Fightnews.com

All the major fights this Saturday have solid betting favorites.

The closest odds are for the WBO light heavyweight title between Joe Smith Jr. and Maxim Vlasov on ESPN. Smith has moved out to around a 4:1 favorite. On the undercard, Efe Ajagba (25:1), Robson Conceicao (50:1), and Jared Anderson (100:1) are all prohibitive favorites.

On Showtime, welterweight Jaron Ennis is as much as a 17:1 favorite against Sergey Lipinets. On the undercard, IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Acajas (13:1) and Elmantas Staniotis (10:1) are double-digit favorites.

On DAZN, welterweight Conor Benn is a 17:1 favorite over Samuel Vargas.

By Jeff Zimmerman

Heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola talked to Fightnews.com® about his big fight with fellow Mexican-American and former heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz Jr. Saturday, May 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA and shown live on PBConFOX pay-per-view. He also shared his motivation at age 40, his love for trainer Joe Goossen plus his beloved Dodgers and much more in this exclusive interview.

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Former world title challenger Callum Johnson (18-1, 13KOs) will be back in action on April 24th after more than two years of inactivity. Johnson insists he is on course for a second world title challenge and huge domestic clashes against Queensberry stablemates Lyndon Arthur and Anthony Yarde, but first must shake off the ring rust as he battles 37-year-old Emil Markic (32-2, 24 KOs).

Johnson-Markic will be for the vacant WBO Global light heavyweight title over ten rounds (live on BT Sport). Johnson hasn’t boxed since a stoppage win against Sean Monaghan in March 2019. He challenged IBF world titleholder Artur Beterbiev in October 2018, losing in the fourth round of a brutal war.

This Saturday night, Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. (26-3, 21 KOs) will challenge for the WBO light heavyweight title vacated by Canelo Alvarez in the main event on ESPN against Maxim Vlasov (45-3 26KO’s). The fight was rescheduled from February 13, to April 10, due to Vlasov testing positive for COVID-19.

You beat Andrzej Fonfara as a 18-1 underdog, what was that like for you?

“That was a night I will never forget. The crowd was really loud, and there were a lot of Fonfara fans there, that I was able to make my fans. I knew I could beat him, I really believed it. We realized that [Fonfara] left himself open when he punched, and that’s what I looked for.” Continue reading “Interview: Joe Smith Jr.”

Former world champion Amir Khan has warned Conor Benn about the “dangerous” power of Samuel Vargas “which can cause any fighter problems” and says the 24-year-old is taking a “massive step-up” when he risks his unbeaten record and WBA Continental title this Saturday, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

Khan knows all about the threat posed by Vargas, having been floored when they shared the ring back in September 2018. Khan sent Vargas to the canvas in the second round, only to be dropped himself, and had to respond with another knockdown during a hard-fought points victory. Continue reading “Khan warns Benn over Vargas threat”

By Joe Koizumi

Prohibitive favorite Tsunami Tenkai (28-12-1, 16 KOs), 107.5, impressively kept her WBO female junior flyweight belt as she displayed her superior speed and skills, gave a lesson to Shione Ogata (11-7-1, 3 KOs), 107.5, and scored a shutout decision (identically 100-89) over ten lopsided rounds on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.

Tenkai, making her third defense, effectively battered the challenger and floored her with quick combinations in round two. Though Ogata fought back hard, Tenkai had them missing with her flexible mobility and scored with accurate counters nearly at will. Continue reading “Tenkai shuts out Ogata, keeps WBO female 108lb belt”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO #1, IBF #3 light middleweight Tim Tszyu’s promoter George Rose of No Limit Promotions, wants to bring WBO champion Brian Castano or WBC/WBA/IBF champion Jermell Charlo to defend against Tszyu, and predicts it will cost $10 million (AUD) or $7.63 million (USD)

“It is around that figure; it is just what we have to do to make it happen,” Rose told The Sun-Herald. “The way I see it, the world title has to be out here in Australia. That’s the situation we’re in and that’s what we need to come up with to make it happen. We want the world title and we want it in Australia. Continue reading “Tszyu camp wants Charlo or Castano in Australia”

Late Result: Last Saturday at the Polideportivo Centenario de Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, unbeaten Geovany Bruzon (6-0, 6 KOs) defeated Germán García (7-3, 7 KOs) to win the WBC Latino bridgerweight title. In this entertaining match, Bruzon showed his superiority, and in the eighth round, he technically knocked out Garcia.

This combat was historic as it started the activity in the newly created bridgerweight division, which the WBC calls a necessary bridge to serve the increasing number of boxers who weigh between 200 and 224 pounds.

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

Since its formation in 1963, the WBC has dedicated all available efforts to find avenues and tools to improve all aspects of boxing, and to make it a safer sport for all participants. The WBC has broken previously accepted boxing paradigms to make changes to improve the sport. In the process, the WBC has surmounted many challenges; all in the name of benefiting boxers before, during and after their glory days in the ring.

The WBC introduced the Franchise Boxer concept and Rule a couple of years ago. The Franchise Boxer is a special designation and privileged status which the WBC may bestow to a current WBC World Champion, who is also an elite boxer, and who has achieved and maintains the highest of stature in the sport. Under governing Rule 3.26, in its discretion, the WBC may, upon a 2/3rd vote of the Board of Governors, designate in each weight category one WBC Franchise Boxer. A Franchise Boxer enjoys special status with respect to his or her mandatory obligations, holding multiple titles and competing for titles of other organizations, as the WBC Board of Governors considers petitions from elite boxers to receive the Franchise Boxer designation on a case-by-case basis. Continue reading “The WBC Franchise Boxer”

By Zach Hirsch

Former world champion Zab Judah talks about his new venture, Celebrity Championship Boxing.

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Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. (26-3, 21 KOs) is currently a -333 favorite to win the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title against Maxim Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs) on Saturday at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

They were originally scheduled to fight February 13, but Vlasov tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the weigh-in, forcing a postponement. Vlasov downplayed the delay, stating, “The postponement was a minor setback, but it will be worth the wait when I have that belt around my waist!”

ESPN will televise.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Former amateur star Yousef Dib (14-0, 7 KOs) will challenge for the vacant Australian super lightweight title against Hunter Ioane (8-1-1, 5 KOs) on Friday at Club Punchbowl, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Dib, who is the younger brother of former IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib, had an excellent amateur pedigree, registering a victory over currently world-rated welterweight Conor Benn and a split decision to WBA/IBF super lightweight champion Josh Taylor. Continue reading “Dib-Ioane clash Friday”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBA #6 light heavyweight Faris Chevalier (12-1, 7 KOs) caused a major upset in Australian boxing in March when he outscored former world light heavyweight title challenger Blake Capparello (who had been in classic contests with several rated 175 pounders including Sergey Kovalev, Issac Chilemba, and Andre Dirrell). Chevalier is keen to show it was no fluke by registering victories over world-rated light heavyweights including WBA champion Jean Pascal. Continue reading “WBA #6 Chevalier targets Pascal”

Unbeaten prospect Kevin Luis Munoz (12-0, 5 KOs) of Argentina TKO’d countryman Matias Emanuel Iriarte Monserrat (8-7-2, 3 KOs) in round four. Munoz successfully defended his South American super flyweight title. The 10 round main event took place Saturday night at the Complejo Multifuncion, Perez, Santa Fe, Argentina. Continue reading “Munoz KOs Monserrat in four”

Heavyweight Joey “The Tank” Dawejko (21-8-4, 12 KOs) scored a first round KO over Joe Jones (11-4, 8 KOs) on Saturday night at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Dawejko overpowered Jones, dropping him twice in round one to get the win at 2:50. Continue reading “Dawejko demolishes Jones in one”

In the most impressive performance of his career, WBO super featherweight champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) dominated, then stopped Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) in round six on Saturday night at the Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai in Dubai, UAE. Southpaw Herring dropped Frampton with a straight left in round five. Herring then dropped Frampton again with an uppercut in round six, and battered him until Frampton’s corner threw in the towel. Time was 1:40.

After the fight, the 34-year-old Frampton announced his retirement. Herring, 35, called out WBC champ Oscar Valdez.

WBO President Paco Valcarcel tweeted, “Congratulations to our 130 lbs world champion! Now he must face the winner of the Shakur Stevenson-Jeremiah Nakathila bout scheduled for June 12.”

In his first bout since 2018, 38-year-old four-division world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (43-1-5, 23 KOs) easily outboxed WBA #8 rated Pablo Carrillo (25-8-1, 16 KOs) over ten one-sided rounds to claim the vacant WBO International super flyweight title on the Herring-Frampton undercard Saturday night at the Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai in Dubai, UAE. Scores were 96-95!?, 98-92, 99-91. Continue reading “Ex-champ Nietes schools Carrillo”