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.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs was suspended for 6 months by the WBA for a failed PED test in the lead up to his title bout with Fres Oquendo

Mairis Briedis will take on Mike Perez in the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight tournament on September 30th in Latvia, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m greatly honored to begin my World Boxing Super Series journey at the Riga Arena,” Briedis said. “This is my first fight of the tournament, the first defense of my WBC world cruiserweight title, and I’m really happy that I will be able to do it in front of my home crowd. There are no easy fights in this tournament.

“Mike Perez has already made his name in the heavyweight division and seems to be in the shape of his life coming down to cruiserweight. Now it’s about putting the hard work in the gym and getting ready for the Sept. 30 showdown.”

“I’m very excited. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t wait,” Perez said. “I have a chance to become world champion in my very first fight in the tournament, so I couldn’t have asked for better. Briedis is a good champion, but I can’t wait to bring the belt home. I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to fight for the Muhammad Ali Trophy [that will go to the tournament winner] and also become the undisputed cruiserweight champion in this tournament, and I have no doubt that I will do just that.

“I have worked so hard for these last couple of years and really dedicated myself to get this chance and nobody is going to take it from me. I have lots of experience as both an amateur and professional, a lot of ability and now at cruiserweight I’m much faster on my feet and can throw faster combinations so I feel like I’m a much better fighter.”

Promoter Kalle Sauerland said he looks at Briedis-Perez as one of the most intriguing bouts of the quarterfinals.

“This tournament is filled with fascinating fights and none more so than this,” Sauerland said. “Mike Perez is making just his second appearance at 200 pounds having moved down from heavyweight, and could well be the dark horse of the division while Mairis Briedis is a proven world-class operator who will be making his first world title defense. This really is an intriguing matchup, and what the World Boxing Super Series is all about.”

Former world champion Antonio Margarito will end a 13-month layoff when he takes on Carson Jones on September 2nd in Mexico, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Lightweight contender Richard Commey has signed with DiBella Entertainment, and will likely face Alejandro Luna in an IBF Elimination bout, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I think Richard Commey is in the top echelon of 135-pounders in the world,” DiBella said. “Both of his losses are by split decision and he clearly won the Shafikov fight, but that fight was in Moscow and that’s how it goes. He could very easily be undefeated or only have one loss or a draw, but he is a very, very good fighter and when I realized he was a free agent a number of months ago we began the process of pursuing him and we were able to work out a deal with his manager, Michael Amoo-Bediako.

“Richard is going to relocate from Ghana to the New York area, where there is better sparring. We want him to get a little exposure in the United States. The guy can fight his ass off. He is a legit world-class guy and a guy certainly capable of winning a world championship.”

Callum Smith will meet Erik Skoglund in the 1st bout of the World Boxing Super Series on September 16th in Liverpool, England, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“A ring is a ring no matter where it is but, of course, I’m happy to be fighting in Liverpool,” Smith said. “‘This is my home, and this is where all my best performances as a professional have been. I like fighting in Liverpool, and with the crowd behind me, I will have an added advantage on Sept. 16.

“There are no easy fights in this tournament. It’s the best fighting the best, but I believe I made the right decision in Monte Carlo. That’s not to say Skoglund is not a good fighter. I think he is a very good fighter. His record speaks for itself, but I think stylistically, he was the right choice for me. It will be a tough test. On paper, Skoglund is probably the best fighter I’ve ever faced, and I will need to be at my best to beat him. But every time I’ve been up against it in my career and every time there’s been that fear factor, it’s brought out the best in me and I’m hoping for the same on Sept. 16.”

“This is a huge opportunity for me to prove myself at the highest level,” Skoglund said. “Callum Smith is a top-level fighter and one of the tournament favorites. This is what the World Boxing Super Series is all about — the best fighting the best. That’s why I entered, and that’s why I’m really looking forward to this fight.

“For me, it’s no problem fighting in Liverpool. Of course, I am always thankful for the opportunity to fight in front of my fans in Sweden, but I’m happy not having that pressure on my shoulders for this fight, and I will enjoy being the underdog for once.”

Chris Avalos scored a controversial stoppage over Miguel Flores after round five of their scheduled ten round featherweight bout in Alexandria, Louisiana.

At the end of round three, Flores landed a combination in the corner that forced Avalos to take a knee. In round four, it appeared that the two clashed heads and a bad cut opened up on the left eyelid of Flores. Referee Bruce McDaniels did not see the head clashed and the bout continued until the end of round five, when the fight was stopped sue to excessive bleeding, and Avalos was declared the winner.

Avalos, 125.8 lbs of Lancaster, CA is 27-5 with 20 knockouts. Flores, 125.3 bs of Houston is 21-2.

“I’m disappointed by what happened,” said Flores. “We were winning the fight. Everybody saw what happened. We saw the referee say it was an accidental head butt, but this kind of stuff happens in boxing. They took it away from me.”

“I didn’t get the victory the way I wanted, but I got the win,” said Avalos. “It was a good back and forth action fight. We both had moments where we went after each other and the other guy always came right back.”

“We caught a little bit of a head butt, but I don’t remember any cuts coming from it,” said Avalos. “I didn’t see any blood from the head butt. I saw blood after I threw a right hand.”

“The cut was bothering me and I couldn’t really see out of that eye,” said Flores. “It was just a matter of time until I got the knockout though. I was breaking him down. I’ll learn from it and get better. I definitely want an immediate rematch next.”

“I was proud of what I was able to do and I thought it was a really good fight,” said Avalos. “He’s a good fighter and I’d definitely give him a rematch.”

Ahmed Elbiali remained perfect by stopping late-replacement Christopher Brooker in round two of their scheduled ten-round light heavyweight bout.

Brooker was deducted a point in the first round for hitting behind the head. Elbiali came out strong in round two and landed a massive flurry of power punches in the corner, that sent Brooker down, and the fight was stopped.

Elbiali, 176.7 lbs of Miami is 16-0 with 13 knockouts. Brooker, 174.9 lbs of Philadelphia is 12-4.

Ryan Karl won a eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Winston Velasquez in a welterweight bout.

Karl, 144.8 lbs of Houston, TX won all cards by 80-72 counts, and is now 14-1. Velasquez, 144.6 lbs of Managua, NIC is 24-30-2.

“I had a decent performance tonight, I was definitely a little sloppy but I’ll have to look at the tape,” said Elbiali. “I still have a lot to learn and plenty of improvements to make. At the end of the day, I got the knockout that I was looking for.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Carlos Ocampo will battle Konstantin Ponomarev will fight in an IBF Elimination bout after Ponomarev’s promoter, Top Rank won a purse bid.

Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank, which promotes Ponomarev, was the only bidder present at the IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey, and offered $30,150. Zanfer Promotions, which represents Ocampo, did not bid.

“It’s an interesting-style fight as it matches a boxer in Ponomarev against a puncher in Ocampo,” Moretti said. “And certainly the winner will get a shot at a world title and Errol Spence, so there is a lot on the line for both guys. It was a good day. I went to Springfield, New Jersey, won a purse bid and now I’m staying in Springfield to complete 18 holes at the renowned Baltusrol Golf Club.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, The WBO Lightweight title bout between Terry Flanagan and Felix Verdejo has been postponed due to a leg injury to Flanagan.

“They’re claiming that Flanagan has a leg injury. Frank sent an email to Bob (on Monday) morning,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti said. “He said that Flanagan sustained a leg injury and that they will get back to us shortly on rescheduling the fight.

“I just spoke with (Verdejo manager) Ricky Marquez. They’re disappointed, but Verdejo will continue training hard and we’ll see what happens with the rescheduling of it, and plan accordingly.”

UNIONDALE, NY – There was no ring rust evident for Omar “El Panterita” Figueroa (27-0-1, 19KO), who returned to action after a nineteen-month layoff. The native of south Texas walked through former four-time world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (33-6-1, 18KO), dropping him five times inside three rounds to score a TKO victory. The welterweight fight, which was witnessed live by 7,492 fans, headlined the first night of boxing inside Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum since Mike Tyson’s eight-and-a-half-minute demolition of Steve Zouski 31 years prior.

It was a fight viewed by many as a “must win” for both former world champions. Guerrero was coming off two straight defeats, three in his last four contests. Figueroa, of Weslaco, TX, was returning to the ring for the first time since outpointing Antonio DeMarco in December 2015.

The first of the scheduled ten rounds went to Guerrero. The Gilroy, CA native, applied pressure, pressed the action, and landed the more significant shots. Figueroa, who reunited with trainer Joel Diaz for the first time since 2014, seemed a bit hesitant to let his hands fly in the opening round, perhaps reluctant to test his oft-injured hands. All perceived caution went out the window in the second round, however, when both fighters willingly traded violent blows.

At the sound of the bell signaling round two, Guerrero, a southpaw, came out of the corner and immediately crowded Figueroa’s personal space. It was a move welcomed by Figueroa, who has always excelled as an inside fighter. The two were engaged in a close-range exchange when a Figueroa left uppercut snapped Guerrero’s neck back and collapsed both his legs, dropping “The Ghost” to his knees. A gutsy Guerrero beat the ten count and surprisingly charged forward, bull-rushing Figueroa and landing head whipping shots of his own. The tide turned once again when Figueroa landed two short rights behind Guerrero’s ear that sent him to his knees for the second time in the round. As the frame neared conclusion, Figueroa dug a right to the body, followed by two lefts to the head hat sent an already-unsteady Guerrero, to the mat again.

In the third, Guerrero came off his stool as if shot from a cannon, racing to meet Figueroa and uncorking vicious shots that landed cleanly. But momentum quickly swung back Figueroa’s way, and another perfectly placed uppercut dropped Guerrero for the fourth time. Sensing he could end the fight, “El Panterita” pounced on the wounded Guerrero and planted two left hooks to the liver that sent “The Ghost” to the mat for the fifth and final time. Referee Ron Lipton called a stop to the contest at the 1:34 mark of the third round. It was the first time in his career that Guerrero has been stopped.

“After the first knockdown I knew that the instinct would kick-in for him and he’d go all out,” Figueroa said afterward. “I thought it was going to be over after the first knockdown of the second round but the ref let it keep going.”

He continued, “I haven’t fought this way in a long time because I didn’t have the power in my hands. I’ll always find a way to come out on top though.”

According to CompuBox, Figueroa landed 47.6% of his punches, and 55.5% of his power punches.

The South-Texan went on to state that he intends to drop back down to 140 pounds and fight once more this year.

For Guerrero, who was transported to Nassau University Medical Center after the bout as a precaution, the stoppage marked his third consecutive loss, and fourth in his last five matches and will certainly leave him contemplating his future in the sport.

Browne Powers Past Monaghan To Win “Battle of the Islands”

In a light heavyweight bout featuring two undefeated former sparring partners, Staten Island’s Marcus Browne (20-0, 15KO) scored a second round TKO stoppage victory over Long Island’s Seanie Monaghan (28-1, 17KO). Browne, a former US Olympian and three-time Golden Glove winner, came out firing with ill intentions from the opening bell. Less than a minute into the fight, which was scheduled for ten rounds, Browne caught Monaghan with a straight left that sent him crashing to the mat. The Irish-American beat he ensuing ten count, but was still reeling from the knockdown once back on his feet. Sensing an opportunity to end the fight early, Browne charged forward and applied pressure, unleashing a barrage of punches on his injured opponent. Fortunately for Monaghan, Browne landed a hard left below the belt, which allowed Monaghan to take a few minutes to recover before action resumed, and he ultimately escaped the round.

Monaghan never seemed to recover from the early knockdown, however, and in the second round he once again found himself being battered by the southpaw, Browne. Early in the second round, Browne landed a short right hand behind the ear that offset Monaghan’s equilibrium. Browne then followed up with rights and lefts that met their target without resistance. At the :40 mark of the second round, referee Steve Willis jumped between fighters and stopped the contest.

“I could tell that I hurt him, but I didn’t want to rush and walk into anything,” Browne said afterward, referencing his first round knockdown. “I just took my time and allowed everything to fall into place.

“I told Seanie afterward that I was thankful that he took the fight and stepped up to the plate. I hope he gets back in the ring to bounce back from this loss,” Browne added.

Monaghan reciprocated the mutual respect.

“Marcus has always been a fast starter. He always comes out very fast. I thought I was ready for the speed, but he is very skilled,” Monaghan said. “It was an honor for me to represent Long Island. I knew that it was a big task tonight. Marcus is even faster than in sparring.

“I’ll be alright though, I’m happy to lose to a guy the quality of Marcus Browne.”

Polska Power: Kownacki Blasts Szpilka, Stops Him Inside Four

In an all-Polish heavyweight showdown, undefeated Adam Kownacki (16-0, 13KO) scored an upset TKO victory over former heavyweight title challenger, Artur Szpilka (20-3, 15KO). It was set to be a crossroads bout of sorts, with Kownacki taking a step up in the level of competition, while Szpilka was attempting to rebound from his failed title challenge against Deontay Wilder in January of 2016.

The fight, which was scheduled for ten rounds, was the first of the three fights televised on FOX and thanks to a legion of Polish fans on hand to support Kownacki, the Polish-born, Brooklyn transplant, the Nassau Coliseum was electric. The sea of red and white sang, chanted, and encouraged their fighter throughout the bout, perhaps giving Kownacki an emotional boost on his way to victory.

The fight plan for Kownacki was simple: walk down Szpilka, let hands fly.

For a fighter in superior condition and twenty pounds lighter than his counterpart, Szpilka was touched far too easily.

Kownacki’s steps were slow, albeit efficient and calculated. But Kownacki doesn’t present his opponent any puzzles. He’s a volume-punching heavyweight who throws punches while coming forward. Despite knowing this, Szpilka could not escape Kownacki’s range and continuously found himself being battered by thudding lefts and stiff straight rights.

Halfway through the fourth round, Kownacki caught Szpilka with a huge right hand that rocked that sent Szpilka stumbling and disarmed his defense. With his hands at his side, Szpilka ate left after right and right after left until he crumbled to the canvas. Szpilka rose to beat Arthur Mercante’s ten count, but Kownacki quickly applied more pressure, delivering an uncontested combination to Szpilka’s face, until Mercante stepped in to halt the contest. The time of stoppage was 1:37 of the fourth round.

It was the third loss of Szpilka’s career, and the third time he has been stopped, the other two coming courtesy of Wilder and Bryant Jennings.

“I always knew that I had him. From the first shot I hit him in the body, I knew he didn’t have enough,” Kownacki said. “My pressure was too much.”

He continued, “Whatever he was doing, I was ready for. I worked for four weeks with Tomasz Adamek in Poland and then four weeks here so it was really an ideal camp. I was able to really just focus on boxing and put myself in this position.”

A visibly dejected Szpilka also spoke after the match. “I wish Adam the best going forward. This is a very hard moment for me,” he said. “I’m going to rest now. This was not how I wanted this to go and I’m very disappointed.”

Jamal James Rebounds From First Loss, Outpoints Jo Jo Dan

Jamal “Shango” James (21-1, 9KO) bounced back from his August 2016 loss against Yordenis Ugas to score a unanimous decision victory over veteran Jo Jo Dan in a ten round welterweight contest. James used his height and reach advantage to dictate the distance at which the fight would be fought. Dan, a crafty southpaw who has shared the ring with Kell Brook and Jarrett Hurd, did his best work when he was able to get inside James’ reach and hammer at his opponent’s body. Those moments were few and far between, however, and James comfortably outpointed his counterpart.

Judge Robin Taylor 99-91, Glenn Feldman 98-92, and Kevin Morgan 97-93.

“My range was working perfectly. I knew he was going to be tough and he was a little tougher than I thought,” James said afterward. He continued, “I was catching him with nice clean shots, but he kept coming. I knew he was going to keep coming forward. He started moving his head and made me miss a couple times. I was trying to avoid a big shot but he did get me with some body shots.”

As for what his future holds, James said, “I want to get at least one or two more fights this year and then really explode next year and set myself up to be a top contender.”

Brandon Figueroa Cruises To Unanimous Decision Win

The first of the night’s fights televised on FS1, saw junior featherweight Brandon “Heartbreaker” Figueroa (13-0, 8KO) battle veteran Fatiou Fassinou (28-8-3, 15KO) in an eight round contest. Figueroa, younger brother of Omar Figueroa, outworked Benin’s Fatiou Fassinou bell to bell en route to a unanimous decision victory. Cut from the same cloth as his older brother, Figueroa also subscribes to the theory that “offense is your best defense.” The Heartbreaker smothered Fassinou, landing 242 of his 596 punches.

All three judges scored the bout in favor of Figueroa, 79-73 and 78-74 twice.

The fight marked Figueroa’s first time fighting east of the Missippi, with all his previous bouts taking place in Texas or California. For Fassinou, it was his second time fighting in the United States and his second time failing to pick up a victory. He suffered defeat at the hands of Matt Remillard in July 2016.

“I knew that he was a flashy fighter that was going to have a lot of speed and movement,” Figueroa said after the match.” He continued, “I wanted to break him down. He took my punches well. I think he won a round or two. I needed to catch my breath and I was hoping to stop him late. Either way, I got the win and I’m happy.”

Seize the Day: Patrick Day Shines In Win

In front of hometown fans, Long Island’s Patrick Day (14-2-1, 6KO) scored the biggest win of his professional career when he outpointed Eric “Baby Faced Assassin” Walker (15-1, 8KO), handing Walker his first professional defeat and snatching his WBC Continental Americas title in the process.

After a relatively quiet first round, action picked up in the second and never slowed down. Early in the second, Day bullied Walker back to the ropes where he unleashed a barrage of body shots, clearly demonstrating he had the power to impose his will on Walker. Conversely, Walker realized Day’s defense, at times, can be suspect, and found success firing straight rights over Day’s outstretched jab.

In the third, Day started to get the better of fiery and borderline reckless exchanges. Day carried built-up momentum into the fourth round where he knocked Walker to the mat courtesy of straight right, which also opened a cut above the Assassin’s left eye.

To his credit, Walker kept letting his hands fly, engaging in exchanges and leaving himself vulnerable to punches from a fighter he already knew could hurt him. And hurt him some more, Day did. Although Walker had his successes in the later round, it was Day who continued to land the more damaging punches throughout the duration of the bout.

At the conclusion of ten rounds, judges John McKai and Glenn Feldman 96-93, while Robin Taylor scored it 95-94, all for Day.

15rounds.com concurred with McKai and Feldman, scoring the fight 96-93, Day.

Monterrosa Sneaks By Rainone In US Debut

The opening bout of the evening saw Colombian Fidel Monterrosa (38-13-1, 30KO) outpoint local veteran Tommy Rainone (26-8-1, 6KO) in a six round junior welterweight contest. It was a successful US debut for Monterrosa, who has previously shared the ring with hard-nosed Mexicans Antonio DeMarco, Pablo Cesar Cano, and Humberto Soto.

In truth, both fighters would likely agree it was a lackluster performance by each of them. However, it was Monterrosa who was pressing the action, forcing Rainone to fight going backward. Simply on aggression alone, Monterrosa banked enough rounds to pull out the victory.

In the final round, both fighters received a one-point deduction from referee Ron Lipton. Monterrosa, who resides in Ecatepec, Mexico, received his deduction for headbutts, while Rainone, a native of Rockville Centre, NY, lost a point for holding.

Julie Lederman and Kevin Morgan scored the fight 58-54, and Alan Mays saw it 57-55 all for Monterrosa.

Light Heavyweight Oleksand Gvozdyk takes on Craig Baker on August 19th on the Terence Crawford – Julius Indong undercard in Lincoln. Nebraska according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“Gvozdyk needs to sustain the momentum he has garnered over the last couple of fights,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti said. “He can’t afford a letdown here on national TV.”

“Baker has bounced back nicely after his loss to Edwin Rodriguez with a win over undefeated Steve Lovett,” Moretti said.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Olympic silver medal winner Joe Joyce will turn professional later this year under Richard Schaefer’s Ringstar Sports & David Haye.

“It is like a family and I have fitted in well,” Joyce said. “I am surrounded by great people and it is an honor to be around great promoters. I am fit and raring to go. I can’t wait to get back in the ring.”

In August, the 6-foot-6 Joyce, who is turning pro at the late age of 31, lost a controversial split decision to France’s Tony Yoka in the Olympic final. Schaefer also signed Yoka (1-0, 1 KO) and said he hopes to pair them in a rematch down the road.

“It was a bit of a controversial decision against Yoka in the Olympics so, for sure, they should fight a rematch,” Schaefer said. “They fought for the gold medal in the Olympics, so they should fight for a world title as professionals. Joe said to me, ‘Why can’t I fight him in my first fight?’ I said I don’t think that can happen.”

“He is 31 years old so he will turn pro in an eight- or 10-round fight,” Schaefer said. “He’s going to move very quickly. We think within five, six, seven fights he will be ready to go for a world title. His style is very unusual for a heavyweight because he’s such a volume puncher. … He just keeps coming and coming and he is a huge puncher. I think he could win the British and European titles in his first few fights. He is totally ready.”

“We’re delighted to be working alongside UKTV, taking the sport back to the masses where it belongs. I enjoy building prospects and champions into superstars that transcend the sport of boxing and become global household names, just like I have done with Floyd Mayweather, Canelo (Alvarez) and many more,” said Schaefer, the former longtime CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

“I’ve personally enjoyed huge success with UKTV, smashing viewer records on previous live broadcasts. As a result, I am thrilled to announce a long-term partnership to introduce the next generation of boxing stars to their audience,” Haye said. “An incredible 40 million people tune into UKTV’s (programming) every month which without question provides the Hayemaker Ringstar stable with an incredibly strong platform for a rapidly growing fan base.”

Number-14 ranked Heavyweight Aleksei Oleinik made number-9 ranked Travis Browne tap in the 2nd round of their heavyweoght bout.

With cuts over both eye, Oleinik got behind Browne and made him tap from a rear-naked choke at 3:44.

Oleinik is now 52-10-1. Browne drops to 18-7-1.

Chad Laprise stopped Brian Camozzi in the 3rd round of their welterweight bout.

Laprise landed a hard body blow that sent Camozzi to the canvas. Referee Herb Dean stopped the bout at 1:27 after several hard punches on the ground.

Laprise is 12-2. Camozzi is 7-4.

Thiago Santos stopped Gerlad Meerschaert in the 2nd round of their middleweight bout.

In round one, Meerschaert was poked in the eye. Santos was cut around the right side of his forehead and Meerschaert was bleeding from the nose in the opening frame. In round two, Santos pounded Meershcaert with four hard shots on the ground and the bout was stopped at 2:04.

Santos, 186 lbs of Rio De Jenairo, BRA is 15-5. Meerschaert, 184.5 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 26-9.

Belal Muhammad won a unanimous decision over Jordan Mein in a welterweight bout.

In round one, Mein was cut over his left eye.

Muhammad won by scores of 30-27 and 29-28 and is now 12-2. Mein is 29-12.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the June 17 Andre Ward – Sergey Kovalev bout registered approximately 130,000 Pay Per View buys.

Ward’s eighth-round knockout of Kovalev in their rematch on June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas generated a live gate of $2,187,340, according to figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Wednesday, far less than the first fight generated seven months earlier.

The revenue from last month’s bout came from the sale of 6,366 tickets, even though Roc Nation Sports announced a crowd of 10,592 on fight night. There were 2,113 complimentary tickets given out from a total of 10,748 available, according to the commission.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux must rematch Moises Flores following their no-contest fight that took place on June 17th in Las Vegas.

In that bout, Rigondeaux landed a punch after the bell that knocked Flores out. The bout was originally awarded to Rigondeaux, but was later hanged to a no-contest.