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By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside

WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs) scored an eighth round TKO over WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The reigning pound-for-pound king Canelo out of Guadalajara, Mexico, clocked into work once again in his third fight since December 2020, proved too strong for the Brit Saunders and stopped him on his stool between the eighth and ninth rounds and leaves the Lone Star State as the super middleweight unified world champion.

With the win, Canelo snatched the WBO belt from Saunders to go along with his WBC and WBA straps and now set his sights on IBF champ Caleb Plant this September for the undisputed title, which has been his stated goal. Continue reading “Canelo stops Saunders in eight”

By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside

In the co-main event in Arlington, TX and live on DAZN as part of the Canelo-Saunders extravaganza, WBO light flyweight champ Elwin Soto (19-1, 12 KOs) out of Baja California, Mexico, retained his belt by ninth round TKO in a hard-fought battle against former multi-time minimumweight champ Katsunari Takayama (32-9,12 KOs hailing from Osaka Japan. Continue reading “Soto stops Takayama, retains WBO 108lb title”

By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside

2016 Olympic bronze medalist Souleymane Cissokho (13-0, 8 KOs) from Bagnolet, France by way of Senegal, scored a surprisingly close split decision to claim the WBA Intercontinental Super Welterweight title over UK’s Kieron Conway (16-2-1, 3 KOs).
It was a chess match from the opening round as neither fighter would give an inch. Cissokho often initiated the action with jabs to the head and body and Conway would look for a counter right hand. Cissokho also controlled distance throughout the fight and would often slip out of the way after he landed his jab or right hand. Conway was often a step behind as he tried to time the elusive Cissokho. Continue reading “Canelo-Saunders Undercard Results”

The view shortly before 70,000 raging boxing fans surge into AT&T Stadium in Dallas for the clash between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders with the WBC, WBA, WBO super middleweight world titles on the line.

Jr lightweight George “El Yuyu” Acosta (12-1, 1 KO) outpointed local favorite Gadwin “El Abayarde” Rosa (11-2, 9 KOs) over ten rounds to claim the vacant WBA Fedecentro title on Friday night at the Osceola Heritage Park Events Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Scores were 96-94, 97-93, 98-92 for Acosta.

Prior to the main event, there was a heartfelt ten count for legendary promoter Felix “Tuto” Zabala Sr., who passed away yesterday.

By Jeff Zimmerman

WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez discusses the hope of fighting a unification with WBO champ Jamel Herring next, who would win between Shakur vs Tank, the satisfaction of beating Berchelt against the odds, and training with Canelo and team plus more.

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By Przemek Garczarczyk

Eddie Hearn: “Canelo-Saunders? Already a great, fantastic event, more than 70,000 fans in one of the greatest stadiums in the world, already a historic boxing night. It’s up to Canelo and Saunders now!”

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By David Finger

It has been a long, memorable ride for five-time former minimumweight and mini-flyweight champion Katsunari Takayama (32-8, 12 KOs). But if history is any guide, the cagy veteran may still have a few tricks up his sleeve when he comes to Arlington, Texas tomorrow to take on the heavily favored Elwin Soto (18-1, 12 KOs) in a 12-round junior flyweight title fight for Soto’s WBO belt. Make no mistake, Soto, who is favored by as much as 7-1 to retain his world title belt, is expected by most pundits to retain his title.

But there is something that boxing fans across the Pacific know about the 37-year old former champion: he is a fighter not to underestimate. Continue reading “Interview: Katsunari Takayama”

Rashiem Jefferson Jr. 127 lbs vs. Diuhl Olguin 127.9
Edgar Cortes 117.9 vs. Alexander Castellano 119.6
Shinard Bunch 142.2 vs. Diego Vicente Perez 142.7
Donald Smith 127.2 vs. Jonathan Lecona Ramos 127.3
Mark Dawson 147.5 vs. Rodrigo Solis 147.8
Rasheen Brown 129 vs. Nathan Benichou 129.8
Tahmir Smalls 148.2 vs. David Veras Pena 154
Christian Bermudez 141.3 vs. Joseph Santana 135.2

Venue: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Promoter: RDR Promotions
Stream: bxngtv.com
1st Bell: 7:30 PM ET

By Jeff Zimmerman at the scale

Canelo Alvarez 167.4 vs. Billy Joe Saunders 167.8
(WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight titles)

Elwin Soto 107.8 vs. Katsunari Takayama 107.6
(WBO light flyweight title)

Kieron Conway 154 vs. Souleymane Cissokho 153.6
Frank Sanchez 237.6 vs. Nagy Aguilera 238.2
Marc Castro 132.4 vs. Irving Macias Castillo 127.6
Keyshawn Davis 138 vs. Jose Antonio Meza 138
Christian Alan Gomez Duran 146.4 vs. Xavier Wilson 147.8
Kelvin Davis 143.8 vs. Jan Marsalek 140.4

Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: DAZN

WBO #5 Magomed Kurbanov (22-0, 13 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over former WBO junior middleweight world champion and WBO #2 Liam “Beefy” Smith (29-3-1, 16 KOs) to win the vacant WBO International 154lb title on Friday night at KRK Uralets in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It was a pick’em fight going in, and it was indeed a close fight with both fighters having their moments. Scores were 115-113, 115-113, 117-111, all for the hometown fighter.

Unbeaten welterweight Eduard Skavynskyi (14-0, 7 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over faded former world title challenger Joel Julio (39-6, 33 KOs). Skavynskyi dropped Julio in round five. No scores announced.

Liam “Beefy” Smith + Jorge Julio in action

Former WBO junior middleweight world champion Liam “Beefy” Smith is set to enter enemy territory. Smith, from Liverpool, England, will battle undefeated Russian contender Magomed Kurbanov for the vacant WBO International junior middleweight title today at KRK Uralets in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Smith-Kurbanov will headline a scheduled five-fight card streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT. Continue reading “Friday Morning Boxing on ESPN+”

Unbeaten WBC #10, IBF #7, WBA #9, WBO #13 heavyweight Agit Kabayel (20-0, 13 KOs) will face none other than Kevin “Kinpin” Johnson (35-17-1, 19 KOs) on June 5 in the open-air Seebühne at Elbauen Park in Magdeburg, Germany. The 41-year-old Johnson spoiled the comeback of ex-world champion Yuan Pablo Hernandez with a seventh round knockout at this same venue last August.

German cruiserweight champion Roman Fress (12-0, 7 KOs) will also see action.