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Trainers Abel Sanchez (Gennady Golovkin) and Eddy Reynoso (Canelo Alvarez) have very different opinions on what will happen in the ring when GGG and Canelo collide for the middleweight championship of the world on September 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. But, one thing they do agree on is a lack of interest in the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor clash taking place in the same ring at the same venue next week.

Abel Sanchez: What happens next week is irrelevant to me. I would just rather wait for the 16th and put the two best fighters in the ring.

Eddy Reynoso: Bravo, Bravo.

Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) will look to capture his sixth world title when he takes on Yoshihiro “El Maestrito” Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) Aug. 26 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, for the WBO Junior Middleweight title. Cotto will make his return to the ring after a layoff of nearly two years and will appear on HBO for the 23rd time.

“Kamegai is the best opponent for me right now in my career — he is a warrior in the ring,” said Cotto in an exclusive Q&A session. “When we were looking through our options, he was one of the first names that popped up. I don’t really worry about what or how my opponent trains – all that matters is how well our team prepares. Freddie Roach has always been good to me, has been critical to my preparation over the years, and our team has always enjoyed working together like a family. I will be prepared for Kamegai on August 26 mentally and physically. It will be a great fight.” Continue reading “Cotto: Kamegai is the best opponent for me”

NABO Super Featherweight champion Alberto “El Explosivo” Machado (17-0, 15 KOs) and NABA Super Featherweight champion Carlos “The Solution” Morales (16-1-3, 6 KOs) hosted a press conference today ahead of their 10-round super featherweight unification fight that will headline the Aug. 18 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN.

Alberto “Explosivo” Machado: I know that Morales has prepared well, and is ready to give a tough fight. I know he has had difficulties before in his career, and he has slowly come up the ranks. However, I had the great career opportunity to train with Miguel Cotto, and I have learned so much from his discipline so that I can one day become Puerto Rico’s next world champion.”

Carlos “The Solution” Morales: “I know Machado prepared very well, as he was training in Los Angeles with Miguel Cotto and Freddie Roach. I trained out of Los Angeles as well – the boxing world is a small one. We have come to take everyone by surprise – something that I have always done in my career in coming as the opponent and coming out victorious. We will be giving Machado “The Solution” come Friday, August 18.”

This Friday, August 18, in Krasnodar, Russia, IBF #14-rated cruiserweight “Hurricane” Junior Wright (16-2-1, 13 KOs) of Chicago will face hometown favorite and IBF #8-rated Ruslan Fayfer (20-0, 14 KOs) in an eliminator for the #2 contender spot.

Wright and his trainer Rick Wilson have spent eight weeks preparing for this fight, and believe that Junior is coming back to the U.S. with the victory. “Fighters come from the U.S. to fight in Russia they all come home with a bad story,” said Wright, “but we’re not. We’re coming out of Krasnodar with a beautiful gift.”

Junior lightweight boxer Joey Laviolette may have a big reputation in Canada, but he is a virtual unknown in the United States. The 29-year-old native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, hopes to change that when he takes on Avery Sparrow, of Philadelphia, PA, in the scheduled eight-round main event Friday evening, Sept. 8, at the 2300 Arena. Continue reading “Unbeaten Laviolette invades Philly”

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten Mexican southpaw Luis Nery (24-0, 18 KOs), 118, surprisingly captured the WBC bantamweight belt when he swarmed over previously unbeaten champ Shinsuke Yamanaka (27-1-2, 19 KOs), 118, battered him to the punch and halted him with the towel thrown in from his corner at 2:29 of the fourth round on Tuesday in Kyoto, Japan. Yamanaka, a southpaw upright stylist, failed to score his thirteenth defense, which would have tied the Japanese mark of Yoko Gushiken’s as many defenses registered 37 years ago.

More to come.

Former World Champion Krzysztof Glowacki (27-1, 17 KOs) and fellow Polish star Mateusz Masternak (39-4, 26 KOs) have signed-up to act as reserves in the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarter-finals. Assuming they are not needed to act as reserves, the fighters will box on the undercards of the quarter-final they are assigned to.

Glowacki is the reserve for the Mairis Briedis vs Mike Perez quarter-final and WBC world title match-up at the Riga Arena, Latvia on September 30. Masternak has been named as reserve for the Murat Gassiev vs Krzysztof Wlodarczyk quarter-final and IBF world title bout, date and venue to be announced.

It will be a battle of unbeatens when Adam Lopez (8-0, 3 KOs) of Southern California takes on Stephen Fulton (11-0, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA on September 19th. The bout was confirmed to Fightnews.com® by managers Andrew Zak/Journeyman Managment and Alex Vasyfeld/Union Boxing. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds and will be aired live on Fox Sports 1. The contracted weight will be 124 pounds maximum. The site of the event will be the Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Bethlehem, PA. Continue reading “Lopez-Fulton meet Sept 19 in PA”

By Lucas Ketelle

Boxing returns to the Bay Area this Saturday, August 19th in Pleasanton, Calif., at the Alameda County Fairgrounds as Squarevision Entertainment returns with their third card of the year entitled “Bay Area Titans III”. The card is headlined by junior welterweight Eddie Diaz (3-6-3) taking on a man he knocked out in this very arena in January, Luis Garcia (7-1-1) of Richmond, CA, only this time it will be for the Square Warriors junior welterweight title. Continue reading “Boxing returns to Bay Area Saturday”

By Mauricio Sulaiman
WBC President – Jose Sulaiman’s son

The passing away of Frank Quill in Australia has closed yet another chapter in the history books of boxing and the WBC. Frank Quill wrote with Golden letters several pages with his dedication and passion to make boxing better. A boxing historian who served as President in the Australian National Boxing Federation, he was a member of the WBC Board of Governors and chairman of the WBC Ratings Committee. A man with a sweet smile, always positive and a natural friend to all. The funeral will be held on August 16 at 10 am at Heritage Funerals, in Melbourne Australia.

This past weekend the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame honored some of the great heroes of the sport in a memorable event organized by Rich Marotta who has passed the torch to Michelle Corrales Lewis who will serve as President of NBHF. Continue reading “The 12th Round”

The Fallon Rural Rumble once again delivered a night of professional boxing in its tenth installment last Saturday night at the Churchill County Fair Grounds. In the main event, Reno native and world-ranked flyweight Oscar “Chapito” Vasquez scored an ten round unanimous decision win over Javier Gallo. Vasquez improves to 14-1, 3 KOs, while Gallo falls to 24-14-1, 12 KOs.

Other results
Gabriel Flores Jr. W4 Jorge Padron (lightweight)
Diego Elizondo W4 Chandler Clements (lightweight)
Pedro Moreno TKO2 Curtis Morton (super lightweight)
Quilisto Madera KO2 Austin Marcum (middleweight)

The Fallon Rural Rumble is presented every summer by the City of Fallon and Let’s Get It On Promotions.

Photos: Jeff Zimmerman/Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame

Last weekend’s Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame induction gala capped an excitement-filled weekend of festivities at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

More photos

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Top trainer Robert Garcia says WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia would defeat Floyd Mayweather. “I don’t think Floyd would fight Mikey because he’s already forty and he already told us ‘Look, I’m already tired, my body is sore. I cannot box anymore.’ He’s fighting McGregor because it’s an easy fight for him, but in boxing I don’t think he would fight right now,” Robert Garcia told OTR Radio. Continue reading “Robert Garcia says Mikey beats Floyd”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

WBC bantamweight champion, unbeaten Japanese southpaw Shinsuke Yamanaka (27-0-2, 19 KOs), making his thirteenth defense, scaled in at the class limit of 118 pounds, while the official challenger Luis Nery (23-0, 17 KOs), also unbeaten from Mexico, tipped the beam at the same 118 pounds on Monday in Kyoto, Japan.

The WBC officials are as follows:
Referee Michale Griffin (Canaa); judges Oren Shellenberger (US), David Sutherland (US), Joel Scobie (Canada); supervisor Duane Ford(US). Continue reading “Yamanaka, Nery Make Weight”

The Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (CBHOF) has announced its six-member Class of 2017 to be inducted during the 13TH annual CBHOF Gala Induction Dinner on Saturday night, October 28, in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun. The new CBHOF inductees are pioneer boxer “Professor” Charles Hadley, ring physician Dr. Tony Alessi, international boxing judge Clark Sammartino, referee/judge Dick Flaherty, boxing writer Dan Parker and boxer/boxing contributor Hugh Devlin, Sr. Continue reading “2017 CBHOF inductees named”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez can get an upset victory over betting favorite and WBC, WBA, IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on September 16 according to Showtime boxing analyst Steve Farhood.

“I think the fight is coming along at a really good time for Canelo,” Farhood told OTR Boxing Radio. “Golovkin has shown a little bit more vulnerability lately in the Brook and the Danny Jacobs fight. Canelo took his time moving up to 160, it won’t surprise me if he’s the bigger fighter in the ring at the time of the fight, because he does blow up after the weigh in. I like his chances, I’m picking him to win in a minor upset. Continue reading “Farhood says Canelo will beat GGG”

By Gary “Digital” Williams at ringside

A number of young professional boxers faced mostly durable competition and came away with victories during the Nation’s Fight Night card at the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC.

In the main event, Hyattsville, MD welterweight Patrick Harris won a six-round unanimous decision over a very game Jesus Lule of Fort Myers, FL by way of Mexico. Harris relied mostly on his inside work, landing crunching shots to Lule’s body. Harris didn’t rely much on his jab as he was able to pummel Lule inside. Harris won by shutout across the board, 60-54, to remain undefeated at 12-0, seven KOs. Lule falls to 11-23-1, two KOs. Continue reading “Harris Wins Main Event in DC”

Two female world title fights took place Saturday night at the Palacio Penarol in Montevideo, Uruguay.

WBA female light flyweight world champion Yessica “La Tuti” Bopp (32-1, 13 KOs) retained her world title with a shutout ten round unanimous decision over veteran Olga Julio (25-17-2, 18 KOs). It was Bopp’s third defense of the title in her second reign. She previously defended the belt 14 times before moving up in weight.

In a clash for the vacant IBF female jr middleweight title, Chris Namus (23-4, 8 KOs) outpointed Yamila Esther Reynoso (8-2-3, 7 KOs) over ten to claim her first world title after coming up short in four previous attempts.

Photos: Zanfer

In a clash for the WBC silver middleweight belt, world ranked Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia (41-3, 24 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous over Omar “Businessman” Chávez (36-3-1, 24 KOs) on Saturday night at the Gimnasio Nuevo León Unido in Monterrey, Mexico. Scores were 97-92 and 96-93, 96-93. Big disappointment for Chavez, son of Mexican ring legend Julio Cesar Chavez and brother of former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who was coming off a second round KO over Canelo’s brother Ramon “Inocente” Alvarez.

Minimumweight contender Moises “Taz” Calleros (27-7, 15 KOs) hammered out a one-sided eight round decision over former world champion Mario “Dragoncito” Rodriguez (20-14-5, 12 KOs). Scores were 80-72, 80-72, 79-73. Dragoncito is now 1-5-1 in his last seven fights with two of those losses to Calleros.

Photos

By Gabriel F. Cordero

In a lightweight clash, former three-division world champion Yuriorkas Gamboa (27-2, 17 KOs) barely squeaked out a ten round majority decision over Alexis Reyes (15-3-1, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at the Internacional Arena at the Grand Oasis Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. Scores were 95-94, 95-94, 94-94.

Former unified minimumweight world champion Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez (24-4-1, 16 KOs) scored a seventh round KO over previously unbeaten Elias Joaquino (11-1-1, 6 KOs) in a super flyweight contest. Time was 2:35.

WBC female heavyweight world champion Alejandra “La Tigre” Jimenez (9-0, 6 KOs) retained her title by stopping Vanessa Lepage Joanisse (3-1, 1 KOs) in round three.

This might be a good night to attend one of six non-televised club shows in the United States. Otherwise, the only televised bout is a clash between Omar Chavez and Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia on beIN Sports Espanol.

In Cancun, there is an interesting card featuring former world champions Yoriorkas Gamboa and Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez in separate bouts. Also, female heavyweight Vanessa Lepage Joanisse will attempt to win the WBC title in just her fourth pro fight against world champion Alejandra ‘Tigre’ Jiménez. Televisa will broadcast the card in Mexico.

Starting next weekend, however, the action will be fast and furious for the foreseeable future. August 19 is Crawford-Indongo, then August 26 is Mayweather-McGregor and Cotto-Kamegai in separate telecasts. Margarito-Jones is on September 2, “Superflys” on September 9, Canelo-GGG on September 16, Linares-Campbell on September 23.

Plus, IF World Boxing Super Series manages to land a TV deal (or at least live streaming) we’ll have eight more attractive bouts in store for September and October.

Undefeated heavyweight Robert Alfonso (13-0, 5 KOs) captured the vacant IBF/USBA Southern Region Heavyweight Title Friday night with a workmanlike 10 round decision over former WBA-NABA champ Jason Bergman (26-15, 17kos) at the Belk Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. Alfonso, a former Cuban Olympian, showed superior skills using jabs and uppercuts to keep Bergman off balance throughout earning the win. To his credit, Bergman, who took the fight on 1 week notice, pressed the action at times in the 10 rounder and proved to be Alfonso’s stiffest test to date. Scores were 99-91 and 99-90 (twice).

Other results:
Deon Nicholson TKO3 Raymond Gray
Greg Young, Jr. SD4 Andrew Goodrich
Thomas Knox TKO3 Nicolas Gay
Jamal Woods MD6 Willie Herring
Arturo Aguilar TKO3 Fred Weaver
Curtis Harper TKO3 Andrew Greeley

By Héctor Villarreal

Panamanian welterweight Omir Rodriguez (9-2-1, 4 KO´s) scored a fifth round technical knockout over Venezuelan Adrian Perez (6-2, 4 KO´s) on the main event of the “C3 Bajo Fuego” boxing card presented by Promociones y Eventos del Istmo at the Club Arabe in Colon, Panama. Following recommendation of the Doctor, referee Pablo Rowe stopped the action at the beginning of round number 5, because of a severe cut over Perez right eyelid, declaring the TKO victory for Rodriguez who was unable to acquire the WBA Fedebol welterweight belt because of the 2 pounds over the weight registered by him the day before.

In the two other fights between Venezuelans and Panamanians, lightweight Kelly Figueroa (9-7-3, 4 KO´s) stopped local Eric Walters (11-3-1, 6 KO´s) at 0:22 on the second round and light flyweight Azael Villar (12-0-3, 9 KO´s) stayed undefeated by the way of a majority draw against visitor Jesus Martinez (3-3-1, 1 KO).

By Gary “Digital” Williams

The “Nation’s Fight Night” card takes place on tonight at the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC. Headlining the event will be undefeated Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick Harris who will take on veteran Jesus Lule of Fort Myers, FL in a six-round contest. Harris (11-0, seven KO’s) won an eight-round unanimous decision against Omar Garcia in his last outing on April 8th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Lule, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil (11-22-1, two KO’s), scored a second-round TKO over Ismael Serrano on June 27th in Bethlehem, PA. This is Lule’s second visit to the Nation’s Capitol. Lule lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Lamont Roach, Jr. in March of 2016 at the DC Armory. Continue reading “Harris Headlines In DC”

It was “The Notorious” Conor McGregor’s turn to meet with the media on Friday from UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, a day after Floyd “Money” Mayweather did the same in advance of their Saturday, Aug. 26, headlining attraction of a SHOWTIME PPV event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Here is what McGregor had to say Friday:

Conor McGregor: “I have a game plan and I will execute it perfectly, like always. I have been boxing my whole life so this is not a new experience for me. I will rule over MMA and boxing with an iron fist after August 26th.

“The tale of the fight will be waiting to see who takes a step back first. We all know Floyd is a great defensive boxer and he isn’t going to keep coming forward like he says. If he does, it’s going to be a quick night for me. Continue reading “McGregor: I will be a god of boxing”