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On July 2nd, 1921, the World Boxing Association (known as the National Boxing Association back then) was born. That day, Jack Dempsey, acclaimed by the press as heavyweight world champion, knocked out light heavyweight champion Georges Carpentier in the fourth round to become the first world champion recognized by a worldwide sanctioning body.

A few weeks before the fight, 13 boxing commissions met in the state of Rhode Island and established the NBA, which sanctioned title fights and established world ratings. 41 years later, the NBA renamed itself the WBA. Continue reading “WBA celebrates 100th anniversary”

Tapia Promotions presents “Warriorz on the Rez” on July 31 at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico. The promotion is presented by Teresa Tapia, beloved wife of the late ring legend Johnny Tapia, and will feature both amateur and professional boxing action.

Boxing notables Don King and James Toney are set to be in attendance. Johnny Tapia’s two sons Johnny Tapia Jr., and Johnny Tapia III are both scheduled to make their amateur debuts. Continue reading “Boxing back in New Mexico July 31”

The 10 round super bantamweight main event Thursday night saw local unbeaten fan favorite Hector Andres Sosa (12-0, 8 KOs) of Argentina stop Jeremias Javier Ulibarre (8-13-1, 1 KO) in round three in a fight for city bragging rights. The event took place at the Parana Futbol Club, San Pedro, Buenos Aires, Argentina with each fighter from Buenos Aires. Continue reading “Sosa TKOs Ulibarre in 3 in Argentina”

WBA interim super featherweight champion Chris “Primetime” Colbert and challenger Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar faced-off and answered final questions from the media ahead of their clash Saturday night on Showtime.

Chris Colbert: “Every time I fight, it’s always something. ‘He’s fighting a hard-hitter,’ but I’ve been putting stuff out, sleeping ’em. I’ve been knocking them out, beating them up bad, and they’re still not respecting me. I guess I gotta keep doing this on Saturday night and embarrass him…I know damn well he ain’t beating me and that’s a promise…he looks chubby, no way I’m losing to him. It’s impossible!”

King Tug: “We are here to win. I’m ready for him. Two weeks’ notice is enough for me. I’m gonna whoop your ass!”

More quotes

2016 Olympian Karlos Balderas (9-1, 8 KOs) has signed a multi-fight promotional pact with Top Rank. The 25-year-old Balderas will make his Top Rank debut on August 14.

After fighting most of his professional bouts as a lightweight, Balderas will now campaign as a junior lightweight with Buddy McGirt as his head trainer and manager Sam Katkovski of Churchill Management.

Balderas was previously promoted by Ringstar Sports and fought under the Premier Boxing Champions banner.

By Bob Caico

Carlos Dixon 133 vs. Moises Flores 140.8
Demontaze Duncan 147.6 vs. Hugo Padilla 146
Gerffred Ngayot 136.8 vs. Demetrius Wilson 138.9
Lameck Coller 170.6 vs. Stanley Alexander 166.8
Gerimiah Coller 177 vs. LaQuavis Higgins 176.2

Venue: Iroquois Amphitheater, Louisville, KY
Promoter: Ronson Frank (Uprising Promotions)

Boxing returns to Miami on Friday, July 9th at the Airport Hilton. The 8 round main event will feature unbeaten Serik Musadilov (9-0, 9 KOs) of Miami by way of Kazakhstan against Lamont Capers (10-14-5, 2 KOs). The bout is scheduled for eight rounds with the NABA cruiserweight title on the line. Musadilov will look to extend his 100% ratio KO streak versus the very durable Capers, whose record is very deceptive as he has beaten a number of unbeatens and scored upsets in general. He has a draw to his credit versus former world champion Imamu Mayfield. The event will be promoted by M&R Boxing Promotions – Laura Ching. Continue reading “Boxing back in Miami July 9th”

While all the attention is on WBA interim super featherweight champion Chris Primetime” Colbert (15-0, 6 KOs) against “King Tug” this Saturday on Showtime, the WBA eliminator between unbeaten WBA #9 lightweight Michel Rivera (20-0, 13 KOs) and WBA #11 Jon Fernández (21-1, 18 KOs) could steal the show.

Fernandez has a three-inch height advantage, but Rivera doesn’t see anything in the Spaniard that he won’t be able to overcome.

“His height may be an issue, but I don’t really know much he uses his reach,” said Rivera. “I haven’t seen many of his previous fights, but I’m 100% confident I will overcome anything that he thinks he could do to make me uncomfortable.”

Rivera is a 5:1 favorite.

By Joe Koizumi

Aggressive ex-champ Miyo Yoshida (15-2, no KO), 114.75, regained WBO female world junior bantamweight belt as she avenged her previous defeat by edging out Tomoko Okuda (7-3-2, 1 KO), 114.5, a 38-year-old high school teacher, by a hairline split decision (96-94 twice for Yoshida, 94-96 for Okuda) over ten hard-fought rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

\Okuda, two inches taller, had captured the belt on a sixth round unanimous technical decision last December, and this was her initial defense against the former titleholder. It was Yoshida, 33, took the leadoff with her aggression, while Okuda tried to utilize her longer reach and score with busy jabs and straight rights to the onrushing ex-titlist. It was a close contest, but Miyo maintained the pressure and connected with right crosses to have the upper hand. Yoshida, a gutsy single mother, cried for joy with her regaining the belt. Continue reading “Yoshida regains WBO female 115lb belt from Okuda”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech is confident replacement Steve Spark (12-1, 11 KOs) will be a tougher fight for Tim Tszyu than Michael Zerafa, who pulled out of a July 7 bout with Tszyu at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle, NSW televised on Foxtel Main Event Pay-Per-View

“Tim’s in a real fight now!,” said Fenech. “I was in the other corner for Spark’s last fight when he beat Jack Brubaker who I train and I have absolutely no doubt he is a tougher fight for Tim Tszyu than what Michael Zerafa would have been. Continue reading “Fenech: Tszyu is in a real fight now”

Former longtime heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder laid down the gauntlet in a video posted to his Instagram this week, as the power-puncher displayed the measures he is taking in training camp to regain his title on Saturday, July 24 in a trilogy showdown against Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury live on pay-per-view from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“You say you’re a semi-truck, but I’m a freight train!” exclaimed Wilder in the video, responding to Fury’s boast during their Los Angeles press conference.

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

Boxing has its honor guard of heroes, who are protagonists of oft told extraordinary tales of faith and courage, that inspire and show us in no uncertain terms, that no matter how dark the tunnel might be, there will always be a ray of light and hope, as love is capable of transcending all obstacles.

Such is the heartrending but stout hearted story of Prichard Colón. A young man who dreamed of being world champion and of hoisting the colors of his homeland Puerto Rico on high; however, fate dealt him something very different. Continue reading “Prichard Colón”

WBO #1 junior featherweight Michael “Mick” Conlan (15-0, 8 KOs) will defend his WBO Intercontinental title against former world champion TJ Doheny (22-2, 16 KOs) in a 10-round showdown Friday, August 6 at Falls Park in Belfast as part of the Féile an Phobail festival. ESPN+ will televise.

WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire says he is pulling out of his August 14 unification clash with WBO champion and countryman John Riel Casimero due to Casimero’s “unacceptable behavior.” Donaire wrote the following on social media:

I STAND

I am known to take stands people are afraid to take. I STAND for VADA 24/7/365 testing for ALL boxers. This should never be refused or delayed. I stand against BULLYING in any form. I STAND against the disrespect and ABUSE of women and children physically, mentally and emotionally. AND I STAND against misogynistic culture. Continue reading “Donaire says Casimero fight is off”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBA #6 middleweight Michael Zerafa has pulled out of the July 7 bout with WBO #1 light middleweight Tim Tszyu citing of COVID-19 restrictions in the state of New South Wales

“We’re happy to fight him anywhere in the country if it’s deemed COVID-free,” Zerafa told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I’m not going to go and fight with no team and no trainers behind me after being with them for the last 12 weeks in camp…I could go over there and fight but we start as a team and finish as a team. I stick by my team and when COVID is in place we can’t afford that. We said we’ll do it when things go back to normal in NSW, but they didn’t want to comply.”

Tszyu stated, “He’s been talking it up and he’s been chasing me, following me around for the last three years. Couldn’t get my name out of this mouth and it’s finally come to it. Now they’re making all this bullshit.”

Welterweight Steven Spark (12-1, 11 KOs) has stepped in to replace Zerafa.

By tmz.com

Riddick Bowe is back!! We’re told the 53-year-old former 2x heavyweight champion has inked a deal with Celebrity Boxing to fight October 23 in Miami.

Bowe — who last fought to a unanimous decision victory in December 2008 — does not yet have an opponent. Continue reading “Riddick Bowe, 53, to return to the ring”

The WBC has confirmed that the now vacant WBC interim lightweight title will be on the line when former world champions Javier “Abejón” Fortuna (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Joseph “Jo Jo” Díaz Jr. (31-1-1, 15 KOs) clash on July 9 in Los Angeles, California. Fortuna was originally scheduled to face Ryan “Kingry” Garcia for the interim title then held by Garcia, but that fight was called off when Garcia pulled out due to mental health issues. Fortuna, rated WBC #3, and Diaz, rated WBC #4, will now clash for interim titleholder recognition.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, who promoted a card in Mexico over the weekend, confirmed that he is working on making a third Estrada-Gonzalez fight happen. “We are working to announce this fight and only a few details are missing,” said Hearn. “The ‘Gallo’ Estrada vs ‘Chocolatito’ González trilogy will almost certainly be on October 16 in Los Angeles. Most likely at the Forum or the Staples Center. We will be able to provide more details in the coming weeks.”

Unbeaten super lightweight Richardson Hitchins was forced to withdraw from his bout against Darwin Price due to a hand injury suffered in training.

In off-TV bouts at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Angel Alejandro (9-0, 4 KOs) battles fellow unbeaten Rudy Ochoa (10-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight duel, while Shon Mondragón (6-0, 2 KOs) takes on José Pérez (9-1-1, 4 KOs) in a six-round featherweight attraction. Continue reading “Colbert-Nyambayar undercard”

It will be four big heavyweight fights in one night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as three heavyweight showdowns have been added to the televised PPV undercard of the third fight between WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder.

In the 10-round co-main event, 2016 Nigerian Olympian “The One and Only” Efe Ajagba (15-0, 12 KOs) will take on fellow unbeaten Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sánchez (18-0, 13 KOs). The PPV telecast also includes the 12-round rematch between Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs) and Adam “Babyface” Kownacki (20-1, 15 KOs), who was stopped by Helenius in the fourth round of their first bout in March 2020.

The eight-round PPV opener will see Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (9-0, 9 KOs) step up in class against undefeated Vladimir Tereshkin (22-0-1, 12 KOs).

Ring legend Roy Jones, Jr. was on hand Monday at the AIBA press conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the organization unveiled its plan to reform amateur boxing and guarantee fair results for boxers.

Jones, who was famously robbed of a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, had a lot to say.

“I want to start by saying how happy I am to be here. Yes, as some of you know, I‘ve had some fights since Seoul. And even some pretty big ones! But I’ve got to tell you. Whenever I see that photo, it feels like yesterday. And not in a great way.

“All the judges that were part of that decision were crooked. They’ve all been banned. And I know they were not the only ones.” Continue reading “Jones: How come I don’t have my gold medal?”

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has announced the undercard to support Joe Joyce’s big heavyweight clash against Carlos Takam at SSE Arena, Wembley on July 24, live on BT.

WBO #13 super welterweight Hamzah Sheeraz (12-0, 8 KOs) makes the third defense of his WBO European title against Ezequiel Gurria (15-1, 3 KOs).

Welterweight Chris Jenkins (22-3-3, 8 KOs) will finally defend his British and Commonwealth titles against Ekow Essuman (14-0, 5 KOs) after recovering from injury.

Super bantamweight Chris Bourke (9-0, 6 KOs) defends his WBC International title against James Beech (12-1, 2 KOs).

Also seeing action will be unbeaten heavyweight David Adeleye (6-0, 5 KOs) against TBA.

Highly touted teenage prospect Jesus Saracho (8-0, 8 KOs) of Guanajuato, Mexico is ready for an upgrade to world title contender. The 19-year-old Saracho will take on countryman Edwing Davilla (21-1, 13 KOs) of Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico this Saturday in the co-main event at the Foro Sur GDL in Jalisco, Mexico. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds with the vacant WBA/NABA and WBO Latino lightweight titles at stake.

This will be the first installment of a new boxing series in Mexico promoted by Makina Boxing Promotions (Courtney Frye/CEO). It’s a one-year deal of nine events with Televisa and Sky Sports airing the shows one week later on their networks. Continue reading “Saracho ready for next-level test”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

World championship referee Brad Vocale will be inducted into the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame in Brisbane on July 25.

Vocale, 67, was born in 1954 with his father of Italian heritage and his mother being aboriginal. Brad started boxing in 1964 at age of 10 years and had 52 amateur contests winning the Victorian State title and boxing in the 1968 Olympic trials as a flyweight. Continue reading “Vocale in Queensland Hall of Fame”