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.

Former light heavyweight beltholder, Juergahn Brahemer will move down to super middleweight for the first time in a decade to compete in the World Boxing Super Series, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I am looking forward to the tournament,” said Braehmer, a two-time light heavyweight world titleholder. “I am prepared. The change of the weight class is not a challenge for me. I have made more than 30 professionals fights at super middleweight and will now return to my original weight class. I am curious who my opponents will be.”

“Braehmer is one of the most accomplished fighters around,” promoter Richard Schaefer said. “His record of 48 wins with just three losses speaks for itself. The youngsters better watch out for him.”

In a very dubious decision, Jeff Horn captured the WBO Welterweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision on front of 55,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.

Horn came out with reckless abandon and landed some shots early in round one.  Pacquiao was able to start timing Horn, and in round three, Horn was cut over his left eye.  Pacquiao landed the better and more accurate punches, with exception in round six, when Horn landed a hard right that buckled the Philippine legend.

Over the 2nd half of the fight, Pacquiao was able to find a groove, and in round nine, battered Horn all over the ring,  Horn looked like a bloody mess, and referee Mark Nelson even had Horn on a short leash at the fighters entered the 10th frame.  Pacquiao was cut from both sides of his forehead from headbutts as Horn was coming in without much fluidity.

It seemed like it was a mere formality to have Pacquiao’s hand to be raised, but three judges ruled for Horn, some how 117-111 and 115-113 twice.

Horn is now 17-0-1.  Pacquiao falls to 59-7-2.

Jerwin Ancajas retained the IBF Junior Bantamweight title with a 7th round stoppage over Teiru Kinoshita.

Kinoshita was cut over the right eye on what was  ruled a punch.  Replays would show it was from an elbow.  With his eye closing, Kinoshita ate a perfect body shot that sent him to the canvas in round seven.  Kinoshita got to his feet, but the fight was waved off at 1:53.

Anacjas of Cavite City, PHL is 25-1-1 with 17 knockouts.  Kinoshita of Kobe, JPN is 25-2-1.

Michael Conlan remained perfect by stopping Jarrett Owen in round three of their six round featherweight bout.

Conlan was dominant and started working the body hard until the bout was stopped at 1:56 of round three.

Conlan of Ireland is 3-0 with 3 knockouts.  Owen of Brisbane is 5-5-3.

David Toussaint remained perfect by winning an eight-round split decision over Shane Mosley, Jr in a middleweight bout.

In round two, Toussaint started to bleed over his left eye.  Toussaint was more active and sharper with his punches and won by scores of 77-76 twice and 77-75 for Mosley.

Toussaint of Australia is now 11-0.  Mosley of Pomona, CA is 10-2.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBO Cruiserweight champion Oleksandt Usyk has joined the World Boxing Super Series, thus all sitting world champions have entered the tourney.

“I feel happy and inspired with the idea of such a tournament,” Usyk said. “I’ve been dreaming of putting together all the champs to see who is the strongest and becoming the undisputed king of the division. I look forward to gaining three more world championship belts to my collection as well as the Muhammad Ali Trophy.”

“This is a historic moment,” said Roberto Dalmiglio of Comosa AG. “Nobody has ever assembled as many top fighters as the World Boxing Super Series and put them in an elimination tournament to determine the undisputed No. 1. Whoever emerges from a competition that features the four reigning champions, two former champions as well as two rising challengers to be announced shortly will be universally recognized as the greatest cruiserweight out there.”

Robert Easter, Jr. retained the IBF Lightweight title with a 12 round unanimous decision over mandatory challenger Denis Shafikov at The Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.

It was a hard fought battle that was fought mostly on the inside. Easter’s handspeed was the difference in the bout as he was more adept with quick combinations inside.

Somehow two judges gave Easter every round to the tune of 120-108. A third judge was more in line with what actually happened in the ring and saw it 116-112.

Easter, 134 lbs of Toledo, OH is 20-0. Shafikov, 134 lbs of Miass, RIS is 38-3.

“I’m thankful for my team preparing me for this victory,” said Easter. “I give my performance a B- tonight. I could have done a lot better. I fought on the inside more at the beginning of the fight but my team wanted me to box so I was able to do that late and get the win.”

“I know a lot of guys’ weakness is their gas tank so I wanted to go after him and test him early,” said Easter. “Shafikov proved that’s he’s a tough opponent but we were able to get the job done.”

“I thought that’d I’d be the first guy to be able to break Shafikov down,” said Easter. “I was able to get the win and I’m going to be ready for everybody out there.”

Julian Williams stopped Joshua Conley in round seven over their scheduled ten round super welterweight bout.

In round six, Williams was cut around the right eye.  Williams, who dominated the fight, landed a hard left that sent Conley to a knee.  When the fight resumed, Williams turned it up with a hard flurry of punches, and Conley’s corner threw in the towel at 58 seconds.

Williams, 157 lbs of Philadelphia is 23-1-1 with 15 knockouts.  Conley, 156 lbs of San Bernadino, CA is 14-2-1.

Jamontay Clark won a debatable eight-round unanimous decision over Ivan Golub in a super welterweight bout.

The bout was entertaining with hard shots landed by both fighters.  Golub stunned Clark twice in round three.

Clark, 148.5 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 79-73 and 77-75 twice, and is now 12-0.  Golubm 148.5 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 13-1.

Manny Pacquiao 146 – Jeff Horn 147
(WBO Welterweight championship)
Co-Feature – IBF Super Flyweight World Championship (12 rounds)
Jerwin Ancajas(26-1-1, 17 KOs), Champion, Cavite City, Philippines 114 lbs.
Teiru Kinoshita (25-1-1, 8 KOs), Challenger, Kobe, Japan 115 lbs.

Middleweights (8 rounds)
Shane Mosley, Jr. (10-1, 7 KOs), Pomona, California. USA 160 lbs.
David Toussaint (10-0, 8 KOs), Canberra, Australia 160 lbs.

Featherweights (6 rounds)
Michael Conlan (2-0, 2 KOs), Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK 126 lbs.
Jarrett Owen (5-4-3, 2 KOs), Brisbane, Australia 126 lbs.

Two more high profile championship bouts will be televised on ESPN in August, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

WBO Super Featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko will take on Miguel Marriaga on August 5th in Los Angeles, while Terence Crawford and Julius Indongo will meet for all four major belts in the 140-lb division on August 19th in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“ESPN is thrilled to bring these two new title fights to fans,” Burke Magnus, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and scheduling, said Thursday. “There is a lot of buzz around boxing right now, and much of it centers around these two great champions — Lomachenko and Crawford. We are excited and proud to showcase these two great events on all of our platforms.”

Top Rank president Todd duBoef, who worked closely with Magnus to finalize the deal, was also excited about the exposure his two champions will get on ESPN.

“Pound for pound, no one can match the talent of Vasyl Lomachenko and Terence Crawford,” duBoef said. “They drew the best ratings on premium cable this year, and now everyone will be able to see them when they defend their world titles in all-action fights in August, live on ESPN.”

Lomachenko had hoped to face former two-division titleholder Orlando Salido in a rematch of Salido’s split-decision win in 2014 in Lomachenko’s second pro fight. However, after much discussion, Salido ultimately rejected an offer of $720,000, and Top Rank moved on to Marriaga for Lomachenko’s third title defense.

“When the financial requests were met suddenly there were other issues like a hand problem, which led to a weight problem, which led to Marriaga. Funny how that happens,” Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said. “So we moved on to trying to secure the best possible opponent at the time, and Miguel Marriaga stepped up to the plate as did [previous Lomachenko opponents] Jason Sosa and Rocky Martinez in the past.”

“If you put Marriaga, Salido and Sosa in a round-robin, I think they’re all excellent fights, and who knows who would win,” Moretti said. “Obviously, Lomachenko is at a different level, but in the ring we know what Marriaga brings — heart, determination, a big right hand, size and no intimidation.”

“Indongo went to Russia to knock out Troyanovsky, and then he went to Scotland and beat Burns. Does he actually have the audacity to come to Nebraska and beat Crawford for the other two titles? We’ll find out Aug. 19.”

“The willingness and cooperation from all four organizations certainly reflects their concern and desire to do what’s right for the sport,” Moretti said.

Nicholas Hernandez won a six-round majority decision over Grayson Blake in a junior middleweight bout.

Hernandez, 154 lbs of Lebanon, PA won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57, and is now 7-2. Blake, 153.4 lbs of State College, PA is 6-5-1.

Jesus Lule scored a 2nd round stoppage over Ismael Serrano in a scheduled four round lightweight bout.

Lule swared Serrano and landed a flurry of punches, and the fight was stopped at 2:10.

Lule, 135.7 lbs of Fort Myers, FL is now 11-22-1 with two knockouts. Serrano, 134.5 lbs of Bethlehem, PA is 4-2.

In a featherweight slugfest, Avery Sparrow was able to outlast Isaelin Florian via six-round unanimous decision.

Sparrow decked Florian in round when he landed a hard overhand right and followed it up with two more hard rights. Florian came right back and dropped Sparrow with a left. Early in round two, Sparrow registered a 2nd knockdown when he landed another straight right hand.

Florian fought much of the 2nd half of the fight with an injured left arm, and that hampered him both offensively and defensively as Sparrow was able to hit Florian with regularity.

Sparrow, 127.6 lbs of Philadelphia took all cards 58-54, and is now 7-1. Florian, 126.2 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 6-1

In round four, Florian drilled Sparrow with an overhand left that sent him to the canvas for a 2nd time.

In a battle of Allentown based super lightweights, Jesus Perez won a four round unanimous decision over Christian Molina.

In round one, Perez floored Molina with a right hand. Later in the round, Perez connected with three flush right hands.

Perez, 141 lbs won all cards by 39-37 tallies, and is mow 3-0. Molina, 138.9 lbs is 4-3.

Rick Pyle won a four round unanimous decision over Devin McMaster in a middleweight bout.

Pyle, 150 lbs of Harrisburg, PA won all cards by 40-36 scores, and is now 1-0. McMaster, 156 lbs of Allentown, PA is 1-2.

Dylan Price obliterated Manuel Guerra in round one of their scheduled four round super flyweight bout,

Price drilled Guerra with a perfect right hand that sent him down for the ten count at 1:09.

Price, 117 lbs of Sicklerville, NJ is 3-0 with three knockouts. Guerra, 112 lbs of Reynosa, MX is 1-3-1.

Daniel Franco, who was injured as he suffered a brain injury in a fight on June 10th has been moved to a rehabilitation facility, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Al Franco, Daniel’s father and trainer, said his son was transported on Friday but that the 90-minute drive “was draining on him, and it has taken a few days for him to recover.”

Al Franco added, “Daniel began therapy on Saturday and will continue to have physical therapy every day for three hours per day. They are giving him morphine every few hours because he is having severe headaches and often. So he’s been sleeping more. How long he will be here at the center, we don’t know yet. He needs to get stronger, and the only source of nourishment he is getting is through a tube in his stomach. So please keep him in your prayers.”

Al Franco said Daniel, 25, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, has been able to walk and that the family hopes to soon take him home to a facility in California in early August. He is making progress, Al Franco said, but it’s going to be a long process.

“His motor skills are slow,” he said. “He struggles making the simplest movements. Reaching or grabbing things is a chore. His speech is slurred as well. But he will improve every day and get stronger. It’s only a matter of time. His mom says that she sees him getting better every day, motor skills improving. Just time and prayers.”

Al Franco said his son’s first full day of therapy was Monday.

“It was exciting to see as well as heartbreaking,” he said. “He is learning to walk, speak, count and do some of the simplest things imaginable.

“I am grateful that he is well enough to be at his point after suffering such a serious injury and going through the type of surgery he did. However, as his father, to have such a world-class athlete struggle like this is heartbreaking. But he is doing an amazing job and the fighter in him makes him push harder than what he should be. He wants to run, not walk, but that’s his character — go big or go home. He is improving.”

Another big name, muliti-time world champion Marco Huck has entered the World Boxing Super Series, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Champions League of Boxing,” Huck said in a news release. “In the great history of the sport there has never been a tournament like this. Eight world-class fighters will enter the competition but just one man can prevail. I cannot wait to show the world that I am best of all those strong champions.”

“There are no weak opponents in the tournament, so I don’t care who I fight,” Huck said. “I want to be the best so I have to beat them all anyway. I don’t mind in which order I defeat them.”

“There is an incredible amount of talent at cruiserweight,” Promoter Kalle Sauerland said in the news release. “The World Boxing Super Series will answer the one question fans have been asking themselves for so many years: Who is the undisputed No. 1 in a division loaded with undefeated champions and great fighters? We’ll find out come May 2018.”

Joseph Parker will defend the WBO Heavyweight title against Hughie Fury on September 23rd in Manchester, England, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m very much looking forward to this fight,” Parker said. “It’s been a long time coming but the contract is signed thanks to my promoter David Higgins and I am ready to get going. In the contract is what we want and David has worked very hard to get the contract sorted; and now that it’s ready and the date is confirmed, we’re looking forward to going over to the U.K. and making a statement and putting on a great show.”

“The idea of going to the U.K. is something I am looking forward to and, no, I don’t hold any grudges,” Parker said, referring to Fury’s withdrawal from the fight in May that was supposed to be in New Zealand. “I just go in there, respect my opponent and do what I have to do. That’s go in there and win the fight and defend my title and keep it here [in New Zealand]. The crowd against me? I will use it as energy and motivation to put on a great show and fight hard.

“I know there will be a lot of supporters for [Fury] but I know I [will] put on a great show, and hopefully get him out of there.”

“I’ve never had a close fight. I’ve won every round of every single fight,” Fury said. “I’m going to let my fists do the talking and I’m going to take his belt home with me.”

“[Fury] needs to get this warm-up fight out of the way before he faces Parker later in the year,”Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said. “I am confident that the WBO heavyweight belt will once again be in possession of the Fury family come the end of the year.”

The IBF ordered a rematch between super middleweight champion Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui, after their controversial fight on May 20, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“During our review of the fight, the championships chairman and I observed Jose Uzcategui hit Andre Dirrell and knock him to the canvas after the bell had sounded ending the eighth round. The punch that knocked Dirrell down was part of a three-punch combination,” IBF President Darryl Peoples wrote. “Immediately following the knockdown referee Bill Clancy called ‘time out’ and asked Andre Dirrell if he was OK. Andre Dirrell was on his hands and knees and shook his head in the affirmative.

“The referee then called the ringside physician into the ring to examine Andre Dirrell and told the doctor that ‘I need to know if he can continue.’ During the ringside physician’s examination of Dirrell, the referee advised the ringside physician that ‘I’m not going to let him continue, I’m disqualifying [Uzcategui] for knocking him out after the bell.’ The referee then consulted executive director of the Maryland State Athletic Commission Pat Pannella and advised him that, ‘He clearly got hit after the bell. He is unable to continue. I’m disqualifying the other fighter. He knocked him out after the bell.'”

Peoples acknowledged in the letter than the referee is the sole arbiter of determining whether a foul was committed and whether a punch is legal. However, Peoples said Clancy erred in not making a determination whether the punch was accidental or flagrant.

“The referee made it clear that he had ruled the blow to Dirrell after the bell was ‘illegal.’ However, the referee did not determine whether the ‘illegal’ punch was intentional or accidental pursuant to [IBF] guidelines,” Peoples wrote. “Had the referee determined that the ‘illegal’ punch was accidental, the bout would have resulted in a technical decision awarded to Jose Uzcategui, who was ahead on the judges’ scorecards after eight rounds had been scored.

“The IBF has also determined that it was inappropriate for the referee to advise Dirrell of the decision of the bout prior to the official decision being announced. Based on the above … the IBF has ruled that the referee’s conduct was inappropriate and will grant an immediate rematch.”

PHOENIX – BJ Flores continued to test his heavyweight potential Saturday night with a victory that the television analyst then judged with the objectivity employed when he worked fights for NBC

“Solid,’’ Flores said.

So, it was.

Flores (34-3-1, 21 KOs) flashed his familiar hand speed in a bout that kept him busy and in the news with six thorough rounds for a scorecard shutout of Nick Guivas (13-6-2, 9 KOs) on an Iron Boy Promotions card at Celebrity Theatre.

Flores had hope for a stoppage and there might have been one of Guivas had the fight continued a few more rounds. But Guivas was clever enough to elude Flores throughout much of the bout.

Flores, who lives in nearby Chandler, was at his best with a body attack that led to complaints Guivas corner about low blows. There were signs in the fifth that the body punches were beginning to take a toll. Guivas, a Puerto Rican living in Topeka, repeatedly retreated to the ropes and Flores capitalized a couple of times with successive head shots.

“He’s been in with some pretty good guys,’’ said Flores, a 60-54 winner on all three cards. “He knew what he was doing.’’

Flores also used the moment to again call out Lucas Browne, who in 2016 became the first Australian to win a major (WBA) heavyweight title. The belt was subsequently stripped when Browne tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

“I’m ready to fight now,’’ said Flores, a former cruiserweight who emerged from his second straight heavyweight victory unmarked and uninjured. “Let’s do it. I’d be happy to go to Australia. This time I could go and not have to worry about making the cruiserweight limit. Let’s do it in September.’’

ON THE UNDERCARD

The Upset: Denver junior-middleweight Vladimir Hernandez (11-2, 6 KOs) landed head-rocking shots early, got rocked by a few big shots later and stayed aggressive throughout eight rounds for an upset – a 77-75, 78-74, 77-75 decision — of formerly unbeaten Daniel Valdiva (14-1, 10 KOs) of Tulare, Calif.

The Best: Chicago junior-middleweight Vernon Brown (4-0, 3 KOS) has The One stitched on to the belt line of trunks. He had The One, one huge right that struck like lightning in the final second of the second round for a stoppage of Brandon Trujillo (0-1) of Albuquerque.

The Rest: Phoenix junior-featherweight Edgar Ortiz (5-1, 3 KOs) landed a paralyzing liver shot for a first-round stoppage of Steven Lantry (0-2) of Portland; Mesa heavyweight Adam Stewart (4-0-1, 2 KOs) put some rock-and-roll back into the old music venue with a body shot for a second-round stoppage of Michael Smith (0-1) of Las Vegas; welterweight Daniel Payan (0-1-1) of Chandler, Ariz., and Carnizosa Segura (0-1-1) of Phoenix are still searching for a victory after fighting to a majority draw; Mesa featherweight Ryan Riddlell (5-0, 4 KOs) scored at second-round stoppage of Patrick Gutierrez (0-4), a Las Vegas fighter who appeared to injure his right arm.

By Norm Fruenheim

BJ Flores will continue to test himself at heavyweight Saturday night at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix.

Flores (33-3-1, 21 KOs), a former cruiserweight and known for his work as a television analyst, faces Nick Guivas (13-5-2, 9 KOs) in a Flores second straight appearance at Celebrity when scored a dramatic stoppage of Jeremy Bates in his heavyweight debut.

Guivas, of Topeka, is 2-3 over his last five bouts, including a stoppage loss in May to Jerrell “Big Baby” Miller. Flores has talked about fighting Lucas Browne, who in 2016 became the first Australian to win a major (WBA) heavyweight title. The belt was subsequently stripped when Browne tested positive for performance-enhancing drug.

The Flores-featured card is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. (PST).

Injured fighter Daniel Franco has been weaned out of a coma that he has been since shortly after his stoppage loss to Jose Haro last Saturday night in Iowa, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Daniel had his breathing tube removed and is breathing on his own,” Al Franco said. “They added an IV to his carotid artery in his neck and removed all other IVs. He’s progressing well and it’s all thanks to the great doctors and you all. Thank you all for your prayers.

“Daniel was moved out of intensive care unit and into a regular room. He’s responding well and is becoming more alert.”

“He gave us two thumbs up when asked if he could hear us,” Al Franco said. “We asked him to wink once for yes and twice for no. He followed instructions and is aware of what is going on. He’s moving slowly which may be due to the sedatives, he’s on but he is improving. He is good for a few minutes, then goes to sleep again.”

“These are all good signs that we are moving in the right direction,” Al Franco said.

“Thank you all so much for the continued support financially and spiritually,” Al Franco said. “Please keep the prayers coming. Please keep sharing. Please say his name in your head or whisper it, any acknowledgment to help keep the positive vibes.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, heavyweight contender Bryant Jennings has signed with Top Rank.

“We can do some decent business with him,” Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum told ESPN on Monday. “We’re going to build him back up, and we think he’s competitive with guys like Joseph Parker, Andy Ruiz and maybe even [world titleholder] Anthony Joshua — although Joshua looked pretty awesome against [Wladimir] Klitschko, even though he was in trouble for a little while. Jennings, when he gets back in the saddle, fits in with guys like that.”

“I’m the best-conditioned heavyweight in boxing, and my ultimate goal is to win a world title for Bob Arum at Top Rank. He deserves it,” said Jennings, who is vegan. “And being with Top Rank means I will get an opportunity to fight for a world title. I have the strength, desire and the smartness in the ring to get that world title. This is such an opportunity for me being with Top Rank.”

“I thought [Jennings] did very well with Klitschko, but more than that, he’s a pleasure to be around,” Arum said. “He’s a real credit to boxing. He’s the kind of guy that I think can do well and do well for boxing. He’s like an all-around guy.”

“James Prince and Josh Dubin understood what we’re going to do for Jennings, and they didn’t gouge us,” Arum said. “We’re looking forward to a long and good relationship with him.”

“With Top Rank, Bryant Jennings will become the face of the American heavyweights. He is that great,” Leonard said. “Bryant’s ultimate goal is to get a world heavyweight championship for Bob Arum and Top Rank”

“I am thrilled that Bryant has a chance to reignite his career with such a talented team at Top Rank,” Dubin said. “They know how to position Bryant for another run at the heavyweight world title. James and I are confident that Bryant will indeed be world champion with Top Rank leading the way.”