Fightnews.com

By Joe Koizumi

WBC female atomweight (102-pound) champ Momo Koseki (24-2-1, 9 KOs), a 35-year-old Japanese southpaw, officially made an announcement on Monday to hang up gloves for good after she registered 17 successful defenses and acquired the WBC 105-pound belt by dethroning compatriot Yuko Kuroki in her last appearance last December.

Both belts, therefore, will become vacant with Koseki’s relinquishment. Koseki, cultivated by her long-time manager/promoter Masayuki Ariyoshi, has improved in every fight physically, technically and mentally so that she became a formidable champion, having broken even Yoko Gushiken’s thirteen consecutive defenses and having been unbeaten since 2008 to her credit. Continue reading “WBC female champ Koseki retires after 17 defenses”

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten two-class world champ Kosei Tanaka (10-0, 6 KOs), a Japanese enfant terrible at still 22, will participate in his first and tune-up bout in the flyweight category against WBO#12 Ronnie Baldonado (10-0-1, 7 KOs), a Filipino prospect, in Nagoya, Japan, on March 31.

WBO #1 Tanaka hopes to acquire his third world belt this year after he recently renounced his WBO 108-pound belt to pave the way for his previous challenger, Puerto Rican Angel Acosta to gain the WBO full championship prior to his bout with Juan Alejo on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Sadam Ali bout at Madison Square Garden last December. Currently ranked atop, Tanaka said, “I’m willing to challenge the WBO flyweight champion Sho Tanaka to win my third belt within this year.” Time will tell.

Hayemaker Ringstar, the partnership between two-weight World Boxing Champion, David Haye, and world-renowned promoter, Richard Schaefer, have announced the stable’s second professional fight, which will take place on February 16th at York Hall, London. Headlining the show will be Olympic silver medalist Heavyweight Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce (1-0, 1 KO) who entered the professional ranks in emphatic style in October. He now faces 25-year-old Rudolf Jozic (4-1, 3 KOs) from Croatia. Continue reading “Olympian Joe Joyce headlines Feb 16”

World champion Jerwin ‘Pretty Boy’ Ancajas — a protege of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao — just scratched another item off his bucket list, as he fulfilled his dream of training at the legendary Wild Card Boxing Club, the same place where his idol and now co-promoter has trained for his most famous battles. Continue reading “IBF champ Ancajas ready for U.S. debut”

By Robert Coster

Boxing is rebounding in Puerto Rico and promoter Fresh Productions is putting on an attractive card in Fajardo on February 17th. The promoter’s two top prospects, WBA #15 jr lightweight Alfredo Santiago (8-0, 2 KOs) and jr welterweight Subriel Matias Matthews (8-0, 8 KOs) will be tested by two former title contenders. Continue reading “Feb 17 card in Fajardo, Puerto Rico”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Former Australian welterweight champion Gary Cowburn has passed away at the age of 80 years in Queensland, Australia.Cowburn made his debut in 1959 and captured the Australian crown in 1962 defeating Johnny Tapp by KO in round thirteen. Cowburn lost a twelve round decision to world light middleweight champion Ralph Dupas in 1963. He scored two victories over world rated George Barnes. Cowburn also clashed with other notable welterweights Sid Prior, Roberto Cruz, J.D.Ellis Alfredo Cota, George Bracken and Arthur Persley. Cowburn’s record was 24-15-2, 13 KOs. Gary will be sadly missed by his family and the Australian Boxing Community.

By Marco Bratusch

A bunch of important news hit the EBU landscape today regarding some of the organization’s most notable titles.

Out of the blue, European Light-Heavyweight titlist Karo Murat has relinquished his belt. Errol Ceylan, who promotes Murat, sent a letter to the EBU office in late afternoon, Italian time, and the administrative office will make the decision official tomorrow morning. No specific reasons were mentioned but the rumor is the boxer might get a good opportunity soon. Murat was supposed to defend his European belt versus official challenger Serhiy Demchenko in the spring as the parties reached a deal for this contest two weeks ago. As a consequence of such unexpected decision made by the German fighter, the title will be declared vacant and co-challenger Demchenko will be pitted against the highest available opponent in the 175-pound EBU rankings. Continue reading “EBU purse bids and Updates”

Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing has signed of undefeated super welterweight prospect Sebastian ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) to a promotional contract. The unique thing about the 20-year-old southpaw Fundora, from Coachella, California, is that he is 6′ 7″, by far the tallest fighter in his division in the world. “Sebastian is nearly impossible to fight at this weight, with his reach and southpaw stance,” proclaimed Lewkowicz, who also stated Fundora has a world-class chin.

A sequel to the most anticipated boxing event in years will arrive on Cinco De Mayo as Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) will clash in a historic and highly anticipated 12-round rematch Saturday, May 5. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View. Details regarding venue and tickets will be announced shortly.

Canelo Alvarez: “I’m delighted to once again participate in one of the most important boxing events in history. This second fight is for the benefit and pleasure of all fans who desire to see the best fight the best. This time, [Gennady] Golovkin won’t have any excuses regarding the judges because I’m coming to knock him out.”

Gennady Golovkin: “I am ready to battle Canelo again and am happy he took this fight again. This is the fight the world wants. This is the fight boxing deserves. I didn’t agree with some of the judges’ decisions in the first fight. This time there will be no doubt. I am leaving the ring as THE middleweight champion of the world.”

Two-division World Boxing Association (WBA) World Champion Beibut Shumenov announced his comeback today at a press conference held in his native Kazakhstan.

“I thought a very long time before making this decision,” Shumenov explained. “Having weighed all the pros and cons, in addition to consulting with my family and team, I have firmly decided to return to professional boxing. Ahead is a lot of work but our goal is obvious. I want to express my thanks to all those who’ve supported me. I will keep everyone up to date with more news and details of my return to the ring.”

The Las Vegas-based Shumenov (17-2, 11 KOs), a 2004 Kazakhstan Olympian, retired last June due to an eye injury., forcing him to relinquish his WBA cruiserweight world title. Continue reading “Beibut Shumenov announces comeback”

On March 10th, right before Oscar Valdez takes on Scott Quigg, WBC Continentals Americas Super Featherweight champion Andy Vences (20-0, 12 KOs) of San Jose, CA, will take on his toughest test to date as he faces three-time consecutive golden gloves champion, Erick De Leon (17-0, 10 KOs) at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA on a card televised by ESPN and promoted by Top Rank Inc.

Here is what Vences had to say: Continue reading “Vences poised for showdown with De Leon”

Rising female star, Elena Gradinar of Saint Petersburg, Russia, will compete for the first championship belt of her professional career when she takes on former world champion Olivia “The Predator” Gerula for the IBF Intercontinental Featherweight Championship.

The 10-round Gradinar vs. Gerula battle will take place on Saturday, March 24, at the Energia Sport Hall in Narva, Estonia. Continue reading “Gradinar-Gerula collide March 24”

By Mauricio Sulaiman
WBC President – Jose Sulaiman’s son

I am in Riga, Latvia, and still feel the great joy of last Saturday night’s event at Riga Arena where Alexandr Usyk dethroned local hero Mairis Briedis. It is, without a doubt, the best cruiserweight championship fight in the division’s history. The fight card was organized by the WBSS ( World Boxing Super Series ) with extraordinary production, making this “an event.” The world class arena was packed and the atmosphere was electric throughout the 12 rounds.

Usyk won by majority decision 114-114 and 115-113 twice. The WBC judges wore noise reduction headphones which is a WBC initiative to maximize the ability to concentrate and to limit the influence that noise may have in the subconscious of a judge during the fight. This was one of the loudest crowds I have ever experienced.

Instant replay was also available through the WBSS production but it was not used as it was an extremely clean fight which only had 3 clinches in the whole bout. Continue reading “The 12th Round: Uncertain Future for Olympic Boxing”

Amir Khan will face Phil Lo Greco on his return to the ring at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on April 21. Former unified Light-Welterweight ruler Khan is back in action for the first time since May 2016 where he stepped up to Middleweight to face Mexican star Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and now the 31 year old is determined to get back on the road to World title glory in his first fight of a three-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing.

Lo Greco will come face-to-face with Khan at a press conference in Liverpool tomorrow – and both men are predicting an exciting fight, with ‘King’ Khan promising to show that he’s back to his best, but Lo Greco coming to KO the Brit star. Continue reading “Khan vs. Lo Greco is official”

Story by John DiSanto – PhillyBoxingHistory.com
File Photos by Darryl Cobb Jr. – dcobbjr.com

In his last outing, Jesse “Hard Work” Hart, 22-1, 18 KOs, the top super middleweight contender in Philadelphia AND the in the world, was knocked down, lost for the first time, and went away from his first world championship fight with a few knocks and bruises on his body and on his ego. However, these trials may just have been some well-needed growing pains.

In that 12-round decision loss to Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez last September, Hart showed the world that he not only had the guts to fight back, but also an ability to adapt on night that wasn’t going his way. This is the toughest test for an undefeated fighter suddenly in deep water. Hart lost the fight, but he passed this important test.

Despite some troublesome moments early on, by the time the final bell sounded, Jesse had brought the fight remarkably close on the official cards. The performance raised his stock and kept him in the hunt for a world title. Continue reading “Sore Loser Hart Wants Zurdo Again”