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WBA #1 Otabek Kholmatov (12-0, 11 KOs) and WBA #2 Raymond Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) collide for the vacant WBA featherweight world title this Saturday at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. In the co-feature, IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) defends his crown against Reiya Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs). Both fights will stream on ESPN+.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Otabek Kholmatov: “It has been my dream to fight for a world title. I’ve been training my whole life for this. I’m ready…I love to fight. That’s all I have done in my life. So, I’m going to bring the fight on Saturday.”

Raymond Ford: “This means the world to me. I’ve been fighting my whole life for this opportunity. It’s finally here, and I’m going to take full advantage of it…I’m willing to stay for one more fight at 126 if it’s to defend against a champion or a big money fight. If it makes sense, I’m definitely here for it. But it has to be right away. If not, I’m moving up to 130.”

Luis Alberto Lopez: “We know he’s a fighter who likes to move a lot. He likes to be on his toes and moving backward. But if he wants to be the new champion, he’s going to have to come here and fight. We will do everything possible to win early…the faster a unification fight happens, the better for me. It would be great for my career.”

Reiya Abe: “I think Lopez is a good champion. But this will be the day that I show that I’m the best at 126 pounds…the level of boxing in Japan has been improving, and I’m pleased to have been recognized there. The pressure has increased, but I consider it to be necessary to become stronger.”

Abass Baraou 153.5 vs. Sam Eggington 153.75
(EBU European super welterweight title)

Sultan Zuarbek 134.5 vs. Victor Julio 135.75
Matty Harris 269.5 vs. Amine. Boucetta 231.75
Andrei Dascalu 166.75 vs. Joe Jackson-Brown 170
Ryan Kelly 163.5 vs. Ioan Alexandru Lutic 163.25
Tom Welland 126 vs. Esteban Troestch 121.1
Nick Leahy 147.75 vs. Jake Osgood 145.75
Kaisee Benjamin 150.5 vs. Berman Sanchez 155.75
Gully Power 129 vs. Angelo Turco 134
Elliot Whale 149 vs. Fernando Mosquera TBA
Dan Toward 154.75 vs. Frank Madsen 154.6

Venue: Telford International Centre, Telford, England
Promoter: Wasserman Boxing
TV: DAZN, Channel 5 (UK)

Power-punching lightweight Miguel Madueño (31-2, 28 KOs) scored a hard fought ten round split decision over WBA #14 Justin Pauldo (17-2, 8 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida. The bout was a slugfest at times with the aggressive Madueño prevailing 95-94, 97-92 on two cards. Pauldo was up 95-94 on the third card. Madueño was deducted a point for hitting behind the head in round five.

Unbeaten light heavyweight KO artist Najee Lopez (10-0, 8 KOs) got all he could handle from Marcos Escudero (14-3, 12 KOs) in a ten round majority decision. Close, competitive fight with both having their moments. Scores were 95-95, 97-93, and a crazy 99-91.

Unbeaten two-time Olympian Tsendbaatar ‘Mongolian Mole’ Erdenebat (9-0, 4 KOs) won his official lightweight debut with an eight round unanimous decision over Mohamed Soumaoro (14-3, 6 KOs). Scores were 79-73, 80-72, 80-72.

Jeter Promotions presented an eleven-bout card at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in Hanover, Maryland this past Saturday. In the main event, super middleweight Immanuwel Aleem (20-3-2, 13 KOs) stopped Malcom Jones (17-4, 10 KOs) in round four for the vacant WBC Fecarbox and UBO Continental titles.

In the co-main event, super bantamweight Jaqeem Hutcherson (11-1-1, 0 KOs) outpointed Brandon Chambers (9-3-1, 5 KOs) over eight rounds by scores of 78-74 3x. The bout was a rematch. Continue reading “Late Results from Maryland”

Top super welterweights Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and Serhii Bohachuk will meet for the vacant WBC super welterweight title on March 30, but it will be far from the first time they’ve shared a ring, as Fundora explained ahead their PPV clash on Prime Video from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“We used to spar Bohachuk all the time,” said Fundora. “I sparred him a lot before I faced Ve’Shawn Owens and the fight after that. We stopped sparring around 2019, maybe early 2020. Bohachuk and I have sparred thousands of rounds together. But that’s in the past, we’re both in different places now as fighters. It’s an honor to have shared so many rounds with him. I wouldn’t rather have my first world title fight against anybody else. He’s a come forward fighter who throws a lot. I know he might be stronger now, but that same aggressive style is what I see. My job is to show the difference between us on March 30.” Continue reading “Fundora: First Bohachuk, then Tszyu”

Heayweights Efe Ajagba (19-1, 14 KOs) and Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) will meet in a ten round battle of 2016 Olympians in the co-feature for the April 13 ESPN clash between heavyweights Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson and Ryad Merhy at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The eight-round televised opener features three-time world title challenger Robson Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 KOs) looking to keep his junior lightweight world title hopes alive against the upset-minded Jose Guardado (15-1-1, 5 KOs). Conceição, a 2016 Olympic boxing gold medalist, is coming off a draw against three-weight world champion Emanuel Navarrete.

In scheduled undercard action, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+:

• In a clash between unbeaten junior lightweights, Henry Lebron (19-0, 10 KOs), who is ranked in the top 10 by the WBO and IBF, will face Charly Suarez (16-0, 9 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
• Hot unbeaten 19-year-old southpaw lightweight Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) returns in an eight-rounder against Ronal Ron (14-5, 11 KOs).
• Featherweight contender Ruben Villa (21-1, 7 KOs) will fight Cristian Cruz Chacon (22-6-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
• Local welterweight John Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) looks to thrill the hometown fans in a six-rounder against TBA.

Wasserman Boxing announced that WBA #7 super welterweight Abass Baraou (14-1, 9 KOs) has signed a new deal with the company. Baraou, who has been promoted by Wasserman’s Kalle and Nisse Sauerland since he made his professional debut in 2018, will fight for the vacant EBU European title on Friday night at the Telford International Centre in Telford, England against Sam Eggington (34-8, 20 KOs) on Channel 5 in the UK. Baraou’s only loss was a split decision against former world champion Jack Culay in 2020.

Mundo Boxing will present a boxing card on Friday night at the Tropical Park Equestrian Center in Miami, Florida (7900 SW 40th Street). Headlining will be a ten round light heavyweight clash between former two-time world title challenger Roamer Alexis Angulo (27-3, 23 KOs) and Oscar ‘Moustro’ Rojas (29-17-3, 17 KOs). The WBA NABA title will be on the line. Angulo’s only losses have been against Edgar Berlanga, David Benavidez, and Zurdo Ramirez.

WBC super lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and top contender “King” Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) hosted a press conference in New York City to promote their 12-round world title clash across the river at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, April 20, exclusively live on DAZN PPV.

Ryan Garcia: “When I first came into the game, I just wanted to make a bunch of money and then I did that. But now I want to go for the legacy, I wanna go for the belts and Devin’s in the way. I’m on my vengeance arc. I’m ready to get back in blood in everything so I’m coming straight for his neck. I promise you, I’m coming straight for you, it’s going to be ugly.”

Devin Haney: “DAZN, they put the bounty up. On April 20th I’m capturing the bounty and we coming home with the victory inshallah…he don’t have the skills. He don’t have the IQ. He don’t have the heart. We’ve seen him quit. We’ve seen you take a knee! And on April 20 it won’t be no different. When it gets hot, you quit!”

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

February isn’t over yet, and the amount of traveling I have done has been tremendous.
From day trips to Oaxaca and Tampico, to going around the world to Thailand, Dubai, Rome and London. In this process, I have lost special moments with my family, and I made a decision from one day to the next… to bring my daughter to celebrate her birthday in Las Vegas, and attend the Bad Bunny concert. This Puerto Rican artist is my daughter’s boyfriend; Well he doesn’t know, but she does.

My wife, my daughter, her friend and I literally came backpacking, with the most complicated flights: CDMX-Denver-Las Vegas-Guadalajara-CDMX, but mission accomplished: a birthday in the memory of my beloved girl.

We walked a lot to show them this city that never ceases to surprise, and something wonderful happened to me; I remembered, as if I were in a time tunnel, many of the things that surprised me from my first trip to Sin City. It was in 1986, my dad brought me, with my brother Fernando, when Mike Tyson conquered the WBC heavyweight championship at the age of 20! Continue reading “The Time Tunnel in Las Vegas”

By Joe Koizumi

The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) announced yesterday (Monday) that it had the suspension of Mexican Luis Nery’s license revoked and would allow him to fight “Monster” Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) with the undisputed four belts on the line. The JBC had indefinitely suspended Nery because the Mexican failed to make weight by no less than three pounds in his rematch with former champ Shinsuke Yamanaka in March 2018. In Japan it is very strict to observe the contract weight especially in world title bouts, so the offenders against the weight system should be severely punished here. Continue reading “JBC allows Luis Nery to fight “Monster” Inoue”

By Jeff Zimmerman

Fightnews.com® caught up with Jose Benavidez Sr, father and trainer to Jose Benavidez Jr and the “Mexican Monster” David Benavidez. Benavidez Sr talked about David being nixed out of the Canelo 168lb sweepstakes with Canelo leaving the PBC to head back to DAZN where he reportedly will face Jaime Mungia and Edgar Berlanga in May and September. Benavidez Sr also shared his thoughts on David’s next fight at 175lbs vs former champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk with the potential to face the winner of Bivol-Beterbiev and much more in this exclusive interview.

Undefeated WBA regular super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. (10-0, 9 KOs) has declared that 168ln contender Edgar Berlanga is nowhere near his level and that he would dispatch him in just one round if given the chance. Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) is currently one of the frontrunners on the shortlist of Canelo Alvarez.

“Berlanga is simply not on my level,” said Morrell Jr. “I’ve watched his fights, and I see nothing that worries me. Berlanga sucks and I would destroy him. If we ever step into the ring together, I’ll knock him out in one round, guaranteed. I’m here to prove that I’m the best. Whether it’s Berlanga, or anyone else, I’ll be ready to step into the ring and show the world what I’m made of. I’m the best fighter in the super middleweight division, and soon everyone will know that.”

Things have reportedly blown up between undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and PBC and Canelo may be bolting back to Matchroom with Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia fights possibly on the horizon. Apparently PBC wasn’t willing to cough up Canelo’s $35 million purse for a PPV against WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo after Canelo defeated Charlo’s brother Jermell in a bad fight last September.

If Canelo is gone, it looks like WBA lightweight champion Tank Davis will defend against Frank Martin in the PBC PPV following their March 30 show.

Heavyweights Victor Faust and Igor Shevadzutskyi both scored early victories on Sunday at the Black Wolves Fight Club in Wiesbaden, Germany.

After a long break due to a back injury, Faust (12-1, 8 KOs) scored a fourth-round TKO against Marcos Antonio Aumada (25-13, 20 KOs). Faust dropped Aumada in round two and finished him in round four. Faust was coming off his first loss against WBA #6 Lenier Pero 12 months ago.

In the co-feature, heavyweight Igor Shevadzutskyi (11-1, 9 KOs) pounded on previously unbeaten Edonis Berisha (7-1, 6 KOs) for three rounds and the bout was stopped at the beginning of round four. Shevadzutskyi was returning after his defeat against WBA #1-rated Martin Bakole in April 2023.

Heavyweight Kevin “Big Gulp” Nagle remained undefeated, improving his professional boxing record to 7-0, 7 KOs, as he headlined for the first time on last Saturday night in front of a packed house at cozy Bridgewater Veterans Club in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Nagle immediately established his strength advantage, using his 287½ pound frame to punish his opponent Alfred “Concho” Trevino (9-11-1, 1 KO), right from the opening bell. Trevino hit the canvas in the first round from a powerful right to the body and Nagle closed the show in the second round, stopping Trevino with a pair of right-handed punches that both landed on the button.

In the co-feature, light heavyweight Anthony Andreozzi (5-3, 2 KOs) stopped Igor Pessoa (0-8) in round two. Also, super middleweight Greg Bono (2-1-1, 2 KOs) won a four-rounder against Bruno Dias (1-13-1, 0 KOs),  middleweight Ryan Clark (4-5, 2 KOs) topped Jay Gregory (0-10-1) over four, middleweight Ricky Ford (5-1-2, 3 KOs) halted Erick Alves (0-2) in round two, and welterweight Joe Bush (2-0, 2 KOs) stopped Rakim Johnson (7-23-1, 5 KOs) in round three.

48-year-old former world champion Acelino “PoPo” Freitas (41-2, 34 KOs), sporting corn rows, returned to the ring Saturday night to demolish 198lb bodybuilder Kleber Bambam in about one minute at the Vibra Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Freitas dropped Bambam with a left hook in the first 15 seconds, then finished him with a barrage of punches including a brutal rabbit punch when Bambam turned his back. Freitas and Bambam used to be friends, but they had a falling out leading to this grudge match.

By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Naoki Fukuda

We yesterday watched all the three Japanese contestants victorious in the world title tripleheader in Tokyo, Japan. It’s time to count and confirm our world titleholders so far. Let’s get it on.

Undisputed 122 Naoya Inoue 26-0, 23 KOs
WBA 118 Takuma Inoue 19-1, 5 KOs
WBO 118 Junto Nakatani 27-0, 20 KOs
WBA 115 Kazuto Ioka 31-2-1, 16 KOs
WBO 115 Kosei Tanaka 20-1, 11 KOs
WBA 112 Seigo Yuri Akui 19-2-1, 11 KOs
WBC, WBA 108 Kenshiro Teraji 23-1, 14 KOs
WBC 105 Yudai Shigeoka 8-0, 5 KOs
IBF 105 Ginjiro Shigeoka 10-0, 8 KOs

There are nine world champs. This reporter remembers the day of more than ten world titleholders here, and if we call that good old days the golden age of boxing in Japan, the current state of only nine titlists is still developing to expect a brighter future. We should be humble and should not be overconfident over the current situation since we may see hungry challengers all over the world. We should cultivate more and more young aspirants for fame and fortune with more efforts since boxing is technically changing day after day. The golden age of boxing in Japan is yet to come.

Unbeaten Josue Francisco Aguero (11-0, 6 KOs) of Argentina demolished Francisco Javier Lucero (16-5-4, 12 KOs) of Mexico in round one Saturday night at the Casino Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina. Midway through round one, Aguero caught Lucero with a quick left hook to the chin that sent Lucero hard to the canvas. Lucero beat the count but Aguero immediately overwhelmed him with a high volume of punches against the ropes prompting the referee to stop the bout. Aguero retained his WBA Fedelatin Super Featherweight title. The official time of the stoppage was 1:16.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

“Monster” Inoue’s brother WBA bantamweight champ Takuma Inoue (19-1, 5 KOs), 117.75, impressively kept his belt as he beautifully scored a one-punch knockout over ex-IBF junior bantam ruler Jerwin Ancajas (34-4-2, 23 KOs), 117.75, at 0:44 of the ninth round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

It was Takuma’s best performance as he displayed his hand speed, quick reflexes and determination in infighting and stunned the crowd by an unexpected knockout victory. We knew Ancajas as a dangerous southpaw puncher, but Takuma dared to mix it up in the close quarter and dominated the processing with his faster hands. Continue reading “Takuma Inoue-Ancajas Full Report”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten two-division champ Junto Nakatani (27-0, 20 KOs), 117.5, very impressively captured the WBC bantamweight belt as he dropped defending titlist Alejandro Santiago (28-5-5, 14 KOs), 117.75, from Mexico, twice and scored a spectacular TKO victory at 1:12 of the sixth round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

Former WBO junior bantam ruler Junto had a severe weight problem due to his exceptional height in his previous division, renounced his 115-pound belt and had an ambitious crack at the world bantam belt against Santiago who had acquired the vacant WBC title by beating veteran ex-champ Nonito Donaire last July. But it was Nakatani’s night since Santiago couldn’t show anything out of his arsenal before the trick happened. Continue reading “Nakatani-Santiago Full Report”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Formerly three-division WBO champ Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs), 114.75, acquired the vacant WBO junior bantamweight belt as he had a tough time with durable Mexican warrior Christian Bacasegua (22-5-2, 9 KOs), 114.75, but earned a unanimous decision (116-111, 117-110, 119-108) over twelve hard-fought rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. The official tallies were as follows: Don Trella (US) 116-111, Pat Russell (US) 117-110 and Surat Soikrachang (Thailand) 119-108—all in Kosei’s favor. Bence Kovacs (Hungary) was the referee. Continue reading “Tanaka-Bacasegua Full Report”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Hard-punching southpaw bantam prospect Riku Masuda (4-1, 4 KOs), 117.75, demonstrated his vaunted power punching in polishing off WBO#6 ex-world title challenger Jonas Sultan (19-7, 11 KOs), 117.5, at 2:21 of the opening session in a scheduled eight supporting a world title tripleheader on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. Masuda, whose amateur mark was 52-14 including 22 stoppages, failed to win the national 118-pound belt from unbeaten world-rated Seiya Tsutsumi only to lose a close decision (96-94 twice, 97-93) last August. The quick demolition was produced by a haymaker, a southpaw left to the midsection. Sultan fell in agony to be unable to beat the count though he almost raised himself. The ref tolled the fatal ten. Continue reading “Masuda-Sultan Full Report”