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Former WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence “The Sauce” Okolie (20-1, 15 KOs) destroyed and dethroned previously undefeated WBC bridgerweight champion Lukasz Rozanski (15-1, 14 KOs) in the first round on Friday night at the Podpromie Arena in Rzeszow, Poland. The 6’5 Okolie dropped the 38-year-old Rozanski three times in the first stanza to end it! Time was 2:55.

Christian Mbilli 166.7 vs. Mark Heffron 167.3
(WBA International/WBC Continental Americas super middleweight titles)

Arslanbek Makhmudov 263.8 vs. Miljan Rovcanin 236.2

Mehmet Unal 177.5 vs. Rodolfo Gomez Jr 175.8
Wilkens Mathieu 171 vs. Przemyslaw Gorgon 170.8
Christopher Guerrero 147.5 vs. Kenny Larson 148.6
Moreno Fendero 163.8 vs. Rolando Wenceslao Mansilla 163.4
Alexandre Gaumont 159.5 vs. Santiago Fernandez 159.6
Jhon Orobio 134.5 vs. Arturo Torres Gonzalez 134.6

Venue: Gervais Auto Center, Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada
Promoter: Eye of the Tiger
TV: ESPN+

WBC/WBO super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora will reportedly defend against Errol Spence Jr. in October. According to ESPN, the bout would take place in Spence’s hoemtown of Dallas, possibly at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. The event would be an Amazon Prime PPV.

Josh Taylor 139.6 vs. Jack Catterall 139.8
Cheavon Clarke 199.3 vs. Ellis Zorro 198.6
Paddy Donovan 145.4 vs. Lewis Ritson 146.8

Venue: First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: ESPN+ (US), DAZN (UK)

By Miguel Maravilla

Undefeated Mexican lightweight William “El Camarón” Zepeda (30-0, 26 KOs) of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico, and Chicago’s Giovanni Cabrera (22-1, 7 KOs) held a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Golden Boy headquarters to officially announce their fight on July 6, at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California live on DAZN. Continue reading “Zepeda-Cabrera Kickoff Press Conference”

WBO #12 heavyweight Jermaine “The 989 Assassin” Franklin Jr. (23-2, 15 KOs) scored a sixth round TKO over 2004 Olympian Devin Vargas (22-11, 9 KOs) on Thursday night at the Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit, Michigan. Franklin connected with big shots in every round, but the rugged 42-year-old Vargas was able to absorb it. Franklin dropped Vargas in round four and again at the end of round six. The bout was stopped during the break between rounds.

In a clash between unbeaten super lightweights, Joshua Pagan (10-0, 4 KOs) scored an eight round unanimous decision over Roger Hilley (13-1, 8 KOs) to claim the “Junior” NABF title. Scores were 78-74 3x.

Light heavyweight Ali Akhmedov (21-1, 16 KOs) scored. Second round KO against Encarnacion Diaz (18-4, 11 KOs).

WBC #1, WBA #2, IBF #3, WBO #3 super middleweight Christian “Solid” Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) and Mark “Kid Dynamite” Heffron (30-3-1, 24 KOs) faced off at the final press conference for their ESPN+ clash on Saturday night at the Gervais Auto Center in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada.

Christian Mbilli: “Heffron’s a bruiser, I’m a bruiser, so it’s likely to go fast on Saturday. Don’t blink!”

The B sample of boxing star Ryan Garcia has come back positive for the banned substance Ostarine matching the A sample taken around the time of his non-title win over Devin Haney.

Garcia, who denied using the drug, reacted to the news on social media.

I F**KING LOVE STERIODS (sic)
Let’s go we positive
Positive vibes bruh
Yess so happy
I don’t care
I’ll never make money again with boxing
Your loss not mine for setting me up
lol joke on y’all
I will swallow all Steriods (sic)

 

WBC bridgerweight champion Lukasz Rozanski and challenger Lawrence Okolie both made weight today ahead of their world title clash on Friday from Podpromie Arena in Rzeszow, Poland. Rozanski weighed 223 lbs., while Okolie scaled in at 223.5.,The bout will air live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, and be available as a $14.99 PPV on TrillerTV in the U.S.

After multiple postponements, former undisputed champion Josh Taylor and top contender Jack Catterall finally fqced off at their final press conference for their highly anticipated junior welterweight rematch on ESPN+ this Saturday at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England. The bout takes place more than two years after Taylor won a controversial split decision in their first fight.

Josh Taylor: “The last fight was a stinker for both of us. Jack did a lot of holding and spoiling and slowing the pace down. I was very poor as well. So, I believe the two of us can be a lot better…I don’t really care how I win this fight, whether it’s by points or stoppage. The way I’ve been performing in the gym, the shots I’ve been throwing and catching people with… if I catch him with these shots, it will be over. It will be devastating for him. But we’ll see what happens. It’s just a win for me.”

Jack Catterall: “We’ve had the delays, the setbacks, but it’s fight week. We’re here in Leeds. It’s exciting, and I’ve done all the hard work. We’re two days now from fighting, so it’s very real, and I’m very much looking forward to it…we both know what stands in front of us now. We’re fighting on Saturday. All the talking is done. We’ve had the buildup. The fight is sold. Obviously, we don’t see eye to eye. I think we’re ready to make weight and fight…right now, all I can think about is beating Josh on Saturday.”

Jermaine Franklin 254 vs. Devin Vargas 235.2
Joshua James Pagan 135.4 vs. Roger Hilley 135.4
Ali Akhmedov 171.6 vs. Encarnacion Diaz 169.6
Josiah Shackleford 160.8 vs. Ja’Shar Banks 158.8

Date: Thursday, May 24
Venue: Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit, Michigan
Promoter: Salita Promotions
TV: DAZN

WBA #12 super lightweight Batyrzhan Jukembayev (23-1, 17 KOs) scored a fifth round TKO over 38-year-old veteran Ivan Redkach (24-6-1, 19 KOs) on Wednesday night at the ProBox TV Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Jukembayev pounded on Redkach for five one-sided rounds before the beatdown was stopped by the referee. Time was 2:18.

* * *

Junior lightweight Jonhatan Cardoso (17-1, 15 KOs) scored a ten round split decision over Adam “Blunose” Lopez (17-6, 6 KOs). Scores were 99-91, 96-94 Cardoso, and 97-93 Lopez.

WBC cruiserweight champion Noel “The Dark Horse” Mikaelian (27-2, 12 KOs) has been forced out of his world title defense against number one challenger Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1, 19 KOs) from Ontario, Canada due to a cut near his eye. Mikaelian suffered the cut while preparing for his June 7 showdown. Although disappointed, Mikaelian will be ready for Don King’s next monumental fight card to return to the ring. “I’m sorry to my fans and the boxing community,” said Mikaelian. “I’ll be ready to return to action and defend my world title in time for Don King’s next massive event.”

“This is why we have so many title fights on the card,” said King. “June 7’s “Fists of Fury” will still have multiple titles on the line for boxing fans, and Mikaelian will be back to defend his title as soon as possible.”

* * *

Featured on the “Fists of Fury” event taking place at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL, will be a highly anticipated clash between former four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (35-4-1, 24 KOs) taking on Las Vegas’ Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (16-1-1, 10 KOs). This WBC People’s Championship bout marks Broner’s journey back to a world title opportunity while Cobbs returns to the ring for the first time in nearly two years.

Hundreds of fight fans packed into Kirkgate Market this afternoon as fight week ramped up a gear in Leeds ahead of the highly anticipated rematch between bitter rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall at the First Direct Arena this Saturday, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.

Josh Taylor: “We’re finally here. It’s been a long time coming. I’m looking forward to it now. I’ve had a lot of stick but I’ve never taken it personal, but I will be taking it out on Jack on Saturday night. It’s just another boxing match. Forget the last fight, forget everything else that has gone on – this is a completely new fight. New fight, new circumstances. No belt on the line. Yes, there’s some beef there but listen, I’m a consummate professional and I’m enjoying fight week. I can’t wait to get in there on Saturday.”

Jack Catterall: “We saw each other last night at the first face-off and there wasn’t a word spoken from him. We’ll see, it might change as he’s making weight and I’m making weight at the weigh-in on Friday, but right now he’s not got much to say. I think we’re both focused on the job. For me it’s personal with Josh. It’s a fight that I believe I won. I’m excited to put that right. I still have goals and aspirations of becoming a world champion, but one step at a time. We’ve got a big fight on Saturday and that’s all I’m focused on.”

London heavyweights Joe Joyce and Derek Chisora will headline at The O2 on July 27 when the Juggernaut will be confronted by War, live on TNT Sports. It is a domestic collision that appears to have been on the table for some time, with Joyce, having been calling out the name of the veteran formerly known as Delboy since 2019.

Joyce (16-2, 15 KOs) is coming off a KO win against Kash Ali following back-to-back WBO interim title losses against Zhilei Zhang. Two-time world title challenger Chisora (34-13, 23) rebounded from his stoppage defeat to Tyson Fury in late 2022 with a decision victory over Gerald Washington. Continue reading “Joyce-Chisora clash on July 27”

Famed trainer Joe Gallagher says Lawrence Okolie will need a knockout to guarantee victory when he travels to hostile territory to challenge WBC bridgerweight champion Lukasz Rozanski for the world title on Friday in Rzeszow, Poland.

“I’ve told Lawrence he needs to knock him out,” said Gallagher. “I’ve said to him since day one that if he thinks he’s going to go over there and win on points he’s absolutely mad. That’s just not how it’s going to be. There’s going to be a hostile crowd. He’s got to look to knock him out in round one or two, even ten or eleven but he can’t let it go to points. Continue reading “Trainer: Okolie needs KO to win in Poland”

WBO #12 heavyweight contender Jermaine Franklin Jr. (22-2, 14 KOs) will appear in the 10-round DAZN main event against Devin Vargas (22-10, 9 KOs) on Thursday night at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit. On Tuesday, Franklin showed off his skills at a media workout at the Kronk Gym.

“Fighting in my home state again feels great. I love the energy. It’s like an aura and it feels great,” said Franklin. “What I learned in those two fights in Europe is that everything isn’t fair and don’t look to the refs to clean up everything. Fight to the best of your ability and don’t pay attention until he stops you. I was already mentally tough, but those two fights over there brought out a new ferociousness in me. Not a lot of stuff can get to me anymore. If the ref doesn’t stop me, you better get out of the way.

“I still want my rematch with Joshua, but we’re chasing belts. Hopefully, I can go after one of these top contenders like Daniel Dubois or Phillip Hrgovic or Cassius Chaney or Michael Hunter. Continue reading “Franklin: I still see myself as a top guy”

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

When a fight meets and exceeds expectations, it is then that the world does not cease talking about the event, and the fans celebrate with joy, renewing their fascination with maximum passion for our sport.

Last Saturday, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury thrilled, giving us a fight packed with drama that, without a doubt, positions this battle among the all-time greats in history.

The heavyweight division is, by tradition, the most prestigious. The world heavyweight champion is lauded as the most powerful, revered and feared athlete in the world. This was the case for many decades; Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Vitaly Klishtko…

Lennox retired from boxing as WBC world champion, after his dramatic fight against Vitaly Klitschko, and Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight champion…until now. Continue reading “A Battle for the Ages, Instant Classic”

By Damon Gonzalez / LatinBox Communications

Batyrzhan Jukembayev 139.8 vs. Ivan Redkach 140
Jonhatan Cardoso 131.4 vs. Adam Lopez 131.4
Charles Harris Jr. 141.6 vs. Kyle Erwin 141.8
Adrian Tillman 220.4 vs. Jayleen Bullock 199.2

Venue: ProBox TV Events Center, Plant City, Florida.
Promoter: ProBox
TV: Proboxtv.com

Junior welterweight arch-rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall were separated by a wall of fire when they faced off for the first time during fight week ahead of their grudge rematch on Saturday night at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England and televised on ESPN+ in the U.S. and DAZN worldwide.

Unbeaten heavyweight Johnny “The Romford Bull” Fisher (11-0, 10 KOs) will step up against former bridgerweight world title challenger Alen “The Savage” Babic (12-1, 11 KOs) when he headlines his first ever show at the Copper Box Arena in London on July 6, shown live worldwide on DAZN. Both fighters are extremely popular. Fisher has his Romford Bull Army, and the all-action Babic’s charismatic personality makes him a fan favorite inside and outside the ring.

Johnny Fisher: “I have no words other than I am locked in and ready for the hardest fight of my life.”

Alen Babic: “Johnny and his dad have definitely over-ordered this time in picking me for his next fight……I am going to enjoy teaching this posh boy some very savage lessons. I look forward to the fight but no university education can give Johnny the appetite for what’s coming his way!”

A pair of title showdowns will round out the June 15 pay-per-view event on Prime Video co-headlined Gervonta “Tank” Davis and David “El Monstruo” Benavídez taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The four-bout PPV lineup includes:

• Super lightweight Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) against former WBA champion Alberto Puello (22-0, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBC interim 140lb title
• Newly elevated WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) against Terrell Gausha (25-3-1, 12 KOs) in the PPV opener.

As previously announced Tank Davis defends his WBA lightweight title against Frank “The Ghost” Martin, while David Benavídez makes his 175-pound debut against former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk in a matchup for the WBC interim light heavyweight title.

By Boxing Bob Newman

All props to anyone who has held a version of the heavyweight title in boxing. There has been such buildup, pomp and circumstance leading to the May 18th match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between WBC champ Tyson Fury and WBO/IBF/WBA champ Oleksandr Usyk. The process has included claims that the winner would be the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years, or since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in their rematch for the WBC/WBA/IBF titles. That win however, meant Lewis was the “unified” champ at heavyweight, but not undisputed. That’s because the reigning WBO champ at the time was Vitali Klitschko. Continue reading “Usyk is the FIRST undisputed heavy champ”

The Takeover is returning to his South Florida roots.

WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) will defend his world title against Steve “The Dragon” Claggett (38-7-2, 26 KOs) on Saturday, June 29, at the 4569-seat James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami, Florida.

In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, former WBO world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (13-2, 8 KOs) returns against Brandon Leon Benitez (21-2, 9 KOs).

The six-round televised opener sees middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (10-1, 5 KOs) attempt to avenge his only pro defeat in a rematch against Sona Akale (9-1, 4 KOs).

Teofimo-Claggett, Ramirez-Benitez & Ali Walsh-Akale II will be broadcast live on ESPN.

Promoter Bob Arum: “Teofimo Lopez is among the most electrifying fighters in the sport, and I know he’s motivated to put on a show against a very tough challenger in Steve Claggett. Robeisy Ramirez wants to become a two-time world champion, and the road back starts in his adopted hometown. Nico Ali Walsh has been asking for the Akale rematch from the moment the judges’ decision came back after their first fight, and he now has a chance for revenge.”

Jack ‘El Gato’ Catterall believes that a win over arch nemesis Josh Taylor at the First Direct Arena in Leeds this Saturday will springboard him towards a long-awaited world title shot in the competitive super-lightweight division.

The bitter rivals finally rematch in a huge showdown this weekend, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S., and Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) says that a comprehensive win over former undisputed 140lbs ruler Taylor will prove that he belongs on the big stage.

“I think we’ve had two years since the fight where I’ve matured in and out of the ring,” said Catterall. “I’ve been doing a lot of developing and I think it’s my time now to prove that I do belong in these big fights. Once I beat Josh I’ll go on and win a world title. Continue reading “Catterall: I want to knock Josh Taylor out cold”