Unexpectedly, Mikey Garcia vacated his junior welterweight belt and will keep his WBC Lightweight championship, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The IBF, whose junior welterweight title he won from Lipinets, gave Garcia 10 days to make a decision. He notified the sanctioning organization in a letter in late March that he planned to keep the junior welterweight belt.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told ESPN that Garcia had notified him that he would defend his lightweight title next, which is why the WBC had not yet stripped him of the belt.

And then Garcia notified the IBF of his change of plans.

“The IBF received an email from Mikey Garcia on Sunday indicating that he was relinquishing the IBF junior welterweight title,” IBF president Daryl Peoples told ESPN on Tuesday. “We were a little surprised as well.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin could be stripped of his IBF Middleweight title should he go through with a fight with Vanes Martirosyan.

IBF attorney Linda P. Torres sent a letter on Tuesday to attorney Ron DiNicola, who represents the Golovkin side, and Alex Dombroff, the attorney for promoter Lou DiBella, who promotes IBF mandatory challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko, outlining the reasons for the IBF’s refusal the grant approval for Golovkin-Martirosyan, a source with knowledge of the letter told ESPN.

In the letter, Torres outlined the reasons for the IBF’s refusal the grant approval for Golovkin to defend against Martirosyan. The IBF’s reasons for refusing the approve the fight are same reasons why the proposed bout with Martirosyan (36-3-1, 21 KOs), 31, a 2004 U.S. Olympian from Glendale, California, has received so much criticism from boxing fans and media: Martirosyan is coming off a loss, he is a junior middleweight who would be moving up in weight and he has not fought in two years.

If Golovkin goes ahead with the bout against Martirosyan, the IBF said it would invoke its rule 5.H, which states, “If a champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the champion wins or loses the bout. The championships committee, with the approval of the (IBF) president, will then establish a new champion in that division in accordance with the procedures established and prescribed in these rules.”

The IBF rules do provide Golovkin with the ability to seek an exception to the mandatory bout, but the IBF’s reasons for not approving the fight in the first place would not bode well for him to get the exception granted. Loeffler acknowledged the letter from the IBF and told ESPN that Golovkin plans to fight May 5 and said their side will seek an exception, adding that he hopes the IBF will grant one.

“Gennady is a proud champion of the IBF and, as a unified world champion, he looks forward to remaining champion for a long time and defending his middleweight titles many more times,” Loeffler said.

“Contrary to statements which I personally did not make that are circulating in the media, I have not made my final decision who will be my head trainer for my July 14 fight with Matthysse,” Pacquiao said in the statement. “My advisor Mike Koncz has been in contact with Freddie’s people to keep them informed. I will make a final decision within the week. When that decision is made, Freddie will be the first one to be informed and then I will advise the media.”

A press release last week intimated that Roach would not be involved in the fight.

“Pacquiao will be joined by his new promotions team along with trainers Restituto ‘Buboy’ Fernandez and Raides ‘Nonoy’ Neri.”

“There was some concerns Manny had in the last fight and some statements Freddie made to the media that Manny wasn’t very pleased about.”

“Manny and I had a great run for [16] years — longer than most marriages and certainly a rarity for boxing,” Roach said. “I wouldn’t trade any of it. Inside the boxing ring and the political ring, I wish Manny nothing but the best. I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t hurt that he didn’t contact me personally about his decision, but the great times we enjoyed together far outweigh that.”

Canelo Alvarez had minor knee surgery on Friday, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Alvarez underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a bothersome cyst from his right knee in Mexico.

“I share that today I had to undergo an arthroscopic surgery to repair the internal femoral cartilage and eliminate a pathological fold of my right knee,” Alvarez wrote on social media in comments translated from Spanish. “I dismiss the erroneous information published by Golden Boy president Eric Gomez. Thanks for worrying!! And in three to four weeks I’ll be like new.”

There was some confusion earlier in the day when Gomez said Alvarez had undergone “cosmetic” surgery. Gomez later told ESPN that the confusion was in the translation of the description of Alvarez’s surgery from Spanish to English.

“He had a cyst taken out of his knee,” Gomez clarified to ESPN on Friday night. “It’s not an injury. Since the fight [with Gennady Golovkin] was canceled, now was the time for him to take care of it. It was something that has been bothering him. And so now, since he isn’t fighting, it was time to take care of it. But he would have been ready to fight on May 5 if there was a fight. There is no structural problem with his knee.”

Ryota Murata made the 1st defense of the WBA Middleweight title with an 8th round stoppage over Emanuele Blandamura in Tokyo, Japan.

Murata dominated the action as he outlanded Blandamura 154-53, and in the 8th round, landed a hard right hand that sent the challenger to the canvas. Blandamura got to his feet, but the fight was waved off at 2:56.

Murata, 160 lbs of Tokyo is now 14-1 with 11 knockouts. Blandamura, 159.5 lbs of Rome, ITA is 27-3.

Ruben Villa remained perfect by winning a eight-round unanimous decision over Marlon Olea to capture the WBO Youth Featherweight title in the main event in front of Villa’s hometown crowd at the Salinas Storm House in Salinas, California.

Villa, 124.8 lbs of Salinas, CA won on all cards, and is now 11-0. Olea, 124.9 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 13-3.

Bruno Escalante won an eight-round unanimous decision over Diuhi Olguin in a bantamweight bout.

In round three, Escalante dropped Olguin with a left and right to the body.

Escalante, 115.6 lbs of San Mateo, CA won by scores of 78-73 twice ans 77-74 to raise his mark to 17-3-1. Olguin, 117.9 lbs of Guadalajara, MX is 11-10-2.

Max Beccera won a six-round unanimous decision over Erick Martinez in a junior welterweight bout.

Beccera, 138.4 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 14-2-2. Martinez, 138.8 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 14-12-1.

Alberto Torres and Naciff Martinez battled to a six-round draw in a junior lightweight bout.

Scores were 58-56 and 57-57 twice.

Torres, 126.9 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 10-1-3. Martinez, 126 lbs of Cozumel, MX is 17-10-3.

Pedro Moreno won a six-round unanimous decision over Sergio Ramirez in a junior welterweight bout.

Ramirez was cut over his right eye in round three.

Moreno, 136 lbs of Sacramento, CA won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 to raise his record to 8-0. Ramirez, 134.8 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 3-2.

Bogar Padilla scored a mild upset as he took a four-round unanimous decision from previously undefeated Brandon Trejo in a lightweight bout.

In round one, Padilla dropped Trejo with a straight right.

Padilla, 131.5 lbs of Ensenada, MEX won by scores of 39-36 twice and 38-37, and is now 1-1. Trejo, 131 lbs of Napa, CA is 3-1.

Daigo Higa was stripped of his World Flyweight title for missing weight for his Sunday defense against Cristofer Rosales, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Edner Cherry won a 10-round unanimous decision over Dennis Galarza in a lightweight bout.

Cherry, 133.6 lbs of Nassau, BAH won by scores of 97-93 and 96-94 twice, and is now 37-7-2. Galarza, 133 lbs of Orlando, FL is 16-3.

Towering Sebastian Fundora stopped Vehsawn Owens in round five of their scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout.

Fundora ripped a game Owens with a hard combination and the bout was stipped.

Fundora, 153.2 lbs of Cochella, CA is 9-0 with five knockouts. Owens, 151 lbs of Minneapolis, MN is 9-1.

In a battle of undefeated featherweight, Chris Colbert stopped Austin Dulay after round seven of their scheduled eight-round bout.

In round six, Colbert dropped Dulay with a left hand. The fight was stopped after the 7th frame.

Colbert, 130 lbs of Brooklyn is 8-0 with three knockouts. Dulay, 130.4 lbs of Nashville, TN is 11-1.

Joey Spencer needed 51 seconds to destroy Ousmane Sylla in a scheduled four-round junior middleweight bout.

The 1st punch from Spencer was a left hook that dropped Sylla. Seconds later it was a jab that dropped Sylla for a second time. Spencer ended things with a powerful left hook that dropped Sylla fir a 3rd and final time, and the bout was stopped.

Spencer, 155 lbs of Lindin, MI is 2-0 with both wins coming early. Sylla, 148 lbs of AK is 1-3-1.

Former middleweight champion David Lemieux will fight Karim Achour in Montreal on May 26th in Quebec City.

“I was at the Videotron Center for the [boxing card] last Saturday, and the crowd was great. I told Camille Estephan that this is where I wanted to fight,” Lemieux said at a news conference at the arena to announce the fight on Thursday. “I aim very high, so for me every fight is extremely important. On May 26, expect fireworks. I want to pass along a message: The best of me is yet to come.”

“[Trainer] Marc [Ramsay] wanted to see David against a guy who will advance on him for 12 rounds,” Estephan said at the news conference. “David does not think it’s going to last that long, but Achour has never been on the floor in his career.”

Former world champion Francisco Vargas stopped Rod Salka after round six of their scheduled 10 round lightweight bout at The Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, California.

In round five, Vargas dropped Salka with a hard uppercut.

In round six, Salka began to bleed under his left eye, and the fight was stopped between rounds.

Vargas, 130 lbs of Mexico City is 25-1-2 with 18 knockouts. Salka, 131 lbs of Bunola, PA is 24-5.

“I wanted to put a great show,” said Francisco Vargas.”I did what he worked on in the gym, fighting cautiously and moving my head. I feel great because we did a great job. I want the rematch against Miguel Berchelt. We’re ready for that fight.”

Andrew Cancio stopped previously undefeated Aidar Sharibayev in the 10th and final round of their super featherweight bout.

In round three, Cancio dropped Sharibayev with a hard left hook. In round five it was another left hand that sent Sharibayev to the deck.

In round ten, Cancio continued the onslaught until the bout was stopped 43 seconds into the round.

Cancio, 130 lbs of Blyth, CA is 18-4-2 with 14 knockouts. Sharibayev, 129.4 lbs of miami, FL is 7-1.

“I listened to my corner, and I trained hard. That’s why I got the victory,” said Andrew Cancio. “I threw jabs and combinations, and I kept moving my head. This was a great performance in front of my fans. It feels amazing because hard work pays off.”

Javier Padilla remained undefeated as he took a four round unanimous decision over Ricardo Arias in a super featherweight bout.

Padilla, 124.6 lbs of Indio, CA won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 and is now 6-0-1. Arias, 126.4 lbs of Mexico City is 1-3-1. This bout was a rematch of a draw that took placed last August.

“I’ve dedicated myself more to boxing this time around,” said Javier Padilla. “That’s why I won this rematch. I was working the graveyard shift before heading to the weigh-in for the first fight. But I’ve quit my job, so I was well rested for this one. I can’t wait to be back.”

Aaron McKenna remained undefeated with a 1st round stoppage over Keasen Freeman in their scheduled four-round welterweight bout.

In round one, McKenna dropped Freeman with a flush left hook. About a minute later, McKenna dropped Freeman with a perfect straight right. Freeman got up, but referee Wayne Hedgepath stopped the bout at 2:06.

McKenna, 146.8 lbs of Monaghan, IRE is now 3-0 with two knockouts. Freeman, 146.6 lbs of Aiken, SC is 4-2.

“I felt very strong,” said Aaron McKenna. “I landed some good, solid shots. After he went down the first time, I knew he couldn’t handle my power. I knew I had to start fast but at the same time be patient, and it all came together.”

Genaro Gamez remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai in a welterweight bout.

Gamez, 139.4 lbs of San Diego won by scores of 79-73 twice and 77-75 to raise his mark to 8-0. Sakai, 140.4 lbs of Amagasaki, JAP is 22-8-2.

“I felt great, though he [Sakai] was much bigger,” said Genaro Gamez. “It was good experienced because he was tough, but at 130 or 135 nobody beats me.”

Rommel Caballero and Eric Rodriguez fought to a technical draw after Rodriguez could not continue after a cut was caused by a head clash after the 1st round in their scheduled four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Rodriguez was cut over his left eye from a head clash

“I don’t know what to say. It’s crazy,” said Rommel Caballero. “This is not what I wanted at all. It’s the California rules, so I have to respect them.”

Flyweight champion Donnie Nietes will mover up to super flyweight, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Today, I have made my decision to move up to 115 and vacate my IBF flyweight world title,” Nietes said. “This is the challenge I have been waiting for. To go up in weight is never easy, but this is my dream, to become a four-division world champion and to fight all the big names. This is a new challenge for me, and I am very happy that ALA Promotions has supported me to pursue my dream of a fourth division world title.”

“Donnie Nietes will fight for the title soon.” ALA Promotions CEO Michael Aldeguer said. “We are looking forward to making the biggest fights for Donnie in the next couple of years. He is an epitome of what a great and humble athlete should be. He deserves all the success he has now.”

Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan has decided to pass on an opportunity to fight Gennady Golovkin on May 5th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

O’sullivan, along with his promoters, Golden Boy Promotions cited that the low purse and lack of time to be the main reasons for bypassing on the contest.

“Spike’s not going to take the fight. He really wanted to do the fight, but the short amount of time, the short amount of money, it just doesn’t work at this time,” Golden Boy Promotions Eric Gomez said. “He wants a big fight, but he doesn’t want to take a fight at the last minute. He wants to win and he took his time to really think about it, and we talked about it with him and with our [promotional] partner Ken Casey from Murphy’s Boxing.

“We have a responsibility to our fighter. We respect him. If he goes into a big fight like this, the biggest fight of his career, he doesn’t want to go into the fight as the opponent on three weeks’ notice. Getting ready for an ESPN card is very different than going in with one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world on three weeks’ notice.”

“I don’t know what Tom’s (Loeffler) is going to do,” said Gomez, adding that he informed Loeffler of the decision earlier Wednesday. “We went over all the deal points, and it was hard to turn down a fight like this. It’s very hard. Spike has a lot of pride, but it was the right decision.”

Andre Ward has been named the Host of the revitalized show The Contender, while Freddie Roach and Naazim Richardson have been named trainers for the show that will be back this fall on EPIX, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It is so important for ‘The Contender’ to have the best and most trusted boxing experts, which is why we reached out to Andre, Freddy and Naazim,” Exexutive Producer Mark Burnett said. “They are the very best and can help create an experience almost never seen before. [Executive producer] Eric [Van Wagenen] and I are really excited to exceed the fans’ expectations. We love ‘The Contender’ and we love boxing.”

“I have faced the unique challenges of professional boxing firsthand and know the focus required to succeed at the highest level,” said Ward, who was undefeated as a pro and was a 2004 Olympic gold medalist. “Hosting a show that has enabled so many talented fighters to reach their dreams is an honor and I look forward to giving the fans unique insight into the life of a fighter and leading the audience through the thrills of this competition.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the undercard for the May 12th showdown between lightweight champion Jorge Linares and Vasily Lomachenko has been finalized.

Welterweight Carlos Adames will take on Alejandro Barrera.

Two-time Irish Olympian Michael Conlan (6-0, 5 KOs), with a large fan following in New York’s Irish community, will face Ibon Larrinaga (10-1, 2 KOs), of Spain, in an eight-round featherweight fight.

Las Vegas lightweight Teofimo Lopez Jr. (8-0, 6 KOs), who was on the 2016 Honduras Olympic team representing the home country of his parents and who has emerged as one of the best prospects in boxing, will face Vitor Jones Freitas, of Brazil, in an eight-round fight. Jones Freitas (14-1, 8 KOs) is the nephew of Brazilian legend and former junior lightweight and lightweight world titleholder Acelino “Popo” Freitas.

Lightweight Jamel Herring (16-2, 9 KOs), of Coram, New York, a 2012 U.S. Olympian and a former U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, will face Juan Pablo Sanchez (30-15, 14 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round bout. The fight will be the first for Herring, who is trained by McIntyre and friends with Crawford, since signing with Top Rank.

Junior welterweight Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (3-0, 1 KO), who won Olympic gold in 2016 for Uzbekistan, will face Jesus Silveyra (8-5-2, 3 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round fight. Gaibnazarov will be fighting for the first time since a shoulder injury sidelined him in September.

Lightweight Mikaela Mayer (4-0, 3 KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympian from Los Angeles, will face Baby Nansen (6-2-1, 0 KOs), of New Zealand, in her first scheduled six-round fight. Mayer needed only 35 seconds to notch a first-round knockout of Maria Semertzoglou in her last fight on March 10 on the Oscar Valdez-Scott Quigg undercard.

Karolina Kowalkiewicz won a split decision over Felice Herrig in a strawweight bout.

Kowalkiewicz won on two cards by 29-28 cards, while Herrig took a card 29-28.

Kowalkiewicz, 115 lbs of Lodz, POL is 12-2.  Herrig, 115.5 lbs of Crystal Lake, IL is 14-7.

Olivier Aubin-Mercier stopped Evan Dunham in the 1st round of their lightweight bout.

Mercier landed a body shot wih his knee that hurt Dunham, and six strikes later the bout was called at 53 seconds.

Mercier, 155 lbs of Montreal is now 12-2.  Dunham, 156 lbs of Las Vegas is 18-7-1.

Ashlee Evans-Smith defeated Bec Rawlings via unanimous decision ina flyweight bout.

In round two, Evans-Smith was bleeding from her forehead.

Evans-Smith, 126 lbs of Santa Ana, CA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 6-3. Rawlings, 126 lbs of Brisbane, AUS is 7-8.

Devin Clark won a unanimous decision over Mike Rodriguez in a light heavyweight bout.

Clark, 205 lbs of Sioux Falls, SD won by scores by 30-27 twice and 29-28 and is now 9-2. Rodriguez, 203 lbs of South Easton, MA is 9-3.

Jarrett Hurd needed a final round knockdown to pull out a 12-round split decision over Erislandy Lara to retain his IBF and capture the WBA Junior Middleweight titles at The Joint at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas.

Lara started out well as he was able to land solid left hands on the inside.  Hurd came back as he stalked the whole fight, and his pressure started to catch up to Lara.

Lara started to swell and the bleed around his left eye in round nine.  In round twelve, with Lara now bleeding badly around the right eye, Hurd landed a short left hook on the inside that sent Lara to the canvas.  Lara was not only able to get up but stood toe to toe with Hurd up until the final bell.

Hurd took two cards by the razor thin tallies of 114-113, while Lara won a card 114-113.

Hurd, 153 lbs of Accokeek, MD is now 22-0.  Lara, 153.5 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 25-3-2.

It was a tough one, but I went out there and did exactly what I said I was going to do – fight all 12 rounds and get the victory,” Hurd said. “I didn’t feel like that (I needed the knockdown). I feel like I was in control the whole fight, applying the pressure.

“I don’t think it had anything to do with age. I think it was me and the game plan we had to apply the pressure.”

“’Swift’ isn’t ducking anyone,” Hurd responded. “I’m No. 1 now. We’re calling the shots.”

“Besides the last round, I thought I was winning this fight easily,” Lara said. “That’s not to decide the fight. I was winning the fight. One punch in a fight doesn’t determine the fight.

“It was a great fight for the fans. I stood there, fought and it was fun. I thought I clearly won the fight. Once again a decision goes against me, but h?ey we just have to do the rematch.”

In a ugly and bloody battle, James DeGale regained the IBF Super Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous  decision over Caleb Truax.

The bout featured a lot of holding and headbutts, but DeGale was able to land the flashier punches in spots during the fight.

In round three, DeGale was cut around the right eye from a punch.

In round seven, Truax was cut along the left eye from an accidental headbutt.  A round later, Truax was cut over his right eye.  In round ten, DeGale was deducted a point for using his shoulder.

DeGale took most of the second half of the fight, and won by scores of 117-110 and 114-113 twice.

DeGale, 167.2 lbs of Haresdon ENG is now 24-2-1.  Truax, 167.8 lbs of Osseo, MN is 29-4-2.

“Two-time world champion. It feels great,” DeGale said. “But full credit to Caleb – he shows he can mix it with the top fighters.

“I’m just happy that I’m a two time world champion and I got my IBF world title back. I’m back, Team Chunky, we’re back. Two-and-a-half years I had it and I lost it to Caleb. He embarrassed me, but we’re back.”

“I couldn’t see from my right eye, DeGale said. “I like Robert Byrd (referee), but today he was a bit wrong. I couldn’t see. But I’m just glad I got through it. I showed some heart. In my last fight, I was like a weak little kid.”

“I thought I did enough to win the fight, but I also thought I was pretty flat and didn’t get my shots off like I wanted,” Truax said. “I was just a little bit flat. I felt really good coming in but I just couldn’t get my shots off like the last fight. He never hurt me, but it is what it is.

“I gave him a rematch straight away so why not do it again.”

Julian Williams won a 12-round majority decision over Nathaniel Gallimore in a junior middleweight bout.

In round five, Williams was cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt.

Williams had a big round eleven when he landed a big left hook that started an onslaugh of punches that had Gallimore wobbling for much of the round.

Williams, 154 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 117-110, 116-112 and 114-114, and is now 25-1-1.  Gallimore, 153 lbs of Chicago is 20-2-1.

Williams outlanded Gallimore 191-107.

“I wasn’t surprised a judge had a draw,” Williams said. “Sometimes when you’re fighting real close like that, it is hard for judges to score. I knew I won. Once I heard 116-112 and 117-111, I knew I won because I knew he didn’t win eight rounds.

“He is a strong fighter, but I knew he was going to do what he did. Start strong early, but I knew he wasn’t strong after six rounds.

“The hits to the body was all in the game plan. You have to go to the body in a 12 round fight.

“I didn’t really think I won the fight,” Gallimore admitted. “I just let too many early rounds go. I just gave him too many rounds. I had him hurt a couple of times, but he was tough. I should have done more combinations. I will look at the fight and review it, and will make adjustments.”

Emanuel Medina defeated Saul Corral via eight-round unanimous decision in a welterweight bout.

Medina, 146.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 to keep perfect at 14-0.  Corral, 146 lbs of Sonora, MX is 27-11.

Xavier Martinez remained undefeated by stopping Jairo Vargas in round two of their scheduled six-round junior lightweight bout.

Martinez dropped Vargas in round one. In round Martinez landed a left hook that sent Vargas down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:22.

Martinez, 131 lbs of Sacramento, CA is now 11-0 with 7 knockouts. Vargas, 131.8 lbs of Richmond, VA is 6-4.

Sharone Carter scored a eight-round unanimous decision previously undefeated Ahmed Mahmood in a featherweight bout.

Scores were 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 for Carter, 125.4 lbs of St. Louis to raise his record to 9-2. Mahmood, 124.5 lbs of Detroit, MI is 7-1-1.

Billy Dib will take on Tevin Farmer for the Interim IBF Junior Lightweight title, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Be advised that No. 3 Billy Dib and No. 4 Tevin Farmer are the two highest-ranked available contenders in the IBF junior lightweight division and have indicated a willingness to participate in this interim title fight,” the IBF wrote to representatives of Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, which represents Dib, and Lou DiBella, who promotes Farmer. “In an effort to determine who the interim champion will be, the IBF is ordering that a bout should be held between Dib and Farmer for the interim title. The winner will be the interim champion and must fight IBF junior lightweight champion Kenichi Ogawa as soon as he is able to defend the title.”

Said Lou DiBella, “We’re going to accept the fight and figure out a way to get it on. We have to figure out a place to put and a way to get it televised,” DiBella said. “Billy’s my friend. I’ve been friendly with Billy forever but Tevin is younger, faster and fresher. Billy always gives everything he has but I think you have to favor the younger, fresher guy. This is probably the last great opportunity of Billy’s career. It’s a make or break fight for him and we know Billy is not an easy out for Tevin.”

“We accepted the IBF final eliminator against Breazeale. Unfortunately, he did not fancy boxing Kubrat so now the next ranked is Dillian Whyte,” Team Sauerland promoter Nisse Sauerland, Pulev’s promoter, told ESPN on Wednesday. “We are already in dialogue with [Whyte’s] promotional team and would love to take this fight to [Bulgarian capital] Sofia, where Pulev can sell out a stadium. It’s great news for Pulev and Whyte as both want to fight for the world title and this gives a guaranteed shot whilst providing the fans with a super fight along the way.”

“We’ve put all of our eggs in a basket with the WBC [whose belt Wilder holds] and [Whyte is] No. 1, but until the convention comes around they won’t make a move and make him the mandatory,” Hearn told ESPN. “They could also order a final eliminator, so it’s a difficult decision. It’s a good opportunity with Pulev and it’s a fight we fancy. But Whyte is also chasing Deontay Wilder, which might not materialize. I’m not sure yet what Dillian and the team want to do, but I know this: If you are the IBF mandatory you will get a world title shot against someone.”

Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing is set to offer a fight for WBC Heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder to take on his fighter, IBF/WBA/WBO champion Anthony Joshua, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We’re going to put an offer together this week and look to continue the conversation with Wilder’s team,” Hearn said.

“We’ll be talking about whether Joshua fights again in July or August or we go straight into a Wilder fight in October or November,” Hearn said.

“I spoke to Stephen Espinoza to talk about mapping it out, and he said [a Joshua-Wilder fight] works best for him in September or December.”

“I said we either fight in July or August and then we see what happens, but I want to do a deal now,” Hearn said. “Even if we both fight this summer, I am looking to reach an agreement on this fight prior to our next fight, where we have already signed to fight Wilder in December. Because of the fan demand, it’s important that the fight is actually made now even if they fight one more fight.”

“What I am saying is that I want to make the Joshua-Wilder fight in 2018,” Hearn said. “The question is do we have a fight in the summer and then box Wilder in December or do we go straight into the fight in September or October. That is one of the things I will be speaking with Joshua and Rob about. But the only way I think we should have an interim fight is if the Wilder fight is signed.

“We want it. Joshua wants it bad. It’s the biggest fight in world boxing and it’s for the undisputed world championship. Nobody should be saying Joshua doesn’t want it. He wants it. Look at what he has already done in 21 fights. Nobody should doubt his desire to be in these big fights.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Caneo Alavrez has withdrawn from his May 5th rematch with Gennady Golovkin due to circumstances around his failed drug test.

“We’re going to have to cancel the May 5 rematch,” Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez said at the beginning of a news conference at the company’s offices in downtown Los Angeles. “As you all know there is a hearing on April 18 and it’s extremely unlikely this will get properly resolved by then and we need enough time to promote this fight.

“Additionally, given the current regulations in Nevada we have been advised, and it is unfortunate, that Canelo won’t be cleared to fight in May. We are hopeful this matter will be resolved and we are hoping Canelo will be cleared so we can reschedule the fight for August or September.”

“I am truly shocked about what has happened and for those who have doubts and suspicions about my integrity, I have always been and always will be clean fighter,” Alvarez, speaking through a translator, said in his first public comments about the situation other than a brief statement he made two weeks ago when the positive test results were announced.

“I want to apologize to HBO, Tecate and Hennessy and all my other sponsors, the media and to everyone who is involved in the promotion of this event, and especially to the fans. I respect this sport. I will always be a clean fighter.”

“To be honest, what Golovkin or his team say doesn’t bother me at all because, No. 1, they are not doctors, not experts,” Alvarez said. “I don’t pay attention to them. It sounds more like an excuse that he doesn’t want to fight me or he’s scared.”
Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya stood up for his marquee fighter.

“I want to speak to Canelo’s character,” De La Hoya said. “I can assure you that both inside and outside the ring Canelo has always displayed a professionalism and commitment all too absent in the sport. I have known Canelo since he was a teenager and [he has] handled himself with grace and class and showed respect for the sport. He’s the model for what we want the best in our sport to be.

“I sincerely hope that given his unblemished record of having never tested positive in more than 90 tests in and out of competition, you would be willing to give Canelo fair consideration.”

“I want to clarify the situation. I have always done tests with VADA before my fights. They are voluntary,” he said. “I have always agreed to them before my fights and they have always come back negative. I am a clean fighter. On this occasion the results showed small traces of clenbuterol. How did this happen, I don’t know. Unfortunately, there is a public problem in my country of Mexico. Football, cycling, soccer, boxing — people have tested positive for clenbuterol. This can be transmitted through meat in Mexico. Contaminated meat is what caused this. That is my statement. This has happened in all sports.”

To hammer home Alvarez’s point about meat contamination, Golden Boy had Dr. Miguel Angel Nazul, the vice president of the Mexican Federation of Sports Medicine, speak at length about the issue in Mexico.

“I respect the Nevada State Athletic Commission and understand there are certain penalties and sanctions even for unintentional [positive] results,” Alvarez said. “The reality is that unfortunately the rematch will have to wait a little longer. I am truly disappointed and upset that I will not be able to take part in the rematch [on May 5]. I was very much looking forward to the fight and looked forward to proving I am the best in the world.

“I am willing to do whatever [the Nevada commission requests to prove I am a clean fighter. I will do everything in my power to prove that I never intentionally ingested clenbuterol. I have nothing to hide. I wanted to be open and transparent in this process. Because of the respect I have for this sport, I will do whatever I can to show I have not taken this and want to prove I am a clean fighter.”

“That is the fight I want and it’s the fight I want to give the fans,” he said. “As soon as I get the green light, that’s the fight I want.”

“I am looking forward to returning to Las Vegas for my 20th title defense and headlining my first Cinco de Mayo event on May 5,” Golovkin said in a statement provided to ESPN. “It is time for less drama and more fighting.”

“It saddens me people are accusing me of doing something improper,” Alvarez said. “I am proud of the career I’ve had. From here on out I will take precautions before future fights and make sure this never again happens. I am ready for what comes in the future.”

Jerwin Ancajas will defend his IBF Super Flyweight title against Jonas Sultan on May 26th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“May 26 in Las Vegas will be a real coming-out party for IBF champion Jerwin Ancajas,” Ancajas manager Sean Gibbons said. “Jerwin will headline his first [ESPN event] and fight in first fight in Las Vegas like his idol Manny Pacquiao [did so many times]. Jerwin is facing his countryman Jonas Sultan, but everyone will see on May 26 what I have had the pleasure of seeing, and that is there is only one Filipino IBF 115-pound champion, and that is Jerwin Ancajas.”

Manny Pacquiao will take on WBA Welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse on July 14th in Malaysia, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Signed, sealed, and delivered: Proud to officially announce that WBA welterweight world champion Lucas Matthysse will put his title on the line against Manny Pacquiao in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Saturday night July 14 (U.S. time),” Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes Matthysse, wrote on his social media.

Pacquiao will go into the fight without his longtime trainer, International Boxing Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, overseeing his camp or corner. Koncz said Pacquiao has replaced Roach with Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s lifelong friend and the career-long assistant trainer who has been with him for every fight.

“That’s Manny’s decision. Manny has told me Buboy will be handling the training on this fight,” Koncz said. “What’s important to Manny is that he has one voice to listen to in the corner that he trusts, and I guess that’s Buboy for this fight.”

Asked about the reason Pacquiao decided to make a change — without notifying Roach — Koncz said, “There was some concerns Manny had in the last fight and some statements Freddie made to the media that Manny wasn’t very pleased about.”

“We are very pleased and privileged that ESPN will be part of this fight because of the tremendous viewing audience we had for the Australian fight,” Koncz said.

“We’re working together on this fight,” Koncz said. “They’ve done good for us for a long time, and we’ve done good for them for a long time. So we’re working with them on this fight. We don’t have any disputes with Top Rank. Hopefully, this fight with Matthysse is a big success and Manny is victorious, and then we can see if we can do a fight with [Vasiliy] Lomachenko with Top Rank in the fall.”

“[Arum] is invited [to the fight], and there’s no problem,” Pacquiao recently told reporters in the Philippines. “I think after my fight with Matthysse, we will talk regarding the possible Pacquiao-Lomachenko fight in the future. That is a good fight because he is a champion, and I’ll be challenged to become a champion again. At the same time, I don’t want the people to say that [the fight with Matthysse is] just a tune-up fight.”

“We had to schedule this fight so the senate wasn’t in session and wouldn’t interfere with Manny’s training,” Koncz said.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin will fight on May 5th weather it is against Canelo Alvarez or not.

“GGG wants to fight on May 5 in Las Vegas, so in order to do that we have to go through the commission procedure and the official process,” Golovkin Promoter Tom Loeffler told ESPN on Monday.

“Anyone who booked a plane ticket or who was planning to come to Las Vegas for Cinco de Mayo weekend to see GGG fight, don’t cancel your ticket, because we’re planning a GGG fight on May 5, whether it’s against Canelo or somebody else,” Loeffler said.

EDITOR’S PICKS
Candidates to step in to face GGG if Canelo gets longer suspension
There’s a chance the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch won’t happen on May 5 due to Alvarez’s two positive tests. But don’t you worry. Dan Rafael has a list of possible opponents who could step in to face GGG if needed.

Refunds offered for Canelo-GGG rematch
MGM Resorts International is offering ticket buyers a full refund on tickets because of the probability that the fight will be canceled.

“We’re weighing all the options right now,” Loeffler said. “Obviously, the biggest fight in boxing is GGG and Canelo in their rematch in May. If we can’t do it then, GGG wants to stay active, but no one opponent has been selected yet.”

Lightweight world champion Jorge Linares will not have Ismael Salas in his corner when he faces Vasyl Lomachenko on May 12 at Madison Square Garden, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Salas, however, is in London training one of his other top fighters, former heavyweight titleholder David Haye, for his rematch with Tony Bellew on May 5 at the O2 Arena in London.

Taking the reigns as head trainer is Carlos Linares, Jorge’s younger brother, who has been part of his team for years. Jorge Linares also will have other regulars from his team with him, including cutman and assistant trainer Rudy Hernandez and strength and conditioning coach Jorge Capetillo.

“We did not leave Salas and Salas did not leave me,” Linares said through interpreter Robert Diaz, the matchmaker for his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions. “It was just a scheduling conflict. It was a conflict that made it difficult for us to be together for this fight. I understand. I’m not upset about it at all. I have all his advice and teachings that I need to do. It’s always there in spirit, and we can talk over the phone [during training camp]. We still communicate. This is not a breakup.”

“Linares is a very experienced fighter,” Diaz said. “Salas has been good for him, but Jorge knows what to do for this fight, and he is very motivated. He knows how important this fight with Lomachenko is. But this is also a fight Jorge and I have been talking about for two years. Jorge picked Lomachenko to fight. He told [Golden Boy CEO] Oscar [De La Hoya] that he wanted the biggest fight, and this is it.”

“Lomachenko could have picked an easier fight,” Linares said. “But he wants to fight the best. He wants the crown. I respect Lomachenko, and I am very motivated for this fight. Like people say, I also consider him the pound-for-pound best in boxing. That’s what motivates me. I am so thankful to my team for getting me this fight. This is what I have been working for.

“I know I have to work hard, but at the same time, Lomachenko is coming up in weight. He’s the challenger and I am the champion. My thing is I am going to remain the champion after this fight and show people how good I am. This is what I have always wanted, and I am grateful to ESPN, [Lomachenko promoter] Top Rank and Lomachenko for this opportunity to show how good I am.”

Mark DeLuca stopped Ramses Agaton in round seven of their scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout at the Marina Bay Sportsplex in Quincy, Massachusetts.

In round two, DeLuca dropped Agaton with a right hand. In round three, a clash of heads caused a nasty gash around the right eye of Agaton. In round four, Agaton was deducted 2 points for a low blows, but replays showed it was actually DeLucas who landed below the belt.

In round seven, DeLuca landed a left hook to the body that sent Agaton to the canvas. Agaton got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 2:17.

DeLuca, 154 lbs of Whitman, MA is now 21-0 with 13 knockouts. Agaton, 151 lbs of Mexico City is now 20-8-3.

When you know you’re fighting against a guy from Mexico, you’ve got to be in shape,” said Mark Deluca. “You’ve got to be ready because they don’t come in easy. He [Agaton] was very ready and game. Being patient and picking my shots was the toughest part of this fight because I didn’t want to get caught with anything. I’ll be back in the gym on Monday. I’m sure they’ll have something planned for me and I’m ready to get back in the ring.”

Jason Quigley stopped Daniel Rosario in round six of their scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

Rosario had his nose bloodied in round five. In the next round, Quigley dropped Roario with a perfect left hook to the body. Moments later, it was another left hook that sent Rosario down in obvious pain, and the bout was stopped at 2:51.

Quigley, 159.4 lbs of Donegal, IRE is 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Rosario, 161 lbs of San Juan, PR is 11-4.

“My new team helped me take my opponent down,”said Jason Quigley. “He was a tough kid and had never been stopped. I knew this was the perfect fight to come back and see where I’m at. I broke him down, and when I shook the ring rust out, I took him out.”

Yamaguchi Falcao remained undefeated by scoring a eight-round unanimous decision over Richar Gutierrez in a middleweight bout.

Falcao tripped on the fight of Gutierrez in the 1st round while Gutierrez was landing a combination, and it was scored a knockdown in favor of Gutierrez. In round three, Gutierrez suffered a cut around the right eye.

In round five, Falcao landed a hard combination that sent Gutierrez to the canvas.

Falcao, 159.6 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA won by scores of 79-73, 78-72 and 78-71 to raise his perfect mark to 14-0. Gutierrez, 159 lbs of Arjona, BRA is 30-18-2.

“The fight was a bit tough because he [Gutierrez] is a bit of a dirty fighter,” said Yamaguchi Falcao. “I’m ready, though. I have big dreams, and I want my opportunity. When I fight with bigger names, I’ll know what to do.”

Damon Allen, Jr won a eight-round split decision over Alexis Del Bosque in a super lightweight bout.

Allen won two cards 78-74 and 77-75. Del Bosque took a card 77-75.

Allen, 137 lbs of Philadelphia is 15-0-1. Del Bosque, 134.2 lbs of Dallas, TX is 13-5.

Travis Gambardella stopped Lionel Young in the 4th and final scheduled round of their super middleweight bout.

Gambardella battered Young against the ropes in the 4th round, and the bout was stopped at 1:57.

Gambardella, 159 lbs of Revere, MA is 3-1-1 with 1 knockout. Young, 160.4 lbs of Brockton, MA is 1-6.

Unified Welterweight champion suffered a hand injury and now will not be fighting on May 19th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Thurman suffered a deep bruise to his left hand and has been forced to pull out of his next fight.

The potential May 5th bout between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin is now in serious jeopardy after a hearing for Alvarez positive test for a performance enhancer has been pushed back to April 18 because Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett has filed a formal complaint against Canelo Alvarez for doping violations, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The complaint, signed Tuesday and made public on Thursday, all but seals the deal that Alvarez’s much-anticipated rematch with unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, scheduled to headline a major HBO PPV event on May 5 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will be canceled. It is extremely rare for the commission to issue a complaint against a fighter for doping violations and for the fighter to go unpunished.

“After completing my investigation, I made the determination to file a complaint against Mr. Alvarez and set the matter for a disciplinary hearing during the commission’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 18,” Bennett said.

“We’re waiting for the official decision from the commission, but GGG is training and preparing for May 5 and that’s what he wants to do — fight May 5,” Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler told ESPN. “Naturally, Canelo is the top priority and if for some reason Canelo is not available, we’ll have to weigh all the options at that point. But as of right now we’re waiting to get more direction from the commission.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Jeff Horn will defend the WBO Welterweight title against Terence Crawford on June 9th at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“It’s exciting to see ‘Bud’ Crawford move up to the welterweight division. In Jeff Horn, he fights a big, rough, tough welterweight who won the title from one of the greats, Manny Pacquiao,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said.

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring on June 9 and win the WBO welterweight championship,” said Crawford, who has remained in training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since the injury. “Jeff Horn and his team better be ready, because they are going to see a bigger, stronger and more powerful Terence Crawford. I am going home with that belt.”

“We are excited to be fighting at MGM Grand and attempting to win another world title in a higher weight class, the welterweight division, which is stacked with talent,” McIntyre said. “We are looking forward to fighting a really aggressive and determined fighter in Jeff Horn. June 9 will be another great night for Team Crawford in Las Vegas.”

“Defending the world title successfully a second time is a must,” said Horn, who was a 2012 Olympian. “Crawford is a very talented fighter and deserves his accolades. I will be on a mission to prove the doubters wrong. Obviously, I am a very competitive guy who works really hard to achieve his goals.

“Crawford is a brilliant boxer, but I am coming to win, and I will win. Crawford’s trash talk has only inspired me that much more to shock the world once again.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, MGM Resorts are giving refunds to the Canelo Alvarez – Gennady Golovkin bout, thus adding speculation that the bout could be cancelled due to Alvarez testing positive to a performance enhancer.

“Business as usual in training camp,” Golden Boy posted along with the video. “Canelo working the heavy bag under the watchful eye of (trainer Eddy Reynoso).”

“If a fan requests a refund for the Canelo-GGG 2 fight they may receive one, in full, at the original point of purchase,” an MGM Resorts International spokesman told ESPN in an email on Wednesday night.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Sergio Mora will battle Alfredo Angulo on April 7th as part ofthe Erislandy Lara – Jarrett Hurd undercard in Las Vegas, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It was a fight I was trying to avoid for quite a while. Perro is a friend,” Mora told ESPN on Tuesday. “Ultimately, the more time that passed the more it made sense for both of us. He’s been inactive just as long as I have and I was not being offered anything worth accepting, so I guess we both agreed.”