Newly minted junior lightweight champion Tevin Farmer will defend his title against James Tennyson on October 20th in Boston, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The fight will be stream on DAZN.

“Tevin wanted to be an active champion and fight as often as possible and the deal we were able to work out with Eddie (Hearn) was very favorable to Tevin’s career,” Farmer promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN. “Tennyson will make for an interesting clash of styles. He’s a big puncher, Tevin is a supreme boxer. It should be a fun fight.”

Benjy Esteves will be the 3rd man in the ring for the Canelo Alvarez – Gennady Golovkin rematch on Seotember 15tth in Las Vegas, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Originally Tony Weeks was named, but Golovkin’s camp baled at that selection. Both camps agreed on Robert Byrd, but Byrd’s wife Adelaide had a controversial scorecard in the 1st bout, so the Nevada Athletic Commission settled on Esteves.

The judges for the bout will be Steve Weisfeld, Glenn Feldman and Dave Moretti.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler strenuously objected to Weeks as a possible referee for the fight. The reason was because of an issue that Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer, has with Weeks stemming from his work in a December fight in Las Vegas between junior lightweight Denis Shafikov, whom Sanchez trains, and Rene Alvarado.

“Tony was giving the prefight instructions in the dressing room, and Abel was trying to clarify something,” Loeffler told ESPN following the commission meeting. “The gist of it was Abel didn’t agree with some of the instructions Tony was giving, so he didn’t feel comfortable with Tony in this fight. When Abel voiced that to me last night, I told Eric, and I made it clear to the commission that we have nothing against Weeks. If they want to assign him to a different fight on the show, no problem. It was just the [main event] Abel had a problem with.”

“Benjy is very experienced and fast in the ring,” Loeffler said. “The main objective from both sides is to focus on the fighters, not the officials. We have accomplished that going into the fight. Neither side has an issue with the officials.”

“We’re very pleased,” Golden Boy Promotions Eric Gomez told ESPN. “They are the top guys with the most experience, and that is what we want. We have no issue with Benjy whatsoever. What we want [is for] everyone to be comfortable with the officials. We don’t want any controversy with the officials, and we don’t want any excuses after the fight, and I think we achieved that today. I understand Tom’s position about Weeks. We had the list of potential referees two weeks back and then it got changed [Tuesday] night, so it was of concern.”

Shavkatzhon Rakhimov disposed of Robinson Castellanos in under two-rounds to retain is IBO Super Featherweight title in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Rakhimov dropped Casteallanos in the 1st round with a straight left hand. castellanos could not get out of the way of that punch as it was straight lefts that dropped him three more times in round two and the bout was stopped at 1:39.

Rakhimov, 129.8 lbs of Ekaterinburg, Russia is 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Castellanos, 129.1 lbs of Celaya, Mexico is 24-14.

Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov stopped Victor Alejandro Gonzalez in the 1st round of their scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.

Yaqubov, 129.6 lbs of Saint Petersburg, Russia is 12-0 with eight knockouts. Gonzalez, 128.7 lbs of Ciudad, Mexico is 18-2.

Magomed Kurbanov won a 10-round unanimous decision over Charles Munyai in a super welterweight bout.

Kurbanov, 156.5 lbs of Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia is now 15-0. Munyi, 155.3 lbs of Masvino, Zimbabwe is 22-4-1.

Eduard Skavynksi won a 10-round unanimous decision over Oleksandr Ivanov in a bloody welterweight bout.

Both guys were cut around the eyes.

In round nine, Skavynskyi dropped Ivanov. Ivanov was awarded a knockdown when Skaavynki’s glove touched the canvas. Ivan was then docked a point for using his head.

Skavynski, 146.2 lbs of Ekaterinburg, Russia is now 9-0. Ivanov, 146.6 lbs of Podolsk, Russia is 15-4.

2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner Evgeny Tischenko won his pro debut by stopping William Ocando in round five of a six round heavyweight bout.

Tischenko battered Ocando on the ropes when the fight was stopped.

Tischenko, 213.4 lbs of Belgrind, Russia is 1-0 with one knockout. Ocando, 201.7 lbs of Caracas, Venezuela is 19-7.

Bryant Jennings got off the deck to come back and stop Alexander Dimitrenko in round nine of the their scheduled 12-round heavyweight bout at The Ocean Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey

In round four, Dimitrenko put Jennings on the canvas with a hard right to the head.

In round eight, Jennings landed a perfect left hook that buckled and eventually put Dimitrenko on the canvas. Jennings ended things in the next round when Jennings landed a booming uppercut that dropped Dimitrenko, and the fight was stopped immediately at 1:56.

Jennings, 225 lbs of Philadelphia is now 24-2 with 14 knockouts. Dimitrenko, 257 lbs of Hamburg, GER is 41-4.

“I was prepared for a tough 12 rounds,” Jennings said. “I did what I had to do. I was in great shape. He’s a big dude. He’s not as slow as I thought. I made adjustments, and I got the job done.”

Said Dimitrenko: “I wanted to continue the fight. I don’t know why the referee stopped it.”

Jesse Hart made his case for a rematch with Gilberto Ramirez with a 3rd round stoppage over Mike Gavronski in a scheduled ten-round super middleweight bout.

In round three, Hart dropped Gavronski with a jab that was followed by a booming right hand. Seconds, later, it was another crushing right that sent Gavronski down, and the fight was stopped at 52 seconds.

Hart, 168 lbs of Philadelphia is 25-1 with 21 knockouts. Gavrnski, 166.5 lbs of Tacoma, WA is 24-3-1.

“When I looked at his eyes after the first knockdown, he got real scared,” Hart said. “He started holding, grabbing. With a guy like that, he got real scared. He was fighting for survival. There’s a difference between fighting to win and fighting for survival.

“{Ramirez is} who I want. Give me a chance to redeem myself. He’s talking about going up to 175. Why? I’m right here! Come on, man. Stop with the excuses. I’m right here in front of you.”

Shakur Stevenson remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Ruiz in a featherweight bout.

Stevenson, 127 lbs of Newark, NJ won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 8-0. Ruiz, 126 lbs of Mexico City, MEX is 16-5-2.

“It was a good performance against a tough guy,” Stevenson said. “I did what I had to do and made it easy. He showed me some things in there. I boxed him and didn’t take any unnecessary chances. We’re looking forward to the next one.”

Christian Carto remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Javier Gallo in a bantamweight bout.

Carto, 120 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 80-71, 80-72 and 79-73, and is now 16-0. Gallo, 119 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 25-16-1.

“I was looking for {the knockout}, but it didn’t come,” Carto said. “Next time, I need to set shots up instead of loading up on one big one.”

Thomas LaManna won an eight-round unanimous decision over Matthew Strode in a super welterweight bout.

The two waged a war on the inside with each getting in some clean shots.

In round five, LaManna scored a knockdown with a right hand to the top of the head. In round eight, Strode was deducted a point for hitting in the back of the head.

LaManna, 150 lbs of Milville, NJ won by scores of 79-71 on all cards, and is now 26-2-1. Strode, 149.5 lbs of Marion, SC is 25-7.

Joseph Adorno remained perfect by stopping Augustine Mauras in round one of their scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

Adorno dropped Mauras with a hard left that followed by a vicious combination. Mauras was hurt and Adorno jumped on him. Adorno landed about 10 hard shots that forced the referee to step in at 1:39.

Adorno, 133 lbs of Allentown, PA is 9-0 with 9 knockouts. Mauras, 130.5 lbs of Lawrence, MA is 6-5-3.

“I’ve been working for five weeks. We had a great game plan,” Adorno said. “He’s gone the distance with tough fighters, and we knew it would be a tough fight. The hard work showed tonight.”

Oleksandr Teslenko remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Avery Gibson in a heavyweight bout.

In round one, Teslenko dropped Gibson with a right hand.

Teslenko, 216.5 lbs of Toronto, CAN won by scores of 58-55, 59-54 and 60-53, and is now 14-0. Gibson, 247.5 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 9-9-4.

Former 130-pound champion Jason Sosa (21-3-4, 15 KOs) got back in the win column with a unanimous decision against Reynaldo Blanco (14-5, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Sosa knocked down Blanco twice in the eighth round and prevailed by scores of 78-70, 77-72, and 79-69.

Carl Frampton reatined the WBO Interim Featherweight title with a 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated Luke Jackson at Windsor Park in Dublin, Ireland.

In round two, Frampton began to bleed from his right eye. In round five, Jackson started t bleed from his nose.

In round eight, Frampton dumped Jackson with a left hook to the body. In round nine, Frampton landed another vicious body shot that was followed up by hard right that forced Jackson’s corner to throw in the towel at 1:@1.

Frampton of Dublin is now 26-1 with 15 knockouts. Jackson of Australia is 16-1.

“This was unreal,” Frampton said. “The atmosphere was special, the crowd was fantastic and they made my dream come true. It was unbelievable from start to finish.

Tyson Fury tuned up for a Fall showdown with Deontay Wilder with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Francisco Pianeta.

The bout turned into not much more than a sparring session as Fury picked Pianeta apart from the outside, and occasionally worked om the inside by featuring an uppercut om the ropes with very little resistance from Pianeta.

Fury of Machester, England won by a 100-90 score, and is now 27-0. Pianeta is 35-5-1

“I think it was a calculated boxing performance, as promised,” said Fury, who was fighting for just the second time in nearly three years. “We were able to get 10 good rounds in with a tough man. I was working on my boxing, trying to slip and slide, use the jab and get the rounds in. I was very happy with the performance.

“It’s no secret I need the rounds. I need to prove that I can go 10 rounds and have plenty left in the tank, and I did that tonight.”

After the fight, Wilder entered the ring to announce that the two undefeated heavyweights have agreed to a 2018 showdown for Wilder’s WBC title. A date and venue for the event, which will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV, will be announced shortly.

“We’re ready now,” Wilder said during the post-fight interview. “This fight will happen. It’s on. This fight is official. This is what we’ve been waiting for, the best fighting the best.

“There’s one thing Tyson Fury has never had. He’s won a lot of belts but he’s never had the WBC belt. If he ever even thinks about having this belt he better wake up and apologize to me because it will never happen. I can’t wait to fight you because I am going to knock you out. This I promise you. Every man who has ever stepped in the ring with me, I’ve knocked them out in devastating fashion. You’ve never been knocked out, but you’re going to feel the experience of what it’s like to be hit by the Bronze Bomber.”

The 6-foot-9 Fury, who never lost his titles in the ring, will now face the 6-foot-7 Wilder, who has 39 knockouts in his 40 professional fights.

“We are two men who will fight anybody,” Fury said. “This man has been trying to make a big fight with the other chump, I think we all know who I’m talking about. They called, I answered. I said to send the contract, they sent me the contract. I said yes. And now he gets his chance to fight the linear heavyweight champion of the world.

“My promise is that when we go to Las Vegas, I’m knocking you out.”

Greg Vandetti won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Yoshihiro Kamegai in a junior middleweight bout.

In round five, Kamegai began to swell under the left eye.

In round six, Kamegai began to bleed from the nose.

Vandetti, 153.2 lbs of Stoneham, MA won by scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 to go to 20-2-1. Kamegai, 153.4 lbs of Tokyo, JPN is 27-5-2.

Luis Feliciano stopped Jonathan Fortuna in round five of a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

Feliciano dropped Fortuna twice in round five with body shots and the fight was stopped at 2:38.

Feliciano, 141.4 lbs of Utuado, PR is 8-0 with five stoppages. Fortuna, 141.2 lbs of Santo Doningo, DR is 6-2.

Anthony Reyes won a four-round unanimous decision over Luis Montellano in a super bantamweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Reyes, 119.8 lbs of Cochella, CA and is now 3-0. Montellano, 119.6 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 0-3-1.

Former Super Bantamweight champion Jessie Magdaleno has re-signed with promoter Top Rank, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Jessie has consistently been in thrilling contests, including against Nonito Donaire and Isaac Dogboe. His style makes him must-watch TV,” Top Rank president Todd duBoef told ESPN on Wednesday. “We believe that there are many compelling matches that will excite the fans as he looks to secure another title shot.”

“We sat down and talked with Top Rank and they gave us a better contract than the last one. We negotiated it and here we are back with Top Rank,” manager Frank Espinoza said. “We weren’t looking to go anywhere else. Top Rank took Jessie to a world championship and I believe he can still be a world champion. Things have been going good with Top Rank. We have a good relationship and we and wanted to re-up, and there was an offer and we took it.”

“He’s going to stay at 122 (pounds),” Espinoza said. “We want to fight Dogboe again. He believes he can beat him. That’s the fight we would like to fight.”

“Jessie has been working out with Salas in Las Vegas. He’s been in the gym,” Espinoza said. “Now it’s time to get ready for a fight and get back what’s his.”

Featherweight champion Oscar Valdez will switch trainers from Manny Robles to Eddy Reynoso, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I want to thank Manny Robles and his whole team for everything they have done for me over the last few years, but like everything in life, changes are sometimes needed to move forward, Valdez said. “I’m very grateful to them for their friendship and all they have taught me.”

Frank Espinoza, Valdez’s career-long manager, echoed his fighter’s sentiments.

“We are very grateful for everything that Manny Robles and his team did for Oscar, but as we move forward to bigger challenges in Oscar’s career, we felt as a team that Eddy Reynoso is better suited for what is ahead,” Espinoza said.

“This is a challenge for me because Oscar Valdez is a great fighter, and one of my goals is to work on what’s necessary to make him a complete fighter,” Reynoso said. “I think Oscar will bring out the best of me as a trainer, while I will bring the best out of him as a world champion and as a representative of Mexico.”

“As a boxer you have to [be] able to develop as much as you can, and I believe that this change to Eddy Reynoso will help me become an even better all-around boxer and fighter,” Valdez said. “I want to be one of the best fighters in the world and leave the best legacy that I can in boxing, and I will always work hard to achieve the greatness that I seek.”

Greg Cohen Promotions won the purse bid to stage the WBA Middleweight title bout between champion Ryota Murata and Rob Brant, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Cohen, who promotes Brant, was the only promoter to show up at the purse bid, which took place at the WBA offices in Panama City, Panama, and he won with an offer of $202,114 — $200,000 was the minimum bid allowed. He cited Oct. 27 as the fight date with locations potentially being New York, Atlantic City, New Jersey or Minneapolis (Brant’s home turf).

Murata won’t participate in the bout, as co-promoters Top Rank and Teiken Boxing declined to bid. They were upset that the WBA granted Brant a 50-50 split of the winning purse bid, which is a highly unusual cut for a challenger. Typically, the split would be 70-30 in favor of the titleholder.

With Murata not going through with the fight against Brant, he likely will either vacate the second-tier 160-pound title — Gennady Golovkin holds the main WBA belt — or be stripped.

Either way, Murata will fight on Oct. 20 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and headline a Top Rank on ESPN+ card, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN.

“We elected not to bid on the fight, and neither did Teiken, so Greg Cohen was the only bidder on the fight, but Murata will be fighting Oct. 20. That’s all I can tell you,” Moretti said.

“The 50-50 was agreed to by all parties, and nobody objected at the time,” Cohen told ESPN from Panama City. “I can only control my actions. We’ve been part of this process [since] early 2017. Everybody was aware of the terms. The 50 percent has been out there. We went forward, we won the bid. It’s unfortunate if they don’t want to do the fight, but Rob Brant will be fighting for the WBA title in his next fight. We’d like it to be against Murata, but if it’s not against Murata, it will be against the next-highest-rated available contender.”

PHOENIX – Forgettable belt. Forgettable fight.

On a night when Don King’s arrival was the most memorable moment, Trevor Bryan and BJ Flores stumbled through an abbreviated heavyweight bout Saturday that they won’t want to remember. It was for a throwaway title. Interim is supposed to be temporary. At least, that’s what Webster’s says. Not sure that the World Boxing Association understands that part of the definition.

But whatever the Bryan-Flores bout at Celebrity Theatre was, it wasn’t temporary enough. Four rounds felt like forever.

Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs) who looked every bit of his 39 years, appeared to be fatigued after the second. Truth is, he was finished. But that would not become official until after the former cruiserweight contender was knocked down six times over the next two rounds. Actually, there could have been a seventh, but it was ruled to have happened within a split second after the bell sounded an end to third. Six? Seven? It could have been 17 for all that it mattered.

Fortunately, it ended in a TKO at 2:56 of the fourth round.

Unfortunately, the show still had way to go.

King got s lively crowd buzzing when he arrived at ringside clutching countless flags, wearing a fading denim jacket with sequins the color of his gray hair and an interim belt for the winner.

King, who sat through one undercard fight, signing autographs and posing for photos with anybody who asked, climbed through the ropes with WBA officials and gave the interim piece of plastic-and-tin to Bryan (20-0, 14 KOs), who is now one of three heavyweights with a WBA title.

For Bryan, interim means stepping stone. He hopes to fight the winner of Fres Oqendo’s challenge of secondary WBA belt holder Manuel Charr on Sept. 29.

“Then, it’s across the pond for AJ,’’ Bryan said of the UK’s Anthony Joshua, the only WBA champion anybody really knows.

For King, the interim belt represented just another move among the many he has made throughout his years among so many of boxing’s greatest names. It’s believed this maneuver cost him $10,000. That’s the guesstimate for the fee he paid the WBA to sanction another made-up belt.

“I love Phoenix,’’ said King, who will turn 87 on August 20. “I’m the people’s promoter. We have a new heavyweight champion.’’

King also said something about a Freedom Foundation and he mentioned the President, presumably Donald Trump, his friend and former business partner.

It was hard to know what he was talking about. Then again, it was hard to know what to make of what had happened within the ropes. Let’s just hope it is as temporary as interim is supposed to be.

Best of the Undercard

They were big, show-biz big with enough power to do it again. In fact, heavyweights Dante Stone (1-1) of Chandler, Ariz., and Waldo Cortez Acosta (2-2, 1 KO) of Phoenix agreed to do it a third time after a slam-bang brawl and some comic-POW in a rematch.

Stone, who might have been the best heavyweight on the card Saturday night, won the sequel, avenging a defeat in the first bout with a couple of knockdowns in the third round. Acosta roared back in the fourth, but the knockdowns were too much to overcome. Stone won a split decision and then celebrated by telling promoter Robert Vargas that he wants trilogy. No argument from Acosta.

The Rest

Trini Ochoa (3-0-1, 1 KO), a junior-welterweight and a crowd favorite from Mesa, withstood some rocky moments while landing rib-rocking body shots for a unanimous decision over Mexican Arturo Izaguirre (1-1).

Super-middleweight Roberto Yong (6-14-2, 4 KOs)survived some late fury from Fidel Hernandez (19-5, 10 KOs), winning majority decision in a battle of Phoenix rivals.

Mesa flyweight Luis Espinoza (9-1, 3 KOs) scored two first-round knockdowns and then held on from a decision – unanimous, yet close — over Mexican Christian Raudry (3-6-1, 3 KOs).

Mesa junior-welterweight Jesus Ibarra (5-0, 3 KOs) calls himself Monsoon. Don’t blink. The Ibarra storm swamped Mexican Enrique Almada (0-2) within second after the opening bell for a quick KO.

El Paso welterweight Isaac Luna (2-0) patiently and deliberately landed most of the punches in. workman-like decision over Erick Montoya of Chandler.

Derrick Webster stopped Les Sherrington in round eight of their scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

In round eight, Webster turned up by landing a hard combination that was culminated by a right hook that sent Sherrington to the canvas. With Sherrington hurt, Webster jumped on his opponent and a big flurry made referee Gary Rosato stop the bout at 1:32.

Webster of Glassboro, NJ is 27-1 with 14 knockouts. Sherrington of Australia is 37-11.

Brandan Pizarro stopped Hector Merrengo in round two of their six round lightweight fight

In round one, Pizarro landed a hard combination that put Merrengo on the canvas. Merrengo went down in round two, and referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 1:32.

Pizarro of Philadelphia is 11-1 with 5 knockouts. Merrengo is 7-13-4.

Samuel Teah stopped Zack Ramsey in the 1st round of their scheduled six-round lightweight bout.

Teah dropped Ramsey with a body punch for referee Gary Rosato’s 10-count at 2:49.

Teah of Philadelphia 14-2-1 with 7 knockouts. Ramsey of Boston is 8-4.

Jeremy Cuevas stopped tough Deo Kizito in round five of their six-round lightweight bout.

Cuevas hit Kizito with everything and had him hurt several times throughout the bout.

The had a furious exchange in round three, where it looked Cuevas was on his way to stopping Kizito, but Kizito came back and with hard combinations of his own.

In round five, Cuevas dropped Kizito with a right hook and referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 2:02.

Cuevas of Philadelphia is 10-0 with eight knockout. Kizito of Washington, DC id 3-4.

Gadwin Rosa remained perfect by stopping Angel Albelo in round five of a scheduled six-round super feratherweight bout.

Rosa dropped Albelo in round five with a a left hook to the body. When Albelo reached his feet, he could not continue and the bout was halted at 2:05.

Rpsa of Ocala, FL is 7-0 with 6 knockouts. Albelo of Orlando, FL is 4-10.

Romuel Cruz and Jose Lopez fought to a four-round majority draw in a super bantamweight bout.

Both guys landed some hard shots during the fight. The judges saw the fight 39-37 for Cruz and 38-38 twice.

Cruz of Philadelphia is 2-0-1. Lopez of New York was making his pro debut.

Christian Tapia remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Israel Suarez in a super featherweight bout.

Tapia of Coamo won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 cards and is now 5-0. Suarez of Luquillo, PR is 4-6-2.

Kenny Cruz won a six-round unanimous decision over Prince Badi Ajamu in a cruiserweight bout.

Cruz of Bayamon, PR won by scores of 59=55 twice, and 58-56 and is now 3-2-1. Ajamu of Camden, NJ is 28-5.

PHILADELPHIA–Tyrone Crawley, Jr. and Ricardo Garcia fought to an eight-round majority draw before a capacity crowd at SugarHouse Casino in a junior welterweight bout.

It seemed that Garcia was leading the action by landing combinations on the ropes. Crawley tried to keep the fight at the center of the ring by trying to lead with his left and flicking out the jab. Garcia dictated the action, but the judges did not see it that way as two of the voters saw the fight even at 76-76 and a 3rd judge had it 79-73 for Garcia.

Garcia, 140.7 lbs of Dominican Republic is 14-3-1. Crawley, Jr., 138.5 lbs of Philadelphia, PA 7-1-1.

Eric Moon won an eight-round unanimous decision over Christopher Brooker in a super middleweight bout.

Moon used quick combination that scored well over the second half of the fight that swelled the left eye of Brooker.

Moon, 167.9 lbs of Marieta, GA won by scores of 78-74 and 77-75 twice to raise his record to 8-1. Brooker, 169 lbs of Philadelphia is now 13-6.

Poindexter Knight remained undefeated by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Gregory Averil Young in a welterweight bout.

Knight was in control of the bout and then in round five with a powerful right hook. Knight landed several more hard shots, but was unable to finish him,.

Knight, 149.9 lbs of Philadelphia won on all cards by 60-53 tallies, and is now 5-0. Young, 147.4 lbs of Hoover, AL is 4-1.

Joshafat Ortiz stopped Javier Oquendo in round three of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout featuring undefeated fighters.

It was a fast paced bout until Ortiz decked Oquendo with a perfect right hand. Oquendo was hurt, and Ortiz jumped on him, and after a hard flurry, the bout was stopped at 2:06.

Ortiz, 128.6 lbs of Reading, PA is 5-0 with three knockouts. Oquendo, 128.8 lbs of Philadelphia is 3-1.

Rasheed Johnson won a six-round unanimous decision over Tony Morris in a welterweight bout.

Morris was cut badly over his left eye in round three from a clash of heads, while Johnson was also cut but not as much.

Joshnson, 145.5 lbs of Philadelphia wwon by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 4-2. Morris, 149.4 lbs of Jacksonville, FL is 4-2-1.

2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion Paul Kroll made a successful pro debut by stopping DeAngelo Alcorn in the 1st round of their scheduled four-round welterweight bout.

Kroll scored one knockdown from a hard overhand right, and the bout was stopped at 2:33.

Kroll, 151.5 lbs of Philadelphia is 1-0 with 1 knockout. Alcorn, 150.8 lbs of Searcy, AR is 0-2.

Rasheen Brown looked sharp in his pro debut by winning a four-round unanimous decision over Bryann Perez in a super bantamweight bout.

Brown, 122.9 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 twice, and 39-37, and is now 1-0. Perez, 127.1 lbs from Dallas, TX is 2-11.

In a nice back and forth brawl, Nicoy Clarke won a majority decision over Jose Nunez in a heavyweight bout.

The fought hard on the inside throughout the bout, but Clarke landed the harder punches.

In round two, Nunez began to bleed from his nose.

Clarke, 209.4 lbs of Jersey City, NJ won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38, and is now 2-1. Nunez, 216.2 lbs of Reading, PA was making his pro debut.

Super Middleweight Derrick Webster headlines nine-bout card on Saturday night at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia when he takes on Australian Les Sherington.

Other fighters to appear on the card are former world title challenger Eric Hunter as well as Philly favorites, Brandon Pizarro, Jeremy Cuevas, Samuel Teah and Prince Badi Ajamu.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a heavyweight title bout is close to coming to fruition between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

Rafael reported it after Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza on his weekly show called the Boxing Beat on ESPN+.

It is very, very close. There isn’t anything signed yet between Tyson and Deontay or their respective promoters, but it’s very, very close,” Espinoza said in an interview on this week’s The Boxing Beat, the weekly ESPN+ boxing news and interview show. “Whether it’s 95 percent or 99 percent, it is very, very close. I think we’ll have paperwork imminently and the plan is for a Showtime Pay-Per-View [card] — pair it with a really interesting fight. We don’t know what it is yet, but something that will definitely communicate that the fans are getting their money’s worth.”

“You have two big personalities like Tyson and Deontay. It’ll be a fun promotion because if there’s one thing those guys can each do it’s talk,” Espinoza said. “They’re two of the most entertaining guys in the entire sport, so I think not only will the fight be interesting but it’ll be a really fun promotion.”

“That was a disappointing one,” he said of Joshua-Wilder falling apart. “I know fans are disappointed as well, but I was pretty optimistic. I thought we were on our way to getting there.”

“That is arguably the biggest heavyweight fight since [Lennox] Lewis-[Mike] Tyson [in 2002] and even at that point it was at the tail end of Tyson’s career,” Espinoza said. “You’d have to go back even farther when you had two physically dominant, popular, charismatic heavyweight champions in their prime fighting each other. That’s one that we’re not going to let go, and I don’t think it’s going to take that much work to put it back together. Yes, there’s going to be some maneuvering to do it, but it can happen.”

115-pound beltholder Srisaket Sor Rungvisai will defend his title against unknown Iran Diaz on October 6th in Thailand, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I am excited to showcase my skills at home in Bangkok. As a world champion boxer, this is a rare opportunity for me to be able to compete in front of my people,” Sor Rungvisai said. “I will do my best to retain my title. I am very deep in preparations right now for one of the most significant bouts of my career.”

“World championship boxing has always been on the radar for One Championship,” said One Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong, whose Singapore-based company promotes various combat sports in Asia. “In Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, we have the perfect athlete to introduce the sport of boxing to the largest martial arts organization in the world.

“Sor Rungvisai embodies the fiery willpower of Thai martial arts. This is going to be the biggest event in Thailand’s history, and with thousands of fans expected to come out and cheer for their hero.”

Former world lightweight title challenger will look to avenge his 1st professional loss when he takes on Yvan Mendy on September 22nd at Wembley Stadium in London on the Anthony Joshua – Alexander Povetkin card.

“This is probably the biggest moment of Luke’s career so far,” Hearn said. “Win and he could challenge Mikey Garcia for the title, lose and his aspirations of fighting for a world title are over. It’s a 50-50 fight and a great addition to what will be a huge night of boxing.”

“I knew that Eddie Hearn would do his best to make this rematch happen and I’ll be fully prepared on Sept. 22,” Campbell said. “Seven fights and 2½ years later, it’s time to confirm that I deserve the chance to fight for the WBC title. I want to clear Mendy off my record. For reasons that I’ve talked about previously, I should have never got in to the ring that night, but what’s done is done, and I can’t wait to right that wrong on my record on fight night.

“Mendy’s always been on my list for sure,” Campbell added. “He’s been winning and it will be a very tough fight. He is a tough competitor, strong and durable. I am now a completely different person and a different fighter all around. I’m 10 times better than I was when he beat me 2½ years ago. I’m bigger, I’m wiser, my boxing ability is 10 times what it was back then.”

“I’m within touching distance of landing a shot at the WBC world title and Luke Campbell is standing in my way,” Mendy said. “I’m willing to fight anyone to get my hands on that green belt. I beat him before and I will do it again. This time he will not hear the final bell.”

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ATLANTIC CITY, NJ–Eleider Alvarez sat for almost three years as a mandatory challenger for Adonis Stevenson’s WBC Light Heavyweight title. It was well worth the wait as Alvarez scored a spectacular come from behind 7th round stoppage over WBO champion Sergey Kovalev before a sold out crowd at the new Hard Rock Hotel.

Kovalev boxed well over the first part of the fight, and then turned up heat in round four by landing hard power shots.

With Kovalev widening his lead, and cutting Alvarez under the left eye in round six, Alvarez came out in round seven by landing a huge right that stumbled and dropped Kovalev.  Kovalev was badly hurt and took a big combination that sent him to the deck for a 2nd time.  Kovalev was sent over the brink with a vicious combination that plummeted “The Krusher” to the canvas for a 3rd and final time, and the fight was 2:03.

Alvarez, 174.4 lbs of Montreal is 24-0 with 12 knockouts.  Kovalev, 174 lbs of Chelyabrinsk, RUS is 32-3-1.

“I can’t describe how I feel,” said an elated Alvarez, thanking God and his entire team including trainer Marc Ramsey and promoter Yvon Michel, along with his family and the people of both Quebec and Colombia.

“I wanted to show him I’m strong, I have a good chin, and I’m ready for big things,” said Alvarez. On the knockout blow, Alvarez said “We practiced that punch during training camp, and that’s how it went … I always practiced that punch in training.”

Alvarez, a native of Colombia, had waited on a title shot as the WBC mandatory challenger for three years. When offered, he jumped at the chance to face Kovalev, earning him tremendous respect. Now he sits at the top of the division. Asked if he’d like to face the winner of the co-main event, Dmitry Bivol, Alvarez said “I’m ready for the best in the world. I’m ready for the best in the division. I’ve been waiting for five years. I’m ready for anybody.”

Speaking on Instagram from the back of an ambulance en route to a local hospital, an upbeat Kovalev reassured fans he was all right. “I am on my way to the hospital to check my head, check my body … I feel OK. Thank you everyone, thank you very much to all the fans around the world for your support. I love you, and I’m fine.”

Dmitry Bivol defended the WBA Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Isaac Chilemba.

The fight started out with a fast pace with a number of exchanges in the first four rounds.  Bivol got the better with faster and harder shots.  Bivol then settled the fight down and used his boxing ability and timely power punching to win by scores of 120-108 twice and 116-112.

Bivol, 174.6 lbs of St. Petersburg, RUS is 14-0.  Chilemba, 175 lbs of Malawi is 25-6-2.

“Chilemba is a good fighter, and he had champion spirit tonight,” said Bivol. “He is a strong fighter. I want to fight more good fighters. I don’t know who my next opponent will be.

“We will see what will happen … I just want to fight the best fighters.”

Chilemba said, “I believe I won every round from the fifth. I pushed Bivol backwards and made him miss. I deserve a rematch.”

Meririm Nursultanov stopped Jonathan Batista at the end of round two of their scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.

Nursultanov dropped Batista in round two, and Batista was too hurt to continue.

Nursultanov, 159.4 lbs of Astana, KAZ is 8-0 with 7 knockouts.  Batsita, 1636 lbs of San Pedro, DR is 17-15.

“I didn’t like that he quit. I wanted a real knockout, so it is not how I planned.” Nursultanov said he had a solid five weeks of training camp and “I was ready, 100 percent.” To his fans, ‘The Sultan’ said “Thank you everybody, thank you Atlantic City. It’s a very good place and I hope to come back here again.”

Karl Dargan came back from a two-year Hiatus to register a six-round unanimous decision  over Jonathan Perez in a lightweight bout.

Dargan, 135.6 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 18-1.  Perez.136 lbs of Braanaquilla. COL is 37-23.

Dargan said he was satisfied with the results after the layoff. “I mainly wanted to get the rounds in. There are a lot of things I saw that I could have done. But I didn’t want to make no mistakes.” Dargan said the win gives him new motivation going forward. “It was like a pro debut again. I’m going to stay ready, and stay in the gym. As long as I am healthy, I am going to keep moving.”

Frank Galarza stopped Alexis Duarte in round two of their scheduled ten-round junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Galarza dropped duarte with a left hook to the body. After an exchange, Galarza dropped Duarte with another left to hook to the body that sent Duarte to the canvas for the ten-count at 1:57.

Galarza, 154.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 20-2-2 with 12 knockouts. Duarte, 151.6 lbs of New York, NY is 13-6-1.

After the bout, Galarza reflected on the win. “I feel good, I feel like a rock star at the Hard Rock! There is always room for improvement.”

Galarza was treated for a cut on top of the head after the bout. “I think he gave me a head butt, he gave me a little laceration on the top of my head. But we executed – you know, he was a little wild. We came in and stood tight, stayed low, and went for the body. We did the job, we took him out with a body shot.”

Galarza said he has ambitious plans for his next fight. “I want to start getting some names, get some TV, some HBO. Let’s start fighting someone big!”

Bakhram Murtzaliev destroyed Fernando Carcamo 41 seconds into their ten-round junior middleweight bout.

Murtzaliev pounded and dropped Carcamo with a vicious right hand. Carcamo got up very wobbly, and the fight was stopped.

Murtzaliev, 153 lbs of Grozny, RUS is 13-0 with 11 knocoiys Carcamo, 154 lbs of Ciudad, MEX is 23-9.

“It happened so fast, I still don’t understand,” Murtazaliev admitted. “I just left, and I am in the dressing room already. Of course, I’m very happy. A win is a win. We are moving forward fast.” Murtazaliev said he wants to fight a world champion next for a title. To his fans, Murtazaliev said, “Thank you very much for supporting me. Please continue to support me, I promise I will show you the best fights.”

Mediyar Askkeyev stopped Eduardo Flores in round four of their scheduled eight-round junior middleweight bout.

Flores was deducted a point in round three for spitting out his mouthpiece due to the beating he was taken. Finally in round four the bout was stopped after an Ashkeyev flurry.

Ashkeyev, 153 lbs of Merki, KAZ is 10-0 with six knockouts. Flores, 153 lbs of Quito, ECU is 24-30-4.

“I listened to my trainer Marcos Contreras, I followed his direction and you see the results,” said Ashkeyev. “I’m very happy with the results I showed today. I will keep moving forward.” Ashkeyev said he heard the fans cheering their approval. “I heard everybody. I’m very proud of all my fans.”

Denis Douglin won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Vaughn Alexander in a super middleweight bout.

Douglin, 167.2 lbs of Marlboro, NJ won by scores 100-90 and 99-91 twice. Douglin is now 20-6. Alexander, 1664 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 12-1.

“I give myself a C-plus,” said Douglin of the win. “I had a little bit of ring rust. I felt like I should have done more to him in the earlier rounds. It took a little bit to get comfortable. Fighters shouldn’t be fighting once a year. It took me time to shake off the nerves, but once I felt good, I felt good. I’ll be back in the gym on Monday. I’m from Jersey, so people are looking for me to keep coming.”

After the fight, Alexander said it just wasn’t his night. “The dude was tough like I knew he would be.” Alexander said he would now give some thought to his future. “I have to go and think about what I want to do – I don’t know.”

Enriko Gogokhia won a six-round unanimous decision over Rontes Montes in a welterweight bout.

Gogokhia, 147.4 lbs of Zugdidi, Georgia Republic won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 8-0. Montes, 148/8 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 18-10.

“I felt very good,” said Gogokhia after the bout. “I’m happy with only 50 percent of everything. I won, but I didn’t knock him out. I didn’t fight for nine months due to injury. This was a good warmup for the next fight. I’ll fight everybody they give to me.”

Gogokhia had a message for his loyal fans. “Thank you very much to everybody who came to support me. I’m going to show you very nice fights in the future.”

In a battle of undefeated junior middleweights, Ismael Villareal won a four-round unanimous decision over Kieran Hooks.

Villareal, 156.4 lbs of Bronx, NY won by scores of 39-37 on all cards, and is now 3-0. Hooks, 156.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 3-1-1.

Villarreal called it a good fight. “I feel great. I am happy that I got to Puerto Rico and prepare myself for this. I think that really helped a lot for this fight,” said Villarreal. “I want to say thank you for everybody supporting me, and especially Joe (trainer Jose Santiago) for telling me to go to Puerto Rico to train.”

Villarreal, 20, son of former super lightweight fighter Otilio Villarreal, is building his own fan base and legacy, while simultaneously carrying a full course load at Brooklyn Community College, majoring in secondary education. Villarreal will be back to school in a few weeks. And then? “Whatever fight is next, I’m going to fight. Hopefully it’s soon.”

“It was a great night of boxing, Boxing is back in Atlantic City,” declared Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events.

Photos by Ronnit Zalayet

Former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux has been released by his promoter Roc Nation Sports, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“But we weren’t able to come up with anything significant for him, and he’s in the later part of his career, so if he’s a free agent, maybe he can go make a fight for himself,” Roc Nation’s Dino Duva said. “We’re OK with that and we wish him the best.”

Duva admitted that the way he lost to Lomachenko hurt their chances of bringing Rigondeaux back in a meaningful fight.

“It hurt him big time,” Duva said. “Losing to Lomachenko isn’t horrible because he’s a great fighter, but the way it ended definitely hurt and made it that much difficult to get him back on U.S. television. The ending was unfortunate, but he can still fight, and I hope he gets another shot to prove himself.

“I’m happy for the time we worked with him. He had some very good performances, but he was hurt a little bit by the lack of U.S. television interest over the past few years. Some of it was due to his lack of excitement in the ring and that was always a struggle. But the truth is, he is an all-time great fighter at his weight class. I wish him the best.”

A couple weeks after being stopped by Manny Pacquiao has announced his retirement, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Thanks to boxing for changing my life,” Matthysse wrote on social media in announcing his retirement. “I remember the Argentine national boxing team, where it was very hard but good. I remember in my life all of the kids that I met and the tremendous boxers who represented Argentina with good and bad results, but it was a great experience in my life that I will always remember.

“I came to Trelew (Argentina) at 21 years old. Me and my family, we decided to go back to Junin where I spent 11 years of my career with the great trainer Cuty Barrera and today, at 35 years old, I am once again back in Trelew. I am proud that I maintained my career for 10 years at the world level, where I fought with the best in boxing and I fulfilled my dream of being a world champion.”

“Thanks to all those who followed me in my career, for all of their love because that is the most beautiful thing in this sport of boxing, which is a nice environment,” Matthysse said. “Today, I decide to hang up the gloves because another stage in my life is coming. Many thanks to all of the people that I met thanks to boxing.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a possible heavyweight title showdown between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury could come to fruition on November.

“I believe it will get done. I think we’re close,” Wilder manager Shelly Finkel said. “I would hope next week it comes together. It’s a big fight, but it’s not done until all the paperwork is done. So do I think it will get done? Yes. But it’s not done. But I am also not aware of any issues. The rematch clause (which is not done yet0 will get worked out.”

Finkel said more likely the fight, targeted for a site to be determined in Las Vegas, would take place on either Nov. 10 or Nov. 17, on Showtime PPV.

“I think the fighter believes he can rise to the occasion,” Finkel said.

“Deontay is very excited about it,” Finkel said. “He remembers Fury jumping in the ring (after the Szpilka fight). There’s been a bit of a history there. They’ve traded barbs. In this sport, in the heavyweight division, after Deontay and Joshua, this is the biggest fight. I think it will get done. The points that matter are done, but it’s not done until it’s signed.”

“I can confirm me and Deontay Wilder are in negotiations, very close to being done,” Fury said. “But I won’t be looking over Francesco Pianeta. He’s going to give me the right fight, and the right work to prepare me for Deontay Wilder. I’ve got to flatten him first, and then Wilder, let’s dance. Prepare well, let’s get the deal done and then I’m going to knock (Wilder) spark out too.”

Olympic Silver Medal winner Joe Joyce has decided to train with Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I heard a lot of good things about Abel’s training methods and I’m a bit of a fan of Golovkin,” Joyce said at ringside Saturday night during the Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter Jr. card at Staples Center. “I like how Golovkin throws his shots and I like Abel’s work with him, and I thought we’d be a good match. I had my manager contact with him and we managed to get the ball rolling.”

“I think this shows the commitment Joe has,” promoter Richard Schaefer said of Joyce’s decision to leave home to train in the U.S. “I think Abel is a fantastic coach and given Joe’s attributes, I think he’s the perfect coach for Joe.”

“It shows you that all three of these guys are really committed to go to the top,” Schaefer said. “They are not afraid to move away from family and friends and from comfortable surroundings.”

“I asked him to come for a couple of weeks to see if we can get along because there’s no reason to be married if we don’t, but we worked well together,” Sanchez said. “He liked how I handle things and how I work things and he worked hard for me.”

“When Golovkin is doing the same thing you’re doing with the kind of intensity he trains with, it makes everyone work hard, and Joe is no exception,” said Sanchez, the 2015 Boxing Writers Association of America trainer of the year. “He has a celebrated amateur background, but here he’s just one of the guys. It must be exciting for him not to have the pressure on him. He’s just up here working hard.”

“He gave me a lot more than I expected for such a big man,” Sanchez said. “He’s very athletic. Now it’s a matter of making him into more of a professional because they’re going to move him quickly. When we met some of the things he said were music to my ears. He has a come-forward style and he said he wants to make it a fight and entertain, and that’s my philosophy. I am that kind of coach.

“He’s very smart. He’s not the fastest in the world, so we’re obviously going to work on that. He’s got a pretty good right hand. He’s strong and the jab is deceptive. He’s also in great shape. I have the same feeling [about Joyce] as when [former cruiserweight world titlist Murat] Gassiev came to me. He wasn’t that experienced, but he wanted to learn and he asked questions and he worked hard. [Joyce] has his goal to win a heavyweight title, and I am here to help him achieve that. I believe he can do it.”

After his shoulder surgery, Lightweight World Champion Vasyl Loamachenko is targeting December 1st in a bout that would be streamed on ESPN+, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Rehab is going really good. Lomachenko came to support his friend and countryman Usyk in Moscow, so we spent three, four days together,” manager Egis Klimas said. “He’s working with his physical therapist. I think it’s healing very good. I spoke with the doctor and the doctor said it was a good surgery. So we’re looking to get him back on a checkup with the doctor.

“As far as the future, I just hung up [the phone] with [Top Rank promoter] Bob Arum and the plan is [Raymundo] Beltran is fighting [Jose] Pedraza on Aug. 25 and the winner [is] gonna be unifying titles with Lomachenko on Dec. 1.”

Lomachenko could fight the winner of the August 25th lightweight title bout between Ray Beltran and Jose Pedraza.

“We want that fight with Mikey Garcia. But Mikey Garcia is always walking out of that,” Klimas said. “We want the fight with Mikey Garcia. Let me repeat it two times — we want the fight. Lomachenko wants to fight Mikey Garcia. … Always excuses, excuses.

“If he wants to come over, his management can talk to our management. We can find a solution. I’m sure the fight can be made together with ESPN and Showtime to do a pay-per-view fight [together]. If he wants to fight a welterweight, let him fight a welterweight in his next fight. He can keep his belts and unify next year.”

LOS ANGELES –The future hasn’t arrived for Mikey Garcia. Not just yet. After all, the pound-for-pound contender has already been looking at all of its possibilities for several years.

 But a way to the mythical scale’s top pedestal appears to be one step closer today after his thorough victory over Robert Easter Jr. Saturday night in front of a roaring crowd of more than 12,500 at Staples Center.

 Garcia scored a knockdown, scored most of the points and then scored an intriguing look at what his future might be.

 It looked a lot like Errol Spence Jr.

 “I’m here for the biggest challenge,’’ Garcia said after the 1117-111, 117-110, 118-1110 scorecards confirmed what everybody in the arena and Showtime saw.

 Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) overwhelmed Easter (21-1, 14 KOs), who was knocked down by a perfectly executed right-left combination in the third round and was never able to consistently employ his advantages in reach and height. But Garcia, a lightweight with two belts (WBC and IBF), did it against a 135-pound fighter. Spence is two divisions heavier at 147. He might have more power than anybody at welterweight.

 “I don’t know if there is anyone that is a bigger challenge than Errol Spence,’’ Garcia said.  “I know he’s up to fight everyone so let’s make it happen.

 “I think it can be made.  I think that’s the next big fight coming up.

 “I feel I have the power and the skillset to compete in any division up to welterweight.  He’s the toughest guy at welterweight, so I want to face him.”

 Garcia said all of that while standing in the middle of the ring and looking up at Spence, whose face filled a video screen

 Minutes later, Spence left his ringside side and came to ringside to talk to the media.

 “Let’s make it happen,’’ Spence said. “It’s an easy fight to make. Showtime wants it.’’

 Everybody wants it. The sooner, the better.

 “This year,’’ Spence said. “Let’s do it in November.’’

 Sounds like the future.

Luis Ortiz says he is 39. Put an asterisk next to that age. Late comedian Jack Benny used to say he was 39. Benny was joking, too. But there’s no joke about Ortiz’ power. It has a young man’s edge.

That enduring Ortiz’ power finished Razvan Cojanu ruthlessly in a fast finish to a heavyweight fight, the last bout before Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter Jr. at Staples Center.

A right, then left from Ortiz (29-1, 35 KOs) dropped Cojanu flat onto the canvas late in the second round. Cojanu (16-4, 9 KOs) tried to get up. But he stumbled around, like a toddler trying crawl across a water bed, finished at 2:13 of the second

San Antonio welterweight Mario Barrios (22-0, 14 KOs) opened the Showtime telecast with a lightning-fast right hand, a dimension that journeyman Jose Roman of Garden Grove, Calif., could neither elude nor withstand.

Roman (24-3-1, 16 KOs), down in the fourth and on his knees in the eighth, was out of options, energy and chances after eight rounds. That’s when his corner waved the white towel, signaling a timely end.

“I’m ready now,’’ the 23-year-old Barrios said of one more victory toward contending for a major title. “I feel good. Strong.’’

Argentine super-lightweight Fabian Maidana (16-0, 12 KOs), who has more classic boxing skill than Marcos Maidana, displayed some fight-stopping power, dropping Russian Audrey Klimov (19-5, 9 KOs) with a quick combo for a seventh-round stoppage.

Super-featherweight Karlos Baldera (6-0, 5 KOs), a former Olympian from Santa Maria, Calif., fulfilled his credentials as a prospect, overwhelming Mexican Giovanni Caro (27-24-4, 21 KOs) of Mexico City in a fourth-round stoppage.

Lightweight Jerry Perez (8-0, 6 KOs) was a whirlwind of punches and power, leaving Aaron Hollis exhausted and finished in a second-round stoppage.

Southern California junior-flyweight  Lina Licona (2-0, 1 KO) scored four-round decision over Judith Hachbold (4-5) of Hungary.

Bantamweight Jose Balderas (4-0) followed brother Karlos’ victory with one of his own, scoring a first-round knockdown en route to a unanimous decision over Alfredo Chanez (6-6, 3 KOs) of Tijuana.

Atlanta light heavyweight Brandon Ganton (7-2, 6 KOs) was the Gracia-Easter card’s second winner and the first to score a stoppage, finishing Daniel Najera (7-3-1, 3 KOs) with a succession of punches at 1:35 of the third round.

Luis Coria (7-1, 4 KOs), a Robert Garcia-trained featherweight from Moreno Valley, Calif., did it all, landing punches and scoring a knockdown over six one-sided rounds for a unanimous decision over Guadalupe Arroyo, a Mexican who had a 13^th reason to retire added to his 3-13 record.

One big punch from Filipino lightweight Ray Perez (23-11, 7 KOs) landed like an exclamation point and woke up a gathering crowd from the slumber of having to sit through seven dull, slogging rounds. Perez landed it — a long looping hook — for a stoppage of Robert Marroquin (27-5-1, 20 KOs) of Dallas at 1:03 of the eighth.

Empty seats, more echoes than cheers and more fighters on a 13-bout card than fans were there for first bell Saturday at show that would end hours later in the Mikey Garcia-Robert Easter lightweight title fight.

Junior-welterweight Wesley Diana (6-0, 5 KOs), a Fernando Vargas-trained Puerto Rican living Forida, scored first and often, claiming the card’s first win – a unanimous decision over Envicil Dixon (7-21-1, 2 KOs) of Lancaster, PA.

Masayuki Ito won the vacant WBO Junior Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Christopher Diaz in Kissimmee, Florida.

Ito got the better of Diaz in the action filled fight that saw some solid and furious exchanges.  In round four, a big right hand sent Diaz to the canvas.

Diaz left began to swell and by round eleven, Diaz had difficulty seeing, which gave Ito a clearer way to land his right.  That was the punch of choice for Ito, who had to starve off eating a few wicked left hooks, but it was not enough as the visitor from Japan won going away by tallies if 118-109, 117-110 and 116-111.

Ito, 129.6 lbs of Tokyo, JPN is 24-1-1.  Diaz, 129.2 lbs of Barranquitas, PR is 23-1.

“I believe in myself. I knew I was going to become a world champion, and that is exactly what happened,” Ito said. “Since the beginning of the fight, I knew I had more power and I dropped him. In my mind, I kept saying that it was a close fight and that is why I kept going for the knockout.

“I knew that this was going to be a good fight, and I respect Diaz for coming ready to fight. He is a warrior. This is a dream come true for me. Now, I want bigger fights.”

Said Diaz: “This does not end here. I am going to return with more strength and with more hunger. I have a promise to fulfill. I am going to be a world champion. I promise you that.”

Gabriel Bracero stopped Artemio Reyes in round five of a scheduled ten-round welterweight bout.

Bracero dominated the action, and in round five he landed a body shot that was followed by a right to the head and Reyes took a knee and did not get up.

Bracero, 148 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 25-3-1 with 6 knockouts.  Reyes, 149.6 lbs of Colton, CA is 25-3.

“Even though I came in as a last-minute replacement, I told you guys I was ready,” Bracero said. “I was in camp working hard and helping Robert Easter Jr. for his fight {against Mikey Garcia}. This felt like a sparring session to me. I feel great! I’m hungry! I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible. Thanks to Top Rank for the opportunity.

Antonio Vargas was solid in winning a six-round unanimous decision over Aaron Echeveste in a bantamweight bout.

Vargas, 118.2 lbs of Kissimmee, FLA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 7-0.  Echeveste, 117.8 lbs of Leon. MEX is 5-3.

Yomar Alamo stopped Wilfredo Buelvas in round four of their scheduled six-round super lightweight bout.

In round one, Alamo dropped Buelvas with a left hook.  Seconds later it was another left that dropped Buelvas down on his face.

In round four, Alamo dropped Buelvas with a left hook, and he did not beat the ten count at

Alamo, 141.2 lbs of Aguas Buenas, PR is 15-0 with 12 knockouts.  Buelvas, 141.8 lbs of Barranquita, COL is 18-10.

Henry Lebron remained perfect by stopping Luis Diaz in the final round of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

In round three, Lebron dropped Diaz with a body shot,

In round six, Lebron landed some hard lefts that had Diaz in trouble, and the fight was stopped at 2:43.

Lebron, 131 lbs of Agudailla, PR is now 5-0 with 4 knockouts.  Diaz, 129.6 lbs of Ponce, PR is 2-6.

“This fight really helped me a lot,” Lebron said. “I needed a fight like this where I could display all my boxing skills. On this fight, I worked on my striking, power punching, footwork, lateral movement, and at the end, I got the knockout.”

Luis Melendez made an explosive pro debut by destroying Vicente Loredo in the 1st round of their scheduled four-round featherweight bout.

Melendez landed some booing shots that snapped the head of Loredo back until he finally plummeted to the canvas at 1:19.

Melendez, 126.4 lbs of Bayamon, PR is 1-0 with 1 knocout.  Loredo, 125.8 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 1-2.

2016 Olympic Bronze Medal winner, Vladimir Nikitin won a six-round unanimous decision over Edward Kakembo in a featherweight bout.

In round four, Nikitin dropped Kakembo with an inside shot to the body.  With 20 seconds to go in the fight Niitin dropped Kakembo for a 2nd time with a body shot.

Nikitin, 125.2 lbs of Oxnard, CA via Russia won by scores of  60-52 twice and 60-51 , and is now 1-0.  Kakembo, 126.2 lbs of Silver Spring, MD is 10-5.

“This was my first professional fight, but it was also my first fight in a year,” Nikitin said. “I took a long break from boxing. I was just relaxing for a whole year, and that is why this was a great experience for me. I was in control and dropped my opponent a couple of times, but we went the distance. I needed to get in good rounds of work.

“I want Conlan. That is the plan, and he is the main reason why I signed with Top Rank. I want to fight him as a pro. The judges won’t be necessary this time around.”

Jose Lopez stopped Jorge Rodriguez in round two of their scheduled six-round super lightweight bout.

Lopez dropped Rodriguez in round two with a left to the body, and he could not get up 39 seconds into round two.

Lopez, 145 lbs of Humacao, PR is 11-0 with nine knockouts.  Rodriguez, 149.2 lbs of Tepic, MEX is 10-3.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES – Add words to the advantages that a taller, longer Robert Easter Jr. has over Mikey Garcia.

At least, Easter had them all Friday at the formal weigh-in for the lightweight title unification fight against the favored Garcia Saturday in at Staples Center.

Easter (21-0, 14 KOs) was quick to step up to the microphone and even quicker with talk that suggested an upset was on the horizon after each fighter made weight in front of lively crowd at Staples.

Easter was at 134 pounds, one pound less than Garcia (38-0, 30 KOs), who was right at the limit, 135, for the Showtime-televised bout (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. EST). A single pound appeared to be the only thing Easter gave up. He was an inch-and-a-half taller, six inches longer in reach and decibels noisier.

Throughout the ritual nose-to-nose pose after they stepped off the scale, Easter looked at — and down – at Garcia, talking all the time.

“I just told him that the time has come to fight,’’ said Easter, a Toledo lightweight who holds the International Boxing Federation’s version of the title. “This is a fight to determine who is the best, the best for real.’’

Throughout the long and somewhat tense pose, an unblinking Garcia, a consensus top five pound-for-pound pick, looked up and into Easter’s flashing eyes.

By the time Easter was done talking, Garcia was off the stage and gone without uttering a single word. He let his fans do his talking.

“Mikey, Mikey,’’ they chanted, leaving echoes in what was sure to be heard throughout Staples Saturday night.

The non-televised portion of the card is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Including the Showtime telecast, the card is scheduled for 15 bouts

Billy Joe Saunders will defend the WBO Middleweight title against former two-time junior middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade. the bout was agreed to after the two sides cancelled a pursed bid scheduled for Wednesday, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Andrade promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN that the fight “looks like” it will take place Oct. 20 and that he plans to switch the card he has planned that night in Los Angeles to the East Coast, where Andrade is from.

“I have been informed that Matchroom Boxing and Frank Warren have come to an agreement for Saunders versus Andrade. Therefore, there is no need for the bid process,” WBO President Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel said.

“Hopefully, we can put the fight in my hometown [of Providence, Rhode Island],” Andrade told ESPN. “Money talks. When you have the financing behind you, you can make deals. The deal got done. This is the type of team I needed in my career. Better now than never. I put myself in a great position. Now it’s my time to do what I’ve been wanting to do.”

“Delighted to agree terms for ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade to challenge Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO world title,” Hearn wrote on social media.

Saunders said he’s ready for Andrade, tweeting to Hearn, “Your man is getting spanked.”

Said Andrade, “He’s world champion, but my name ain’t David Lemieux. I believe I can do anything he can do better. My dog will be unleashed when it’s time to get in the ring. And I can smack talk, too. I can dish it out and I can take it. I can talk the talk and walk the walk.”

Juan Francisco Estrasa, Donnie Nietes and Kazuto Ioka will appear on the Superfly 3 card on Saturday, September 8th at The Forum in Inglewood, California, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Ioka is a legend in Japan, a three-division world champion, so he would be a great addition to the show,” 360 Promotions Tom Loeffler said.

Another bout headed for the card is the Donnie Nietes’ opportunity to win a world title in a fourth weight division when he fights Filipino countryman Aston Palicte for a vacant 115-pound belt.

“That’s definitely one of the fights we want to have on Superfly 3,” Loeffler said. “Donnie had a great win on Superfly 2 so it makes sense to bring him back.”

“We have started negotiations for Donnie to be part of Superfly 3,” Aldeguer told ESPN. “We are hoping to finalize the deal with Tom and HBO for Sept 8 soonest.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBC Super Welterweight champion Jermell Charlo has been arrested for domestic violence of his girlfriend.

On May 18, Charlo was booked into Dallas County Jail at 1:43 p.m. CT for allegedly trying to choke his then-girlfriend, Jazmyne Olison. Charlo, 28, posted a $20,000 bond and was released. He faces one felony charge of assault on a family or house member with intent to impede circulation, according to Dallas County Police deputy Raul Reyna.

According to the grand jury indictment issued on June 19, Charlo allegedly squeezed Olison’s neck and forced her against a fence, floor and railing “on or about” May 17. He also allegedly pulled her hair.

“[Charlo] committed the said offense by intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly impeding [Olison’s] normal breathing and circulation of blood by applying pressure to [her] throat and neck and by blocking [her] nose and mouth,” the indictment read.

“Jermell is not guilty and is looking forward to his day in court,” Dallas attorney Mike Howard, who is representing Charlo, told ESPN. “The evidence in this case is clear and conclusive and doesn’t support these allegations. In this day and age, it’s so important to let all the facts come out before making judgments. We look forward to those facts coming out in court.”

Howard said the Aug. 1 hearing is a preliminary hearing that Charlo may not be required to attend.

Olison filed for a civil protection order against Charlo on June 14, according to Dallas County online records.

With Kell Brook unavailable to fight Brandon Cook this Saturday in London, Cook will now face Sam Eggington on the Dillian Whyte – Joseph Parker card, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.