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Former world champion Badou Jack has announced that his scheduled June 6 world title challenge against WBA light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal will not happen after Pascal tested positive for banned substances.

Jack wrote on social media: “My fight with Jean Pascal is OFF as he tested positive for three different steroids. We suspected he was dirty the first time around and VADA testing confirmed it this time. I’m still fighting on June 6th and my team is looking for a replacement opponent.”

Pascal reportedly tested dirty for Epitrenbolone, Drostanolone, and Drostanolone Metabolite A.

Carlos ‘Chuko’ Díaz 140.4 vs. Elvis Torres 139.3
Diego ‘Azabache’ Torres 135.5 vs. Francisco Gabriel Piña 135.3
Ángel Daniel Alemán 130.9 vs. José Bull Pech 143.5
Bryan Mosinos 111.7 vs. Juan ‘Pinky’ Alejo 113

Venue: Grand Hotel, Tijuana, BC, MX
Promoter: Zanfer
TV: TV Azteca

2021 has been a terrific year for two-division world champion Oscar Valdez. Not only did he score what is considered to be the knockout of the year over highly regarded Miguel Berchelt, he also made his childhood dream come true. “I always wanted to be a WBC champion,” he said. “Since I was eight years old I’ve been working for the green belt and I got it. It was a sweet moment.”

Now Valdez is looking to raise his profile even higher by taking on the big names in his weight division. Continue reading “Oscar Valdez targets Tank and Shakur”

Devin Haney 135 vs. Jorge Linares 134
(WBC lightweight title)

Chantelle Cameron 139.2 vs. Melissa Hernandez 136.2
(WBC female super lightweight title)

Jason Quigley 159.4 vs. Shane Mosley Jr. 160
(NABO middleweight title)

Martin J. Ward 129.6 vs. Azinga Fuzile 129.2
(IBF super featherweight eliminator)

Khalil Coe 176.2 vs. Nathaniel Tadd 179
Reshat Mati 145.8 vs. Ryan Pino 146.8
Ramla Ali 124 vs. Mikayla Nebel 124.6
Amari Jones 153.6 vs. Jonathan Burrs 153

Venue: Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: DAZN

Nordine Oubaali 117.6 vs. Nonito Donaire 117.6
(WBC bantamweight title)

Subriel Matias 139.6 vs. Batyr Jukembayev 139.8
(IBF junior welterweight eliminator)

Gary Antuanne Russell 137.2 vs. Jovanie Santiago 140.8

Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Promoter: TGB Promotions
TV: Showtime

Undefeated IBF mandatory challenger ‘Ferocious’ George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10 KOs) held court for the South Florida media at his home gym, Centeno’s Sweatbox Boxing Gym on Thursday afternoon. Kambosos is training for his highly anticipated world title clash with undisputed lightweight world champion ‘The Takeover’ Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) set for June 19 at Miami’s loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins and live on pay-per-view.

“Lomachenko didn’t throw enough punches in the first six rounds, I will be much better than that against Lopez. Lomachenko had been out for 400 days, that wasn’t really him in the ring, it was more like half of a Lomachenko. Lopez got lucky in a very close fight. I saw a lot of holes in Lopez’s game that I will exploit on June 19.” Continue reading “Kambosos: Lopez is a fugazi, a fraud, a fake”

WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney and former three-division champion Jorge Linares faced off at the final press conference for their clash Saturday night at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, live worldwide on DAZN.

Devin Haney: “I want the best Jorge Linares so when I win, there are no excuses and the world knows he came in 100 percent…it’ll be a very dominant performance. I think the world will be surprised at what kind of performance it is. I think even Jorge will be surprised at what type of fighter I am.”

Jorge Linares: “I’ve fought a lot of big fights, 52 fights, in England, USA, Latin America, this time I’ve come back to Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay. It’s an amazing fight against an amazing young champion. It’s so exciting to show everyone who I am, how much experience I have and how good I feel.”

WBC bantamweight world champion Nordine Oubaali and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before their world title showdown taking place this Saturday live on Showtime from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

Nordine Oubaali: He’s had a good career but I’m the best in the division…The difference in the fight is going to be I want to win more. I want to continue to make history and stay as the world champion in this division. I know that it’s my time. I want this more than he does.”

Nonito Donaire: “It would be great to win the title at 38 years old and become the oldest champion at 118 pounds, but let’s keep it going. Let’s make it 40. Let’s make it 42. There ain’t no stopping me. Mentally, I’m very grateful but at the same time I’m just very ready.”

Middleweight Janibek Alimkhanuly is ready to bring his patented “Qazaq Style” to Las Vegas. Former amateur standout Alimkhanuly (9-0, 5 KOs) will step up against former middleweight world champion Rob “Bravo” Brant (26-2, 18 KOs) in a 10-round showdown on June 26 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Brant-Alimkhanuly will serve as the co-feature to the 12-round lightweight main event between former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko and Japanese contender Masayoshi Nakatani.

Lomachenko-Nakatani and Brant-Alimkhanuly will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (not ESPN). Continue reading “Loma-Nakatani co-feature announced”