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With fight week underway in Las Vegas, former four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner hosted a media workout Monday at Barry’s Boxing in Las Vegas.

Broner, along with trainer Kevin Cunningham, have been finishing up training camp before he battles Manny Pacquiao for the World Boxing Association welterweight world title on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Adrien Broner

“Every fighter is different, but I know if I touch him flush, I’ll put him out. It’s no secret, he’s been to sleep before. I’m in shape and ready to go. We had a tremendous training camp. I could have made weight weeks ago. We’re prepared to go out and execute. I’ve been here before, and even though I haven’t been in a fight of exactly this magnitude, I’m just treating it like any other fight. He’s another opponent. Continue reading “Broner: I can take over boxing”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBC #3 heavyweight Tyson Fury has been made an offer from Eddie Hearn to challenge WBA, IBF, WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on April 13.

Eddie Hearn: “Fury, you can have the fight on the 13th, you know the terms. It’s not far off an equal split, same as we offered Wilder and fans must not think Joshua doesn’t want the fights. I am not saying if I have made an offer — make of that what you will — but Fury knows the money he’d make.”

ESPN and Top Rank today announced their first pay-per-view event under the Top Rank on ESPN banner as WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford puts his world title on the line against former unified 140-pound champion Amir “King” Khan on Saturday, April 20. Ticket and venue information will be revealed shortly. Details on the undercard will be announced soon.

Terence Crawford: “It’s always been my goal to fight the best fighters out there, and I look at Amir Khan as one of the top fighters in my division. I know some people are writing him off, but I am by no means overlooking him. He’s a former unified world champion, and come April 20, I’ll be looking to go out there to seek and destroy. I’m excited about this fight because I believe it can push my career to another level.”

Amir Khan: “I’m delighted to announce a much-anticipated world title fight with Terence Crawford, the current WBO welterweight world champion. The decision as to fighting Kell Brook or Crawford has been one of the most difficult decisions of my career to date. Clearly, the UK fans want to see Khan vs. Brook, but I could not turn down the opportunity to fight for the WBO title. That is not to say that the Brook fight won’t happen, as I want that fight to happen as soon as possible. Fighting a world champion won’t be easy, but this is exactly the challenge I need at this stage of my career. I am fully motivated and ready for the best training camp of my life. Crawford is beatable, and I want that WBO title. It’s going to be one hell of a fight.” Continue reading “Crawford-Khan PPV set for April 20”

By Miguel Maravilla

2018 proved to be another banner year for Zanfer Promotions as its stable crowned several new world champions and continued to deliver exciting fights. Fightnews.com caught up with Zanfer Promotions CEO Fernando Beltran, who discussed their plans for 2019.

“This will be a good year for us. I feel that we are on the rise of becoming one of the biggest platforms in boxing,” Beltran told Fightnews.com “The most important thing is that we are the biggest in Mexico.”

In addition to their international contests, Zanfer promotes a wildly popular weekly boxing telecast in Mexico on Azteca 7, la Casa de Boxeo. Beltran made it clear that his duty is to make the best fights possible for his stable of fighters and to give the fans great fights.

“We are the only promotional company working with everybody. Top Rank, Golden Boy, DAZN, and PBC,” Beltran said. Continue reading “Zanfer Planning for Another Great Year”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In the main event of the first show celebrating this year’s Carnival of Champions, Ryoichi Tamura (12-3-1, 6 KOs), 121.75, acquired the vacant Japanese super-bantamweight belt by an upset decision (99-91 twice, 97-93) over Mugicha Nakagawa (AKA Yuta Nakagawa/his real name Yuta Takeda; 24-6-1, 14 KOs), 122, in a furious ten on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “Tamura upsets Nakagawa to win Japanese 122lb belt”

Middleweight king Demetrius Andrade believes being active will bring the best out of him as he prepares to defend his WBO World Middleweight title against Artur Akavov at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York on Friday night, live on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports in the UK.

Andrade (26-0 16KOs) puts the crown on the line for the first time since claiming the vacant belt in Boston in October, flooring number two ranked Walter Kautondokwa four times en-route to a comprehensive points win. Continue reading “Andrade: Being active will make me even better”

Today is WBA welterweight champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s final day of training camp. This Saturday, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Pacman will end his 26-month hiatus from a U.S. boxing ring against Adrien “The Problem” Broner. Co-trainer Freddie Roach doesn’t think Broner can keep up with the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer.

“Even at 29, Broner is too old to keep blowing up in weight between fights. It’s taken a toll on his body and his psychology,” Roach said. “He should be fighting at 135 or 140 pounds, but he lacks discipline. It’s obvious to me he has no confidence in his conditioning. Continue reading “Roach: Broner may fight to survive”

The IBF has ordered a purse bid for the mandatory defense of the featherweight title between champion Josh Warrington and #1 ranked contender Kid Galahad. Warrington was ordered to negotiate with Galahad on January 7, 2019. On January 12, the IBF received a written certification from Eddie Hearn on behalf of Kid Galahad and Matchroom Boxing indicating that they were no longer willing to participate in negotiations and requested an immediate purse bid pursuant to IBF Rule 10A. The purse bid for this bout will take place on Thursday, January 24, 2019 at 12 Noon.

Rob “Bravo” Brant upset the odds to win a world title. For title defense number one, he’s returning to his favorite stomping grounds. Brant, a native of St. Paul, Minn., will defend his WBA “regular” middleweight title against the unbeaten Khasan Baysangurov on Friday, February 15 at Grand Casino Hinckley.

Brant, who stunned Japanese superstar Ryota Murata Oct. 20 via unanimous decision to win the title, will be making his 12th professional appearance at Grand Casino Hinckley. Rounding out the ESPN-televised tripleheader will be rising bantamweight star Joshua Greer Jr. defending his WBC Continental Americas belt in a 10-rounder versus Giovanni “Little Giant” Escaner and Mikaela Mayer making the second defense of her NABF female super featherweight crown in an eight-rounder versus Yareli Larios.

Brant-Baysangurov, Greer-Escaner, and Mayer-Larios will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

The 40th annual Carnival of Champions where all Japanese national champions are obliged to defend their belts against mandatory challengers started with unexpected results on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. The Korakuen Hall became a house of upsets.

Unheralded JBC#1 Norihito Tanaka (18-7, 10 KOs), 105, stunned the crowd when he displayed a remarkable opening attack, dropped WBC#13/WBA#13/IBF#12/WBO#5 defending titlist Shin Ono (23-10-3, 6 KOs), 105, with a smashing right in the third and accelerated his rallies to deck the champ again to cause the referee Biney Martin’s intervention at 0:22 of the eighth round in a scheduled ten. Continue reading “Tanaka upsets Ono to win Japanese 105lb belt”

WRAM Boxing (William Ramirez) and Nica Boxing (Pablo Osunsa) will kick off 2019 with a female world title fight in the main event as WBA super welterweight female world champion Hanna Gabriels (18-2-1, 11 KOs) of Costa Rica defends vs Sarah Dwyer of Australia. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Gabriels impressed in her last bout, stepping up in weight against middleweight world champion Clarissa Shields. She had Shields down early and went on to drop a respectably close decision. Continue reading “Gabriels-Dwyer clash Jan 26 in Nicaragua”

Former IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby will make his big return to the ring on Saturday February 23 at The O2, London, on the James DeGale-Chris Eubank Jr. show. Selby kicks off 2019 with new and fresh ambitions as he makes a daring move up two weight classes to campaign in the talent-packed lightweight division and has targeted a second world title belt before the end of the year.

The Welsh star will face hard-hitting American Omar Douglas with a championship title on the line to be confirmed shortly that will support the mouth-watering showdown between bitter rivals DeGale and Eubank Jr in the UK debut event for Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) promoted by Poxon Sports. Continue reading “Lee Selby to face Omar Douglas Feb 23”

By Rocky Morales at ringside
Photos: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions

Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (18-0, 10 KOr) captured the IBF super middleweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over defending champion, Jose Uzcategui (28-3, 23 KOr) on Sunday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Plant got off to a blazing fast start with two knockdowns in the first four rounds, each with left hooks.

Uzcategui, however, remained the aggressor and came on strong in the middle rounds only to start fading in the late rounds. It was a war of attrition with Uzcategui looking fresher at the end while Plant was a bloody mess but comfortably ahead on the scorecards. Ultimately, Plant simply outboxed Uzcategui who was not busy enough and failed to keep his middle round momentum going. By unanimous scores of 116-110, 115-111 and 116-110, Plant becomes a world champion in his eighteenth professional bout. Continue reading “Plant dethrones Uzcategui, wins IBF 168lb title”

By Rocky Morales at ringside
Photos: Luis Mejia/TGB Promotions

Former unified super bantamweight champion Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (18-1, 12 KOs) made his ring return a successful one with a first round knockout over Giovanni Delgado (16-9, 9 KOs) on Sunday night in a super bantamweight clash at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Rigondeaux was fighting for the first time in 13 months following his loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko. A perfectly placed lead left cross landed flush on the chin of Delgado at the bell to put him down for the count at 3:00 of the first round of a scheduled eight round super bantamweight bout. This is the fourth consecutive time, three times in the last 10 months, that Delgado has been stopped. With the victory, the now 38-year-old Rigondeaux instantly becomes a title contender to fellow PBC fighters Leo Santa Cruz and Gary Russell Jr. Continue reading “Rigondeaux destroys Delgado in one round”

By Rocky Morales and Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa (18-0, 13KO) made easy work out of former WBA interim super bantamweight champ Moises Flores, knocking him down with a left hook in the second round and moments later with a barrage of punches to knock him out.

Figueroa hurt Flores to the body leading up to each knockdown before coming back upstairs with a power punch to drop him. Figueroa is the younger brother (just 22 years old) of undefeated former WBC lightweight champion, Omar Figueroa Jr. This bout was a WBA super bantamweight eliminator so with the win, Figueroa becomes the mandatory challenger to WBA super bantamweight champion, Daniel Roman.

Ahmed Elbiali (18-1, 15KO) brutalized and knocked out former world title challenger, Allen Green (33-6, 22KO) at 1:16 of the third round of a scheduled eight round light heavyweight bout. Green, having fought just once in the prior five years, was a shell of his former self and knocked down in the first round, again in the second round and should not even have been allowed to proceed, by the referee, into the third round as he was not at all in the fight. Elbiali, to his credit, did what he had to do but still does not look like a legitimate threat to the light heavyweight champions. Continue reading “Undercard Results from Los Angeles”

By Ricardo Ibarra
Photos: Mike Blair/Boxingprospects.net

Notching his most impressive win to date, unbeaten Jr. lightweight prospect Giovanni Cabrera-Mioletti (15-0, 6 KOs) scored a decisive third round stoppage win over former world title contender Antonio Escalante (29-10, 20 KOs) on Friday night at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Cabrera-Mioletti went to work early and dropped Escalante mid-way through the second round. In the third, Cabrera-Mioletti picked up the pressure and sent his foe to the matt for one last time with a series of hooks. The referee called an end to the fight at 1:48 of the round. Continue reading “Cabrera-Mioletti stops Escalante in three”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBC #3 heavyweight Tyson Fury is confident he would defeat WBA, WBO, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Fury said to BT Sport. ”I’ve already beaten Wilder so that’s one down and I’ll do the same to Joshua if given the chance. But I don’t think it’s going to happen, sorry to disappoint the sports fans. Joshua, even with two hammers in each hand, could never beat Tyson Fury – and they know it. They know that. They’re not silly. Continue reading “Fury: Joshua cannot beat me”

In an upset, super lightweight Jaider Parra (33-2-1, 21 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Fabian “TNT” Maidana (16-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at the Polideportivo Islas Malvinas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Scores were 98.5-94, 98-94.5 and 97.5-95.5. Fabian Maidana is the younger brother of former champ Marcos Maidana, who was making his debut as a promoter with this event.

In another upset on the same card, super lightweight journeyman Jonathan Jose Eniz (23-11-1, 9 KOs) took a ten round unanimous decision against Cesar Rene Cuenca (48-3, 2 KOs). Scores were 97.5-94, 98-94, 98-94.5. The feather-fisted Cuenca, who was once 48-0, has now lost three straight.

IBF super bantamweight champion TJ Doheny (20-0, 14 KOs) will make the first defense of his title against #10 rated Ryohei Takahashi (16-3-1, 6 KOs) at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York on Friday. Doheny’s clash with Takahashi is part of a huge card at Madison Square Garden. Demetrius Andrade defends his WBO middleweight title against Artur Akavov in the main event. Also, former world champions Jorge Linares and Chris Algieri will see action.

Former world champion and pound-for-pound contender Guillermo Rigondeaux returns to the ring tonight for the first time since his loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko 13 months ago. Rigondeax (17-1, 11 KOs) battles Giovanni Delgado (16-8, 9 KOs) in a ten round bout that can be seen on FS1. Rigo weighed in at 122.2 lbs after unsuccessfully moving up two weight divisions to fight Loma in December 2017.

Rigondeaux-Delgado will be the featured fight on the FS1 prelim telecast starting at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT. The main broadcast kicks off at 8pm ET/5pm PT with IBF super middleweight champion Jose Uzcategui (28-2, 23 KOs) facing unbeaten contender Caleb Plant (17-0, 10 KOs).

Former female world champions Silvia “Guerrerita” Torres and Zulina “Loba” Muñoz were both victorious in separate bouts on Saturday night at the Gimnasio del Sindicato de Trabajadores del Metro in Mexico City.

Torres (20-1-1, 7 KOs) dominated from the opening bell and won when Norleidys Graterol (10-2, 8 KOs) didn’t come out for round six in a light flyweight encounter.

Muñoz (49-2-2, 29 KOs) won when Arely Valente (12-4-1, 6 KOs) didn’t come out for round six in a super flyweight clash. “Loba” is aiming to regain the WBC super flyweight title and avenge her loss to Lupita Martinez. Continue reading “Torres, Munoz victorious in Mexico City”

Jose Uzcategui 165.2 vs. Caleb Plant 166.8
(IBF super middleweight championship)

Guillermo Rigondeaux 122.2 vs. Giovanni Delgado 128.6
Brandon Figueroa 121.4 vs. Moises Flores 121
Ahmed Elbiali 175 vs. Allan Green 178.6
Joey Spencer 155.8 vs. Brandon Harder 153
Ryan Karl 143 vs. Kevin Watts 139.6
Lindolfo Delgado 140.4 vs. Sergio Lopez 137.2
Mike Plania 123.4 vs. Juan Antonio Lopez 124
Viktor Slavinskyi 127.2 vs. Angel Monrreal 128
Ruben Rodriguez 142 vs. Daniel Perales 141.4
Fernando Garcia 125 vs. Isao Gonzalo Carranza 127.8

Venue: Microsoft Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles
Promoter: TGB Promotions
TV: FS1 and FOX Deportes

In a clash of unbeaten lightweights, rising star Devin Haney (21-0, 13 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Xolisani Ndongeni (25-1, 13 KOs) on Friday night at StageWorks of Louisiana in Shreveport, Louisiana. Haney dropped Ndongeni with a right hand in round two and dominated the fight. Scores were 100-89, 99-90, 100-89. Continue reading “ShoBox Results from Shreveport, LA”

Just two days before their long-anticipated clash, IBF super middleweight world champion Jose Uzcategui and unbeaten top contender Caleb Plant went face-to-face at the final press conference before they headline on FS1 and FOX Deportes action Sunday from the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Here is what they had to say Friday from the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in Los Angeles. Continue reading “Uzcategui-Plant final press conference”

Showtime Boxing chief Stephen Espinoza addresses claims from promoters Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya that pay-per-view is dead in boxing.

“Look, on the concept of PPV we’ve consistently said that it’s a useful tool when it’s necessary, when you have a premium event,” said Espinoza on a conference call this week. “If you’ve got a filet mignon event, you’re going to have filet mignon prices. You don’t get filet mignon at the price of ground beef.

“I think a lot of the blowback and the negativity around PPV comes when networks are trying to sell people PPVs that don’t belong there.

“I didn’t hear too many people saying that Wilder versus Fury was not a premium event, a special event, a heavyweight title fight, an international worldwide title fight that deserved to be PPV. Continue reading “Espinoza: PPV is a useful tool”