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Fighters faced off at today’s final ‘Day of Reckoning’ Press Conference ahead of Saturday’s loaded DAZN PPV card at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua: “I’m here to fight, I’m not here to party and get caught up in the glitz and glamour. I want to fight. I want to perform well. I put that pressure on myself. Of course I’m tense because I want to perform. I want to win. I’ve got that urge to win. I want to hurt my opponent as well.”

Otto Wallin: “People talking about upsets, I’m going to win the fight and you shouldn’t call it an upset. It’s not really an upset, it’s just natural. This is my time so I’m ready for it…he used to be a happy guy but from what I see now he seems very stiff and tense. Maybe he’s fed up with all of this stuff.”

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Deontay Wilder: “I come here to do what I do best and give the fans what they want to see. At the end of the day, no one wants to see a twelve-round fight…Don’t blink. I’m gonna give you what you want to see. Nowadays I’m called Dr. Sleep and I definitely got the NyQuil in the right hand so I hope you bring a pillow and a blanket.”

Joseph Parker: “He’s a tough kid, but I know I can knock him out. 100 percent.”

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Dmitry Bivol: “Everything is possible but I’m not usually focused on a knockout because it distracts me from my plan. Of course, if I see the moment I will use this moment. I’m not a fighter who only thinks about one punch. I like to enjoy the process. I like to follow my tactics.”

Lyndon Arthur: “I’m enjoying it and I’m looking forward to Saturday…I don’t believe nobody has seen the best of me yet.”

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Daniel Dubois: “Yo, Big Baby. Every baby has a daddy and I’m gonna beat you like I’m your daddy!”

Jerrell Miller: “I’m gonna cook this shrimp. The two-time quitter.”

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Jai Opetaia: “Putting the politics aside and the best fight the best. This is a massive change and the name Opetaia will have its print on it. I’m here to make a statement…man, I’m ready to go to war.”

Ellis Zorro: “I’m just focused on Saturday at the moment. Like I’ve been saying all week, it’s a massive opportunity for me and I’m going to take it with both hands.”

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Arslanbek Makhmudov: “I’m ready. That’s why I’m here. I need this kind of fight. I need this kind of opponent. I respect him, but Saturday I’ll go there to destroy like I usually do. That’s my job.”

Agit Kabayel: This is the biggest challenge of my career. I respect Arslanbek. He’s a good opponent, a strong guy. I think I’m also the biggest challenge in his career.”

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Frank Sanchez: “I’m coming here to win. If a knockout comes, it comes.”

Junior Fa: “I’m gonna bring the best version of myself and get him out of there…win by any means necessary.”

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Filip Hrgovic: “I had planned with this guy to let him box for a few rounds, but because of his nasty words, I will nee to punish him earlier…I need to punish this guy really, really bad. Like he stole something.”

Mark De Mori: “It’s a ten round scheduled fight. I’ve got absolutely no desire to go ten rounds. I’ve got the arms of a Tyrannosaurus rex, I’m not gonna out-jab him. I’m gonna get in close and I’m gonna try and break him in half.”

Sad to report the passing of promoter Andre Kut at the age of 71. Kut had a great love for professional boxing and worked in the business as a trainer, manager and promoter. His KEA Boxing company ran regular shows for more than a decade in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Kut was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.

CES Boxing returns to the Mohegan Sun Arena on February 3 with three title fights. The main event features the return of Chordale “The Gift” Booker (21-1, 10 KOs) as he makes the second defense of his WBC Silver super welterweight title against former world title challenger Greg “The Villain” Vendetti (23-5-1, 12 KOs).

In the co-feature, undefeated southpaw Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (15-0, 14 KOs) battles Paul “El Gallo Negro” Mendez (21-5-2, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC USA silver middleweight title. The third title fight of the night features Ricky de los Santos (11-1, 3 KOs) against Nathan Martinez (8-2, 2 KOs) in an 8-round bout for the vacant WBC US silver featherweight title. Continue reading “Feb 3 boxing card at Mohegan Sun”

WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol returns for the first time in 13 months against Lyndon Arthur (23-1, 16 KOs) on Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – shown live on DAZN as a pay-per-view event. With a win over Arthur, Canelo-conqueror Bivol is looking forward to another career-defining fight in 2024 should his long-awaited undisputed clash with IBF, WBC, WBO world champion Artur Beterbiev get over the line.

Bivol sent fight fans into a frenzy when he came face-to-face with Beterbiev at a glitzy gala event in Saudi Arabia ahead of the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou event back in October, and he believes they will finally share a ring in 2024.

“It’s a big goal and when we signed the contract we discussed not only fighting against Lyndon Arthur, we discussed about another fight too – for four belts. We discussed undisputed. They want to make this fight and they can make this fight. This is really good for me. It’s what I need,” said Bivol.

WBA #9, IBF #11, WBC #12 light heavyweight Conor Wallace (12-1, 9 KOs) scored a sixth round TKO over Mose Auimatagi Jr (16-4-2, 11 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Wallace dropped Auimatagi in round two. The heavy-handed Auimatagi responded well and caught Wallace with some big shots. Wallace mostly outboxed Auimatagi after that although Auimatagi had his moments also. Wallace landed some some cracking straight lefts in round six and the bout was suddenly stopped by the referee. Time was 1:14.
It seemed like a premature stoppage.

Boxlab Promotions has announced the signing of unbeaten heavyweight Dainier “The Fear” Pero (5-0, 3 KOs). Pero was a top amateur, winning the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championship in 2016, 2018 Teofilo Stevenson Cup and the Cuban National Championship in 2018 and 2019. He represented Cuba at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning his first match before losing to eventual Silver Medalist Richard Torrez Jr. Pero’s Boxlab Promotions debut will take place in February.

The 6’5 24-year-old Pero lives and trains out of Las Vegas, NV under top trainer Bob Santos. Pero’s brother is world-rated heavyweight Lenier Pero.

Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and the rest of the fighters on Saturday’s “Day of Reckoning” card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, made their grand arrivals to today.

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Here are the latest betting odds:

Anthony Joshua 4:1 Otto Wallin (heavyweight)
Deontay Wilder 7:1 Joseph Parker (heavyweight)
Daniel Dubois 3:1 Jarrell Miller (heavyweight)
Dmitry Bivol 20:1 Lyndon Arthur (light heavyweight)
Jai Opetaia 25:1 Ellis Zorro (cruiserweight)
Arslanbek Makhmudov 10:1 Agit Kabayel (heavyweight)
Frank Sanchez 20:1 Junior Fa (heavyweight)
Filip Hrgovic 50:1 Mark De Mori (heavyweight)

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

The Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon has already begun in our beloved Mexico. But what is this? December 12 is a major celebration of the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Millions come to Mexico City from all over the country to sing happy birthday to our Virgin, who appeared 500 years ago. With such also comes a great party, as it is a national holiday.

Reyes is the day in which the three wise kings come to deliver the toys to all children in Mexico, which is January 6. So, in between December 12 and January 6, it is known as a marathon of festivities, parties, and celebrations in which we usually gain from 10 to 15 pounds!

The cold weather we are having makes me feel the Christmas spirit even more, which we unfortunately usually forget, being from one side to the other, forever occupied, and busy. Everyday life does not allow us to pause, value, cherish, and appreciate what is happening and just how much we should be thankful for. Continue reading “Christmas and International Boxing”

Top Rank’s featherweight world title doubleheader on March 2 has landed at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. In the main event, Otabek Kholmatov (11-0, 10 KOs) will fight Raymond Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant WBA featherweight world title. This duel of unbeaten southpaws will see the WBA’s #1 and #2 contenders making their inaugural world title appearances.

In the co-feature, IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto “El Venado” Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) will defend his world crown against IBF #1 ranked Reiya Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs).

Kholmatov-Ford and Lopez-Abe will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

“Kholmatov and Ford are deserving challengers for the WBA world title. That is a true 50/50 fight,” said promoter Bob Arum. “Lopez believes he is the top featherweight in the world, and I know he’ll want to make a huge statement against a tough out in Abe. The fans at Turning Stone Resort Casino will be in for a real treat.”

By Joe Koizumi

WBA, IBF 122-pound champion Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) arrived in Japan today (Tuesday) to participate in an ultimate unification bout with WBC, WBO counterpart “Monster” Naoya Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) at Ariake Arena, Tokyo next Tuesday.

Having dethroned Murodjon Akhmadaliev to wrest the WBA and IBF belts this April, Tapales will welcome a big payday and an opportunity to acquire all the four belts with his high motivation. Marlon reportedly trained two months in Las Vegas and then moved to his native Philippines to work a month more there, having engaged in more than one hundred sparring sessions in total.

Tapales said, “I’m in very good shape, and wish to win over Inoue clearly. I know Inoue is an excellent boxer with high IQ, but I’ll do everything possible to be victorious.” Time will tell.

IBF Statement: Late last evening the IBF received notice from Michael Francis representing Jai Opetaia advising that Opetaia has decided to relinquish his title as IBF World Cruiserweight Champion. In an email to IBF President Daryl Peoples and the IBF Board of Directors, Francis noted the team’s disappointment in having to reach this decision but acknowledged the IBF rules that affect this situation should be adhered to.

The IBF accepts Jai Opetaia’s decision to vacate the title and wishes him well.

Mairis Briedis, who is ranked #3 in the IBF Cruiserweight ratings, will be ordered to negotiate with the next leading available contender for the vacant IBF Cruiserweight World Championship bout.

Cruiserweight Jai Opetaia will be without his IBF world title on Saturday’s ‘Day Of Reckoning’ show in Riydah, Saudi Arabia, having been forced to vacate the belt earlier today.

With mandatory rival Mairis Briedis currently injured, a special appeal was requested by Matchroom, Tasman Fighters, Queensberry and Wasserman Boxing to the IBF to allow Opetaia to defend his crown against Britain’s Zorro this weekend. But with the IBF denying Opetaia that opportunity, the Aussie has reluctantly relinquished his championship.

Fired up, Opetaia now vows to do his talking in the ring and showing why he is rated as the best cruiserweight on the planet.

Continue reading “Jai Opetaia vacates IBF cruiser title”

Hollywood Fight Nights returns to the Chumash Casino Resort on February 23, headlined by a ten-round main event featuring undefeated Gor Yeritsyan (17-0, 14 KOs) against Quinton Randall (13-1-1, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBC Continental Americas welterweight title, broadcast globally on UFC Fightpass.

Yeritsyan, a native of Armenia, returns to action following a career-best victory on November 9, in New York City, an eight round unanimous decision over Luis Alberto Veron. The 28-year-old Yeritsyan is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach.

…Wins WBO AP 108lb belt

By Joe Koizumi

Unheralded Filipino puncher Jason Vayson (11-1-1-1NC, 6 KOs), 108, surprisingly captured the WBO Asia Pacific junior flyweight belt as he upset defending champ Ryuya Yamanaka (19-3, 6 KOs), 107.5, via stunning TKO win at 1:14 of the second round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Kobe, Japan. A vicious right uppercut was a haymaker that exploded at the ex-WBO world titlist Ryuya’s chin with a perfect timing. Down went the champ. He almost stood up but was unable to resume fighting due to a bad equilibrium. The ref grabbed him not to see him go down again. Vayson, who had lost a lopsided shutout decision to Seigo Yuri Akui in his last fight here, displayed a do-or-die attack that paid off well. Continue reading “Vayson upsets ex-world champ Yamanaka”

By Joe Koizumi

Japan’s middleweight champ Riku Kunimoto (10-1, 4 KOs), 160, collected another WBO AP 160-pound belt when he caught up with elongated compatriot 6’1” Katsuhiro Nakata (9-5-1, 5 KOs), 159, at 1:25 of the ninth round in a scheduled ten on Sunday in Osaka, Japan.

Promoter: Muto Promotions.

Photos: Sumio Yamada

Check out this GIANT Rodriguez-Edwards photo gallery for some incredible shots + the scorecard, + action from the Akhmadaliev-Gonzalez, Yafai-Santomauro, and O’Quinn-McGrail fights.

Photos

In a flyweight unification clash, WBO champion Jesse “BAM” Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) stopped IBF champion Sunny Edwards (20-1, 4 KOs) in round nine on Saturday night at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. In a good fight, Rodriguez steadily broke down and busted up Edwards. BAM finally dropped Edwards at the end of round nine and the bout was stopped.

In a WBA super bantamweight eliminator, former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) dealt an eight round beating to previously unbeaten Kevin Gonzalez (26-1-1, 13 KOs). Akhmadaliev dropped Gonzalez twice in round six and two more times in round eight to end it. Time was 2:49. Gonzalez was game and tough, but Akhmadaliev was too much.

Olympic gold medalist and flyweight contender Galal Yafai (6-0, 4 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over rugged Rocco Santomauro (22-3, 6 KOs). Yafai was mostly in control, but Santomauro got some of his licks in also. Scores were 99-91, 98-93, 97-93.

Super bantamweight Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) scored a spectacular fifth round knockout over previously unbeaten Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs). McGrail was dominating the fight until he was laid out by a counter right. Time was 2:19. O’Quinn claimed the WBA Continental belt.

Ending a 37-year run of boxing on the Showtime network, WBA “regular” super middleweight champion David Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) scored a second round TKO over Sena Agbeko (28-3, 22 KOs) on Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The bout was waved off at 1:43 of round two with Morrell teeing off off on a helpless Abgeko. Another impressive performance for Morrell.

In a WBA lightweight eliminator, Jose “El Rayo” Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) scored a spectacular sixth round knockout over Chris “Primetime” Colbert (17-2, 6 KOs). The end came when Valenzuela connected with a huge right hook that laid out Colbert face first avenging his controversial loss to Colbert in March. Time was 1:46.

In a blast from the past between 40-year-old former world champions, welterweights Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (38-6-1, 20 KOs) and Andre Berto (32-6, 24 KOs) fought ten entertaining rounds with Guerrero moving to 2-0 against Berto. Scores were 98-92, 98-92, 99-91. The bout was a rematch of Guerrero’s 2012 triumph over Berto.

Former WBA super lightweight champion Alberto Puello (22-0, 10 KOs) returned from a 16-month layoff outpoint previously unbeaten Ector Madera (11-1, 6 KOs) over eight rounds. Scores were 80-72, 80-72, 79-73. Continue reading “Morrell crushes Agbeko, retains WBA belt”

2016 Olympian super featherweight Tsendbaatar Erdenebat (8-0, 4 KOs) remained unbeaten with an eighth round KO against Yohan “La Fiera” Vasquez (25-5, 20 KOs) on Saturday night at New York City’s Sony Hall. Erdenebat battered Vazquez in round two but Vazquez survived the round and then managed to continue. The bout ended in round eight when Erdenebat dropped Vazquez to end it. Time was 2:29.

By Joe Koizumi

Fast-rising super bantam WBO AP#3 Ryuya Tsugawa (12-1, 8 KOs), 123.25, impressively scored a fine KO win over Filipino Prince Andrew Laurio (12-6-1, 9 KOs), 121.5, at 1:36 of the second round in a scheduled eight on Saturday in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Tsugawa, Japan’s youth champ previously employed as a sparring partner of “Monster” Naoya Inoue, displayed crisp punching in dropping the game Filipino twice in the opening session and once more in the fatal second. Tsugawa, a lanky hard-puncher, registered seven stoppages in latest eight consecutive wins, and will zoom up to top in the near future.

Former OPBF 160-pound champ Yuki Nonaka (37-12-3, 11 KOs), 167.75, was awarded a bizarre TKO victory over Thailander Pathueang Sikun (16-15, 12 KOs), 164.5, at 1:19 of the second round in a scheduled eight. Pathueang sprained his knee when he moved side-to-side, fell down and became unable to raise himself. Nonaka, a veteran southpaw, is gunning for a shot at the vacant OPBF 168-pound belt next spring.

Promoter: Mitsuki Promotions.

Matchroom Boxing has announced three February fight dates across the globe to kick off their 2024 boxing schedule on DAZN.

Unbeaten super middleweight Edgar ‘The Chosen One’ Berlanga (21-0, 16 KOs) faces Padraig McCrory (18-0, 9 KOs) on February 24 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

IBF light flyweight champion Adrien Curiel (24-4-1, 5 KOs) will defend his belt against former champion Sivenathi Nontshinga (12-1, 9 KOs) in a direct rematch at a site to be named in Mexico. Curiel scored a shocking one-punch knockout against Nontshiunga last month in Monaco.

On February 10 at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle, England, welterweights Conah Walker (12-2-1, 4 KOs) and Cyrus Pattinson (6-1, 4 KOs) do battle again following their exciting clash back in August.

WBO #1 super welterweight Josh Kelly (15-1-1, 8 KOs) won by third round knockout against Placido Ramirez (24-4, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Beacon of Light in Sunderland, England. Kelly connected with an uppercut that dropped Ramirez to a knee in round three and Ramirez stayed down for the count. Time was 2:38. Kelly is in line for a title shot against WBO champion Tim Tszyu.

WBC #1 super lightweight Sandor Martin (42-3, 15 KOs) knocked out Mohamed El Marcouchi (29-4, 12 KOs) in round four on Saturday night at the Palasport Le Cupole in Turin, Italy. Martin dropped Marcouchi in round two and put him done for the count in round four. Time was 2:02.

After the fight, Martin, who is WBC’s the official mandatory challenger, immediately called out recently crowned WBC champion Devin Haney.

By Jeff Zimmerman at ringside

Super featherweight Kenneth Taylor (14-2, 3 KOs), fighting out of Tyler, TX showed off his fancy footwork and array of punches to outwork Jorge Ramos (8-5, 1 KO) from Laredo over eight entertaining rounds in the main event Friday night at College Park Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington. Taylor got off to a fast start in round one and dropped Ramos with a big right hand. Ramos recovered and over the next several rounds went toe to toe with Taylor. Taylor switched gears over the second half and used his legs and threw punches from different angles to keep the hard charging Ramos at bay. Taylor punctuated the night with a big flurry to end the fight and won a unanimous decision going away by scores of 79-72, 80-71 and 79-72. Continue reading “Taylor tops Ramos in Arlington, TX”