Fightnews.com

By Robert Coster

Former flyweight title contender Ignacio “Nacho” Espinal of the Dominican Republic passed away last week at the age of 75. Espinal, whose career spanned from 1969 to 1981, was called by many experts a world champion without a crown.

He decisioned future WBA flyweight king Betulio Gonzalez in his hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, but Ignacio will mostly be remembered for his three memorable WBC title fights in Merida, Mexico, against WBC champion and future Hall of Famer Miguel Canto in 1973, all in the same year (!). Continue reading “Remembering Ignacio Espinal”

IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto “Venado” Lopez is determined to turn his third world title defense into a war of attrition. Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) will defend against Japanese contender Reiya Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs) on ESPN+ Saturday, March 2 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Lopez-Abe will serve as the co-feature to the vacant WBA featherweight world championship showdown between Uzbek phenom Otabek Kholmatov and American standout Raymond Ford.

Following a recent training session in Santa Fe Springs, California, this is what Lopez had to say:

“I decided to do my camp here in Los Angeles so I can be a little closer to my family. I also like it because of the altitude I get to experience when I go to the mountains. There are a lot of good spots to run out here. I feel great out here.” Continue reading “Venado Lopez promises war”

Edgar Berlanga 167.8 vs. Padraig McCrory 167.8
Andy Cruz 135 vs. Brayan Zamarripa 135
Shakhram Giyasov 146.8 vs. Pablo Cesar Cano 146.2
Antonio Vargas 117.6 vs. Jonathan Rodriguez 118
Yankiel Rivera 111.8 vs. Andy Dominguez 111.6
Aaron Aponte 141 vs. Joseph Fernandez 140.4
Herich Ruiz 223.4 vs. Joshua Brice ??

Venue: Caribe Royale, Orlando, Florida
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: DAZN

The grudge rematch between bitter rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall taking place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday April 27, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S., has sold out in less than a day after going on sale to the general public at midday.

“What an incredible response for an unmissable all-British grudge match,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “The First Direct Arena in Leeds is completely sold out. The controversy of the first fight will be settled in an unbelievable night on April 27, live and exclusive on DAZN in the UK and around the world, part of your subscription on the global home of boxing.”

By Héctor Villarreal

After closing 2023 with the most exciting and competitive card of the year in Panama, the promotion company Laguna Premium Boxing announced its premiere in 2024, Boxing Summer Fest, a festival of mostly unbeaten fighters which promises to be the best of the season. The company returns to the iconic Arena Roberto Duran for this 12-fight show scheduled for Thursday, April 4th.

“We are going to show that there is a new generation of quality boxers in Panama, to whom we have given the opportunity to show their talent in our promotions and who are willing to face each other, the good ones against the good ones, most of them risking their undefeated status,” said company president Rousse Laguna de Moreno, whose husband, former super world champion Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno, continues to demonstrate skills as matchmaker. Continue reading “Laguna Premium announces Boxing Summer Fest”

WBA regular heavyweight champion Mahmoud Charr and Kubrat Pulev faced off at the kickoff press conference for their March 30 clash at the Arena Armec in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Mahmoud Charr: “Kubrat was a great amateur boxer and also had good fights as a professional. But when he comes under pressure, he collapses.”

Kubrat Pulev: “I will face a very serious opponent who, like me, has a lot of experience. He has a lot hard fights behind him. I approach the training process with absolute respect and awe for my opponent. Rest assured that I will go into the fight in top shape and then God will decide. I will do everything to win and become world champion!”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

WBA bantamweight title bout
Takuma Inoue 117.75
Jerwin Ancajas 117.75

WBC bantamweight title bout
Alejandro Santiago 117.75
Junto Nakatani 117.5

WBO junior bantamweight title bout
Kosei Tanaka 114.75
Christian Bacasegua 114.75

Fight Venue: Ryogoku Sumo Arena, Tokyo, Japan
Promoter: Teiken Promotions
TV: ESPN+ (4am ET, 1am PT)

More Photos

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

“Monster” Naoya’s cousin WBO AP 140-pound champion Koki Inoue (17-2, 14 KOs), 140, a hard-punching tall southpaw, attempted to avenge his previous 2020 TKO loss to Daishi Nagata (19-3-2, 6 KOs), now the OPBF counterpart, but lost all regional belts by a majority decision (115-113, 116-112, 114-114) over twelve give-and-take rounds on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

The tide very busily turned after Koki battered Daishi with furious combinations in the first and the latter fought back hard to take back the initiative from the second round on. Nagata kept peppering the fading Inoue to pile up more points in the process and withstood Inoue’s last surge in the final two rounds. The crestfallen Koki told he would hang up gloves for good like last time he had lost to Nagata. It was Nagata that unified the OPBF and WBO AP belts to his credit. Continue reading “Nagata edges Inoue, unifies OPBF, WBO AP belts”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten hard-punching Filipino WBA#1 flyweight Dave Apolinario (20-0, 14 KOs), 111.5, came off the canvas in round three, and badly dropped formerly world rated ex-WBA Asia champ Tanes Onjunta (12-2, 6 KOs), 112.75, twice and for the count at 1:44 of the fourth round in a scheduled eight on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

It was a very competitive undercard to a regional tripleheader at the Korakuen Hall. Onjunta scored with a well-timed right counter, decking the prefight favorite Apolinario to stun the crowd midway in the third. But Tanes sustained a bad gash at the side of his skull, bleeding profusely in the same third. The lefty Filipino, however, caught up with the Thailander with a beautiful southpaw left and sent him to the canvas. Though standing up quickly, Tanes took another vicious right hook to fall and was unable to beat the count. It’s a crowd-pleasing give-and-take affair. Continue reading “WBA #1 Apolinario survives, finishes Tanes”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Former OPBF bantam champ Kazuki Nakajima (15-2-1, 12 KOs), 121.5, acquired the vacant OPBF 122-pound belt (renounced by his stablemate Yoshiki Takei) when he scored a nearly shutout decision (120-108 twice, 119-109) over Mugicha Nakagawa (28-10-3, 18 KOs), 122, over twelve lopsided rounds on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Nakajima, a southpaw hard-puncher with a suspect chin whose WBO AP 122-pound belt was wrested by TJ Doheny via TKO route last year, made good use of footwork to keep his distance against the wild swinger. Nakagawa, who previously upset former world challenger and ex-OPBF super bantam champ Shingo Wake to raise his stock, kept stalking the footworker but failed to catch the crisp punching southpaw all the way. For Nakajima, formerly an Ashiya university amateur boxer, it was his third regional belt acquisition. Continue reading “Nakajima defeats Nakagawa for OPBF 122lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten IBF#13 Keisuke Matsumoto (10-0, 7 KOs), 126, barely kept his Japanese featherweight belt as he survived a last-round visit to the canvas and eked out a unanimous decision (all 96-92) over JBC#1 Jinki Maeda (13-2, 8 KOs), 125.5, over ten see-saw heats on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

The shaven skulled champ Keisuke, the son of former three-time world challenger and now his trainer Koji Matsumoto, utilized his hand speed and quick reflexes, comfortably piling up points almost in every round. He finely sent him to the deck with an eye-catching left-right combination to the southpaw ex-kick boxing champ in the fourth.

Maeda, whose left optic was badly puffed with his absorption of the champ’s sharp combinations, showed his determination as he turned loose and displayed an incredible last surge. Jinki decked the champ with a southpaw left and had him at bay with the bell coming to his rescue.

This fight may be a good candidate for Fight of the Year in the domestic category with each hitting the deck in dramatic fashion. Continue reading “Matsumoto beats Maeda, keeps Japan’s 126lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

The press conference of the forthcoming world title tripleheader was held on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan. All the participants look so fit and confident that they eloquently express their will to be victorious, as follows:

WBA BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BOUT

Defending champion TAKUMA INOUE (18-1, 4 KOs), Japan:
“I am in a career-best shape and also have done a very best training. I know Ancajas is the strongest opponent that I exchange gloves with. I’ll concentrate on beating him with my best effort.”

Challenger and ex-IBF junior bantam champion having defended his belt nine times JERWIN ANCAJAS (34-3-2, 23 KOs), Philippines:
“Now we don’t have no Filipino world champion. That makes me hungry for the championship belt. I’ll win.

WBC BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BOUT

Defending champion ALEJANDRO SANTIAGO (28-3-5, 14 KOs), Mexico:
“I’m in very best condition mentally and physically. I’ve done a strenuous training to defend my title successfully. I’m sure to win and keep my belt.”

Challenger and former two-division titlist JUNTO NAKATANI (26-0, 19 KOs), Japan:
“I’ve done 276 sparring sessions. I wish to demonstrate a good performance and become a new WBC champion. Having moved up to the bantamweight class, I feel very fit and believe I’m physically stronger.”

WBO JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BOUT for the vacant championship

Former three-division champ and WBO#1 KOSEI TANAKA (19-1, 11 KOs), Japan:
“I have fully studied my opponent’s style. I’m ready to win my fourth world championship.”

WBO#2 CHRISTIAN BACASEGUA (22-4-2, 9 KOs), Mexico:
“I’ve been training very hard. My condition is perfect. I’m very much confidence to acquire the world belt.”

Akihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions is the promoter of this deluxe show at Kuramae Sumo Arena.

More photos

The World Boxing Council has approved a fight between WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) and former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant IBF interim light heavyweight title. Benavidez comes into this fight after successfully defending his WBC 168lb belt against Demetrius Andrade last November. Former 175lb champion Gvozdyk is 3-0 since coming off a three-year layoff. More information regarding this fight will be released in the coming days.

Gor Yeritsyan 146.4 vs. Quinton Randall 146.4 – 10 Rounds
WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title
Cain Sandoval 139.2 vs. Javier Molina 140 – 10 Rounds
Daniel Barrera 114 vs. Jonathan Almacen 138.8 – 6 Rounds
Jorge Maravillo 152.2 vs. Jesus Gonzalez 151 – 6 Rounds
Alfredo Castro Villafuerte 122 vs. Ezequiel Flores 122 – 6 Rounds
Osvel Caballero 127.6 vs. Jason Buenaobra 122

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

Unfortunately, due to visa issues, the Wendy Toussaint vs. Mponda Kalunga main event bout has been postponed. Federici-Caparello has been elevated to the main event, and the Gonzalez-McMahon bout has been elevated to the co-feature.

Simone Federici 198 vs. Blake Caparello 195.8
(WBC Continental America cruiserweight title)

Danny Gonzalez 149.2 vs. Keane McMahon 147.8
Kamil Bednarek 170.2 vs. Victor Hugo Exner 170.8
John “Warrior” Gjini 134.6 vs Manuel Guzman 135.4
Frank Monaco 166.6 vs. Levan Loutsoupitze 166.4
Ronny Reyes 129.4 vs. Markus Bowes 132.6
Lous Maietta 169.6 vs. Tevin Terrance 170

Venue: The Paramount, Huntington, NY
Promoter: Star Boxing
TV: StarBoxing.TV

Unbeaten super middleweights Edgar Berlanga and Padraig McCrory faced off today at the final press conference for Saturday’s fight in Orlando, Forida, on DAZN.

Edgar Berlanga: “At this time, Saturday is my focus, Padraig McCrory. I don’t give a f**k about Canelo, Munguia, it’s this man across from me that’s trying to take my ‘0’, so I have to put my focus on him and handle my business and then eventually, we can focus on those guys.

Padraig McCrory: “I’m just a guy from West Belfast, no-one expects anything from me. But I think I have got what it takes to win this fight, we’ve trained hard and meticulously gone through tactics so whether it’s Game A, B or C, we’re ready for what he brings.”

Heavyweight Francis Ngannou, who is currently set to face former two-time unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in the boxing ring on March 8th, will then return to MMA to make his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut against the winner of a fight between Renan Ferreira and Ryan Bader, who tussle this weekend at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ngannou, a former UFC champion, lost a narrow decision against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury last year before signing to face Joshua in another boxing match.

On March 30, WBA cruiserweight champion Arsen “Feroz” Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs) makes his U.S. fighting debut to defend his title against former world champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California and broadcast live on DAZN.

Arsen Goulamirian: “I am excited to fight for the first time in the United States, and of all places Los Angeles. There are no excuses now. I know Zurdo wants to be a world champion, but he’s going to have to go through me first. I will successfully defend my world championship belt this March 30!”

Zurdo Ramirez: “I’m back! And I’m ready to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion. When I made the move to this division, I had my eyes set on Arsen and I can’t wait to showcase my skills in the ring. I feel extremely comfortable at this weight class and will look to become the undisputed champion.”

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya: “There has never been a Mexican world champion in both the super middleweight and cruiserweight divisions, but ‘Zurdo’ has always been special, and I fully expect him to walk away with the WBA belt on March 30…with all of this motivation, I would expect a knockout — and a spectacular one.”

Still no May 4 opponent has been finalized for undisputed super middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez. According to ESPN in Mexico, Premier Boxing Champions, who will cough up around a $35 million purse for Canelo, considers Jaime Munguia to be a more attractive PPV attraction. Team Canelo, however, is insisting on Jermall Charlo, who PBC fears could end up being a money-loser. A decision one way or another is expected by the end of the month.

WBA regular heavyweight champion Mahmoud “Diamond Boy” Charr (34-4, 20 KOs) of Germany will defend his title against two-time former world title challenger and WBA #10 rated Kubrat “The Cobra” Pulev (30-3, 14 KOs) on March 30 at the Arena Sophia in Sophia, Bulgaria. The fight will be presented by Epic Sports & Entertainment, led by CEO Ivaylo Gotzev.

“Everything is finally coming together and we are all in alignment. This fight promises to deliver an old school heavyweight barn burner. Both men are ready and it’s a make or break fight for them both. There is a lot on the line. This fight sets up multiple angles and we are excited about this year’s plans, watch this space,” said Gotzev.

By Gabriel F.Cordero

Sad to report the passing of legendary boxing official Manuel Landero of Panama at the age of 98. Landero had been a member of the WBA since 1967 when he joined the officers’ committee and eventually ended up as a supervisor in world title fights. In 1982, it was Landero who nominated Gilberto Mendoza Sr. for president of the WBA. He then carried out extensive lobbying to convince other WBA members to elect Mendoza.

By Jeff Zimmerman

Super middleweight star Edgar Berlanga talked about his upcoming fight this weekend against the undefeated Irishman Padraig McCrory at the Caribe Royale in Orlando and live on DAZN. He opened up about his career where he won his first sixteen fights by first round knockout, plus his “bite fight” vs. Angulo. He spoke about a Canelo-Benavidez potential showdown and what a Super Fight against them and Munguia at Madison Square Garden – Mexico vs. Puerto Rico – would look like. Plus, he shared a non-profit close to his heart – Cristian Rivera Foundation https://cristianriverafoundation.org/ – created in 2009 by family friend John Rivera to help find a cure for DMG/DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) after his son Cristian passed away at the age of six from DIPG.

Photo credit: Ed Mulholland @muls96 / Matchroom Boxing

WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) previewed his title defense against unbeaten contender Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs) during a virtual press conference this week. They fight March 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout is available via free access on Amazon Prime Video to all fans regardless of Prime membership or purchase of the Tszyu-Thurman PPV card later that evening.

Martinez and Cordova were originally scheduled to fight to fight on the final Showtime telecast in December, however, Martinez experienced visa issues trying to enter the country, forcing the bout to be rescheduled.

“I was very frustrated to have this fight postponed the first time, but now we’re just looking forward to the fight happening and having my hand raised,” said Martinez. Continue reading “JC Martinez: I’m the best at 112 pounds”

Former undisputed lightweight champion and current WBC super lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and popular contender Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) will host a multi-city press tour to promote their April 20 world championship clash, with stops in New York City (February 27, Palladium Times Square at 1:30PM ET) and Los Angeles (February 29, Avalon Hollywood at 1PM PT). Both stops will be open to the public. Get there early.

The Haney-Kingry fight will be available in the U.S. on DAZN PPV, while the rest of the world gets it with their DAZN subscription.

By Brad Snyder-The Undercard
Photos by Bob Ryder

Salita Promotions introduced “Big Time Boxing” and debuted boxing Tuesday night at the Wayne State Fieldhouse on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Big Time Boxing USA is set to be a regular boxing program on the DAZN network. Continue reading “Holmes lights up Harrington”