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Former world champion Jaime Munguia (41-0, 32 KOs) and Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (14-4, 10 KOs) hosted their final press conference Thursday at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. They collide on DAZN Saturday night in 12-round super middleweight fight for the WBC silver title.

Jaime Munguia: “Without a doubt, this is the toughest fight of my career. This will be a great fight, a great war. I trained really hard for this event, and this fight will be exciting with many punches and Arriba Mexico!”

Sergiy Derevyanchenko: “I do not worry about Munguia or his team overlooking me. That is a problem for Munguia and his team; that’s their problem, not mine. I am focused on the fight, so on Saturday, we will see.”

Callum Walsh 154 vs. Carson Jones 153.4
Umar Dzambekov 175.2 vs. Crispulo Javier Andino 176.8
Gloria Munguilla 111.8 vs. Lilian Almaraz 111.4
Israel Mercado 140.2 vs. Jesus Silveyra Carrillo 141
Gor Yeritsyan 147 vs. Gustavo David Vittori 149.8
Stefi Cohen 112 vs. Esli Cervantes 112
Kalyl Gustavo Martins Da Silva 151 vs. Peter Emmanuel Gonzalez 153.2
Pablo Melgar 129.6 vs. Michael Bracamontes 129.2
David Romero 139.2 vs. Andres Figueroa 138.6

Venue: Commerce Casino, Commerce, California
Promoter: 360 Promotions
TV: UFC Fightpass

Heavyweight contender Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (20-1-2, 14 KOs), who has recently been competing in one-round Team Combat League bouts, returns to conventional boxing against 6’10 Donnie Palmer (12-3-1, 10 KOs) in the ten round main event of Reyes Fire Fist Boxing’s “Down and Dirty 6” June 24 at the Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts.

In the ten round co-feature, lightweight Willian “Babyface” Silva (30-4, 18 KOs) faces Raul Chirino (22-16, 13 KOs). Also, 2016 Olympian Rayton “Boom Boom” Okwiri (8-1-1, 6 KOs) meets undefeated Erick Kedar Gianous (6-0, 4 KOs) in an intriguing eight round middleweight bout.

Undefeated junior welterweight king Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) will defend his WBO title against former lightweight kingpin Teofimo Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) on ESPN Saturday night in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The fighters were kept far apart at Thursday’s press conference.

Josh Taylor: “He means what he says, and I mean what I say. There is genuine dislike here. He’s been disrespectful. I’m going to make him pay for his words on Saturday. I can’t wait to get in there. You will see a Josh Taylor win, possibly by KO, and nice and early as well.”

Teofimo Lopez: “I worked my a** off. Eleven weeks of camp. This is going to be the best version of me. Practice makes improvement. We’ve improved since my last fight. We’re ready to put on a show. I’m going to be a two-time lineal world champion…I’m here to come in there and take everything that you’ve got.”

David Adeleye 235 vs. Emir Ahmatovic 254
(WBO European heavyweight title)

Mark Chamberlain 134.25 vs. Marvin Demollari 134.75
Henry Turner 139.5 vs. Tom Farrell 140
Ezra Taylor 176lbs 3oz vs. Khalid Graidia 176
Carl Fail 157.25 vs. Frank Masden 155.25
Royston Barney-Smith 133.5 vs. Christian Lopez Flores 133.5
Tommy Fletcher 200 vs. Pawel Strykowski 202.25
Ben Fail 157.25 vs. Bartosz Glowacki 154.25
Joshua Frankham TBA vs. Eligio Palacios TBA

Venue: York Hall, London
Promoter: Queensberry
TV: BT Sport (UK)

Adrien Broner 147 vs. Bill Hutchinson 145.5
Ahmed Elbiali 173.8 vs. Rodolfo Gomez 174
Guillermo Rigondeaux 118.8 vs. Charlie Clemente 119.4
Neslan Machado 127.8 vs. Jonathan Smith 127
Antonio Williams 133.6 vs. Braulio Rodriguez 134.8
Adlay Rodriguez 146.2 vs. Raul Garcia Jr. 146.8
Antonio Perez 145.8 vs. Nigel Fennell 146.6
Dorian Bostic 133.2 vs. Joshua Clark 134
Alex Esponda 155.4 vs. Robert Rodriguez 151.6
Brayan Leon 171.8 vs. TBA

Venue: Casino Miami, Miami, Florida
Promoter: Don King Productions
TV: PPV

Weights/Photo from Boxing Bob Newman

Ali Ismailov 174 vs Charles Foster 172
(USBA Light Heavyweight title)

Richard VanSiclen 172.5 vs Ron Carillo 174
Mykquan Williams 141 vs Paulo Cesar Gaidano 142
Clay Waterman 173.5 vs Kenmon Evans 173.5
Maciej Sulecki 169 vs Angel Hernandez 168.5
Bryce Mills 138.75 vs Jonathan de Pina 138.5
Moses Johnson 252 vs Walter Burns 214.5
Fabio Rodriguez 247.75 vs Robert Hernandez 223.75

Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York
Commission: Oneida Indian Nation Athletic Commission
Promoter: Dimitriy Salita (Salita Promotions)
Matchmaker: Eric Bottjer, Steve Clemente
Television: Showtime

Sunny Edwards and Andres Campos faced off at the final press conference ahead of their IBF world flyweight title fight on DAZN Saturday night from the OVO Wembley Arena in London.

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended on Wednesday to the IOC Session to withdraw recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA), in accordance with Rule 3.7 of the Olympic Charter (OC). The IOC EB also recommended to the IOC Session – in the interest of the boxing athletes and the sport of boxing – to maintain boxing on the sports program of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. To discuss the matter and take a decision, the IOC EB and the IOC President have convened an extraordinary IOC Session to be held remotely on June 22. The IBA has been suspended since 2019 and the IOC itself oversaw the 2020 games in Japan.

* * *

IBA President Umar Kremlev said, “From a disreputable organization named AIBA governed by someone from the IOC’s upper echelon, we committed to and executed a change in the toxic and corrupt culture that was allowed to fester under the IOC for far too long. We have made the International Boxing Association new, transparent, clean…for four years, the IBA has not received a single opportunity to present its achievements at an in-person meeting with the IOC, rather than only exchanging letters and emails instead. We accepted the process and the rules, but in the end, we were not assessed fairly. Now, we are left with no chance but to demand a fair assessment from a competent court.”

* * *

The IBA’s rival, World Boxing, applauded the IOC’s decision. “This is a very significant moment as it provides an opportunity for the sport (subject to the decision of the IOC Session on 22 June 23) to move on from the corrosive leadership of IBA which has brought boxing to a place where its status as part of the Olympic program is in doubt. Continue reading “Olympic Boxing Update”

Four-division former world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner and Bill Hutchinson faced off at the final press conference for Friday’s PPV showdown at the Casino Miami in Miami, Florida.

Adrien Broner: “The real problem is they let Adrien Broner and Don King get together – that’s the real problem. I can tell you right now, I am not looking past this man, but I can tell you this – Adrien Broner will become world champion again. And it will be under Don King. There is bigger things to come, but the first is to take care of Billy.

“Usually when people see Adrien Broner, there is usually something messed up coming behind him. So after I mess (looking at Hutchinson) you up I’m going to hire you because I can always use a good lawyer. Now that I know you’re a fighter, I know you will fight for me, in the courtroom.”

Bill Hutchinson: As previously stated, I am a licensed attorney. However, first and foremost, I am a fighter, and Adrien Broner is going to see that Friday night, and he’s going to have his hands full. So I appreciate the offer for some work after the fight, and we can talk about that after, but make no mistake, I am going to do everything in the ring to take his head clean off his shoulders.

Don King: “Dealing with lawyers is Broner’s forte.”

“Gucci Manny” Flores 119.6 vs. Walter Santibañes 118.8
Jelena Mrdjenovich 125.4 vs. Calista Silgado 122.8
Daniel Garcia 130.6 vs. Luis May 130.8
Gael Cabrera 126.8 vs. Ulises Rosales 129.4
Patricio Manuel 130.6 vs. Alexander Gutierrez 129

Venue: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio California
Promoter: Golden Boy
TV: DAZN

Three-division world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) will defend his WBO junior lightweight world title against former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) in an all-Mexican throwdown on August 12 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. ESPN will televise/

Emanuel Navarrete: “After so much time, this fight will finally take place. Obviously, I am 100 percent motivated because Valdez is still a big threat, and a fight against him could possibly be the start of a new Mexico vs. Mexico rivalry like the one between Barrera and Morales.”

Oscar Valdez: “I’m excited to return to the ring, especially because it’s for a world title against ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete. Being a world champion is something that I always dreamed of. I already did it two times, and this is yet another opportunity. So, I’m excited and prepared both mentally and physically for this new opportunity. And I like that it’s between two Mexicans because it’s a win-win for Mexico. It’s a guaranteed war when there are two Mexicans in the ring.”

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

Boxing is the purest sport and without a doubt, the oldest, since the caveman era when humans fought for rudimentary supremacy.

There is plenty of evidence to the history of boxing in various stages and eras of humanity: Mesopotamia, Rome, Egypt, and Constantinople, to name a few, until the Middle Ages erased the history of this sport and almost everything in humanity for the dark ages lasting centuries.

However, modern boxing evolved, finding its home in England. People would gather to watch two men fight bare-knuckle and without rules, and so it went on for decades. The first attempt to formulate rules was by the Marquess of Queensberry, but it actually took many more years for it to become a properly regulated sport. Continue reading “Boxval, Boxing With Values”

Unbeaten IBF #6, WBO #11 light heavyweight Ali Izmailov (10-0, 7 KOs) has set his sights on the top of the 175-pound division as he hopes to improve his championship credentials with an emphatic victory over fellow unbeaten Charles Foster (22-0, 12 KOs) this Friday in the 10-round main event headlining SHOBOX: The New Generation from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.

“I’m coming for everyone at 175-pounds,” said the 30-year-old Izmailov. “I plan on making a statement on Friday night. I’m going to showcase my power and boxing ability against a world-rated fighter. When the opportunity for the knockout comes, I’m taking it and I’m ending his night early. Continue reading “Izmailov planning to stop Foster”

European champion Jean Jacques Olivier (15-2-1, 10 KOs) withdrew from Saturday’s fight in Halifax against Ryan Rozicki (17-1, 16 KOs) for the WBC cruiserweight silver title. To save the card, Rozicki will move up to heavyweight to face Zamig Atakishiyev (8-1-1, 6 KOs) of Azerbaijan in a ten round bout.

“The fight will be at heavyweight and while this is not our optimal path, no one in his weight class was ready to face Rozicki. He is a small cruiserweight and while we don’t want to give Zamig any advantage, we are confident in Ryan’s great potential,” said Three Lions Promotions CEO Daniel Otter.

The co-main event will see current WBC Youth world titleholder Pedro “Simba” Bernal (11-1, 3 KOs) clash with former world title challenger Tyson Cave (35-3.13KOs) in an eight rounder.

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO #14 heavyweight Justis Huni (7-0, 4 KOs) has suffered an ankle injury in sparring and been forced to withdraw from his June 17 bout with Andrew Tabiti (20-1, 16 KOs) over ten rounds at the Smoothie King Centre, New Orleans. The bout was planned for the undercard of the WBC super lightweight bout Regis Prograis vs. Danielto Zorrillo, promoted by Eddie Hearn.

“I am devastated that this has happened so close to the fight,” Huni told the Courier Mail. “I was packed and ready to go, I was a day away from flying out and now this has happened.”

How can he even consider himself a world champion?

IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) plans on defending his world title in style against Chile’s undefeated Andres Campos (15-0, 4 KOs) this Saturday at the OVO Arena Wembley, live worldwide on DAZN, before setting his sites firmly on the other 112lb world champions – especially stablemate and WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez.

“There’s nowhere for the other champions to hide now,” said Edwards. “One at a time, they will get their turn. What I do is different to anything anyone else does in a boxing ring. The world is waiting, and I think right now I am the number one flyweight in the world. I would argue that I am one of the best flyweights in the world. Continue reading “IBF champ Edwards rips WBC champ Martinez”

By Miguel Maravilla

Unbeaten super welterweight ‘King’ Callum Walsh, (6-0, 5 KOs) of Cork, Ireland returns to the ring on Friday night against veteran Carson Jones (43-15-3, 31 KOs) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Walsh will be disputing for the WBC US Silver super welterweight title in headlining Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions Hollywood Fight Nights at the Commerce Casino in Commerce Casino live on UFC Pass.

“I am looking forward to this test and stepping up and winning my first title as a pro,” Callum Walsh told FightNews.com®. Continue reading “Callum Walsh vows to make a statement”

The WBA Championships Committee have approved WBA super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales to unify his belt against the July 25 winner of Naoya Inoue and Stephen Fulton. They also ordered former champ Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Tomoki Kameda to meet in a final eliminator to determine the division’s mandatory challenger.

Tapales dethroned Akhmadaliev last April 8 to win the crown in a controversial and close fight. Matchroom Boxing made a direct rematch request to the WBA and although there are elements that could support it, it is not feasible to do so at this time. Continue reading “WBA: Tapales to fight Inoue-Fulton winner”

#1 WBO ranked featherweight, Joet González (26-3, 15 KO’s) is officially calling out IBF Champion Luis Alberto “Venado” López {28-2. 16 KOs). López is coming off an impressive tko win over Michael Conlan. “It was a great win for Venado Lopez. He’s the one to beat right now. He’s an exciting, aggressive power puncher,’ acknowledges Gonzalez of the Mexicali, Mexico native. ‘He’s being referred to as some kind of monster in our division. But he hasn’t fought anyone like me. He’s never fought anyone at my level. I want that belt and it’s a fight I know I can win. I’ve spoken to my manager Frank Espinoza and I told him I want this fight.”

Espinoza agrees that this would be an excellent matchup. “I think the styles mesh perfectly,” he said. “Their styles combine for a competitive and exciting fight. I think Joet is more technically sound than “Venado” and I think he defeats him.”

Undefeated WBC #2 super welterweight contender Charles ‘Bad News’ Conwell (18-0, 13 KOs), is petitioning the WBC for a world title fight against undisputed world champion Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs).

Conwell’s manager Mark Habibi stated, “Our understanding is that the WBC will order a rematch between Brian Mendoza and Sebastian Fundora next. We want the WBC to therefore make Charles the mandatory challenger for Jermell Charlo. Alternatively, the WBC can make him the mandatory challenger for the rematch between Mendoza and Fundora and allow him to take an interim fight. It seems like Charlo is just sitting on the belt and Charles is ready now to fight him, Mendoza or Fundora. Continue reading “Conwell camp targets Charlo”

Boxing is back with a vengeance this weekend with loads of ring action including many big names on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

FRIDAY
A $24.99 PPV features four-time world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner faces William “Hutch” Hutchinson at Casino Miami in Miami, Florida. The event is promoted by Hall of Fame promoter Don King and also includes two-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Showtime has a ShoBox telecast featuring top-10 ranked light heavyweight Ali Izmailov (10-0, 7 KOs) against Charles Foster (22-0, 12 KOs) in a ten-rounder.

UFC Fightpass super welterweight “King” Callum Walsh (6-0, 5 KOs) against Carson Jones (43-15-3, 31 KOs) at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.

SATURDAY
In the first of two DAZN telecasts, undefeated IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) defends his belt against Andres Campos (15-0, 4 KOs) at Wembley Arena in London.

DAZN returns later with super middleweight Jaime Munguia (41-0, 32 KOs) against Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (14-4, 10 KOs) at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

ESPN presents WBO junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) defending against former lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. (18-1, 13 KOs) in the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

A $19.99 PPV offers up former bridgerweight title challenger Ryan Rozicki (17-1, 16 KOs) takes on Jean-Jacques Olivier (15-2-1, 10 KOs) at the Halifax Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

SUNDAY
In a $29.99 PPV, Boxing Hall of Famer Floyd “Money” Mayweather faces John Gotti III, the grandson of famous gangster John Gotti, in an exhibition from FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. In another exhibition, heavyweight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller will take on Antonio Zepeda.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Once-beaten ex-university amateur Katsuya Yasuda (11-1, 7 KOs), 134.5, struggled to acquire the vacant WBO Asia Pacific lightweight belt as he defeated previously unbeaten Thailander Apichet Petchmanee (15-1, 5 KOs), 134.5, by a unanimous decision (115-113, 116-111, 118-109) over twelve hard-fought rounds on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan. The climax was seen in round four, when Yasuda decked his muscular rival with a southpaw right hook, while Apichet dropped him back with a well-timed straight right to the button moments later. In the championship rounds Yasuda ran out of gas or mental power, repeating clinches time and again. It was Apichet that was penalized a point for throwing the ever-grabbing Japanese to the canvas in the final stanza, but the audience also criticized Yasuda’s repeated holding. The new champ Yasuda’s face was more grotesquely swollen with his absorption of the Thailander’s less aggressive but more effective shots. Continue reading “Yasuda wins vacant WBO AP 135lb belt”

Undisputed women’s middleweight Claressa Shields (14-0, 2 KOs) dominated late sub Maricela Cornejo (16-6, 6 KOs), but didn’t get the knockout she wanted in front of a big crowd on Saturday night at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Shields came out firing, hitting Cornejo at will and winning every minute of every round. However, Cornejo was never in danger of being stopped. Scores were 100-89, 100-90, 100-90.

“I feel great,” said Shields post-victory. “I was landing my shots. I won every round like I knew I could. I went for the knockout how many times this fight? Maricela is tough. She did a great job. Height doesn’t matter and power doesn’t matter either. It’s all about the skills and will and heart, and I always have more than the other girls.” Continue reading “Shields shuts out Cornejo”

43-year-old former heavyweight title challenger Mariusz “Viking” Wach (37-9, 20 KOs) scored a fifth round TKO over Jakub Sosiński (8-3-1, 3 KOs) in a tune-up bout on Saturday night in Katy Wroclawskie, Poland. The 6’8 Wach is scheduled to face 2020 Olympic medalist Frazer Clarke in London on June 16.