Fightnews.com

By Joe Koizumi

WBA bantamweight champ Naoya Inoue (16-0, 14 KOs) has announced today (Tuesday) that he will face former titlist Juan Carlos Payano (20-1, 9 KOs), Dominican Republic, in the first round (quarterfinal) for Season II of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) tournaments at the Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan, on October 7.

Naoya, 25, said, “I didn’t expect to fight the first bout here, but I wish Japanese fans will watch and appreciate my performance at the big Yokohama Arena. Payano is a skillful speedster with good experience, and it may be a technical fight. I’d like to fight with patience and finally catch up with him to score a knockout victory.” The Inoue-Payano bout will be shown abroad through the WBSS/Fuji Television.

Comosa AG is delighted to announce that Season II of the World Boxing Super Series will feature the fiercely-competitive cruiserweight division as the third and final weight class. “Season I paved the way for Aleksandr Usyk to write history and take home the first-ever Muhammad Ali Trophy,” said Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer, Kalle Sauerland.

“The cruiserweight edition of the Ali Trophy gave the world spectacular match-ups in the quarter-finals, fight of the year contenders in the semi-finals and we witnessed Usyk as a pound-for-pound best with his amazing performance in the final. We are really looking forward to continuing the success of this exciting weight class in Season II.”

The eight confirmed cruiserweight will be announced over the next days. Continue reading “WBSS: Cruiserweights return for Season II”

Amir ‘Hardcore’ Mansour (23-2-1, 16 KOs) has replaced Gary Cornish as the opponent for Filip Hrgović’s (5-0, 4 KOs) WBC International Heavyweight Championship contest on September 8 at the Arena Zagreb in Croatia. Cornish has been ruled out on medical grounds giving the 46-year-old Mansour the chance to further his world title ambitions following an impressive win over countryman Travis Kauffman last year.

Despite the change of opponent, Hrgović remains focused on victory, and while the Rio 2016 Olympic Bronze Medallist admits he will have to alter his preparations to fit his new foe, the 26-year-old is motivated land his first major title. Continue reading “New opponent for Hrgovic: Amir Mansour”

Ethnic Korean, Ukrainian-born junior featherweight slugger Arnold Khegai stayed undefeated on Sunday, August 19, with an impressive two-round stoppage over Uganda’s Mudde Robinson Ntambi at the Korston Club Hotel Moscow, in Moscow, Russia. The IBF #13-rated Khegai (13-0-1, 9 KOs) utilized his monstrous strength and power to score two knockdowns in the second round, sending Ntambi (23-6-1, 7 KOs) through the ropes and forcing the referee to stop the fight. Continue reading “Arnold Khegai still undefeated”

Photo: Sumio Yamada

In the Golovkin-Alvarez co-main event, breakout Mexican star Jaime Munguia (30-0, 25 KOs) will make the second defense of his WBO junior middleweight world title against rugged Canadian contender Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook (20-1, 13 KOs) in a 12-round battle.

“I’m very motivated to be in such an important card,” said Munguia. “It will be the most important boxing event of the year. For me, it is an honor to be on this card supporting Canelo Alvarez, who is also Mexican, on a date that is so special for Mexico, for me and for all of the people. We will do our best to please the public. I promise to not disappoint, so don’t miss my fight and don’t miss Canelo vs. GGG 2.” Continue reading “Munguia promises not to disappoint”

Jennings and Hart score KOs, but Sosa-Blanco war steals the show

By John DiSanto – PhillyBoxingHistory.com
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr. – dcobbjr.com

After a slow start, which included a fourth round trip to the canvas, North Philly’s Bryant Jennings, 24-2, 14 KOs, battled back to stop Hamburg-based Russian Alexander Dimitrenko, 41-4, 26 KOs, in round nine of the exciting main event at the new Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City. Super middleweight Jesse Hart also scored an impressive stoppage in his fight with Mike Gavronski. Continue reading “Jennings-Dimitrenko: Full Report”

On Friday September 28 from Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California, ShoBox presents an immediate rematch of one of 2018’s most controversial and widely disputed fights when lightweights Thomas Mattice (13-0, 10 KOs) and Zhora Hamazaryan (9-1, 6 KOs) face off less than three months after judges in Iowa awarded Mattice what Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood called “the worst decision I’ve seen in the history of ShoBox.”

In the main event, undefeated lightweight prospect Devin Haney (19-0, 13 KOs) will face three-time world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos (33-2-2, 21 KOs) in a ten-rounder. Also, undefeated middleweight prospects Cem Kilic (11-0, 7 KOs) and Donnie Marshall (9-0, 6 KOs) face off in a matchup of undefeated prospects.

Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. is ready to wreak havoc on the bantamweight division. Greer (17-1-1, 9 KOs) has signed a multi-fight promotional contract with Top Rank, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced today. Greer, a Chicago native, will campaign as a bantamweight after fighting at both bantamweight and super bantamweight throughout his career. His debut under the Top Rank banner will be announced soon.

Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez will be hosting public workouts in Los Angeles on Sunday, August 26, at the new Banc of California Stadium (located next to the Los Angeles Coliseum). The doors open at 2PM, Golovkin will workout at 4PM, and Alvarez will work out at 6PM. Admission is free.

On Thursday, September 13, two days before the highly anticipated rematch between Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez and Kazakh wrecking ball Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, another battle between Mexico and Kazakhstan will take place in the super lightweight division as Pablo “El Demoledor” Cesar Cano (30-7-1, 21 KOs) faces Ruslan Madiev (12-0, 5 KOs) in the 10-round main event of the Sept. 13 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. ESPN2 will air the fights beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. ESPN3 will live stream the fights beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m PT. Continue reading “Cano-Madiev clash Sept 13 in Las Vegas”

A 90-minute prelims telecast has been added to Friday’s three-hour FS1 telecast from the Armory in Minneapolis.

Unbeaten 6’6 super welterweight Sebastian Fundora will take on Michigan’s Antonio Urista in a 10-round showdown that headlines the live prelims telecast. Coverage of prelims begins at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and will also feature the pro debut of former amateur standout Omar Juarez, as he steps into the ring in a four-round lightweight bout and undefeated bantamweight prospect Antonio Russell (brother of featherweight champion Gary Russell) takes on Nick Otieno of Kenya in an eight-round bout.

Prelims precede a three-hour telecast of PBC on FS1 headlined by welterweight contender Jamal James returning to action in his hometown as he takes on Mexico’s Mahonry Montes.

On Wednesday, September 5, fearless Russian light heavyweight contender Umar Salamov (21-1, 16 KOs) will risk his IBF #11 and WBO #15 rankings when he takes on treacherous KO puncher Denis Liebau (23-2, 21 KOs) of Frankfurt Germany, for the WBO International Light Heavyweight Championship.

The explosive 10-round showdown will be held in the Amphitheater at the five-star Grozny City Hotel in Salamov’s hometown of Grozny, Russia, and televised live in Russia on Match TV. Continue reading “Salamov-Liebau clash Sept 5 in Grozny”

Updated…

The undercard for the September 15 WBA/WBC middleweight world title rematch between champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and archrival Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is coming together.

The PPV event will feature WBO jr middleweight champion Jaime Mungia (30-0, 25 KOs) defending against Brandon Cook (20-1, 13 KOs), a twelve-rounder between middleweights David Lemieux (39-4, 33KOs) and Gary O’Sullivan (28-2, 20 KOs), and super flyweights Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-2, 38 KOs) against Moises “Moi” Fuentes (25-5-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round opener.

On the non-televised portion of the card, super lightweight knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr.(10-0, 10 KOs) takes on Roberto “Massa” Ortiz (35-2-2, 26 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round 140-pound fight.

Rising welterweight prospect Alexis “Lex” Rocha (11-0, 8 KOs) faces Carlos Ortiz (10-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight clash.

Undisputed WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO Champion Cecilia Braekhus (34-0, 9 KOs) defends her titles in a 10-round welterweight fight vs. TBA.

Francisco Esparza (8-0-1, 3 KOs) will take on a soon-to-be-announced opponent in either a four or six-round featherweight fight.

WBA #6, IBF #3, WBC #4, WBO #9 Australian Boxing sensation Andrew “The Monster” Moloney 17 – 0 returns to the ring September 8th for his 3rd fight of 2018 & the biggest challenge to date of the 27 year pugilist’s career. The bout will be at the Grand opening of the new lavish Bendigo stadium in Victoria Australia.

Moloney is confident ahead of his WBA Oceania super flyweight title defense against “El Nica” Luis Concepcion. Concepcion a former 2 weight division WBA World Champion himself, a national icon in Panama. This will mark Moloney’s 9th WBA Oceania fight in the bantam and super fly divisions. Continue reading “Moloney ready for Concepcion, targets Yafai”

History will be made this week when the first championship fight on a Fight Club OC show will take place Thursday in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. 2012 Rio Olympic Bronze Medal winner Murodjon Akhmadaliev faces Ramon Contreras for the vacant WBA Intercontinental super bantamweight belt.

Akhmadaliev at 4-0 was not only the Olympic Bronze Medal winner in 2012 for his native Uzbekistan but also the 2015 world amateur champion. He will face without a doubt his toughest test to date, meeting the current WBA Fedebol super bantamweight champion Ramon Contreras from Chile who brings a 15-6 record with six knockouts. The winner could have a shot at a 2019 date with current world champion Daniel Roman, so a lot is at stake. Continue reading “WBA title fight on Thursday’s Fight Club OC show”

By David Finger

For the last several years boxing insiders (including this writer) had been warning of a storm coming in from the West Coast of Africa. It was destroying everything in its path and there was no question that it was headed straight to Las Vegas…the capital of boxing the world over. Some ignored the forecast. Others wondered if the storm would really be that destructive, with some assuming it was just another false alarm.

But last April 28th the Royal Storm of Africa Isaac Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) made landfall on the East Coast, sweeping away undefeated WBO junior featherweight champion Jessie Magdaleno before leaving town with the belt. Continue reading “Interview: WBO 122lb champ Isaac Dogboe”