According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF/WBA/WBO Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will fight Alex Leapai on April 26th in in Oberhausen, Germany.

“It impressed me how Alex Leapai dominated Boytsov,” Klitschko said in announcing the fight. “He has shown strong punching power and a lot of heart. But, moreover, that he can take a punch and feels confident in the role of the underdog. I will be very focused and prepare myself 100 percent as always and will look forward to this next challenge.”

“People talk about how great Wladimir is and the 61 victories he has had in his career. I, on the other hand, think of the fact that he has been comprehensively KO’d three times by people who cannot punch nearly as hard as me,” Leapai said. “I will break Wladimir and it will not be my hardest fight.”

“Wladimir has proven to be the most dominant heavyweight champion in recent memory and we are looking forward to another great performance and victory on April 26,” K2 Promotions managing director Tom Loeffler said.

Gilberto Ramirez scored an explosive 1st round stoppage over Don Mouton in a scheduled 10 round bout at the Laredo Energy Center in Laredo, Texas.

Ramirez dropped Mouton with a right hook that had Mouton fall through the ropes. Seconds later, Ramirez landed a left and right that sent Mouton to the canvas for a 2nd time and the fight was stopped at 1:31

Ramirez, 166 lbs of Mazalton, MX is now 27-0 with 21 knockouts. Mouton, 162 3/4 lbs of Houston, TX is now 12-8-1.

2012 U.S. Olympian Jose Ramirez scored a 1st round stoppage over Javier Perez in the 1st round of their scheduled si round Welterweight bout.

Ramirez landed a vicious left hook that set up four more vicious shots that dropped Perez and referee Jon Schorle stopped the fight at 2:32 of round one.

Ramirez, 141 1/2 lbs of Avenel, CA is now 8-0 with 6 knockouts. Perez, 143 lbs of Miami, FL is now 8-7.

Angel Hernandez scored a 3rd round stoppage over Eddie Ramirez in a scheduled six round Jr. Welterweight bout.

It was a good back and forth brawl until Hernandez landed a barrage of punches on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:42 of round three.

Hernandez, 135 1/2 lbs of McAllen, TX is now 8-1 with 4 knockouts. Ramirez, 137 3/3 lbs of Laredo, TX is now 6-15-1.

Alan Patrick scored a 3 round unanimous decision over John Makdessi in a Lightweight bout.

Patrick, 156 lbs of Rio de Janiaro, BRA won by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 and is now 12-0. Makdessi, 155 lbs of Montreal is now 12-3.

Chris Cariaso scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Danny Martinez in a Flyweight bout.

Scores were 29-28 on all cards for Cariaso, 125 lbs of Tucson, AZ and is mow 16-5. Martinez, 126 lbs of San Diego, CA is now 17-5.

Nick Catone scored a 3 round split decision over Tom Watson in a Middleweight bout.

Scores were 30-27 and 29-28 for Catone and 29-28 for Watson.

Catone. 186 lbs of Brick, NJ is now 10-4. Watson, 186 lbs of Southampton, UK is now 16-7.

Al Iaquinta scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Kevin Lee in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-27 for Iaquinta, 155 lbs of Garden City, NY and is now 8-2-1. Lee, 156 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI is now 7-1.

Lee Selby

2012 Olympic Gold Medal winner Anthony Joshua scored a 3rd round stoppage over Dorian Darch in a scheduled 6 round Heavyweight bout.

Joshua ripped Darch with a hard combination on the ropes at the end of the 1st frame. Joshua landed several hard shots in round two and then landed a ripping left hook that sent Darch into the ropes and the fight was stopped at 51 seconds of round 2.

Joshua, 241 1/2 lbs is now 4-0 with 4 knockouts. Darch, 241 lbs, is 7-3.

Gary Buckland registered a 12 round split decision over former world champion Gavin Rees in a spirited battle in a British lighteight elimination bout.

The action started off quick with Rees landing the to the body with the right hand. The stood in the “phone booth” for much of the fight with Rees continuing to work the body and Buckland countering with shirt uppercuts on the inside. In round five, Buckland started to up his activity level but in the next round, Rees got back to landing some thudding body shots as well as mixing right;s to the head.

Buckland’s activity level picked it up again in round eight as he started to back Rees up on the ropes. As the round’s went on, Buckland’s activity rate was very consistent. Both guys continued to dig deep but Buckland probably got the 10th frame when he naded a right hand that drove Rees back to the ropes. Rees’right eye started to shot from all the contact in this intense battle. Both guys wanted it in the 12th in this fight that could have gone either way. In the last last 30 seconds alone, Rees rocked Buckland with a hard right but Buckland came right back with furious combination.

Buckland, 134 3/4 lbs of Cardiff, Wales won by scores of 116-113 and 115-114 while Rees got a card 116-113.

Buckland is now 28-3. Rees, 135 lbs is now 37-4-1.

In a terrific back and forth battle Dale Evans scored a 8 round decision win over Erick Ochieng in a Welterweight bout.

It was a back and forth slugfest with both guys being rocked throughout the bout.

Evans, 148 1/4 lbs won by a 77-76 tally in the referee’s scorecard and is now 8-1-1. Ochieng, 148 3/4 lbs is 14-3.

Luis Collazo scored a stunning 2nd round stoppage over Victor Ortiz in a battle of former Welterweight title holders at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Not much happened over the 1st rounds with Ortiz looking for the big shot and Collazo got in a few counters. The end came suddenly and with a big thud as Ortiz landed a straight left but Collazo landed a perfect right hook to the jaw that spun Ortiz to the ropes and on the canvas and was counted out by referee Benji Esteves at 2:59 of round 2.

Collazo, 146 1/2 lbs of Brooklyn is now 35-5 with 18 knockouts. Ortiz, 146 1/2 lbs of Ventura, CA is now 29-5-2.

“I had no doubt in my mind that I was going to win,” said Collazo. “I went through hard times and maybe I wasn’t ready before, but I was ready today.

“When I was in the locker room, the joy, happiness and excitement hit me that I have the opportunity to perform in Brooklyn in front of my fans and the people I grew up with here,” he continued.

“I knew Ortiz was going to come out and be aggressive and I had to stay focused and stick to the game plan. People say that I can’t punch, but I guess they’re wrong.”

“I’m good,” said Ortiz. “I got caught. No big deal. It happens. I put my heart out there.”

Eddie Gomez scored a 7th round knockdown en route to a 10 round unanimous decision over DeQuann Arnett in a battle of previously undefeated Welterweights.

Gomez controlled most of the first six rounds with solid power punching and using some good body work. Arnett would sneak in the occasional right hand that kept Gomez honest. In round seven, Gomez landed a thunderous body punch that sent Arnett to the canvas. Arnett got to his feet but Gomez opened up with a barrage of punches that had Arnett staggered. Arnett recovered enough to attempt to time Gomez’wide power shots and even got through with a few of his own shots.

Gomez, 147 1/4 lbs of Bronx, NY won by scores of 98-91 and 97-92 twice and is now 16-0. Arnett, 148 1/2 lbs of Orlando, FL is now 11-1.

Gomez continued to be the leader down the stretch and he cruised home with the victory.

“I just took my time in there and did what I had to do,” said Gomez. “Now I’m just happy.”

Gomez continued, “I should have gone to the body earlier and I think I could have gotten him in four or five rounds. I’m just thankful for the opportunity to get this fight. I took full advantage and worked hard.”

“This is the beginning for me not the end,” said Arnett. “I am going to come back stronger and will take this and learn from it.”

Super prospect Gary Russell Jr. scored a tremendous 4th round stoppage over Miguel Tamayo in scheduled eight round Featherweight bout.

Russell controlled the 1st three round with fast hands as featured a rights to the body. In round four, he landed a huge right that hurt Tamayo and a follow up right dropped Tamayo for the ten count at 1:04 of round four.

Russell, 126 3/4 lbs of Capitol Heights. MD is now 24-0 with 14 knockouts. Tamayo, 126 1/2 lbs of Obregan, MX is now 14-8-2.

“I felt good in the ring tonight,” said Russell Jr. “I paced myself and worked towards what I wanted. I felt prepared. I went through six weeks of training and I rose to the occasion.

Russell Jr. continued, “I am looking toward the future and getting a shot at a world title.”

In non-televised undercard action, some of New York’s most exciting young prospects showcased their skills with impressive wins.

Barclays Center regular “Sir” Marcus Browne (9-0, 7 KO’s) of Staten Island made the most of his seventh appearance at the arena as he went the distance against Shreveport, LA’s Kentrell Claiborne (4-9, 3 KO’s) in a six-round cruiserweight bout. The 2012 U.S. Olympian was happy that his opponent had a “head made of stone” so that he could get more experience in the ring.

“I got some good rounds in,” said Browne. “I’m learning how to be a distance fighter and to prove I could keep my composure.”

Local Bronx up and comer Emmanuel “Manny” Gonzalez (14-0, 7 KO’s) went the distance against Victor Sanchez of Houston, TX (5-8-2, 2 KO’s) in an eight-round featherweight matchup that saw Gonzalez winning nearly ever round on all three judges’ scorecards despite a point deduction for holding in the seventh round. Gonzalez also looked at his eight-round bout as a learning experience.

“This is the first eight-rounder that I’ve fought [that has gone the distance] in about a year and a half,” said Gonzalez. “I definitely got a little winded, but I will work even harder next time and continue to be undefeated.”

Newly-signed Golden Boy Promotions prospect Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (6-0, 3 KO’s) of Brooklyn put on a strong performance in a four-round super lightweight fight against Jose Valderrama (3-7, 3 KO’s) of Manati, Puerto Rico in Ochoa’s inaugural performance as a member of the Golden Boy Promotions stable.

In the first fight of the evening, Rafael Vasquez of Brooklyn, NY (10-1, 8 KO’s) scored a first-round technical knockout over Bradley Patraw (10-7, 5 KO’s) of St. Paul, Minn. in featherweight action that was scheduled for eight rounds.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the complete televised undercard for the April 12th rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley has been set.

In a WBA Super Lightweight title bout Khabin Allekhverdiev will defend against Jesse Vargas. Ray Beltran will take on Roman Martinez in a Lightweight bout and Bryan Vazquez will defend an interim 130 lb title against Jose Felix Jr.

“All three of them are competitive fights,” said promoter Bob Arum said. “So I guess whichever fight the press and the fans seem like most is the one we’ll make the semifinal. I think they’re all good fights. Beltran-Martinez is the one I want to see more than the others, so we’ll see if the press and the fans agree with me. But overall, I think we’re looking at some good, entertaining fights on the card.”

“This (Beltran – Martinez) is a really interesting crossroads fight,” said Top Rank’s Moretti said. “Both guys have had wars with Burns. Neither guy has ever been in a bad fight. Beltran is a strong puncher who makes good fights. Rocky has been in a lot of good fights. I expect fireworks. I wouldn’t be shocked if both guys hit the canvas.”

On Allekhverdiev – Vargas:

“This is the first chance we’ve had to expose Khabib in the United States since we signed him because of the injury and the mandatory, and he’s in with Jessie, who is dropping back down to 140 pounds,” Moretti said. “It’s an interesting matchup. The winner is probably going to get a big payday after this fight.

“I’ve seen Khabib on tape. He’s a very competent fighter and [Top Rank matchmaker] Brad [Goodman] has watched Vargas train in the gym and thinks he is doing marvelously,” Arum said. “We could see an upset.”

“We believe Jose Felix’s stock is on the rise,” Moretti said. “Hopefully, the card on April 12 will provide him a platform to show what he has against a more experienced, action fighter in Bryan Vasquez.”

Unified 140 pound champion Danny Garcia will defend his crown against Mauricio Herrera on March 15th in Puerto Rico according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Danny has talked to me for the last year and a half, saying, ‘We have to look at doing one of my fights in Puerto Rico.’ This is something he really wanted so, finally, I felt that this was a great opportunity for Danny to go to Puerto Rico and defend his title,” said Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “I am sure Puerto Rico will welcome him with open arms. He wants to represent the U.S. and Puerto Rico, given the heritage that he has. I am very happy to be able to fulfill his dream to bring him to the island and have him fight there.”

“Herrera is a good fighter and he beat Provodnikov,” said Schaefer, adding that Golden Boy signed him about 10 days ago. “Herrera is very excited about this fight. He sees it as a tremendous opportunity and is not worried at all about fighting Danny in Puerto Rico.”

“Danny has fought everybody the past few years,” Schaefer said. “He is clearly the man at 140 pounds and when you are the man you have a big target on your back. Whether Mauricio Herrera will be able to do something about it I don’t know. But I do know Mauricio Herrera comes to fight and will be ready.

“He knows what it means for him, his career and his family. He’s totally fired up for this opportunity. Herrera doesn’t have the same name recognition or the same credentials like Matthysse or Judah, but it is those kinds of fights that are sometimes most dangerous if Danny is looking past him.”

Schaefer said he also finalized two other bouts for the card:

• Top American heavyweight prospect Deontay Wilder (30-0, 30 KOs), 28, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist from Tuscaloosa, Ala., will take a major step up in opposition against Malik Scott (36-1-1, 13 KOs), 33, of Philadelphia in the opening Showtime bout.

• In a fight that will be part of the Showtime Extreme coverage of preliminary fights, Juan Manuel Lopez (33-3, 30 KOs), 30, of Puerto Rico, and Mexico’s Daniel Ponce De Leon (45-5, 35 KOs), 33, both former junior featherweight and featherweight titleholders, will meet in a rematch at junior lightweight. Lopez knocked out Ponce De Leon in the first round in 2008 in Atlantic City, N.J., to win a junior featherweight title.

Floyd Mayweather and the Timothy Bradley – Ruslan Provodnikov war highlighted the 2013 BWAA Awards which were announced Tuesday according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

It is the second time Mayweather has won the award. He also won in 2007, the last time he fought at least two times in a calendar year.

The pound-for-pound king was dominant as ever last year and Tuesday won Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year honors.
“It is a great honor to be voted by the BWAA as fighter of the year. To be recognized by this organization is special and I truly appreciate it,” Mayweather said in a statement given to ESPN.com. “I also want to congratulate the other winners and also recognize my fellow nominees, whose achievements in the ring this past year afforded them nominations too.”

“I have dedicated my whole career to being the best and because of that I have been on top for 17 years,” Mayweather said. “Hard work and dedication got me there and awards like these help keep me there too. On behalf of myself and the entire Money Team, I thank you so very much.”

“It’s unbelievable. I can’t even imagine, Timothy Bradley in a fight of the year,” Bradley said after ESPN.com had informed him that he had won. “It takes two people willing to engage in that type of action so I gotta give major props to Ruslan Provodnikov for bringing the best out of me. We put it all on the line. We put our lives on the line. I hope that all the fans really appreciated that night.

“I have talked to so many different people who say it was the best fight they have seen in a long time or that it is the best fight they have ever seen, and I’m a part of it. Who would think Timothy Bradley would be in a fight of the year and win the fight of the year? It’s a huge accomplishment.”

Freddie Roach won his sixth Eddie Futch Trainer of the Year award, a BWAA record, thanks in large part to his work with Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Provodnikov.

“It’s nice to be back in the mix. We had a bad year (in 2012) and we had a much better year (in 2013),” Roach told ESPN.com. “No. 6? I love being recognized for what we do but without the fighters I wouldn’t be here.”

The Cus D’Amato Manager of the Year went to Al Haymon, whose list of clients is long and impressive, including Mayweather, junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia, welterweight titleholders Marcos Maidana and Shawn Porter, former welterweight titlists Adrien Broner and Devon Alexander, interim welterweight titlist Keith Thurman, junior welterweight contender Lucas Matthysse, junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz and top heavyweight prospect Deontay Wilder. All of them have earned career-high purses under the powerful Haymon’s guidance.

Other awards:

The Barney Nagler Long and Meritorious Service award to boxing was a tie between Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels and famed broadcaster Colonel Bob Sheridan.

The Sam Taub award for excellence in broadcast journalism went to former two-division titleholder Paulie Malignaggi, who is still an active fighter but has blossomed in his role as a color analyst on Showtime and Fox Sports 1 boxing telecasts.

The Marvin Kohn Good Guy award will be collected by ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, who was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June.

Former welterweight titleholder Paul Williams, whose career end abruptly when he was paralyzed from the waist down in a motorcycle crash in 2012, has kept an inspiring upbeat attitude and was voted winner of the Bill Crawford award for courage in overcoming adversity.

In previously announced awards, this writer was voted winner of the 2013 Nat Fleischer award for excellence in boxing journalism, a career achievement award that can only won once and is voted on by past winners, and Sandy Grady was selected as the A.J. Liebling award winner for outstanding boxing writing.

Winners will be honored at the BWAA annual awards banquet, which will take place in May or June at a site to be determined.

A pair of former world title challengers will square off on February 15th when Dereck Chisora will meet Kevin Johnson in London according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Johnson comes in with a great record and is name that fans know,” Chisora said at a news conference on Monday in London. “This is by no means an easy fight. He’s taken Tyson (Fury) and Vitali (Klitschko) the distance and he stopped (mandatory world title challenger Alex) Leapai. I’m excited and looking forward to it.”

“Dereck faces the well-respected American Johnson, who Tyson beat on points just over a year ago,” said promoter Frank Warren. “He’s got a win over the current WBO No. 1 Alex Leapai, plus he took Vitali Klitschko the distance in their world title fight. It’s unfortunate that Rudenko pulled out injured. It’s not ideal, but things happen and Dereck’s a pro. But he knows he can’t afford to slip up.

“The name of the game is for Dereck and Tyson to look good and come through winners at the Copper Box Arena and then in the summer I’ll look to get an all-British final eliminator sanctioned by the WBO for the world title in a big grudge match, with the winner going on to challenge for the world title. I’m very excited to be working with Tyson, (uncle and trainer) Peter (Fury) and (promoter) Mick (Hennessy) and making the fights that the fans want to see.”

Said Chisora, “I have to beat Johnson and then Tyson is waiting for me in a world title eliminator, which is a great incentive to really do a demolition job on Johnson.”

“The heavyweight division has been wide open for a long time but not many people have been there to go and smash the titles off the Klitschkos,” he said. “Wladimir promised to fight the winner out of me and Chisora in the first fight and I never got the fight against him. Good riddance to Vitali, Grandpa robot, he wouldn’t fight any real opposition and he retired because he knew I was coming for him. I just can’t wait to get the rematch in the summer against Chisora and then get to take Wladimir’s head off.

“I’m glad that me and Chisora will be a final eliminator. Wladimir can either vacate the WBO title or fight me. I see a 100 percent improvement in Chisora. He’s a lot fitter and stronger, he’s better conditioned and a real athlete now. I’m focused on beating Basile first, then it’s Chisora. The first fight was a good one, but I hope that this fight is one of the best ever all-British heavyweight fights.”

NEW YORK–Mikey Garcia remained perfect as he scored a 12 round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Burgos to retian the WBO Jr. Lightweight title at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

It was a lackluster part for the most part. Burgos one shining moment came in round two when he landed a hard right hand that buckled Garcia badly. But Garcia rocked Burgos in round three and that shot seemed to make Burgos more hesitant to make anything happen. Garcia was able to settle down and box Burgos at his own pace and basically won every round there on after.

Garcia, 129.2 lbs of Oxnard, CA won by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110 and is now 34-0. Burgos, 129 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 30-2-2.

Bryant Jennings scored a 10th round stoppage over Artuz Sziplka in a battle of undefeated Heavyweights.

The fight started off with both guys showing good movement for heavyweight.s In round twom Jennings started to get through with shots. He started to work the body throughout and landed a right hand to the body that sent Szpilka to a knee. Jennings kept up the dominance and dropped Szpilka with a short right and left. Sziplka got to his feet but it wasn’t long bfore a barrage of punches forced referee Michael Ortega stopped the bout at 2:20 of round 10.

Jennings, 225 lbs of Philadelphia is now 18-0 with 10 knockouts. Szipilka 223.6 lbs of Warsaw, POL is now 16-1.

“I came out here to put on a show and I think I accomplished that goal,” said Jennings. “Szplika is a very tough fighter and I give him credit for lasting as long as he did. After the first knockdown I didn’t think he would last much longer but he showed great heart and almost went the distance.”

“I’m ready to step up and challenge for a world title,” Jennings continued. “I’m going to take it one day at a time and see what my team presents me. I want to thank Gary Shaw, Antonio Leonard, James Prince and HBO for giving me this opportunity.”

“Jennings showed he’s a very talented fighter,” said Gary Shaw. “Boxing needs heavyweights that can close the show and Jennings proved that tonight on his HBO debut. I will talk with James Prince and Antonio Leonard to see what is next for Jennings. He’s the first American heavyweight in many years that has a legitimate shot to be the World Champion. The Polish Prince put up a great fight, but tonight it was all about the USA. Right now I’m very happy with Jennings performance.”

“Bryant Jennings is no joke,” stated co-promoter Antonio Leonard. “He’s going to take the heavyweight division by storm and I see him becoming a world champion very soon.”

“I know Jennings has the talent to take over the heavyweight division,” manager James Prince said. “Tonight he took a giant step toward a world title shot. Boxing fans here in the U.S have a heavyweight in Jennings they can rally behind. We are gunning for the best out there.”

Felix Verdejo scored an explosive just 21 seconds into his bout with Lauro Alcantar in a battle of undefeated Lightweights.

Verdejo landed the “6 inch left hook” right on the chin of Alcantar and he was splattered on the canvas and the fight was stopped.

Verdejo, 1346 lbs San Juan, PR is now 10-0 with 7 knockouts. Alcantar, 135.2 lbs of Agua Prieta, MEX is now 8-1.

Jesse Hart scored a six round unanimous decision over Derrick Frinley in a Super Middleweight bout.

Scores were 60-54 om all cards for Hart, 169 lbs pf Philadelphia and is now 12-0. Findley, 168.2 lbs of Gary, IN is now 20-12-1-1.

Alberto Marchado scored a spectacular 2nd round stoppage ove Nuwan Jayakody in a scheduled 6 round Featherweight bout.

Machado blasted Jayakody with a left hook that sent him to the canvas. Jayakody tried to get his feet but stumbled down and the fight was stopped at 1:34 of round two.

Machado, 126 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 6-0 with 4 knockouts. Jayakody, 125.8 lbs of Nittabuwa, Sri Lanka is now 2-4-1.

Francisco Vargas scored a 1st round stoppage over four round Lopez in a scheduled four round Weltereight bout.

Vargas drilled Lopez with hard right hook that him flat on his back and the fight was stopped at 1:59.

Vargas, 149 lbs of San Juan PR is now 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Lopez, 146.4 lbs of Denver, CO is now 1-1.

Seanie Monaghan scored a 1st round stoppage over Matt Vanda when Vanda had to retire with a bicep injury. The time of stoppage was 2:51 for Monaghan, 175 lbs of Long Beach, NY who is 20-0 with 13 knockouts. Vanda, 173.2 lbs of St. Paul. MN 45-16.

Julian Rodriguez scored a 1st round stoppage over Neyeine Muang in a scheduled four round Super Lightweight bout.

The time was 1:51 for Rodriguez, 141.4 lbs of Hasbrouck Heights, Nj is now 3-0 with 2 knockouts. Muang, 141.2 lbs of Utica, NY is now 1-1-2.

Lamont Peterson dazzled in front of his hometown crowd on Saturday night scoring a unanimous decision victory over Dierry Jean to retain his IBF Junior Welterweight World Championship from the DC Armory in Washington, D.C., live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

Peterson (32-2-1, 16 KO’s) and Jean (25-1, 17 KO’s) kicked off the 2014 boxing calendar with an action-packed aggressive showdown. Jean began with a patient approach, looking to test the chin of Peterson after his devastating knockout loss last May against Lucas Matthysse. By midway through the fight Peterson made it clear that loss had no affect on him as he became the aggressor, putting on a show for his hometown crowd. As the fight progressed Peterson outworked and outlanded his opponent using combinations, speed and agility. At the end of the fight SHOWTIME Sports analyst and former World Champion Paulie Malignaggi emphatically stated, “Lamont clearly proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with at 140 pounds.” The judges scored the bout 115-113, 116-112 and 118-111.
In the co-main event, 23-year-old top junior middleweight prospect Jermell Charlo remained undefeated in a unanimous decision victory over gutsy veteran Gabriel Rosado.

After the fight Peterson said, “I knew that this was his [Jean’s] first title fight and this is a big stage. I knew regardless of what he said he would have some type of nerves. At the end of the day I was in shape and I was able to hold the rounds. I would like to be considered the best 140-pound fighter in the world before I leave [the division]. If it means Danny Garcia is next then that’s what it is.”

When asked how long it took to get over his loss against Matthysse, Peterson said, “At the end of that night I sat and thought all night and I came to an understanding of why I lost. Then I moved on. I was over it in 24 hours.”
Speaking to the crowd of 5,668, Peterson said, “I love my city. My city loves me.”

When asked about the loss, Jean chalked it up to the inexperience of this being his first title fight saying, “I think it is just a matter of experience. Life goes on you know. I am definitely leaving with my head held high. I have all of my fans with me and I fought a hard fight.”

Jermell Charlo scored the biggest win of his career when he scored a 10 round unanimous decision over former two-time world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Charlo was effective early by sharp shooting with the left hook when Rosado would come in. Rosadi’s left eye began to swell in round four and was cut in round five from what was ruled a punch. Rosado fought well through the fight but Charlo was more active and was pinpoint with his punches.

Charlo, 153 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 97-93, 99-91 and 100-90 and is now 23-0. Rosado, 154 lbs of Philadelphia, PA is now 21-8-1.

After the fight, Charlo acknowledged his opponent saying, “Rosado is a tough fighter. He came to fight. He did exactly what we trained for. He’s my strongest fight to date. He did what he had to do. It’s about being in shape. It’s about being in shape to do what we do.”

Speaking about the cut, Charlo said, “Once I saw the eye leaking, I told myself let’s finish this eye up and see what the doctors do. I told you if his eye holds up, we are going to get some work in.”

Rosado also addressed the cut saying, “It’s kind of like my Achilles heel. It’s really tender so it just gets cut early. It is what it is. I am kind of… it’s disappointed. I am forced to fight this way, aggressive. Charlo boxed a good fight but it’s a little frustrating that I have to fight a different style. I have to fight aggressively [because of the judges]. It’s crazy because I didn’t get a round.”

three-rime U.S. Olympian, Rau’she Warren scored an easy 8 round unanimous decision over German Meraz in a Bantamweight bout.

Warren dominated the fight with his superior boxing skills. In the final round, he dropped Meraz with a straight left hand.

Warren, 118 1/2 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 80-72 and 80-71 twice and is now 18-0. Meraz, 119 lbs of Sonora, MX is now 33-28-1.

Good looking lightweight prospect Robert Easter Jr. went the distance for the first time and scored a 8 round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Daniel Attah.

Eatser dominated the bout and scored knockdowns in round’s three and eight from right hands and he cruised home by scores of 80-70 on all cards.

Easter, 134 lbs of Toledo, OH is now 9-0. Attah, 134 1/2 lbs of Washington, DC is now 28-18-1-1.

Former world title challenger Curtis Stevens showed no ill effects of his title losing effort to Gennady Golovkin, needed just 46 seconds to obliterate Patrick Majewski at the Resorts Casino in Atlantic City.

It was ominous from the first punch for Majewski as he was dropped by a non-descript jab. Clearly hurt, Stevens dropped Majewski for a 2nd time after a barrage of punches that was finished off by a left hook. The fight was finished when another flurry of punches landed that sent Majewski down for a 3rd and final time.

Stevens, 161 1/2 lbs is now 26-4 with 19 knockouts. Najewski, 160 1/2 lbs of Atlantic City is now 21-3.

Hasan Young scored four knockdowns en route to a six round unanimous decision over Justin Johnson in a Welterweight bout.

Young scored two knockdowns in round two, one in round’s five and six and cruised to the victor by scores of 60-50 twice and 60-51.

Young, 141 lbs is 5-1-1. Johnson, 141 1/2 lbs is now 6-6-4.

In an eventful 1st round, Thomas Williams Jr. scored a 1st round knockout over Cornelius White in a round that saw Williams register two knockdowns while White scored one of his own at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Washington.

Williams dropped White just thirty seconds into the fight with a hard overhand left. Williams looked like he was going for the finish, White dropped Williams with a hard left hand. Just seconds later, Williams came back to sent White to the canvas for a 2nd time. White was clearly hurt and on wobbly legs as he ate a barrage of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:49.

Williams, 174.8 lbs is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts. White, 174.4 lbs is now 21-3.

Former world champion Rico Ramos scored a 10 round unanimous decision over Jonathan Arellano in a Featherweight bout.

Ramos dropped Arellano twice in round four and once again in round five from left hooks. Arellano fought back and wont round’s six and seven but he was too far from behind on the cards and Ramos won by scores of 98-88 twice and 98-89.

Ramos is now 23-3. Arellano is 14-3-2.

Despite being dropped in the 1st round, Juan Funez scored a 4 round unanimous decision over Marcelo Gallardo in a Featherweight bout.

Gallardo dropped Funez in round one from a combination. Funez came back to win the rest of the rounds on the judges score cards 38-37.

Funez, 125.6 lbs of Van Nuys, CA is 4-0. Funez, 126.2 lbs of Auburn, WA is 3-1.

Antonio Orozco survived a brief scare before scoring a 2nd round stoppage over Miguel Angel Huerta in a scheduled 10 round bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

In round one, Huerta rocked and hurt Orozco with several hard left hands that landed hard. In the openeing seconds of the 2nd round, the tables were turned as Orozco landed a huge right that sent Huerta to the canvas. Huerta never fully recovered as he continued to eat a big flurry of punches until the fight was stopped at 1:00 of round two.

Orozco, 141 1/2 lbs of San Diego, CA is now 19-0 with 15 knockouts. Huerta, 142 lbs of Mexico City is now 27-12-1.

Julian Ramirez pounded out an eight round unanimous decision over Derrick Wilson in a Featherweight bout.

Ramirez scored a knockdown in round one from a straight left. Ramirez continued to win the rounds but Wilson fought well in spots. Ramirez landed a combination that was set up by a straight left in round seven that sent Wilson down to the canvas. Ramirez went in for the stoppage but Wilson went down do to slips on two occasions.

Ramirez, 123 3/4 lbs of East Los Angeles, California won by scores of 79-71, 78-72 and 78-72 and is now 10-0. Wilson, 123 1/2 lbs of Fort Myers, FL is now 10-6-2.

Dominic Breazeale scored a stoppage at the end of round three of a scheduled 8 round Heavyweight bout over Homer Fonseca

Breazeale used his 10 inch height advantage to pound away at the portly Fonseca and his corner stopped the bout in between round three and four.

David Sanchez scored a 4th round stoppage over Marco Demecillo in a scheduled 12 round Super Flyweight bout in a Hermosillo, Mexico.

Sanchez dropped Demcillo with a hard body shot and the fight was stopped at 2:56 of round four.

Sanchez, 115 lbs is now 24-2-2 with 19 knockouts. Demecillo, 115 lbs is 19-2-1.

Francisco Rodriguez stopped Ernesto Guerrero in round five of a scheduled eight round Flyweight bout.

The fight was stopped when Guerrero suffered an apparent rib injury and the fight was stopped at 2:11 of round five.

Rodriguez, 112 1/4 lbs is now 13-2 with 10 knockouts. Guerrero. 113 lbs is 17-9.

Luis Castro and Gilbert Gutierrez battled to a four round majority draw in a Flyweight bout.

Scores were 39-37 for Castro, 38-38 and 38-38.

Castro, 112 lbs of Hermosillo, Mexico is now 3-0-2. Gutierrez, 114 1/2 lbs is now 1-0-1

Jean Pascal scored a decisive 12 round unanimous decision over Lucian Bute in a Battle of former Montreal based world champions before a sold crowd of 20, 479 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Pascal came out working the body. In round two, Pascal shook Bute with a flurry of punches that also produced a mouse under the left eye of Bute. Pascal was effective with the right in round three. Bute scored later in the round with an uppercut and straight left. In round four, Pascal landed another hard flurry for which Bute looked shaky but took well. Pascal continued to dominate the action for which Bute had no answer for. In fact, there were times were Bute looked like he was there just to watch Pascal as his punch about was around 25 punches per round for the first 11 frames.

Bute had his fire lit before the final frame as he ferociously came out and landed many hard blows on Pascal in thee corner which was much to the delight of the massive crowd assembled at Bell Centre. That rally was too little and much too late for Bute, who may have saved a little face with the attempt of the late heroics.

Pascal, 175 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 116-112, 117-110 and 117-111 and is now 29-2-1. Bute, 173.6 lbs of Montreal is no 31-2.

Undefeated Heavyweight Mike Perez and Carlos Takam battled to a 10 round draw.

It was a tale of two fights as Perez seized a slight advantage early by landing some short shots inside and was effective with the overhand left. In round three, Perez was cut around the right eye from an accidental headbutt. That gave Takam the confidence to begin coming forward and dominated the fight on the inside. Takam clearly had the advantage in the later rounds but in the judges eyes, Perez took enough rounds early to salvage a draw by scores of 96-94 and 95-95 twice.

Perez of Cork, Ireland is now 20-0-1. Takam, 256 lbs of France is now 29-1-1.

Horacio Garcia scored a 1st round stoppage over Fernando Lumacad in the 1st round of their 10 round Super Bantamweight bout at Complejo Panamericano in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Garcia trapped Lumacad on the ropes and landed a right hand that sent Lumacad to the canvas and he could not beat the referee’s 10 count.

Garica of Guadalajara, Mexico is now 25-0 with 17 knockouts. Lumacad of General Santos City, Philippines is now 29-7-3.

Yazmin Rivas scored a 10 round unanimous decision over Calixta Silgado in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Scores were 100-90 on all cards for Rivas who is now 29-8. Silgado is now 11-3-2.

Soledad Vargas (1-0) scored a unanimous decision over Livier Munoz (0-5) in a Minimumweight bout.

Israel Meza (2-0-1) scored a 4 round unanimous decision over Adalberto Garcia (1-1-2) in a Super Flyweight bout.

Miguel Cobarrubias (2-1-1, 1 KO) scored a 1st round stoppage over Luis Angel Hernandez (2-9) in a scheduled four round Lightweight bout.

Ivan Redkach scored a ten round unanimous decision over Tony Luis in a 10 round Lightweight bout at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

Luis matched Redkach in the first two minutes until he got caught at the end of the first round from a right hook that sent him to the canvas. Luis and Redkach fought pretty even over the next several round until Luis ate a big right hook that staggered Luis in round six. Later in the round, the two clashed heads and Luis & Redkach were both bleeding from their forehead. Luis landed a good left hand that hurt Redkach at the end of the round. The fight was nip and tuck and the tenth round was a microcosm of that as they both landed big shots down the stretch.

Redkach, 134 1/4 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 99-90, 97-92 and 97-93 and is now 16-0. Luis, 134 1/2 lbs of Cornwall, ONT, CAN is now 17-2.

“I won the fight clearly,’’ said Redkach, the WBC’s No. 13-ranked contender. “I learned a lot. Tony is a true warrior. He made the fight a dirty fight and I got sucked into that game.

“I will take this as a lesson learned into my next training camp and improve on it.’’

Luis was livid with the scoring. “There’s always room for improvement and I didn’t fight the perfect fight, but I thought this was a much, much closer fight,’’ he said. “I felt I was hurting him, and he was getting tired. I felt I’d knocked him down in the first, but the referee didn’t call it even though his gloves hit the canvas. The ref was breaking us up too soon. He wouldn’t let me work.

“This is very disappointing to say the least.’’

Frank Galarza scored a shocking 2nd round stoppage over previously undefeated John Thompson in a scheduled eight round Jr. Middleweight bout.

After a 1st round where Thompson boxed well, Galarza came out and landed a big right hand that buckled Thompson and thunderous left hook sent Thompson crumpled to the canvas and the fight was stopped 16 seconds into the 2nd round.

Galarza, 153 1/2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 12-0-2 with 8 knockouts. Thompson, 153 1/4 lbs of Newark, NJ is now 14-1.

“Considering this was on a national stage, it has to be one of the very best wins in my career.’’

“Our game plan was to feel him out in the first and then step it up,’’ Galarza said. “The key was to get to him first, to not let him get off.’’

Antoine Douglas took an easy eight round unanimous decision over Marquis Davis in a Middleweight fight featuring undefeated fighters.

Douglas came out with bad intentions as he ripped a big barrage of power punches off of Davis. In round three, Douglas started getting through with some hard uppercuts. he went on to land a nice one-two combination in the round. Davis showed a solid chin. Douglas continued to win rounds and came out in round six throwing more power shots. During that round, a hard left hand knocked a tooth right out of Davis mouth. Douglas cruised down the stretch and even hurt Davis with about twenty seconds left and won the easy decision by scores of 80-72, 80-72 and 79-73.

Douglas, 158 lbs of Burke, VA is now 12-0. Davis, 159 1/2 lbs of Tampa, FL is now 8-1-2.

In an entertaining eight round Jr. Welterweight bout, Maurice Hooker and Abel Ramos battled to a majority draw.

Hooker was the choice early as he jabbed well and started mixing some solid chopping right hands over the first five frames. In round five, Ramos was showing the effects of the punches as he had a swelling around his left eye. Ramos came back to have a big round seven as he mashed some hard shots to the body and head of a visibly tired Hooker. He continued the assault in round eight as he landed a hard left that sent the mouthpiece of Hooker flying. The two battled all the way until the bell, with the last two rounds being big for Ramos to secure the draw by the scores of 77-75, 76-76 and 76-76.

Hooker, 141 1/2 lbs of Dallas, T is now 12-0-2. Ramos, 141 1/2 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ is now 8-0-1.

Longtime power player and WBC President Jose Sulaiman passed away on Thursday at the age of 82 in Los Angeles according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

His death was confirmed by his son, Mauricio Sulaiman, who was his chief lieutenant with the WBC and is expected to take the reins of the organization.

“He certainly treated all fighters as his sons and daughters, he suffered from their problems and worked every single day of his life to try to make boxing better and safer,” the WBC said in a statement. “Regardless if the boxer was an amateur or if he was Mike Tyson or (Julio Cesar) Chavez, he would treat them the same and would relentlessly try to help each one at all times.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, The California Commission denied Welterweight Robert Guerrero’s request to break his contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

“At this time, the California State Athletic Commission declines to accept Mr. Robert Guerrero’s request for arbitration to determine the validity of the ‘term sheet’ dated January 15, 2013, between Robert Guerrero (Boxer) and Golden Boy Promotions, LLC, (Promoter),” the commission said in a letter sent to Golden Boy and Team Guerrero. “The ‘term sheet’ provides that the parties agree to be governed by the laws of the State of New York. Without making any express or implied findings, the California State Athletic Commission directs the parties to resolve their differences in New York.”

“The most productive thing is for Robert and his team to sit down with us and see what we can work out,” said Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer said. “I know we have done a terrific job promoting Robert Guerrero’s career so far, and I look forward to promoting more of his fights in the future. The most productive thing is to get him back in the ring as soon as possible and put this behind us.

Bruce Zabarauskas, Guerrero’s attorney, who signed off on the agreement with the New York language in it, did not have settling the differences on his mind.

“The fight is just starting,” he told ESPN.com.

Luke Rockhold scored a 1st round stoppage over Costas Philippou in a scheduled 5 round Middleweight bout in Daluth, Georgia.

Rockhold landed a kick to the stomach and Philippou crumbled to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 2:31 of round one.

Rockhold, 185 lbs of San Jose, CA is now 11-2. Philippou, 185 lbs of Long Island, NY is now 12-4-1.

Brad Tavares scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Lorenz Loarkin in a Middleweight fight.

Scores were 29-28 on all cards for Tavares, , 185 lbs of Las Vegas is now 12-2. Larkin, 185 lbs of Riverside, CA is now 14-2-1.

TJ Dillashaw scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Mike Easton in a Bantamweight fight.

Dillashaw, 135 lbs of Sacramento, CA won by scores of 30-27 on all cards and is now 10-2. Easton, 135 lbs of Camps Springs, MD is now 13-4.

Yoel Romero scored a 3rd round stoppage over Derek Brunson in a Middleweight bout.

Romero punched out Brunson while he was on the ground and the bout was stopped at 3:23.

Romero, 185 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is now 7-1. Brunson, 185 lbs of Wilmington, NC is now 11-3.

John Moraga won a 3 round split decision over Dustin Ortiz.

Moraga, 126 lbs of Phoenix, AZ won two cards via 29-28 and is now 14-2. Ortiz, 124 lbs of Franklin, TN won a card 29-28 but is now 12-3.

Cole Miller scored a 2nd round choke out over Sam Sacilia in a Featherweight bout.

Miller made Sacilia tap out with a Rear Naked choke at 1:54 of round two.

Miller, 145 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL is now 21-8. Sacilia, 145 lbs of Spokane, WA is now 12-4

Ramsey Nijam scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Justin Edwards in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 for Nijam, 155 lbs of Orem, UT and is now 9-4. Edwards, 155 lbs of Bellfontaine, OH is now 9-4.

Elias Silverio scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Isaac Valle-Flagg in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 30-27 on all cards for Silverio, 155 lbs of Sao Paulo, Brazil and is now 10-0. Valle-Flagg, 155 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is now 14-4-1.

Trevor Smith scored a 3 round split decision over Bobby Houston in a Middleweight fight.

Scores were 29-28 twice for Smith and 29-28 for Houston.

Smith, 186 lbs of Turkiwilla, WA is now 11-4. Houston, 185 lbs of Omaha, NE is now 4-2.

Louis Smolka scored a 3 round unanimous decision over Alpteyin Ozklic in a Flyweight bout.

Scores were 29-28 on all three cards for Smolka, 125 lbs from Kapolet, HI and is now 70. Ozklic, 125 lbs of St. Louis, MO is now 9-2.

Former IBF Middleweight champion Darren Barker has announced his retirement due to injuries following his December knockout to defeat to Felix Sturm According to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I’m so proud and happy at what I’ve achieved. When I won my first national (amateur) title as a kid I could have retired a happy boy then, so to have won all the major titles possible for me I’m a very, very happy man,” Barker said. “I did this all for my (late) brother Gary — we did it mate! I’m now looking forward to sitting back and being a keen fan and wishing all my fellow countrymen all the best in their careers.”

“I would like to thank my family for their support, without them none of what I achieved would have been possible,” Barker said. “My fantastic friends and all the fans that brought tickets to my fights and traveled the country and world supporting me, I really appreciate it and thank you.

“Tony Sims — he constantly got the best out of me and he’s more than a fantastic trainer. He’s a mentor and very good friend. (Promoter) Eddie Hearn and the rest of the guys at Matchroom Sport for getting me the big fights and elevating me to another level and, ultimately, getting me the fight that helped me realize a dream, and I’ve also met some friends for life there.”

“It is with both sadness and joy that Darren Barker announces his retirement from the sport today,” said Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn. “Darren has been an exemplary role model for any young fighter and a wonderful ambassador for boxing. The sport of boxing is in Darren’s blood.”

“Darren has overcome many adversities in his career,” Hearn said. “The greatest (was) the loss of his brother Gary at just 19, but a series of career-threatening injuries have made Darren’s journey even more remarkable and no one will ever forget that magical night in Atlantic City on Aug. 17, 2013, when Darren realized his dream by capturing the IBF world middleweight title against Daniel Geale.

“Unable to run in his preparation for that fight (because of the hip problem), Darren adapted his training and summoned the most incredible amount of mental desire to win. I will never forget Michael Buffer’s words ‘and the new…,’ a moment that made us all so proud but no one more than his late brother Gary. I feel that night took a piece of Darren’s soul and whilst in his preparation for the Sturm fight he showed the same amount of intensity and desire, the damage on his body and numerous operations meant that he was unable to give Felix the fight he needed to defend his title.

“(After) a visit to the hospital for treatment to his hip and the disappointment of losing his world title, Darren’s family a friends made their way back to the hotel. We shared a beer and just by looking in his eyes I knew it was all over but Darren Barker was at peace, the struggle was over but he had achieved all he ever wanted.”

Former Lightweight champion Antonio Demarco stopped Jesus Gurrola in round two of a scheduled 10 round Jr. Welterweight bout at Casino Hipodromo Agua Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico.

DeMarco dropped Gurrola in round one from a right hook and he finished the fight in round two when he knocked Gurrola down in round two from a straight left. Gurrola spit his mouthpiece out and the fight was stopped at 2:57 of round two.

DeMarco, 145 3/4 lbs of Tijuana, Mexico is now 30-3-1 with 23 knocmouts. Gurrola, 145 3/4 lbs of Mexicali. MX was stopped for the 1st time and is now 20-6-3.

Rodrigo Garcia remained perfect by scoring a 4th round stoppage over Claudinei Lacerda in round four of a scheduled 8 round Jr. Welterweight bout.

Garcia landed a barrage of punches and the fight was stopped at 2:17 of round four.

Garica, 148 1/2 lbs of Santa Ana, CA is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. LaCerda, 148 1/2 lbs is now 16-10

Juan Antonio Rodriguez scored an eight round majority decision over late replacement Yenifel Vicente in a Jr. Lightweight bout at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.

Rodriguez used his size to push the action. Vicente fought well in spots as he tried to use quick shots as he went up two weight classes on five days notice.

Rodriguez, 129 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 77-75 on two cards and 76-76 and is now 25-4. Vicente, 129 lbs of the Dominican Republic is now 25-2-2.

Zahir Raheem scored a ten round unanimous decision over Bayan Jargal in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Scores were 99-91, 91-91 and 97-93 for Raheem, 139 lbs and is now 35-3. Jargal, 139 1/2 lbs of Mongolia is now 17-5-3.

Lateef Kayode remained undefeated by scoring a 6th round stoppage over Jonta Willis in a scheduled eight round Heavyweight bout.

Willis was solid throughout the contest and started to really dominate after the fourth round. In the sixth round, Kayode landed body shots that sent Willis across the ring. Kayode landed a barrage of punches on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:07 of round six.

Kayode, 222 lbs of Hollywood, CA is now 20-0 with 16 knockouts. Wllis, 219 1/4 lbs is now 9-8-1.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Adrien Broner will exercise his rematch clause and get right back in with the man who took his WBA Welterweight title in Marcos Maidana.

“My mind is set on war,” Broner told ESPN.com on Friday. “I had a bad night. He was the better man that night, but he didn’t beat me. He outhustled me. I respect everything. I respect him. But I’m ready to go back to war and get my belt back.

“I’m taking boxing back to what it used to be. They created a monster. (The loss) woke up a monster.”

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said he thinks the fight will be either April 19 or April 26, and will take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., or San Antonio’s Alamodome, site of the December fight.

“I think the first fight was a helluva fight and a fight of the year candidate,” said Schaefer, who originally said at ringside after the fight that there was no rematch clause but corrected his mistake Friday. “Adrien is still very young, and he wants to set the record straight. And for Maidana, I am sure he is licking his chops to get his hands on Broner again.

“I don’t think there was much love between those two before the fight, during the fight or after the fight. I know we can expect fireworks again in the lead up to the fight, at the press conferences and during the fight. As a fight fan, I am excited. I can’t wait.”

“I wanted to go right back to camp after the fight, but I knew my body wasn’t able to go to camp physically,” Broner said. “But mentally I wanted to box. I know what I gotta do in the rematch and I will do it. It will be a different outcome. I am starting to get myself ready. It’ll be another good fight. I gotta go get mine back.”

“I got real people in my corner,” Broner said. “And I’m not going to change no trainers. It has nothing to do with the trainer. My trainer (Mike Stafford) can’t fight for me. I have a helluva coach. He’s one of the best in the world. So I took a loss. But my check was amazing.”

“We are open to hear offers as always, and Broner may be of them, I guess,” Contursi told ESPN.com. “All we know is Maidana has earned the right to fight for big money after his impressive win over Broner and after being one of the most attractive fighters out there in the last few years. … But if Golden Boy and Al Haymon (adviser to Maidana, Broner and Mayweather) think a rematch with Broner is the best option, we will wait for their offer.”

Said Broner: “The rematch will have a different outcome guaranteed. I’m happy for (Maidana). I want him to have his 15 minutes of fame. At the end of the day, nobody is talking about his victory. They are talking about Adrien Broner’s loss. Some people don’t even know who I lost to. They just know I lost.”

Argenis Mendez has appealed his 2nd round knockout to Rances Barthelemy that cost him his IBF Jr. Lightweight title when Barthelemy landed the decisive blows after the bell according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It’s pretty simple,” attorney Pat English told ESPN.com. “The bell rang and punches were thrown after the bell. Punches after the bell hit Mr. Mendez and the rules say that is a foul. Mr. Mendez was unable to continue. It’s very clear that it should be handled as a no contest.”

Barthelemy’s team was notified of the appeal and will submit its own comments, Warriors Boxing’s Leon Margules, Barthelemy’s promoter, said Thursday night.

“We have until January 17th to respond,” he said. “But the referee is the sole arbiter of the fight. There’s no question that Rances was on his way to the knockout victory, and anyone who watched the fight knows that. He was hurt badly even before the knockout.

“Everything has to be evaluated. There is a reason the referee is a sole arbiter of the fight and he made a decision. Do I think he did a good job? I think that he maybe he saved the kid (Mendez) from further punishment. He called the knockout a legal blow. To take my fighter’s title away from him that he earned in the ring is wrong.”

“Mr. Podgorski erred, pure and simple. He had a bad night, with many good ones,” English wrote in the appeal. “This protest is a way of rectifying that bad night, not a condemnation.”

Former two division champion Tomasz Adamek will take on Vyacheslav Glazkov in a Heavyweight bout on March 15th at the Sands in Bethlehem according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The bout, which will be televised on NBC Sports Network was originally to take place on November 16th but Adamek withdrew due to an illness and he was replaced by Garrett Wilson.

“We had the right to reschedule the bout between Adamek and Glazkov in the contract and we invoked that right away,” said Main Events Kathy Duva. “We want to do the fight. The fighters want to do the fight. We think it’s a terrific fight and meaningful heavyweight fight and we didn’t want to lose it. Tomasz was sick for a few days and now he is fine.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will take on Alfredo Anguko on March 8th in Las Vegas and will be televised via Showtime Pay Per View.

“The fight is done. Signed, sealed and delivered,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “Both guys are excited and ready to put on a show. These are two Mexican warriors and two of the most exciting fighters in the sport and it will be a toe-to-toe battle. That is what we are calling the card, ‘Toe to Toe.'”

“Canelo is a huge star, so going on pay-per-view was not an issue,” Schaefer said. “You see it when he goes somewhere in Los Angeles or Mexico. He has that charisma where people are drawn to him. I saw that in San Antonio in December when he came to the (Marcos Maidana-Adrien Broner card). The ovation he got was crazy. People embrace him. The fans go nuts, the females love him. You win some and you lose some. He had his first loss against Mayweather, the best fighter in the world, and there is no shame in that.

“But just because you lose to Floyd doesn’t mean you lose. He’s been exposed to so many people because of it, and that increased exposure is a good thing for Canelo and his career.

“His eye is fine. He was cleared about six weeks after the fight with Lara and he didn’t need surgery,” Michael Miller, Angulo’s manager, said. “He’s very excited and he’s looking forward to fighting Canelo. People know they’re going to get a helluva show no matter who wins. Nobody will be a loser that night because it’s going to be a memorable fight I believe.

“Angulo is going to hit Canelo and we’ll see what he can do when he gets by a big puncher.”

If Schaefer get the deal done, junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) would defend his belt in a mandatory defense against former two-time junior bantamweight titleholder and Mexican countryman Cristian Mijares.(49-7-2, 24 KOs), who has won two fights in a row since losing a split decision to Victor Terrazas for a vacant title in April. Santa Cruz then knocked out Terrazas in the third round in his first defense to win the title on Aug. 24.

Schaefer is also hoping to finalize a pair of lightweight bouts. In one fight, interim titlist Omar Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) would make his first defense against Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KOs), Canelo’s older brother.

Figueroa won the vacant interim belt in July by outpointing Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) in a savage fight of the year candidate and has not fought since. Neither has Japan’s Arawaka, who would return to face former junior lightweight and featherweight titlist Jorge Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) — a Venezuelan who lives in Japan — in the opener of the pay-per-view.

“When they have these infomercials on TV and you are ready to dial the phone and buy the product, I want this card to be an infomercial for the sport of boxing,” Schaefer said. “You announce the main and people get excited. But you say, ‘But wait, there’s more.’ I don’t have all three of these fights done yet, but I am working to get them done.

“It’s one of those cards where you can be proud of putting it on because you know when people turn on the TV you know they are going to be entertained.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former world champion Robert Guerrero has taken the legal steps to get out of his contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

“What his issues are, I can’t tell you. You’d have to ask him,” Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “We have totally complied with our contract with regard to the minimum purses and the number of fights, so I don’t know what they are basing this on.”

“Robert wouldn’t have authorized the arbitration if he was happy with Golden Boy,” Bruce Zabarauskas, Guerrero’s attorney, told ESPN.com, declining to go into the particulars of why Guerrero was unhappy.

“The contract was not signed under California law, it was done under New York law, so you can’t have the California commission rule on a New York promotional contract,” Schaefer said. “Most of our promotional agreements are governed by New York law because that is where most of our sponsor deals and television deals are also governed, and we want to have consistency. Guerrero agreed to have his contract under New York law, and he was legally represented when he signed it.”

Zabarauskas disputed Schaefer’s view of the California commission’s jurisdiction.

“You have a California fighter and a California promoter,” he said of Guerrero, who is from Gilroy, Calif., and Golden Boy, which is based in Los Angeles. “If you buy Golden Boy’s position, they can evade California commission rules whenever they want.”

“He made a career-high payday last year and we put him in with Andre Berto in a big fight before that,” Schaefer said. “We gave him the exposure he wanted and he made a lot of money. I’m proud of how we have promoted Robert Guerrero and of the money we have made for him.

“The guy was on my ass to get him the Mayweather fight for a long time. Finally, I get him the deal and now he is unhappy. I don’t understand.”

“They insisted on the extension or they wouldn’t give him the Mayweather fight,” Zabarauskas said.

“If Robert wants to fight, we have a fight for him. We have lots of fights for him,” Schaefer said, ticking off the numerous name fighters he promotes in and around Guerrero’s 147-pound weight class, including titleholders Shawn Porter and Marcos Maidana, Thurman and former titleholders Adrien Broner, Paulie Malignaggi and Victor Ortiz as well as junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia. “There are more. The list goes on and on. Robert turned down a couple of fights, but I am just going to let this play out and deal with it. We have to wait to hear from California if there is a hearing or not. In the meantime, we will keep offering him fights.”

“They made us one offer for one fight (with Thurman) that didn’t comply with our agreement,” he said.

“I’m going to have to have a serious word with Floyd,” Schaefer said. “These guys beg me for Mayweather and then I deliver them the fight and they lose, and I guess they blame me. You saw it with Juan Manuel Marquez. I got him the fight with Mayweather and he lost every second of every round. You saw it with (Shane) Mosley, who lost almost every second of every round and you saw it with Guerrero. I don’t know what Floyd is doing to these guys.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Lightweight champion Richar Abril will defend his title against Edward Troyanovsky in Russia.

“I have a deal with Abril,” Promoter Vlad Hrunov told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “It’s a big fight for our country.” The fight will be Abril’s second bout outside the United States. In 2011, he traveled to Panama and won a unanimous decision against Panama’s Miguel Acosta in a 135-pound interim title bout.