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Report/Photo Boxing Bob Newman

WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. says he wants WBC/IBF light heavy champ Artur Beterbiev next, and then a rematch with WBA light heavy ruler Dmitry Bivol to become undisputed. Smith also stated that Canelo Alvarez is on his radar.

“{Beterbiev} is what I want,” Smith stated after stopping Steve Geffrard on Saturday night in Verona, NY. “I want to get back in the gym, work on my craft, and like I say each and every time I get in the ring, I’m going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I’ll be ready for anybody.

“If I get Beterbiev and beat him, I want Bivol next to unify all the belts and become unified champ – and then take out the pound-for-pound king. Continue reading “Smith: Beterbiev is what I want”

It was a night of knockouts on Saturday night at the Zonkeys Auditorium in Tijuana, BCN, Mexico.

In the main event, WBO #9 super welterweight Carlos “Chema” Ocampo (32-1, 20 KOs) floored Omir “Guerrero de Dios” Rodríguez (11-4-1, 5 KOs) twice en route to a first round KO. Time was 2:59.

In the co-feature, unbeaten super lightweight Carlos “Tiburón” Sánchez (22-0, 18 KOs) needed less than a minute to knock out José Luis “Pepo” Espinoza (14-6-1, 9 KOs) with a body shot.

Other Results
George Navarro TKO1 Javier Marquez (super flyweight)
Abimael Cruz TKO3 Ulises Pérez (super lightweight)
Jonathan Pinedo KO2 Marco Diaz (light flyweight)

In slight upset, Philadelphia super featherweight Avery Sparrow (11-3, 4 KOs) scored a shock tenth knockout over local favorite Matt “Sweet Child” Conway (20-3, 8 KOs) on Saturday night to claim the Pennsylvania state title on Saturday night at the Pittsburgh Shrine Center in Cheswick, Pennsylvania. Conway was a -152 favorite.

Report/Photos Boxing Bob Newman at ringside

WBO light heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr (28-3, 22 KOs) scored a ninth round KO over late sub Steve Geffrard (18-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Smith had trouble getting through Geffrard’s high guard early on, but he was also far busier. Smith started connecting with his right hand in round three and began teeing off the defensive-minded Geffrard in round four. Smith had Geffrard hurt in round five. Geffrard seemingly went into survival mode after that. Smith battered Geffrard to the canvas in round nine to end it. Time was :37.

“He really brought it today,” said Smith afterward. “It was a great fight. As you can see, he’s a great boxer, a good survivor. I was trying to get him out of there early, but I realized he was very tough and I wasn’t going to be able to do that. I tried to wait until the later rounds and started throwing more combinations to pick him apart.”

Photos

Report/Photos Boxing Bob Newman at ringside

Unbeaten WBO #3, IBF #11 featherweight contender Abraham Nova (21-0, 15 KOs) scored an eighth round TKO over late sub William “El Gago” Encarnacion (19-2, 15 KOs) on Saturday night in the Smith-Geffrard co-feature at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Nova methodically broke down the very game Encarnacion and Encarnacion’s corner finally stopped the fight. Time was :55.

“I want {WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete}, to be honest,” said Nova afterward. “Everybody thinks he’ll blow me out. Put him in there. Let’s see if he’ll do it. I know I’ll beat him. I know I have the punch output, I know I’ll knock him out, and I know I’ll be the next WBO champion.” Continue reading “Undercard Results from Verona, NY”

Hall of Famer and multi-time former world champion Michael Carbajal has released the following statement due to his name and family name being linked to the upcoming fight between Leo Santa Cruz and Keenan Carbajal:

Michael Carbajal releases this statement to clear any misconceptions that suggest or imply his support or endorsement of Keenan Carbajal.  Any assumptions that he is rooting for Keenan Carbajal are completely unfounded. To the contrary, Michael Carbajal will be rooting for Leo Santa Cruz to win and expects an early knockout victory.

The animosity between Michael Carbajal and the Keenan Danny Josephine Carbajal faction absolutely cannot be understated. There is no merit to any claim that Michael has any involvement, association, or affiliation with Keenan, his fight career, or any part of his life. Continue reading “Michael Carbajal rooting against nephew”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos has been offered to defend against WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney in the Middle East.

“I spoke to Lou DiBella and he’s doing his work in Australia,” Eddie Hearn told DAZN. “We’ve had an offer from the Middle East for Haney-Kambosos. This is one we’re edging towards where we’re receiving a firm offer for. For me, it’s the only fight in the division.

“I know Top Rank is talking about Lomachenko against Kambosos. We need to wrap up this undisputed situation We need to know who is the real champion. It’s a natural fight. Haney against Kambosos is a brilliant fight Continue reading “Kambosos Middle East offer on the table”

In an IBF super flyweight world title eliminator, undefeated Jade Bornea (17-0, 11 KOs) impressively scored a brutal third round KO over Mohammed Obbadi (22-2, 13 KOs) on Friday night at the Auditorio Jacales, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. A body shot put Obbadi down for the count. Time was 2:25. Bornea is now the mandatory challenger to countryman and IBF junior bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.

Lightweight Jaime “Jaimito” Arboleda (18-2, 14 KOs) recovered from two knockdowns to get a ten round majority decision over Nicolas Polanco (20-2-1, 11 KOs) on Friday night in a bout for the WBC Latino silver title at the Vasco Núñez de Balboa Convention Center in the El Panama Hotel in Panama City, Panama. Scores were 95-93, 95-93, 94-94.

Super lightweight Hugo Alberto “Nato” Roldan (21-0-1, 7 KOs) recovered from two knockdowns to get a ten round majority decision over German Del Castillo (10-2-2, 7 KOs). Scores were 96-92, 96-92, 94-94.

Female flyweight Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora (5-0, 2 KOs) dominated Nataly Delgado (8-5-1, 3 KOs) over eight rounds by scores of 80-71 3x. Fundora is the sister of junior middleweight contender Sebastian Fundora.

Lightweight Carlos Suarez (9-2, 6 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Ernesto Marin (9-1, 5 KOs) in round six.

Carlos Ocampo 153 vs. Omir Rodríguez 151.5
Carlos Sánchez 142.4 José Luis Espinoza 142
Abimael Cruz 140.4 Ulises Pérez 137.8
George Navarro 116 vs. Javier Márquez 115.8
Jonathan Pinedo 108 vs. Jesús Mercado 109

Venue: Auditorio Zonkeys, Tijuana, BC, Mx
Promotor: Zanfer
TV: TV Azteca

By Boxing Bob Newman at the scale

Joe Smith, Jr.174.25 vs Stephen Geffrard 173.5
(WBO Light Heavyweight Title)

Abraham Nova 126.75 vs William Encarnacion 127
Omar Rosario 139.25 vs Raekwon Butler 138.25
Troy Isley 156.25 vs Harry Keenan Cruz Cubano 156.25
Jahi Tucker 146.75 vs Akeem Black 145.75
Lyubomyr Pinchuk 194.5 vs Jose Mario Flores 197.5

Venue: Turning Stone Resort & Casino
Commission: Oneida Indian Nation Athletic Commission
Promomter: Bob Arum (Top Rank), Joe DeGuardia (Star Boxing)
Matchmaker: Brad Goodman
Media: ESPN, ESPN+

Promoter Don King has officially announced the second world title fight on his January 29th card at the W.D. Packard Music Hall in Warren, Ohio. Joining the previously announced clash between WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu (28-2, 25 KOs) defending against Thabiso Mchunu (23-5, 13 KOs), WBA heavyweight champion Trevor Bryan (21-0, 15 KOs) risking his title against unbeaten WBA #13 Jonathan Guidry (17-0-2, 10 KOs) of Dulca, Louisiana. Continue reading “Trevor Bryan opponent named”

Following today’s announcement by the Welsh Government that indoor sports events can resume in Wales, BOXXER has announced that the twice-postponed showdown between bitter rivals Chris Eubank Jr. (31-2, 23 KOs) and Liam Williams (23-3-1, 18 KOs) will take place at the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff on February 5, live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK, and FITE in the USA.

In the co-feature, two-time Olympic gold medallist Claressa ‘GWOAT’ Shields (11-0, 2 KOs) makes her UK debut defending her WBA, WBC and IBF middleweight titles against undefeated WBF beltholder Ema Kozin (21-0-1, 11 KOs).

ESPN has announced that it will air a super middleweight clash between Edgar Berlanga and Steve Rolls on March 19 in the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. You may recall Rolls fighting GGG awhile back.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has announced that Jessie Vargas has tested positive for Covid and there will be a short postponement of his February 5 fight with Liam Smith.

With ESPN’s Ramirez-Pedraza and DAZN’s Vargas-Smith both postponed due to covid, that clears the schedule for the Thurman-Barrios pay-per-view telecast.

Probellum’s latest signing is undefeated super flyweight Jade Bornea (16-0, 10 KOs), who will be in action tonight in Monterrey, Mexico, where he will be competing in an IBF world title eliminator against Mohammed Obbadi (22-1, 13 KOs).

Steve Geffrard wasn’t supposed to be here. Last Friday, he was preparing to weigh in for a fight in Delray Beach, Florida, when he received a call. WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. needed an opponent after Callum Johnson contracted COVID-19. Geffrard answered the call and will fight Smith for the world title this Saturday evening on ESPN at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Joe Smith Jr: “Since I became a world champion, the only thing that has really changed for me is that I’m holding this title, and I want to keep it that way. Geffrard has been inside the ring training with the best. I’m sure he is going to give it his all and will try to take full advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Steve Geffrard: “When those belts are on the line, that mental switch turns on. I know that mentally and skill-wise I can battle with the best. I have sparred with, and handled myself very well, against the best of the division. I’m a fighter, especially with an opportunity like this. I’m going to rise to the occasion. I’ll show the world who Steve Geffrard is.”

Promoter Kalle Sauerland has confirmed that on Thursday night heavyweight Tony Yoka (11-0, 9 KOs) formally accepted in writing the challenge to fight Filip Hrgovic (14-0, 12 KOs) in a final IBF final eliminator for the heavyweight world title. Yoka accepted the fight after Luis Ortiz and Joeseph Parker passed on the opportunity.

Yoka won a split decision over Hrgovic in the 2016 Rio Olympics en route to winning the gold medal. The Yoka-Hrgovic winner will become the mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk, who is slated to meet Anthony Joshua in an April rematch.

Tomorrow night, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, Carlos Gonzalez of Best Box, Carlos Andres Tello of Tello-Box and Paco Damian of Paco Presents will present “Box & Roll,” the third installment of a six-card series of professional boxing shows at the Vasco Núñez de Balboa Convention Center in the El Panama Hotel in Panama City, Panama.

Broadcast live internationally on TyC Sports and in Panama on TV Max Channel 9, in the night’s 10-round main event, Curundu, Panama’s Jaime “Jaimito” Arboleda (17-2, 14 KOs) will face Nicolas Polanco (20-1-1, 11 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for the WBC Latino silver lightweight title. Continue reading “Arboleda-Polanco clash tomorrow”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japan’s national hero, 2012 Olympic gold medalist and currently WBA middleweight super champion Ryota Murata (16-2, 13 KOs) celebrated his thirty-sixth birthday and demonstrated a public workout on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan. Murata has been eagerly anticipating that an oft-postponed unification bout with IBF titleholder Gennady Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs), 39, will realize soon. He was slated to face GGG here on December 29, but the omicron variant eventually forced it to be put off on December 3.

Before a big birthday cake prepared by Teiken Gym, Murata said to the press, “When I acquired the gold medal in London in 2012, people asked about a possibility of competing again in the Tokyo Olympic Games. I then denied it, saying that then I’ll be thirty-four in 2020 and that’s impossible. It is, however, surprising that I, at 36, am still active, pursuing my career. I now devote all myself to training diligently.” Continue reading “WBA 160lb champ Murata birthday workout”

WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Top Rank alleging the company was deliberately not building him into a PPV star. Crawford claims in the lawsuit that Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum displays a “revolting racial bias” against black fighters and charges Top Rank with “systemic racism” that runs throughout the company.

Arum told the New York Post that he lost millions on Crawford and called the lawsuit absurd. “My whole career — I may have made mistakes — but one thing I cannot be accused of is being a racist. I have promoted scores of top black boxers,” said Arum.

Read the actual lawsuit:

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By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

In a contest that is expected to break Australian pay-per-view records, AFL football legend Barry Hall (0-0-1) and former Rugby Union – Rugby League star Sonny Bill Williams (8-0, 3 KOs) will clash in a heavyweight bout in Sydney, NSW, Australia on March 23.

“For the first time in my professional sporting career, I am fully concentrating on boxing,” said Williams who holds a 2013 victory over former IBF heavyweight champion Frans Botha. I know Barry Hall is a very hard man and his debut proved he has a tonne of skill, but he is inexperienced in the ring and nowhere near my class level. This fight against Hall starts the last chapter of my sporting career and I will take this win and move on to further big fights over the next 24-36 months.”

Hall, who is a former amateur boxing champion and had a draw with Australian heavyweight contender Paul Gallen in 2019 in his only professional fight, said Williams had never faced anyone of his size or skill. “I showed against Paul Gallen that I can go the distance and go hard,” Hall said. “Sonny Boy has made a mistake in taking this fight, I intend to finish his boxing career and open up bigger fight opportunities for myself.” Continue reading “Sonny Bill-Barry Hall clash March 23”

Rolly: I am now the symbol of freedom, purity, and love

Lightweight contender Rolly Romero announced on social media that allegations of sexual misconduct against him have been dropped. Romero was slated for a big PPV payday against Tank Davis in December but was forced to withdraw due to the allegations.

“After three and a half months of my name being slandered with false accusations, having to miss out on opportunities, cheated out of my dream, and out of a massive amount of wealth – the investigation into the allegations made against me has been formally closed.

“Charges were not filed because the allegations could not be substantiated because, as I always stated, I am innocent. I am now the symbol of freedom, purity, and love known as “The Boxer Formally Known as Rolly.” Now all you hating mf’ can suck my fat black 🐓.”

The World Boxing Association (WBA) has called a purse bid between the Light flyweight super champion, Hiroto Kyoguchi and the regular champion of the category, Esteban Bermudez. The bidding will take place on Friday, January 28 at 3:00 p.m., US Eastern Time, and it will be through the zoom platform.

Kyoguchi must fight Bermudez as he is the mandatory opponent and the bout is part of the title reduction strategy that the WBA implemented several months ago. The bidding will be conducted by the WBA Championships Committee Director, Carlos Chavez and will have a split of 75% for Kyoguchi and 25% for Bermudez. Continue reading “WBA schedules Kyoguchi-Bermudez purse bid”

By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaiman / WBC President

These are the men and women who are going to give us something to talk about this year. A wonderful group of champions, with absolute representation of the world, and with activity scheduled starting this January 22 .

Next, I present the lineup of the Green and Gold Champions. Continue reading “The WBC in 2022 Champions Lineup”

Undefeated middleweight contender Jaime Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs), will make a grand homecoming when he faces fellow unbeaten D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (21-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round fight for Munguia’s WBO Intercontinental title. The fighters were originally slated to face each other in 2021, but the fight was postponed due to an injury Ballard sustained during training camp. Now the rescheduled fight is set to take place February 19 at the iconic 21,000-seat Plaza Monumental de Playas (also known as the Bullring by the Sea) in Tijuana, Mexico, and will stream live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.

Jaime Munguia: “Ballard is a good, hungry fighter who will try to keep his undefeated status. He is going to be a dangerous rival, but I won’t let him come take what’s mine. I respect him, just like all my rivals, but I will be prepared to protect my belt and my reputation.”

D’Mitrus Ballard: “I am blessed to have this opportunity to prove I have what it takes to be among the elite in the middleweight division. I believe our styles will make for a great and entertaining night of boxing. Scared money, don’t make no money!!”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In the first show of this year here, hard-punching JBC#1 Kai Ishizawa (10-1, 9 KOs), 105, impressively acquired the vacant Japanese 105-pound belt as he halted previously unbeaten JBC#3 Katsuki Mori (9-1, 2 KOs), 104.75, with vicious combinations at 2:50 of the eighth round in a scheduled ten on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “Ishizawa halts Mori, wins vacant Japanese 105lb belt”