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By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Negotiations for former 2019 world amateur bronze medalist and current Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni (5-0, 4 KOs) to clash with Junior Fa (19-01, 10 KOs) are close to being finalized according to promoter Dean Lonergan.

“I think we are getting there, we are getting really, really close, and we are down to a couple of points now,” Lonergan told Stuff on Tuesday. “You could say, we are excruciatingly inching closer. Continue reading “Huni vs. Fa clash imminent?”

Boxing returns to Miami, Florida, on November 20 at the Manual Artime Community Center Theater. Former two-time cruiserweight world champion Yuniel Dorticos (24-2, 22 KOs) fights in Miami for the first time since 2014. Dorticos was born in Cuba but has been a long-time resident of Miami. He will take on journeyman Jesse Bryan (20-5-2, 16 KOs) of Missouri in a ten round cruiserweight contest. Dorticos has held both the IBF and WBA cruiserweight world titles.

World-ranked bantamweight Mike Plania of the Philippines takes on former two-time world title challenger Ricardo Nunez of Panama in a scheduled eight round bantamweight bout. Plania scored a huge upset of then highly world-ranked Joshua Greer in 2020. He is currently ranked by all four major sanctioning bodies.

Unbeaten WBA #13 ranked cruiserweight Serik Musadilov (10-0, 9 KOs) will look to remain unbeaten versus battle-tested veteran Shawn Miller (18-6-1, 7 KOs) in a ten round cruiserweight bout. Continue reading “Dorticos, Plania, Musadilov in Miami Nov 20”

Lightweight Rolly Romero has announced on social media that he will not be fighting Gervonta Davis on the December 5 pay-per-view event in Los Angeles.

Romero stated on Instagram, “Although the allegations against me are totally false and I will prove that through the legal system, I agree that it is in the best interest of everyone involved that I not participate in the upcoming pay-per-view event. After clearing my name I will return to the ring as soon as possible.”

Romero has recently come under fire over allegations of sexual assault made by several women. He will reportedly be replaced by Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz as the opponent for Davis.

By David Finger

There is an old Chinese proverb that was once quoted by the notoriously durable former WBC lightweight champion: “Constant dripping of water wears away the stone.” It was an apt reference for a fighter who, towards the end of his career, was best known as a sturdy chin that could test a young prospect. From 1969 to 1993 the toughest chin in boxing withstood pretty much everything anyone threw his way. In a career that spanned 78 fights nobody was able to stop the steel chinned Saoul…until one day in August 1993 the stone finally cracked. An undefeated prospect named Derrell Coley destroyed Mamby in the opening round, ending one of boxing’s most unlikely streaks. Continue reading “Bonds, Han win in Las Cruces”

Two Mexican boxing legends will lace up the gloves for one final night when Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera (67-7, 44 KOs) returns to the ring for only the second time in more than a decade to square off against former two-time world champion Daniel Ponce de Leon (45-7, 35 KOs) in a six round exhibition on November 20 on a $9.99 pay per view from the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico.

In the co-feature, undefeated lightweight Abel Mendoza (30-0, 23 KOs) of El Paso, Texas, hopes to keep his perfect record intact against brawler Victor Zaleta (20-5-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round clash. Continue reading “Barrera-Ponce de Leon clash Nov 20”

Three-weight kingpin Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) returns to Madison Square Garden on Saturday, December 11 for a 12-round lightweight showdown against former world champion Richard “RC” Commey (30-3, 27 KOs). Lomachenko-Commey marks boxing’s return to the “Big Room” at Madison Square Garden for the first time in nearly two years.

In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated heavyweight sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (10-0, 10 KOs) will battle Oleksandr Teslenko (17-1, 13 KOs). Also junior middleweight standout Xander Zayas (11-0, 8 KOs) and middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh
(2-0, 2 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, will see action.

Tickets starting at $56 go on sale, Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com or MSG.com.

WBC/WBA/WBO king Canelo Alvarez is anywhere between an 8:1 and 12:1 to defeat IBF ruler Caleb Plant and become undisputed super middleweight world champion on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

At Wednesday’s final press conference, Canelo and Plant will meet for the first time since their scuffle in Los Angeles on September 21.

Tuesday’s grand arrivals will not be open to the public due to the pandemic. Fans will be allowed to attend Friday’s weigh-in.

Tickets are still available. PPV price is $79.99.

On Friday night, boxing fans can attend a Top Rank show in the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas featuring Mikaela Mayer against Maiva Hamadouche in an IBF/WBO female super featherweight unification.

Note: Following CDC guidance and requirements set forth by the State of Nevada, masks are required in all inside public spaces, regardless of vaccination status.

On Friday at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, European middleweight champion Matteo Signani (30-5-3, 11 KOs) will defend against Ruben Diaz (26-2-2, 17 KOs) in the main event of the Roma Boxing Night, promoted by Opi Since 82-Matchroom-DAZN and streamed live in 200 countries by DAZN. Signani and Diaz are both 42 years old and Diaz says he’s through win or lose. Continue reading “Ruben Diaz plans to win EBU belt, then retire”

Colombian welterweight champion Jeovanis “Meque” Barraza (22-1, 15 KOs) defeated Argentinian southpaw Jorge “Tomatito” Martin Garcia (13-7-1, 6 KOs) by way of an 8-round unanimous decision to capture the vacant ABF Continental Americas super welterweight title in the headliner on Saturday night’s “Down & Dirty” card, presented by Reyes Boxing Club at Melrose Memorial Hall in Melrose, Massachusetts. Continue reading “Barraza goes to 23-1 in his U.S. debut”

By Brad Snyder – The Undercard
Photos by Bob Ryder

Monroe, MI- A two-fight co-main event was the highlight of a pro/am show that celebrated the renewed and renovated Darrin Chappell Memorial Museum took place on Saturday night in Monroe, Michigan, in a gym where former WBO light middleweight champion Bronco McKart would knock on a window asking the janitor to let him in to get his miles in. The half-million-dollar renovation of the gym, which houses Joe’s ALCC Boxing Club and improved the surrounding areas, was the ideal setting for two Monroe pros to give the rocking home crowd a show! Continue reading “Results from Detroit”

In a super bantamweight clash between 41-year-old Mexican female boxing icons, “Princesa Azteca” Jackie Nava (39-4-4, 16 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Mariana “Barby” Juárez (56-11-4, 19 KOs) on Saturday night at the Auditorio Municipal in Tijuana, BCN, Mexico. Nava won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 97-93, claiming the WBC Diamond belt.

In the co-feature, super bantamweight Bryan Mercado (20-1, 15 KOs) outpointed Gabino Hernández (8-9-4, 2 KOs) over eight 80-72 3x.

By Joe Koizumi

IBF #2 Japan’s hard-puncher Kenichi Ogawa (25-1-1-1NC, 18 KOs) will vie for the vacant IBF junior lightweight belt against #3 Azinga Fuzile (15-1, 9 KOs), South Africa, at Madison Square Garden, NYC on November 27, Teiken Promotions announced on Saturday. Ogawa was originally slated to face #1 Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for the vacant title in Abu Dhabi, UAE, this August, but the Russian’s injury abruptly canceled the title bout just eleven days prior to the promotion. It will take place this time beneath the lightweight title defense of Teofimo Lopez against George Kambosos Jr. at the Garden’s Hulu Theater to be telecast by DAZN.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former Japanese 140-pound champ Masahiro Suzuki (7-0, 4 KOs), 135, lately moved down to the lightweight category, and managed to earn a split verdict (76-74 twice for him, 77-74 against him) over JBC#1 Seiryu Toshikawa (14-6, 8 KOs), 135, in eight give-and-take rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “Suzuki edges Toshikawa in Japan 135lb eliminator”

Unbeaten contender Radzhab Butaev (14-0, 11 KOs) won by ninth round TKO to dethrone WBA regular welterweight champion Jamal “Shango” James (28-2, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. A flurry by Butaev prompted a sudden stoppage by referee Celestino Ruiz of a still competitive fight. Time was 2:12.

Butaev will move ahead in the WBA title reduction tournament against the winner of Yordenis Ugas versus Eimantas Stanionis. Continue reading “Butaev dethrones James in nine”

After a fracas at Friday’s weigh-in, WBC #2 super lightweight Jose “Chon” Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs) needed just 1:45 to get revenge against Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (19-2, 9 kOs) on Saturday night at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Zepeda brutally dropped Vargas two times to retain his WBC silver belt and is now positioned for a world title opportunity in 2022. Zepeda’s brother and trainer was banned from ringside after the weigh-in melee.

“I was ready. I was 100 percent ready, and I told him in the press conference there’s levels to this. He was the one who wanted to fight me. I just accepted the fight, and it showed today that boxing is not a game in there. There’s levels to this.” Continue reading “Zepeda annihilates Vargas in one”

Unbeaten IBF #3, WBA #5, WBO #5, and WBC #8 welterweight Jaron “Boots” Ennis (28-0, 26 KOs) destroyed Thomas Dulorme (25-6-1, 16 KOs) in the first round on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Ennis obliterated Dulorme twice to end it after just 1:49. This was Boots’ eleventh career first round knockout.

“It was a good knockout,” said Ennis. “You know me, I wanted to show my skills and abilities. I’m just thankful for this opportunity. Now it’s on to the next. Let’s get the big names…I’ve been ready for a world title two years ago. I want the top guys: Errol Spence Jr., Yordenis Ugas, Shawn Porter, Terence Crawford, Keith Thurman. I’m ranked #3 in the IBF, so Errol Spence Jr. is who I want next.” Continue reading “Ennis destroys Dulorme in one”

Bantamweight Jonas Sultan (18-5, 11 KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten bantamweight Carlos Caraballo (14-1, 14 KOs) in the Zepeda-Vargas co-feature on Saturday night at MSG’s Hulu Theater in New York City. Sultan dropped Caraballo in round two. Sultan dropped Caraballo again in round three, but Caraballo got a knockdown when Sultan’s glove touched the canvas. Sultan dropped Caraballo again in rounds six and nine. Despite four knockdowns, scores were only 94-93 3x for Sultan.

Sultan stated, “This is boxing. This is war. And I came to win tonight. Caraballo is a tough man, but I wanted this one.” Continue reading “Sultan takes Caraballo’s “O””

By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside

Welterweight Shinard “Showtime” Bunch (17-1-1, 14KOs) put on a nearly flawless performance with a first round blowout of thirty-seven fight veteran Wifredo Buelvas (22-15,16 KO’s. Bunch trapped Buelvas in the corner and sent him to the canvas with a short left on the chin. The tough Columbian rose to his feet.but Bunch would not let him off the hook as he landed a blistering right hand which sent Buelvas crashing to the canvas. Buelvas landed on his back with the back of his head bouncing off the canvas. the bout was immediately waived of without a count .at 1:52 of the opening round. The four-bout card was was promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions. Continue reading “Bunch destroys Buelvas in AC”

214lb heavyweight Alen “The Savage” Babic (9-0, 9 KOs) blew away two-time world title challenger Eric Molina (28-8, 20 KOs) in two rounds on Saturday night at The O2 in London. Babic dropped the 39-year-old Molina seconds into round one and then floored him four times in round two to end it. Time was 1:30. After the fight, Babic called out Dave Allen. He will return in December. As for Molina, promoter Eddie Hearn stated, “That’s his last payday from us.”

In a WBC/IBF women’s super featherweight unification clash, Chantelle Cameron’s (14-0, 8 KOs) outscored “Merciless” Mary McGee (27-3, 15 KOs) over ten rounds. Scores were 100-90, 99-91, 99-92. Continue reading “Babic crushes Molina in two”

By Héctor Villarreal

Panamanian superfly prospect Ronal “El Gallito” Batista (13-2, 8 KOs) outpointed Mexican Hytan Ramos (40-5-2, 2 KOs) over 8 rounds (78-74, 78-74, 77-75) on the second event of the Boxeo Caliente series promoted by Sampson Boxing on Friday night at Hotel El Panama.

Cuban Pablo Vicente (18-1, 15 KOs) went to the distance with Javier Herrera (17-5-1, 8 KOs) from Argentina, to score a unanimous decision (98-90, 98-90, 99-89) to claim the WBC super feather championship of the Americas.

Jonathan “El Bloque” Torres (3-0, 0 KOs) overcame a knockdown in the 4th and final round to escape with a win by unanimous decision over debutant Alcibiades Ballesteros.

As a late substitute, Venezuelan veteran, based in Panama, Juan “Pequita” Lopez (15-9-1, 14 KOs) demolished Mexican Jesus Guzman (7-5, 5KOs) by impressive KO with his first punch in round 7 of a fight scheduled to 8. This was the second brutal KO given by Lopez in the last 9 days, after stopping Jesus Mojica (7-2, 5 KOs) on October 20, also as an underdog.

Mendez to defend WBO 105lb belt against Taniguchi

By Joe Koizumi

Ohashi Promotions on Friday announced a world title twinbill in Tokyo, Japan, on December 14. WBA/IBF bantamweight champion “The Monster” Naoya Inoue (21-0, 18 KOs) will put his belts on the line against Thailand’s hard-puncher Aran Dipaen (12-2, 11 KOs) in the main event. For Inoue, it will be the first time to appear here in Japan since his grueling fight with Nonito Donaire in November 2019. Dipaen, IBF Pan Pacific 118-pound titlist, previously fought in Japan and impressively dispatched Ryohei Arakawa in two quick rounds in 2019.

On the same bill, WBO 105-pound champion Wilfredo Mendez (16-1, 6 KOs), Puerto Rico, will defend his belt against WBO#1 Masataka Taniguchi (14-3, 9 KOs) over twelve frames. Taniguchi once had an ambitious shot at the WBO belt against Filipino Vic Saludar, losing a unanimous nod in February 2019. It was from Saludar that Mendez won the same belt in San Juan six months later. It will be a competitive confrontation of southpaws.

Lightweight Miguel Angel “El Gallo” Marrero (10-1-1, 4 KOs) scores a ten round unanimous decision over Victor Betancourt Jr. (27-4, 14 KOs) on Friday night at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. Scores were 97-93, 96-94, 95-94.

Earlier, former IBF #1 light heavyweight contender Fanlong “Cold Blood” Meng (17-0, 10 KOs) remained undefeated with a ten round unanimous decision over Israel “Bumaye” Duffus (20-7, 17 KOs). Scores were 97-93, 97-93, 96-94.

In a huge upset, veteran super welterweight Juan Carlos Abreu (24-6-1, 22 KOs) knocked out highly regarded and previously unbeaten Tursynbay Kulakhmet (4-1, 3 KOs) in round seven to seize the WBC International title on Friday night at the famous York Hall in London. Abreu came off the canvas in round two to drop Kulakhmet and then lay him out face down with his follow-up barrage.

Unbeaten WBO #2 junior lightweight Archie “Sharpshooter” Sharp (21-0, 9 KOs) outpointed Alexis Boureima Kabore (28-5, 7 KOs) over ten rounds in the main event to retain his WBO Global belt. Scores were 100-90 3x.

Jamal “Shango” James 145.25 vs. Radzhab Butaev 146.25
(WBA welterweight title)

Jaron “Boots” Ennis 146.5 vs. Thomas Dulorme 146
Michel Rivera 138 vs. Matias Romero 135

Venue: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas
Promoter: TGB Promotions
TV: Showtime