard (21-0-1, 13 KOs) hosted a fight week media workout Wednesday at Azteca San Diego Boxing Club to promote Saturday’s DAZN-streamed fight at the iconic Plaza Monumental de Playas in Tijuana.

Jaime Munguia: “I am very happy to fight in Tijuana, especially in the Plaza Monumental. As a boy I went to a show and it was always my dream to fight there. And now it has come true. You are going to see a great fight. Ballard is a fighter with very good technique, speed, but we prepared thoroughly to knock him out,”

D’Mitrus Ballard: “It’s what you have to do, go to the champion’s house to take away his title. On Saturday I take home the WBO middleweight intercontinental championship.”

Here are the weights for the Sold Out Opening Night Show of the 12th year of Fight Club OC in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Promoter is Englebrecht Promotions & Events.

Doors at 6pm, show starts at 7:05 live on Fite.tv

Felipe Ruvalcaba 138.6 vs Juan Medina 139.8
John Mercurio 184.5 vs Curtis Millender 185
Ricardo Sonny Robledo 143.8 vs Issac Freeman 145
Tayden Beltran 138.4 vs Luis Montellano 136.8
Nick Patea 126.2 vs Ferrin Marcelin 126.2
Victor Sydnor 137 vs Chris Cruz 136.8

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former champ Kimika Miyoshi (16-13-1, 6 KOs), 125.25, regained the Japanese female featherweight belt as she scored a unanimous decision (all 58-56) over defending titlist Yoshie Wakasa (7-3, 2 KOs), 125.5, over a hard-fought six on Monday in Tokyo, Japan.  It was Wakasa that had dethroned the more experienced ruler Miyoshi by an upset decision in November 2020.  Their grudge fight saw Miyoshi, 38, utilize more jabs than Wakasa, 33, scoring with more accurate inside shots to the onrushing champ. Continue reading “Miyoshi regains Japan’s female 126lb belt”

Super middleweight contender Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga went the distance twice last year following 16 first-round stoppages to begin his pro career. After surgery to repair a torn biceps suffered last October against Marcelo Esteban Coceres, Berlanga (18-0, 16 KOs) will make his 2022 debut March 19 in a 10-rounder against Steve Rolls (21-1, 12 KOs) at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The Brooklyn-born Berlanga is ready to begin a new knockout streak against Rolls, a Canadian veteran who has a pair of knockout wins since a 2019 TKO defeat to Gennadiy Golovkin.

This is what Berlanga had to say at his Las Vegas training camp.

“I think 2022 is going to be a big year for me, and I can’t wait to kick it off in my first main event in New York. I learned a lot from my last fight, and I’ve been working really hard on correcting my mistakes.” Continue reading “Berlanga ready to begin a new knockout streak”

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has reminded mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte that he has just three days to sign the contract for their world title fight or lose the opportunity. In a video shot while doing roadwork, Fury stated, “Dillian Whyte you little sucker, you got three days left bitch. Sign the contract pussy!”

Whyte is not happy with the 80/20 purse split, even though he stands to make over eight million dollars. Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum has made it known that Whyte’s not getting any extra money, although he may get a cut if the PPV does well.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Undisputed WBA, WBO, IBF, and WBC franchise lightweight champion George “Ferocious” Kambosos will be defending the championship on June 5  at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, it was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Former world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is currently considered the most likely opponent.

“I can tell you now, unequivocally, that George’s first defense will be in Australia. You can take that to the bank. We want to make the biggest splash we can and that is on the instructions of the fighter,” promoter Lou DiBella told the newspaper. “Right now, the marching orders from George is to make the biggest fight possible. That’s what we’re working on.”

ProBox Promotions will host its first event of the year as Kanat “QazaQ” Islam (28-0, 22 KOs), the two-time Olympian and WBO #8 rated middleweight contender, faces his toughest test to date against former world title challenger Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (25-2, 10 KOs) in a 10-round battle for the WBO global middleweight title. The event will take place on Friday, February 25 at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.

In the co-main event, Jose Miguel Borrego (19-3, 16 KOs) faces undefeated “Pistol” Pete Dobson (14-0, 9 KOs) in a 10-round super welterweight fight.

Details regarding streaming information will be announced shortly. Continue reading “Islam-Kelly collide Feb 25”

Today’s scheduled World Boxing Council (WBC) purse bid has been avoided as Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) announced an agreement has been reached with Titov Promotions, which promotes undefeated mandatory challenger Evgeny Romanov (16-0, 11 KOs) for WBC bridgerweight world champion Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas’ first title defense.

Under this agreement, GYM obtained the rights to promote Rivas’ first WBC defense. “We are very happy with this outcome,” GYM President Yvon Michel said. “I would like to thank Mr. Alex Titov for his co-operation. We intend to hold this world championship in June, in Montreal or possibly in Colombia, where discussions are currently taking place. It was important for us that Oscar defends his crown in a familiar environment.” Continue reading “Rivas to defend bridger title against Romanov”