Floyd Mayweather 149.5 – Conor McGregor 153

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the IBF will abolish 2nd day weigh ins in unifications bouts.

“Second-day weigh-ins will remain in effect for all other [IBF] bouts,” IBF president Daryl Peoples told ESPN. “We changed the second-day weigh-in for unifications after we received a request from one of our members. We had discussed changing the rule prior to the request.

“Naturally, we would like to see both fighters participate in the second-day weigh-in for safety reasons. However, we found that some fighters were not participating in the second-day weigh-ins, and those fighters that complied with the rule had a disadvantage due to weight disparities on fight day.”

Former world champion Juan Carlos Payano won a ten round unanimous decision over Alexis Santiago in a super bantamweight bout at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas.

Payano was cut over his left eye fro an overhand right in round three.

Payano, 120.6 lbs of Santiago, DR won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice, and is now 19-1. Santiago, 120.4 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 24-5-1.

“I felt like I was winning every single round,” said Payano. “There were small moments on the inside that I gave away but I think I did the better work each round.”

“The strategy was to wear him down and then really try to walk him down and take him out,” said Payano. “Santiago was a little too tough for his own good so I kept some distance at times and controlled the fight.”

“I felt the long layoff when I got in there,” said Santiago. “I was a little tight and I loaded up too much instead of using my speed.”

“I want my titles back,” said Payano. “I don’t care who is holding which titles at 118 and 122 pounds. I’ll fight anyone and show I’m still a champion.”

“I thought the fight was a little closer,” said Santiago. “He did more work than me but I thought I had good moments. I wanted to box him a little more but I couldn’t find my range so I just tried to close down the gaps. We just have to go back to the drawing board and stay more active. I want to get a tune-up fight then get right back to fighting top guys.”

Ladarius Miller won a ten round unanimous decision over former U.S. Olympian Jamel Herring in a light weight bout.

In round six, Miller began to bleed from his nose.

Miller, 134.8 lbs of Las Vegas, NV, won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 twice, and is now 14-1. Herring, 134.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH is now 16-2.

“I know I out-jabbed him,” said Miller. “When we jabbed each other, I thought my jab was stronger than his. I gave him two different styles. There were times where I walked him down and times where I boxed him.”

“I thought it was a close fight,” said Herring. “I thought when I came forward and pressed the fight he started retreating and moving.”

“I thought 97-93 was the right score,” said Miller. “I took it easy in round nine and felt him out in the first two rounds. But the rest of the fight I felt like I dominated. It’s a process. I’m just climbing the ladder right now. I want to get another test and fight more strong fighters. I want to be on the biggest stages. I’m ready for the step up.”

“I thought I landed some heavy shots in there and was more aggressive,” said Herring. “Obviously the judges saw it differently. I’ll get back with my team and see what’s next, but I did think I won the fight. I thought I won the last two rounds and pulled it out.”

A deal to pit two-time Olympic Gold Medal winners Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux on December 9th in Madison Square Garden is close to being finalized, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It would be a historic milestone in my professional career,” said Lomachenko promoter Bob Arum, 85, said of the possible fight. “It’s never been done before — each of them winning two gold medals and fighting each other. That’s something special. That will be remembered in history.”

“Bob Arum is having discussions with Roc Nation Sports and Dino Duva about the fight,” Top rank’s Todd duBoef said.

“We are in good, positive, serious talks and hoping it can get done. We’re close to a deal. We don’t have any contracts done yet, and hopefully we can get a deal done,” Duva said Sunday night. “We’re in a pretty good place from all angles, and we’re hopeful we can get it done very soon. I’ve been talking to Bob. We’ve had very good talks. We’re trying to fine-tune the deal to make sure the fighters and the companies are happy. I am cautiously hopeful. It will be a great fight, a great, historic fight.”

“The weight is not an issue,” Duva said. “Rigo feels like he can go anywhere from 122 to 130 pounds. Rigo wants to and has to make a statement, and this is the fight he can make a statement in. He feels he can beat anybody. He realizes Lomachenko is a tough fight, but if this is made, it is a great fight for fans and a great fight for boxing.”

“Rigondeaux is a helluva fighter. He’s not going to be boring with Lomachenko. Lomachenko won’t let him be boring,” said Arum, who used to promote Rigondeaux.

Added Duva: “Lomachenko will make Rigo fight. It will be very interesting. It’s a cool fight.”

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ-It was a bittersweet night for welterweight contender Thomas LaMaanna as he won a 10-round unanimous decision over George Sosa in an entertaining bout in front of a capacity crowd at The Claridge Hotel In Atlantic City.

LaManna won the WBC Silver Latino Welterweight title and shortly after, the fighter known as “Cornflake” promptly announced his retirement in the ring.

In round two, Sosa started to swell under his left eye. In round six, He started bleeding badly from his nose as the result of pinpoint shots from LaManna.

In round six, LaManna was dominant by scoring two knockdowns from body shots. LaManna was relentless in battering Sosa all over the ring. Both guys traded hard shots down the stretch with LaManna getting the better of the action, while taking a solid right hand from time to time.

LaManna, 147 lbs of Millville, NJ won by scores of 98-90 twice and 99-88 to raise his record to 24-2. Sosa of Reading, PA falls to 15-10.

“The body work, the distance and the jab was working for me. He was long and tall so we worked on the distance and I started to put my punches together. The body work is what put him down,”said LaManna. “I took some shots from him, but that is not what I go in wanting to do. I wore him down, worked the body, touched his arms and touched his body.”

“It feels so great to win a champiosnhip and to get that hardware.”

Then LaManna announced that this would be his last fight.

“It’s Over. It’s Over. I put a lot of years into this. This is it. I want to thank my parents, Vinny Ponte my promoter, my trainer and everybody who have helped me along the way.

Former world champion Imamu Mayfield and Lamont Capers slugged it out to an eight-round split draw.

In round six, Mayfield was cut over his left eye from a punch, and Capers had bad swelling over his left eye from a headbutt.3rd card read even at 76-76.

Mayfield, 200 lbs of Freehold, NJ is now 26-10-3. Capers, 196 lbs of Hawley, PA is 7-10-3.

Each guy won a card 77075, while a

Yurik Mamedov won a six-round unanimous decision over Ariel Vasquez in a welterweight bout.

Mamedov, 145.5 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 7-0. Vasquez, 145.3 lbs of Managua, NIC is 12-19-2.vill
Emmanuel Rodriguez won a four round unanimous decision over pro debuting Willie Anderson.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Rodriguez, 119 lbs of Newark, NJ, and he is now 2-0. Anderson, 122 lbs of Paulsboro, NJ is 0-1.

Anderson is the son of former Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Willie “Flipper” Anderson.

Frederick Julan stopped Tahlik Taylor in the 6th and final round of their light heavyweight bout.

Julan landed a hard left that sent Taylor staggering back into the ropes, and the bout was stopped at 1:15.

Julan, 173 lbs of Brooklyn is now 6-0 with three stoppages. Taylor, 177 lbs of Freeport, NY is 2-8.

Alvin Vermall, Jr. stopped LeMarcus Tucker in round two of their scheduled six-round cruiserweight bout.

Vermall was dominant as he landed power shots from the early stages in round one. In round two, he landed three vicious shots that sent Tucker into a defenseless state, and the bout was stopped at 2:18.

Vermall, Jr., 192 lbs of Catskills, NY is now 13-0-1 with 11 knockouts. Tucker is 4-3-1.

Tomas Romain win a four round majority decision over pro debuting Marcos Lugo in a lightweight bout.

Romain, 131.7 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38 and is now 4-1. Lugo, 131.6 lbs of Vineland, NJ is 0-1.

Nahir Albright flattened Ronald Logan in 77 seconds of their scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout.

Albright landed a perfect right that sent Logan down for several minutes.

Albright, 139.1 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-1 with one knockout. Logan, 140 lbs of New York, NY is 0-2.

Vidal Rivera won a four-round unanimous decision over Weusi Johnson in a featherweight bout.

Despite being cut over his left eye in round two, Rivera was able to sweep all cards to the tune of 40-36.

Rivera, 128.6 lbs of Camden, NJ is now 7-0. Johnson, 130.3 lbs of Wilmington, DE is 2-5.

Anthony Young won a six-round unanimous decision over Carlos Winston Velasquez in a welterweight bout.

Young, 144 1/2 lbs of Pleasantville, NJ won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 18-2. Velasquez, 145 1/2 lbs of Managua, NIC is 25-30-2.

Joshafat Ortiz won a four-round unanimous decision over Sidell Blocker in a lightweight bout.

Ortiz, 129 lbs of Reading, Pa won on two cards 40-36 and 39-37 and is now 2-0. Blocker, 128 lbs of Pleasantville, NJ is 1-9-1,

Alberto Machado remains undefeated by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Morales in a super featherweight bout at Complejo Ferial in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

In round two, Machado dropped Morales with a 1-2 to the body.

Machado, 130 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 99-90 twice and 98-91 to raise his perfect mark to 17-1. Morales, 130 lbs of Los Angeles is now 16-2-3.

“I felt good in the ring,” said Alberto Machado. “I needed this for my career. I put myself to the test because almost all my fights had been by knockout, and I’m happy with the victory. Carlos Morales is a tough fighter who used everything his arsenal and pushed until the end. Hopefully I will now be rated no. 2 or no. 3 with the WBA, and it is a matter of meeting with my promoters, taking time to rest and seeing what comes next.”

“I feel good,” said Carlos Morales. “I felt like I did my best in the ring, but after the first round I realized that I needed to change it up and not get caught again. Machado is a strong fighter; he hits very, very hard. Now it’s time for me to review, rest and get back up.”
Nate Green got off the deck to win an eight-round unanimous decision over Emanuel Rivera in a bantamweight bout.

In round two, Rivera dropped Green with a right hook. In round our, Green was cut over his left eye.

Green, 117 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 77-74 on all cards and is now 9-0. Rivera, 117 lbs of Toa Baja, PR is 17-2.

Edwin Rodriguez upset previously undefeated Juan Carlos Camacho Jr. via majority decision in a super flyweight bout.

Rodriguez, 114 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR won two cards 58-56 and a third card read even at 57-57.

Rodriguez is now 8-4-1. Camacho, 114 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 6-1.

Josean Serra won a four-round unanimous decision over Manuel Galaviz in a bantamweight bout.

In round three, Galaviz was cut under his left eye.

Serra, 115 lbs of Ponce, PR won by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 39-36, and is now 10-1. Galaviz, 116 lbs of Sonora, MX is 7-20.

Luis Feliciano won a six-round unanimous decision over Jimmy Rosario in a super lightweight bout.

Feliciano, 139 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won all cards 60-54 and is now 3-0. Rosario, 140 lbs of Vega Baja, PR is 2-5.

According to Brett Okamoto of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGeregor will use 8 ounce gloves for their August 26th showdown in Las Vegas.

The NSAC voted unanimously in favor of a one-time exception that will allow both fighters to wear 8-ounce gloves during their 154-pound bout. Per NSAC regulations, any boxing match contested above 147 pounds mandates 10-ounce gloves.

“I’m very happy with how the Nevada State Athletic Commission handled it,” McGregor said Wednesday after the decision. “They handled it fairly, and they listened to both requests.”

“The No. 1 line of defense is the referee,” Marnell said. “It always will be.”

“This is a bout that has already been set [at] a specified weight class,” Dr. Raymond M. Monsell, chairman of the Association of Ringside Physicians, wrote to the commission on Tuesday. “Unless there is scientific evidence to support the view that such a change might improve the safety of this bout, we would strongly caution against allowing current regulations to be overruled. To do so would also set a precedent for future bouts.”

“If we are in 8-ounce gloves, he will be floored multiple times in the first round,” McGregor said. “I believe first-round KO in 8-ounce gloves. The fact I can’t follow through [like] in MMA and pound the head into the canvas, and there’s a 10-count in boxing, maybe I’ll give him second round. But 8-ounce gloves, he will be done in two.”

“Floyd wanted Conor to be as comfortable as possible, so there wouldn’t be any excuses,” Mayweather Promotions Leonard Ellerbe said. “Conor has vowed he’ll knock out Floyd in four rounds. He recently corrected that and said if the commission approved 8-ounce gloves, he doesn’t give Floyd two rounds.

“I have no reason to believe he’s not feeling very confident, and I want him to continue to have that confident attitude.”

Most of the time when boxing writers are attending events its because they are their to cover the main attractions and key fights that evening. Other times they are their in order to provide coverage of the card in its entirety or their is a specific fighter they are excited to watch perform. Whatever the case may be, every card offers a new opportunity to cross paths with new characters you would not encounter unless you made it your business to attend as many live shows that you can. Regardless of the magnitude of the show.

My first interaction with Sam “The Russian Concussion” Horowitz occurred back in April at a local show in Philadelphia that was under the Hard Hitting Promotions banner. Horowitz was taking on David Murray the fighter signed under the promotions banner. This writer and others at press row didn’t expect much out of the opening contest that evening. In fact we were just happy that we were entertained at the awesome nickname sported by Horowitz.

However, much to our delight we were wound up treated to one of the better fights on the card that night. Horowitz, despite being brought in from Chicago as an opponent showed up to Philadelphia to fight. What I have come to find out about Horowitz since that night, is that you should expect nothing less from this heavy punching 33 year old light heavyweight.

“I know my record isn’t glossy and shiny like fighters that have been protected,” states Horowitz. “I only had 18 amateur fights before I turned pro. I made a choice to take on all comers and not go the route of fighting easy fights just to build up a fake record to look good on paper.” Horowitz while turning professional as a boxer in what would be considered the later stages of an athletes physical prime. Did in fact have combat experience as both an amateur wrestler with a background in Karate and Brazilian jiu jitSu.

This background culminated with a brief career in mixed martial arts. After just six fights a close friend decided to take Horowitz to a local boxing gym and that is when he fell in love with the pugilistic art. Make no mistake about it, Horowitz is not going to be seen in the ring doing a shoulder roll to avoid punches or partaking in his best Pernell Whitaker impression. No, what you get from Horowitz is exactly what his nickname suggests. Punishment.

His fight with Murray was the embodiment of a punishing four round fight. Horowitz who makes it clear that if he hits anyone with his powerful straight right hand on the button will be “standing over a hurt man.” Connected with that right hand on several occasions with Murray’s chin. After three rounds were completed Horowitz had scored two knockdowns and was clearly three minutes away from victory.

That was until Horowitz himself was caught and dazed early in the final round by Murray. “I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. I was hurt, but I knew where I was and was still standing on strong legs,” contests Horowitz. While this may be true, the referee stepped in and waved off the fight late in the fourth round declaring Murray the victor after several more punches landed for Murray while Horowitz was caught against the ropes.

A clearly disappointed Horowitz did not let his feelings about the stoppage by the referee subside easily. “I was frustrated, it’s not the first time in my career this happened to me. I went to Philly to put on a good show for the fans and just wanted a fair shake,” reiterates Horowitz.

Horowitz who says that he had been in tough sparring sessions with the likes of Joe Smith and fellow Chicago resident Andrzej Fonfara. Claims he deserved the right to not have the fight stopped right away. “I earned that right, cause I was way up on the cards and honestly I was aware of my surroundings.”

While the loss to Murray wasn’t going to put him out of any title contention or out of any rankings. Horowitz impressed that night and once again proved the statement that records that are good on paper can be deceiving. He along with Murray also reiterated with their performances that you never know what you could witness at a live show so you should get to the venue on time.

Horowitz has made it clear that he continues to fight for the love of just that, fighting. He is not involved with the sport to try and become a celebrity or for a fortune. It’s all about fighting and competition. Proving that you have more will and determination than the other fighter is just as rewarding to Horowitz as his financial compensation.

In fact if he wanted to chase celebrity all he needed to do was focus on his career outside of boxing. Working as a unionized stuntman in film and television. “I went in to audition for the role of a villain who was a boxer for a T.V. pilot, but instead was asked to be the stunt double for the lead.”

Horowitz parlayed that experience into training at a certified school for stuntmen and after several years of training you can see some of his work in shows like Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire. “It was really cool. We learned how to fall off of buildings, we were thrown out of windows, and learned how to drive properly for the camera.” This included learning how to throw, land, and take punches to coordinate fight scenes for the camera. While he has put these practices to action with the likes of the John Goodman in the movie Captive State.

This Friday night at Valley Fight Night in Studio City California, Horowitz plans on winding down the end of his prizefighting career by not pulling any punches. “I see myself fighting maybe one or two more fights. I’m happy to be fighting in front of my friends and family in Los Angeles. I would also like to fight once more in Chicago, if I can’t get the rematch with (David) Murray.”

Recently Horowitz has made his desire for a second fight with Murray clear on social media. At this point its unclear if he will be granted that wish. A victory on Friday night against Daniel Najera could be the first step towards making his wish a reality.

If your in the Studio City area and would like to catch Horowitz and the rest of the great action live you can get tickets at the link below:

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Robert Byrd has been tabbed to referee next Saturday’s Floyd Mayweather – Conor McGregor fight, according to Brett Okamoto of espn.com.

The Nevada commission voted unanimously on Byrd’s appointment during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Wednesday. Neither camp expressed concern over Byrd.

Judges Burt Clements, Dave Moretti and Guido Cavalleri were appointed to score the 12-round bout, which will take place Aug. 26 at T-Mobile Arena.

Former featherweight champion Nicholas Walters bout scheduled for this Saturday against Arturo Santos is off due to Walters coming down with an illness, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Walters is off the show. He called us and told us he had a 101 degree temperature and was sick all weekend,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti said. “He said his family has been sick and he caught it. He didn’t get better over the weekend and he sounded like a guy who had a 101 degree temperature, so I told him to do what you have to do to get better and we’ll reschedule for later in the year.”

A surgery gone wrong led to the retirement of Shane Mosley, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Earlier this year Mosley went for what was supposed to be minor surgery to shave down a bothersome bone spur and remove loose particles from his right elbow, but instead he said he was left with more serious damage.

“I had a few more years left in me and had a few big fights lined up for 2017 and 2018. Hopkins fought up to 50 at the world-class level and he has always been a role model and friend,” Mosley told ESPN. “However, fate, if you will, stepped in and took those options away from me earlier this year.

“I went in for a minor arthroscopic surgery to remove a couple loose bone fragments from my elbow and the surgery turned into a whole ordeal after the surgeon admittedly ‘accidentally’ burned me on my forearm, leading to a sick infection and needing like four or five days of IV antibiotics and two weeks of antibiotics at home. It was crazy and surreal to learn that I could never fight again.”

“My right arm is ruined. They were supposed to make two 2-centimeter incisions in my elbow in a one-hour surgery, and I ended up in there over four hours and came out butchered.”

Former three-division champion Shane Mosley is finally hanging up the gloves, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I decided that I’m older now. I’m not the same as I used to be, so I need to let it go as far as me trying to compete as a fighter anymore,” Mosley told ESPN. “I’m definitely always going to be around boxing. I’ll still go to the gym and show people stuff, help them out. I still love boxing. It’s still my life but just not as a fighter anymore.”

“What happened was my arm is breaking down, my knees, shoulders,” he said. “My back is starting to break down. My body is telling me I’m older and I can’t do it at 100 percent. I can’t see myself fighting again. I’d have to say I’m retired.”

“I always wanted to be a world champion and I accomplished my goal when I beat Holiday,” Mosley said. “Beating him and winning the world title was like, ‘I have arrived.'”

“It was such a big event,” Mosley said. “I am so grateful Oscar gave me that opportunity to showcase my skills on a worldwide level so people could see who ‘Sugar’ Shane was. When I fought Oscar it really put me on the world stage and I kept on winning and knocking people out.”

“It was a learning experience. I didn’t go into the fight thinking that it was anything illegal or anything I should be worried about,” Mosley said. “I learned a lesson. I was misled by a workout guy [Hudson].”

“I believe I was an old-school fighter and I believed in fighting everybody,” he said. “Winky Wright always thanks me for letting him be noticed by fighting him. It’s just like I thank Oscar. You have to have fighters willing to fight anybody. I was one of those fighters. So were Winky and Oscar.”

“I worked hard and I wanted to be a world champion and to make people happy when they saw me fight and I think I did that,” Mosley said. “People being happy and enjoying my fights and seeing that I put 100 percent into it was important to me and people have always shown me appreciation for it.”

According to Dan Rafael, The World Boxing Super Series bout featuring Yunier Dorticos and Dmitry Kudryashov will take place on September 23rd in San Antonio.

“I’m proud to attend a tournament where Muhammad Ali’s name is on the trophy and I’m looking forward to proving that I’m the best cruiserweight in the world,” said the No. 4-seeded Dorticos, who will be defending his secondary 200-pound title for the first time against unseeded Kudryashov.

“I am also happy that this bout is in the United States, which I now consider my country,” Dorticos said. “I am sure that on Sept. 23rd, I will be victorious.

“I can’t wait for this fight to take place. One thing is for sure — the crowd in San Antonio gets an explosive affair that doesn’t go the distance,” Kudryashov said. “I think it’s amazing that this tournament only contains the best of the best, all four reigning cruiserweight champions. I have respect for Dorticos and the other participants, but they will also respect my hammer because it will bring me all four titles and the Muhammad Ali Trophy.”

“I had a helluva run. It was a good career,” Bradley said. “I’m just not motivated to do this anymore. I’ve saved my money. I’m good.”

“There always comes a point in life where we have to make choices that, no matter how much we know the right option, it still leaves us filled with mixed emotions,” Bradley said. “I have spent the past couple days trying to find the right words to describe this point in my life, and no matter how long I sit and reflect, I still don’t know if these words can do my thoughts justice, but I’m going to do my best to open up my heart and share with all of you during this pivotal time.

“It is no secret that a life of any professional athlete is not an easy one. Yes, it comes with a lot of fame and fortune but also comes with fear and fatigue. A balance that has to be achieved by ambition and maintained through perspective. For over 23 years, boxing gave me purpose and it defined me. [I was] dedicated to my craft and fueled by my passion for the sport, my love for my team and my admiration for all of you who supported me day in and day out. I was able to give 100 percent of myself to be the best and to always get up when I was knocked down.”

Of his possible Hall of Fame career, Bradley said, “It was the biggest challenge in my life, but I embraced the sacrifice with every victory and milestone reached. Boxing gave me roots, it kept me off the streets, it gave me confidence, it taught me how to be a man and face every challenge head on and take the good with the bad. Yes, I missed holidays, birthdays, even missed hearing some of my children’s first words, but more than time, it took my blood, sweat and tears — all things I can never get back, which is why turning the page for me is bittersweet.”

“That once-in-a-lifetime purpose to wake up everyday and give 100 percent is now fueled toward something else, my family,” Bradley said. “I find my strength in them, my peace and, most importantly, unconditional love. I wake up wanting to spend all my time being a father, being a husband and being free. Although that square circle I lived to dance in every day gave me so many smiles and blessings, it could never outweigh the smiles and blessings I receive from my wife and children. It’s now my turn to support them and encourage them to live their dreams, and I couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter. I hope to continue to allow boxing in my world through teaching, commentating and being a fan of a sport I love so dearly.”

“And to you, the diehard fans, man, it’s been one heck of a ride,” he said. “The bumps, the bruises, the peaks, the valleys, the days I didn’t want to get out of bed and the nights I couldn’t sleep. So many occasions where my heart, mind and soul were tested, but with every challenge there was hope and there was all of you, giving me the courage to fight another day and do what I loved to do.

“I can never find the words to convey how much I appreciate all of you and how truly humbled I am by the unconditional support the past 23 years. Thank you. Thank you for cheering me on when I didn’t deserve it, loving me most when I needed it and for being my heartbeat to keep going day after day. I am the man I am today because of you all.”

Atlantic City, New Jersey (August 5, 2017)–Derrick Webster continued his quest towards a world title shot by taking out Lamar Harris in a scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout that headlined a six-bout card at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

The show was promoted by Mis Downing Promotions in association with Square Ring Promotions.

Webster dropped Harris at the end of round one as he landed a perfect straight left hand. After that it was a matter of when Webster would end the night., as Harris was hurt, but came out to endure 28 seconds of pounding before the bout was stopped.

Webster, 167.8 lbs of Glassboro, NJ is now 24-1 with 13 knockouts. Harris, 167.9 lbs of Saint Louis, Missouri is now 9-14-4.

“We have been working hard, and now I am looking for a title. I want George Groves,” said Webster.

“I knew after I dropped him after the first round, the fight would be over soon thereafter. I know Groves is in the tournament, so why not Badou Jack. I would love to fight him.”

Prince Badi Ajamu shook eight years of ring rust to pound out an eight-round uannimous decision over Edgar Perez in a cruiserweight bout.

Ajamu, 191.4 lbs of Camden, NJ won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 28-3-1. Perez, 190 lbs of Chicago is 7-22.

“It was a good fight. I give myself a C. Everything is about knockouts,” said Ajamu. “I broke him down mentally. You could see that I had a lot of ring rust, as I don’t miss as many shots as I did, but I started to feel good around the 5th round.”

World-ranked heavyweight Zhang Zhilei hammered out Nick Guivas in round one of their scheduled ten-round bout.

Zhilei dropped Guivas in the first frame with a hard six-punch combination in the corner. Seconds later, Zhilei finsihed off the fight with a crushing four-punch combination on the ropes and the bout was stopped at 2:43.

Zhilei, 254.8 lbs of Zhoukou, China is now 17-0 with 13 knockouts. Guivas, 238 lbs of Topeka, KS is 13-8-2.

Mike Hilton went the distance for the first time. but still came out with the six-round unanimous decision over Willis Lockett in a cruiserweight bout.

Hilton, 198.5 lbs of Trenton, NJ won by scores of 60-54, 58-56 & 60-53 to raise his unblemished mark to 7-0. Lockett, 194.6 lbs of Takoma Park, MD is 14-21-6.

Shaddy Gamhour stopped Jessie Singletary in first round of their scheduled four round middleweight bout.

Gamhour, who is trained by Roy Jones, Jr. landed a hard right hand that sent Singletary to the canvas and the bout was stopped at 1:43.

Gamhour, 163,5 lbs of Pensacola, FL is now 4-0 with three knockouts. Singletary, 167.3 lbs of Washington, DC is 0-3.

Tahlik Taylor needed just 31 seconds to bludgeon Lamont McLaughlin in a scheduled four round super middleweight bout.

Taylor jumped on McLaughlin and landed a vicious combination in the corner that sent McLaughlin hard to the canvas and the was stopped immediately.

Taylor, 172,8 lbs of Freeport, NY is 2-7 with 1 knockout. McLaughlin, 167.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 0-2.

Esquiva Falcao remained perfect by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Norberto Gonzalez in a middleweight bout.

Falcao won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 18-0. Gonzalez is 23-10.

Mikaela Mayer made a successful pro debut by stopping Widnelly Figueroa in round one of their four round lightweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 1:50 for Mayer. Figueroa is now 0-2.

Erick DeLeon won a six round unanimous decision over Adones Aguelo in a lightweight bout.

DeLeon won on all cards 60-54 and is now 17-0. Aguelo is now 28-16-2.

Andy Vences remained perfect by stopping Eliseo Cruz in round three of a scheduled eight round lightweight bout.

In round two, Vences dropped Cruz with a right hook. In round three, Vences dropped Cruz with a hard left and right and the fight was stopped at 2:21.

Vences is now 19-0 with 11 knockouts. Cruz is 11-4-1.

Artemio Reyes stopped Steve Marquez in round four of their scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout.

Reyes dropped Marquez with a body shot, and the bout was stopped at 1:54.

Reyes is now 25-2 with 20 knockouts. Marquez is 16-19-2.

In a bout that was supposed to feature Andre Dirrell taking on Callum Smith for the WBC Super Middleweight title, has morphed into a fight that will now have David Benavidez battling Ronald Gavril for the same belt, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Manny Pacquiao exercised his rematch clause and could face Jeff Horn in November, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Manny doesn’t want to retire. He wants the rematch, so we are going to do the rematch,” promoter Bob Arum told ESPN. “Manny told me he wants to do the rematch, but now we are looking for the window that satisfies the Senate. We need to see when they have a recess that will allow Manny the time he needs to train and have the fight.”

“Once I have an answer from the Senate when they have their recess, I will go to my partner in Australia, Duco [Events], and we will figure out where we’re going to do the fight,” Arum said. “[The state of] Queensland has certain rights from hosting the first fight, but we need to figure out where the fight will be. The problem is we can’t have it outdoors again because of the weather. November is the summer there, and it’s brutal to do it outdoors. We can’t do it. Even in July, which is their winter, it was pretty hot outdoors.”

Arum said venues in Brisbane and Sydney will be considered, and once the availability of venues is known, he will go to ESPN “and see if the date is in accord with the network’s schedule. But we’ll do the fight again with our partners at ESPN. The good thing is, in Australia they don’t mind if the fight is on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, so if it’s on a Saturday afternoon in Australia, it’s a Friday night in the United States.”

“I think the first fight was an excellent fight. It was competitive and [Horn] feels emboldened, and I think it will be a very good fight again,” Arum said. “And now Horn is known much more in the United States after that fight.”

In what was expected to be an all-out war, the fight lived up to the billing as Mauricio Herrera took a ten-round majority decision over Jesus Soto Karass in an action packed welterweight bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California

In round nine, Herrera was cut over his right eye. the two battled toe-to-toe down the stretch with each fighter getting as good as they were giving, which was much to the delight to the fans. In the end, it was Herrera who took two cards at 96-94 while a 3rd card read even at 95-95.

Herrera, 145.8 lbs of Riverside, CA is now 24-7. Soto Karass, 146 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 28-12-4.

“Give me two months, and I’ll be back,” said Mauricio Herrera. “I felt like I started out strong, landing my jab, and was controlling the fight smart. By the end of the fight, I was standing a bit more and landing more of the obvious open shots.”

Herrera continued, “I will give him the later rounds, because I do feel that he came in strong; however I feel like overall my team played a strong clean, fight. I knew he was coming off a long lay-off, so I knew he was going to come in at 110 percent and just as good as he was before he took a year off. I can’t wait to get back in the ring.”

“I feel like an injustice was just committed,” said Jesus Soto Karass. “So much hard work that went into this. I had to drop 40 pounds to be able to take this fight, and my team and I feel like all the runs up Mt. Baldy, diet restrictions, and the work that we displayed in the ring tonight should have merited the win.”

Soto Karass continued, “At the end of the day, as I have said before, the people who won today was the public who enjoyed and supported us. At this height of my career, I have to go back to my family, and we are going to have to make some tough decisions. Above all though I am content and am happy that I took this fight.”

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy stopped Todd Unthank-May after round seven of a scheduled ten round light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Unthank-May was cut around the left eye from a right hand. Shabranskyy was cut around the right eye a round later.

Shabranskyy started belting the tough-chinned Unthank-May was countless power shots and the fight was stopped in the corner after round seven.

Shabranskyy, 174.8 lbs of Los Angeles is now 19-1 with 16 knockouts. Unthank-May, 174.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 10-1-1.

“I’m happy to have my belt back,” said Vyacheslav Shabranskyy. “I learned a lot from my fight against Barrera, and I’ve been working on moving my head and body a lot more. He was a tough guy. I have 20 fights in my career, and I am ready to start taking on bigger fights again.”

Nico Valdes went the distance for the first time, but remained undefeated by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Jaime Solorio in a super middleweight bout.

Valdes, 163.8 lbs of Miami won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice, and is now 6-0. Solorio, 165 lbs of San Quintin, MX is 7-4-2.

“At the end of the day, I have to do what I have to do to win and sometimes that won’t look very pretty or impress the crowd,” said Niko Valdes. “His face looks a lot worse than mine, the only reason he looked like he was winning was because he was applying more pressure than me. I still won

Former Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has retired from boxing and thus turning down a lucrative rematch with Anthony Joshua, According to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I deliberately took a few weeks to make my decision, to make sure I had enough distance from the fight at Wembley Stadium,” Klitschko said. “As an amateur and a professional boxer, I have achieved everything I dreamed of, and now I want to start my second career after sports. I would have never imagined that I would have such a long and incredibly successful boxing career. I’m very thankful for this. Thanks to everyone who has always supported me especially my family, my team and my many fans.”

“Especially after this terrific fight at Wembley Stadium it was a very tough decision for Wladimir to make,” longtime Klitschko manager Bernd Boente said. “But he has always emphasized that he wanted to retire if he didn’t have enough motivation anymore. Therefore this is definitively the right decision. Wladimir accomplished everything in his unique boxing career. He dominated the heavyweight division for over a decade. He fought in sold-out arenas and stadiums worldwide and millions of fans around the world watched his fights on TV. It has been a privilege for me to accompany Wladimir on this unique journey.”

“Wladimir Klitschko earned his right into the Hall of Fame years ago,” said Peter Nelson, executive vice president of HBO Sports, Klitschko’s longtime American broadcast partner. “His accomplishments in the ring will be immortalized in the record books. Outside the ring, Wladimir is well respected as a true ambassador to boxing and role model in sport, contributing vastly philanthropically as a leader of community activism and with a profound commitment to improving the lives of children worldwide. We are proud Wladimir and his team have been in the HBO Sports family for the majority of his 21-year career. We are excited for him and his family as he begins his next chapter.”

“Because of this choice, I’ve travelled the world, learned new languages, created businesses, built intellectual properties, helped people in need, became a scientist, entrepreneur, motivator, hotelier, trainer, investor and much else. I was and am still capable of doing all this because of the global appeal of the sport of boxing.

“At some point in our lives we need to, or just want to, switch our careers and get ourselves ready for the next chapter and chart are new course toward fresh challenges. Obviously, I’m not an exception to this and now is my turn. I’m honestly doing this with the greatest respect for the new challenges, but also with tremendous excitement, passion, dedication expecting and hoping that my next career, which I’ve already been planning and working on for some years, will be at least as successful as my previous one. “Finally, instead of just saying thanks and goodbye, I want you to continue to enjoy me in this new and exciting journey. When we’re together we’re more creative, more efficient, more productive and simply stronger in every way. Together we’re the driving force.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Japanese 130-lb world champions Takashi Miura and Takashi Uchiyama both announced their retirements.

“Though I kept training since the Corrales rematch, I realized that I couldn’t properly revive my motivation to train as hard as I previously had,” Uchiyama said in translated remarks. “After deeply considering whether or not to go on, I finally made up my mind to hang up my gloves for good.”

“Uchiyama is my gym’s first world champion,” said Hitoshi Watanabe, his promoter. “I truly thank for Uchiyama having selected my gym when he turned professional. He was a great champ.”

“I decided to say goodbye to boxing after some contemplation,” Miura said in translated comments. “I have the opportunity to say that I do not regret anything about my boxing career. I was able to fulfill my dream that I had since I was kid, becoming WBC champion. I want to thank all the people who supported me.”

Victor Ortiz returned to the ring after a 15 month layoff to stop Saul Corral in round four of their scheduled ten round welterweight bout in Bakersfield, California.

Ortiz dropped Corral in round four from a straight left. Ortiz followed that up with a hard combination and the bout was stopped at

Ortiz, 145.2 lbs of Ventura, CA is 32-6-2 with 25 knockouts. Corral, 145.6 lbs of Sonora, MX is 23-10.

Nathaniel Gallimore stopped Justin DeLoach after round five of their scheduled ten round middleweight bout.

In round one, Gallimore sent DeLoach to the canvas with a left hook. In round two, it was another left hook that sent DeLoach to the deck. In round four, DeLoach began to bleed from his nose. In round five, DeLoach was rocked by uppercuts. After the round, DeLoch stumbled to his corner and even missed the stool while trying to sit, and the fight was waved off.

Gallimore, 152.4 lbs of Chicago is now 19-1-1 with 16 knockouts. DeLoach, 155 lbs of Augusta, GA is 17-2.

2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas stopped Eder Amaro Fajardo in round one of their scheduled six-round super featherweight bout.

Balderas dropped Fajardo with a left to the body for the ten count at 1:36.

Balderas, 134.6 lbs of Santa Maria, CA is 2-0 with two knockouts. Fajardo, 135 lbs of Matamoros, MX is 3-4.

Adam Lopez won a six-round majority decision over Paul Romero in a featherweight bout.

Lopez, 123 lbs of Glendale, CA won two cards 58-56 while a third card read even at 57-57. Lopez is now 8-0. Romero, 123.2 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is now 7-1-1.

TUCSON, Ariz. – If Sadam Ali was searching for ways to get better, he found plenty of them.

Ali wasn’t happy with a unanimous decision over Johan Perez Saturday night at Casino Del Sol in an ESPN2-televised bout he had to win if he ever hoped to get back into the welterweight division’s champion conversation.

“I was just off,’’ Ali said following a third straight victory after Jessie Vargas stopped for a vacant WBO welterweight belt in his only title fight in March 2016. “I just have to look at it, get back in the gym and get back to work.’’

At best, Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) thought he was average. On scale of 1-to-10, he gave himself a 6.

“I’m disappointed, ‘’he said.

He was disappointed for at a couple of reasons.

“No excuses,’’ he said, “but I just didn’t feel right.’’

Then, there was Perez (20-4-2, 13 KOs), a 34-year-old Venezuelan who often had the right punches in his attempt at an upset that would dropped Ali’s into the forgotten end of the 147-pound ranks.

Again and again, rocked Ali with punches leveraged by a long, lanky reach. All the while, Ali’s agile footwork was offset by punches lacking power.

It didn’t take for Perez to figure out Ali couldn’t hurt him. After a Perez slip was mistakenly ruled as a knockdown in the third, the Venezuelan stubbornly pursued. In the eighth, he landed a left hook to the body that shook Ali.

After the decision was announced, Perez left the ring to applause from fans who thought he had won the bout, which included a strange moment. During the sixth, a man dressed in Ali gear was chased out of a seat adjacent to Perez corner. Perez’ assistant trainer got up off his stool and asked him to move. He did.

“A misunderstanding,’’ said the man, who would only identify himself as a member of Ali’s team. “I think he just thought that Perez couldn’t hear his corner’s instructions over my shouting.’’

For Ali, the next step in his career remained uncertain.

“Maybe a fight on Sept. 16,’’ Ali said of the Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvrez card in Las Vegas. “A lot more work, that’s for sure

In another welterweight bout on the ESPN2 telecast, Alejandro Barrera (27-3, 17 KOs) won a split decision overcoming a knockdown and a nasty cut near his right eye for a 10-round victory over Eddie Gomez (20-3, 11 KOs).

Gomez, of New York, appeared to be on his way to a win after scoring a knockdown with a head-to-body combination in the seventh round, leaving Barrera with a deep gash at the corner of his eye.

Ringside physicians ruled that at Barrera, of Mexico,, and ruled could continue. He did, tirelessly pursuing Gomez for the next three-plus rounds of a bout that ended with him favored, 96-93, on two cards. The third judge scored it 95-94 for Gomez.

Meanwhile, Golden Boy and Showdown, the card’s co-promoters, are planning to return to Casino Del Sol on Nov. 2. With who? Who knows? But Antonio Margarito was mentioned as a possibility Saturday by Showdown, which has long promoted him. First, however, Margarito would have to beat Carson Jones on Sept. 2 in Chihuahua, Mexico.

On The Undercard

The Best: Patrick Teixeira (27-1, 22 KOs), a Golden Boy prospect from Brazil, was back with an 80-72, 79-73, 80-72 decision over tough Phoenix middleweight Andrew Hernandez (19-6-1, 9 KOs). It was Teixeira’s first bout since his only loss, a second-round TKO to Curtis Stevens in May 2016.

The Rest: With former Timothy Bradley trainer Julio Diaz in his corner, Phoenix junior-welterweight Alfredo Escarcega (3-0) relied on quick hands and a busy style to score a majority decision over Tucson rival Rodolfo Gamez (1-4).

Florida middleweight Daquan Arnett (16-1, 9 KOs) did everything but score a knockout and instead settled on a unanimous decision over Mexican Jorge Silva (21-14-2, throughout eight rounds as dull as they were one-sided.

Johnny Rice won a six-round unanimous decision in a heavyweight bout.

Rice, 268 lbs of Los Angeles, won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56 twice, and is now 7-2-1. Hernandez, 286 lbs of Fresno, CA is 10-6-2.

BROOKLYN, NY — In the highly anticipated main event witnessed live by 12,084 fans at the Barclay’s Center, Mikey Garcia (37-0, 30KO) had no issues dealing with Adrien “The Problem” Broner (33-3, 24KO).  Apart from a first round that Broner may have won on jabs alone, it was the Oxnard, CA native, Garcia, who dictated and controlled the fight for the majority of the twelve round super lightweight bout.

Early and often the 29 year old former three-division world champion, Garcia, walked down Broner, waited until him to retreat into a defensive shell, then unleashed thumping body shots and straight rights that occasionally broke through Broner’s high-guard.  It was a scene that would play out time and time again over the course of the contest.

The Cincinnati native, Broner, who was previously unbeaten at 140lbs., found success in the fourth, snapping crisp jabs that would momentarily disrupt Garcia’s rhythm.  But like waves lapping on a shoreline, Garcia kept plodding forward, patiently waiting for openings in Broner’s guard before unloading.

Likely sensing he was behind on the scorecards, Broner began to show urgency in the ninth round.  The former four division world champ began became more aggressive, willing to meet Garcia, a super lightweight debutant, in the middle of the ring, and exchange blows with his Mexican-American counterpart.  Toward the end of the ninth, Broner hammered Garcia’s body before coming back upstairs shortly after, connecting with a clean left hook just as the round came to a close.

Again in the tenth Broner found success with the left, landing another clean uncontested hook to Garcia’s jaw that stopped the former three division champion in his tracks.  Garcia took the shot well, and Broner was unable to capitalize on any openings.

After stringing together two straight effective rounds, any momentum that Broner might have been building was quickly squashed by Garcia in the championship rounds.  The always-composed Garcia continued to walk down Broner, working behind his jab, and getting the better of the exchanges with Broner.

At the end of twelve, it went to the scorecards.  Judge Eric Marlinski scored it 117-111 and judges Don Ackerman and Steve Weisfeld saw it 116-112, all in favor for the still undefeated Garcia.

15rounds.com scored the bout 117-112, Garcia, with the first round being scored 10-10.

“This is definitely one of my best performances ever. I think I controlled the fight in the early rounds and I kept the activity up. [Broner] is a great fighter who has great skills,” Garcia said post-fight.  “I was the superior fighter tonight.

He continued, “We trained for 10 weeks, we had a great training camp and great sparring. We knew it was going to be a tough fight so we had to be in great shape.”

As to what weight class he’ll fight in in the future, Garcia said, “Maybe I’ll go down to 135, stay at 140 or go up to 147.”

Broner also spoke after the fight, congratulating Garcia on his win before talking about his previous career accomplishments.

“At the end of the day I’m still a four-time world champion at four different weight classes and I’ll still be in the history books.”

Charlo Blasts Past Heiland In Middleweight Debut

In his first fight at middleweight Jermall Charlo (26-0, 20KO) walked through Argentine southpaw Jorge Sebastian Heiland (29-5-2, 16KO) en route to a fourth round stoppage.  From the onset, Heiland’s legs looked stiff, his movements were jagged and robotic; and as a result, his punches lacked conviction.  It would later be revealed that Heiland was suffering from a left knee injury.  The veteran southpaw attempted to enter the ring with a taped left knee, but the brace was removed by the New York State Athletic Commission.

Charlo, fresh off a monumental 2016 where he outpointed Austin Trout and KO’d Julian Williams, started composed, feeling out his awkward opponent.  In the second, the Texan turned up the heat and caught Heiland with a short right that exploded on his chin and collapsed him to the canvas.  Heiland, whose signature win came in 2014 against Matthew Macklin, survived the round, but his inability to plant his left leg worried ringside physicians enough to examine his knee between rounds.

Once cleared, the gutsy Heiland continued on, but it was only to absorb punishment from the explosive Charlo.  In the fourth, after connecting with a flurry of punches, Charlo finished the debilitated Heiland off with a crisp left hook that sent the Argentine to the mat.  After initially beating referee Benjy Esteves’ 10 count, Heiland stumbled backwards and was help upright by the ropes.  Esteves stepped in at that moment and immediately stopped the contest at the 2:13 mark of round four.

“My coach told me to stay behind my job like I did; continue to work and it’s going to come,” Charlo said afterward.

“I’m ready, bring on the biggest names at 160… I’m the real Tommy Hearns… I feel like it’s my turn and I’m going to go get it,” he continued.

A disappointed Heiland also spoke afterward and addressed his injury.  “I turned my left knee in the first round, but I did not want to give up. I tried to give it my all, but it was not my night. I had bad luck but I am going to work harder than ever to get back and get another opportunity to achieve my dream and win a world title.”

It’s Miller Time; Big Baby Blasts Washington

Jarrell Miller (19-0-1, 17 KOs) remained undefeated by stopping former world title challenger Gerald Washington (18-2-1) after round seven of their scheduled ten round heavyweight clash

Miller came stalking and landing hard shots that had Washington on the defensive from the get-go.  In round four, Miller opened up and landed several bombs that drew “Ooohs and Ahhs from the crowd.  In round six, Washington mounted a furious rally where handed ten flush shots to the head and ample body of Miller.  Miller was able to gain his 2nd wind, as at the end of the round he landed some head snapping punches in the corner.

Miller continued to beat down Washington until the bout was stopped in the corner after round seven.

Adrien Broner 138 3/4 – Mikey Garcia 139 1/2

Cruiserweight champion Olexandr Usyk and longtime former champion Marco Huck will start the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight tournament on September 9th in Germany, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“The first fight of the tournament will be staged in one of the most famous and influential cities in Europe in one of the most important boxing markets,” Comosa AG’s Roberto Dalmiglio said. “Two great champions and the first glimpse of one of the favorites in such renowned venue.”

“I can’t wait for the start of the tournament,” said Usyk, who will be making his third title defense. “I miss the ring and look forward to hearing the opening bell ring again. At the moment I am not thinking of my opponent. I am concentrated on my preparation. I’ve got many things to do in my training camp. If he wishes, he may think about me.”

“I have seen that I am the favorite (to win the tournament),” Usyk said. “I am confident in what I am doing at the moment. Once the first round begins I will start doing my job. I will box with passion and devotion.”

“I am very excited that I am meeting the so-called favorite for the tournament already in the first fight,” Huck said. “This will definitely be a fight that no fan should miss. I have won world titles and defended them many times, but the Muhammad Ali Trophy (that will go to the tournament winner) is unique. I would love to win it.”

“I believe that the fans in are in for an electrifying opener to the World Boxing Super Series and eight consecutive weekends of action,” Sauerland said. “I genuinely felt electricity between the pair. I think Huck really wanted Usyk to pick him and the way they faced off on the stage in Monaco (at the draft) was a sign of things to come. I’m not sure the judges will be needed in this one.”

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury retired yet again on Wednesday with a posting on his Instagram account.

“Been very blessed in my life & career (to) achieve the upmost (sic) in boxing, was a epic journey along the way,” he wrote. “Thanks to all the fans that supported & believed in me along the way. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. THE END.”

Super Middleweights George Groves and Jamie Cox will fight in the opening round of the World Boxing Super Series on October 14 in London, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It’s a long tournament, so I picked the easy guy first,” Groves said at the time.

“I’m happy with my choice of opponent. I know there are no easy fights in this tournament and there are no easy fights at world level, but Jamie is the guy I know the most about,” Groves said. “I know about his background, I know how he trains, I know who he trains with, but most importantly, I know the things you need in this tournament, such as composure and experience at the highest level he’s lacking.

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“I’ve got them in abundance, but he’s brand new, he’s a total novice. I don’t think he’s even headlined his own show yet and he’s getting flung in the deep end with me. This is a big pressure fight for him and I think he’ll struggle to cope.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting started,” Groves said. “It’s great to have a date set so early to give you something to strive for. I’m already in the gym plugging away and I’ve got plenty of time to prepare.”

“I’m really excited for this fight,” Cox said. “To win a world title on the way to fighting for the Muhammad Ali Trophy [that will go to the tournament winners] would be a huge honor. I’m glad George picked me. I was prepared for anyone but I was hoping for a U.K. fight so I can’t wait.

“George is a tough opponent. He has some good attributes but I’m prepared to shock everyone. This is what I’ve been working toward all my career, and to be a part of something this big is amazing. Now I’m here, I’m ready to capitalize on it and win my first world title and progress to the semifinals.”

The bout will likely take place on September 23rd and be televised by HBO.