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Unbeaten light heavyweight destroyer Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) defended his unified WBC/WBO/IBF world titles with a brutal seventh round KO against former super middleweight champion Callum “Mundo” Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) on Saturday night at the Videotron Center in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Smith boxed smartly but Beterbiev’s powerful punches caused damage whenever they landed. Beterbiev battered Smith in round four but Smith rallied later in the round. Beterbiev continued to punish Smith, who showed a great fighting heart. Beterbiev finally dropped Smith twice in round seven. After the second knockdown trainer Buddy McGirt entered the ring to stop the fight in case Smith would have beat the count. Time was 2:00.

Heavyweight Malik “The Ring King” Titus (10-1, 9 KOs) snapped the six fight win streak of Joey “The Tank” Dawejko (27-11-4, 15 KOs) by taking an eight round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Dawejko stalked the 6’5 Titus the whole fight, but Titus stayed out of range and frustrated Dawejko with his long jab. Scores were 78-74, 78-74, 79-73.

Unbeaten NABF bantamweight beltholder Dylan Price (17-0, 11 KOs) was victorious when Gilberto Mendoza (20-18-4, 10 KOs) couldn’t continue after the end of the eighth round.

Other Results:
Rashad Bogar SD6 Fernando Bunch (super lightweight)
Antonio Dunton El Jr W6 Devin Gantt (featherweight)
Francisco Rodriguez KO1 Joseph Cole (lightweight)
Miguel Roman TKO3 Hector Becerra (super bantamweight)
Saud Clark W4 Henry Mendez (middleweight)
William Briscoe KO1 Alvin Davis (middleweight)

WBO bantamweight champion Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (27-2, 19 KOs) scored a hotly contested twelve round majority decision over Saul Sanchez (20-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at the Videotron Center in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Close rounds with both fighters having their moments. Brutal toe-to-toe exchanges down the stretch. Scores were 114-114, 116-112, 116-112. Great fight!

Unbeaten WBC #1, WBA #1, IBF #3, WBO #5 super middleweight Christian Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) impressively scored a sixth round TKO over tough as nails Rohan Murdock (27-3, 19 KOs) on Saturday night at the Videotron Center in Quebec City, Quebec Canada. It was a firefight from the opening bell with Mbilli steadily breaking down the rugged Murdock. By round five it was target practice for Mbilli. Murdock gamely came out and finished round six before his corner pulled him out of the fight. Another impressive performance for Mbilli, who is knocking on Canelo’s door.

Unbeaten light heavyweight Imam Khataev (6-0, 6 KOs) stopped Michal Ludwiczak (17-13-1, 9 KOs) in round two. Khataev dropped Ludwiczak in the second stanza and got a referee’s stoppage with his follow-up barrage. Time was 2:17. Khataev claimed the NABF title with the win.

Other Results:
Leila Beaudoin W8 Elizabeth Chavez (female super featherweight)
Wilkens Mathieu W4 Jose Arias Alvarez (super middleweight)
Mehmet Unal TKO1 Dragan Lepei (light heavyweight)
Christopher Guerrero W8 Sergio Herrera (welterweight)
Moreno Fendero KO1 Victor Hugo Flores (super middleweight)

4’10 “Tiny” Tina Rupprecht (13-1-1, 3 KOs) outpointed and dethroned previously unbeaten WBC female atomweight champion Fabiana Bytyqi (20-1-2, 5 KOs) by unanimous decision over ten rounds on Saturday night at the Verti Music Hall in Berlin, Germany. Scores were 98-92, 97-93, 97-93.

In what was billed as his final fight, 39-year-old German super welterweight favorite Ronny Gabel (30-8-1, 21 KOs) lost a twelve round majority decision to Ilias Essaoudi (22-2, 15 KOs) in a clash for the vacant WBO European title. Essaoudi won by scores of 114-114, 117-110, 118-110. The bout was a rematch of their clash in May that ended in a no-decision after an accidental headbutt.

The WBA Championships Committee has ordered a fight between WBA super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka and #1 rated John “Scrappy” Ramirez. Both parties have until February 12 to reach an agreement to make the fight. If no agreement is reached, the WBA will likely call for a purse bid with a split of 75% for Ioka and 25% for Ramirez.

The World Boxing Association (WBA) granted a special permit requested by Arsen Goulamirian to fight Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for their super cruiserweight title. Goulamirian sent a formal request for the fight against Zurdo, to be held on March 16. The WBA granted Goulamirian permission to face Ramirez on the condition that the winner of the fight must fight #1 rated Yunier Dorticos within a period of no more than 120 days after the victory.

The WBO Championship Committee has denied a request by Disrupt Promotions to approve a fight between #1 junior lightweight Albert Bell and #3 Archie Sharp for an interim title and/or the winner be designated as the mandatory challenger for Emanuel Navarrete’s next title defense.

Due to his “super champion” status, Navarrete isn’t required to make a mandatory defense until February 2025, therefore the WBO ruled that at this time an interim title and/or elimination bout is not warranted or justified.

The Committee indicated that they may sanction Bell-Sharp for a regional title if the parties voluntarily agree to do so. In any event, both camps were strongly recommended to keep active.

Super featherweight Moussa Gholam (21-1, 12 KOs) scored a fourth round KO over Lunga Sitemela (15-2, 9 KOs) on Saturday night at the Yas Links Golf Resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Gholam dropped Sitemela with a hook to the liver to end it. Time was 1:23.

Unbeaten cruiserweight Mohammed Bekdash (27-0, 23 KOs) had to go the distance for the first time since 2017 with an eight round unanimous decision over Shaban Hamadi Jongo (11-4-2, 10 KOs). Southpaw Bekdash overcame a badly swollen left eye and an injured left hand to win 78-74, 77-75, 77-75.

Unbeaten lightweight Bader “The Master” Samreen (10-0, 8 KOs) edged Jeff Ofori (13-5-2, 4 KOs) over ten rounds, taking a majority decision by scores of 95-95, 96-94, 96-94.

Lightweight Fahad Al Bloushi (13-1, 3 KOs) was victorious when Milner Marcano (24-13, 20 KOs) remained on his stool after round six. Al Bloushi dropped Marcano in round six.

Agustin Mauro Gauto (21-1, 14 KOs) of Argentina stopped Ernesto Martinez (15-5-2, 8 KOs) of Venezuela in the third round on Friday night at the Biblioteca Popular Nicolas Avellaneda, in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Gaut caught Martinez with a left while the two were exchanging punches. Martinez remained on his feet but was hurt and taking a lot of punches from Gauto prompting Martinez’corner to throw in the towel.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

It might be called “Night of Upsets” as we watched three new champions in five female title bouts on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. In the main event, fast-moving Rie Matsuda (7-1-1, 1 KO), a southpaw counterpuncher, surprisingly dethroned WBA, WBO atomweight champ Yoko Kuroki (22-8-2, 9 KOs), 101.5, by eking out a split decision (96-94, 97-94 for Matsuda, 94-96 for Kuroki) over ten speedy rounds on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. Kuroki, 32, kept stalking the elusive footworker, 29, all the way with Matsuda occasionally countering the willing mixer. The verdict seemed controversial since Kuroki was an aggressor in almost all rounds, while Matsuda kept circling and only occasionally countering the aggressive champ. Kuroki may deserve a rematch. Continue reading “Matsuda dethrones WBA, WBO female 102lb champ Kuroki”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten WBO female junior bantam champ Mizuki Hiruta (6-0, 2 KOs), 113.75, proved too powerful and aggressive for 38-year-old Korean legendary ex-champ Ji-Hyun Park (26-4, 8 KOs), 112.25, halting Park at 1:45 of the sixth round in a scheduled ten on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. Hiruta, 27, a strong southpaw puncher with a good amateur mark, scored her second defense with ease as she battered ex-WIBA atomweight titlist Park from all angles from the outset. Having her groggy and exhausted, Hiruta accelerated her attack so that the ref promptly made an intervention to save the 38-year-old Park from further punishment. Continue reading “Hiruta stops Park, keeps WBO female 115lb belt”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten southpaw puncher Sumire Yamanaka (8-0, 3 KOs), 101, captured the IBF female atomweight belt as she kept battering defending champ and compatriot Mika Iwakawa (12-7-1, 4 KOs), 101.5, to win a unanimous decision (97-93, 96-94, 99-91) over ten two-minute rounds on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. The 22-year-old Sumire, the younger sister of ex-WBO minimum champ Ryuya Yamanaka, became the very first in Japan that the brother and sister both acquired the world championship belts. Sumire, a short but stout-built southpaw hard-puncher, took the initiative with southpaw right hooks all the way despite the 40-year-old Iwakawa’s too late retaliation down the stretch. Continue reading “Yamanaka becomes first Japanese sister/brother world champ”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Veteran Japanese Terumi Nuki (14-5, 10 KOs), 117, acquired the female WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight belt by lopsidedly halting India’s Monica Singh (4-1, 2 KOs), 117.25, at 0:17 into the sixth and final session on Friday in Tokyo, Japan. Nuki, more powerful and aggressive, dropped the taller Indian twice with body shots prior to the referee’s well-timed stoppage.

Unheralded Mayumi Nakano (6-1, 3 KOs), 104.5, upset defending titlist Riyuna Yoshikawa (6-2-1, 1 KO), 104.75, by an eight-round majority decision (77-75 twice, 76-76) to wrest the WBO AP 105-pound belt in the champ’s second defense.

Continue reading “Nuki, Nakano win female WBO AP belts”

Popular bantamweight Christian Carto (21-1, 14 KOs) kicked off King’s Promotions year with a second round knockout against veteran Ardin Diale (35-19-4, 17 KOs) on Friday night 12 at Live! Casino and Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A big right hand by Carto finished Diale.

Amid several press reports concerning the results of anti-doping tests performed on WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in connection with his upcoming defense of his bout against Callum Smith, the WBC clarified the situation.

Two samples (one urine and another blood) collected on December 6, 2023, yielded analytical “atypical findings” for 5b-androstanediol and hGH (human growth hormones). An atypical finding is not a positive results for a banned substance. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) defines an atypical finding as “a report from a laboratory or other WADA-approved entity which requires further investigation … ” That is exactly what the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), which is the entity that administers the WBC Clean Boxing Program, did in this case. Continue reading “WBC Position on Beterbiev’s atypical test”

Artur Beterbiev 175 vs. Callum Smith 174.6
(WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight title)

Jason Moloney 117.5 vs. Saul Sanchez 117.8
(WBO bantamweight title)

Christian Mbilli 167.3 vs. Rohan Murdock 167.6

Imam Khataev 174.6 vs. Michal Ludwiczak 178.6
Elizabeth Chavez Espinoza 129.9 vs. Leila Beaudoin 128.6
Wilkens Mathieu 168.8 vs. Jose Arias Alvarez 167.7
Mehmet Unal 177.7 vs. Dragan Lepei 177.8
Sergio Garcia Herrera 149.6 vs. Christopher Guerrero 149.5
Victor Hugo Flores 162.8 vs. Moreno Fendero 162.3

Venue: Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Promoter: Top Rank, EOTTM
TV: ESPN

Ronny Gabel 153.2 vs. Ilias Essaoudi 153.9
(WBO Europe super welterweight title)

Fabiana Bytyqi 101.9 vs. Tina Rupprecht 101
(WBC female atomweight title)

Artur Reis 171.8 vs. Robert Talarek 171.5
Julian Vogel 153.9 vs. Martin Balog 152.8
Lara Ochmann 130.1 vs. Diana Kulinova 137.2

Venue: Verti Music Hall, Berlin, Germany
Promoter: SES Boxing
TV: sportschau.de und rbb24.de

Super featherweights Liam Dillon (13-0-1, 3 KOs) and Reece Bellotti (17-5, 14 KOs) will clash for the British and Commonwealth titles at Indigo at The O2 in London on Saturday February 10, shown live worldwide on DAZN. Originally DAZN had welterweight rivals Conah Walker and Cyrus Pattinson set to rematch at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle on that date, but an eye injury sustained by Pattinson has forced him to withdraw.

Christian Carto 123 vs. Ardin Diale 130
Atif Oberlton 175 vs. Cleotis Pendarvis 174.5
Quadir Albright 146.5 vs. Adam Kipenga 145.5
Jackie McTamney 125.5 vs. Cara McLaughlin 123.5
Cornelius Phipps 121 vs. Darrin Holiday 122
Cody Russell 176 vs. Ronald Trahan 173
Ibrahim Robinson 145 vs. Renny Viamonte 146
Ismail Muhammad 149.5 vs. Zach Hill 150.5

Venue: Live! Casino Hotel Philadelphia
Promoter: King’s Promotions
Stream: BXNGTV.com (Marc Abrams and Mykal Fox on the call)
1st Bell: 7 PM ET

AGON Sports won an IBF purse bid today for the right to promote the IBF junior middleweight title fight between “Golden” Jack Culcay and Bakhram Murtazaliev. By bidding $666,300, AGON Sports trumped Murtazaliev’s promoter, who offered $500,000. Culcay-Murtazaliev will most likely take place on April 6th in Falkensee, Germany. The title is currently vacant after being relinquished by Jermell Charlo last month.

WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and challenger Callum Smith faced off at the final press conference for their world title clash on ESPN Saturday night at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Artur Beterbiev: “I’m excited, just like I am for every fight. For this fight, we prepared like we usually do, which is at 100 percent…I’m focused on this fight. I’m happy that my supporters are coming to watch us. But I have things to do.”

Callum Smith: “This will be exciting. He’s a very good fighter. He’s a three-belt champion, so his achievements speak for themselves. But, I believe in myself. I always have. I believe that the best version of me can beat anyone in the world. I fully stand by that.”

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The proceedings were all business with no handshake after the face-off. Beterbiev reportedly is upset at Smith for allegedly misrepresenting an “atypical” VADA test he (Beterbiev) had in December. Beterbiev was cleared after follow-up testing proved negative. An “atypical” result is different than an “adverse finding” and doesn’t necessarily represent use of a banned substance.

Keeps WBO AP 135lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

In the first show of 2024 in Japan, once-beaten southpaw WBO#13 Katsuya Yasuda (13-1, 8 KOs), 134.75, kept his WBO Asia Pacific lightweight belt when he decked #11 compatriot Ruito Saeki (10-6-1, 3 KOs), 134.25, twice, in rounds two and three, and accelerated his attack to halt him at 1:23 of the ninth round in a scheduled twelve on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

For Yasuda, 31, it was his second defense since he acquired the vacant regional belt by outscoring Thailander Apichet Petchmanee this June. The 25-year-old Saeki, however, showed his heart to retaliate well despite his left optic badly puffed and almost closed until the ref Nakamura declared a halt. The loser strongly claimed he could still go on upon the seemingly well-timed stoppage. Continue reading “WBO#13 Yasuda stops Saeki”

Two rising talents are set to put their perfect records on the line as part of the ESPN-televised tripleheader headlined by the WBC junior lightweight showdown between reigning champ O’Shaquie “Ice Water” Foster and Abraham “El Super” Nova on February 16 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

In the 10-round junior lightweight co-feature, Andres “Savage” Cortes (20-0, 11 KOs) takes on Bryan Chevalier (20-1-1, 16 KOs). Also, rising featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (10-0, 6 KOs) will face Bernard Torres (18-1, 8 KOs) in the 10-round televised opener.

The ESPN+ streamed undercard features:

2016 Italian Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (11-1-1, 9 KOs) battles Moses Johnson (11-1-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round heavyweight contest.

Junior welterweight prospect Tiger Johnson (11-0, 5 KOs), a U.S. Olympian, makes his 2024 debut in an eight-rounder against Paulo Galdino (13-7-2, 9 KOs).

Unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Ofacio Falcon (10-0, 6 KOs) will make his second appearance at The Theater against Edward Ceballos (11-4-1, 6 KOs).

Middleweight prospect Euri Cedeno (7-0-1, 6 KOs), who represented the Dominican Republic at the Tokyo Olympics, goes against Antonio Todd (15-9, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Middleweight Isaah Flaherty (6-0, 3 KOs) will see action in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named.

By Jeff Zimmerman

The legendary Fernando Vargas, at his new Las Vegas gym, shared his relationship with the Garcias, especially Robert’s and Mikey’s dad, “El Jefe.” He talked about his relationship with his three fighting sons, Fernando Jr, Amado and Emiliano and how he never wanted them to box. Vargas also showed love for his fans and gave his thoughts on Spence Jr fighting again and much more in this Fightnews.com® exclusive.

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Two of the three Vargas Bros, Fernando Jr and Amado plus Gabriel Flores Jr. talked about their careers and the family atmosphere at the new gym of Fernando Vargas in Las Vegas where they teach boxing and jujitsu. The Vargas brothers talked about getting to the sport late as they were standout athletes in other sports whereas their youngest brother, Emiliano, started around 10 years old and is signed by Top Rank. Flores Jr was the youngest signee by Top Rank at 16 and is still only 23. All three are expected to fight March 16 at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA where Flores Jr is a hometown hero. The show will be promoted by G-SQUAD Entertainment run by Flores Jr dad and trainer, Gabriel Flores Sr.

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