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Anthony Joshua has committed his future to his loyal UK fight fans with his next two fights to be staged at Wembley Stadium in London. Joshua will defend his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO crowns at the national stadium in the English capital on September 22 and will return to Wembley Stadium on April 13 next year for his 23rd pro fight.

The Heavyweight king has already set a post-war attendance record at the stadium when 90,000 fans filled Wembley Stadium to watch Joshua stop Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round of their stunning battle last April. Continue reading “Joshua commits next two fights to London”

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has warned WBO featherweight Champion Carl Frampton that WBO #5 featherweight Luke Jackson is one of the best in the division ahead of there bout on August 18 at Windsor Park in Belfast, Ireland.

“He is obviously a competitive guy, he has fought around the world and is an undefeated fighter. We have seen a few upsets over the last year, some serious upsets and he thinks he is coming here to be another one. He fancies the job, his team fancy the job and we will see on the night,” Warren told IFL TV. Continue reading “Frank Warren warns Carl Frampton”

Photos: Mark Davis

While most were home celebrating the July 4th holiday, WBC super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez, challenger Danny O’Connor, heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr., welterweight contender Egidijus Kavaliauskas, super feather Andy Vences and 18-year-old lightweight wunderkind Gabe Flores Jr. were hard at work showing their skills at a Fresno workout.

Ramirez will make the first defense of his title against O’Connor on ESPN Saturday at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, a short drive from Ramirez’s hometown of Avenal. Continue reading “Ramirez set for hometown showcase”

Two-Time IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale today relinquished the title. DeGale was due to be involved in a purse bid for his IBF mandated title defense against interim champion Jose Uzcategui this Thursday (July 5th), but has now withdrawn.

“No World champion easily gives up their world title that they’ve earned the hard way in the ring and I’ve proudly held the IBF world title in two reigns with pride and distinction which is why it makes it very hard decision to relinquish the belt,” said DeGale. Continue reading “DeGale vacates IBF super middleweight title”

By Marco Bratusch

At yesterday’s EBU purse bid in Rome, Italy, Spanish firm Rimer Box quite unexpectedly outbid Maravilla Box in order to promote the rematch between current European featherweight champion Marc Vidal (11-1-5, 5 KOs) and former IBF world titlist Kiko Martinez (38-8-2, 28 KOs), who is now in the mandatory position, once again. Rimer box offered 26,113 Euros which happened to be enough to edge the 22,111 Euros that Maravilla Box put in the envelope. No date has been mentioned by the winning promoter thought the fight might likely be taking place next October. Continue reading “EBU purse bid and update”

WBA/WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and former champion Canelo Alvarez participated in a long distance press conference via Facebook from their respective camps in Big Bear, California, and Guadalajara, Mexico. Both fighters spoke in their native languages using translators. Golovkin didn’t display his trademark smile.

Canelo Alvarez

[On testing positive for Clenbuteral] There’s no need to talk about that.

[On Golovkin-Martirosyan] You can’t call that a fight. He had no opponent.

[On his fan support] I’ve always had detractors, but I have many more that love and support me.

[On their September 15 rematch] That little respect that I had for him has been lost and come September 15 in the ring it’s going to be just him and I and we’ll see.

Gennady Golovkin

[On Canelo’s May 5 cancellation] I was disappointed. The fans were disappointed.

[On fighting Vanes Martirosyan] Fans wanted me to fight. Why shouldn’t I fight on such an important date?

[On Oscar de la Hoya’s claim that all of Mexico will be rooting for Canelo] I don’t always agree with what Oscar says. I don’t believe all Mexico will be rooting for Canelo.

[On their September 15 rematch] The more Canelo can show, the more interesting the fight will be.

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This afternoon, at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) headquarters in Puerto Rico, the purse bid for the mandatory fight between WBO Lightweight World Champion Raymundo Beltrán (35-7-1, 21 KOs), from Mexico, and first-ranked Roman Andreev (21-0, 15 KOs), from Russia. Top Rank won the rights for the fight with a successful bid of $ 252,000. Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti, personally presented the winning bid. The fight is scheduled for Saturday, August 25 in Phoenix, Arizona

The OMB exhorted both Top Rank and other promoters to submit their boxers to doping controls, not only immediately prior to and after the title fights, but throughout the entire training phase of both combatants.

The winner of WBC interim world champion Regis Prograis vs top challenger Juan Jose Velasco on July 14 will enter the 140lb edition of the second season of the World Boxing Super Series. 29-year-old Prograis (21-0, 18 KOs), the Houston resident who relocated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, won the WBC Interim 140-pound World Championship in March after a sensational second round TKO-victory over former titleholder Julius Indongo from Namibia. The 31-year-old Velasco is 20-0, 12 KOs.

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Former WBA super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine is confident of victory against WBO #9 welterweight Jeff Horn if negotiations are successful for a fight taking place later this year with expected record live gate.

“I want to stop him in the first six rounds, quicker than Terrence Crawford did. You’ve got no idea how good I’m feeling at the moment. I’m pumped bra,” Mundine told the Daily Telegraph. “It’s good that Horn is going to get a payday. He’s a young man with a young family. For me it’s not about the money. I already own nearly 10 properties and I’ve made my millions. This is about me winning and fighting in America. I don’t care where I fight him, as long as there’s a square ring.”

Heavyweight contender and Boxcino Heavyweight champion, Andrey Fedosov (30-3, 25 KOs) returned to the ring with a 1st round stoppage over Francisco Mireles (19-14, 5 KOs) in Phoenix, Arizona. Fedosov of Russia, made quick work of Mireles and will be back in the ring later this month. Mireles suffered his sixth KO loss in his last eight fights.

“It was great to have Andrey back in the ring,” said Artie Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions, who along with Hitz Boxing, promote the 32 year-old Fedosov.

“The heavyweight division is hot now with a lot of great opportunities, and with another win or two, we can see Andrey in a big fight.”

“I am happy that Andrey is back in the ring, and in a short time, he will be back in contention to compete for the heavyweight championship of the world,” said Bobby Hitz, President of Hitz Boxing.

By David Finger

The June 2018 WBO rankings were released by the WBO this week and in what has to be considered the biggest development in the rankings, eight division world champion and former WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) was dropped from the welterweight rankings due to the fact that he is now scheduled to fight for the WBA welterweight title. The departure of Pacquiao from the WBO rankings marks only the second time since February of 2009 that Manny Pacquiao has not appeared in the WBO rankings as either a champion or a contender (Pacquiao was briefly dropped from the WBO rankings in June of 2015 after he lost his WBO welterweight title to Floyd Mayweather, but he reemerged as the #2 ranked contender the following month). Continue reading “Pacquiao out of WBO rankings”

Less than two weeks before the fight and still no advertising or network announced. There were problems with the funding for the fight, but those issues have been resolved. Now it’s just a matter of finalizing the broadcast.

By the way, Manny Pacquiao is a 2:1 favorite to dethrone WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse when they collide in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 15 (July 14th in the USA).