By Norm Frauenheim –

It’s been a good week to be a fight fan, which is another way of saying the business is staging an overdue comeback with fights that matter.

Front-and-center, Terence Crawford-versus-Errol Spence Jr. in a July 29 bout formally introduced this week at coast-to-coast news conferences, first in Los Angeles and then New York.

In a year full of evidence that an audience is still there, Crawford-Spence represents what looks to be the best in a surprising comeback from widespread doom-and-gloom last fall.

First, there were a reported 1.2 million pay-per-view buys for Tank Davis’ stoppage of Ryan Garcia.

Then, there was news that Teofimo Lopez’ entertaining decision over Josh Taylor Saturday drew boxing’s biggest cable/network audience this year. According to Nielsen, it peaked at 980,000.

The sudden spike adds up to a rebound few saw in the immediate aftermath of news in late October that Crawford and Spence couldn’t reach a deal for what could be a welterweight classic. But they stayed at the table, amid mixed reports about how the talks were going.

Then, however, there was the million-plus PPV milestone for Davis-Garcia on April 22.

A month later, Crawford-Spence had a deal.

The marketplace had spoken.

The message: For the right fight, there’s an audience.

But not everybody got the message.

Canelo Alvarez, boxing’s lone pay-per-view draw since Floyd Mayweather Jr., is still searching for an opponent. It’s an ongoing process, ever-changing and a reflection of uncertainty that stands in stark contrast to a fan base sure about what it wants.

It wants Canelo-versus-David Benavidez. No secret there. For about as long as fans and  fighters have been calling for Crawford-Spence, there’s been an escalating demand for Canelo-Benavidez. 

Canelo and trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso have resisted, trotting out a litany of reasons at every turn.

Canelo has said Benavidez’ resume didn’t measure up. He said he didn’t want to fight fellow Mexicans. Benavidez, of Phoenix, has a Mexican dad and an Ecuadorian mom.

Canelo hasn’t blamed climate change. Not yet, anyway. But you get the idea. Over the last few weeks, any chance Benavidez had at fighting Canelo seems to have come.

And gone.

All over again.

Benavidez promoter and manager Sampson Lewkowicz had been publicly campaigning for a fall date with Canelo. He was reportedly offering Canelo a deal potentially worth more than $60 million. But Reynoso said he never got Lewkowicz’ message. Didn’t get that marketplace message either.

Lewkowicz, who offered $50 million a couple of years ago,  went on to tell South American media that Benavidez would move on and pursue a dangerous date with emerging super-middleweight David Morrell, a Cuban living in Minnesota. Morrell had always been Benavidez’ plan.

Besides, it was clear that Canelo had already altered his plans. There was no movement in reported negotiations for a rematch of his loss to light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Now, there are questions about whether there was ever any substantive talk.

Over the last week, Jermall Charlo, who holds the World Boxing Council’s middleweight belt, and Badou Jack suddenly landed on Canelo’s short list, according to ESPN.

The 33-year-old Charlo hasn’t fought in two years. He’s been struggling with mental issues, according to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

Meanwhile, Jack is a cruiserweight champion. He beat Ilunga Makabu in February to win the WBC’s 200-pound title in Saudi Arabia. Negotiations are reportedly underway for a fight in October, also in Saudi.

Problem is, Canelo, the undisputed super-middleweight champion, has never been heavier than 174.5 pounds, light-heavy. Some kind of crazy catchweight would have to be negotiated.

It’s hard to imagine that any state commission, ruled by traditional safeguards, would sanction a fight forcing Jack to be at 20 to 25 fewer pounds than he was for his last bout — 198.5 in February.

But this is Saudi, as in sportswash money. The Saudi role in the controversial LIV-PGA golf deal is just more proof that almost nothing is ever off the scale. Only the money is. Canelo, an avid golfer himself, might get in line for his own share of the sportswash.

But would it satisfy the market demand for significant fights?

Has there been any clamor for Canelo against a middleweight beltholder who hasn’t answered an opening bell in two years?

Any demand for Canelo against a cruiserweight champion in a bout turned gimmicky by crazy weight restrictions?

No.

No.

And no.

That’s what a resilient market is saying in numbers amplified by an audience suddenly back on pay-per-view, cable and network.

The message: Ignore it at your own peril.

Follow all the action as Josh Taylor defends the WBO Junior Welterweight title against former Undisputed Lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez.  The action begins at 10 PM ET with Xander Zayas taking on Ronald Cruz.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

ROUND 1 Combi from Lopez..Left from Taylor..Combo…Right from Lopez…Uppercut…Left from Taylor off the ropes..Counter left…Left..Left to body

ROUND 2 Jab from Taylor…Jab from Lopez..Left as Taylor came in…Good right,,,Left from Taylor..Left to body…Counter left..Left to end the round

ROUND 3 Left from Taylor…Uppercut From Lopez…Left…Right..Left to body from Taylor..Right from Lopez..

ROUND 4 Right to body from Lopez…Left from Taylor…Hard left…Body shot…Right buckles Taylor..Steo around right..Right…Big left rocks Taylor

ROUND 5 Jab from Taylor..Good right from Lopez and another…Body shot…Counter left from Taylor..Left to body…Short right rom Lopez..Uppercut..Right

ROUND 6 Left from Taylor..Left to body..Left…Jab from Lopez..Right…Right…Left from Taylor

ROUND 7 Leaping left from Lopez…Right…Left from Taylor..Counter left..Lopez cut around the right eye.

ROUND 8 Left from Taylor..Jab…Good right from Lopez..Rught to body…Jab from Taylor..Counter right from Lopez..Leaping left..Hard leaping left

ROUND 9 Counter left from Taylor…Right from Lopez..Right..another..Left from Taylor…Uppercut from Lopez..Big right hands..Wicked body punch

ROUND 10 Right from Taylor…Left to body…right from Lopez..

ROUND 11 Right to body from Taylor…Counter right…Counter body from Taylor..Right from Lopez..Perfect counter right uppercut…1-2…perfect right…Hard right

ROUND 12 Counter right from Lopez…Counter left wobbles Taylor…Hard right hand,,,Huge bidy shot hurts Taylor..Big left hook…Big right to body…wicked uppercut,,

117-111 TWICE AND 115-113 FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ

Round 1 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES CRUZ…Zayas lands 2 Body shots…Big right
Round 2 1-2 from Zayas..Good right…Uppercut…Left to body,,,another…
Round 3 Zayas lands a Right over the top…Cruz gets in a right…Zayas jabbing
Round 4 Hard right from Zayas…Good right to the body…Right over the top…1-2…Good right…Left to body…|
Round 5 Good body shot from Zayas,,,4 Punch combination..Good left hook to the head..
Round 6 Zayas Jabbing..Double jab…
Round 7 Right from Zauas,,,Right drives Cruz Back…Good double left uppercut,,,,Hard right drives Cruz into ropes….Big flurry on the ropes
Round 8 Left to body by Zayas…Good combo to the head..Hard straight right

80-71 ON ALL CARDS FOR ZAYAS

NEW YORK–Teofimo Lopez became a two-division world champion with an emphatic 12-round unanimous decision over Josh Taylor to win the WBO Junior Welterweight title before a Madison Square Garden record crowd of 5,151.

The fight began with a fast pace with Taylor working the body. Lopez was able to land some “show me” right hands. Lopez started to foreshadow of things to come by landing quick and pinpoint right hands that was able to stop Taylor in his tracks. That assault came in rounds three through five, with round four being a big frame for “The Takeover” as he rocked Taylor. The two fighters took turns over the next four-rounds.

Lopez was terrific over the next three rounds as he dominant as hand speed proved to be too much. His right hand continuously found a home on the face of Taylor. In round 12, Lopez sealed the deal by hurting Taylor twice, with the latter being from a perfect right to the body that hurt Taylor.

Lopez, who was the undisputed lightweight champion, becomes a two-weight division champ by scores of 117-111 and 115-113 and is now 19-1. Taylor of Scotland is 19-1.

Xander Zayas remained undefeated by stopping Ronald Cruz in a eight-round junior middleweight bout.

Zayas dropped Cruz in the opening seconds with a powerful right hand. Zayas dominated the action and landed several hard flurry that had Cruz reeling on the ropes.

Zayas, 152.8 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 80-71 on all cards and is now 16-0. Cruz, 152.4 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is now 18-3-1.

Said Zayas, “Thank you to all my Puerto Rican fans and to everyone that came out. This is a dream come true. I’m very happy to have fought during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend. He was a tough guy. I was hitting him with everything. He didn’t want to go down. He was here to fight. He was motivated. He was tough. But we passed with flying colors. Unanimous decision. And we made the adjustments we needed to do.”

“He brought out the dog in me. I had to dig deep. I had to stay focused. I had to listen to my corner. And most importantly I had to have fun, which was the most important part. I had the crowd here cheering for me, so I was trying to stay as focused as possible.”

Robson Conceicao and Nicolas Polanco fought to a no-decision as a headbutt in round two deemed Polanco unable to continue.

Omar Rosario remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Jan Carlos Rivera in a junior welterweight bout.

Rosario, 139.2 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 77-75 and is now 11-0. Rivera, 138.4 lbs of Vieques, PR is 8-2.

Damian Knyba won an eight-round unanimous decision over Hiamann Olguin in a heavyweight fight.

Knyba, 261.4 lbs of Wodzyn, POL won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 12-0, Olguin, 256.8 lbs of El Dorado, MEX is 9-6-1.

Bruce Carrington battered Luis Porozo and stopped him in round eight of their eight-round featherweight bout.

Carrington hurt Porozo in round eight and the fight was stopped at 2:17.

Carrington, 126.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 7-0 with five knockouts. Porozo. 126.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 16-7.

Henry Lebron remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Rosario in a junior lightweight bout.

In round 10, Lebron dropped Ramos with a left hook.

LeBron, 129.2 lbs of Aguadilla, PR won by scores of 98-90 twice and 97-91 and is now 18-0. Rosario, 129.6 lbs Madrid, SPA is now 17-3.

By Norm Frauenheim –

There’s not much Teofimo Lopez won’t say these days. He’s a shock jock in a concussive business, one that has seemingly heard it all.

The latest came at a news conference not long after Lopez said he wants “to kill” Josh Taylor Saturday night. In so many words, it’s been said before by Deontay Wilder and many more.

Often, it’s hyperbole, an unnecessary exaggeration in an already deadly game.

But, no, Lopez apparently wasn’t exaggerating. Then again, it wasn’t exactly clear what he meant either

“Aim for death for that’s where life begins,’’ he said Thursday before a contentious ESPN (7 p.m PT/10 p.m. ET) fight for Taylor’s junior-welterweight title in The Theater at New York’s Madison Garden.

Taylor (19-0, 13 KOS) laughed, then said “OK, no comment.’’

Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) went on, doing what he does best. He talked.

“I think it’s a good one,’’ he said as he gestured like a sidewalk preacher at Taylor and Top Rank host Mark Shunock. “You aim at death for that’s where life begins. Everybody is scared of death. I don’t know why. We all gonna die.

“But at least if I die, I’m dying for something that means something, that’s gonna last forever. That’s what greats are all about. Something that you don’t really know.

“I mean, this is what we all about. Remaking history, making history and giving the fans, giving the kids – the youth – a good thing to follow on. They need that. They need that motivation, that they know they can do it too

“The only way they can. There’s earth, there’s man and, in between that, you bring the realization within yourself. From the heavens.’’

On stage, there were awkward glances. In the audience, there were awkward laughs. What on earth? From the heavens, no answer to that one.

“Listen, at the end of it all, everybody can laugh, do whatever the f— they want,’’ Lopez said just as Shunock turned and tried to address Taylor. “But it’s just me and him, this fighter.’’

The baffling, uncomfortable moment just left further questions about Lopez. As a fighter, he has struggled ever since his upset at lightweight of then pound-for-pound leader Vasiliy Lomachenko on October 2020.

He suffered a first-round knockdown in November 2021 against Australian George Kambosos Jr., who went on to upset him by split decision in front Lopez’ hometown fans in New York. Lopez, who suffered from a respiratory condition, loudly complained about the decision. Kambosos called him delusional.

In December, he got knocked down by unknown Spaniard Sandor Martin before winning a debatable split decision, also in New York. After the fight, a hot mike caught him asking himself:

“Do I still got it?’’

It was a question rooted in self-doubt. A crisis in confidence, a fighter’s identity in peril.

Since then, he talks and talks as though he’s trying to convince himself as much as his skeptics. He has ripped ESPN commentators Timothy Bradley and Andre Ward.

Bradley, he says, doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame. Bradley will get inducted into the Canastota Hall Sunday after working the Lopez-Taylor fight.

He talks about seemingly everything yet ignores that anguished question he asked himself seven months ago.

It’s an answer that Taylor might deliver definitively and painfully. The odds make Taylor a slight favorite despite questions surrounding his controversial decision over Jake Catterall in his last outing.

But the pundits are one-sided. In a poll conducted by The Ring, the pick-to-win was unanimous. And perhaps devastating.

Twenty for Taylor, 0 for Lopez, a lonely man in a desperate fight for a victory that would speak for itself.

Valdez-Navarrete set for AZ

As expected, Oscar Valdez-versus-Emanuel Navarrete is set for Desert Diamond Arena August 12, Top Rank announced this week.

“I’m excited to return to the ring, especially because it’s for a world title against ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete” said Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) a two-time champion from Nogales who went to school in nearby Tucson. “Being a world champion is something that I always dreamed of. I already did it two times, and this is yet another opportunity.

“So, I’m excited and prepared both mentally and physically for this new opportunity. And I like that it’s between two Mexicans, because it’s a win-win for Mexico. It’s a guaranteed war when there are two Mexicans in the ring.”

Navarrete won the World Boxing Organization’s vacant junior-lightweight title in a dramatic ninth-round TKO of Australian Liam Wilson, a late-stand-in for an injured Valdez, last December at Desert Diamond.

 “After so much time, this fight will finally take place,’’ Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) said. “Obviously, I am 100 percent motivated because Valdez is still a big threat, and a fight against him could possibly be the start of a new Mexico-versus- Mexico rivalry like the one between (Marco Antonio) Barrera and (Erik) Morales.”

By Norm Frauenheim –

Politics, boxing style, continues to surround the David Benavidez-versus-Canelo Alvarez possibility and nobody is playing that game harder than Benavidez promoter Sampson Lewkowicz.

Lewkowicz has gone public with negotiations in an apparent attempt to push Canelo into an agreement for a September fight with Benavidez instead of Dmitry Bivol.

In a pubic letter this week to Canelo manager/trainer Eddy Reynoso, Lewkowicz wrote that he has made an offer.

“Please know that you do indeed have an offer to face Benavidez, a sizeable one, and I must tell you that I am offended by your claim that I’m ‘fantasizing’ about making this fight happen.,’’ Lewkowicz wrote.

“If you are also unable to find this open letter and no one tells you about it, would anyone who knows him please let Eddy know that I will send the same offer for him to communicate to Canelo Alvarez.’’

According to Sports Illustrated Thursday, the sizeable offer is as much as $50 million, including a percentage of ticket revenue and pay-per-view.

The reported number isn’t new. Lewkowicz said in February 2022 that he offered Canelo $50 million to fight the Phoenix-born fighter, the World Boxing Council’s No. 1 challenger for the WBC super-middleweight belt held by Canelo.

Canelo apparently said no and fought Bivol later that May, losing a decision in a huge upset at light-heavyweight.

Benavidez went on to a blowout of former middleweight champion David Lemieux, also that May, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ, a few miles of roadwork from the Phoenix streets where Benavidez grew up. 

After the third-round stoppage, Lewkowicz told reporters that Benavidez-Canelo was “a fantasy.’’

But he changed his mind after Benavidez’ solid decision over Caleb Plant on March 25 in Las Vegas. 

Fantasy had become reality, he said. Canelo, he said, has nowhere else to go. A Benavidez fight had to be his next stop, he said.

Then, Lewkowicz told 15 Rounds that he believed there were complications that would prevent a Canelo rematch with Bivol, a Russian whose career has already been impacted by politics.  He’s banned from WBC ratings because of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war with the Ukraine.

Despite Bivol’s unanimous decision over Canelo, the 2022 Fighter of the Year has not fought since stunning the Mexican legend and pay-per-view star.

Canelo has said repeatedly that he wants to avenge the loss in a rematch at 175 pounds. However, Bivol has said he wants the fight at 168. 

He says he wants an opportunity to win Canelo’s super-middleweight belts, although the WBC title would not be at stake if the acronym stands by its Russian ban.

It’s not clear whether Canelo and Bivol can reach an agreement on weight. If not, there’s talk that Bivol will fight in August.

That would leave a date surrounding Mexico’s Sept. 16 Independence Day wide open.

Benavidez?

That’s still not clear. Lewkowicz’ public campaign reflects uncertainty about Canelo’s future, especially in the wake of his unanimous decision over John Ryder in a tune-up on May 6 in front of a hometown crowd in a soccer stadium near Guadalajara.

He battered and bloodied Ryder. He knocked him down. But he didn’t knock him out. Hence, the doubt.

There are questions about whether he needs another tune-up instead of an immediate challenge, be it Bivol or Benavidez. Edgar Berlanga has been mentioned.

Even if the Berlanga option made some sense in strict boxing terms, it would unleash further criticism of Canelo. 

Safe to say, it would represent a concession, perhaps further confirmation, of what fans have been saying. To wit: Canelo is in decline.

Another factor: A decision between Bivol and Benavidez represents a choice between legacy and more money for a wealthy fighter who has always said he wants to make Mexican history.

History means Julio Cesar Chavez.

There’s an argument that Canelo has to avenge the loss Bivol if he wants even a chance at ever surpassing Chavez’ historic reign as Mexico’s best ever.

But Canelo-Bivol 2 ranks behind Canelo-Benavidez in terms of what fans want to see. Despite Bivol’s accomplished resume, Benavidez is simply better known, especially among Mexican and Mexican-American fans.

On social media, there’s not much clamor for Bivol-Canelo 2. But there is for Canelo-Benavidez, a natural extension of the Mexican-Mexican American rivalry

Lewkowicz knows that. That why he’s on the campaign trail.

Valdez-Navarrete Update

An intriguing Oscar Valdez-Emanuel Navarrete has figured to be a Phoenix fight since the bout was first mentioned as a possibility.

Valdez stood in the ring alongside Navarrete and said “Let’s do it, maybe right here in Arizona” after Navarrete kept the junior-lightweight fight alive with a surprisingly tough victory over Aussie stand-in Liam Wilson on Feb. 3 at Desert Diamond in Glendale.

Valdez, a Mexican Olympian who went to school in Tucson, did his part, showing no signs of a rib injury or rust throughout a solid decision over Adam Lopez in a Vegas rematch on May 20.

Top Rank is still planning for Valdez-Navarrete for August 12. Still, it’s not official. It could still happen at Desert Diamond or at Footprint Center, the Suns home arena in downtown Phoenix. As of Thursday, both were still available for the projected date.

ReplyForward

LAS VEGAS – May 31, 2023 – In a matchup that will go down in boxing history as one of the most significant title fights of all time, unified WBC, WBA and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth’’ Spence Jr. will take on WBO 147-pound world champion Terence “Bud’’ Crawford for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, July 29 in a highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV clash from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The winner of this battle of undefeated superstars will become the first undisputed welterweight world champion in the four-belt era and likely emerge as the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. Spence vs. Crawford joins Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns, Pernell Whitaker vs. Julio César Chávez and Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, as a generational matchup of two popular stars whose dynamic and aggressive styles should produce an instant classic. Both Spence and Crawford have reached the pinnacle of boxing’s glamour division with their sublime skills and can stamp themselves alongside 147-pound legends like Leonard, Mayweather, Sugar Ray Robinson and Pacquiao, with a win on July 29.

Spence and Crawford have been circling each other since Crawford became a welterweight champion in 2018, and now, IT’S ON!

Pre-sale tickets are available tomorrow, Thursday, June 1 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com by using the code: BOXING

Public on-sale begins Friday, June 2 at 10 a.m. PT with tickets available through AXS.com. The event is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TBC Promotions and TGB Promotions.

“I’m truly excited to be a part of the biggest fight in boxing and the best welterweight matchup of the century,” said Spence. “Terence Crawford is a great fighter and our styles are going to make for a great fight. I told him and the world what I was going to do after I captured my first welterweight title and it’s been strap season ever since. On July 29, I’m going to put on a tremendous performance and become the undisputed king of the welterweight division. This is truly going to be a night to remember, one where history is made, and I want everyone to be a part of it.”

“The fans and I have both wanted this fight for years and now it is finally happening,” said Crawford. “This truly is a once in a generation fight, so come out to T-Mobile Arena or tune in to SHOWTIME PPV for the biggest fight in boxing. On July 29, I look forward to making history and becoming two-time undisputed champion of the world.”

“This is an undeniably historic matchup taking place on July 29, because the winner of this fight will go down as the greatest welterweight of this era,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “On top of being for undisputed status, and in addition to pitting two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport against each other, Spence vs. Crawford is an electric style matchup that has captured the imagination of fans everywhere. Boxing’s premier division will have a definitive number one when the dust settles this July at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.”

 “With the addition of this blockbuster event, SHOWTIME SPORTS’ industry-leading schedule becomes even stronger,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming for Showtime Networks Inc. “Spence vs. Crawford is the type of matchup that will demonstrate boxing’s enduring popularity — a marquee event to bring the sports world to a halt with all eyes on the center of the ring in Las Vegas. This fight will be talked about alongside all of the legendary welterweight and undisputed world title bouts throughout history. Together with our partners, we are proud to once again deliver the biggest and best fights that the sport can offer.”

Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) has displayed mental toughness inside and outside of the ring throughout an already storied career. He survived a horrific car crash in 2019 and had surgery to repair a detached retina in 2021. Defying both the odds and other’s expectations, Spence came back to not only defend his title but added even more titles to his trophy case.

Born in Long Island, N.Y., the 33-year-old was and raised in Desoto, Texas where he embarked on an accolade-laden amateur career that culminated with him as a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team that competed in London, England. He went back to England and won his first welterweight championship when he traveled to Sheffield to meet local favorite and IBF Champion Kell Brook in 2017, stopping Brook in round 11 for the IBF title.

Spence successfully defended the title three times before adding another welterweight title by defeating Shawn Porter in one of 2019’s best fights. After taking time off to recover from injuries from the car crash, Spence defended the unified title with a unanimous decision victory over two-division champion Danny Garcia in 2020. A detached retina scuttled plans to meet Pacquiao in a 2021 showdown, but Spence wasn’t going to be denied as he defeated Yordenis Ugas, who bested Pacquiao as a replacement for Spence, to win the WBA title with a resounding TKO on April 16, 2022.

Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) is an accomplished ring tactician who has held world titles at lightweight, super lightweight and welterweight. His special blend of blazing fast hands, high ring IQ, superb counter punching ability and defensive prowess has put him in position to become boxing’s first male undisputed champion in two weight classes if he can get past Spence.

The 35-year-old from Omaha, Neb., kicked off his championship run by winning the WBO Lightweight Title with a unanimous decision victory over Ricky Burns in 2014 and began his 140-pound reign by stopping Thomas Dulorme for the WBO Title in 2015. He added the WBC belt in 2016 with a unanimous decision victory over Viktor Postol and became the undisputed champion at 140 pounds with a KO of Julius Indongo in 2017.

Crawford didn’t stick around to defend his undisputed crown at super lightweight, opting to move up to welterweight in 2018 instead. He announced his presence with a TKO victory over Jeff Horn to claim the WBO Championship. He has successfully defended the title six times, including stoppage victories over former 147-pound champions Porter and Brook. In his most recent fight, Crawford scored a highlight-reel KO of David Avanesyan last December.

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports and www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #SpenceCrawford, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and www.Facebook.com/premierboxingchampions/.

By Norm Frauenheim –

Chaos is boxing’s oxygen. If the last few months are a sign, the patient is breathing. Maybe even thriving.

The latest indication is news Thursday from Terence Crawford and Errol Spence that they’ll be fighting July 29.

Just a week after the controversy surrounding Devin Haney’s unanimous decision over Vasiliy Lomachenko erupted, Crawford and Spence took to Instagram to say they have a deal.

The announcement included a PBC poster, betting odds and just about everything else that would represent some sort of confirmation in any other world.

But this is boxing, so caveat emptor. Given the abortive Crawford-Spence negotiations last fall and the subsequent mess of premature reports and denials, skepticism is healthy. Make that necessary.

Every expectation should come with the warning that no fight is real until you hear an opening bell. For fans, that one is a little bit like a referee’s directive: Defend yourself at all times. Not everyone does, of course.

Opening bell was still 66 days away from the moment when Crawford and Spence made their announcement. In a business ruled by chaos, that’s a lot of time, meaning a whole lot can still go wrong.

That said, this round of Crawford-Spence news seems to indicate that the long-awaited welterweight fight on Showtime pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena is as close as it’s ever been.

“Time to reel in the big fish,’’ Crawford said in his post. “No more talking. Let’s get it.

“Everybody come out, show support, and watch me fry this fish.’’

Hopefully, this is not another fish story, as in another big one got away. Guess here: It’s not. At best, both Crawford and Spence are near the end of their respective primes. Crawford, 35, will be 36 in September. Spence, 33, will be 34 in March.

To extend Crawford’s analogy, it’s time to fish or cut bait. It’s their last chance to secure a true legacy.

It’s fair to wonder how they reached their agreement. Last fall, it looked as if Crawford-Spence would be just another big fight that never got made. The career clock exerts its own urgency, of course.

But there’s more to it than that. At the time the deal fell through about seven months ago, it looked as is if the possibility was dead.

Still, Crawford vowed he would continue to pursue the date. But the numbers just weren’t promising. Neither Crawford nor Spence has ever done well enough on pay-per-view to support an agreement that reportedly includes eight-figure purses for each.

Crawford’s best PPV is a reported 135,000 for a 10^th-round stoppage of Shawn Porter in November 2021. That fell 15,000 short of the 150,000 break-even mark.

Spence’s PPV high is reported to be between 300,000 and 350,000 for a split-decision over Porter in September 2019.

Those numbers just said the market wasn’t there.

Then, Tank Davis-Ryan Garcia happened on April 22. The fight itself disappointed. Davis forced Garcia into a seventh-round surrender. But the PPV number exceeded every expectation. Tank-Garcia did a reported 1.2 million.

It was a number that said a viable market is still there, hungry and willing to pay for the right fight.

Is Crawford-Spence that fight?

About that, there are questions.

But the marketing has been there, front and center, even before negotiations failed last fall.

Like it or not, there’s no market for a fight without outrage from fans and media these days. That might lead to a Lomachenko-Haney rematch. Maybe, the scoring wasn’t a robbery. But no rematch would rob the game and its fans.

All the while, social-media anger at Crawford and Spence never really vanished. The echoes are still there. They’ll be easy enough to stir up all over again.

The chaos is still there, a sure sign that the market is too. Enter at your own risk.

LAS VEGAS –If this was chess, TheGrandMaster got robbed.

That at least, was the verdict from an angry crowd that booed a unanimous decision handed down by three judges in favor of Devin Haney over Vasiliy Lomachenko Saturday night in a contentious pay-per-view fight for the undisputed title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The chants of Loma, Loma quickly turned to boos when the scorecards were announced. It was 115-113, 116-112, 115-113, all for Haney. On the 15 Rounds card, it was 116-112 for Lomachenko. 

The outrage reflects what was a tough fight to score. It also proved that boxing isn’t chess. It’s subjective. 

Checkmate only happens on a game board. 

On the canvas, just about anything can happen.

And it  did throughout Haney-Lomachenko in a bout that included more subtle twists and turns than anything wild. To wit: There were no decisive knockdowns. There was just a lot of footwork and counters.

In the beginning the subtlety seemed to belong to Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs), who appeared to dictate pace while landing purposeful jabs. Early on, it looked as if Haney (30-0, 15 KOs)  was confused. Slowly and subtly, however, the momentum appeared to shift, slowly towards Haney, who seemed to control the center of the ring with superior size and strength. He was beginning to land body punches.

From their ringside seats, the judges saw what fans in the upper deck didn’t. Haney was scoring, but not enough to convince those fans or Lomachenko.

“I don’t want to talk about [the decision].” Lomachenko said. “All the people saw what happened today. I think I showed that I can still be in boxing. I’m in good shape now. And see you next time.”

“I can’t talk about this right now. It’s not a comfortable moment for me. Thank you to everyone who came. Before, I thought he would be better. He’s a tough fighter. He’s a good fighter.  But he’s not a pound-for-pound fighter.”

Haney, of course saw it differently. He believes his destiny is to be the very best, pound-for-pound. He was modest about his decision over Lomahenko. He heard the boos, too. But he also believed his destiny was still there, still intact.

“He’s a crafty fighter,” Haney said. “He turns it up in the championship rounds. I just have to take my hat off to him. He’s a great fighter.

“This is all experience. Me and my team are going to go back to the house, watch the fight and reflect on it. I’ve been at 135 (lightweight) for a long, long time. 

“This is my 30^th fight. I’ve been here at 135 since I was 16 years old. We’re going to go back to the lab and figure out what’s next.”

Oscar Valdez back with unanimous decision

Oscar Valdez Jr. was back, back to rediscover himself.

Mission accomplished.

Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) did it Saturday night in a rematch against Adam Lopez, who knocked him down and might have left him with some hard questions a couple of years ago.

He’ll never erase the knockdown. But he answered some of the questions with a solid performance in winning a 98-92, 98-91, 97-93 decision over Lopez in a fight before the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Devin Haney rematch at the MGM Grand.

It wasn;t always easy. Then again, it never is for the resilient Valdez, who was fighting for the first time since Shakur Stevenson beat him badly 13 months ago.

Above all, his victory over Lopez was a sure sign that Valdez is still a contender at junior-lightweight. In beating Lopez, he resurrected the possibility of an intrigving bout with fellow Mexican Emanuel Navarrete.

An earlier date with Navarrete in Glendale at Desert Diamond Arena near Phoenix was put on hold because Valdez hurt his ribs in a fall down some stairs. But the possibility is back on. Now, Top Rank is looking to stage Valdez-Navarrete in August.

 A re-energized Valdez  was there Saturday in the opening rounds. There was some familiar power in his left hand. There was also a precise, purposeful jab. He put Lopez on his back foot, the first step in an early retreat. 

But the younger Lopez flashed some of his aggression, stepping forward midway through the third and again late in the fourth with punches powerful enough for Valdez to be wary. Valdez continued to move forward. But he had to be careful that he wasn’t moving into a trap. Lopez appeared to gain some momentum in the fourth and again in the fifth. But it slowed when Valdez landed a couple of stinging left hands.

In the sixth, Lopez began to move, side to side. Back and forth. Always on his toes. It was a dance that forced the older Valdez into a chase. Catch me, if you can. In the sixth, Valdez could not.

In the seventh and eighth, Lopez ( 16-5, 6 KOs) continued to move his feet. It was elusive and – at times — effective. Yet it seemed to frustrate only the Valdez fans, many of whom had traveled to Vegas from his Mexican hometown, Nogales, south of Tucson . They chanted: “Oscar, Oscar.” They also booed Lopez. All the while, Valdez, true to the bulldog-like tattoo on  his chest, moved forward, ever forward.

In the tenth and final rounds, Valdez’ stubborn patience paid off. He took the spring out of Lopez’s feet, rocking him repeatedly with left hands. Both fighters tripped and tumbled onto the canvas like pro wrestlers once. Then, Lopez slipped, apparently tripping over his own feet.

In the end, only Valdez was still standing, a winner for the 31st time in a long career

Raymond Muratalia wins 2nd-round TKO

Raymond Muratalia talked about delivering a statement.

He did.

He delivered a couple of them.

First, he blew away Jeremia Nakathila within two rounds, a quick TKO that helped support his stated claim on being among the best lightweights.

Then, he stated he wanted the winner of the fight that was about to happen between Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko for the undisputed title Saturday night at the MGM Garden Garden Arena.

“I think I sent a big message to the lightweight division,” Muratalia (18-0, 15 KOs) said. “Nobody has ever stopped Nakathila. I just stopped him in the second round. I think that’s a huge statement.”

“I want the winner of the main event, That’s who I want.”

Nakathila (23-3, 19  KOs), of Namibia, never had much of a chance against the fighter from Fresno, Calif., who trapped him in the corner midway through the second round and unleashed a succession of blows, Referee Robert Hall stepped in and ended it at 2:46 of the round.

Junto Nakatani delivers scary KO

In the beginning, it was one sided. In the end, it was scary.

From start to finish, Junto Nakatani controlled all of it, knocking down Andrew Moloney in the second round, breaking him down with almost clinical efficiency in the middle rounds, flooring him again in the eleventh and then finishing him in the twelfth with punch that left the Aussie flat on his back for several perilous moments.

Moloney never had a chance in a title fight featured on the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko card Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. But he had plenty of courage, enough to endanger him against the proficient Nakatani (25-0,19 KOs), the World Boxing Organization’s new junior-bantamweight champion.

The finishing blow was set up by a couple of glancing right hands from Nakatani. He ducked once, then landed a glancing right. He ducked again, landing another. Moloney (26-3, 16 KOs) dropped his hands, leaned forward and directly into an incoming left. It looked as if he was unconscious before he hit the canvas and rolled flat onto his back.

He stayed there motionless until he was helped onto a stool, looking as if he had no clue where he was. Then, there was a glimmer of recognition He was helped to his feet. The crowd applauded. Then, cheered. Then, exhaled in relief.

Rosenberger fights Al Walsh to standstill in split draw

Daniel Rosenberger knows the name. Knows what it means. Ali is boxing royalty.

But for eight rounds he wouldn’t be intimidated by the name and all it represents.

Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, was just another fighter to Rosenberger and a growing crowd of fans on the Vasiliy Lomachenko–Devin Haney undercard Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Rosenberger (13-9-5, 4 KOs) a middleweight from Youngstown Ohio, fought Ali Walsh to a standstill — a split draw. A debatable one, too. 

In his nine-fight career, it was the first blemish on Ali Walsh’s career. But the blemish could have been worse. It could have been a loss. Ali Walsh (8-0-1, 5 KOs), of Las Vegas, mounted an aggressive assault in the middle rounds. But he appeared to tire over the last two. That’s when Rosenberger backed him up and rocked him, but apparently not often enough to gain an edge on the cards.

Emiliano Vargas wins second-round TKO

It was quick. It was efficient. Lethal, too.

Emiliano Vargas (5-0, 3 KOs), an unbeaten lightweight and the son of ex-welterweight great Fernando Vargas, threw two right hands and then unloaded a looping left that crashed onto  Rafael Juno’s midsection. 

Juno (3-1, 1 KO, of Houston, winced, then collapsed onto his side, beaten at 1:41 of the second round in the fourth bout on the Loma-Haney card.

Floyd Diaz wins debatable decision

Luis Fernando Saavedra (9-9, 3 KOs) challenged Diaz (9-0, 3 KOs) throughout eight rounds and appeared to beat him over several of those rounds, despite one-sided cards. The judges had 80-72, 79-73 80-72, all for  Diaz of Las Vegas

But the judging didn’t account for Saavedra’s aggressiveness throughout the third fight on the Loma-Haney card Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Round after round, he pursued and Diaz retreated into what was a debatable decision

Lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason aces to an 8-0 record

Lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason has raced through his brief career, making it look easy.

That didn’t change Saturday in the second fight on a card featuring Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

For five rounds, Mason (8-0, 7 KOs), of Cleveland, scored at will against Desmond Lyons (8-3-, 2 KOs) of South Carolina. Then in the sixth, Lyons kicked it into another gear, unloading  a succession of shots at a blinding rate that left Lyons defenseless and finished at 32 seconds of the round.

Middleweight prospect Amari Jones scores impressive TKO

It was first bell, a good time to say hello.

Middleweight prospect Amari Jones (9-0, 8 KOs) did, capitalizing on the opportunity with a thorough display of his versatility, power and speed in a sixth-round TKO of Chino Hill (8-3-1, 6 KOs) in the opening bout on the card featuring Devin Haney-versus-Vasiliy Lomachenko Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Jones, of Oakland CA, rocked Hill, of Davenport Iowa, with repeated right hands through the five rounds. In the sixth and final round, Jones, a Haney stablemate, went southpaw, finishing Hill with a multiple-punch combination. Referee Mike Ortega ended it at 1:16 of the round.

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS – Waist-high chess pieces decorate a media room that includes posters that have Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko standing on a checker board.

It’s a good way to sell a game.

But now there’s a shove that reminds us it’s not.

It’s a fight.

At a so-called ceremonial weigh-in Friday at the MGM Grand, Haney went off script and perhaps out of character, shoving Lomachenko halfway across the stage and into the arms of his handlers.

It’s a good thing they were there. They caught him before momentum from the shove might have sent the Ukrainian tumbling off the stage and onto the floor.

Lomachenko, who underwent shoulder surgery a couple of years ago, could have been hurt, perhaps badly enough to jeopardize an ESPN+ pay-per-view bout ($59.99) Saturday night (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET) for the undisputed lightweight title.

He wasn’t. There was no injury. Instead, there was a smile. For Lomachenko, the shove was a sign.

“Because he’s mine,’’ said Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs), a betting underdog who was suddenly sounding more confident than ever at his chance of upsetting the bigger Haney (29-0, 15 KOs). “Now, he’s mine.’’

Interpreting a shove is little bit like trying to read tea leaves. Who knows? At 24, Haney is still maturing. He’s unbeaten. He has all four of the relevant 135-pound belts. He’s a young fighter, known for his poise and discipline. Nobody ever foresaw a shove. But he’s never been on the sport’s biggest stage.

Until now.

For the clever, accomplished Lomachenko, it was a sign that Haney can’t withstand the pressure.

“Because he’s scared,’’ Lomachenko said. “He’s scared.’’

Predictably, Haney had his own interpretation. The shove was an introduction. He described it as the opening gesture in the next chapter to his unfolding career.

“The time has finally come,’’ said Haney, who was at 134.9 pounds, a tenth of a pound heavier than Lomachenko, in the official weigh-in about seven hours before the headline-making shove. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been four years. I’ve always dreamed of, you know, facing off with him.

‘’…That was just the start. You see how easy I pushed him? He’s a smaller man and I’m gonna impose my will on him.

“It’s about legacy. This is a dream for me. You know, I’ve been wanting this fight for a long, long time. And it’s finally here.

“I cannot wait to show how great Devin Haney is. This is a fight that will bring out my greatness.”

The unscripted moment happened during the ritual face-off for the cameras. First, Haney started talking trash. Then suddenly, he placed his hands on Lomachenko — one on each shoulder — and pushed with power that needed no interpretation.

On this chessboard, more violence looms. 

Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS – It was first mentioned about four years ago. It didn’t happen then. But the possibility was never forgotten, cast aside like so much else in a business known more for what doesn’t happen than what does.

Vasiliy Lomachenko-versus-Devin Haney was always there, always a fight to be made because of singular skill instead of the usual hype.

Hype still sells, of course. A tangible reminder of that was there just a month ago in Tank Davis’ stoppage of Ryan Garcia. Pay-per-view, it was a winner. It’s hard to argue with a reported million buys and counting.

On the artistic scale, however, what transpired within the ropes was forgettable. There’s no demand for a sequel. Don’t expect it to get any consideration for Fight of the Year. Garcia’s seventh-round surrender was a blowout. Thanks for watching. And buying.

Twenty-eight days later, Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) and Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) meet Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a lightweight fight that’s not been preceded by over-the-top insults or the social-media army that follows them

It’s also hard to predict how ESPN+’s pay-per-view telecast ($59.99, 7 pm PT/10 pm ET) will fare. Best guess: It won’t begin to approach the Tank-Garcia number. The Lomachenko-Haney posters include a couple of chess pieces. Chess attracts a crowd more interested in skill than screaming.

It’s on that skill scale, however, that Lomachenko-Haney figures to score. Artistically, it promises to be a hit. All the elements are there for what could be a technical masterpiece, a back-and-forth dance between lightweights with quick feet and quicker minds.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been some rhetoric. This is boxing, after all. Instead of trash, however, this talk qualifies as the psychological byplay that precedes any opening bell to a significant fight for an undisputed title.

To wit: Haney calls Lomachenko “a dirty fighter.” He tells him that he knows Lomachenko is training to “hit him on the break.’’  

Lomachenko looks back at him as though the Ukrainian has heard it all. At 35-years-old, he has.

The classically-schooled Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and perhaps the greatest Olympic boxer ever, has never been called dirty.

Dirty, perhaps, is another word for clever. Lomachenko is certainly that.

Haney might be throwing a psychological jab in an attempt to make Lomachenko think he’s not quite the accomplished tactician he believes himself to be.

Haney also might be asking the assigned referee, Harvey Dock of New Jersey, to take a closer look, especially during moments when Lomachenko steps inside. He’ll have to.

Lomachenko, who will be remembered as one of history’s great featherweights, has a 5 ½-inch disadvantage in reach. Expect him to step inside often. Expect Dock to separate them often. The key is what happens before and perhaps at the moment Dock steps between them.

If Haney can disrupt Lomachenko’s thinking early, he might have the cornerstone to victory. A couple of days before opening bell, betting odds suggested the fight will be close. Very close. From punch to psychology, any move – no matter how subtle – could prove decisive.

Haney doesn’t underestimate the challenge that awaits him. He’s never faced a smarter, more experienced foe.

The Lomachenko is about 11 years older, yet has 10 fewer pro bouts than Haney, who will turn 25 in November.

Haney has youth and size, a powerful, perhaps insurmountable combo. That double-edged advantage might be enough for the younger man to win a fight with enormous stakes.

Haney, currently under contract to Top Rank, will be a free agent after the bout. Against Lomachenko, he’s fighting for a victory that will enhance name recognition and pound-for-pound credibility. The bigger the victory, the brighter future for Haney.

It’s why he likes to mention that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum once compared Lomachenko to Muhammad Ali, acknowledged as The Greatest. He’s fighting to claim some of his own greatness

“I want to do more than beat him, I want to beat him up,’’ Haney told ESPN.

There are questions about whether he can. If there’s anybody who knows how to keep a fight close, it’s Lomachenko. There are also questions about how difficult it will be for Haney to make weight, 135 pounds. The official weigh-in is scheduled for Friday morning. The televised weigh-in late in the day is strictly for show.

A battle to make weight could drain Haney, who might make the jump to junior-welterweight (140) after the bout. Lomachenko knows that and probably has another tactic up his ever-resilient sleeve for that possibility.

Haney has shown great poise and discipline throughout his unbeaten career. He doesn’t get rattled. Guess here, he still won’t in a defining bout against his toughest foe ever.

Haney, by split-decision.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It was a homecoming that produced mixed reviews and perhaps a dilemma.

The mix, some praise and lots of criticism, was no surprise. Canelo Alvarez had to know that was coming. It was guaranteed the day Canelo signed to fight John Ryder, a tough fighter yet a second-tier talent.

Canelo beat him, bloodied him, in a one-sided decision last Saturday in his first fight in Mexico in more than a decade. The win was expected. So, too, was a knockout. The KO didn’t happen and therein rests the potential dilemma.

Who’s next?

Dmitry Bivol?

Or David Benavidez?

What’s next?

Legacy?

Or more money?

Canelo emerged from the predictable triumph at super-middleweight still sounding certain about his plans for a September rematch in a chance to avenge his loss to Bivol at light-heavyweight a year ago. It’s consistent with what he has been saying for weeks. It’s also consistent with his long-stated pursuit of legacy.

For years, he has said he wants to make history. If Forbes is accurate, he probably doesn’t need to make much more money.

Dollar-for-dollar, he’s a contender, according to Forbes, which produces a list more valuable than any pound-for-pound ranking. He’s fifth on Forbes’ latest edition of the world’s top earning athletes. The magazine reports he earned $110- million over the last 12 months.

Coincidently, he’s also at fifth in a lot of the pound-for-pound rankings. He’s slipped, or at least that’s the emerging consensus from media and bloggers who concluded that no KO of Ryder is a sure sign of decline in the Mexican’s long, rich career. It was also judged to be a sign that Canelo can’t beat Bivol at any weight.

For a man with just about everything, Bivol represents the one piece missing from a Canelo empire that includes real estate and his own line of gas stations. Bivol stands in the way of the legacy he pursues.

Canelo wants to be remembered as the best Mexican ever. That means supplanting Julio Cesar Chavez, for so long an enduring piece of Mexican history. Chavez is more than the face of Mexican boxing. He is its edifice.

Beat Bivol in a risky rematch, and Canelo will have carved out his own claim. For him, history means only one thing: Chavez. But there are doubts, more now than before the comeback against Ryder.

There are also complications about whether an agreement with Bivol can negotiated. Canelo, proud and stubborn, says he wants the rematch to be at the same weight, 175 pounds. But Bivol has been quoted as saying he wants it at 168. The light-heavyweight champion says he would be further motivated by a chance to take Canelo’s undisputed title.

However, one belt might not be there. The World Boxing Council has said it would not allow Bivol to fight for one of its titles because he’s Russian. The WBC has banned Russians because of Putin’s ongoing war with the Ukraine.

Even at the lighter weight, Bivol would still be the much bigger fighter. Barring some rehydration clause on the morning of the bout, Bivol’s size would still be an imposing challenge.

Canelo has heard that talk. It’s been impossible to ignore. Meanwhile, there’s the Benavidez option, who is still at 168 pounds.

The aggressive Benavidez is the WBC’s mandatory challenger for that piece of Canelo’s undisputed title. The Phoenix fighter is known for his volume punching and tireless pursuit. He moves forward, ever forward. He’s more powerful than Bivol, yet lacks some of the Russian’s agile defense. He might offer a better shot at victory for Canelo than Bivol ever would.

Benavidez might also offer a chance at bigger money than Bivol, the reigning Fighter of the Year, yet still an unknown Russian. Bivol has been inactive over the last year despite his upset of Canelo.

Benavidez is Mexican-American. He talks trash; Bivol speaks Russian.

Early Thursday, Benavidez got headlines for calling out Canelo on his Instagram account. It only would have been news if he hadn’t.

“Let’s give the people what they want to see,’’ Benavidez said all over again

From the promotional and pay-per-view perspective, Benavidez is the perfect opponent for a bout surrounding Mexico’s September 16 Independence Day.

I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again: In the history of Mexican-versus-Mexican American boxing, Canelo-versus-Benavidez could be the biggest since Chavez-versus-Oscar De La Hoya. It would generate huge money.

Canelo has plenty of that. Only the last piece to a legacy is missing.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It’s getting hard to identify the so-called face of boxing. One week, it looks a lot like Gervonta Davis. Next week, maybe it’ll look like Canelo Alvarez all over again.

Let’s just say it’s fractured.

Alvarez, at least, promises to erase the doubt Saturday on pay-per-view in a Mexican homecoming against John Ryder in a comeback that might help identify how much is left in Canelo’s long, legendary career.

It also figures to identify who’s next.

A couple of days before opening bell against Ryder in a DAZN super-middleweight bout (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) near Guadalajara, next continues to look a lot like Dmitry Bivol, the light-heavyweight champion whose upset of Canelo in May left persistent questions about the Mexican’s future.

The bout against Ryder, a 16-to-1 underdog, looks to be the first step toward a chance for Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs) to set the record straight with an avenging victory. 

Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) could change all of that, or at least just add more questions. But don’t bet on it, especially in front of an expected crowd of more than 50,000 proud Mexican partisans at a soccer stadium near Canelo’s hometown.

Canelo, who is coming off wrist surgery, reiterated his plans to fight Bivol during a session with reporters Thursday. He repeated that he wants the rematch at light-heavyweight again. There had been some talk, mostly from promoter Eddie Hearn, about super-middleweight.

But, no, Canelo said, he wants everything to be the same on every scale. Only the result changes, he vowed. At light-heavy, his 168-pound titles also would not be in jeopardy.

Last week, World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman said he would not allow Bivol, a Russian, to fight for a belt sanctioned by the WBC. The Mexico City-based acronym has banned Russians from its rankings because of Putin’s war against the Ukrainians.

It’s a move that probably assures mandatory challenger David Benavidez will have to wait until at least next year. But there’s a silver lining. Finally, Benavidez now appears to be on Canelo’s agenda. After a year of dismissing Benavidez, Canelo mentioned him as a real possibility Thursday.

After Bivol, the plan is to fight Benavidez, he said.

“You know, I fight everybody,” Canelo said. “When Gennadiy Golovkin first appeared in the boxing community, I was the guy to face him. Same thing with Benavidez.’’

Plans are like faces, of course. They change. For the first time, however, it looks as if Benavidez’ long, often impatient pursuit of a bout with Canelo will be realized.

Yet, it also represents a potential risk for the Phoenix-born super-middleweight, whose credibility and celebrity were further enhanced by his unanimous decision over Caleb Plant on March 25.

It could mean a dangerous date against David Morrell, who is coming off an eye-opening first-round blowout of Yamaguchi Falcao on the undercard of Tank Davis’ stoppage of Ryan Garcia on April 22.

Morrell, who called out Benavidez after the victory, looks like a threat, perhaps the riskiest date in Benavidez’ own fight to become a face of the game.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It wasn’t a classic. Roberto Duran’s place as history’s greatest lightweight remains undisputed.

But it was a fight for the ages.

Ages 18-to-30.

Tank Davis’ victory over Ryan Garcia in a two-knockdown, seventh-round stoppage won’t be remembered for its competitive drama, yet it stands as a significant milestone.

The reported pay-per-view numbers add up to a victory in what was another example of boxing’s inexhaustible resilience. It’s always getting up, forever coming back.

With Davis-Garcia, it did that all over again.

According to reports Wednesday from Boxing Scene, Fight Freaks Unite, CBS and Sports Business Journal, Saturday night’s heavily-hyped bout at Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena did about 1.2 million buys over two platforms, Showtime and DAZN.

There’s always skepticism about PPV reports based on anonymous sources, especially during an era when hackers stealing the signal often out-number the paying customers.

Even if the reported 1.2 million is an exaggeration and closer to 800,000, the bout figures to rank as a major success at a critical time.

Put it this way: The patient, which has been on life support or in the obituary column for years, still has a pulse.

In the months since talks for Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. fell apart, there were questions about whether the predicted doom was finally at boxing’s doorstep.

Tank-Garcia, which also included a $22.8-million live gate, says it’s not.

Now, there are even reports that the Crawford-Spence talks have resumed, perhaps for a fight later this year.

I’ll believe it only if I see them gloved up and stepping through the ropes. I also suspect many in the audience for Tank-Garcia feel the same way.

They’ve moved on, exasperated by tired speculation about Crawford-versus-Spence or Oleksandr Usyk-versus-Tyson Fury.

But moving on, it turns out, doesn’t have to be forever. The exasperated can be brought back into the building by the right fight.

Tank-Garcia was that fight.

That’s not to say it went off without problems. There’s widespread anger at DAZN. Subscribers complained they couldn’t get the live stream. Others said they were charged multiple times. DAZN got into the business saying pay-per-view is dead. The streaming service then tried to make sure that it is.

Still, there are options – Showtime and ESPN — for a younger demographic with an interest resurrected by one fight that unlocked an appetite for a few more.

There’s Tank Davis against the winner of Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko on ESPN May 20. There’s Tank-versus-Shakur Stevenson.

Tank is 28; Garcia is 24. A generation of fans, weary of an older generation’s failure to make fights happen, identify with them.

They also bought into their willingness to do what Spence and Crawford, Usyk and Fury haven’t. They fought.

Tank-Garcia looks to be a welcome goodbye to a generation ruled by Floyd Mayweather’s risk-to-reward ratio. Increasingly, it became No Risk, All Reward. All Prize, No Fight. That’s not a ratio. It’s a rip-off. Young fans weren’t buying.

But the Tank-Garcia bout awakened an emerging market, or at least awakened the networks and promoters to a younger audience, impatient for a genuine reason to buy.

In news releases before opening bell, Showtime called the Tank-Garcia card “generational.’’ It was as if the network was searching for a new one.

It found one.

On both sides of the ropes. 

Follow all the action as Gervonta Davis takes on Ryan Garcia in the most anticipated fight of the year. The action begins at 8 PM ET / 5 PM with a three fight undercard featuring The WBA Super Middleweight Title between David Morrell Jr. and Yamaguchi Falcao. Also Gabriel Rosado takes on Bektemir Melikuziev in a rematch, plus Elijah Garcia fights Kevin Salgado.

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Round 1:Jab from Garcia…:eft hook…

ROUND 2 nBig shit hurts Davis…Garcia anding….HUGE COUNTER LEFT…DOWN GOES GARCIA

ROUND 3 Straight left from Davis

ROUND 4 Jab from Davis…Left…Quick left..

ROUND 5  Jab from Garcia..Quick left from Davis…Straight left…

ROUND 6 2 Hard rights from Garcia…Left to body by Davis…Good counter right from Davis..Left to body…

Round 7 Hard right from Garcia..Left from Davus,,,Right from Garcia…HARD LEFT DOWN GOES GARCIA…HE TAKES A KNEE AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1 Morrell lands a jab…Right hook..Uppercut/Right Hook..Right hook drives Falcao back..BIG UPPERCUT RIOCKS FALCAO…RIGHT HOOK DROPS FALCAO…Big right hook…Hard Jab HUGE RIGHT HOOK….FALCAO FALLS FACE-FIRST AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1: Jab from Melikuziev…Left..
Round 2
Round 3 2 lefts from Melikuziev…Left…Jab from Rosado…Left to body…Left from Melikuziev
Round 4 Jab fromMelikuziev..Left..2 lefts,,
Round 5 Left from Melikuziev…Hard left drives Rosado back…Left to the body…Jumping in with the left..Jab…Jab from Rosado
Round 6 Melikuziev coming out jabbing…Good jab from Rosado…Right hook to body from Melikuziev…Left…Left and righ…
Round 7 Combination from Melikuziev…1-2 from Melikuziev…uppercut..Right to body…2 lefts…Good counter left…uppercut…Good straight keft.,

MELIKUZIEV 99-91 ON ALL CARDS

Round 1 Combination from Salgado…Right to the body…Straight left from Garcia..Straight left from Garcia…Left to body from Salgado…Right
Round 2 Jab from Garcia…Right to body from Salgado…another…Jab from Garcia…Right hook…2 hard rights from Salhado…Body…
Round 3 Right to bidy,,,Right…left and right to the body…Body…Counter right 
Round 4 Left from Garcia…Left to body…Hard left,,,1-2..Counter right hook…
Round 5 Right uppercut from Salgado…Counter left
Round 6 Right to body from Salgado….Left from Garcia…Good combination…hard flurry…Left to the body…Straight left…Hard left drives Salgado to the ropes
Round 7 Right from Salgado…Straight left from Garcia…Both working on the inside…SALGADO DEDUCTED A POINT FOR A LOW BLOW…Left to body from Garcia…Good combo to the head…Straight left 
Round 8 Right from Garcia…Combination…Hard left to body..Jab from Salgado
Round 9 Combo from Salgado….Body shot…left to body from Garcia..Left to head…
Round 10  Right to body from Salgado..Good left from Garcia,,,Left….

95-94, 97-92 twice FOR GARCIA

By Norm Frauenheim –

The last time Elijah Garcia opened the show he proved to be a showstopper. He said a memorable hello to a new audience with a quick goodbye to an unbeaten veteran.

It was an impressive introduction, one that Garcia can continue with another hello to an even bigger audience, again in the opening pay-per-view bout in what is being called boxing’s biggest card so far this year.

This time, Elijah Garcia (14-0, 12 KOs) can deliver the opening salvo on the much-anticipated and highly-hyped Tank Davis-versus-Ryan Garcia clash on pay-per-view ($84.99) Saturday night (5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET) at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

It’s significant for lots of reasons. Showtime is calling it a “generational” fight, meaning it’s time for the young guns to move in and the aging ones to move on.  The 28-year-old Tank and the 24-year-old Ryan Garcia are at the defining edge of what might be boxing’s passing of the torch.

It’s a good place for a promising 19-year-old to be. For Garcia, it’s the only place. The teenaged middleweight from Arizona can further enhance his credentials as a fighter to follow for the next several years

“My last fight was an opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up, just like this fight,’’ Elijah Garcia said during a media workout Wednesday at the MGM Grand. “I’m still learning. This is a huge card right here. I am so happy to be a part of it.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before, but it is not as hard as I thought it would be so far.’’

Elijah Garcia expects the hardest part to happen at opening bell against Kevin Salgado, a Mexican middleweight living in San Antonio with a taste of world-class experience.

Salgado’s lone loss is to Joey Spencer, who lost a seventh-round TKO to junior middleweight prospect and fellow Arizona fighter Jesus Ramos March 25 on a card featuring Phoenix super-middleweight David Benavidez’ decision over Caleb Plant at Vegas’ MGM Grand.

Salgado (15-1-1, 10 KOs), who is listed as Kevin Salgado Zambrano on BoxRec, is more than five years older than Elijah Garcia. Then again, most everybody in the pro ranks are older than Elijah. He likes it that way.

“This is going to be a war,’’ said the young middleweight, who wears his Phoenix roots with city’s 602 area code stitched across his waist band “Someone is going to get knocked out.’’ 

Less than two months ago, Elijah Garcia opened the pay-per-view portion of a card featuring featherweight Brandon Figueroa’s stoppage of Mark Magsayo on March 4

The bout looked risky. His opponent was 27-years old, unbeaten and known for power. Elijah Garcia knocked out Amilcar Vidal within four rounds.

With the victory, Garcia did more than introduce himself as a prospect. He said hello to fans who didn’t know him. He also introduced heightened expectations, both for himself and newfound followers.

“Being a main event fighter is everybody’s dream,’’ he said. “My goal is doing it even sooner than [Tank] Davis and [Ryan] Garcia did.’’

Time to say hello again.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It’s called a tune-up. A long-awaited homecoming. But it’s beginning to look as if Canelo Alvarez’ fight with John Ryder on May 6 might prove to be more than just that.

The bout, Canelo’s first since his trilogy decision over Gennadiy Golovkin in September, is turning into a key date that could set the stage for the next and perhaps final chapter in a long, legendary career.

For weeks, the bout has been advertised as a way for Canelo to come back from surgery on his left wrist.

After a seven-month layoff, it’s a chance to see whether the wrist is repaired and the energy restored. In Canelo’s first fight in Mexico in more than a decade, it’s also an opportunity to say thanks to his fans in hometown Guadalajara.

It’s still all of those things. But increasingly there’s more at stake. More to consider.

There’s David Benavidez, who emerged from his unanimous decision over Caleb Plant on March 25 with unmistakable momentum. Then, there’s light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, who has been on the sidelines longer than Canelo in spite of his career-defining upset of the undisputed super-middleweight champion in a 175-pound last May.

The clamor for more Benavidez from his growing fan base and Bivol’s disappointing inactivity despite Fighter-of-the-Year recognition for the Canelo stunner are creating crosswinds and perhaps a crossroads for Canelo.

What’s next?

That plan looked simple enough before Benavidez-Plant. On Canelo’s to-do list, the first item was beating Ryder without complication and with only the roar of an adoring hometown crowd. Second item: A rematch with Bivol in September in a bid to correct the record with an avenging victory that would silence the Canelo doubters.

Before and after Benavidez plowed through Plant in the late rounds of a so-called 12-round eliminator, Canelo insisted that his 2023 calendar was booked.

Benavidez would have to continue waiting until at least next year. But Benavidez’ victory over Plant represents something of a coming-out party for the Phoenix-born fighter. There’s leverage in that. His growing number of fans are amplifying his call for a Canelo fight this year. Put it this way: His victory over Plant has put him squarely in the argument and will keep him there.

In on-line and social media, it’s an argument that – like Benavidez — won’t go away.  Just three weeks after Benavidez-Plant and three weeks before Canelo-Ryder, it continues. It’s sure to still be there, part of the proceedings at opening bell in Guadalajara.

It’s a debate fueled, first and foremost, by business interests. In prize fighting, follow the prize.

Despite Bivol’s comprehensive ring skill, he’s doesn’t have Benavidez’ emerging name recognition, especially among Mexican and Mexican-American fans. A further complication is Bivol’s Russian citizenship during Putin’s war with the Ukraine. Both loom as explanations for his inability to stay active in the wake of a victory that should have created opportunity. It just didn’t.

Depending on how Canelo does against Ryder, there are now reports that Showtime might make “an aggressive” offer to Canelo to fight Benavidez in late 2023. Bivol-Canelo would be interesting, but Benavidez-Canelo is the path to the biggest money, both for the fighters and the networks

But beware. In February 2022, Benavidez promoter/manager Sampson Lewkowicz said he had made an offer to Canelo to fight Benavidez in the fall of last year. It was aggressive, as in $50-million aggressive, according to Lewkowicz.

Canelo declined then.

He might decline again and instead pursue a rematch with Bivol. He has said he would want the rematch to again be at 175 pounds. His current promoter, Eddie Hearn, has mentioned super-middle, 168, which would put Canelo’s titles at risk.

But the biggest risk would be another loss, dealing a huge blow to Canelo’s career and long-stated pursuit of history. It would also damage the big-money potential of an immediate fight with Benavidez.

Already, there are hints of what many inside boxing have been saying since May. To wit: He can’t beat Bivol at either weight, 168 or 175. At opening bell, the Russian would still be the much bigger man.

Echoes of that opinion were evident last week in comments from Bivol manager Viktor Kornilov

“I don’t think Canelo’s team wants this fight and everything will be done to try to avoid this rematch and I don’t blame them,’’ Kornilov told RingTV.com.

Kornilov preceded that comment by saying that Canelo, Hearn, DAZN and fans wanted the fight.

“I do believe that Eddie, the fans and DAZN want the rematch,” Kornilov said. “There is no doubt this fight is attractive, as this is a fight Canelo clearly lost by majority of the rounds. I am sure Canelo personally wants revenge as well.’’

But, Kornilov continued:

“At the same time …” he said like somebody who could foresee a crossroads.

By Norm Frauenheim –

For now, the David Benavidez-Canelo Alvarez possibility isn’t about boxing. It’s about politics.

The debate goes on.

And on.

It also brings to mind an old line. To wit: You can’t play boxing. But you can play politics. Turns out, Benavidez is playing them very well.

In the ring, I’m not sure he could beat Canelo, at least not right now. But he’s winning the argument in terms of support that continues to grow in the wake of his unanimous decision over Caleb Plant on March 25 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

His performance was not his best. At the post-fight news conference, the Phoenix-born fighter said: “I could have done better.’’ His long-time fans have seen him better.

Since the 117-111, 116-112, 115-113 cards were announced, however, it’s become increasingly evident that the victory on Showtime was, far and away, his biggest. It boosted his celebrity and credibility like no other bout on his 27-fight resume.

It was also the latest step in his stubborn march forward, always forward. It affirmed his credentials in the ring and signaled some newfound power at the box office.

Who knows about the pay-per-view numbers? They don’t mean much anymore, not during an era when so many are armed with the decryption tech needed to rob the telecast.

But he and Plant did sell out 13,865 available seats at the Grand Garden Arena on a busy weekend in Vegas. The NCAA Basketball Tournament and Taylor Swift were in town.

Canelo and Eddie Hearn had long argued that Benavidez wasn’t worthy. They said he hadn’t fought anybody. It was another way of saying nobody really knew him. But that roaring crowd a couple of weeks ago said something else.

They do know him and they like what they see. Increasingly, they’re buying Benavidez and not the tired Canelo/Hearn argument. I’m not sure exactly what Hearn and Canelo will say next. But it might be hard to hear them

Even fighters, active and retired, are beginning to amplify the public sentiment. Ex-heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder, who was at ringside March 25, said Benavidez would be too big and strong for Canelo, the undisputed super-middleweight champion.

Then, there’s retired, multi-division champion Juan Manuel Marquez. He’s questioning his fellow Mexican legend publicly.

“I’m going to give my point of view: As champion I would show the world that, if Benavidez hasn’t had opponents like me, then it would be an easy fight, because I show that he is not an opponent that is at my level and I can beat him,’’ Marquez told Mexican media. “I am at a higher level and I will show you that you will not beat me.”

That, and more, sets the stage for loud echoes from Benavidez’ victory over Plant and his growing fan base on May 6 in Guadalajara, where Canelo fights John Ryder for his first bout in his homeland in more than a decade. 

A month before opening bell, the criticism is already there. But it’s short-sided. Amend that. It’s unfair.

Canelo, who hasn’t fought since a trilogy victory over Gennadiy Golovkin in September, is coming off surgery on his left wrist. He should test it in a tune-up. He’d be stupid if he didn’t.

But what happens after that is fair game. If all goes well against Ryder, Canelo is already on record as saying he’ll fight Dmitry Bivol next September in a rematch of Bivol’s stunning upset of him at light-heavyweight.

The Bivol plan is loaded with potential complications. It’s still not clear whether Canelo would fight him again at light heavyweight (175 pounds) or at super-middleweight (168). If it’s 168, Canelo’s titles would be at risk.

There’s a reasonable argument that Canelo can’t beat him at either weight. One-seventy-five or 168, Bivol will still be the much bigger man at opening bell.

At any weight, the bout would resurrect the argument about Bivol’s Russian citizenship. For as long as Russians are killing Ukrainians in Putin’s unprovoked war, Ukraine will demand that all Russian athletes be banned. 

Bivol – promoted by Hearn, who also promotes Ryder — was a gentleman with no political comments before and after his first fight with Canelo in Vegas.

Yet, the Ukrainians, including Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, condemned the decision that allowed him to fight. If there’s a rematch, further condemnation is sure to follow, especially in the wake of a World Boxing Council decision to ban Russians from its rankings.

Why risk the controversy and another loss to a Russian who wouldn’t bring as many fans as the unbeaten Benavidez, a Mexican American in perhaps the biggest Mexican American-versus-Mexican fight since Oscar De La Hoya-versus-Julio Cesar Chavez?   

It’s just another question. But if you’re taking a poll, the guess here is that the majority would say don’t take the risk. Just go straight to the Benavidez-Canelo option. More money, more interest, is there than in Bivol-Canelo. Barring a crazy miracle from Ryder, the belts would still be there, too.

“If he wants to go with Bivol, then I think what’s going to happen is, maybe — because I’ve been the mandatory for the past three fights for the WBC belt, I think maybe he’ll get stripped of that,’’ Benavidez, a former two-time WBC champion, said Wednesday on The DAZN Boxing Show. “And I was hearing some talk saying he might get stripped of the WBA belt, too, if he doesn’t accept a fight with me.

“If he doesn’t get in the ring, it might be me versus David Morrell or me versus (Jermall) Charlo for the WBC and WBA belt. So, even if you take Canelo out of the equation, these are still huge fights for me. This is still my dream I’m chasing after. The WBA belt is a belt I’ve never had. I want to get the WBC back again, so I’ll be three-time world champion.

“That’s really all I’m in it for, I’m looking for these belts. There’s big things on the way.’’

Call it a good political jab. It’s landing, landing in a big way.

By Mario Ortega Jr. (Ringside)-

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Tough journeyman Diuhl Olguin held unbeaten local featherweight William Villa to a split decision draw in the six-round main event to cap an eight-fight card at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Saturday night. 

The much shorter Olguin (15-30-6, 10 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico gave Villa (6-0-1) Sacramento problems by getting inside the younger fighter’s long reach. Olguin’s lack of height actually proved to be a benefit, as his ducking posture helped to lead some punches thrown by Villa, 127 ½, to stray to the backside of his head, prompting warnings from referee Edward Collantes. 

Despite his many fights, Olguin, 127, proved to still have tread on his tires as he maintained a steady pace for the six rounds and his conditioning proved to be every bit as strong as that of the younger Villa. The Sacramento native was unable to keep the Mexican veteran at the end of his jab and keep the distance he needed to give his long arms room to land effectively. What resulted was a hard-to-score inside fight for the six rounds. 

In the end, the official scoring was wide in range. Judge Michael Margado had the bout for Villa, 58-56, while Judge Phil DiSousa scored it 59-55 for Olguin and Judge Brian Tsukamoto scored the bout 57-57 even. 

Olguin holds a deceiving record, given the long list of undefeated prospects he has been matched with throughout his career. Villa, who ended an eighteen month layoff, took the fight on less than one week’s notice, taking the place of injured Malikai Johnson. “Machine Gun” Johnson addressed his fanbase on Saturday night, vowing to return to the ring after being sidelined with an eye injury that required surgery earlier in the week.

Another local favorite returning to the ring after a long layoff on Saturday, Ruben Torres (5-2, 1 KO) of Sacramento scored a workmanlike four-round unanimous decision over a game opponent in Luis Garcia (3-2, 1 KO) of San Diego, California. 

Torres, 155, outworked and outlanded the forward-moving Garcia, 156, for much of the bout. Despite lopsided announced scores of 40-35, 40-36 and 39-37 for Torres, the fight was fairly competitive as the Sacramento native worked off a bit of ring rust early in the bout. 

Super bantamweight prospect Irving Xilohua (5-0, 3 KOs) of Stockton, California continued to impress with a one-punch, second-round knockout of Phillip Ramirez (0-1) of Sacramento.

After a measured first round Xilohua, 123, landed a picture-perfect straight right hand from distance that dropped Ramirez, 123, to the canvas. Referee Edward Collantes immediately called a halt to the bout at the 1:33 mark of round two. 

Julian Bridges (3-0, 2 KOs) of Antioch, California outboxed Milton Ramirez (1-1) of Sacramento en route to an exciting four-round unanimous decision.

Both Bridges, 140 ¼, and Ramirez, 140, took turns switching from southpaw and orthodox and back over the four rounds. Bridges’ edge in reach and offensive output led to a sweep of the judges’ cards, 40-36. 

In a four-round slugfest from start to finish, Mario Alexander (0-1) of Sparks, Nevada appeared to have spoiled the professional debut of Sacramento’s Terrell Glynn (1-0), but the three official scorers wound up seeing it the other way, to the dismay of many of the patrons on hand.

The shorter Alexander, 177, set the distance from the first bell, negating the long reach of the lanky Glynn, 177. Neither fighter may have thrown a jab but the power punches landed with great regularity throughout. 

Hernandez, who had a large contingent of supporters in the building, looked to have held an edge in hard landed punches, but came up short on the cards 39-37 three times. 

Josias Gonzalez (1-1) of Whittier, California by way of Jalisco, Jalisco, Mexico outworked Aaron Cadena (0-1) of Sacramento over four rounds en route to unanimous decision. Cadena, 153, tried his best to keep pace, but Gonzalez, 153 ½, was the more aggressive and harder puncher throughout, sweeping all three cards, 40-36.

In amateur kickboxing action, Alberto Montano of Sacramento took a three-round unanimous decision over Yusuf Kamara of Antioch and Ermias Jones of Sacramento scored a three-round decision over Everett Alanis of Sacramento to open the evening.

Upper Cut Promotions, promoter of Saturday night’s card, will bring their next event to the Gold Country Casino Resort in Oroville, California on May 27th. 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Norm Frauenheim –

David Benavidez gained name recognition and some first-time recognition in pound-for-pound ratings with his victory over Caleb Plant, but he has yet to move into Canelo Alvarez’ plans for at least the next year.

Alvarez, who picked Benavidez to beat Plant, remained unmoved about whether Benavidez would be an option in a year when he’s scheduled to face John Ryder and plans for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol.

“I don’t say no to any fight,’’ Canelo said during a media workout in San Diego Wednesday, four days after Benavidez’s unanimous decision over Plant at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. “But I have goals this year. Then, we’ll see.”

Benavidez continued to call out Alvarez after his 117-111, 116-112, 115-13 scorecard victory over Plant, who Canelo beat in an 11th-round stoppage in 2021.

Showtime, which televised Benavidez-Plant on pay-per-view, will replay the bout this Saturday (April 1, 11:05 pm ET).

“He has to give me that shot now,” Benavidez said after a victory for a so-called mandatory shot at Canelo, the super-middleweight division’s undisputed champion. “That’s what everyone wants to see.’’

However, Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) also conceded that Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs), boxing’s pay-per-view leader, has options. For now, at least, it sounds as if Benavidez won’t be one of them until next year.

If all goes according to plan for Canelo, he’ll come out his of tune-up against Ryder in hometown Guadalajara with his surgically-repaired wrist intact.

Then, he’ll face Bivol, perhaps in September in hopes of avenging his stunning loss by unanimous decision to the Russian light-heavyweight champion last May.

It’s still not clear whether Canelo would fight Bivol again at light-heavy, 175 pounds, or negotiate a deal to face him at 168, which would put his super-middleweight titles in jeopardy.

There’s widespread doubt about whether Canelo can beat Bivol at any weight. At opening bell, Bivol would still be the much bigger man, regardless of the weight class.

If Bivol takes his super-middleweight belts, the reason for a mandatory goes away.

Still, there’s a ripening rivalry between Benavidez and Canelo. Benavidez-Plant proved to be dramatic, mostly because of anticipation that was heightened by a constant stream of trash talk. It was over-the-top, often tiresome. But it worked.

Also, Canelo-Benavidez looms as perhaps the best fight in the Mexican-versus-Mexican American rivalry since Julio Cesar Chavez-versus-Oscar De La Hoya.

Canelo has been Mexico’s most popular fighter for more than a decade. Benavidez’ popularity among Mexican-Americans continues to grow. He grew up in Phoenix. A lot of people from his old westside neighborhood were in the MGM Grand crowd, a big part of a sellout on a busy Vegas night when Taylor Swift was in town.

Benavidez lives near Seattle now. But his Phoenix roots are evident. The desert city’s name was stitched across the back of his trunks against Plant.

Last May, there were doubts about the Benavidez-Canelo possibility. After Benavidez blew out David Lemieux last May in Glendale – a Phoenix suburb, his manager/promoter Sampson Lewkowicz said it would never happen.

“A fantasy,’’ Lewkowicz said then.

But Lewkowicz has changed his mind.

“I have, because I don’t think Canelo has anywhere else to go,’’ he said after Benavidez-Plant. “Ask the fans.’’

They spoke, spoke loudly last Saturday. Now they’re asking:

When?

Only Canelo can answer that one.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – With just a handful of days’ notice, undefeated featherweight William Villa will return to the ring for the first time in eighteen months to meet 50-fight veteran Diuhl Olguin in the six-round main event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Sacramento on Saturday fight. Fighters for the card weighed-in Friday afternoon at the venue.

Sacramento’s Villa (6-0) last fought in October 2021, scoring a four-round decision over Michael Mendez at the DoubleTree. Villa had been pegged to return in May on an Upper Cut Promotions-promoted card at the Gold Country Casino Resort in Oroville, California, but got the call to step-in on short notice just days ago. 

Olguin (15-30-5, 10 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico had originally signed to meet Sacramento featherweight prospect Malikai Johnson in Saturday’s main event. Johnson was ruled out with an eye injury that ultimately required surgery. Having gone the distance with a long list of unbeaten pros, Olguin figures to provide a litmus test for Villa. 

Olguin, who has gone eight rounds many times, scaled 127-pounds. Villa, scheduled for six-rounds for the first time, came in at 127 ½-pounds. 

Sacramento’s Ruben Torres returns to fight before his vocal following for the first time in three years in the four-round junior middleweight co-feature. Torres (4-2, 1 KO) will take on Luis Garcia (3-1, 1 KO) of San Diego, California. Torres is very familiar with the DoubleTree ring, as four of his six pro bouts have taken place at the venue. Garcia hopes to rebound from his lone pro defeat, which took place against mega prospect Callum Walsh last May. Torres weighed-in at 155-pounds, while Garcia scaled 156. 

Irving Xilohua (4-0, 2 KOs) of Stockton, California returns to the DoubleTree to take on debuting Phillip Ramirez of Sacramento in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Xilohua made his DoubleTree debut last May with a second-round stoppage and capped his 2022 campaign with back-to-back decision wins in his hometown. Xilohua and Ramirez both weighed-in at 123-pounds Friday. 

Julian Bridges (2-0, 2 KOs) of Antioch, California will take on Milton Ramirez (1-0) of Sacramento in a four-round light welterweight bout. Bridges came in at 140 ¼-pounds, while Ramirez made 140 even. 

Sacramento’s Terrell Glynn will meet Mario Alexander of Sparks, Nevada in a four-round light heavyweight bout. Both fighters are making their professional debut. Glynn and Alexander both weighed-in at 177-pounds. Glynn had been scheduled to meet debuting Matthew Monroe, who may await the winner in May at Gold Country Casino Resort, should the winner come out unscathed Saturday night. 

Aaron Cadena of Sacramento will make his professional debut against Josias Gonzalez (0-1) of Whittier, California in a four-round light middleweight contest. Cadena weighed-in at 153, while Gonzalez scaled 152 ¼-pounds. 

Two three-round amateur kickboxing bouts are also on the card. In a pairing of lightweights, Everett Alanis, 133, of Sacramento meets Ermias Jones, 136, of Sacramento to open the evening. Heavyweights Alberto Montano, 229, of Sacramento and Yusuf Kamara of Antioch meet later in the night. Fighters for the kickboxing portion will also weigh-in on the day of the show. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Featherweights, 6 Rounds

Villa 127 ½

Olguin 127

Light middleweights, 4 Rounds

Torres 155

Garcia 156

Bantamweights, 4 Rounds

Xilohua 123

Ramirez 123

Light welterweights, 4 Rounds

Bridges 140 ½ 

Ramirez 140

Light heavyweights, 4 Rounds

Glynn 177

Alexander 177

Light middleweights, 4 Rounds

Cadena 153

Gonzalez 152 ½ 

Tickets for the event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, are available online at uppercutpro.com

By Alex Seccia –

Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. is a Polish/Italian Boxer out of Roseland N.J. A professional fighter with the hopes of changing the life of his family through the sport of boxing.  Vito was brought into the ‘gym at seven”, and started winning national titles by the age of nine while having his first forty fights in areas like: Washington D.C. Philadelphia and Baltimore, Maryland. While in Maryland you could find Vito fighting out of Tank’s gym; “Upton Boxing Center”. Learning a ruthless skillset with a class act personality.  Signed with Al Haymon the promising prospect remains a busy fighter, a fighter with no backup plan. With the will to fight Vito has made boxing his soul purpose. For the young star there is no backup option, and after three fights in 2022 and already entering his second fight of 2023 Vito and his team continue punch out the opposition.

            With a record of 14-1 with 9 wins by way of KO, the Italian kid can truly pack a punch. With the keen ability to time his shots and make opponents miss, Vito has proven to be a lethal fighter when it comes to working the body. From timing to his bodywork, itself the 20-year-old display’s a high boxing IQ. His skillset and ruthlessness when working inside begins to remind me of Errol Spence Jr. When the opposition has sat to go toe to toe, they play into Vito’s strength. Finding themselves quickly in a pinch and up against the ropes

            Young Vito has fought on some of the most prodigious fight cards within the past 5 years. From: Spence vs Ugas, Fury vs Wilder at the MGM, Davis vs Garcia in the nation’s capital, to holding his own cards at the infamous Prudential Center in Newark New Jersey. By already establishing the Prudential Center as his home, Vito has built the foundation for his path in boxing. A foundation that has groomed him for the bright lights and the biggest stages.

            Come April 22^nd Vito will find himself fighting on the undercard of the biggest fight in boxing history. A super fight between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and “King” Ryan Garcia. A cross roads between two mega stars under two different promoters. At T-Mobile Arena in the Boxing capital of the world, Vito will have the biggest stage to showcase his superb talent against Jose Sanchez Carlos.

            Already claiming a arena and representing more than just a city on his back. Vito fights with the passion of being able to tell his family they have nothing worry about. Currently training for his fight, Vito is currently putting himself in the atmosphere as him and his team finish out the remainder of their camp in Las Vegas. A promising talent attached to the mega fight of the decade. Don’t miss why they call him, “White Magic”

By Alex Seccia –

This past Friday on March 24, Bare Knuckle Fight Championship held their first sanctioned card in the state of Virginia. “BKFC 39” is the card where veteran fighter Brian Maxwell lead the charge in the first bout of “BKFC 39” prelims Brian out of Rocky Mount Virginia found himself fighting the very first sanctioned Bare-Knuckle fight in their history right in his own backyard.

          The light heavyweight had a little more pressure on his shoulders when it came to trying to represent his hometown. Now add the desire of looking for your first win and you have yourself a hungry fighter. Brian isn’t a stranger to pressure, nor is he a stranger to pressure. From battling in the octagon, to repping your organization in one of the biggest fight exhibition cards in sports history, Brian has continued to set a bar not many fighters do.

          In an interview with Brian on “Pr1me Point Media,” Brian talked about his image, how he felt he was too nice in a game where nice didn’t exist. That for BKFC 39 and for future fights Brian would have to pull the “cocky arrogant” side of him out. The usually chilled and humble fighter feels that those characteristics played a hinder in his career. He wants to bring some of those darker personality traits back out. He felt that when he had those mentalities in wrestling and early on in his career, he’s had success. Now because of his energy shift Brian feels as if he just started fighting all over again.

          On Friday March 24^th Brian displayed everything he talked about, making quick work of his opponent Daniel Bunyan with a win by way of TKO in the first round. This victory made Brian the first fighter to ever win a sanctioned BKFC bout in his home state of Virginia, thus bringing his first win of what looks to be many more in his BKFC fight career.

          A ruthless attitude mixed with a win streak and the genuine desire to fight; Brian Maxwell looks to reignite the flame in his fight career which leads to a very exciting future to look out for in the upcoming future.

LAS VEGAS –  It was contentious. It was surprising. It was ugly. It wasn’t everything David Benavidez thought it would be. Or promised it would be.

But it was a victory, a big one that enhanced his chances at climbing to the top of boxing’s marquee and into its pound-for-pound argument.

He beat Caleb Plant Saturday night, scoring a unanimous decision at the MGM Grand in Showtime pay-per-view bout. But it was neither the beat-down he vowed nor the blood-letting he threatened. Plant survived. His jaw stayed intact. He was still upright after six rounds. He didn’t go to the hospital.

Benavidez had promised to shatter that jaw. He said he would knock him out within six rounds. He promised him a trip to the emergency room. 

But, in the end, he hugged Plant. He praised him. Instead of contempt, there were congratulations.

“I would talk shit,” said Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOS), who had talked enough of it to fill a couple of metropolitan sewers. “But I like this guy now.”

It was an astonishing comment. Maybe,  peace-on-earth is possible, after all.. Benavidez and Plant had behaved as though they would be enemies until the bitter end. And that’s how the super-middleweight bout — a so-called title eliminator for a shot at undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez — began.

Just seconds before the opening bell echoed throughout a sold out arena, Referee Kenny Bayless ordered them to touch gloves, a gesture of respect. They didn’t.

For the next 12 rounds, however, they were forced to respect each other. Benavidez moved forward, stubbornly and seemingly sure that one of his promises would become reality. But Plant had other ideas and perhaps more resilience than the Phoenix-born fighter expected 

.

Plant ( 22-2, 13 KOs) threw body shots and moved around the ring, trying to take advantage of every inch in its 22-by-22 feet of real estate. Benavidez stalked and often mocked. He followed Plant to his corner after the ninth, talking to the back of Plant’s head as if to say the end was near. It wasn’t. 

Plant came roaring out of his corner for the 10th, throwing a low blow as a warning shot.

He wasn’t finished. But he was behind on the cards. Tim Ceathham scored it, 115-113. David Moretti had it 116-112. On Steve Weisfeld’s card, it was 117-111. All for Benavidez, whose size and strength were dominant factors over the five six rounds.

“I feel good, my mind’s right,” Plant said. “David is a helluva fighter. It’s a big rivalry but that’s what boxing is all about. We came here and settled it like men. I take nothing from David. We haven’t been the best of friends but we got into the ring and we settled it like men.”

In the super-middleweight division, there’s much more to settle, of course. For the 26-year Benavidez, the victory might represent the beginning of a new stage, especially if Canelo agrees to fight him.

“I just want to tell everyone that I have a lot of respect for Canelo Alvarez but he has to give me that shot now,” he said. “That’s what everyone wants to see. Let’s make it happen.

“I don’t think Canelo is trying to avoid me. I just feel like he has a lot of options. But now the fans are calling for this fight, the legends are calling for this fight, so let’s make it happen.”

Even Caleb Plant would agree.

Cheers welcomed Benvidez, the first to enter the jammed arena. There were boos for Plant, who He wasn;t far from his hometown. He grew up on on the westside of Phoenix. It sounded if a lot.

Third Benevidez beging to cuut off the ring during the round’s finl minute. In the opening    

Jesus Ramos wins dominant stoppage

Jesus Ramos moved up the scale, hoping to be a good fit.

For one night, at least, the fit looked to be perfect. 

For Ramos (20-0, 16 KOs), the prospects look promising at junior-middleweight.

Ramos, of Casa Grande AZ, dominated Joseph Spencer, forcing his corner to surrender at 1:25 of the seventh round in the final fight Saturday before Showtime’s Pay-Per-View biggie, David Benavidez-versus-Caleb Plant at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

It didn’t take long for Ramos, a former welterweight and Abel Ramos’ nephew, to show that he’s very comfortable at junior-middleweight. Very dangerous, too

Late in the first round, Ramos threw a short left that landed like the hammer on a  pulled trigger. It crashed off Spencer’s chin and sent him crashing onto the canvas. A resilient Spencer (16-1, 10 KOs) , of Fenton Mich., got up. But it also set up the inevitable. Ramos continued to walk down, push around Spencer before his corner told referee Tony Weeks “no mas.”

Chris Colbert gets ups from knockdown to win controversial decision 

Jose Valenzuela’s first impression rocked and rolled.

But Chris Colbert survived. Make that thrived.

Colbert got up from a first-round knockdown to win a controversial decision — 95-94 on all three cards — over Valenzuela Saturday night on the Showtime pay-per-view card featuring David Benavidez-versus-Caleb Plant.

A roaring crowd expressed its outrage over the decision from judges Glenn Feldman, Lias Giampa and Don Trella. Colbert stuck his tongue out at the booing fans and Valenzuela, junior-middleweight and Benavidez stablemate.

“You called me a loser,” Colbert screamed at Valenzuela.

An angry Valenzuela then looked at broadcaster Jim Gray as he prepared for an interview in the middle of the ring.

“Who do you think won,?” Valenzuela asked.

“I ask the questions,” Gray said..

There was no question about what happened during the fight’s first few seconds. The opening bell still echoed through the arena when Valenzuela landed a thunderbolt-like left. 

Colbert and Valenzuela heard the ref’s instructions.

They touched gloves.

Valenzuela dropped Colbert.

One-two-three,  all in one quick sequence.

Looking like the best leftie since Fernando, Valenzuela (12-2, 8 KOs) ducked and came up with a left that Colbert (16-1, 6 KOs) never saw. It was astonishing that Colbert got up. He calls himself Prime Time. He knew there was still some left in the hour glass and prove it repeatedly by coming back with solid shots from the second through the 10th rounds.

 He was up and on his feet, fighting back at about the same time former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder walked into the arena and toward his ringside seat.

Cody Crowley win emotional decision in punishing fight with Abel Ramos

Abel Ramos wanted to make a statement. 

Instead, he got one.

Cody Crowley delivered it repeatedly with stubborn  pressure and wicked uppercuts in a punishing majority decision over Ramos Saturday in the first televised bout on the Showtime pay-per-view card featuring David Benavidez-versus-Caleb Plant  at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

The bout, a WBC title eliminator, was close and somewhat controversial. Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs) was the winner on judge Chris Migliore’s card, 116-112. He he won on Steven Wiesfeld’s card, 11-113. However, judge Tim Cheatham scored it a draw, 115-115.

In the eleventh, it looked as if Ramos (27-6-2, 21 KOs) might have a chance. Ramos, of Casa Grande AZ, landed a short right that buckled Crowley’s knees. Referee Robert Hoyle ruled that Ramos had scored a knockdown. It looked as if  the Canadian touched the canvas with a glove as he tried to stay on his feet. But video replay showed that he had not.

The knockdown was overturned from ringside before the 12th and final round. . A punishing victory belonged to Crowley.

An emotional Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs) came into the welterweight title eliminator determined to win one for his late dad, who committed suicide in June. Crowley cried during news conferences when asked about him during news conferences before the welterweight bout.

Crowley was fighting for a lost dad. Fighting for his dad’s memory. And fighting to make a statement against the mental illness that led to his father’s tragic death.

Consider it delivered.

Kevin Gonzalez remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Sanmartin in a super bantamweight fight.

Scores were 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 for Gonzalez, 121.4 lbs of Culican, MEX is 26-0-1. Sanmartin, 121.8 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is 34-7-1.

Orestes Velazquez, a Cuban living in Miami, had advantages in reach, power and energy. 

That and more proved to be too much for Argentine Marcelino Lopez (37-3-1, 22 KOs) throughout 10-rounds of junior-welterweight bout, the first on card featuring David Benavidez-Caleb Plant Saturday at the MGM Grand’s Grand Garden Arena.

Velazquez’ long jab dictated the pace as it landed repeatedly, sending echoes throughout a mostly empty arena hours before the main event. Velazquez (7-0, 6 KOs) won easily on all three scorecards –99-91, 97-93, 99-91. 

Follow all the action LIVE from ringside at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas as David Benavidez and Caleb Plant fight for the WBC Interim Super Middleweight Title.  The action kicks off at 9 PM ET as Cody Crowley fights Abel Ramos; Chris Colbert battles Jose Valenzuela and Jesus Ramos takes on Joey Spencer

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Round 1: Plant trying to jab…Left hook from Benavidez…

ROUND 2  4 Punch combination from Plant…Left..Right…

ROUND 3 Left from Plant..Right from Benavidez

ROUND 4 Benavidez missing…Left hook from Benavidez…another…Left from Plant

ROUND 5 Jab and rights from Plant to the body..Left to body…Hard right from Benavidez..

ROUND 6 Left hook from Benavidez..Flurry from Plant…Wild misses from Benavidez..Counter left from Benavidez..Left to body from Plant…Right from Benavidez…chopping right

ROOUND 7 Right from Plant..Counter right…Hard right from Benavidez…Perfect counter from Plant

ROUND 8 Big right hurts Plant,,,Digging to body…Long right..2 more rights rock Plant..Plant cut over right eye,,,Big right and round for Benavidez

ROUND 9 Plant lands a low blow…Left to body from PlantCombination…Big right from Benavidez..Uppercut…Left

ROUND 10 Uppercut and body shot from Benavidez..Uppercut..Benavidez just unloading on Plant…Plant looks spent…

ROUND 11 Left hook from Plant..Hard left hook from benavidez…Jab…Chopping right..Left hook..

Round 12 Left from Benavidez..Right

Round 1 Jab from Ramos…Right from Spencer…Left from Ramos..LEFT HAND AND DOWN GOES SPENCER…Big Shot again…Spencer fighting back
Round 2 Left from Spencer..Body shot from Ramos..Body..More body work…Step around left…Straight left…Hard combination
Round 3 Spencer lands 2 body shots…Spencer coming forward..2 lefts from Ramos…left…left and right to the  head…
Round 4 Hard straight.  2 lefts.. left on the ropes by Ramos..Left…Spencer trying to flurry…
Round 5 Ramos Boxing
Round 6 Left from Ramos…Uppercut…3 Hard lefts
Round 7 Ramos pounding away AT A BLOODY SPENCER…TOWEL THROWN 

Round 1: BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES COLBERT…Huge right by Valenzuela
Round 2 Colbert jabbing
Round 3  Combination from Valenzuela..Straight left…hard right
Round 4 Straight left from Valenzuela..Right from Colbert…8 punches from Valenzuela..
Round 5 Leaping left from Valenzuela…Colbert lands a straight left…Jabbing
Round 6 Counter left from Valenzuela..   Massive flurry…Counter Right from Colbert…Uppercut and 4 punch combination from Valenzuela
Round 7 Hard combination from Colbert….Right to body from Valenzuela…Body combo from Colbert…Body/Head combo…
Round 8  Colbert coming out aggressive…. flurry from Valenzuela
Round 9 Clean left from Valenzuela…Jab from Colbert…Combination
Round 10 Colbert lands a jab…Counter right,,,Left from Valenzuela..Right from Colbert…Body…Big left from Valenzuela

95-94 ON ALL CARDS FOR COLBERT

Round 1  Left from Crowley..Counter right from Ramos…Left…Counter right…Another…Biody shot from Crowley…Right from Ramos at The Bell
Round 2  Left to body from Crowley…Left on the ropes..Body shot from Ramos…Right hook from Crowley…Left to body from Ramos..Trading shots…Left from Crowley…2 uppercuts..
Round 3 Right hook and uppercut from Crowley…Right hook and left to the body..Body shot…Crowley crowding Ramos..Right Hook…Counter right from Ramos..
Round 4 Uppercut from Ramos…Body shot…Straight right..Good left from Crowley
Round 5 Left from Crowley…Uppercut…Left to body from Ramos…Double left from Crowley…
Round 6  3 body shots from Crowley…Big left..3 punch combo on the ropes
Round 7 Body from Crowley..Uppercut on the ropes..Hard right hook…Good straight left…
Round 8 Right hook from Crowley…Uppercut…
Round 9  Right off the ropes from Ramos..Right…Body shot,,Left from Crowley,…
Round 10 Jab from Crowley…Hard right to body from Ramos..Jab from Crowley…Left to body..Body..
ROUND 11 Hard right from Ramos….BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES CROWLEY…Straight left from Crowley….Replay reversed….No Kockdown
Round 12  Left from Crowley…Right Hook..Right from Ramos…

114-114; 115-113 AND 116-112 CROWLEY

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS — On the scale, David Benavidez and Caleb Plant did what they had to. They made weight. 

Off the scale, they did what they’ve been doing for years. They exchanged profanities, threats and taunts in a noisy feud that will finally escalate Saturday into a real exchange of punches in a fight motivated by a potent mix of anger and mutual contempt. It’s a potent cocktail, a shot glass full of tension, 180-proof.

That tension continued to spill out into the open in a second face-off in as many days Friday after Benavidez and Plant were comfortably within the super-middleweight limit, 168 pounds. Then, they walked around to face each other in front of the scale. What followed was off-the-scale, over-the-top and thoroughly predictable.

Plant stuck out  his left hand, which was cocked like a loaded weapon, and pressed his index finger into Benavidez’ neck. Benavidez stepped forward, ready to retaliate. But that’s where it ended.

Wary security quickly intervened, stepping between the and pushing each to opposite ends of the stage at the KA Theatre, a short walk from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of Saturday’s night’s simmering grudge match.

“Just exchanging pleasantries,” said Plant, who was at 167.25 pounds.’

For Benavidez, there was nothing pleasant about it.

“He tried to put his finger in my face,” Benavidez (26–0, 23 KOs) said. “I tried to push him back and onto his expletive.”

Benavidez didn’t exactly say expletive. But you get the idea. The Benavidez-Plant feud has been nothing if not for the expletives. On and on, it goes. Finally, the two are expected to mix in a few punches in a bout with enormous stakes. 

The winner takes a step toward further stardom and into the pound-for-pound debate. There’s also a possible shot at undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and the big money that could come with it. The possibilities are life-changing. There’s no other expletive way to describe it.

That accounts for a lot of the tension. But there’s some personal history, too. A long and jagged path precedes their date Saturday in Showtime’s pay-per-view bout (6 p.m. PT/9 pm ET, $74.99). Plant and Benavidez have attacked each other’s families, demeanor, courage and ethics. There’s nothing that one likes about the other..

Perhaps, only a fight can calm the storm — alleviate the personal contempt one has for the other. But don’t count on it.

After the face-off furor, Benavidez was asked if the fight will end the rivalry.

“Effing no,” Benavidez said.

He didn’t say effing. But, by now, you know that.

Benavidez, a Phoenix-born fighter nicknamed “The Mexican Monster” by Mike Tyson, goess iot the fight as the favorite. He’s at least a 3-to-1 favorite. His energy and lanky leverage gives him an edge, especially with his raw power. The consensus is that he’ll walk down Plant (22-1, 13 KOs), scoring a late-round stoppage.

However, it’s not as if Plant hasn’t watched and studied a Benavidez career. He’s demolished almost everyone in front of him. Plant’s chances might rest with his ability to slow him down. A possible tactic:  Make Benavidez chase him across a bigger than average ring. It’s 22-feet by 22-feet, a Plant demand met in negotiations.

For Pant, the task is to interrupt Benavidez’ focus and momentum. That might lead to a frustrating fight,  both for Benavidez and his fans, many of whom made the trip up from Phoenix.

“In the end, you’ll see my hand raised,” Plant said in a comment that suggests a decision.

Benavidez envisions another kind of ending. In one breath, he promises to send Plant to the hospital. In another, he vows to break his jaw.

He’s not kidding.

You choose the expletive.

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS — Nobody blinked, but David Benavidez got the face-off he wanted Thursday with Caleb Plant after the final news conference for their super-middleweight grudge match Saturday at the MGM Grand .

“I’m real happy we were able to get that face-off,” Benavidez said after he and Plant exchanged threats and profanities during a few tense moments on a stage at the casino’s KA Theater.

Benavidez and father/trainer Jose Benavidez Sr, expressed doubts Wednesday that the face-off would happen.

“I was very surprised that it did,” Benavidez Sr. said. “There was never any chance that anything bad was going to happen. It wasn’t like I going to throw a punch.”

But his son did throw some verbal shots during what was just another extension of a long-running feud.

“I’m going to send you to the hospital,” he said to Plant as they stood eyeball-to-eyeball, each flanked by security guards.

Security finally stepped in between them, breaking off the face-off. As they were led to opposite ends of the stage, Plant pointed at Benavidez with a hand cocked like a loaded weapon.

“He said what I thought he would, what he’s supposed to say,” Plant told reporters and a small crowd of fans, including ex-heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

Tyson is the first to call Benavidez “The Mexican Monster”, a nickname that is beginning to supplaint his first nickname, “The Red Flag.” 

When the Showtime pay-per-view card (6 pm PT/9 pm ET) was formally announced at a newser in Los Angeles on February 2, the two had to be separated twice.

It’s not clear whether the two will do another face-off Friday after the official weigh-in. During the formal part of the newser Thursday, each was asked what the fans could expect in a fight that could lead to a shot at undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alavrez..

“You’re going to see my hand get raised,” Plant said.

Then, Benavidez delivered a chilling counter:

“You’re going to see me break his jaw, that ‘s what the fans are going to see,” he said.

Photo by Esther Lin / SHOWTIME

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS — In terms of trash talk, it’s all been said.

Maybe that’s why David Benavidez and Caleb Plant didn’t have much else to say Wednesday at media workouts for their super-middleweight clash Saturday at the MGM Grand in a pay-per-view bout.

That’s not to say threats weren’t there. Benavidez climbed through the ropes and into a  ring near the MGM Sportsbook. He looked at the crowd and made what has become a familiar, throat-slashing gesture. It was his way of saying he intends to do more than just knock out Plant.

“Everybody I hit, gets hurt,” Benavidez said.

The hurt will be there early, Benavidez promises , in what he says will be a quick finish. He intends to knock out Plant within six rounds in a bout that could lead to a shot at big money against pay-per-view star Canelo Alvarez, who last week agreed to a May 6 bout with John Ryder at home in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

“This is the most focused I’ve ever been for a fight,” Benavidez said. “I know Caleb Plant is going to be a hard fighter, moving around a lot. But whatever he brings to the table, I’m going to be ready for it. I’m looking for that knockout and I’m going to get it.’

If there was a surprise, it was the way Benavidez looked. The Phoenix fighter has long had a soft-looking upper-body. He was a chubby kid, he says. Plant had another word for it. He called him fat. Whatever the description, he entered the ring Wednesday, looking every bit like the maturing fighter who turned 26 in December  

“This is the best I’ve ever felt mentally, physically and emotionally,” Benavidez said. “I was already a monster before, but Caleb Plant brought the ‘Mexican Monster’ out of me.”

On Wednesday at least, there were no taunts from Plant.

“I’ve been here before,” said Plant, a Tennessean who grew up near Nashville. “I’ve been in big fights before. I know what this is all about and I know what it takes. Me and my team are fully prepared to get my hand raised on Saturday night.”

Both fighters were understated, wary perhaps of a confrontation that could lead to a scuffle. Opening bell is just a couple of days away. Years of trash-talk has left evident tension. As a result, there are doubts the fighters will engage in the ritual face-off both at the final formal news conference Thursday and at the weigh-in Friday. But Benavidez was hopeful.

“I’m hoping we can still do a face-off, give the fans what they want,” Benavidez said. “I’m not going to do something, something stupid, that might jeopardize this event. Not after all the work I’ve done.

“There’s a lot at stake here. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long, long time.”

By Norm Frauenheim –

The proof has been unfolding for years. First, David Benavidez had to prove it to himself. Now, he has to prove it to everybody else.

The journey from fat kid to feared fighter, from anonymity to stardom has been a process that almost looks inevitable just days before it undergoes its most significant test yet against Caleb Plant on March 25 in a Showtime pay-per-view bout at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

But it hasn’t been easy, much less predictable. Growing-up never is, especially when the lesson plans are subjected to all of the twisted dynamics and drama that rule boxing. Within those ropes, there’s no playground. Just chaos.

At 26, however, Benavidez looks as if he was born for it. Beneath the baby fat, he discovered his identity. A fighter’s instincts were always there, part of his DNA. He’s a natural, comfortable with the craziness and more confident than ever that he can control the violence.

“I’m at the beginning stages of my prime,’’ Benavidez said during a media workout Tuesday in Burien WA, a Seattle suburb and home far from the streets where he grew up in west Phoenix. “After this fight, the sky is the limit.’’

Plant has other ideas, of course. He’s about four years older. At 30, he’s squarely in his prime. He’s also been on boxing’s biggest stage in a stoppage loss to PPV star Canelo Alvarez in November 2021. That’s a place Benavidez has yet to see, yet to experience. Plant says he’s had to learn and adjust in ways that Benavidez has not. He calls it an advantage.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

It’s a key question in a super-middleweight fight that has been brewing for a long time. In the promotional media, it’s been dubbed Bad Blood. The Bad is genuine. The Blood is likely.

“I’ve been training for this fight for three-and-a-half months,’’ said Benavidez, who has vowed to knock out Plant in what he promises will be a painful stoppage to a long-running trash-talk exchange that has been over-the top, even by boxing standards.

Truth is, Benavidez has been training for Plant for longer than mere months. More like years.

Besides all of the noisy trash, Benavidez’ volatile career has been unusual. He’s unbeaten, yet he lost the World Boxing Council title twice, first because of a positive test for cocaine and then a failure to make the 168-pound weight.

If not for that, he might have already experienced what Plant says Benavidez has not. He might have already fought Canelo. He might already be a long-reigning champ.

“If not for issues losing his titles, he’d be on the pound-for-pound list,’’ Plant trainer Stephen “Breadman’’ Edwards told Sean Zittel in a compelling interview for FightHype.

From Terence Crawford to Naoya Inoue, Artur Beterbiev and newcomer Shakur Stevenson, Benavidez’ 26-0 record and knockout rate – 23 KOs – compares favorably to any other on the various pound-for-pound lists.

A place in the pound-for-debate is among the stakes against Plant. So, too, is a possible shot at Canelo, who is coming off wrist surgery against Brit John Ryder in a tune-up on May 6 at home in Jalisco, Mexico. Canelo-Ryder was formally announced Tuesday, the same day Benavidez in Washington and Plant in Vegas did their media workouts. 

Coincidence? Probably. Still, the Benavidez-Plant showdown has been designated as a bout that will lead to a so-called mandatory shot at Canelo, the undisputed champion at 168.

“The winner gets Canelo, or so they say,’’ said Benavidez, who has been calling out Canelo for just about as long as he’s been trash-talking Plant.

If anything, Benavidez has taken the edge off his talk about Canelo. He complimented him for agreeing to fight at home, his first in Mexico in more than a decade. A possible date and a big paycheck against Canelo are part of the motivation, both for Benavidez and Plant.

Before opening bell, however, Canelo is almost secondary to the bitter rivalry and all that it means. For both Benavidez and Plant, the bout carries a burden of proof. Edwards called it a test of character in his FightHype interview.

The maturing Benavidez knows that. He’s using it as just one more source of motivation. In saying that Benavidez lacks big-fight experience, Plant left questions that are being asked by fans and media. Benavidez has heard them. Can he deal with adversity? Can he adjust?

Benavidez repeatedly counters with facts and figures that he says the doubters ignore.

“I throw punches in bunches and I land them at a 46-percent rate,’’ he said. “Nobody ever mentions that. I’ve never lost two rounds in a row. Every man I’ve fought, I’ve hurt.

“If you guys don’t think I know what I’m doing, you’re stupid.’’

Next task:

Prove it. 

Oscar Valdez Update

15 Rounds has confirmed that former two-time champion Oscar Valdez Jr. expects to be back on a Top Rank card featuring Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko planned for May 20 at Vegas’ MGM Grand.

An injury suffered in training forced Valdez to withdraw from a bout for a vacant junior-lightweight title against fellow Mexican Emanuel Navarrete at Desert Diamond Arena on Feb. 3 in Glendale AZ, a Phoenix suburb.

Navarrete, a former featherweight champion, went on to win the WBO ‘s 130-pound title in a wild ninth-round stoppage of late stand-in Liam Wilson of Australia.

Valdez, who was at ringside and joined Navarrete in the ring after his controversial stoppage of Wilson, said he hurt his ribs in a freak accident — a fall down some stairs.

After the planned May 20 bout, Valdez and Navarrete are expected to fight later in the year on ESPN, which reported Friday that Valdez is expected to face Adam Lopez in a rematch.

Saúl Canelo Álvarez will defend his Undisputed Super-Middleweight title against John Ryder at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico on Saturday May 6, live around the world on DAZN and DAZN PPV in the U.S & Canada – the first time in over a eleven and a half years that Canelo has fought in Mexico.

Canelo (58-2-2 39 KOs) defends his Undisputed crown for the second time after beating bitter rival Gennadiy Golovkin in their trilogy battle in Las Vegas in September, having ripped the IBF crown from Caleb Plant in Sin City in November 2021 with an 11^th round stoppage.

The Mexican superstar will make an emotional return to his homeland for his latest Cinco de Mayo showdown, and it will be 4180 days since he last stepped through the ropes in Mexico, when he stopped Kermit Cintron in Mexico City in five rounds to defend his WBO World Light-Middleweight title.

The 32 year old four-weight World Champion fights for the 63^rd time of his storied career as he closes in on 18 years as a pro. Cinco de Mayo weekend will see him fight for the 35^th time in his homeland and it promises to be a spectacular occasion with the state of Jalisco marking 200 years of independence.

WBO mandatory challenger Ryder (32-5 18 KOs) will be looking to spoil the party, as the popular Londoner travels to Mexico for the biggest fight of his 12-year career. ‘The Gorilla’ landed the WBO interim title in his last fight when Zach Parker retired on his stool after four rounds of their clash in London, England in November. 

That win for the 34 year old followed a career-best victory earlier in 2022 over former Middleweight ruler and old Canelo foe Daniel Jacobs, with Ryder having also tackled three other Britons who have taken on the Mexican king, challenging Callum Smith for the Super-Middleweight World crown after fights with Billy Joe Saunders and Rocky Fielding.

“I feel really happy to be coming back in May because following my surgery, I was unsure of when I’d be coming back,” said Canelo. “Returning to the ring and coming back to fight in Jalisco, where I’m from, makes me especially happy. And in John Ryder, I’m facing a very competitive fighter.”

“There’s no denying that Canelo is one of the greats and I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s achieved in the sport but I fully believe this is my time fulfil my dream of becoming a World champion,” said Ryder.

“I’m not going over there for a holiday. For me this is purely business and my full focus is on going into his backyard in Guadalajara on May 6 and bringing those belts back with me to the UK. I want to thank the team, Tony and Charlie Sims and Matchroom Boxing for making this happen.”

“Canelo’s return to Mexico is historic for Mexican boxing,” said trainer Eddy Reynoso. “He is returning as an Undisputed champion, this is proof that a Mexican can succeed outside his country with discipline and love for his sport.

“I feel proud of all of this, because the dream of a kid who started in Guadalajara came true and he returns as a winner!”

“This is a moment that will be forever engrained in the history of boxing and Mexican sport,” said Eddie Hearn. “Canelo Alvarez defending his undisputed championship in his hometown in front of 50,000 fans will be an incredible sight and a night we will never forget. 

“In John Ryder, you have a mandatory challenger that has paid his dues and off the back of big wins against Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker is ready for the ultimate challenge. See you May 6 in Guadalajara for something very special, live on DAZN.”

“It doesn’t get bigger than Canelo in Mexico,” Joe Markowski, CEO North America, DAZN Group said, “Canelo returning home, John Ryder coming to spoil the party after big wins versus Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker in 2022; this has the makings of a classic. Tune in to this historic event live on DAZN around the world and in Mexico for the very first time.”

An announcement on ticket sale dates will be made soon.

By Norm Frauenheim –

They went coast-to-coast. They trash-talked, face-to-face, at midday in New York on Wednesday and after lunch on Thursday in Los Angeles. They postured, preached and promised.

But, mostly, Tank Davis and Ryan Garcia kept us waiting. The NY version of the coast-to-coast newser was about two hours late. Something about Davis getting caught in traffic.

The sequel, an LA matinee, started about an hour after it was scheduled to begin. On BST – Boxing Standard Time, late starts are like low blows. Count on them.

In any time zone, however, boxing news conferences are all about theater. The bigger the fight, the bigger the stage. And Davis-Garcia is a biggie, at least it is in a market that has left its eroding fan base starving for something relevant – something real – in the wake of collapsed negotiations for Terence Crawford-Errol Spence.

Enter Davis-Garcia, which has moved into the vacuum with a fight loaded with dynamic potential. But, like the news conferences, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out on April 22, the scheduled opening bell for their 136-pound bout at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Showtime pay-per-view.

For now, it’s a show like full of familiar hyperbole, stunts and proclamations. Believe at your own risk. The common theme has been that Davis-Garcia represents another new beginning for a sport that always seems to be starting over. Davis is 28; Garcia 24.

“You all keep saying boxing is dead,’’ Davis trainer Bob Ford said Thursday “Naaah, the young-ins is coming.’’

The Youngblood plot line is compelling. I hope it’s right. I wrote a New Year’s column for 15 Rounds in January, saying it was time for a new generation. Depending on who’s doing the talking, it’s already here.

“Whoever wins this is on top, the face of boxing,’’ Garcia said Thursday. “I truly believe that.’’

Davis, never shy or short on confidence, believes he’s already that face. Move over, Canelo Alvarez. Hand over that pound-for pound crown, Terence Crawford

 “I’m already in that position,’’ Davis said matter-of-factly Thursday. “Canelo, he’s already out the door. I’m the face of the sport.’’

As I heard Davis declare his supremacy, I kept hearing that automated message you get after pushing the button for the crosswalk signal at a busy intersection. Wait, wait, wait.

If Davis-Garcia lives up to the hype, it will herald that the new is moving in and the old is moving out. The 26-year-old David Benavidez has a chance to kick in the door a few weeks earlier in a super-middleweight bout against Caleb Plant on March 25 at Vegas’ MGM Grand.

At best, Davis and Garcia could motivate Crawford and Spence to do what they wouldn’t late last year. Rights to pound-for-pound supremacy are won and retained only in the ring, a piece of real estate they have been unwilling to share thus far.

Davis and Garcia have agreed to do what they won’t. Maybe that changes their minds.

Maybe.

The waiting game continues, however, until we see Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) and Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) walk down the aisle, up the steps and through the ropes. Only the sound of an opening bell ends the waiting.

There’s nothing new about late arrivals for news conferences. They are a well-rehearsed part of the show. In New York, however, Davis sent off some alarm bells that have been there before and after the date with Garcia was a done deal.

Davis is often compared to Mike Tyson because of his dramatic punching power. But another Tyson parallel is trouble outside of the ring. Like Tyson, you get the sense you’re watching an accident about to happen.

The Davis-Garcia fight is happening on April 22, because Davis won’t be sentenced on a Baltimore hit-and-run until May 5. He also was arrested on Dec. 27 on a domestic-abuse charge in Broward County, Fla. His accuser later retracted the allegation.

When he’s nearly two hours late for a newser, you wonder. Fans wonder.

But they wait, too.

There’s evident enthusiasm for Davis-Garcia  

In terms of experience, power and proven skillset, Davis figures to beat Garcia. Yet, Garcia’s abundant poise and smarts suggest he’ll be more of a threat to Davis than the odds might suggest. Davis is a narrow favorite.

After the staged part of the New York newser, Garcia talked to a group of reporters and questioned Davis’ ability to fight through adversity.

“When Tank gets into trouble, he takes the easy way out,’’ Garcia said in a comment captured on video.

Whether Garcia has enough in his skillset to prevail, however, is there. He’s known for his speed and a huge left hook.

But, Davis wonders, is that all there is?

“He’s going to hit me with that hook, because that’s all he’s got,’’ Davis said as he looked over at Garcia Thursday. “A left hook. What else? That’s all you got. You’re not a complete fighter.

“What happens when that one punch don’t work?’’

We’ll have to wait for an answer to that question. And a few more.