Fightnews.com

Nothing motivates an athlete more than big challenges, especially if it’s about facing a legend. For this reason, WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse is raring to head from Argentina to camp with trainer Joel Diaz in Indio, California, to prepare for his big fight on July 15th against Manny Pacquiao in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Bonavena fought with Ali, ‘Chino’ Maidana with Mayweather and it’s my turn to fight Pacquiao,” Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) told reporters in Argentina. “I feel happy, it’s very exciting to fight Manny Pacquiao, a boxing legend. For me, as an athlete it’s very big to face a monster like him, to enter the ring with him.” Continue reading “Matthysse charged up for career-defining fight”

By Miguel Maravilla at ringside

Golden Boy Promotions LA Fight Club was back as 2016 Women’s flyweight Olympian Marlen Esparza (5-0, 1 KO) of Houston, Texas stopped Laetiza Campana (2-5) of Philadelphia in three rounds Friday night at Belasco Theater in the LA Fight in the Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV main event.

Esparza busted Campana’s nose early in the opening round as she followed up with the right hand. Continuing to go forward Esparza landed big punches in the second backing and pinning Campana to the ropes. A huge right by Esparza to start the third round did it. Referee Zachary Taylor decided Campana had seen enough and stopped the fight at 11 seconds of the third. Continue reading “LA Fight Club: Esparza halts Campana”

By John DiSanto at ringside
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

In the main event at the 2300 Arena, Upper Darby super middleweight Brandon Robinson, 10-1, 7 KOs, pounded out an eight round unanimous decision over Mexican southpaw Oscar Riojas, 16-9-1, 5 KOs.

Robinson floored Riojas in the first, but never came that close to ending the fight again. The result was never in doubt however. Every time Riojas got brave and showed signs of life, Robinson snuffed the surge with a volley of punches. Brandon’s first main event performance was solid and workmanlike if not spectacular. After the full eight rounds the judges scored the one-sided fight for Robinson, 80-71 and 79-72 twice. The show was promoted by Kings Promotions. Continue reading “Robinson defeats Riojas, Aleem stays unbeaten”

Erislandy Lara 153.5 vs. Jarrett Hurd 153
(WBA/IBF super welterweight unification)

Caleb Truax 167.75 vs. James DeGale 167.25
(IBF super middleweight title)

Julian Williams 154 vs. Nathaniel Gallimore 153
(IBF junior middleweight eliminator)

Sergio Mora 162.4 vs. Alfredo Angulo 167.5
Emanuel Medina 146.2 vs. Saul Corral 146
Xavier Martinez 131 vs. Jairo Vargas 131.8
Ahmed Mahmood 124.6 vs. Sharone Carter 125.4

Venue: The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
Promoter: Mayweather Promotions
TV: Showtime

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Jhonny Gonzalez 127.8 vs. Marlyn “Maravilla” Cabrera 128

Lindolfo Delgado 139 vs. Juan Carlos Chavira 141
Jacky Calvo 111 vs. Jazmín Ortega 112

Venue: Convention Center Azul Ixtapa
Promoter: Promociones del Pueblo
TV: Televisa (Mexico)

Most all fight promoters say they have just staged a “fight of the year” bout, but when fans throw $370 into the ring after a particular bout you know that it was something special.

But at Thursday’s edition of Roy Englebrecht’s Fight Club OC show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, fans were treated to a bout so over the top that both female fighters were drenched in blood from the second round on, and when the final bell rang to end the war, Fontana’s Lisa Mauldin came away with a split decision win over Amanda Jones in the pro debut for both ladies. Continue reading “Sellout Crowd Sees Barnburner”

By Gabriel F. Cordero

The paradise-like tourist destination of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is gearing up for Televisa’s ‘Sabados de Boxeo’ as former world champion Jhonny Gonzalez will defend a WBC super featherweight regional title against Marlyn Cabrera as he seeks an opportunity of the fight for the world title against his compatriot Miguel Berchelt, current champion of the WBC at 130 pounds. Gonzalez-Cabrera will take place at the Hotel Azul Ixtapa Convention Center.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japan-based Filipino, WBC#5/IBF#8 Mark John Yap (29-11, 14 KOs), 117.75, kept his regional belt as he applied his trademark hit-and-run tactics and earned a unanimous nod (116-112 twice and 117-111) over game but gory Japanese challenger Takafumi Nakajima (29-10-1, 13 KOs), 118, over twelve hard-fought rounds on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan.

It’s a closer affair than the official tallies indicated since Yap, leading on points on open scoring system, had to ride a fast bicycle to avert Nakajima’s desperate retaliation. Yap, faster and more accurate in earlier rounds, piled up points, leading on points—78-74 twice and 79-73 after the eighth. Nakajima sustained a bad laceration over the left optic in the tenth and withstood bleeding therefrom to show his last surge. Yap was cleverer in mixing it up by demonstrating his precision in catching the onrushing target. The ref was Kazutoshi Yoshida.

Photos

By Joe Koizumi

WBA/IBF unified 108-pound champ Ryoichi Taguchi (27-2-2, 12 KOs), a Japanese speedster, will face Hekkie Budler (31-3, 10 KOs), South Africa, with both belts on the line in Tokyo, Japan, on May 20.

It was publicly announced by Watanabe Promotions on Wednesday. Having unified the IBF belt along with the WBA strap by defeating Milan Melindo on New Year’s Eve of the previous year, Taguchi will engage in his eighth WBA defense and initial IBF defense as well. Budler, fromer WBA 105-pound ruler, had lost a split duke to Milan Melindo to fail to win the IBF junior fly belt in Cebu, Philippines last September.

Also, in the semi-windup, IBF 105-pound champ Hiroto Kyoguchi (9-0, 7 KOs), Taguchi’s stablemate, will also appear to defend his belt on the same show at the Ota-city General Gymnasium. His challenger will be announced soon by Watanabe Promotions.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japanese knockout artist, WBC flyweight champ Daigo Higa (15-0, 15 KOs) showed a customary public workout on Tuesday prior to his third defense against Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales beneath WBA 160-pound ruler Ryota Murata’s first defense in Yokohama on April 15.

His manager and former WBA 108-pound boss Yoko Gushiken, 62, expressed his strong wish that Higa, 22, would renew the current Japanese record of the most consecutive knockouts to make it sixteen therein. Higa, a dynamic hard-puncher, is scheduled to be awarded Okinawa Prefectural Prize two days after his forthcoming title defense. Continue reading “WBC 112lb champ Higa in public workout”

By Joe Koizumi

The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) decided on Wednesday that it wouldn’t approve former WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wongjongkam of Thailand of participating in a grudge fight with Koki Kameda here in Tokyo, Japan, on May 5. The JBC rules that it should license only those who fight within three years after their last fight. The 40-year-old Thailander fought his last on August 30, 2013—some four years seven months ago—by winning a six-round decision over Indonesian Falazona Fidal in his native Thailand. Kameda will have to look for a substitute for Pongsaklek, or only engage in an exhibition game.

WBA super welterweight champion Erislandy Lara is a slight -125 favorite over IBF champion Jarrett Hurd +100 for their 154-pound world title unification this Saturday on SHOWTIME from Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

In the co-feature, former IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale is a big -500 pick to avenge his loss to current champ Caleb Truax +333.

By Ron Jackson

There will be plenty of action for South African fight fans during the month of April with a number of tournaments in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng. There are two tournaments on Friday 6 April, with one in East London and the other in Pretoria.

On Friday, at the Orient Theatre in East London, the veteran 37-year-old Simphiwe Vetyeka (29-4; 17), a former South African bantamweight, IBO bantamweight, and featherweight, WBC International-junior-featherweight, WBA featherweight, and WBA International featherweight champion, returns to action when he meets 33-year-old South African lightweight champion Thompson Mokwana (23-11-2; 12) for the vacant WBO All Africa lightweight title.

Also on Friday, in Menlyn, Pretoria, at the Time Square, Xolisani Ndongeni (23-0; 12) from the Eastern Cape faces Namibian Abraham Ndaendopa (16-5; 5) in a clash for the vacant WBF lightweight belt. Continue reading “Plenty of action in April for SA fans”

By Ron Jackson

Norman “Pangaman” Sekgapane who was a brilliant fighter, a potential world champion, passed away on Wednesday at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa, after a long illness. He was 70. Although he was based in Mahikeng, he spent months in and out of hospital in Johannesburg.

He was known as Pangaman; a panga being a large knife used to cut sugarcane and other plants. It was also a feared weapon. Sekgapane used his fists to do a similar king of job.

He was a professional from 1970 to 1980, a time when several SA boxers had colorful, imaginative nicknames. And there is no doubt that he was one of the best lightweights and junior-welterweights South Africa ever produced. Continue reading “Pangaman passes at 70”

Marlen Esparza vs. Laetizia Campana
Hector Tanajara Jr. vs. Hector Ambriz
Pablo Rubio Jr. vs. TBA
Jose Vargas vs. Jorge Careaga

Venue: Belasco Theater, Los Angeles
Promoter: Golden Boy
TV: Estrella TV

Brandon Robinson 167.3 vs. Oscar Riojas 168.8
Marcus Bates 122.9 vs. Raeese Aleem 121.9
Colby Madison 247.9 vs. Guillermo Del Rio 198.8
Poindexter Knight 149.3 vs. Vincent Floyd 148.3
Joshafat Ortiz 131.5 vs. Evgueny Metchenov 130.7
Rasheed Johnson 147.3 vs. Denis Okoth 143.9
Kendall Cannida 178.1 vs. Carlos Villenueva 173.2

Venue: 2300 Arena in Philadelphia
Promoter: King’s Promotions
1st Bell: 7:00 PM ET
TV: Eleven Sports (Delay)

World champions Erislandy Lara and Jarrett Hurd went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference for their 154-pound world title unification this Saturday, April 7 live on SHOWTIME from Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. WBA Champion Lara and IBF Champion Hurd will meet for just the sixth unification bout in division history in a fight that will help define the future of the 154-pound class. The winner of Lara-Hurd will join Hall of Famers Terry Norris, Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya and Winky Wright, as well as Canelo Alvarez, as the only fighters to unify 154-pound titles.

Erislandy Lara: “Everyone knows I love to fight his style. I’ve fought better and taller fighters than him and you’ve seen me dominate them. It’s going to be nothing different on Saturday night. I want him to come forward. That’s what I’m prepared for. I’m going to give him a lesson.”

Jarrett Hurd: “With my power and skill set, I can stop any fighter in the division. That definitely includes Erislandy Lara…Lara is a guy who can’t take pressure fighters well. I have some of the best pressure in the game. I’m younger, stronger, taller and longer. He’s not going to be able to run for 12 rounds.”

Also, IBF super middleweight world champion Caleb Truax and former champion James DeGale, meet in an immediate rematch of what was the near-universal upset of the year in 2017.

Caleb Truax: “I just want to go out there and silence people who said it was a fluke the first time I won. I want to prove that I belong at the top of the division. I’m going to put on a good show for the fans and retain my title.”

James DeGale: “My last performance was horrendous. It was shocking and embarrassing. I’m not going to make excuses about my shoulder and what went wrong. On Saturday night, I will be a two-time world champion. I promise you that.”

Unbeaten heavyweight LaRon Mitchell (16-0, 14 KOs) faces a stern test when he defends his Junior NABF title against once-beaten Eugene Hill (34-1, 22 KOs) on April 14 in an eight rounder at the Salinas Storm House in Salinas, Calif. Mitchell, 37, is a full-time physical education teacher, who began his career with thirteen straight knockout wins. Hill, 40, hasn’t lost since 2009 and has won eighteen straight heading into this fight against Mitchell.

In the headliner, Salinas native Ruben Villa (10-0, 4 KOs) headlines his first event when he battles Marlon Olea (13-2, 12 KOs) in an eight-rounder for the vacant WBO Youth featherweight title.

By Gabriel F. Cordero

WBC super bantamweight champion Rey Vargas (31-0, 22 KOs) will defend his title against challenger Azat Hovnannisyan (14-2, 11 KOs) on May 12 at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY, on the same event as the WBO super welterweight world title HBO clash between Sadam Ali and former champ Liam Smith.

According to Promociones del Pueblo President Osvaldo Küchle, “Vargas has everything to be taken into consideration as a Mexican boxing star and is ready for the big boxing nights of May and September.”

Two-time undefeated world champion Demetrius Andrade is still trying to convince middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin to choose him as an opponent on May 5th at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas. “Like I said last week, I am in the gym, and if Gennady does the right thing and choose the best available fighter, and that is me, he and his team should know that I am ready to fight him for his middleweight titles on May 5th. I have been working extra hard in the gym to prepare myself for May 5th. Last week your promoter texted my promoter asking if I was in the gym, well the pictures are the proof that I have been. I think Gennady knows that I am the best option right now. Based on all the comments about all of the names out there, this is the fight that the fans prefer. Gennady and his team have always talked about fighting the best, well it is time he stays true to his word and let’s fight on May 5th,” said Andrade.

Highly regarded undefeated lightweight Devin Haney will face the toughest test of his career in veteran Mason Menard in the 10-round main event of ShoBox: The New Generation Friday, May 11 live on SHOWTIME from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

The 19-year-old Haney, who was a seven-time national junior amateur champion, has been considered a blue-chip prospect since turning professional at the age of 16 in Mexico. Haney (18-0, 12 KOs) will face by far the toughest opponent of his career in his ShoBox debut against Menard (33-2, 24 KOs), a two-time ShoBox veteran whose only loss in nearly a decade came to current WBO Lightweight Champion Ray Beltran. Menard is now based in Los Angeles with trainers John Pullman and Buddy McGirt.

By David Finger

Fightnews is sad to report that former featherweight contender Tomas Villa of Midland, Texas died this Tuesday (April 3, 2018). Villa was reportedly involved in a car accident two miles south of Midland. According to the police report A Dodge Durango driven by Villa hit a Kenworth truck tractor on Highway 349 at 5:44 PM. Villa, who according to the police report was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene. Continue reading “Former featherweight contender Tomas Villa passes”

Olympic heavyweight Gold Medalist Tony Yoka enters his second year as a professional boxer and will make his next appearance on Saturday, April 7th at Palais des Sports de Paris, France.

In his first 10-round fight, Yoka will face French fighter Cyril “Aldo” Leonet (13-9-3, 4 KOs). Leonet won the IBF Mediterranean title and was crowned 5-time champion of France. Leonet was French Heavyweight Champion in 2015 and 2017. He won the IBF Mediterranean Champion Belt in 2015 by beating Romanian, Lucian Bot. Tony and Leonet know each other well since he was Tony’s sparring partner last year. Continue reading “Gold medalist Yoka in action Saturday”