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The World Boxing Association (WBA), through its Academy, seeks to train and certify many of the participants involved in the sport, especially trainers. Therefore, the WBA Development Program for Trainers, a project that has great expectations, will be launched on August 11th.

This project was born to meet the demand for specialization that is currently required in the field of sports training. The coach is in charge of training the athletes, many times he discovers them and has an influence over them beyond sports; that is why it is so important to have knowledge in different areas to be able to help and guide them. Continue reading “WBA trainers course starts August 11”

The MMA debut of two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division boxing world champion Claressa “GWOAT” Shields will begin tomorrow in Atlantic City. Shields will face jiu-jitsu specialist Brittany Elkin on ESPN2.

Also on the card is another boxer. Middleweight “Cassius” Clay Collard meets Joilton Lutterbach. Collard made some waves last year with three consecutive wins over unbeaten fighters, but he later faltered and lost two straight.

By Joe Koizumi

“Monster” Naoya Inoue, unbeaten WBA, IBF bantamweight champion, left Tokyo, Japan for Las Vegas today (Wednesday) in order to defend his belts against IBF mandatory challenger Michael Dasmarinas, a taller southpaw of the Philippines, at the Virgin Hotel on June 19. Naoya confidently said, “I’m in perfect condition, and hope to show my best performance to the world.” He was accompanied by his father/trainer Shingo, brother and ex-WBC interim titlist Takuma and cousin/ex-national champ Koki. Bon voyage.

Light Heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) has added top London trainer James Cook to his team as he launches another world title run. Former British and European champion Cook will join Tunde Ajayi and Ade Olayinka in the corner when Yarde returns to action next month.

Yarde meets unbeaten German Emin Atra (17-0, 12 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder at the Royal Albert Hall, London on Saturday July 10, live on BT Sport. Continue reading “Yarde returns with new trainer”

Zanfer Promotions has announced that former WBO jr middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (36-0, 29 KOs) will now face former GGG challenger Kamil Szeremeta (21-1, 5 KOs) on June 19 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, on DAZN. Szeremeta stepped in for Maciej Sulecki, who pulled out for a second time against the former champ.

Munguia closed the most intense stage of his preparation on Tuesday in Temoaya, State of Mexico, and exhibited great condition and boxing form as he aims to defend his WBO Intercontinental middleweight title.

By Jeff Zimmerman

Fightnews.com® caught up with the lightweight champion of the world Teofimo Lopez as he prepares to face his mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday June 19th at the LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida and shown live on Triller pay-per-view. Teofimo shared his view of his era of Haney, Tank, Ryan and himself being compared to the 4 Kings of Sugar Ray, Duran, Hagler and Hearns, the legacy he hopes to leave in boxing like one of his idols Mike Tyson and the challenge that Kambosos poses to him in the ring and much more!

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“No headgear in the last round.”

By Przemek Garczarczyk

Ring legend Julio Cesar Chavez talks about his upcoming fight against Hector Camacho Jr, taking off headgear and just give it to the fans, why he lost his first fight, and why he could be undefeated for 100 fights.

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Boxing exhibition fever continues Friday with the return of “The Baby-faced Assassin” Marco Antonio Barrera (67-7, 44 KOs) against all-action brawler Jesus Soto-Karass (29-13-4, 18 KOs) at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena in Pico Rivera, California, and live on pay-per-view.

Barrera vs. Soto-Karass will be a six round exhibition fight with two-minute rounds. Spectators will be allowed to attend the event, which is presented by Marvin Rodriguez/Marvnation, a new promoter out of Southern California.

47-year-old Hall of Famer Barrera’s last fight was more than ten years ago. Soto-Karass, 38, last fought in 2018.

For Barrera, this is just the beginning. On July 16, he has an exhibition lined up against famed rival Erik Morales in Dallas.

Super middleweight Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman (11-2-1, 6 KOs), now trained by Roy Jones Jr., faces Manuel “Meno” Gallegos (17-1, 15 KOs) Thursday on UFC Fightpass. The scheduled ten-rounder takes place at the Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, with the vacant NBA Americas title on the line.

“I’m really looking forward to this fight,” Newman said. “It’s a great opportunity for me thanks to Roy, my team, and RJJ Boxing Promotions to get me back on the path to chase my dream of becoming world champion. I’ve been in the gym with Roy since April of last year, working day in and day out down in Pensacola, Florida. This is my first fight with Roy as my head trainer and having an official camp with him. I’m excited to show what we’ve been working on.”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

WBO #1 Japanese minimumweight champ Masataka Taniguchi (14-3, 9 KOs), 105, successfully made his initial defense of the Japanese minimumweight belt as he bloodied JBC #1 Tatsuro Nakashima (11-2-1, 7 KOs), 105, so profusely that the ref called a halt to save the loser from further streaming of blood at 1:35 of the fifth round in a scheduled ten on Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Continue reading “WBO #1 Taniguchi halts Nakashima, keeps Japanese 105lb belt”

By David Finger

Fight fans are a funny sort. You think that in 2021 we’d have learned our lesson by now. We seldom want to admit it, particularly those of us in the United States, but the sport tends to be very Amerocentric. We focus on those fighters who become household names fighting on televised fight cards in the United States, and disregard our fellow fight fans from overseas when they tell us about some young hotshot prospect or contender who is making waves outside of the bright lights of Las Vegas.

You think that by now we would have learned our lesson.

Just over a week after countless American boxing fans were forced to search YouTube and Google to get educated on who Josh Taylor was and how he emerged as undisputed junior welterweight champion, we are right back to where we started. Continue reading “Exclusive Interview: Tim Tszyu”

Philly’s only current boxing champion Stephen Fulton Jr. appeared on the Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer. The WBO super bantamweight champion tells us what we can expect in his unification fight with Brandon Figueroa and why he should be rated as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best. Fulton also talks about possible future fights and just how long he will stay at 122 pounds.

Fulton Jr. says unification fight with Brandon Figueroa will be an easy KO

“He doesn’t use his range, he doesn’t use his height so technically I’ll be the bigger fighter, I’ll be the taller fighter, I’ll be the rangier fighter, he doesn’t use it. He doesn’t know how to use those abilities that he has, he only has one way to fight. (Question) And you believe that fight will end in a knockout? Yes for sure!” Continue reading “Interview: Stephen Fulton Jr.”

By Jeff Zimmerman

Newly elected Hall of Famer (2020 class) and legendary Christy “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” tells Fightnews.com® in an exclusive interview how she became a fighter, what it was like fighting for Don King and being showcased under “Iron Mike” Tyson’s cards, her thoughts on Claressa Shields and woman’s boxing today and being on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1996. She also discussed the mega showdown with Lucia Rijker that didn’t happen, where she got her nickname “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” and her big show this Friday, June 11 – Orlando Fight Night II – at the Avanti Palms Resort and Conference Center – with some great young talent.

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By Mauricio Sulaiman
Son of Jose Sulaiman / President of the WBC

Boxing is global, it has no barriers, walls or borders. It is inclusive by nature, it shows diversity in realities, practices, customs and religions. There is no discrimination in boxing, a fighter from the United States is the same and has the exact same rights as one from Nigeria, Japan or Nicaragua.

One of the most important values for the World Boxing Council is and always will be to fight against racial discrimination. When discrimination occurs, it produces abuse of power that culminates in terrible acts of injustice. Continue reading “Let’s KO discrimination!”

Super middleweights Devar Ferhadi and Genc Pllana shined in their respective main events as part of a day-night doubleheader at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. The shows, which were promoted by King’s Promotions, played to capacity crowds and provided tremendous action for those in attendance and watching the live stream around the world.

In the evening main event, Genc Pllana stopped hometown favorite Brandon Robinson in the eighth and final round of their super middleweight clash that headlined the evening session of a King’s Promotions day-night doubleheader at the 2300 Arena. Continue reading “Ferhadi and Pllana win in Philadelphia twinbill”

Photos: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

Floyd Mayweather: “He was strong, tough, and better than I thought he was. Even without much experience, he knew to use his weight to tie me up tonight.

Logan Paul: “I don’t want anyone to tell me anything is impossible ever again. The fact that I got in here with one of the greatest boxers of all time, it proves the odds can be beat. Anyone can beat the odds and do great things in life. This is one of the greatest nights of my life, I’m happy.”

Photos

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Hall of Fame boxing broadcaster Colonel Bob Sheridan was a victim of attempted robbery, suffering several injuries that required hospitalization while traveling in his recently purchased $200,000 2021 Corvette through the city of Victorville, California. The Colonel told Fightnews.com® the details. Continue reading “Colonel Bob Sheridan injured in robbery attempt”

Tonight’s pay-per-view event headlined by all-time boxing great Floyd “Money” Mayweather and YouTuber Logan Paul will air on SHOWTIME this Saturday, June 12 at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT. Mayweather and Paul went the distance in an entertaining eight-round exhibition bout. The delayed telecast of Mayweather-Paul will be immediately followed by the premiere of Inside Mayweather vs. Paul Epilogue.

Ring legend Floyd Mayweather spoke to the press after his eight round exhibition on Sunday night in Miami.

“The people wanted a show. I could have [got him out of there]. I could have pressed real, real hard and started throwing these crazy combinations, but it was fun…his whole goal wasn’t to come out here and knock me out. His whole goal was to survive. And that was a win for him.”

“When I come and do an exhibition or come out and box to have some fun, I do it because I want to do it, not because I have to do it. Whereas Pacquiao at his age, which is sad, he has to fight. I’m financially set. And I wanna let everybody know this. You’re gonna hear stories, ‘Floyd has to do this.’ No. I’m well off.”

“The best thing about this week was my youngest daughter graduating.”

Ring legend Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) outclassed, but couldn’t stop YouTuber Logan Paul (0-1) in an eight round exhibition bout on Sunday night Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Mayweather carried Paul for the first two rounds. Floyd started to connect in round three. After that, Mayweather stalked and punished Paul, who showed a decent jaw and survived the full eight. The crowd was booing at the end.

Mayweather: He’s better than I thought he was.

Paul: I’m happy I made it out. He’s tough to hit.

Two-division world champion Badou Jack (23-3-3, 13 KOs) scored a fourth round KO against previously undefeated late sub Dervin Colina (15-1, 13 KOs) in a light heavyweight bout on Sunday night Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Colina was deducted a point for holding in both rounds two and three. Jack then dropped Colina three times in round four to end it. Time was 2:57. Jack was originally slated to challenge WBA light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, but Pascal tested positive for three banned substances and was removed from the card.

In a middleweight bout, Luis Arias (19-2-1, 9 KOs) won an upset ten round split decision over former unified super welterweight champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd (24-2, 16 KOs). Arias was cut on forehead by a Hurd right hand in round two, but he outworked Hurd for most the fight. Arias down in round nine, but replays showed he slipped on the wet canvas. Arias had Hurd holding on in the last round. Scores were 95-94 Hurd, 97-93, 96-93 Arias. Hurd was an 8:1 favorite.

40-year-old former NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and MMA fighter Brian Maxwell fought a four round cruiserweight exhibition. Maxwell dropped Johnson with a flush right hand in the fourth round, but couldn’t finish him.