Jesus Saracho won a 10-round split decision over Alberto Palmetta in a welterweight bout at the Pro Box Event Center in Plant City, Florida.

Saracho, 144.2 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 97-93 and 96-94, while Palmetta won a card card 96-94.

Saracho is 14-2-1. Palmetta, 146.9 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 19-3.

Emiliano Moreno remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Rashield Williams in a welterweight bout.

Moreno, 146 lbs of Long Beach, CA won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 10-0. Williams, 146.6 lbs of Nassau, BAH is 11-3.

Jonathan Navarro shook off a five-year layoff and on the strength of a disputed knockdown remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Clarence Booth in a super lightweight bout.

In round one, Navarro landed a hard overhand right that sent Booth hard into the ropes that was ruled a knockdown.

Navarro, 142.6 lbs of East Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 76-75 on all cards is now 18-0. Booth, 143.4 lbs of Jacksonville, FL is 21-11.

Terrence Williams had to get off the deck to win a six-round split decision over Roberto Escobar in a welterweight bout.

In round two, Escobar dropped Williams with a left hook.

Williams, 146.6 lbs of Tarpon Springs, FL won two cards by 58-56 tallies. Escobar won a card 57-56.

Williams is now 7-0. Escobar, 146 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 6-3-1.

Michael Pirotton remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Rashad Coulter in a heavyweight bout.

Pirotton, 228.6 lbs of Liege, BEL won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 9-0. Coukter, 246.6 lbs of Dallas is 5-4.

By Mario Ortega Jr. (Ringside)

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA – In the first-ever boxing event held at Banner Island Ballpark, local hero Gabriel Flores Jr. bested a determined Ronal Ron en route to a hotly-contested eight-round unanimous decision victory. 

Ron (14-6, 11 KOs) of Chino Hills, California by way of Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela proved better than advertised, especially considering one would be hard-pressed to find any pre-fight ballyhoo mentioning him by name. 

Flores (23-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton was satisfied to play the role of the boxer as Ron was the aggressor for much of the bout. 

Flores, the WBA #12 ranked lightweight, started the fight in control, as his superior technical skill proved a problem for Ron, 134.4, through the first two rounds. 

Ron pressed the action for much of the third stanza, as Flores, 134.8, was content to fight off of his back foot. Flores may have been urged by his corner after the third, as he seemed to come out with renewed vigor. After a heated exchange, Ron developed a cut near his left eye that referee Edward Collantes ruled was from a punch in the fourth. 

Following a competitive fifth round, Ron landed well with combinations in the sixth, as Flores continued to play the role of counter-puncher to varying degrees of success. When the Stockton native boxed and moved, Ron had trouble finding the target. When Flores found himself stationary or on the ropes, the Venezuelan was far more successful. 

Flores took a more forceful approach to close out the final two rounds, snapping Ron’s head back along the ropes late. Flores boxed well down the stretch to punctuate his performance. 

Final scores read a little wider than some of the action indicated, as Flores earned the unanimous verdict by scores of 79-73 and 78-74 twice. 

With the win, Flores successfully defended his regional WBA Continental USA title and more importantly stays on track for bigger and better things in the lightweight division. 

Journeyman Andrew Rogers (9-12-3, 3 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana scored a workmanlike eight-round unanimous decision to notch an upset over Julian Rodarte (19-2-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California. 

Some of the pre-fight shenanigans will likely garner some scrutiny from those in the know, as Rogers, 140, weighed-in five pounds over the contracted weight on Friday morning. After some negotiating, the bout was allowed to proceed, with Rogers agreeing to a secondary weigh-in Saturday to limit his rehydration. 

Rodarte, 134.4, opened the bout well, outworking Rogers in the first two rounds. The fight began to turn in the third after a left hook staggered Rodarte briefly and may have initiated a small cut.

Rodarte pressed the action in the fourth and slowed Rogers with his body attack  but with was the Indiana native that had more in the tank down the stretch. 

Rodarte, looking a little weary in the seventh, finding himself on his knees twice from slips. Rogers was rough on the inside and looked to be the heavier, stronger fighter as the fight came to a close. All three judges scored the bout for Rogers, 77-75. 

Former standout amateur Lorenzo Powell (2-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California scored two knockdowns en route to a one-sided drubbing of converted MMA fighter Ethan Rowan (0-1) of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Powell, 137.2, rocked Rowan, 139, with the first combination he threw and quickly scored knockdown number one. When Rowan returned to his feet, Powell moved-in quickly and downed Rowan with a left to the body. As soon as Rowan crumpled to the ground, referee Edward Collantes called the one-sided bout at 51 seconds of round one. 

In an entertaining scrap, super flyweight prospect Andrew Rodriguez (4-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California turned back a determined Alejandro Robles (0-4) of Modesto, California via four-round majority decision. 

The term “better-than-his record” was created for guys like Robles, 115.8, who stood in there with the multidimensional Rodriguez, 113.8, throughout the bout. 

In the end, official judges preferred the offensive output of Rodriguez. Judge Kermit Bayliss scored the bout even, 38-38, but was overruled by judges David Hartman, 40-36, and Brian Tsukamoto, 39-37. 

Former amateur star Steve Canela of San Jose, California had hoped to make his pro debut tonight, but a late opponent switch was only approved for an exhibition by the California State Athletic Commission. 

Veteran Pedro Pinillo (5-8, 5 KOs) of Cali, Colombia had fought just eight days ago in Georgia, but was willing to fight Canela Saturday night in Stockton. 

Canela, 144.6, was consistently first throughout the contest as Pinillo, 145.4, kept a low guard, but hung in there with his fresher adversary. At the bout’s conclusion, ring announcer Lupe Contreeras declared the exhibition had been scored even. 

In under one-round, super bantamweight prospect Ab Lozano (2-0, 2 KOs) of Martinez, California made short work of Wild Card Boxing Club regular sparring partner Rod Sarguilla (2-6, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, California by way of Midsayap, Cotabato, Philippines.

Throughout the brief contest, the stronger Lozano, 123.8, was in complete control of 

Sarguilla, 123. Lozano forced Sarguilla to the ropes and was unrelenting in his assault. Referee Michael Margado repeatedly asked Sarguilla to show him something, but when the southpaw Lozano rocked Sarguilla late in the round, the official had seen enough. Time of the stoppage was 2:50 of round one.

G-Squad Entertainment has an October 12th date on hold at the Stockton Memorial Auditorium, which lines up perfectly for a Flores return. 
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (July 19, 2024) — Tickets are on sale for the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) 8th Annual Awards & Induction Weekend to be held Friday September 27^th, Saturday September 28^th, and Sunday September 29^th, 2024 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Boardwalk Resorts – Flagship Hotel. 

The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) Weekend commences at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on Friday September 27^th with all 2024 Living Inductees CONFIRMED to attend this year’s festivities.

2024 INDUCTION CLASS:

FIGHTERS: James Buster Douglas, Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams, Gerry Cooney, Mark Breland, Sharmba Mitchell, Tyrone Mitchell Frazier, Mario Maldonado and Eva Jones-Young CONTRIBUTORS: James “Buddy” Mcgirt, Bruce Blair, Sampson Lewkowicz, Eric Bottjer, Randy Gordon, Guy Gargan POSTHUMOUSLY: Howard Davis Jr., Jay Larkin, Eddie Cotton PIONEERS: Eric Seelig, George Godfrey, Joey Giardello

“Thank you esteemed colleagues for selecting me for a prestigious position such as an inductee in the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame! This is a great honor and I salute you all. Moreover, Atlantic City has been great to me throughout my career and I have fond memories of the many fights fought there while pursuing my Championship journey. I look forward to seeing you all in September 2024.” – James Buster Douglas

“Atlantic City holds many great memories from my boxing career, where I experienced triumph and defeat. The iconic Boardwalk Hall marked the start of my recognition on the world boxing stage, establishing me as one of the best globally. I’m humbled and forever grateful for being inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame with a rich boxing history. Thank you for this extraordinary recognition.” – Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez

“I cherish the memories from my time in Atlantic City, where numerous significant moments unfolded in my life. I’m so proud to be honored by A. C. Boxing Hall of Fame, particularly at this juncture in my life when it might seem that the efforts I invested to achieve championship status are overlooked by many. I’m humbled by this recognition” – Paul Williams 

Weekend at a Glance:

 Friday September 27th, 2024 Live Broadcast of SiriusXM Radio Show “At the Fights” hosted by: Gerry Cooney and Randy Gordon Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm in Lobby of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City 

 Friday September 27th, 2024 The Opening Bell VIP Cocktail Reception Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm, $60.00 entry fee online and/or at the door, join us inside The Balcony – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City 

Friday September 27th, 2024 Hard Hitting Promotions presents: Live Championship Boxing at: Resorts Hotel & Casino Atlantic City – Legendary Superstar Theater Time: 7:00pm – 12am

 Saturday September 28th, 2024 Fight Fan Experience in Sound Waves Lobby Area – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City Time:10:00am – 2:00pm,

The Highlight of the weekend is Saturday, evening September 28^th, red-carpet formal Awards & Induction Ceremony which takes place in an award show atmosphere. Join us as we honor all who helped make Atlantic City a worldwide boxing Mecca. Attendees will also enjoy the opportunity to mix and mingle in our Pre & Post VIP Cocktail Receptions with boxing royalty and special guests.  

Sunday, September 29^th Brunch & Comedy Show at: Back Stage Café – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm 

Sunday, September 29^th Cigars, Sip & Mingle with Legends at Tennessee Ave Tobacco Company Time: 3:00pm – 6:00pm 

Tickets can be purchased by visiting: Ticketmaster | ticket prices for Awards & Induction Ceremony are: $125.00 & $60.00 please visit our website for all event tickets, room reservations and full event schedule and itinerary by visiting us at: www.acbhof.com  

A special thanks to our sponsors and supporters: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, Boardwalk Resorts – Flagship Hotel, Mayor Marty Small Sr., City of Atlantic City, Bare Knuckle Fighting Champions, Hard Hitting Promotions, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, The Irish Pub-Atlantic City, D’Arcy Johnson Day-Lawyers, O.C.E.A.N Inc; Community Action Partnership & Atlantic City PAL, Sampson Boxing, Quail Hill Realty-Smithville, Holman Wealth Management, Tennessee Ave Tobacco Company, Sparbar LTD, Patrick Killian Arts, Guzman Gloves, Adams Boxing, WBC, IBF, Icons of Boxing Memorabilia and Fight Night Apparel

For more information, visit the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame’s website at: www.acbhof.com

ATLANTIC CITY (July 16, 2024)–On Friday night, July 26th, boxing returns to Tropicana Atlantic City as Boxing Insider returns for another exciting night of action.

Tickets are now on sale for $63, $103, $203 and $303 and can be purchased at the following link:

https://www.ticketmaster.com/boxinginsider-live-professional-boxing-atlantic-city-new-jersey-07-26-2024/event/020060CD00CE6AFA

The main event will feature former lineal world heavyweight title challenger Otto Wallin (26-2, 15 KOs) of New York via Sweden take on Onoriode Ehwarieme (20-4, 19 KOs) of Miami in a eight-round battle of big punching heavyweights.

The undercard will be filled with local and undefeated fighters.

In a six-round bout, undefeated Atlantic City native, Justin Figueroa (9-0, 7 KOs) fights Victor Mendoza Arreola (4-1, 2 KO) of Colorado Springs, Colorado in a junior middleweight bout.

In four-round bouts, Atlantic City native Bruce Seldon Jr, (1-0, 1 KO) takes on Isaiah Margheim (1-3) of Sandusky, Ohio in a heavyweight clash.

Jason Castanon (1-0, 1 KO) of New York battles Arvontae Dukes (2-0) of Bronx, NY in a battle of undefeated junior welterweights.

Jacob Solis (4-0, 4 KOs) of New York puts his perfect mark on the line against James Abraham (2-1-1, 2 KOs) in an inter-borough battle of middleweights.

19-time National Amateur champion Marco Romero (1-0, 1 KO) of Kansas City fights Victor Pradis (2-0) of Covington, Louisiana in a scrap of undefeated super middleweights.

Stacia Suttles of the Bronx will make her pro debut against Kalindria Faria (1-1) of Sao Paulo, Brazil in a four-round lightweight bout.

“Irish” Micky Ward will be in attendance to meet and greet fans and sign autographs.

Miami, Florida – Trifon Petrov has signed the undefeated Cuban prospect, Dayan Depestre to a multi-year managerial deal. 

Dayan Depestre was born in Cuba, but now resides in Miami. The undefeated Middleweight was Cuban National Amateur Champion before moving to the United States and turning professional. 

Depestre currently has a record of 3-0 (3KOs) as a professional boxer. His only blemish was a split decision draw against fellow undefeated Euri Cedeño. Depestre took the Cedeño fight on a very short notice because of the opportunity to fight on DAZN. 

“The Cedeño fight was a blessing in disguise. I took the fight on a one week notice and we fought to a draw, but it allowed me to showcase my skills in front of somebody like Trifon Petrov,” said Depestre. 

Trifon Petrov who also manages Euri Cedeño took notice of Dayan Depestre during that fight. 

“I was ringside, and it was a phenomenal fight to watch between two of the best young fighters in the weight class. Cedeño, who’s fighting under the Top Rank and ESPN banner now, has been on a tear before and after the Depestre fight. Dayan was the only fighter who gave Euri any problems,” said Trifon Petrov. 

Depestre trains under Rodolfo Campo at the Alpha Pro Center in Miami. 

“I met with Rodolfo and Dayan in Miami a couple of weeks ago, and we had a great conversation that led me to signing Dayan. I am excited to add another top Middleweight to my team,” added Petrov. 

Dayan Depestre is scheduled to return to the ring on September 6th in Houston on a televised show by DAZN and promoted by Red Owl Boxing. In the main event on that card, we will see another fighter managed by Trifon Petrov in the undefeated Welterweight Thanjhae Teasley.

Toledo, Ohio – Trifon Petrov has signed the undefeated Toledo native, Wayne Lawrence to a multi-year managerial deal. 

Lawrence started boxing at an early age of 3 and quickly became a child boxing sensation. Wayne, who’s better known as “Pretty Boy Bam Bam”, was a guest on t Ellen DeGeneres when he was 7 years old. He also appeared on ESPN First Take, and on Dr. Oz, as well as co-starring alongside Floyd Mayweather in the video of the song “Undisputed” by Ludacris. 

Boxing is a family affair for the Lawrence’s family. Pretty Boy Bam Bam has been trained by his father, Wayne Lawrence Sr. his whole life. 

Wayne Lawrence turned professional in 2021 and has a record of 7-0 (4KOs). 

“We’ve struggled getting fights,” Lawrence said. “People kept turning us down. Nobody really wants to fight me, so my career has been stagnant. I am ready to get national exposure and showcase my talent on TV. Trifon Petrov is one of the best in the game right now. His fighters consistently fight on tv, they fight for titles and stay active. I am excited to work with him and allow him to guide my career moving forward.”

The 22-year-old last fought in April on a local show in Cleveland. Wayne Lawrence stopped journeyman Ira Terry in the second round of their contest. 

“Wayne is extremely marketable and talented fighter. I’ve been following his career for some time now, and I’m happy that we are finally able to work together. We have some exciting things in the works for him. I am expecting him to make his television debut later this year,” said Petrov. 

PHILADELPHIA-–Jaron “Boots” Ennis made a happy homecoming as he stopped gritty David Avanesyan after round five to retain the IBF Welterweight title before a very impressive crowd of 14,119 fans at Wells Fargo Center.

Ennis showed off his immense natural ability by landing some swift and powerful combinations. Ennis landed some serious body shots and slowly started to break down Avanestyan. Avanesyan touched up Ennis by landing some shots as he stood in the pocket against the undefeated champion.

In round five, Avanesyan was having his best round UNTIL, a right hook caught the challenger on the side of the head and the Armenian was sent to the canvas. Ennis continued to land hard combinations and battered Avanesyan at the end of the frame.

In the corner, it was determined that Avanesyan had suffered enough of a beating and the fight was halted.

Ennis, 146.4 lbs is 32-0 with 28 knockouts. Avanesyan, 147 lbs of Newark, ENG is 30-5-1.

Jalil Hackett Decisions Peter Dobson

Jalil Hackett remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Peter Dobson in a welterweight clash.

Dobson controlled the action as he landed some solid combinations. Dobson stood in tough and was able to make the fight closer down the stretch as it was too little. too late as Hackett won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94.

Hackett landed 200 of 700 punches. Dobson was 127 of 447.

Hackett, 146.4 lbs of Washington, DC is 9-0. Dobson, 146.6 lbs of Bronx, NY is 16-2.

Skye Nicolson Retains Featherweight Title with Decision over Vargas

Skye Nicolson retained the WBC Featherweight title as she boxed her way to an easy 10-round unanimous decision over Dyana Vargas.

Nicolson boxed and moved perfectly as she opened the fight up by featuring a stiff jab. In the middle rounds Nicolson started landing at will with her straight left. Nicolson was very crafty with her feet as she was always a couple of steps ahead both offensively and defensively for Vargas.

Nicolson landed 135 of 329 punches. Vargas was 28 if 248.

Nicolson, 125.6 lbs of Queensland, AUS won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 11-0. Vargas, 125.6 lbs of The Dominican Republic is 19-2.

Khalil Coe Stops Ritter in 2

Khalil Coe remained undefeated with a two round destruction of Kwame Ritter in their 10-round light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Coe hurt Ritter with a hard left hook. Coe followed the up and landed huge left hook that put Ritter on the canvas. Ritter was hurt and Coe pounced on him by landing hard shots until a right hand knocked Ritter along the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:59.

Coe, 174 lbs of Jersey City, NJ is 9-0-1 with seven knockouts. Ritter, 173 lb of Baltimore is 11-2.

Christopher Diaz stopped Derlyn Hernandez in round two of their eight-round super featherweight bout.

Diaz, 131.4 lbs of Puerto Rico is 29-4 with 19 knockouts. Hernandez, 131.4 lbs of the Dominican Republic is 12-2-1.

Christian Carto stopped former world title challenger Carlos Buitragp after round three of their eight-round super bantamweight bout.

In round three, Carto scored a knockdown when he landed a right in the corner.. Carto continued to pound away on Buitragp. The corner pulled Buitago out of the fight following the round.

Carto, 124.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 24-1 with 16 knockouts. Buitrago, 125.8 lbs of Managua, NIC is 38-14-1.

Ismail Muhammad staved off an early knockdown and scored one of his own as he won a six-round unanimous decision over Frank Brown in a super lightweight bout.

In round one, Muhammad walked into a perfect right from Brown that put him on the canvas. Later in the round, Brown was cut over his right eye that may have come from a clash of heads during the knockdown punch.

In round four, Muhammad dropped Brown with a right to the top of the head.

Muhammad, 144 lbs of Philadelphia won on two cards by 58-54 scores and 57-55 and is now 5-0. Brown, 144.2 lbs of San Antonio is 3-5-2.

Dennis Thompson made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Fernando Valdez in a bantamweight bout.

Thompson, 116.6 lbs of of Philadelphia battered Valdes and won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 1-0. Valdes, 119.2 lbs of Salta, ARG is 1-8.

Haven Brady Jr. remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Jesus Vazquez Jr. in a junior lightweight bout at the OTE Arena in Atlanta.

Brady landed 184 of 522 punches. Vazquez was 40 of 346.

Brady, 130 lbs of Albany, GA won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 13-0. Vazquez, 133 lbs of Los Angeles is 11-3.

Saul Sanchez won an eight-round unanimous decision over Arthur Villanueva in a bantamweight fight.

Sanchez, 119 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 78-74 twice and 77-75 and is now 21-3. Villanueva, 119 lbs of Bagp City, PHL is 35-6-1.

Oshae Jones stopped Simone Da Silva in round five of a scheduled eight-round junior middleweight bout.

In round five, Jones dropped Da Silva with perfect right to the body. Jones continued to hurt Da Silva until a big flurry in the corner forced a stoppage at 1:54.

Jones, 153.2 lbs of Philadelphia via Toledo, OH is -0 with three knockouts. Da Silva, 150 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 17-34.

Kurt Scoby made shirt work of Daniel Lim by registering an opening round stoppage in a scheduled six-round junior welterweight bout.

In the first minute, Scoby dropped Lim by landing a jab that was followed by a hard right. Lim was dropped for aa second time with a left hook. It was another nasty left hook to the body that put Lim down for a third and final time as he did not neat the count at 2:03.

Scoby, 138.5 lbs of Duarte, CA is 14-1 with 12 knockouts. Lim, 136.4 lbs of Don Carolina, CA is 11-2.

David Lopez remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Pedro Pinillo in a junior welterweight fight.

Lopez landed 63 of 229 punches. Pinillo was 29 of 176.

Lopez of Oakland won by scores of 60-54 on all cards is now 6-0. Pinillio of Cali, COL is 5-8/

Johnny Mansour stopped Edgar Uvalle in the opening round of their four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Mansour landed about 20 unanswered punches that resulted in a standing-eight count. The fight did not last long after as Mansour dropped Uvalle againt after big flurry and a right dropped him in the corner and the bout was stopped at 2:25.

Mansour, 134.6 lbs of San Diego is 2-0 with one knockout. Uvalle, 133.2 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 2-5-2.

NEWARK, NJ–Shakur Stevenson retained the WBC Lightweight Title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Artem Harutyunanyan in front of 8,412 fans at The Prudential Center in Newark.

Stevenson and Harutyunyan each took turns pushing the pace with Stevenson countering very nicely. Late in the fight, Stevenson started to break down Harutyunyan with a body assault. Stevenson was never testes and coasted to the victory by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112.

Stevenson, 134.1 lbs of Newark, NJ is 22-0. Harutyunyan, 134.8 lbs of Hamburg, GER is 12-2.

Conceicao Decisions Foster to Win Junior Lightweight Title

In his fourth try, at a world title, Robson Conceicao won the WBC Junior Lightweight title with a debatable 12-rpund split decision over defending champion O’Shaquie Foster.

The fight was void of sustainable action as neither fighter seized control. Fioster out landed Conceicao 109-78, but the two of the three judges saw the fight for the Brazilian challenger 116-112 and 115-113. A third judge saw it 115-113 for Foster.

Conceicao, 129.5 lbs of Bahia, BRA is 19-2-1. Foster, 128.8 lbs of Ornage, TEX is 22-3.

Keyshawn Davis Decisions Madueno

Keyshawn Davis remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Miguel Madueno in a lightweight bout.

It was a foul filled fight, but no points were taken away.

Davis, 134.8 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 11-0. Maduwno, 134.7 lbs of Mexico is now 31-3.

Abdullah Mason Destroys Luis LeBron in 3

Abdullah Mason took out Luis LeBron in round three of their eight-round lightweight bout.

In round two, Mason dropped Lebron with a hard left. With the face of Lebron bloodied, Mason dropped Lebron again with a right hook to the top of the head. In round three, Mason continued to pour it on as he landed a ripping combination that forced a stoppage at 1:18.

Mason, 134.8 lbs of Cleveland is 14-0 with 12 knockouts. LeBron, 135.8 lbs of San Juan, PR is 20-4-1.

“I guess we fed him a little bit of smoke, and he didn’t have the appetite for it.”

What’s next

“A lot of people say they’re ready to fight, but are they? Do they want the smoke?”

Eridson Garcia won a 10-round unanimous decision over William Foster III in a junior lightweight bout.

Garcia, 130.7 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 19-1. Foster, 130.4 lbs of New Haven, CT is 17-2.

Keith Colon stopped Hunter Turbyfill in round two of their four-round featherweight bout.

In round two, Colon dropped Trbyfill with a hard combination to the body. Turbyfill was reeling and a blistering flurry of punches ended the fight at 2:03.

Colon, 125.3 lbs of Newark is 1-0 with one knockout. Turblyfill, 124.1 lbs of Memphis, TN is 4-2.

Kelvin Davis won an eight-round majority decision over Kevin Johnson in a junior middleweight bout.

Davis, 142.9 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 78-73 twice and 76-76 and is now 13-0. Johnson, 142.9 lbs of Detroit is 12-4.

Ali Feliz remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Robinson Perez in a heavyweight bout.

In round three, Perez was cut around the right eye.

Feliz, 219.5 lbs of Danbury, CT won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 3-0. Perez, 245.1 lbs of Southbridge, MA is 2-1.

July 1, 2024) –Weights for Tuesday Night’s Country Box 18 show at The Troubadour Nashville.

Michael Seals 181.8 – Robert Burwell 184.2

Elijah Williams 143.8 – Wesley Rivers 143.2

Tobias Green 137 – Andrew Rogers 135.8

Tayvian Alpough 111.2 – Kenneth Krimmell (Will weigh in Tomorrow)

William 169.2 – Cleotis Pendarvis 175.2

Joshua Moreno 126.6 – Shane Bridges 128

Promoter: Jimmy Adams Promotions

Venue: Troubadour Nashville

1st Bell 7PM CT (8 PM ET)

TV: USA Today Network, and USA Today Sports Network; Trillerr.TV (Marc Abrams and Albert Haynesworth on the Call)

Photos By Janet Wohler / Jimmy Adams Promotions

Jimmy Adams Promotions & Country Box “Where Music Meets Boxing” is proud to announce that we have now signed a deal with USA Today. USA Today Network can be seen there on any of their viewers, please click the link https://www.gannett.com/channels/ and find the right fit for you to view Country Box March 5 at the Troubadour. Get your tickets at countrybox247.com

Plus Countrybox247.com. ITUBE247.com and Triller.TV

By Norm Frauenheim and David Galaviz

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Only SuperFly could crash the top of the pound-pound debate.

Jesse Rodriguez did that and maybe more with a definitive seventh-round knockout of Juan Francisco Estrada Saturday night in front of a roaring crowd at Footprint.

Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s new SuperFly champion, did it by knocking down Estrada (44-4, 28 KOs) in the fourth round and finishing him with a body shot in the seventh. He also did it by showing some of his own grit. He got up from the first knockdown in his career.

“Damn, that was crazy,” Rodriguez said.

Damn that was a good fight, a leading contender for Fight of the Year in 2024.

Estrada, down in the fourth round from a Bam uppercut, came roaring back in the sixth, knocking down Rodriguez with a right hand. What would follow in the seventh was — to use Bam’s word — crazy.

He threw a left hand to Estrada’s body.When it landed, it seemed to paralyze Estrada. He hit the canvas, rolled around in pain. In the final second of the seventh, he was finished, a loser by knockout.

“I made a lot of mistakes,” said the 37-year-old Estrada, who was fighting for the time in about 19 months.

He’s hoping to correct those mistakes in a rematch. Estrada said his contract included a clause for a rematch,perhaps later in the year.

For the 24-year-old Rodriguez, just about anything seems possible. There was even talk about a fight with Japan’s Naoya Inoue. That’s a pound-for-pound possibility, one created when Rodriguez crashed the top of the debate.

Bloodied Sunny Edwards wins technical decision

Sunny in Arizona? More like Scarred.

In his second straight fight in the Phoenix area science a bruising stoppage loss in December to Bam Rodriguez, UK flyweight Sunny Edwards sustained a nasty wound near his right eye in a fight eventually stopped because of a cut caused by a head butt.

This time, Edwards won, scoring a 90-82, 88-84, 87-85 technical decision over Adrian Curiel Saturday night at Footprint Center.

“I’m leaving Arizona a lot uglier than I was when I came here,” Edwards (21-1, 4 KOs) said after the flyweight bout.

The clash of heads came in the sixth. It caused a cut, a long deep gash from the inside of Edwards right eye and up along his forehead. Early in the ninth, referee Mark Nelson ended it on advice of the ringside physician.

The crowd booed.

“I’m not any happier than you are,” Edwards said.

Edwards, of the UK,  came out fast, moving side-to-side and forward behind a jab moving at a rapid-fire rate. Curiel (24-6-1, 5 KOs), a former champion from Mexico, didn’t seem to notice, or care. He moved laterally, kept his gloves up in a defensive posture and seemed to wait for an opportunity. It didn’t come.

 Edwards mocked him in the second, pushed him to the canvas with one hand in the third and mocked him again in the fifth. The crowd whistled, then booed. Then, there was the head butt. Edwards immediately responded, going straight at Curiel with a jab and long right hand. But the blood continued to pour from the cut and into his eyei, a sure sign that the fight would be stopped.

Mercado Decisions Ali To Retain Super Bantamweight belt

In the first of two world tittle fight we had Yamileth Mercado (23-3,5kos) of Ciudad Cuauthemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico taking on Ramla Ali (9-1,2kos) of London, United Kingdom. This will mark the first time fighting in the State since 2021 when she took on Amanda Serrano. This marks her 7th tittle defense of her WBC Super Bantamweight belt. Ramla is coming off a win in the rematch with Julissa Guzman last November. Both coming in at weight limit 

In the opening round was not much action with each filling out one another. However Yamileth pulled away with a few more effective punches. Ramla came out more aggressive to start the 2nd round landed a straight left flush to Mercados face. Mercado got her revenge at the end of the round as she appeared to hurt Ali but it was too late as the round ended. 

The fight picked up as both came out swinging and the continued through out the round with both landing good shots. Effortlessly getting the crowd excited in this tittle fight. 

Ali is finding a home with her Jab continuing to land it, as in the fifth it caught Mercado. 

The middle rounds of the fight had bits and pieces of action, no significant punches landing. 

Much of the same as we entered the championship rounds of the fight, Ali did land an over and right and a left hook to edge out the round. 

Yamileth came out swinging for the final round, but ali had an answer for the aggression once again with her neutralizer the left jab. Effectively halting Mercados offense. As the round continued both fighter put it in over drive and gave the fans in the Footprint Center a well deserved ending to the fight. 

Going to the judges as each having Yamileth Mercado winning 98-92, 98-93, and 97-93 getting the unanimous decision. Successfully defending her tittle for the 8th time Mercado stated she now wants to unify the titles. —-David Galaviz

Cardenas escapes with a majority decision

A slow start. A furious finish.

Arturo Cardenas (14-0-1, 8 KOs) opened the DAZN show featuring Bam Rodriguez-Juan Francisco Estrada Saturday looking tentative. He appeared unsure of himself and perhaps his opponent, Phoenix Mexican junior-featherweight Danny Barrios (15–1, 5 KOs).

But he quickly overcame his slow start and, in the end, overcame Barrios.

Midway through the 10-round bout, the Robert Garcia-trained Cardenas began to find his range and used his superior power. Repeatedly, he caught Barrios with left hands and short right-uppercuts. The crowd roared. Then, it booed as Barrios began to retreat, back away from the increasingly aggressive Cardenas in the ninth and 10th.

In the end, Cardenas escaped with a majority decision. He won on two cards, 97-93 nd 96-94. But on the third, it was a draw, 95-95

Gabriel Muratalla stays unbeaten 

Gabriel Muratalla, a workman-like bantamweight from Fontana CA, was all business.

In the end, that’s what he got, a business-like decision, over Carlos Fontes (23-4-1, 5 KOs), a well-conditioned Phoenix fighter,  who lacked enough hand speed to match Muratalla (12-0, 5 KOs) on the scorecard in the third bout on the Bam-Rodriguez card at Footprint Center..

Muratalla, who had Bam trainer Robert Garcia in his corner, scored often, winning a 99-73, 78-74, 77-75 decision 

AZ welterweight Fabian Rojo scores powerful stoppage

Fabian Rojo‘s left hand left no doubt.

No doubt about why he’s unbeaten.

And, on Saturday, it left Daniel Gonzalez with no chance.

Rojo (9-0, 7 KOs), of Glendale AZ, dropped Gonzalez (5-2,2 KOs), of Albuquerque, three times within two rounds, all with his left hand, in the second bout on a card featuring Juan Francisco Estrada versus Jesse “Bam Rodriguez at Footprint Center.

It ended with successive lefts, each moving like pistons in an engine. They landed like pistons, too, finishing Gonzalez at 1:13 of the second round. The crowd, already gathering in Footprint, roared. Even Gonzalez applauded. He got off the canvas and lifted Rojo up in celebration of a fighter who had just overwhelmed him.   

To get the night started Leonardo Rubacalva (7-0 3Kos) of Teocaltich, Jalisco Mexico took on William “Double barrel” Flenoy (3-3-1) of Fresno, CA. The first round was all Leonardo landing at will, stunning flurry a few times. Things picked up in the 2nd with the fight and the crowd, as Leonardo started to put more pressure on his opponent. Midway through the fight Leo landed s very effective punch combination. Not to stay quiet William came with some shots of his own as to say my double barrel is not empty to which earned the respect of Rubacalva. 

Half way through the fight both fighters showed the mutual respect and not much action happen. With 20 seconds in the 3rd, Rubacalva put it in another gear and landed a left hook that took Williams balance away and having going to the neutral corner with Leonardo following him and landing a few more punches before the bell rang to end the round. 

An over hand right that caught everyone by surprise in the arena by Rubacalva other than the big right the 4th round was not much action. 

The fifth round to which the fight lasted this long to many surprised was more of the same as the previous couple rounds a lot of respect and save the action till the last part of the round

The last round both fighters came out trading punches as if both needed to win the round. The way the round started is the way it ended with both fighters leaving it all out in the ring, not saving nothing for tomorrow. All 3 judges scored it for Leonardo 60-54, the other two having it 59-55 earning a unanimous decision improving to 8-0(3Kos). —-David Galaviz

Teofimo Lopez made the second defense of the WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over game challenger Steve Claggett at the James L. Knight Center in Miami.

In round 11, Claggett began to bleed from his nose.

Lopez landed 315 of 946 punches. Claggett was 140 of 820.

Lopez, 139.4 lbs of Brooklyn won by scores of 120-108 twice and 119-109 and is now 21-1. Claggett, 139,5 lbs of Calgary, CAN is 36-8-2.

Lopez said, “I knew exactly what kind of fighter he was. I knew he would come forward and test my conditioning. And that’s what we had. We went twelve rounds.”

“The will has to be stronger than the skill. And that’s what we showed tonight. If I was tired, I know he was more tired because I worked very hard for this. We knew we had to break him down. The body shots were hurting him.”

“I’m very grateful. He’s a tough fighter. I don’t think anyone should overlook him. I knew that coming into this.”

Robeisy Ramirez Scores Spectacular 7th Round KO over Brandon Leon Benitez

Former world featherweight champion Robeisy Ramirez scored a highlight-reel seventh round stoppage over Brandon Leon Benitez in a scheduled 10-round bout.

In round five, Benitez began to bleed from the nose.

In round seven, Ramirez started bleeding from the mouth. Later in the round, Ramirez uncorked a devastating right uppercut to the bottom of the chin plummeted Benitez to the canvas and he could not beat the count at 2:46.

Ramirez, 124.8 lbs of Cienfuego, CUB is now 14-2 with nine knockouts. Benitez, 127.1 lbs of Quereitaro, MEX is 21-3.

Ramirez will look to hopefully rematch Rafael Espinoza in his next bout.

Ramirez said, “It’s no secret that Ismael Salas is one of the best strategists in the world. And so the plan was to wear him down little by little. Then, after the last round, he tells me not to look for power shots but to move a bit and to return to my {amateur} roots. That’s what I did. I touched and touched, and I found the shot.”
 
“It’s not my first time landing a shot like that. It feels good to land a punch like that because it demonstrates that we worked hard in camp.”
 
“I want my title back. I want the rematch against Rafael Espinoza. If it’s not with him, then I can fight against any of the other champions.”

Nico Ali Walsh Gets Even and Decisions Sona Akale

Nico Ali Walsh got even with Sona Akale but scoring a knockdown and fighting through a shoulder injury to win a six-round unanimous decision in a middleweight fight.

At the end of round three, Ali Walsh landed a left to the side of the head that put Akale on the canvas.

In round four, Ali Walsh was bruised under his right eye. In round five, Akale was cut over his right eye. In round six, Ali Walsh dislocated his left shoulder but was able to finish the fight.

Ali Walsh landed 91 of 340 punches. Akale was 118 of 325.

Ali Walsh, 156.9 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 58-55 twice and 57-56 and is now 11-1. Akale, 156.3 lbs of Saint Paul, MN is now 9-2.

The win for Ali Walsh was a rematch of a bout that Akale won on August 26, 2023

Emiliano Fernando Vargas remained undefeated with a first round stoppage over Jose Zaragoza in a junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Vargas dropped Zaragoza with a perfect counter right. Vargas was all over Zaragoza and landed a big uppercut that rocked Zaragoza and the fight was stopped at 1:32.

Vargas, 139.8 lbs of Las Vegas is 11-0 with nine knockouts. Zaragoza, 139.1 lbs of Sedalia, MEX is 9-9-2.

Elvis Rodriguez won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jino Rodrigo in an action and knockdown filled junior welterweight bout.

It was a wild opening frame as Rodrigo struck first by shockingly dropping Rodriguez with an overhand right to the head. Rodriguez was hurt badly and with Rodrigo landing hard shots on the ropes, Rodriguez turned the tables by landing a short right hook that put Rodriguez on the canvas. At the end of round three, Rodriguez scored a knockdown when he landed another quick right hook.

Rodriguez, 141.6 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 98-91 twice and 97-92 and is now 16-1-1. Rodrigo, 141.2 lbs of Angomo, PHL is 12-4-2.

Lorenzo Medina remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Detrailious Webster in a heavyweight bout.

Medina, 235.6 lbs of Miami won by scores of 60-54, 60-53 and 59-55 and is now 11-0. Webster, 247.7 lbs Courtland, MS is now 7-4.

Rohan Polanco stopped Luis Hernandez in round two of their of their eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Polanco dominated the fight and landed a hard combination that punctuated by a perfect left uppercut that forced a toppage at 2:28.

Polanco, 142.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 13-0 with eight knockouts. Hernandez, 143 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 23-5.

Yan Santana went the distance for the first time, but he remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Brandon Valdes in a featherweight bout.

In round one, Santana dropped Valdes with a left hook to the chin.

Santana, 127 lbs of La Romana, DR won by scores of 98-91 twice and 96-93 and now 12-0. Valdes, 127 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 15-5

Euri Cedeno made short work of Dormedes Potes by scoring an opening minute knockout in an eight-roundmiddleweight bout.

Cedenro landed a left and right to the body that put Potes down for the count at 58 seconds.

Cendeno, 161.4 lbs of La Romana, DR is now 9-0-1 with eight knockouts. Potes, 161.7 lbs of Braanquilla, COL is 14-7-1.

By Norm Frauenheim –

PHOENIX, AZ — On the scale, there was no difference between them. Not even a single ounce.

In a weigh-in that might be a hint at how close a DAZN-streamed fight for the almost mythical  SuperFly title might be Saturday night at Footprint Center, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Juan Francisco Estrada were at the limit, 115-pounds each.

The only surprise, perhaps, was the crowd Friday night for a so-called ceremonial weigh-in at a re-done old building in the city’s warehouse district a couple of miles south of Footprint.

The official weigh-in, conducted by the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission behind closed doors at a downtown hotel, happened about nine hours earlier.

The ceremonial version was for show, and sure enough Mexican and Mexican-American fans showed up, most of them for Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s

defending champion.

They chanted his nickname.

El Gallo filled the old room as he stepped on to the scale.

El Gallo echoed through the place as he stepped off.

“They are here for me and more will be Saturday night,’’ said the accomplished Estrada, the son of a Mexican fisherman  who grew up about 215 miles south of Phoenix in a town, Puerto Penasco,  located at the top of the Gulf of California.

Despite the title belt, Estrada goes into the bout as betting underdog. The odds are dictated by time. Estrada hasn’t fought since a narrow decision over iconic Ramon Gonzalez 19 months ago in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb.

More significant perhaps are the years not included on a traditional tale of tape.

The 34-year old Estrada is a decade older than Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs), an emerging 24-year-old Mexican-American from San Antonio.

Rodriguez heard the chants and smiled at Estrada as they stood across from each other and stared into each other’s eyes during the ritual face-off for the cameras.

“This is another day for me, a day at the office’’ Rodriguez said. “I’ve been getting ready for this moment for a long time.’’

Still, Rodriguez’ deep-seated respect for Estrada was also evident. For years, Rodriguez looked at Estrada and saw a hero.

Now, he sees a rival.

“This the biggest fight of my life,’’ Rodriguez said. “It’s also a fight I’ve been preparing for for most of my life.’’

Lamont Roach Jr. made the first defense of the WBA Junior Lightweight title with an eight-round stoppage of Feargal McCrory at The Entertainment And Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.

After rocking McCrory un each of the first two rounds with left hooks, Roach dropped McCrory with that very same punch in the third frame. In round four, Roach dropped McCrory with a hard right uppercut to the body. Literally seconds later, Roach landed a left hook to the live that put McCrory down for a third time.

In round eight, Roach continued to batter McCrory and finally dropped him for a final time and the fight was stopped at 2:51.

Roach, 130 lbs of Washington is now 25-1-1 with 10 knockouts. McCrory, 129.6 lbs of New York is 16-1.

Lester Martinez Decisions Carlos Gongora

Lester Martinez remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Gongora in a super middleweight bout.

Martinez, 167.2 lbs of Guatemala City, Guatemala won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 18-0. Gongora, 168.6 lbs of Boston is 22-3.

Tellez Giron Stops Dilmaghani After 7

Rene Tellez Giron stopped Alex Dilmaghani after round seven of their 10-round lightweight bout.

In round four, Dilmaghani began to bleed from his nose.

Giron started to beat down and continued to bloody Dilmaghani and the fight was stopped after round seven.

Tellez Giron, 136.2 lbs of Mexico is 20-3 with 13 knockouts. Dilmaghani, 132 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 20-3-1.

Rianna Rios Decisions Mary Romero

Rianna Rios remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Mary Romero in a bantamweight contest.

In round five, Romero was deducted a point for hitting on the break.

Tios, 116.6 lbs of Upper Marlboro, MD won by scores of 79-72 and 78-73 twice and is now 8-0. Romero, 117.2 lbs of Murcia, SPA is 10-6.

Ben Johnson wins Pro Debut

12-time National Amateur champion Ben Johnson stopped Michael Williams in round one of their four-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Johnson dropped Williams with a flurry on the ropes that was punctuated by a left around the ear. Seconds later, Johnson dropped Williams again with another hard left hand. When the action continued, Williams slipped down and as he got up referee Sharon Sands stopped the bout at 2:23.

Johnson, 147.4 lbs of Springdale, MD is 1-0 with one knockout. Williams, 147.6 lbs of Las Vegas is 2-3.

Jordan Roach made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Luis Hernandez in a super flyweight bout.

In round two, Roach scored a knockdown when he landed a left hook to the side of the Hernandez’ head.

In round three, Roach landed a flurry that forced the glove of Hernandez to touch the canvas for a second knockdown.

Roach, 115 lbs of Upper Marlboro, MD won by scores of 40-34 twice and 40-35 and is 1-0. Hernandez, 113 1/2 lbs of Dominican Republic is 15-14-1.

Greg Outlaw stopped Isidro Curiel in round four of a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

In round four, Outlaw hurt Curiel with a left hook. With Curiel backed on the ropes, Outlaw landed about 15 unanswered punches and the fight was stopped at 2:38

Outlaw, 144 lbs of Bowie, MD is 15-2 with nine knockouts. Curiel, 144.1 lbs of Tamlipas, MEX is 11-4-1.

Deric Davis remained undefeated with a second round stopped Matias Agustin Arriagada in a four-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Davis dropped Arriagada with a left hook to the body. In round two, Davis landed a flurry of punches that put Arriagada down to the canvas. With Arriagada hurt, Davis landed a leftt hand to the chin that forced another knockdown and the fight was over at 1:15.

Davis, 135.4 lbs of Fort Washington, MD is now 4-0 with four knockouts. Arriagada, 132 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 6-12.

Travon Marshall won a six-round unanimous decision over Midyael Sanchez in a junior middleweight fight.

Marshall, 151.0 lbs of Capitol Heights, MD won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 10-1. Sanchez, 156 lbs of San Juan, PR is 9-6.

Eric Hernandez won a four-round unanimous decision over Jonatan Godoy in a junior welterweight bout.

Hernandez, 140.6 lbs of Ashburn, VA won by scores of 40-36 and is now 11-1. Godoy, 142 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 7-19-1.

NEW YORK (June 281, 2024)–Split-T Management’s WBO Junior Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez defends his title against Steve Claggett on Saturday night at The James L. Knight Center in Miami.

Lopez of Brooklyn is a five-time, two-division and former undisputed lightweight world champion, will look to make his second defense of his 140-lb. crown.

Lopez, who now resides in Las Vegas via Brooklyn, is managed by Split-T Management, and has a record of 20-1 with 13 knockouts. The former undisputed lightweight champion is a five-time world champion as he won the IBF Lightweight title with an explosive second-round stoppage of Richard Commey on December 14, 2019 at Madison Square Garden. Lopez picked up three more belts when he won a unanimous decision over Vasiliy Lomanchenko on October 17, 2020.

The 26 year-old Lopez became a two-division world champion with a master class performance when he won a unanimous decision over WBO Junior Welterweight title over Josh Taylor on June 10th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. In his last bout, Lopez made the initial defense of his title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Jamaine Ortiz on February 8th in Las Vegas.

Claggett of Calgary, Alberta, Canada will be making his first attempt at a world title.

The 35 year-old has been a professional for 16 years. Claggett earned the opportunity on the strength of a current nine-fight winning streak that has consisted of wins over Sebastian Aguirre (18-3), Tony Luis (29-5), Rafael Guzman Lugo (26-2-2), former world champion Alberto Machado (23-3), Carlos Sanchez (24-1), Miguel Madueno (30-1) and his last out when he blasted out Marcos Gonzalez Baraza (23-3) in two rounds on January 25th in Montreal.

Claggett also has wins over Harrison McBain (2-0-1), Abdou Sow (3-0), Ryan Wagner (4-1), Ricky Duenas (12-1), Stuart McLellan (12-1-3), Emanuel Robles (15-0-1), Yves Ulysse Jr, (14-0), Petros Ananyan (13-0-2) and David Theroux (16-3).

Lopez is promoted by Top Rank, weighed 139.4 lbs at Friday’s weigh-in. Claggett was 139.5

The Lopez – Claggett bout will be on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 PM ET.

Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

In a preliminary bout, undefeated featherweight, Yan Santana will make his United States debut when he takes on Brandon Valdes in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.

Santana of La Romana, Dominican Republic is 11-0 with all wins coming via stoppage. The 24 year-old Santana of La Romana, Republic has stopped three undefeated opponents and is coming off a fourth round stoppage over Rodolfo Hernandez Montoya on April 6th in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Valdes of Rosemead, California is 15-4 with seven knockouts. The 25 year-old Valdes is coming off a loss to former world title challenger Ruben Villa on September 15, 2023 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Santana weighed 127 lbs. Valdes was also 127 lbs.

The bout will be streamed on ESPN+ at 5:45 PM ET.

Friday night in Atlanta, two more members of the Split-T Management team will be in action.

Photo By OTX Boxing

Friday in Atlanta, two members of the Split-T Management team will be in action as Tiara Brown will take on former world champion Gabriela Bouvier in a 10-round featherweight bout.

Brown of Lehigh Acres, Florida is managed by Brian Cohen and carries an impressive mark of 16-0 with 11 knockouts.

Brown, 36, has wins over Vanessa Bradford (5-1-2), Jennifer Martinez (2-0), and is coming off a first round stoppage over Angi Romero on February 17th in Colombia.

Bouvier of Uruguay is 19-12-1 with four knockouts. The 32 year-old Bouvier won the IBF Flyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Florencio Roxana Centeros. She made one defense of the crown. Bouvier had three more world title opportunities. Bouvier has won four in a row with the latest being a 10-round unanimous decision over Augustina Marisa Delen Rojas on December 9, 2023 in Uruguay.

Brown weighed in at 126 lbs. Bouvier was 125.8.

Photo By OTX Boxing

Also in Atlanta, undefeated super middleweight Donte Layne takes on Montrel James in a four-round bout.

Layne, 21 years-old of Elmont, Long Island. New York is 2-0 with two knockouts. Both of Layne’s wins have been first round stoppages with the most recent being over DeShuan Mitchell (2-0) on March 29.

James of Saint Louis is a 12 fight veteran who is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Raymond Harrison (5-1-1) on August 11, 2023 in Saint Louis.

Layne was 167.2 lbs. James was 167.4 lbs.

The Brown and Layne fights are Live on DAZN at 8 PM ET

Darius Fulghum remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Vaughn Alexander in a super middleweight bout that headlined at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

Fulghum landed 168 of 511 punches. Alexander was 78 of 244.

Fulghum, 167.8 lbs of Houston won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice and is now 12-0. Alexander, 171.8 lbs of St. Louis is now 18-12-1.

Tristan Kalkreuth won a 10-round unanimous decision over Anthony Holloway in a cruiserweight bout.

Kalkreuth landed 114 of 334 punches. Holloway was 61 of 238.

Kalkreuthm 199.8 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 14-1. Holloway, 190.9 lbs of Duluth, MN is now 7-6-3.

Grant Flores stopped Josias Gonzalez in round three of their six-round super welterweight bout.

In round three, Flores landed a hard right that was followed up by a left to the body that put Gonzalez on the canvas, and the bout was stopped at 2:34 after the ten count.

Flores, 153.8 lbs of Coachella, CA is 5-0 with four knockouts. Gonzalez, 150.4 lbs of Whittier, CA is 2-3-1.

Leonardo Sanchez stopped Jenel Lausa in round four of their six-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Sanchez scored a knockdown from a combination. With just under a minute to go in the round, Sanchez scored another knockdown, this time with a left to the body.

In round four, it was a left hand that put Lausa down again and the fight was stopped at 1:08.

Sanchez, 131.4 lbs of Cathedral City, CA is 7-0 with six knockouts. Lausa, 135 lbs of Manila, PHL is 11-4-1.

Cayden Griffiths made a successful pro debut with a second-round stoppage over Juan Romero in a four-round super lightweight bout.

in round one, Griffiths dropped Romero with a left to the body. In round two, it was another left to the body that put Romero down on his knees and he was counted out at 43 seconds.

Griffiths, 140 lbs of Coachella, CA is 1-0 with one knockout. Romero, 139.4 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 0-2.

Abass Baraou returns to the ring to defend his EBU European Super Welterweight Title against Macaulay McGowan at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on June 14, live on Channel 5, two months on from defeating Sam Eggington in Telford. 

Baraou is looking to continue his pursuit of global success as fans are set for a thrilling night of action, live and free on Channel 5.

Wasserman Boxing, in association with Ladbrokes, Numan and Infinitum head to Manchester for Extra Time, a night of championship boxing that fans won’t want to miss.

UNDERCARD

• Ryan Kelly and Gerome Warburton face off for the vacant Commonwealth Silver Middleweight Title.
• One of British boxing’s finest prospects Dan Toward, looks to continue his unbeaten start to his professional career.
• The exciting Ben Marksby is back for his first fight of 2024.

Naoya Inoue, universally recognized as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, has confirmed that he will be attending the 99th Boxing Writers Association of America awards dinner at the 583 Park Avenue venue, at 583 Park Ave, in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, June 6th, beginning at 6 p.m.

Inoue will receive the prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Award as the 2023 BWAA Fighter of the Year, making history as the first Japanese fighter to win one of boxing’s most prized historic honors, which dates back to Jack Dempsey in 1938. Amanda Serrano is the 2023 Female Fighter of the Year, earning that award for the second time in three years. Fights of the Year, Manager, Trainer, Broadcaster, Journalism, and Courage awards will also be presented.

The glittering evening in a landmark venue on Park Avenue will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, open bar, dinner, silent auction and a gift bag for every attendee. A very limited number of VIP tickets are available with premium seating and additional special gift.

Tables are quickly filling up and the BWAA awards dinner journal deadline is approaching. Attached are a seat reservation form, journal reservation form, a list of all honorees and a general information page.

Please go to the website at bwaa.org for further information. Feel free to contact Gina Andriolo directly with any questions.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, June 6th!

The fight for the World Boxing Association (WBA) minimum world super championship between champion Thamannon Niyomtrong and mandatory challenger Hasanboy Dusmatov has been called for auction by the Championships Committee of the organization for  Monday, May 27. 

The pioneer body sent the official communication to both teams, who are already aware of the bidding and all the related details through a press release. 

The bidding will be conducted by the committee’s director, Carlos Chavez, and will take place via zoom at 11:00 a.m. Houston local time. As is customary in this type of fights, the split will be 75% for the champion and 25% for the challenger, while the minimum amount to keep the rights to the fight will be US $ 80,000.00. 

The winner of the bidding and all the details of the process will be published through the official channels of the WBA once the auction is completed.

May 13, 2024 – OTX is coming to Texas! Making its debut in Houston, OTX7 will go down Friday, May 31 at Red Owl Boxing featuring some of Houston’s hometown kids. 

• Andreas Katzourakis (12-0, 10 KOs), OTX Tournament fighter, super welterweight

  • Katzourakis will step up in his first 10-round bout to take on Kudratillo “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov (20-2 12KOs) in a true Overtime Boxing 50/50 fight, in the first round of The OTX Tournament live on DAZN from Red Owl Boxing. 
  • Athens native, Andreas “Katz” Katzourakis is looking to become the first Greek World Champion since Anton Christoforidis in 1941. Katz began boxing full-time at the age of 15, after competing in martial arts with over 600 point fighting bouts to his name. Becoming a dominant amateur boxer in Greece, he is a 4x Greek national champion and has racked up a record of 25-1, 18 stoppages (18-0, 16 stoppages in his home country).  

• He moved to the US in 2018, briefly training with Abel Sanchez at the famed Summit Gym in Big Bear, CA before Sanchez retired from the sport. Katz then stepped into legendary trainer Ronnie Shields’ camp, sparred with Jermall Charlo’s, and impressed Shields immediately. 
• Katz now lives and trains in Houston, TX with Shields, who has coached many greats including Pernell Whittaker, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, David Tua, Vernon Forrest, and Jermall Charlo to name a few. Ronnie believes Katzourakis has the skill and desire to be his next great champion.
• Katz has built a very sizable support base in Houston through the Greek Orthodox church and the support of the Greek restaurant community. He’s also a high-level chess player and talented artist. 

• Giovanni Marquez (9-0, 5 KOs), OTX Fighter, Super lightweight,

  • Undefeated Houston-born and-raised, Giovanni Marquez will square off in an all-Texas showdown with San Antonio’s Jason “El Gallo” Limon (8-1-1 2KOs) over 8 rounds in the super lightweight division. The two have been jawing back and forth on social media (click here to watch), and the state of Texas is buzzing for these two to settle it in the ring on May 31. 
  • Gio was destined to be a boxing star. He grew up around boxing as his father, Raul Marquez, was a world champion. He fell in love with the sport and the rest is history. 
  • He did try other sports though. At just 12 years old, Gio was playing football, swimming, and soccer. While he loved football, he always sparring with his brothers and messing around in the gym, but it was his first amateur fight at 12 where it turned a corner. He realized boxing was his true passion. 
  • Gio also credits his grandfather for not just encouraging him to box, but always taking the time to practice and fake spar with him – something they still do today. 
  • He may have been a late bloomer to the national amateur stage, but he’s quickly making a name for himself. In 2021, he became the National Golden Glove Champion and won the Most Outstanding Fighter of the Tournament award. He’s also a Texas amateur Star, having won 14x state/regional tournament championships. 
  • Riding high off a thrilling victory at OTX 5, Gio is primed for a blockbuster showdown in Houston. This fight will be his third OTX fight night, the most of any other fighter thus far. 

OTX has continued to dominate in and outside the ring, doubling total viewership on social content and racking up hundreds of thousands of views on live streams. In just 10 months, OTX channels have generated over 3BN views on boxing content and ballooned over 500% in audience size, encompassing 3.3MM followers across all platforms. 

For the first time, as part of OTX’s partnership with DAZN, all fights will be available to watch on the DAZN app for free, and streamed on DAZN and Overtime’s social media channels. 

Visit https://otboxing.com for more info and tickets visit here. 

Stephanie Piñeiro and William Ortiz have both signed co-promotional deals with Matchroom and Universal Promotions.

Piñeiro (6-0 2 KOs) in undefeated in the paid ranks and closing in on her first title action. ‘The Medicine’ still harbors ambitions of competing in the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer, echoing back to her amateur success where she won Central American gold in 2023 and bronze in 2018. The 33 year old also plays professional basketball in Puerto Rico, and has represented the Morovis Mountaineers in the BSNF league since 2009.

Ortiz (5-0 4 KOs) is one of the hottest young stars in Puerto Rico, and the 20 year old has banked four wins inside the distance from his five victories to date since turning pro in October 2022. “Willito” joined the paid ranks as a four-time Puerto Rican national champion and 2021 Pan Am games bronze medalist.

“As a woman in boxing, this is a great opportunity and I’m very excited about it. This catapults my professional career”, said Piñeiro. “From the first day, I signed with Universal Promotions, they promised me that many doors would open and with this, great opportunities would come.

“Now I am not only with the best promoter in Puerto Rico, Javier Bustillo, but I also going to work with the best promoter in the world. We are going to show the world that women’s boxing in Puerto Rico is a serious sports matter”.

“I am thankful and motivated for this opportunity to sign with the biggest promoter in the world!” said Ortiz. “This has always been one of my goals, to be able to showcase my level of talent locally and worldwide. I would also like to thank my family and my team for supporting and believing in me.”

“It’s an honor to fulfill this alliance with our friends at Matchroom Boxing,” said Javier Bustillo, President of Universal Promotions. “Stephanie Piñeiro and William Ortiz are an important part of an elite group of prospects who will go out and conquer not only the world but the world of boxing. This alliance with Matchroom Boxing is only the beginning of great things to come for the boxing sport in Puerto Rico.”

NEW YORK (May 14, 2024)-Split-T Management undefeated heavyweight Devon Young ventured into the Team Combat League (TCL) and registered two stoppage victories in the same night.

Young of Aiken, South Carolina and fighting for the Atlanta Attack took out Demek Edmonds and Fardi Pashazade of the Boston Butchers this past Saturday in Kissimmee, Florida.

Young, who is promoted by King’s Promotions, has an undefeated professional boxing record 4-0 with three knockouts.

Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Split-T Management undefeated junior lightweight Javier Zamarron won a six-round unanimous decision over Donnie Reeves.

Zamarron of Sheboygam, Wisconsin won by scores of 60-51 and 59-53 on two scorecards to raise his mark to 8-0.

Reeves of Hannibal, Missouri is 9-9.

NEW YORK (May 14, 2024)-Split-T Management undefeated heavyweight Devon Young ventured into the Team Combat League (TCL) and registered two stoppage victories in the same night.

Young of Aiken, South Carolina and fighting for the Atlanta Attack took out Demek Edmonds and Fardi Pashazade of the Boston Butchers this past Saturday in Kissimmee, Florida.

Young, who is promoted by King’s Promotions, has an undefeated professional boxing record 4-0 with three knockouts.

Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Split-T Management undefeated junior lightweight Javier Zamarron won a six-round unanimous decision over Donnie Reeves.

Zamarron of Sheboygam, Wisconsin won by scores of 60-51 and 59-53 on two scorecards to raise his mark to 8-0.

Reeves of Hannibal, Missouri is 9-9.

Naoya Inoue, universally recognized as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, has confirmed that he will be attending the 99th Boxing Writers Association of America awards dinner at the 583 Park Avenue venue, at 583 Park Ave, in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, June 6th, beginning at 6 p.m.

Inoue will receive the prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Award as the 2023 BWAA Fighter of the Year, making history as the first Japanese fighter to win one of boxing’s most prized historic honors, which dates back to Jack Dempsey in 1938. Amanda Serrano is the 2023 Female Fighter of the Year, earning that award for the second time in three years. Fights of the Year, Manager, Trainer, Broadcaster, Journalism, and Courage awards will also be presented.

The glittering evening in a landmark venue on Park Avenue will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, open bar, dinner, silent auction and a gift bag for every attendee. A very limited number of VIP tickets are available with premium seating and additional special gift.

Tables are quickly filling up and the BWAA awards dinner journal deadline is approaching. Attached are a seat reservation form, journal reservation form, a list of all honorees and a general information page.

Please go to the website at bwaa.org for further information. Feel free to contact Gina Andriolo directly with any questions.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, June 6th!

ANAHEIM, CA – May 13, 2024 – Fanmio announces today that they will present a July Fourth Weekend blockbuster and give fans a crown jewel event on the holiday’s combat sports calendar by delivering the pro boxing showdown between Nate Diaz and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal on a new date of Saturday, July 6 live from Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

“LAST MAN STANDING: DIAZ VS. MASVIDAL” is set to provide July Fourth Weekend fireworks marking the first time two UFC superstars will go toe-to-toe in a pro boxing ring. Diaz vs. Masvidal will be the highlight of the July Fourth Weekend combat sports schedule and be supported by an exciting week of pre-fight events for fans and media alike.

“He won the first fight, but I’m back for more. So that’s what’s popping,” said Diaz. “This is a new fight and I’m here to win. That’s what it’s all about. I’ll fight anyone in any combat sport. We got a fight and we have to figure this all out on July 6.”

“Our new date July 6 gives me more time to train and do what I was going to do before, beat Nate’s ass,” said Masvidal. “Fighting on July Fourth Weekend is great for the fans. Lots of fireworks in and out of the ring. My shots will be just like them, blasting off in Nate’s face. I am going to destroy him that night, just you wait and see.”

“The new Saturday, July 6 date puts the event on a historical and patriotic weekend at Honda Center in Anaheim, California for all fight fans to enjoy during this great holiday,” said Fanmio CEO Solomon Engel. “Nate Diaz vs Jorge Masvidal 2 will be a very competitive and exciting sequel as both fighters are training hard in their camps to write a definitive next chapter in their rivalry. Fight fans will not be disappointed.”

Coming on the heels of July 4, and showcasing two great American fighters in Diaz and Masvidal, “LAST MAN STANDING: DIAZ VS. MASVIDAL” promises to continue delivering the fireworks with a patriotic evening of boxing on July 6. 

Pre-sale tickets for the live event starting at only $55 (plus applicable fees and taxes) will be available TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 14 from 10:00 a.m. PT until 10:00 p.m. PT. Sign up for the pre-sale at Fanmio.com/Fight.

A limited number of VIP packages will also be available starting at $1,750. Packages, which include the best ringside seats, all-inclusive hospitality in the Honda Center’s exclusive Impact Club, the opportunity to step into the ring after the fight, VIP access to the weigh-in and more.

Public on-sale will begin Wednesday, May 15 at 10:00 a.m. PT with tickets available through Ticketmaster.

Fanmio will present the event in association with Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing Promotions.

The 10-round 175-pound light heavyweight fight headlines a pay-per-view available now for pre-order at FANMIO.com/ppv and FANMIO.com/DiazVsMasvidal for $79.99. Fans can also purchase through the Fanmio App, which is available globally via smart televisions and mobile devices via Apple iOS and tvOS devices, Android Mobile, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, Vizio Smart TV, Google TV and Chromecast.

Throughout their storied careers, Diaz and Masvidal have accounted for three of the top 10 highest-selling pay-per-view events in UFC history, with over 10 million pay-per-view buys combined over their careers.

Their first meeting saw Masvidal take home the inaugural UFC BMF title belt, a Diaz inspired belt based on his constant assertion that the style he and Masvidal bring forward made them the “baddest” in the game. The bout ended prematurely in the eyes of many, as a cut over Diaz’s eyebrow resulted in a TKO for Masvidal. With the cut leading to an unsatisfying ending, July 6 marks an opportunity for these two warriors to finally battle it out to the finish.

**Fans who purchased tickets for the originally scheduled fight date will be issued a refund from their original point of purchase.

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ABOUT “LAST MAN STANDING: DIAZ VS. MASVIDAL”

Follow the conversation leading up to this unique boxing duel on all social media platforms with the hashtag #DiazMasvidal and through @Fanmio, @NateDiaz209 and @GamebredFighter on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to stay tuned for more exciting announcements leading up to July 6. 

LOS ANGELES (May 13, 2024) – Toro Promotions, Inc., in association with Whitfield Haydon Boxing, returns June 15^th to the famed Emerald Queen Casino (EQC) in Tacoma, Washington, to showcase its powerful stable of professional boxers on the “EQC Fight Night” card.

Undefeated Austin Brooks (12-0, 5 KOs), fighting out of La Mesa (CA), defends his World Boxing Association (WBA) Continental super featherweight title for the first time, versus 2015 Armenian Olympian Aram “Warrior” Avagyan (11-1-2, 5 KOs) in an All-Toro 10-round main event.

Brooks, 28, captured his WBA Continental USA belt in his last fight, when he knocked out previously unbeaten (7-0) Jose Manuel Izaguirre in the seventh round this past February 10^th in Long Beach, California. Brooks, a southpaw, has fought only once at EQC, which ended in a six-round technical knockout of Anthony Chavez (11-3-1) on August 26, 2023.

Avagyan, now living in Burbank (CA), was a two-time bronze medalist in the European Championships as an amateur, in addition to representing his country at the 2016 Olympics. His most recent fight, after nearly three years of inactivity, was on April 12^th in Colorado, in which his opponent, Juan Santiago, was unable to continue after three rounds. 

Red-hot, power broker and 2020 Ukraine Olympian, Tsotne Rogava (7-0, 7 KOs), continues his accelerated march to a world heavyweight rating, when the 6’ 5”, 270-pounder takes on battle-tested Jon Bolden (10-13-1, 7 KOs), of Seattle, in the eight-round co-featured event. 

A champion kickboxer who has successfully transitioned to boxing, the Georgia-native and Ukraine-raised Rogava has won his last four fights via first-round stoppages, and he’s only fought a grand total of nine rounds in seven pro bouts to date. Rogava now resides in Marina del Rey (CA), and he is trained by Hall of Famer Joe Goossen.

Toro Promotions has an imposing group of gifted and large heavyweight, including Rogava, Dante Stone (16-1, 11 KOs), Alexander “The Great” Flores (19-4-1, 17 KOs) and another rising prospect, Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh (12-1, 10 KOs), who will also be in action on the June 15^th show.

Ibeh, who is a native of Nigeria who now resides in Phoenix, is a cousin of the retired, infamous heavyweight boxer Ike Ibeabuchi. The 6’ 4”, 300-pound Ibeh played football in college (Washburn U.) as well as professionally in the Canadian Football League.

Veteran mixed-martial-arts fighter Juan Torres (11-6-1, 4 KOs), the former Texas and ABF USA heavyweight champion, will challenge Ibeh in the eight-round Special Heavyweight Attraction.  

Undefeated Nicaraguan super featherweight prospect Nilo Guerrero (8-0, 1 KO), a 2016 Nicaragua Youth National Champion who lives in Coachella (CA), faces 60-fight veteran Diuhi “Elegante” Olguin in a six-round match. Guerrero, 23, skillfully uses his abnormal 6’ 1” height (and length) to a tremendous advantage thus far in the super featherweight division.  

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in four-rounders is Hoquiam (WA) super welterweight Nathan “Superman” Stolen (1-0, 1 KO), another MMA fighter who has fought in the highly respected Bellator, vs. Julio Munoz, Jr. (0-0-1), of Tucson, and Auburn (WA) lightweight Agustin Tovar (1-0) vs. Robert Jimenez (0-2), of Nampa, Idaho.

Card subject to change.

Tickets are on sale now for $70.00 and $45.00 and may be purchased online at https://emeraldqueen.com/boxing/ or by calling (253) 594-7777.  Tickets purchased at the Emerald Queen Shop are eligible for up to a 20-discount, plus no taxes or processing fees. Must be 21 years of age to attend. 

Doors open at 6 p.m. PT, first bout at 7 p.m. PT.

.Huntington, New York (May 12, 2024)—Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing Rockin’ Fights 47 delivered an exciting night of boxing at the Paramount in Huntington, Long Island.

Undefeated Junior Younan (20-0-1 12 KO’s) was very impressive in scoring a sensational, highlight reel knockout over veteran Ricardo Adrian Luna to capture the vacant WBA CONTINENTAL AMERICA GOLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Younan’s had the type of performance that is sure to put the Brooklyn NY prospect on the world map as he seeks to fight the top names in boxing after recently becoming a part of Joe DeGuardia‘s Star Boxing stable. The knockout came at 2:53 in the first round

Undefeated Ryan O’Rourke (11-0 3 KO’s) returned to the ring after an injury filled layoff and had to work very hard to take the unanimous decision against determined Polish Welterweight Michal Bulik. Scores were 59-55, 59-56 and 58-56.

Ronny Reyes and Yeuri Andujar engaged in an exciting 6 round battle in the Jr Lightweight division. The fighters went toe to toe for the entire 6 rounds, each taking a turn having his way. In the end, Andujar scored the upset majority decision over the previously undefeated Reyes by scores of 57-57, 58-56, and a seemingly outrageous score of 60-54 by judge John Basile, for Andujar.

The opening fight of the night was a thrillingly engaging and entertaining war between pro debuting John McDonagh and Tevin Terrance. The fight was sensational and worthy of a ‘club show 4 round fight of the year’ award. It is an example of the fights that have made Star Boxing’s Rockin’ Fights series one of the longest running and most successful shows in boxing. The fight was an all-out slugfest. The fittingly appropriate end result was a split draw, 39-37 for each fighter and 38-38 on the final scorecard in their Super Middleweight bout. Both were winners

Star Boxing once again delivered an electrifying evening that featured competitive bouts and thrilling outcomes!

Vasiliy Lomacheno won the IBF Lightweigt title with an 11th round stoppage of former world champion George Kambosos Jr. in Perth, Australia

In round seven, Kambosos was cut around his right eye. Lomachenko beat down Kambosos and softened him up. In round 11, Lomachenko landed a hard left to the head while Kambosos was bending down that put Kambosos on the canvas. Kambosos was clearly done, and Lomachenko ended the fight by landed a crushing left to the body that put Kambosos down again and the fight was stopped just as the towel was being thrown in from Kambosos corner at 2:49.

Lomachenko is a champion again with a record of 18-3 with 12 knockouts. Kambosos falls to 21-3.

Lomachenko said, “It looked like a knockout today, not ‘No-Mas-Chenko.’ But, you know, we trained hard for this moment. I want to thank my opponent. He is a strong man and a true warrior.

“My plan was to adjust to my opponent. This is what I did during the fight. I knew I needed to finish strong. And in the last three rounds, I was trying to find his body.

I never ran around during my boxing career. I always take fights. Right now, I want to come back to my home, spend time with my family, and after I rest a little bit, we can talk about my future.”

Kambosos said, “He’s a true champion. He’s a legend of the sport. I give him the utmost respect. We knew what we are coming up against, and I tried my best. But it wasn’t enough today.

He’s one of the best fighters in history. So, I’m not ashamed. I wanted to finish the fight on my feet. I wanted to finish the rounds like I always do. But there’s no shame in losing to a man like Lomachenko.”

Johnson Decisions Hughes to Win Bantamweight Title

Cherneka Johnson won the WBA Bantamweight Title with a 10-round majority decision over previously undefeated Nina Hughes

Johnson landed 167 of 520. Hughes was 133 of 570.

Johnson of Australia won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95. and is now 16-2. Hughes of England is 6-1.

Guevara Decisions Andrew Moloney to Win Vacant Interim 115 lb. Title; Moloney Announces Retirement

Pedro Guevara won the vacant WBC Interim Bantamweight title with a split decision over Andrew Moloney.

In round 10, Moloney began to bleed from his hairline.

Guevara landed 177 of 661 punches. Moloney as 152 of 506.

The scorecards read 115-113 Guevara on two cards, 116-113 Moloney.

Guevara of Mexico is 42-4-1. Moloney of Australia is now 26-4. The bout capped a bad week for the Moloney twins as brother Jason lost his Bantamweight Title in Japan on Monday.

Right after the bout, Moloney announced his retirement by saying, “I am done with this sport, Fuck that.”

“I really want to come back here. It’s amazing here,” Guevara said. “I’d have no problem giving him a rematch.”

Moloney said, “I felt in total control. I did what I had to do in there tonight to get the win. I don’t want to make excuses, but I went into this fight with a torn biceps, so I couldn’t throw the left hook unless I needed to. I didn’t feel like I needed to throw it because I was in total control. “

LAS VEGAS (May 10, 2024) — Another chapter in Mexico’s historic saga of intra-national showdowns is set to unfold.
 
Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Sergio Chirino on Friday, June 21, inside BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Espinoza-Chirino will mark the 161st all-Mexican world title fight and the 20th at featherweight. 

The 10-round junior lightweight co-feature will see Andres “Savage” Cortes and Abraham “El Super” Nova collide in a high-stakes battle presented in association with Murphys Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotion. 
 
In a 10-round special attraction, unbeaten middleweights Troy Isley and Javier Martinez will reignite a fierce amateur rivalry.

Espinoza-Chirino, Cortes-Nova and Isley-Martinez headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ and Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 14, at 12 p.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com.
 
“From top to bottom, this is a truly great card that promises action, and we’re thrilled to be doing our first show at the beautiful Fontainebleau Las Vegas,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Espinoza can be Mexico’s next great champion, but he has a tough assignment in Chirino. Andres Cortes and Abraham Nova is a great grudge match, and the winner will be in great position to challenge for a world title.”
 
“Espinoza-Chirino is one of this year’s most anticipated fights, and we could not be prouder to host it at BleauLive Theater, a sports fan’s paradise where you will feel the intensity of every punch no matter where you’re seated,” says Fontainebleau Las Vegas Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Fedor Banuchi. “Espinoza-Chirino title bout underscores Fontainebleau’s 70-year legacy of delivering premier entertainment to our guests and solidifies our status as a top-tier destination for live events.”
 
Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) devoted over a decade to his pro career before capturing the WBO featherweight world title in a Fight of the Year contender against Robeisy Ramirez last December. Despite being knocked down in the fifth after taking an early lead, Espinoza rallied late and dropped Ramirez in the twelfth, nearly stopping him before the final bell. Espinoza earned a majority decision in a stunning upset. Standing at 6’1,” he is the tallest world champion in featherweight history, a division that has included Mexican greats such as Ruben Olivares, Salvador Sanchez, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera.
 
Espinoza said, “I’m excited to return to the ring. I’m training very hard like always. I know that I’ll be facing a Mexican compatriot who is coming to win. I will be ready to defend my title with a lot of grit and heart. And that’s what I’ll do in the ring, fight with a lot of heart and win my first title defense.” 

Chirino (22-1, 13 KOs) went 9-0 before an early loss to eventual world titleholder Mauricio Lara in August 2018. Since then, he has remained unbeaten, tallying wins in different parts of Mexico. Last year, he decisioned Ally Mwerangi and Sebastian Tinoco Chavez before making his 2024 debut in February by stopping Dennis Contreras with a body shot in the third round. The 29-year-old hopes to make history by becoming the first world champion to come from the Mexican state of Oaxaca.  
 
Chirino said, “We Mexicans are known for having a lot of heart. And whenever there are two of us in the ring, it’s a battle. I’m happy for the opportunity, but at the same time, I know I’ve earned it. I’m coming for that belt. I have a lot of experience. There will be a problem in the ring, and that problem is Espinoza. But I will solve that problem and take home the victory.”
 
Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) had an impressive amateur career spanning almost 200 fights, with notable wins against Frank Martin, Richardson Hitchins, and Nahir Albright. As a pro, he went 17-0 before entering a co-promotional agreement with Top Rank in early 2020. He suffered his first professional setback in June 2022 via a one-punch knockout against Ramirez at featherweight. Following the loss, Nova moved back to junior lightweight, notching victories over Adam Lopez and former world champion Jonathan Romero before a split decision loss in his first world title shot against O’Shaquie Foster in February.
 
Nova said, “We’ve been on a collision course for a long time. It was eventually going to happen. Andres has been nipping at my heels for a while, calling me out and running his mouth at press conferences. Well, on June 21 in Las Vegas, he’s going to get a taste of what he’s been craving. Be careful what you wish for. No Fear! No Doubt!”
 
Cortes (21-0, 12 KOs), a Las Vegas native, made his mark in July 2020 by overcoming a visit to the canvas to secure a decision victory against Alejandro Salinas at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. In 2021, he maintained his momentum by outpointing Eduardo Garza in May, knocking out former world title challenger Genesis Servania in the first round in August and vanquishing Mark Bernaldez in three rounds in November. The 26-year-old inked a deal with Top Rank the following March and has since gone 5-0 with three knockouts, including last July’s seventh-round stoppage win over Xavier Martinez and February’s fourth-round TKO against Bryan Chevalier.

“This is going to be a painful night for Abraham Nova. He thinks I’m his ticket to another title shot, but I am going to plant him on the canvas,” Cortes said. “I’m ready for a title shot, and nobody, especially not Nova, will stop me from achieving my dream.”
 
Isley (12-0, 5 KOs) kicked off his pro career in February 2021 and notched his first 10 wins before joining forces with 2023 Trainer of the Year Brian “BoMac” McIntyre. Since then, the Olympian has excelled, registering a dominant points verdict over Mexican veteran Vladimir Hernandez last November on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos bill before knocking out Marcos Hernandez in round seven in March. Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs), a five-time national champion, started his professional journey in July 2020. He only has one blemish, a split draw against Joeshon James. The Milwaukee native is coming off his most significant victory, an eight-round decision over Raul Salomon in February.

Isley and Martinez are familiar foes, having fought four times as amateurs. Isley bested Martinez in the finals of the 2016 and 2017 U.S. National Championships. Martinez responded with victories at the 2018 U.S. National Championships and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

“This isn’t the amateurs anymore,” Isley said. “Javier is going to see the difference in skill when we fight on June 21 in Las Vegas. He’s a tough fighter with a lot of heart, but that won’t be enough for him to win the fight.”
 
“This is the end of the rivalry. We fought some great battles as amateurs, and this one is the tiebreaker,” Martinez said.  “I’ve wanted this fight ever since I turned pro, and on June 21, I will show Troy that our last two amateur fights were not a fluke. I was the better fighter then, and I am the better fighter now.”
 
The undercard includes a pair of Las Vegas natives and the Top Rank debut of a fast-rising prodigy:
 
·      Bantamweight prospect Floyd Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) makes his second 2024 appearance in an eight-round tilt versus Francisco Pedroza (18-11-2, 10 KOs). The Las Vegas native shined with an eight-round decision over Puerto Rican vet Edwin Rodriguez in March. Pedroza, after giving stiff tests to Gary Antonio Russell and Jason Moloney, bested three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren over six rounds in August 2022.
 
·      Junior lightweight southpaw DJ Zamora (12-0, 9 KOs), also a native of Las Vegas, will face Jose Antonio Meza (9-9, 2 KOs) in an eight-round contest. The 21-year-old earned two victories in 2023, dispatching Jesus Abel Ibarra in three rounds in March and decisioning Nikolai Buzolin across eight in July.
 
·      Junior bantamweight phenom Steven Navarro (1-0, 1 KO) will make his Top Rank debut in a six-rounder against Juan Pablo Meza (7-3, 2 KOs). The 13-time U.S. national amateur champion entered the professional ranks by stopping Jose Lopez in six in April.
 
·      Albert Gonzalez (8-0, 4 KOs), a featherweight standout trained by Robert Garcia, takes on Conrado Martinez (9-1) in a six-rounder. Gonzalez returns after blasting out Joel Alberto Mora last month.
  

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About BleauLive Theater
BleauLive Theater is the entertainment hub of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, customizable theater capable of hosting up to 3,800 guests. More information about Fontainebleau Las Vegas dining, events, entertainment, rooms and suites can be found at fontainebleaulasvegas.com.
 
About Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a 67-story, vertically integrated luxury resort. Rooted in the 70-year history of the iconic Fontainebleau brand, Fontainebleau Las Vegas brings a legacy of timeless elegance and unparalleled service to the Strip. Certified by the Green Building Initiative with three Green Globes, the resort’s thoughtful design allows guests to move effortlessly among 3,644 luxury hotel rooms and suites, 550,000 square feet of customizable meeting and convention space, 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a collection of world-class restaurants and shops, exquisite pools, vibrant nightlife, and vitality-enhancing spa and wellness offerings. Located at 2777 S. Las Vegas Blvd., adjacent to the acclaimed Las Vegas Convention Center expansion, Fontainebleau Las Vegas is created by Fontainebleau Development in partnership with Koch Real Estate Investments.

LINCOLN, RI – CES Boxing returns to Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino tomorrow night for “The Brawl at Bally’s,” a scintillating 7-bout card featuring 2 championship fights.  

The action begins at 7pm EST and will also be streamed on Swerve Combat TV.  There is still time to purchase tickets at CESFights.com for what is sure to be an electrifying night of championship boxing.

In the main event, New Bedford, MA’s Wilson “ill Will” Mascarenhas (10-1, 4 KOs) clashes with Accra, Ghana’s Patrick “The Mallet” Okine (21-6-2, 18 KOs) for the WBC US Silver Super Lightweight title.  The co-main event features a battle of undefeated prospects as Gary “Batman” Balletto III (4-0, 2 KOs) collides with Laurent Humes (10-0, 10 KOs) for the NABF Jr. Light Heavyweight Championship.  Plus, “King” Kevin Walsh (12-0, 5 KOs) fights for the 3rd time this year and top prospect Iman Lee (9-0, 6 KOs) makes his CES Boxing debut.

Weights from Lincoln, Rhode Island:

• Wilson Mascarenhas 139 vs. Patrick Okine 140; for the WBC US Silver Super Lightweight Championship
• Gary Balletto III 175 vs. Laurent Humes 173; for the NABF Jr. Light Heavyweight Championship
• Kevin Walsh 143 vs. Tackie Annan 143; welterweights
• Iman Lee 130 vs. Luis Porozo 128; super featherweights
• James Maner 164 vs. Chaklit Ali-Redwood 163; super middleweights
• Robert Degaetano 151 vs. Abdalla Nagy 154; junior middleweights
• Raheem Davis 145 vs. Jaequez Jones 145; welterweights

For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.