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WBA super world bantamweight champion Ryan Burnett and bright prospect Mikhail Aloyan have completed the lineup for the bantamweight portion for Season II of the World Boxing Super Series.

“I can’t wait to fight against the best in my division,” said 24-year-old Burnett (19-0, 9 KOs) of Northern Ireland. “The dream is to unify titles and win the Ali Trophy and I am happy for the opportunity to fulfill it.”

The 29-year-old Aloyan (4-0, 0 KOs) made the cut based on his amateur accomplishments, mainly two world amateur titles and a 2012 Olympic Bronze medal. In the pro ranks he claimed the WBC ‘Silver’ Super Flyweight title in just his second bout.

Season II bantamweight line-up:

Ryan Burnett – WBA super world bantamweight champion
Emmanuel Rodriguez – IBF world bantamweight champion
Zolani Tete – WBO world bantamweight champion
Naoya Inoue – WBA world regular champion
Nonito Donaire – former four-time world champion
Juan Carlos Payano – former bantamweight world titleholder
Jason Moloney – mandatory challenger
Mikhail Aloyan – undefeated contender

The Boxeo TELEMUNDO summer series opens with another chapter of the famed Puerto Rico vs Mexico boxing rivalry. Former amateur standout and WBO/NABO flyweight titleholder Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (20-2-1, 12 KOs) of Caguas, Puerto Rico will take on former world title challenger Julian “El Niño Artillero” Yedra (24-3, 13 KOs) of Mexico. The 10 round main event will take place at the Osceola Heritage Park Events Center in Kissimmee, Florida. The World Boxing Organisation Latino Flyweight Title will be on the line. The promoter of the event is Tuto Zabala Jr. of All Star Boxing, Inc

Gonzalez made his Telemundo debut this past February at this same exact venue when he got his career back on track with an impressive victory over former world title challenger Ricardo Rodriguez. The local crowd, like in his last fight, will be packed with his countrymen supporting him. Continue reading “Bomba Gonzalez returns on Telemundo Friday”

Flyweight Julian “El Niño Artillero” Yedra of Tabasco, Mexico (24-3-13 KO’s) arrived in Kissimmee, Florida for his showdown this Friday on the premiere of the Boxeo Telemundo Ford Summer Series against Puerto Rico’s WBO NABO Flyweight Champion, Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (22-2-12 KO’s) ranked #6 WBA, #8 WBO, #14 IBF and #15 WBC.

“I’m very well prepared, I trained in the altitude for this fight, I’m hungry for a world title opportunity. I have enough conditioning to throw over 100 punches a round. This will be a slugfest and at the end their will be one last man standing, ME ” said Julian Yedra as he jumped into the shuttle.

Bomba Gonzalez vs Niño Artillero Yedra will air LIVE on Telemundo Network at 11:35pm, Check Local Listings

By Marco Bratusch

Finnish technical-boxer Edis Tatli (30-2, 10 KOs), who happened to be EBU’s fighter of the year for 2016 and is the current 135-pound European champion, will defend his lightweight belt against an opponent soon to be announced by his promoter Pekka Maeki, who has the right to pick a willing one among the EBU ranked boxers in that weight division to save his show in Savonlinna, Finland, on August 11. Tatli was previously supposed to take on mandatory challenger Marvin Petit but the Frenchman is experiencing some medical issues and needs to rest for arguably a six-week period, according to medical certificates provided by his team. Petit (23-1-1, 11 KO) will keep is mandatory position and the fight between the two fighters is expected to materialize during next autumn. Continue reading “European Updates”

On Saturday afternoon, the world’s best and undefeated cruiserweights, Oleksandr Uysk and Murat Gassiev, will battle for four world titles and the bragging rights to be crowned the undisputed world cruiserweight champ. The fight will air live and exclusively on KlowdTV in the United States. Like ESPN+ and DAZN, KlowdTV is a live streaming service. They charge $9.99 per month.

Promoter Eddie Hearn introduced the first fighters and rising talent signed to Matchroom Boxing USA and announced the opening boxing events from Matchroom Boxing on DAZN (Da Zone), a new sports streaming service launching September 10th at $9.99 a month.

The package includes 16 live shows from the US, 16 live shows from the UK, starting September 22 with the heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin in London.

October 6 in Chicago is former world champion Jessie Vargas, IBF light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and female star Katie Taylor

October 20 in Los Angeles is WBA super bantamweight champion Daniel Roman, WBO jr welterweight champion Maurice Hooker and heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller.

Also inked is former champ Demetrius Andrade.

Aleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev entertained a big crowd at Tuesday’s public workout in Moscow. Usyk, however, did surprisingly not do any of the usual skipping, shadow boxing or pad work, but instead waved and bowed in front of the hundreds of fans at the Oceania Shopping Mall.

Even though Usyk is fighting in his opponents home country there was a lot of noisy support for the Ukrainian.

“I came, entertained the crowd a bit and did some interviews, but I did not show any boxing today,” said Usyk. “You must keep people hungry, not overfeed them. On Saturday people will see everything!” Continue reading “Usyk blows off public workout”

Junior welterweight Kenneth Sims, Jr. (12-1, 4 KOs) has been hunkering down in training camp in Chicago for his showdown with undefeated Montana Love (11-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout that will be part of a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader on Friday. Sims, who was a former National Amateur champion, has been off since suffering his only professional blemish, when he dropped a majority decision to Rolando Chinea, and subsequently had elbow surgery. He is eager to get back in the ring, and prove he’s one of the best prospects in the 140-pound division.

“Everything is going great,” Sims said. “I am feeling better than ever. I have been working with a strength and conditioning coach for the first time in my career, and I can feel the difference.” Continue reading “Sims poised for ShoBox showcase”

Kevin Barry, trainer of former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, is calling for a “fair referee” when Parker faces WBC #1 rated Dillian Whyte on July 28 in London.

“All we want is, we want a fair referee,” Barry told Sky Sports. “We want one of the best referees that BBBofC can offer. I think we’ve been pretty hard done by in our first two previous fights here in the UK by the referee, so this time I would like to think they will give us a classy guy. Someone who won’t be an interference for the fight, someone who will let the fight go. I tell you what, there are plenty of good British referees. Let’s just choose one of them.”

Unbeaten lightweight standout Kevin Ventura 8-0 (7) of Omaha, NE, stars in the main event Saturday when he takes on upset-minded Donnie “Baby-Face” Reeves 3-1 (2) of Hanibal, MO, in a scheduled 6 round bout. The bout will take place at the Ralston Arena in Omaha, NE. The power-punching Ventura recently signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s company Golden Boy Promotions and this bout is being groomed as quite possibly his last bout in Omaha as he has his sights in the Texas and California areas. Continue reading “Boxing back in Omaha Saturday”

By Morrison Brandon at ringside
Photos: Scott Foster

DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank offered up a night of championship boxing full of drama and action at the Lakefront Arena on the campus of the University of New Orleans. In the main event, WBC Super Lightweight diamond belt holder and hometown favorite Regis Prograis (22-0, 19 KOs) went against Juan Jose Velasco (20-1, 12 KOs) out of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The co-main event showcased a lightweight match featuring one of the sport’s most intriguing up-and-coming fighters Teofimo Lopez (10-0, 8 KOs), a 2016 Olympian who represented Honduras but hails from Brooklyn, against Brazilian combatant William Silva (25-2, 14 KOs). Continue reading “Prograis-Velasco: Full Report”

Murat Gassiev and Oleksandr Usyk arrived Monday evening in Moscow ahead of the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Final on Saturday at the Olympic Sports Complex.

Oleksandr Usyk: “I am looking forward to the final. A final that will bring out the best in boxing. I can’t wait to see my fans in Moscow,” said Usyk.

Murat Gassiev: “I’m in Russia one week before the fight. I’ve never had problems with the acclimatization. Jet-lag is also not a problem. A good nap during the flight and I’m ready to box at the airport. As always I expect a tough fight. I have to be ready for everything and adjust.”

Tickets are still available through official channels for one of the most anticipated fights of the decade with 10,000 being sold up to now and 20,000 spectators expected. The winner of Usyk-Gassiev will be the first boxer ever to unify the cruiserweight titles in the four belt era.

By Gabriel F. Cordero

WBA ring official Gustavo Padilla became the first Panamanian referee to participate in 100 world championship fights. Padilla performed the feat last Saturday night in the clash between Edivaldo Ortega and Jhack Tepora at the Xiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia for the vacant WBA featherweight world title.

Padilla made his first appearance on December 21, 1991, in the WBA super flyweight clash between champion Khaosai Galaxy and challenger Amancio Castro at the Thailand National Stadium in Bangkok. Since then he has worked world championship fights in Mexico, China, England, Japan, the United States, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Germany, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, Venezuela, Thailand, Malasya, Nicaragua, France, Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama and El Salvador. Padilla is also one of the managers of the WBA training programs.

DBE is on the road again bringing the Broadway Boxing series back to its home away from home at the beautiful Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, this Saturday. Headlining the event will be East Hartford, CT’s “Marvelous” Mykquan Williams (11-0, 7 KOs) facing Matt “The Mantis” Doherty (8-4-1, 4 KOs), of Salem, MA, in an eight-round junior welterweight bout. Continue reading “Williams headlines Saturday at Foxwoods”

One week after the World Cup final rocked Moscow, the Russian capital will remain in the international sports spotlight as the long-awaited World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final between Aleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev takes place Saturday at the Olympic Sports Complex. The winner of Usyk-Gassiev will be the first boxer ever to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO cruiserweight titles in the four belt era. Still no U.S. TV announced.

On Wednesday in London, Matchroom Boxing will officially announce the WBA/IBF/WBO world heavyweight title clash between Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin taking place on September 22 at Wembley Stadium. The bout is expected to kickoff the new DAZN streaming service in the U.S.

According to ESPN, International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas will return to Fresno to defend his title on September 14. The opponent is TBA. The bout will be the co-feature for the previously announced ESPN telecast featuring WBC super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez against Antonio Orozco.

By Miguel Maravilla

WBO super welterweight champion Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico is set for his first title defense against former world champion Liam “Beefy” Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) of England this Saturday at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. Munguia will look impress once again. “I’m very excited for this fight and very motivated to be fighting on HBO again,” Munguia said.

The 21-year-old started the year as a virtual unknown. He quietly made his U.S. debut last December in Las Vegas on the Micky Roman-Orlando Salido non-televised undercard stopping Paul Valenzuela Jr. in two rounds. Munguia went on to win his next two fights in Mexico by knockout.

Then things got interesting. Continue reading “Munguia set for first world title defense”

By Brad Snyder, The Undercard
Photos: Bob Ryder

Heavyweight Jermaine Franklin (17-0, 13 KOs) showcased speed and athleticism defeating tough opponent Craig Lewis (14-3, 8 KOs) by UD (98-92, 98-92, 99-91) on Friday night at Detroit’s Motor City Casino.

There is plenty to like about Franklin. He’s a nice guy away from the ring. Then there are things to love about Franklin. He has speed for the division. But the big question is size. I asked Mike Acri about that very thing after the fight.

“His handspeed is as good as any heavyweight in the business. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. His power will develop as he throws more shots, getting seasoned and gaining experience. It’s about putting the salt and pepper and garlic on it before. He is in the process.” Continue reading “Franklin-Lewis: Full Report”