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Wins JBC 140lb mandatory shot

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

This reporter has been an avid reader of British Boxing News for some half a century. I like their enthusiasm in hot encounters of unbeaten compatriots, that is, Briton versus Briton, if not internationally focused. We saw such a locally sensational matchup of unbeaten super lightweights that vied in a Japanese eliminator against the national champ. JBC#2 Mikyo Watarai (6-0, 4 KOs; amateur 77-15, 19 stoppages), 139.5, very impressively accelerated his attack to score a fine TKO victory over JBC#1 hard-puncher Kotaro Sekine (9-1-1, 8 KOs; amateur 18-20, 5 KOs), 140, at 1:49 of the fourth round in a scheduled eight on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. It was a short but sizzling affair. Continue reading “Unbeaten Watarai halts Sekine”

360 Promotions has announced a 10-round main event between undefeated middleweight Sadriddin Akhmedov (14-0, 12 KOs) of Almaty, Kazakhstan now residing in Santa Monica, CA and Battle-Tested Veteran Raphael ‘Trouble’ Igbokwe (17-5, 7 KOs), of Houston, TX set for Friday, December 13 at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California and broadcast globally on UFC Fightpass.

“We were very impressed by Sadriddin Akhmedov’s Hollywood Fight Nights debut on August 31, scoring an impressive first round knockout,” said Tom Loeffler, President of 360 Promotions. “Prior to turning professional he was part of the Kazak National Boxing Team and earned a wealth of accolades as an amateur.”

Reigning WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) says he’s extremely proud to headline the inaugural “Latino Night” as part of Riyadh Season against WBO titleholder Chris “The Gentleman” Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs) on November 16th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ramirez vs. Billam-Smith will be streamed live on DAZN, as well as broadcast for free on several television networks around the world. Continue reading “Zurdo Ramirez Update”

Ramon Arellano (Arellano Boxing Promotions) presents another night of boxing November 21st in Nashville, Tennessee at his popular San Jose Fiesta Mexican Restaraunt. The 6 round light heavyweight main event will see former 2020 Olympian Nalek Korbaj (2-0, 2 KOs) of Venezuela vs veteran Twon Smith (4-12, 3 KOs) of Oklahoma. Continue reading “Boxing back in Nashville Nov 21”

A world title fight will top the latest installment of the Monte-Carlo Showdown at Salle Des Étoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo on Saturday December 14, shown live worldwide on DAZN. Uzbekistan’s former IBF and WBA super bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) attempts to become a two-time world champion when he takes on Mexican knockout artist Ricardo Espinoza Franco (30-4, 25 KOs) for the interim WBA super bantamweight title.

Also, Brazilian amateur star turned 5-0 professional Beatriz Ferreira makes the first defense of her IBF lightweight title against France’s former European Champion Licia Boudersa (23-2-2, 4 KOs), and British cruiserweight champion Chev Clarke (10-0, 7 KOs) clashes with unbeaten Frenchman Leonardo Mosquea (15-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant EBU European title.

By Ron Jackson

South Africa’s Shervantaigh Koopman stopped his rugged Canadian opponent Brandon Cook in the fifth round of a junior middleweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night to win the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Intercontinental junior-middleweight title.

However, Koopman had to come back from a knockdown in in the first round when a left hook sent the South African down for an eight count. Continue reading “Shervantaigh Koopman wins in five rounds”

Dan Otter (Three Lions Promotions) put on an event Saturday night at the RBC Place London, London, Ontario, Canada. The original main event of unbeaten prospect Samuel “Squirm” Arnold III (10-0, 6 KOs) of Dallas, Texas against Mohamed Zawadi (9-1, 8KOs) of Toronto, Canada was scrapped due to Arnold suffering a medical emergency in transit, .

Unbeaten lightweight prospect Erick Basran (7-0, 3 KOs) stepped up to the main event to defeat veteran Jorge Luis Rodriguez (23-22-2, 3 KOs) of Argentina via TKO2. Continue reading “Results from London, Ontario”

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions Hollywood Fight Nights series returned as undefeated featherweight Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 12 KOs) of Boyle Heights, California, went through a street fight in going the distance twelve rounds and winning a hard fought decision over a very tough Hector ‘La Maquinita’ Sosa, (17-3, 9 KOs) in the UFC Fight Pass main event Saturday night at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, California. Continue reading “Omar Trinidad remains unbeaten”

Former world cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev (31-2, 24 KOs) returned after one-year break to stop previously unbeaten Kem Ljungquist (18-1, 11 KOs) in a heavyweight bout on Saturday night at IBA Champions’ Night in Yerevan, Armenia.

After a slow start, 31-year-old Gassiev put Ljungquist down for the count in round five with a left hook to the liver.

WBC #2, WBO #2, IBF #3, WBA #5 super lightweight Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over former two-time WBC world champion Regis Prograis (29-3, 24 KOs) on Saturday night at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Prograis pressed the action and landed the harder punches. He was credited with a knockdown in round five with a jab to the shoulder. Catterall floored Prograis twice in round nine and pulled away down the stretch. Scores were 117-108, 116-109, 116-109.

In a direct rematch, super lightweight Jimmy Joe Flint (15-2-2, 3 KOs) defeated Campbell Hatton (14-2, 5 KOs) again over ten rounds. Scores were 97-94, 96-94, 96-95.

Eric Basran 139.6 vs. Jorge Luis Rodriguez 138.2
Marc Pagcaliwangan 133.2 vs. Julian Evaristo Aristule 131.4
Maxime Turcotte Novosedlik 146.6 vs. Gisela Noemi Luna 144.2
Fasial Rehman 164.4 vs. Jamie Ingram 162.9

Venue: RBC Place London, London, Ontario, Canada
Promoter: Dan Otter (Three Lions Promotions)

Note: Due to a medical emergency in transit, Samuel Arnold is not able to participate in the WBC Youth World Title bout against Moe Zawadi. “We wish Sam a speedy recovery and we are hopeful to get this WBC Youth world title bout in the near future,” said Otter.

Super welterweight “Speedy” Rashidi Ellis (25-1, 16 KOs) scored a second round TKO against Brian Chaves (14-6, 5 KOs) on Friday night at the Oceanside Events Center in Revere, Massachusetts. Ellis put Chaves on a knee at the end of round one. Chaves was unable to continue after round two.

In the co-feature, WBC USA silver middleweight champion Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (18-0, 16 KOs) stopped 43-year-old former world title challenger Elvin Ayala (29-14-1, 13 KOs) in round two.

Hometown favorite Jose Miguel Borrego (21-4, 17 KOs) decisioned previously unbeaten visiting Etoundi Michel William (16-1,12 KOs) of Brazil by way of the Ivory Coast. The 10 round super welterweight main event took place Friday night at the Deportivo Ferrrocarrillero in Aguas Calientes, Mexico. After a closely contested first half of the fight, Borrego broke through sending Michel to the canvas with a hook on the point to the chin during a heating exchange towards the end of round five. Michel would get through the round but Borrego kept the fight at close quarters for the better part of the rest of the fight in route to the unanimous decision victory. The official scores were 98-91 and 97-92 twice all in favor to Borrego.

Omar Trinidad 125.8 vs. Hector Sosa 125
Daniel Barrera 113 vs. Angel Mesa Morales 112.8
Guadalupe Medina 104.6 vs. Katherine Lindenmuth 103
Gor Yeritsyan 146.8 vs. Jonathan Romero 144.8
Abel Mejia 132.2 vs. Kevin Mangune 131.6
Umar Dzambekov 177 vs. Eric Robles 176.6
Adan Palma 121.2 vs. Carlos Mujica 121.2

Venue: Commerce Casino, Commerce, California
Promoter: 360 Promotions
TV: UFC Fightpass

The team of former IBF women’s bantamweight champion Miso Yoshida have criticized the decision rendered by judges in her decision loss to challenger Shurretta Metcalf, despite a wide lead in COMPUBOX numbers. The judges, Robin Taylor (99-91), Robert Perez (97-93) and Max DeLuca (96-94) awarded Metcalf the win despite Yoshida, finished the fight ahead 96-64 in overall punches, 49-17 in jabs, 30-16 in body punches and 8-0-2 in a round-to-round breakdown of total connects.

Yoshida out-landed Metcalf in rounds one and eight by 100-percent and by 175-percent in round six. However, those rounds were scored against Yoshida. Continue reading “Yoshida questions judges’ scoring”

The complete card has been finalized for the anticipated return of the undefeated Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield Jr. (17-0, 12 KOs) against gritty Rene “El Bravo” Tellez Girón (20-3, 13 KOs). The 12-round main event is scheduled to take place at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on Saturday, November 2, and will be exclusively broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

• In the co-main event, super middleweight Bektemir “Bek” Melikuziev (14-1, 10 KOs) will take on David “Dynamite” Stevens (14-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round WBA world championship eliminator.
• Undefeated IBF female flyweight champion Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) will challenge WBA, WBC, WBO flyweight champion Gabriela “LA Chuky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs) for all the marbles.
• Defending his WBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight Title, undefeated Darius “DFG” Fulghum (12-0, 10 KOs) will measure up against Christopher Pearson (17-4-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round match.

Continue reading “Schofield-Giron undercard set”

Jack Catterall 140 vs. Regis Prograis 139.7
(WBO International super lightweight title)

Reece Bellotti 129.12 vs. Michael Gomez Jr 129.15
James Flint 139.4 vs. Campbell Hatton 140.4
Pat McCormack 146.11 vs. William Andres Herrera 145.8
Junaid Bostan 158 vs. Maico Sommariva 155.7
Ste Clarke 161.6 vs. Mateusz Pawlowski 159.12
William Crolla 155.12 vs. Lorenzo Grasso 155.11
Joe McGrail 127.12 vs. Lewis Morris 128.12
Emily Whitworth 117.9 vs. Sara Orszagi 110.14

Venue: Co-op Live, Manchester, England
Promoter: Matchroom
TV: DAZN

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has announced the signing of former two-time world champion Lawrence Okolie to a promotional agreement. The 31-year-old Okolie, known as ‘The Sauce’, teams up with Queensberry in tandem with his decision to campaign at heavyweight and relinquishing his WBC world bridgerweight title he won via a first round stoppage of Lucas Rozanski in May.

By Evan Jacobs

Fight Club OC returned Tursday nighht with its largest crowd ever, 1,517 people, inside the Hangar at the OC Fair & Events Center in Costa Mesa, California.

In a six-rounder, unbeaten super lightweight Dorian Mendez (5-0, 2 KOs) edged William Davis (3-3-1, 1 KO) in a close, spirited contest. It looked like Davis might’ve taken the first two rounds, then Mendez roared back with shots to the body and head. This weakened Davis enough that Mendez took a decision. Continue reading “Fight Club OC Results”

Bantamweight “Gucci Manny” Flores (19-1, 15 KOs) made quick work of Victor Olive (21-5-1, 9 KOs) on Thursday night at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California. Flores dropped Olivo with a body shot in the first round and Olivo watched the referee count him out at the 1:50 mark.

Local featherweight Tito Sanchez (14-0, 8 KOs) electrified the crowd with a third round knockout victory over Edwin “Pupo” Palomares (18-5-3, 9 KOs).

“Speedy” Rashidi Ellis 154 vs. Brian Chaves 154
Francis Hogan 159 vs. Elvin Ayala 159
Tommy Hyde 169 vs. Aro Schwartz 167
Mike Fontanez 157 vs. Bruno Romay 158
Joe Bush 150 vs. Keenan Raymond 150
Matt Doherty 139 vs. Eric Palmer 139
Tevin Regis 145 vs. Yeison Berdugo 140

Venue: Oceanside Events Center, Revere, Massachusetts
Promoter: CES
TV: DAZN

World-rated super middleweight Darius “DFG” Fulghum (12-0, 10 KOs), the undefeated rising star from Houston, returns to the ring on November 2 at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, when he takes on Christopher Pearson (17-4-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round fight.

“I was the first one on my team to see that I was #7 in the WBA (he had not previously been rated and has since moved up to #6) and I jumped up on my couch streaming about being recognized by one of the four major sanctioning bodies. I still have to fight some of the (world-rated) fighters, but this is a dream come true for me. I was surprised by it (rated so quickly) but not surprised because, all along, I wanted to crack the top ten this year.”

However, you will not find the 28-year-old Fulghum calling out Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, nor any fighters rated ahead of him. Continue reading “Fulghum: I feel that I can compete with Canelo”

Bakhram Murtazaliev stopped Tim Tszyu his first title defense, shocking many as he entered the ring as a huge underdog this past Saturday, October 19 at Caribe Royal in Orlando, Florida, live on Prime Video.

Bakhram accomplished this DESPITE breaking the knuckle on his right-hand pinky finger on the last day of sparring on Friday, October 11. They had a doctor check it out. After the fight was over, when head trainer Roman Kalantaryan revealed the injury, he said they decided not to cancel the fight because they were so sure that Bakhram would stop Tszyu anyway. “The guy is a monster!!” said Bakhram’s promoter Kathy Duva after hearing about this. Continue reading “Bakhram Murtazaliev Update”

Twins Andrey (1-0) and Ari Bonilla (1-0, 1 KO) of Mexico return to the ring December 6 after both were successful in their profesional debuts this past September. Each will be featured in 10 round bouts against TBAs defending their WBA and WBC regional titles they each won in their pro debuts. Andrey is world ranked #15 at 118 by the WBA, and Ari #10 by the WBA at 115.

The pair combined to make history with each debuting in 10 round bouts and winning their titles. Kris Lawrence (The Heavyweight Factory) will promote the event which will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Hollywood, Florida. Continue reading “World-ranked Bonilla twins headline Dec 6”

Jack Catterall and Regis Prograis faced off at the final press conference ahead of their super lightweight contest on DAZN Saturday at the new CoOp Live Arena in Manchester, England.