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Report/Photos: Naoki Fukuda

P4P best Naoya Inoue was at the 99th Boxing Writers of America Association Awards Dinner in New York City to receive the “Sugar Ray Robinson Award” which signifies the “Fighter of the Year.”

More photos

Welterweight Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (17-1-1, 10 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over four-division former world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (35-5-1, 24 KOs) to claim the WBC People’s Championship on Friday night at the Hard Rock LIVE in Hollywood, Florida. Cobbs dropped Broner in round two. The punch knocked a tooth out of Broner’s mouth. Cobbs pulled ahead until late when Broner closed strong. Scores were 97-91, 96-93, 96-93.

Formerly #1 rated and now WBA #8 heavyweight Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (22-1-2, 15 KOs) scored a one-sided ten round unanimous decision over a surprisingly passive WBA #7 Cassius Chaney (23-2, 16 KOs). Hunter easily outworked Chaney, who seemed totally befuddled by Hunter’s awkward style. After ten terrible rounds, judges had it 100-90 3x.

Former world cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) won via a quick KO against Alan Campa (19-10, 13 KOs) at 1:00 of round one. Continue reading “Cobbs defeats Broner, Hunter tops Chaney”

Xander Zayas 153.4 vs. Patrick Teixeira 153.4
(NABF and NABO junior middleweight titles)

Bruce Carrington 125.4 vs. Brayan De Gracia 125
Tiger Johnson 141.2 vs. Tarik Zaina 142.6
Andy Dominguez 111.8 vs. Cristopher Rios 111.8
Jahi Tucker 160.2 vs. Quincy LaVallais 161.4
Ofacio Falcon 129.8 vs. Antonio Dunton El Jr. 130.4
Ali Feliz 220 vs. Lemir Isom-Riley 253.6
Nisa Rodriguez 160.6 vs. Jordanne Garcia 165.2

Venue: The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: ESPN, ESPN+

Three fights featuring top contenders, former champions and more will highlight the FREE PBC on Prime Video undercard action on June 15 leading into the PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video. These three preliminary matchups will be available via free access to all fans, regardless of Prime membership or purchase of the PPV card.

The free show will be topped by rising middleweight Elijah García taking on Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis in a 10-round attraction and also features former world champion Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo facing Eduardo Ramirez in a 10-round super featherweight clash. Opening up the stream is welterweight Roiman Villa battling Mexico’s Ricardo Salas in a 10-round fight. Continue reading “Tank/Monstro lead-in fights announced”

The heavyweight fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson and the rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are rescheduled for Friday, November 15, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Mike Tyson: “Although we had to postpone the fight, I will resume training shortly. I am thankful to the medical staff that treated me and to MVP, Netflix, and AT&T Stadium for working diligently to find the best reschedule date for all parties. While we have a new date, the result will be the same no matter when we fight. Jake Paul is getting knocked out. On Friday, November 15, watch this in-person at AT&T Stadium or live on Netflix.”

By Boxing Bob Newman

The rains came and went as the official opening of the 2024 IBHOF induction weekend kicked off on the museum grounds in Canastota, NY. Inductees Jackie Kallen, Fred Sternburg, Erik Morales, Ivan Calderon, Michael Moorer, Ana Maria Torres, Jane Couch and Ricky Hatton, along with others, were on hand to greet fans and say a few words. 2024 Inductee Hatton was given the honor of ringing the opening bell to kick off what looks to be “A magical weekend,” in the words of IBHOF director, Ed Brophy.

In a clash between local middleweight favorites, Patrice “Vicious” Volny (19-1, 13 KOs) scored a ninth round TKO over two-time middleweight title challenger Steven “Bang Bang” Butler (34-5-1, 28 KOs) on Thursday night at the Casino de Montreal in Montreal, Canada. Volny outworked Butler and got a referee’s stoppage after a series of shots in round nine. Butler complained about the stoppage, which occurred at 2:40. Volny wins the WBC Francophone title, which could result in a WBC top 15 rating.

IBO super middleweight world champion Osleys “El Tornado” Iglesias (11-0, 10 KOs) scored a spectacular first round KO against Evgeny Shvedenko (16-2-1, 7 KOs). A crushing right hook left Shvedenko flailing on the canvas. Time was 2:48. Bring on Canelo!

Unbeaten Olympian super lightweight Arthur “The Wolf” Biyarslanov (15-0, 13 KOs) knocked out Elias Mauricio Haedo (14-6, 10 KOs) in round four. A straight left to the body finished Haedo. Time was 2:59.

A clash between female boxers Mary Spencer and April Hunter was scrapped when Hunter suffered an injury.

Other Results:
Shamil Khataev D10 Ramadan Hiseni (middleweight)
Jhon Orobio KO2 Jose De Leon Jasso (jr welterweight)

Callum Walsh 153.8 vs. Carlos Ortiz Cervantes 153.4
Daniel Barrera 112 vs. Christian Robles 111.4
Jorge Maravillo 155.8 vs. Jose Manuel Gomez 157.4
Guadalupe Medina 104.6 vs.Ashley Felix 104.4
Alexander Gueche 119.4 vs. Jonathan Almacen 118.6

Venue: Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California
Promoter: 360 Promotions
TV: UFC Fightpass

Blair Cobbs 145.6 vs. Adrien Broner 146
(WBC People’s welterweight title)

Ian Green 158.2 vs. Roy Barringer 157.8
(WBA Continental USA middleweight title)

Michael Hunter 220.6 vs. Cassius Chaney 262.8
(WBA Gold Continental NA heavyweight title)

Antonio Williams 135 vs. Antonio Perez 134
Travis Floyd 141.8 vs. De Von Williams 143.6
Alejandro Barrera 159.8 vs. Yoenlis Hernandez 158.8
Alan Campa 198.8 vs. Yuniel Dorticos 199.8
Onoriode Ehwarieme 226.8 vs. Christian Thun 275
Ariel Vasquez 158.6 vs. Alexander Hernandez 157.8
Wister Garcia 133.4 vs. Yosdiel Napoles 134.8
Edith Soledad Mattysse 128.8 vs. Kallia Kourouni 131.4
Dakota Highpine 147.4 vs. Montaser Aboughaly 148.4

Venue: Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL
Promoter: Don King Productions
TV: PPV ($39.99, Triller)

Unbeaten junior middleweight Xander Zayas (18-0, 12 KOs) is gearing up to kick off Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend by making his headlining debut against former world champion Patrick Teixeira (34-4, 25 KOs) in the 10-round main event this Saturday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Xander Zayas: “Somebody is going to have to back down in this fight. And I don’t believe that will be me. I’m ready to go 10 rounds if necessary. I’m willing to go through everything I have to go through to get the victory.”

Patrick Teixeira: “A win in this fight can get me back to where I want to be, headlining in big fights…obviously, every fight is different. I know that. So, I prepared differently and used different strategies. I just hope to come out with the win.”

Report/Photo: Boxing Bob Newman

Oscar Collazo 104.7 vs Gerardo Zapata 104.2
(WBO minimumweight title)

Eric Tudor 146.2 vs Roddricus Livsey 147
Mykquan Williams 139.1 vs Willmank Canonito Brito 140.3
David Stevens 168.3 vs Sergio Nahuel Lopez 167.2
Bryce Mills 141.6 vs Jose Marruffo 141.6
Yair Benjamin Gallardo-Lozano 174.2 vs
Michael Ruiz Portalatin 174
Sasha Tudor 152.5 vs Manuel Moreira 150

Venue: Turning Stone Resort & Casino
Commission: Oneida Indian Nation Athletic Commission
Promoter: Oscar de La Hoya (Golden Boy)
Matchmaker: Javier Razo
Media: DAZN
Doors Open: 5:30 pm
First Bell: 6 pm

Over the last few weeks, Top Rank has added a lot of new talent to their formidable stable.

• The newest member of the Top Rank family is WBA #4 junior middleweight contender Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr., (18-1, 12 KOs), who has inked a long-term promotional contract. The date of Mielnicki’s Top Rank debut will be announced shortly.
• Welterweight prospect Art Barrera Jr., (5-0, 4 KOs) from the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, recently inked a long-term promotional contract. He will fight July 13, on the ESPN+-streamed Alimkhanuly-Mikhailovich undercard at Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
• Argentinian power puncher Gustavo Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs), who recently lost a controversial decision to Richardson Hitchins, signed a long-term promotional pact. A world-ranked contender at lightweight and junior welterweight, Lemos will be co-promoted by Top Rank in association with O.R. Promotions. His ring return date will be announced shortly.
• Junior welterweight contender Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez (15-1-1, 13 KOs), previously promoted by Top Rank from 2019 to 2021 has signed a long-term promotional deal. He makes his second Top Rank debut in a 10-rounder on the June 29 Teofimo-Claggett undercard at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida.

Unbeaten heavyweight Jared “Real Big Baby” Anderson (17-0, 16 KOs) will step up against Martin Bakole (21-1, 15 KOs) on the stacked August 3 Crawford-Madrimov event in Los Angeles. Anderson is rated WBA #4, WBC #5, IBF #5, WBA #13. Bakole is rated WBA #1, WBC #10, WBO #11, IBF #14.

Interestingly, the card also features Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller against Andy Ruiz, so both big babies will see action in the ring and certainly will have things to say to each other at the press events.

The IBF purse bid for the world championship fight between undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and IBF #1 William Scull was supposed to take place today, June 6. However, the Canelo team asked for more time and this request was granted after discussions with the Scull team and the new date is now June 13.

For a while it looked as if Canelo might give up his IBF world championship belt with Scull able to fight for the vacant against someone else. But now there has apparently been another turnaround. Continue reading “Canelo-Scull Purse Bid Delayed”

Former highly decorated amateur Yosdiel Napoles (4-0, 4 KOs) of Cuba will challenge for his first pro title This Friday. Napoles will take on the much more experienced Wister Garcia of Venezuela. (20-3-1, 13 KOs).

The scheduled for 10 round bout will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Hollywood, Florida with a WBA regional title at stake. Napoles is on the face track but his team of Kris Lawrence (Heavyweight Factory Promotions) International Boxing Enterprise LLC, and trainer Rubio all believe he will be up for the task. Continue reading “Q&A Yosdiel Napoles”

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

A very poignantly sad week for the Mexican boxing community, after the loss of two dear people beloved by us all.

Dr. José Luis Ibarra finally lost his battle against cancer, after fighting heroically and having won many rounds, being in the process of recovery; including attending our Acapulco Convention at the end of 2022 to receive an award for his bravery, and then being present at the Saúl Canelo Álvarez fight last year in Guadalajara. Continue reading “Boxing season concluded in Riyadh”

In a clash of seasoned junior middleweights, Vladimir Hernandez (15-6, 7 KOs) scored a spectacular sixth round knockout against Guido Emmanuel Schramm (16-3-2, 9 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. A left hook laid out Schramm face first to end it. Time was 2:59.

Patrice Volny 159.2 vs. Steven Butler 159.9
(WBC Francophone middleweight title)
Evgeny Shvedenko 168 vs. Osleys Iglesias 167.8
(IBO super middleweight title)
Arthur Biyarslanov 139.7 vs. Elias Mauricio Haedo 141.3
(NABF super lightweight title)
Shamil Khataev 161.7 vs. Ramadan Hiseni 161.5
Jose De Leon Jasso 139.2 vs. Jhon Orobio 139.3
Luis Santana 136.6 vs. Guillermo Leonel Crocco 134.2

Venue: Casino de Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
Promoter: Eye of the Tiger
TV: ESPN+

Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions presents another Hollywood Fight Nights event on Friday, July 26 at the Commerce Casino Events Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live globally on UFC Fightpass.

The event is co-headlined by a WBC regional title fight doubleheader featuring world ranked Omar Trinidad, (15-0-1, 12 KOs) making the first defense of his WBC Continental Americas featherweight title against southpaw Viktor Slavinskyi, (15-2-1, 7 KOs).

Fighting in the welterweight division, hard-hitting Freddie Roach-trained Gor Yeritsyan, (18-0, 14 KOs) looks to stay perfect defending his WBC Continental Americas title against fellow undefeated Aram Amirkhanyan, (15-0-1, 4 KOs).

Both bouts are scheduled for ten rounds.

Heavyweights Johnny Fisher and Alen Babic faced off today at the launch press conference at Matchroom HQ in Brentwood, Essex, England, ahead of their July 6 clash at the Copper Box Arena in London – shown live worldwide on DAZN.

Alen Babic: “Thank you for having me everybody it’s so beautiful to be here. Listen, Johnny Fisher I think is a great fighter, but I think he is a young fighter. I had 100 amateur fights, most of them were tougher than me and him both. I had 12 professional fights; I was tested so many times. I was tested so many times. I went through all of them, almost – all but one.

“This is his first test… Continue reading “Fisher-Babic Kickoff Press Conference”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

This title is a parody of the masterpiece movie “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” starring James Stewart in 1939. “Monster” Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), the unified world super bantamweight champion, has left for New York in order to attend the award-giving ceremony of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). Naoya was named the BWAA’s Boxer of the Year and will receive the prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Award there on this coming Friday. The Monster will be accompanied by his manager/promoter Hideyuki Ohashi, former WBC/WBA world minimumweight champ. Congrats.

Photos

IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis says he is still fighting next month in his hometown of Philadelphia. Ennis’ opponent and mandatory challenger Cody Crowley pulled out on Tuesday due to complications in his recovery from eye surgery last November. Boots took to social media to inform his fans that the fight date is still on.

Former four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (35-4-1, 24 KOs) and fan-favorite Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (16-1-1, 10 KOs) faced off at the final press conference for their WBC People’s Championship main event on Friday night at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida,

Adrien Broner: “I want to thank everyone for showing up. I apologize for being late. I want to tell you guys what I tell everyone else. You can’t fight for me. You guys aren’t going to lose this weight for me. And you guys sure aren’t going to run your mouth for me. So, I am not going to stop doing what I am doing just to please you. You aren’t going to put food on my plate or no money in my pocket. I had to handle business. I had to get my work done before I came here to talk shit…I am here to put my life on the line. On June 7 I am not coming to just put on a show for the fans. I am coming to die if I have to.”

Blair Cobbs: “Thank you, everybody, for showing up to this one. This one is going to be a very big attraction. Just in case you don’t know who I am, it’s the most exciting man in boxing, Blair “The Flair” Cobbs. The limousine-riding, the jet-flying, the kiss-stealing, wheeling, dealing son-of-a-gun. I’m having a hard time keeping these alligator boots down. We’re going to have a great time. I just cannot wait to get my hands on Adrien Broner. Look, he had a good run, but now it’s time for his demise.”

Fanmio has announced the co-main event for “Last Man Standing: Diaz vs. Masvidal” as two-time former middleweight world champion Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs (37-4, 30 KOs) returns to action to take on Shane Mosley Jr. (21-4, 12 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight showdown on Saturday, July 6 in a PPV from Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

The card is headlined by the pro boxing battle between MMA fighters Nate Diaz and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal.

On Saturday, July 27, undisputed female middleweight world champion Claressa “GWOAT” Shields (14-0, 2 KOs) rises two weight classes to vie for a world title in a fourth division against WBC female heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (7-1, 2 KOs). The vacant WBO female light heavyweight championship will also be on the line on July 27, as both main event fighters aim to unify 175-pound titles in a very special edition of “Big Time Boxing USA” at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit that will air live on premier global sports platform DAZN.

“From the beginning of her career, Claressa has been on a quest to make her story a part of history,” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. “This fight is one of Claressa’s hardest challenges, moving up two weight divisions to challenge the current heavyweight world champion. It’s ‘Claressa vs. Vanessa’ for the unified world title in Detroit, one of boxing’s historic homes. There is no better venue for this epic showdown than the beautiful, world-class Little Caesars Arena.”