LAS VEGAS – March 8, 2023 – The battle to become the future face of boxing is set, as five-time, three-division world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis takes on hard-hitting sensation “King” Ryan Garcia in a highly anticipated 12-round showdown headlining a pay-per-view event on Saturday, April 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The telecast is being produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV and will be available across pay-per-view providers including DAZN PPV.

Davis has established himself as one of boxing’s hottest, must-see attractions, selling out arenas in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and most recently, Washington D.C., while Garcia headlined fights across Los Angeles, Dallas and San Antonio, with fans packing the rafters to watch his meteoric rise in person. Backed by two passionate, divergent fanbases, the April 22 winner will be primed to make their claim as the sport’s biggest star attraction.

In a rare matchup of unbeaten superstars in the primes of their careers, Davis vs. Garcia is set up to be a crossover event that captures the sporting world’s imagination. With contrasting, colorful personalities and aggressive, dynamic styles in the ring that translate to highlight-reel knockouts, April 22 projects to be the must-see boxing event of the year.   

Davis vs. Garcia is promoted by GTD Promotions, TGB Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.  

Tickets for the live event go on sale Friday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT and will be available through www.axs.com.  

Pre-sale tickets will be available TOMORROW, Thursday, March 9 from 10 a.m. PT to 10 p.m. PT with the code: BOXING

“Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia have taken the boxing world by storm, attracting legions of fans with their thrilling performances and rapidly becoming ‘can’t miss’ attractions,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “On April 22, the two biggest young stars of boxing – both in the prime of their careers – will face each other in the most highly anticipated fight of the year. When the bell rings to start the first round, it will be a ‘where were you’ type moment that boxing fans will be talking about for years to come.”

“Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia is a true fight that will transcend the sport,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Gervonta Davis has proven his star power from coast-to-coast and will now step into a mega-fight with the chance to stake his claim as the future of the sport. This is one of boxing’s biggest events of the last several years and will only grow in intrigue as we near April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and live on pay-per-view.”

“This fight is boxing the way it should be – two superstars at the peak of their powers squaring off in the ring to see who is truly the best of the best,” said Oscar De La Hoya. “Both Ryan and ‘Tank’ are at the top of the world when it comes to speed, power and skill. This will come down to who wants it more, and it is for that reason that I strongly believe Ryan will come out on top.”

Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) holds the WBA Lightweight Title, and has also won world titles at 130 and 140 pounds during his spectacular career. The Baltimore-native set a new gate record for Capital One Arena in January to see him stop the previously unbeaten 130-pound world champion Hector Luis Garcia in the ninth round.

Prior to that fight, Davis added another highlight-reel KO to his resume, as he dispatched longtime rival Rolando Romero with a thudding left hand in February 2022, in another record-setting event at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The 28-year-old also owns the distinction as the only fighter to stop former three-division champion Leo Santa Cruz and former 140-pound champion Mario Barrios. Davis burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout of Jose Pedraza in 2017 to capture his first world title and won the lightweight strap he currently holds with a 12^th-round KO of former unified champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2019. This bout marks Davis’ sixth-straight headlining appearance on SHOWTIME PPV.

“I’m excited for this fight and I appreciate Ryan stepping up to the plate and helping make this happen,” said Davis. “This is one of those fights that everyone has been talking about for a few years now. I know I’m going to be ready to put on a show. Make sure you buy the pay-per-view or come out to Las Vegas and witness a historic fight between two of the biggest names in boxing. Thank you to all my fans and everyone that continues to support me. I’m fighting for all of you on April 22!”

The 24-year-old Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) has used his skills and Hollywood-persona to establish a huge fan base, backing it up in the ring with a perfect record, including knockouts in six of his last seven contests. Most recently, Garcia delivered a sixth-round knockout over former champion Javier Fortuna in July 2022 in front of a packed, star-studded audience at Los Angeles’ famed Crypto.com Arena.

Born in Victorville, California and now residing in Los Angeles, Garcia has entered the ring for his last two fights under the guidance of legendary trainer Joe Goossen. ESPN’s Prospect of the Year in 2017, Garcia established himself as a lightweight contender by rising off the canvas to stop Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in the seventh round of their 2021 clash that saw Garcia walk away with the Interim WBC Lightweight Title.

“This is the super fight of the year,” said Garcia. “Boxing needs to return to the best fighting the best, and I’m bringing back that hype, that glamor, and a new generation of fans to this beautiful sport. Tank is shorter than me, slower than me, older than me, and he knows it. He’s been ducking me for months, but now he’s all out of excuses. It’s time for him to get knocked out.”

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

By David Galaviz –

PHOENIX, AZ — Trevor McCumby is coming back the way he left.

Unbeaten

McCumby, a former heavyweight prospect, announced he will resume his career during an Iron Boy card at Celebrity Theater Saturday night.

McCumby, who made the surprising announcement from the center of the ring, said he plans to fight for the first time in more than four years on April 29, also at Celebrity, on an Iron Boy card expected to include Carlos Castro.

The 30-year-old McCumby, who lives in Glendale AZ, last fought in November 2018, pushing his record to 25-0 (19 KOs) with a unanimous decision over Felipe Romero.

“A spectacular night and performance,’’ McCumby said of what he expects in his return.

At the time of his announcement, it wasn’t known who he’ll fight. 

Castro (27-2, 12 KOs), a junior-featherweight from Phoenix, is coming off successive losses. He was stopped by Brandon Figueroa in July and lost a split decision to Luis Nery 14 months ago.   

Saturday night’s main-event results:

The main event showcased one of Iron Boy’s up- and-coming prospects. Phoenix welterweight Alexis Ortega (5-1, 4 KOs) scored a second-round stoppage of from Deonte Smith (0-2) of Jacksonville FL.

In the co-main, unbeaten Elias Terraza (6-0, 4 KOs), of Phoenix, AZ faced Giovanny Meza, of Mexico, in a 143-pound bout. Terraza looked poised, utilizing his left jab. But it was his right hook that ended the night for Meza at 1:34 of the second round.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (March 6, 2023) — Naoya “Monster” Inoue conquered the bantamweight division. He’s now moving up in weight to capture the biggest fish at 122 pounds.

Philadelphia’s WBC & WBO junior featherweight world champion, Stephen Fulton, will defend his titles against Japan’s pound-for-pound king Sunday, May 7, at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan. The showdown pits two of the world’s top fighters, as Inoue aims to become only the fifth Asian boxer to win world titles in four weight classes.

Fulton-Inoue and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ in a special early-morning presentation.

Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) is 19-0 with 17 knockouts in world title fights, a championship run that started in 2014 when he knocked out Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light flyweight world title. He went on to rule the junior bantamweight division with seven title defenses, including a second-round stoppage over Omar Narvaez. At bantamweight, Inoue became the division’s first undisputed champion in a half-century, stopping Emmanuel Rodriguez in two rounds to win the IBF strap, outlasting Nonito Donaire in the 2019 Fight of the Year to add the WBA belt, starching Donaire in the second round of their June 2022 rematch to snatch the WBC title, and stopping then-WBO champion Paul Butler in the 11th round. Inoue vacated all four bantamweight titles to move up four pounds for a shot at “Cool Boy Steph.”

Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs) turned pro in 2014 and defeated five undefeated prospects in his first 12 bouts. In January 2021, he defeated Angelo Leo to capture the WBO junior featherweight world title. Ten months later, he added the WBC belt to his collection with a majority decision over then-unbeaten Brandon Figueroa in one of the year’s most action-packed championship showdowns. Fulton defended both titles last June with a one-sided unanimous decision over former unified world champion Daniel Roman. Fulton will enter the Inoue bout, his first away from American soil, coming off an 11-month layoff. The 28-year-old Fulton, however, is the naturally bigger man, holding advantages in height and reach.

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About ESPN+ 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

Brandon Figueroa won the WBC Interim Featherweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Mark Magsayo at The Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.

In round four, Figueroa was cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt.

In round eight, Magsayo was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Figueroa was cut over his left eye due to another accidental headbutt. In round 11, he was deducted another point for holding.

Figueroa, 125.8 lbs of Weslaco, TX won by scores of 118-108 and 117-109 twice and is now 24-1-1. Magsayo, 126 lbs of the Philippines is 24-2.

Resendiz Stops Hurd in 10th

Armando Resnediz stopped former unified junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd in the 10th and final round of their middleweight bout.

The fight was a high-volume, high-contact fight that was stopped five seconds into the final round when Hurd’s lip was severely cut.

Resendiz, 162 lbs of Mexico is 13-1 with 10 knockouts. Hurd, 159.2 lbs of Accokeek, MD is 24-3.

Elijah Garcia Stops Vidal in Four

19 year-old Elijah Garcia stopped Amilcar Vidal in round four of their 10-round middleweight bout.

In round four, Garcia landed a huge flurry that started by a right hook on the ropes that sent off 13 unanswered punch that put Vidal down, and the bout was stopped at 2:17.

Garcia, 158.6 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 14-0 with 12 knockouts. Vidal, 159 lbs of Uruguay is 16-1.

Former world title challenger Terrell Gausha stopped Brandon Lynch in round nine of their 10-round super welterweight bout.

In round nine, Gausha dropped Lynch with a short right. Seconds later, it was another right that put Lynch down again. Gausha finished off lynch with a series of overhand rights that put Lynch down for a third and final time, and the fight was stopped at 50 seconds.

Gausha, 156.6 lbs of Encino, CA is 23-3-1 with 10 knockouts. Lynch, 155.6 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 12-2-1.

Travon Marshall remained undefeated with a third round stoppage over Justin DeLoach Dock in a scheduled eight-round welterweight fight.

In round three, Marshall dropped Dock with a hard right hand. Dock got to his feet, but the fight was called at 2:07.

Marshall, 145.6 lbs of Capitol Heights, MD is now 8-0 with seven knockouts. Dock, 147 lbs of Augusta, GA is 19-6.

In round one, Dock began to bleed from the nose.

Samuel Teah won a eight-round unanimous decision over Enriko Gogokhia in a junior welterweight bout.

In round one, Teah scored a knockdown when Gogokhia was off balance and Teah landed a right hand that that put Gogokhia on the canvas.

In round six, Teah started to swell under his left eye.

Teah, 141.6 lbs of Philadephia won by scores of 79-72 and 78-73 twice and is now 19-6-1. Gogokhia, 143 lbs of Woodland Hills, CA is 13-1-2.

Daniel Blancas remained undefeated with a first round stoppage over Kynndale Prather in a scheduled four-round super middleweight bout.

In round one, Blancas dropped Prather with a hard combination in the corner. Prather dropped Prather again in the round with another flurry and the bout was stopped.

Blancas, 168.2 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 5-0 with three knockouts Prather, 165.4 lbs of Kansas City, KS is 3-16.

By Norm Frauenheim –

Elijah Garcia wears 602 on his waistband. It’s his hometown. It’s also a busy area code, a fight town that is beginning to live up to the name of the city it represents.

Phoenix is named for a mythic bird rising from the ashes. it’s the city crest. It’s on the side of busses and on the patch police wear on their uniforms.

But it’s more than myth these days. There’s Kevin Durant, who has the town buzzing about whether the Suns can finally soar to their first NBA title. And there’s boxing, a market that is climbing off the deck the way that proverbial bird is coming out of those ashes.

Phoenix and most of Arizona are becoming a go-to area for matchmakers looking for fighters and promoters searching for an audience.

From A to Z, fighters and fans are drawing the boxing business back to a market that had gone dormant in the years after Michael Carbajal’s Hall of Fame run in the 1990s.

Increasingly, AZ’s place in the boxing universe is evident.

It was a month ago in Emanuel Navarrete’s stoppage of Australian Liam Wilson in an entertaining, controversial junior-lightweight bout in front of an ESPN audience and a lively crowd at Desert Diamond Arena in suburban Glendale.

AZ will be there again Saturday, this time on the road when the 19-year-old Garcia (13-0, 11 KOs) gets a true test of his middleweight credentials in Ontario CA against Amilcar Vidal (16-0, 12 KOs)) on a Showtime Championship Boxing card (6 pm PT/9 pm ET) featuring featherweights Brandon Figueroa and Mark Magsayo.

Vidal, of Uruguay, is 27. He had 59 amateur fights, reportedly losing only once. Vidal has his own AZ connection. His manager/promoter is Sampson Lewkowicz, who promotes former super-middleweight champion David Benavidez, today’s best-known AZ fighter.

Lewkowicz has been at ringside for two Garcia fights, first when Benavidez beat Kyrone Davis at the Suns home area and then last year when Benavidez blew out former middleweight champion David Lemieux in Glendale.

In terms of physical maturity, Vidal is a tough fight for Garcia, who is still nearly two months from turning 20. His birthday is April 26.

“Yeah, it’s my toughest,’’ Garcia said.

But, Garcia says, he wouldn’t have it any other way. He has watched video of Vidal.

“He’s a tough guy who likes to come forward,’’ Garcia said. “I like to fight on the inside.’’

The idea is that Vidal will step forward and into Garcia’s wheelhouse. It’s not clear whether Vidal can fight in retreat, off his back foot.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen, to be honest,’’ Garcia said.

But it’s an answer Garcia will pursue. It’s what he’s been doing since he was a kid. A son of former Arizona heavyweight George Garcia, Elijah says he never envisioned a prizefighting career.

“I hated boxing as a kid,’’ he said. “But when I was about 11, I was in the gym, working out and suddenly I just knew. I loved it.’’

Boxing was there, in his DNA and his geography. On the same night as his bout with Vidal, there will be a card in the 602 at Phoenix’s Celebrity Theatre (7 p.m.) promoted by Iron Boy’s Robert Vargas. It is Vargas’ first boxing card in the New Year.

Garcia is an emerging face in a AZ generation that includes David Benavidez and his brother, Jose Jr., a former 140-pound champion who has a film role in the current sequel, Creed III.

There’s also welterweight Abel Ramos and his nephew, junior-middleweight Jesus Ramos, both of Casa Grande, 50 miles from Phoenix. Both will fight on the Showtime pay-per-view card featuring David Benavidez versus Caleb Plant at Las Vegas MGM Grand on March 25.

Then, there’s Oscar Valdez, Jr., a former featherweight and junior-lightweight champion who calls himself a Son of Sonora, the name of the desert that stretches from northern Mexico to Phoenix. Valdez grew up in Nogales in the Sonoran state of Mexico, south of Tucson. He went to school in Tucson.

After Navarrete got up from a knockdown to beat Wilson in Glendale, Valdez joined him in the ring. He and Navarrete are expected to fight later in the year for the 130-pound title.

“Maybe, here in Arizona,’’ Valdez said.

The crowd roared, as if to say:

Where else.

By Norm Frauenheim –

For an emerging 22-year-old nephew, he’s a wise uncle. Uncle Abel. But don’t be misled. This uncle isn’t retired. And most of his wisdom is still evolving.

Abel Ramos is still seeking, fighting on in a stubborn quest for an elusive piece to his career.

At 31, the welterweight uncle to junior-middleweight prospect Jesus Ramos sounds more motivated than ever to gain a 147-pound title.

A bout against Cody Crowley March 25 on the Showtime pay-per-view card featuring fellow Arizona fighter David Benavidez against Caleb Plant at Las  Vegas’ MGM Grand is an opportunity, another one, to move closer to a second chance at a belt.

Abel Ramos (27-5-2, 21 KOs) is still in his prime. But 30 isn’t 20. He’s at an age when the horizon begins to include fewer chances. That focuses the mind. Puts an edge on the motivation.

“I want to make a statement,’’ he said this week during a stop at Central Boxing in downtown Phoenix, about 50 miles from the Ramos home in Casa Grande.

Ramos said it with an easy smile and a quiet poise that includes no hint at the ever-present danger that defines his two-fisted, relentless ring style.

Translation: It’s unwise to ignore him.

For a while, he has been.

He’s been mostly forgotten since a split decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in September 2020 in Los Angeles for the World Boxing Association’s welterweight belt.

Against Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs), a Canadian, he has a chance to remind the division that he’s still there, still a force at 147-pounds.

In part, the narrow scorecard loss to Ugas drives Ramos. It represents an endless source of motivation.

“I thought I did enough to win,’’ said Ramos, who struggled to find a way to negate Ugas’ long, precise jab. “I watch it, and I can see that I could have done more. But I still thought I won.’’

A split decision often sets the stage for a rematch. Ramos lost 115-113 in two cards. He was a big winner on the third, 117-110, a surprising card that must have reflected moments when his power had Ugas in trouble. It’s that third card that said – says – there’s reason for a rematch.

So far, however there’s been no interest from Ugas.

“Not yet,’’ said Abel’s brother and trainer Jesus Sr, Jesus Jr.’s father.

Ugas is back in training in Las Vegas after suffering a fractured eye socket in a stoppage loss to Errol Spence last April.

Ugas wants to make a comeback. Perhaps in April, he says. But, Ugas says, he wants to fight only contenders. He mentioned Terence Crawford, Spence, Jaron Ennis and Virgil Ortiz during a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) podcast interview with Michael Rosenthal and Kenneth Bouharie in late January.

“I want the top contenders,’’ the Cuban said in comments translated into English. “I believe I’m one of the best. I want to fight the best. Why hold back?”

For Abel Ramos, that means delivering proof that he still belongs. Proof positive would mean a big knockout, one that could force dominoes to fall in the balkanized business.

A sensational KO could lead to a ranking that might set up a so-called eliminator for a title shot.

It’s part politics and part crap-shoot, which is another of saying it’s boxing. Anything can happen, and it did in Ugas’ first fight after Ramos

In a stunner, Ugas went on to score a huge upset over fading legend Manny Pacquiao in May 2021. Ugas was a late stand-in for an injured Spence. He got the fight because Pacquiao wanted the WBA title that went to Ugas on a night when the cards fell his way.

That won’t happen again. History probably won’t get rewritten. If Ramos gets a big win and some bigger luck, however, it might get a rematch for a shot at a title and a real reason for a wise uncle to one day think it could have been him.   

In a bout that was two years in the making, Tommy Fury won a eight-round split decision over Jake Paul in a cruiserweight bout in Saudi Arabia.

It was a tactical fight that picked up with Fury getting the better of the action by landing right hands. Paul fought back well and was able to get some good shots in.

In round five, Paul was deducted a point for hitting behind the head. In round six, Fury was deducted a point for holding the head down. In round 10, Paul dropped Fury with a hard jab. That was not enough as Fury won two cards by 76-73 scores. Paul won a card 75-74.

Fury is now 9-0. Paul is 6-1.

Fury landed 88 of 302; Paul was 49 of 157.

Fury said, “For the past two years, this is all that has consumed my life. Broken rib. Denied access. Everybody thought I was running scared. Tonight, I made my own legacy. I am Tommy Fury.
 
“All through these past two years, I had a dream and a vision that I would win this fight. And no one believed me. Now I can stand up and everybody can take note. It’s my first main event at 23 years old. I had pressure on my shoulders, and I came through.
 
“This is my first main event. I’m only going to get stronger, and I’m only going to get bigger. There were a lot of nerves going into that fight, but I override that. If he wants a rematch, bring it on.”
 
Paul said, “All respect to Tommy. He won. Don’t judge me by my wins. Judge me by my losses. I’ll come back. I think we deserve that rematch. It was a great fight. It was a close fight. I don’t know if I agree with the judges. I got a 10-8 round twice. So, it is what it is. I’ve already won in life, man. I’ve already won in every single way. I have an amazing family. Amazing friends. Amazing work ethic. I’ve made it farther than I ever thought I would.”

Badou Jack Stops Makabu; Wins Cruiserweight Title and Becomes 3-Division Champ

Badou Jack won the WBC Cruiserweight title with a 12th round stoppage over Ilunga Makabu.

In round four, Jack landed a quick right hand on the inside that sent Makabu down on his back.

In round nine, Makabu started to bleed from his Nostrils. In round 10, Jack dropped Makabu again with the right hand. In round 12, Jack landed a booming right to the head that hurt Makabu badly. A follow up flurry on the ropes forced a stoppage at 54 seconds.

Jack now becomes a three-division world champion with a record of 28-3-3 with 17 knockouts. Makabu of the Congo is 29-3.

Jack said, “I was standing there too much. My trainer told me to box and move. That’s not really my style. I mean, I box. But I also like to come forward and fight. Makabu is a hell of a fighter. He’s an African brother of mine. We used to be training partners. He is still my brother.”

Ziyad Almaayouf won an entertaining four-round split decision over Ronald Martinez in a welterweight bout.

After Almaayoud came out strong, Martinez landed a perfect right to the jaw that sent Almaayouf down. Almaayouf was able to right himself by landing hard punches that snapped the head back of Martinez that thrilled the crowd.

Almaayouf, 145.6 lbs of Saudi Arabia won by scores of 38-37 on all cards and is now 2-0. Martinez, 142 lbs of Ecuador is 3-2-1.

Muhsin Cason stopped Taryel Jafarov after the opening round of their eight-round cruiserweight bout.

In round one, the first punch of the fight was a booming right by Cason that put Jafarov on the canvas. Jafarov had enough after the round, and the fight was stopped.

Cason, 199.1 lbs of Las Vegas via Baltimore is 11-0 with nine knockouts. Jafarov, 200.6 lbs of Azerbaijan is 18-6.

Badeer Samreem stopped Viorel Simion in the opening round of their eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Samreem dropped Simion with a hard right and the fight was stopped at 1:26.

Samreem Dubai via Jordan is 8-0 with seven knockouts. Simion, 138.6 lbs of Bucharest, ROM is 23-10.

Follow all of the action as Jake Paul takes on Tommy Fury in an much anticipated grudge match. The action begins at 2 PM ET with a 4-fight undercard that will feature the WBC Cruiserweight title fight between Ilunga Makabu and Badou Jack.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED. THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Fury going after Paul..Referee warning for holding..Jab from Fury..Right from Paul..Left hook..Right to body…Combination from Fury
Round 2 Jab from Fury..Right on the inside..Jab…Right down the middle…Jab..Right..Left hook from Paul
Round 3 Paul lands a jab…Jab..Jab..Counter left hook..overhand right…
Round 4 Hard right from Fury…Combination…4rights…Combination from Paul..
Round 5 Right from Paul..Right from Fury…POINT DEDUCTED FROM PAUL FOR HITTING BEHIND THE HEAD…Lett Hook from Paul..Jab..Big right from Fury
Round 6 Left hook from Paul..Uppercut from Fury…uppercut..Right..POINT DEDCUTED FOR FURY FOR HOLDING THE HEAD…
Round 7 Right from Fury..Overhand right from Paul..3 rights from Fury…Fury bleeding from around the left eye
Round 8 JAB AND DOWN GOES FURY…Right from Fury…Uppercut from Fury..

75-74 PAUL,,,76-73 Fury,,,,76-73 Fury

ROUND 1 Left to body from Makabu…Body shot..

ROUND 2 1-2 From Jack…Right…Left to the body with Makabu..2 lefts 

ROUND 3 Right from Jack….Right from Makabu..2 lefts to the body…Big right hook..Chopping left..

ROUND 4 2 lefts to the body from Makabu..RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES MAKABU…Right from Jack

ROUND 5 Right from Jack..Right hand..

ROUND 6 Left from Makabu…right hook..Right to body,…Left 

ROUND 7 Right from Jack..Right to body..Big Right..Right to the body from Makabu…1-2 from Jack…2 rights to the body…

ROUND 8 Counter right from Jack

ROUND 9 Right from Jack…Blood from Nostril of Makabu…Right from Jack..Makabu coming forward…right to body and jab..Left from Makabu..Overhand right from Jack..Right at the bell

ROUND 10 Left from Makabu…2 hard rights from Jack….Right to body..Flurry from Makabu..Big left from Jack…3 more lefts.

ROUND 11 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES MAKABU…Big right from Jack..Right to the body hurts Makabu

ROUND 12 BIG RIGHT HURTS MAKABU BAD….FOLLOW UP FLURRY AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1: Almaayouf going after Martinez,,Big Right…Double jab followed by a right…HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALMAAYOUF…Right from Almaayouf
Round 2 Right from Martinez…Right uppercut…Big right from Almaayouf…Big left..
Round 3 Right from Martinez..Double jab from Almaayouf…Right over the top..Big right over the top..
Round 4 Double jab from Almaayouf..Left hook..Nice right to the body..Big right over the top..Left hook..

38-37 oN ALL CARDS FOR ALMAAYOUF

Round 1 1st PUNCH A BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES JAFAROV..Combination in the corner by Cason..Big right to the head..Right over the top…sweeping right from jafarov..Right to the body by Cason….THE FIGHT IS WAVED OFF IN THE CORNER
Round 2

Round 1 Left hook to body from Samreen..Nice right…right to head…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES SIMION…THE FIGHT IS OVER

Follow all the action as Subriel Matias takes on Jeremias Ponce for the vacant IBF Junior Welterweight title. The action kicks off at 9 PM ET with Elvis Rodriguez against Joseph Adorno and Jamal James vs Alberto Palmetta

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED. THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Ponce landing body punches..Right…Ripping upprcuts…Lefts from Matias..

ROUND 2 Right from Ponce…Ponce crowding Matias…Ponce working on the inside..Left uppercut from Ponce..Matias lands a left hook..2 bog left hooks..

ROUND 3 Left hook from Ponce…another and another..Both guys just whaling away on each other on the inside…

ROUND 4 Left hook to the body from Ponce…counter right from Matias..Beautiful left hook..Left hook from Ponce

ROUND 5 Good combination from Matias..Left..Left…MATIS STAGGERS AND DROPS PONCE…..PONCE’S CORNER STOPS IT IN BETWEEN ROUNDS

Round 1 Combination from James…Jab…Right..Combination..
Round 2 Left from Palmetta…
Round 3 2 lefts from Palmetta…Right hook..left
Round 4  Jab and combination from James..Cuffing right hook..Jab and right hand..Combination to the body..left hook to the body
Round 5 Right from James..Another right to the head..Body shot from Palmetta…Counter by James..Right..Body and uppercut from James..2 lefts hooks to the body from James…Good counter right from Palmetta…Body shot…
Round 6 Good counter right hook from Palmetta…Right-left…2 counter punches from James..Right
Round 7 Right to the body from James…Hard right…Body shots…hard rights..Sharp right…Right hook to body from Palmetta…left hook from James..
Round 8 Left from Palmetta..Right hook to body..Right from James..Trading body shots…James lands a head shot..Right from Pakmetta..Chopping left…Left uppercut…right uppercut to body from James..Left to body from Palmetta…
Round 9 James lands a right…Straight left…James landing 2 rights to the body
Round 10 Combination from James…3 punch combination..Right hook to body from Palmetta..right uppercut.

99-91 and 98-92 FOR JAMAL JAMES

Round 1 Adorno Jabbing…
Round 2 Lead right hook from Rodriguez..Left down the middle…Body..Counter to the body..Adorno lands a jab and left hook..Body shot from Rodriguez…Lead right from Adorno…Combination Rodriguez
Round 3 Double left hook to Body shot from Adorno..Jab from Rodriguez..Short right to body from Adorno…Body shot…Right hook to body from Rodriguez…Double jab and right to body from Adorno…
Round 4 Exchanging jabs to the body…Left hook to the body…Lead right..Counter
Round 5 Right from Adorno…Lead right hook to body from Rodriguez…Counter from Adorno..Double right..Nice counter from Rodriguez..Left hook to head from Adorno
Round 6 Combination from Rodriguez…Left from Adorno..Combination from Rodriguez..Counter right from Adorno..Counter from Rodriguez…Left hook from Adorno..Right hook from Rodriguez..Counter right to body from Adorno
Round 7 HUGE RIGHT HOOK ROCKS ADORNO AND DOWN HE GOES…Rodriguez landing big shots, but Adorno landing some shots of his own..Big right uppercut from Rodriguez
Round 8 Jab from Adorno..Right hook from Rodriguez..Right hook to the body…Left…2 lefts from Adorno…straight right to the body..Counter left from Rodriguez..Right to body…Right hook rocks Adorno
Round 9 Straight left and right hook from Rodriguez..Lead left…Double jab from Adorno..Lead right to the body..Right uppercut from Rodriguez.Lead right…jab to the body…
Round 10 Counter right from Adorno..Straight left..combination from Rodriguez,,,Double left hook from Adorno……BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES ADORNO

97-91, 95-93 and 94-94 FOR RODRIGUEZ

Subriel Matias stopped Jeremias Ponce after round five to win the IBF Junior Welterweight Title in a blistering fight at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ponce came out firing punches in bunches. Ponce was all over Matias, but Matias was calm and fired back in between to starve off any sustained assault from Ponce. The pace continued throughout the fight with toe-to-toe action. Matias slowly started getting the better of these exchanges and in round five was starting to break down Ponce. Late in the round, Matias landed a flurry of punches that sent Ponce to the canvas. Ponce looked spent as he went to the corner, and his trainer/father stopped the bout.

Matias, 139.25 lbs of Fajardo, PR is now 19-1 with 19 knockouts. Ponce, 139.5 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 30-1.

“I’m on cloud nine right now,” said Matias. “I don’t think I’ve woken up from this dream. Maybe I can tell you how it feels tomorrow, but right now, it’s a dream come true. I wanted to work him from the first round on, because I knew he wouldn’t have the same power as me as the fight went on.”

“I thought it was an even fight, but one punch can change everything and that’s what happened,” said Ponce. “Subriel is a tough, strong fighter and I knew what he was capable of.”

“I’m fine now,” said Ponce. “My team knows me, and they made the decision that they had to make. It hurts, but the most important thing is that I’m healthy.”

“I wasn’t really surprised,” said Matias. “Once I saw how his corner reacted. I saw that [Ponce] was hurt. I thought that I was patient in the first four rounds, so I came out with a different approach and mindset in the fifth.”

“Regis Prograis, I’m coming for you,” said Matias. “I’m the world champion now. I promise that I’m coming to hurt you. Prograis likes to talk the talk, but I have that same mentality. Let’s see who prevails. I want him to see that there are people crazier than him in this sport.”

Jamal James Decisions Palmetta

Jamal James won a 10-round unanimous decision over Alberto Palmetta in a welterweight bout.

James landed 193 of 728 punches; Palmetta was 111 of 541.

James, 146.75 lbs of Minneapolis, MN won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice and is now 28-2. Palmetta, 147 lbs of Buenos Aires, ARG is 18-2.

“I’m pretty sure everybody can see that layoff affected me,” said James. “I had a lot of rust in me. My legs weren’t sharp, my punches weren’t sharp, but I’m glad I was able to get in there. I liked that because it’s pushing me mentally and it made me step up to the occasion.”

“I thought it was an even fight,” said Palmetta. “I was the aggressor throughout against a former world champion, a taller opponent with longer reach than me.”

“I was trying to adapt,” said James. “I definitely felt like I won the fight but I believe I could’ve done much better. I know that I’m a lot sharper. I know that my endurance is a lot stronger. I just had a lot of time off and my body is still getting back in shape. I’ll be back for sure.”

“I also like to counter, but I ratcheted up the pressure in the second half of the fight,” said Palmetta. “Maybe it looked like Jamal James was superior in the first half because he kept being conservative and countering.”

“I know I can be a champion again because I was a champion before,” said James. “I have to stay focused. Stay in the gym and back and study this fight – actually, my last two fights – and step it up. Thanks to everybody in Minneapolis for coming and showing me love.”

Elvis Rodriguez Decisions Adorno

Elvis Rodriguez scored a 10-round majority decision over Joseph Adorno in a junior welterweight bout.

In round seven, Rodriguez landed a huge right hook that rocked Adorno and eventually sent Adorno to the canvas. In round 10,Rodriguez landed a little body punch and Adorno appeared to slip, yet was ruled a knockdown.

Rodriguez landed 90 of 316 punches; Adorno was just 69 of 320.

Rodriguez, 139.75 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 97-91, 95-93 and 94-94 and is now 14-1-1. Adorno, 140 lbs of Allentown, PA is 17-2-2.

“Ring rust was definitely a factor,” said Rodriguez. “Maybe the struggle was more mental than physical in a way, but the important thing is that I overcame it.”

“I thought I had him once I landed that right hook, but he got up,” said Rodriguez. “He’s a warrior and a good fighter… The seventh round was huge, that’s when I truly started to win this fight. I have to give credit to Adorno for being savvy and knowing how to keep his distance before then.”

“I thought the judges were blind,” said Adorno. “I can’t get a win with these judges. I don’t know how you see the fight 97-91. I thought I won every round except the ones he dropped me. He never out worked me at all. I had the jab in his face and was snapping him to the body. He couldn’t do anything. No way he won seven rounds. I thought 94-94 was okay because of the two knockdowns.”

“Like I said yesterday at the weigh-in, bring on the winner of the main event,” said Rodriguez. “And to my people in the Dominican Republic, just know that I’ll be back even bolder and even better next time.” 

VeShawn Owens scored an upset 10-round unanimous decision over Kudratillo Abdukakhorov in a welterweight bout.

Owens, 147 lbs of Minneapolis, MN won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 14-3. Abdukakhorov, 156 lbs of Uzbekistan is 18-2.

Willie Jones shocked previously undefeated Derrick Jackson by scoring a one-punch first round stoppage in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Jones landed a perfect left hook to the head of Jackson that dropped him hard on his back and the fight was stopped immediately.

Jones, 147.75 lbs of Burlington, NC is 9-2 with six knockouts. Jackson, 149 lbs Orlando, FL is 10-1.

Mikkel Spencer made easy work of Margarito Lopez with a first round stoppage in their four-round super lightweight bout.

Spencer dominated the fight by landing fast power shots and culminating with a left that sent Lopez down and the fight was stopped at 2:18.

Spencer, 139 lbs of Linden, MI is 3-0 with two knockouts. Lopez, 140 lbs of Wapato, WA is 3-5-1.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It’s a main event, pay-per-view, between fighters with a combined 14-0 record compiled against YouTubers, a 3-time NBA Slam Dunk champion, a 47-year-old mixed-martial-arts legend and a guy – who at last count — is 0-47.

A pound for-pound list, it’s not. More like butchers, bakers and tomato can makers.

Step right up. For just $49.99, you can get ripped off, too. Plenty of customers will, of course. But there’s a market for it, proven repeatedly by Jake Paul, who is expected to deliver some more of the evidence against Tommy Fury on Feb 26 in Saudi Arabia

The Paul-Fury promoter, Skill Challenge Entertainment, knows that. So, too, do the networks. That’s why the bout will be staged on ESPN+, which from this corner gets more of a minus than a plus for selling this one.

But only the numbers matter. Paul has been generating big ones. He draws crowds. He gets PPV buys that Terence Crawford never has. And never will. But can he fight? That’s a stupid question.

He’ll say he can. Ever the provocateur, he calls out Canelo Alvarez. He rips UFC czar Dana White. He accuses UK promoter Eddie Hearn of a fix. Hearn sues, then says he’d still do business with him.

At the bully pulpit, there’s never been a bigger bully. There, Paul knows what he’s doing. Within the ropes, who knows?

But it doesn’t matter. It’s all about the show, and — in the here-and-now – Paul is the undisputed showman.

I’ve only been to one Paul fight. He scored a boxing decision over 47-year-old Anderson Silva, a former UFC star, at a jammed Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ early last December. On my scorecard, it was a draw. But a knockdown of Silva was enough to give it to Paul. No argument there.

Still, it looked as if Paul was just too easy to hit. He looked to be a long way from a main event, much less a chance at a champion or even a contender. He left himself wide-open for repeated shots from Silva. Maybe Fury, Tyson Fury’s brother, can take advantage. Maybe not. In Saudi Arabia, it might not matter in a bout that figures to go Paul’s way. Translation: Expect controversy.

That, however, would set the stage for what Paul does best. He’s the master of post-fight controversy.

The post-fight newser is an irreplaceable part of the show.

So, too, is the pre-fight newser.

That’s when I asked a question after welcoming Paul to former super-middleweight champion David Benavidez’ hometown.

Paul had been saying he wanted to promote Benavidez. I asked: Why not fight Benavidez instead? Paul looked back at me as though I was a nutcase.

Then in a sober, measured tone, he said he wasn’t ready for a fight at Benavidez’ level. No bullyboy response. It was the right answer.

A couple of days later, he called out Canelo. The Canelo challenge got the attention. The reasonable answer to the Benavidez question got little.

It was an instructive sequence, a plot line in a well-rehearsed show that must go on.

About four months later, Paul arrives in Saudi Arabia with assurances from the World Boxing Council (WBC) that he will be ranked at cruiserweight if he wins.

At first, I was confused. Did the WBC say ranked? Or rank? The Paul-Fury fight is more of the latter than deserving of the former.

Paul, a 26-year-old novice, has yet to face a full-fledged boxer. He beat Silva, who had some boxing experience. Silva beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Before Silva, he beat Nate Robinson, an ex-NBA point guard and slam-dunk champ. Then, there’s Fury, whose record is arguably even more problematic than Paul’s.  

His 8-0 record came against opponents with a cumulative record of 24-176-5. One, Genadij Krajevskij, went into a November 2020 loss to Fury at 0-11. After a TKO loss to Fury, Krajevskij lost 35 more bouts.

At 0-47, it’s a wonder that Krajevskij, a Lithuanian living in the UK, can get licensed.

To drive or fight.

But that’s another story.

It’s the promised WBC ranking that has generated most of the controversy. Presumably, Fury will get the ranking if he wins. But would there be any ranking at all if the fight didn’t include Paul? Sorry, that’s another stupid question.

It’s been pointed out that WBC rankings include 40 fighters in each division. Most other rankings only include the top 15. It was a revelation that there were 40 cruiserweights in the world. Who knew? But Oleksandr Usyk, now a heavyweight champ hoping to fight the other Fury, took the snoozer out of cruiser. He made it relevant.

But a Paul ranking threatens to return it to irrelevancy, even if he moves into the bottom half of the 40. But those aren’t the kind of numbers that matter.

To the WBC

Or ESPN.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It looks as if boxing is moving up and on, beyond dashed hopes for a definitive date at welterweight and onto light-heavy.

Don’t call the move upscale. There’s no new real estate in a battered place where nothing much gets made anymore.

For now, however, more opportunities are beginning to appear at 175 pounds, soon to be one of boxing’s busiest neighborhoods.

That much has become evident in comments from David Benavidez, who still has some career-defining work to do at super-middle in a risky Showtime pay-per-view date with Caleb Plant on March 25 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

Benavidez is signaling that a jump to light-heavy looms. At a formal news conference announcing his bout with Plant a couple of weeks ago in Los Angeles, he said he would probably fight three more times at 168.

He foresees a victory over Plant in a bout that is supposed to lead to a so-called mandatory shot at Canelo Alvarez, who holds all the 168-pound belts and the key to boxing’s pay-per-view vault.

Post-Plant, he said, he plans to fight David Morrell, Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo.

Notably absent: Canelo, the prize that is supposed to be there for the Benavidez-Plant winner.

Why?

Best guess: Benavidez doesn’t believe Canelo will fight hm. There are too many indications that he just won’t. Canelo has dismissed Benavidez’ worthiness, saying his record is lacking.

He has said he doesn’t want to fight fellow Mexicans, which presumably means Mexican-Americans, including the Phoenix-born Benavidez, whose father is Mexican and mother Ecuadorian.

Now, there are increasing signs that Canelo will test a surgically-repaired wrist in a reported tune-up against UK pushover John Ryder and then go directly to light-heavy for a rematch later this year with Dmitry Bivol, the 2022 Fighter of the Year who upset Canelo in a stunner last May.

Maybe, Benavidez is just following Canelo in the next step of what has been a futile chase. But a move up-the-scale is already on-the-clock. Benavidez is simply out-growing super-middleweight. The social-media mob is already accusing him of overlooking Plant. Of course. But the real surprise is that he’s still at super-middle.

After all, he lost the WBC title in August 2020 when he failed to make the 168 pounds. He turned 26 on December 17. Maturity means gaining experience and weight. Making super-middle is about go from difficult to impossible. Benavidez is simply acknowledging reality.

In subsequent interviews after the LA news conference, Benavidez even talked about a move beyond light-heavy.

“Right now, my sights are 168,’’ he told Fight Hub TV. “I want to be unified champion at 168 and go up to 175, and it definitely could be a possibility at cruiserweight and then we’ll see from there.’’

Benavidez adds that he believes he’d beat Bivol. They sparred.

“I know I can win a belt at 175,’’ Benavidez said. (Insert more twitter trash here). “I know a lot of people saw the video of me saying I’d knock Bivol out.

“I mean, I would. I’m not going to lie.

“Every professional boxer should have that much confidence. I’m not lying about anything. I sparred him at Churchill Boxing (in Santa Monica CA). There were a lot of people there. They seen what happened. I’m not going to lie to anybody.’’

Above all, it’s what lies ahead. Light-heavy is inevitable, not just for Benavidez but for much of boxing. Talk about Terence Crawford-versus-Errol Spence is beginning to subside.

The business is moving on from news of their failed negotiations for a bout that would have been a 147-pound battle for pound-for-pound supremacy. But that could still happen at 175.

Bivol-versus-Artur Beterbiev is supplanting Crawford-Spence as a definitive fight, one fans want to see. The balkanized business might prevent it. Eddie Hearn promotes Bivol; Bob Arum has Beterbiev. Peace-on-earth has a better chance.

Yet at 175, there’s still a chance at legacy and good money. It’s a division where there are still some possibilities.

And, for Benavidez, maybe still a chance at Canelo.

But first, there’s still a challenge. There’s Caleb Plant. There’s no other way to upscale.

Liam Wilson-Emanuel Navarrete Update: Navarrete’s ninth-round stoppage of the tough Australian on Feb. 3 in Glendale AZ was entertaining, yet controversial.

Wilson and his promotional/management team protested loudly, first at the weigh-in and then a “long-count” late in the fourth round of a 130-pound title fight at Desert Diamond Arena.

As of Wednesday, however, no formal protest had been filed with the Arizona State Boxing & MMA Commission.

There was no protest from Wilson or anybody representing him on the Commission agenda for its monthly meeting on Feb. 15

Wilson’s promotional team threatened to protest, first the weigh-in for a scale that it alleged was rigged. Wilson came in light, 126.3 pounds for a 130-pound title fight. Wilson’s promoters said they suspected Navarrete was in fact overweight. He was at 129.2.

Then, Wilson’s corner threatened to “launch” a protest of a wild fourth round. Wilson knocked down Navarrete, hurting the Mexican, who spit out his mouthpiece. About 27 seconds passed before the referee retrieved the mouthpiece and put it back in Navarrete’s mouth.

Wilson’s corner charged “a long count” that allowed Navarrete to recover from a knockdown that could have resulted in a TKO win for Wilson, a huge betting underdog. A review of the video also appears to show that Wilson landed an illegal punch, a left, after he had knocked down Navarrete.

If nothing else, the controversy generated a lot of headlines and might have “launched” a solid campaign for an All-Aussie fight between Wilson and George Kambosos, who is coming off a couple of losses to American lightweight champion Devin Haney. 

By Norm Frauenheim –

For now, it’s a fight known for its rancor. David Benavidez and Caleb Plant have been insulting each other for at least a couple of years.

The four-letter festival continued, ad nauseam, at a news conference in Los Angeles last week. Between now and opening bell on March 25 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, there’ll be no end to the trash.

Trash in, trash out. In boxing, that’s a business plan. But there’s more to this bout than just another effing expletive.

It’s a multi-dimensional date, edgy for the bad blood and the threat that some real blood will be spilled. Above all, it’s a genuine fight during an era when there just aren’t many.

Who wins? Who knows?

Benavidez appears to have the momentum and most of the energy. Narrow odds suggest he’ll win and move closer to a so-called mandatory date with undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.

Even Canelo, who has beaten Plant and dismissed Benavidez as unworthy of a shot, picks Benavidez in an interview with ESNEWS. Still, it’s not clear whether Canelo would fight him or resume his career at light-heavyweight.

Nevertheless, he’s interested. Canelo and other fighters are talking about Benavidez-Plant. There’s a buzz building for the first significant fight in 2023.

Plant knows the odds, yet believes he has an edge because of his experience. He’s been where Benavidez has not, he says. It’s a comment that has echoes of what Canelo said during a news conference after his trilogy-ending victory over Gennadiy Golovkin in September. That’s when he angrily shut the door on any immediate prospect of a date with Benavidez.

“This is [Benavidez’s] first big fight,’’ Plant told reporters after a rancorous news conference in downtown LA on Feb. 2.  “This ain’t my first big fight. I’ve been here before. I’ve been on the big stage more than once.”

He has, exactly once.

In his lone loss, Canelo delivered a punishing beatdown, scoring an 11^th-round TKO on Nov. 6, 2021, also at Vegas’ MGM Grand. Plant’s comment suggests that he doesn’t believe Benavidez has had to deal with the kind of adversity that comes with a defeat under boxing’s brightest lights. It appears Plant learned from the loss. He has a new trainer in Stephen “Breadman” Edwards and some newfound power, which he flashed in a stoppage of Anthony Dirrell in one of last year’s most sensational knockouts.

“A lot of the people that [Benavidez has] fought have been one dimensional,’’ Plant said. “IQ has been decent, but not even the same universe as what I am able to do on fight night.

 “I can do a lot of things.”

But Dirrell is the reference point that says Benavidez-Plant is a pick ‘em fight. Both beat Dirrell — Plant in the ninth round of a bout last October in Brooklyn and Benavidez, also in the ninth of a September 2019 bout in Los Angeles.

Plant ended it with a big left hand. Benavidez simply wore down Dirrell, beating him into submission with relentless pressure and forcing his corner to throw in the towel. At the time of each stoppage, each led on the cards by similar scores. It was Plant, 79-73, 80-72, 79-73. It was Benavidez, 78-74, 79-73, 78-74.

A possible key to a Benavidez’ advantage might be what’s not on the Phoenix-born fighter’s record. He sparred with Dmitry Bivol, the 2022 Fighter of the Year, before Bivol’s masterful upset of Canelo in a light-heavyweight bout last May. Bivol’s stunning performance put him alongside today’s very best in terms of boxing skill. Plant talked about IQ. Bivol’s IQ ranks at the top of the scale. For Benavidez, those rounds of sparring might have been an education, an invaluable lesson plan.

It’s evident that Benavidez and Bivol emerged from the sparring with mutual respect. Benavidez said he was not surprised by Bivol’s upset of Canelo. He saw what he could do in the gym.

Before Bivol’s decision over Canelo, he was asked about Benavidez and whether he deserves a shot at the Mexican star, boxing’s biggest pay-per-view draw.

“He has enough to get the fight and win the fight,’’ Bivol said last year at a news conference announcing his date with Canelo. “Why not? He has good skill. Good combinations, good defense and lots of conditioning.’’

Just enough, perhaps, to beat Plant.

Follow all the action as Amanda Serrano takes on Erika Cruz for the Undisputed Featherweight title.  The action kicks off at 8 PM ET and will feature Alycia Baumgardner taking on Elham Mekhaled for the Undisputed Junior Lightweight crown.

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Left from Cruz..Left to body from Serrano…another…Left over top from Cruz..Left from Serrano…Left from Cruz

ROUND 2 2 Lefts from Cruz…2 more lefts…Left..uppercut on the inside

ROUND 3 Cruz lands a left…Right..Straight left from Serrano…Right..Cruz cut badly on her forehead (Headbutt)

ROUND 4 left from Cruz…Right hook..Left from Serrano…Rught Hook..Straight left

ROUND 5 Right from Cruz…Combination..Left backs up Cruz…Left,,

ROUND 6 Doctor checks Cruz Cut forehead,,,Right hook from Serrano..Lef from Cruz..Body shot from Serrano..Big left hurts Cruz…she stumbles to the ropes…Body shot from Serrano

ROUND 7  Furious action to start the round..Big left from Serrano,,,Big right hook…Tremendous action

ROUND 8 Left from Serrano

ROUND 9 Left from Serrano..Right hook…Hard left…

ROUND 10 Left from Cruz,…right…A war between the two,,,Serrano cut around the right eye

98-92 TWICE AND 97-93 FOR AMANDA SERRANO

ROUND 1 Right from Baumgarder..Right aver top from Mekhaled…

ROUND 2 Right from Baumgardner…Right from Mekhaled…2 shots…Right from Baumgardner..

ROUND 3 BIG RGHT AND DOWN GOES MEKHALED…HUGE FLURRY AND DOWN GOES MEKHALED AGAIN…2 Big Rights followed by a an assault of punches..

ROUND 4 Right from Mekhaled…Left from Baumgardner..

ROUND 5 Right to body from Baumgardner…Left hook shakes Mekhaled…Body shots…Counter left

ROUND 6 5 Punch combination from Baumgardner..right…Left,..

ROUND 7 Left hook from Baumgardmer…Vicious lefts and rights hurts Mekjaled on the ropes…ref looks close to stopping fight..Right from Mekhaled..

ROUND 8 Right drives Mekhaled to the corner

ROUND 9 Jab from Mekhaled…Counter right…Counter left…Good exchange..Mekhaled lands a left

ROUND 10 Right to body from Baumgardner…Right from Mekhaled…Right…Left to body from Baumgardner…Uppercut and left hook from Baumgardner..Right to body..3 Good shots from Baumgardner…

99-89 TWICE AND 98-90 FOR BAUMGARDNER

Round 1: Jab from Bauza..Left to body…Jab from Hitchins..Right to body…INSIDE LEFT AND BAUZA FALLS…RULED A KNOCKDOWN..Jab from Bauza..Replays showed that Bauza stepped on the foot of Hitchins
Round 2 Jab from Bauza…Left to body..Left…Hard right from Hitchins…3 jabs…Left from Bauza..
Round 3 Left from Bauza..Jab…
Round 4 Counter right from Hitchins…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES BAUZA…Another big Right..Hard Body punch…
Round 5 Straight right from Hitchins…Bauza starting to swell around the right eye…Counter right from Hitchins..Left from Bauza…
Round 6 Counter right from Hitchins…2 more straight rights…Big straight right…Another..Counter right uppercut..Left hook..
Round 7 Doctor checking Bauza’s eye…Double jab from Hitchins…bauza trying to fire back and lands a left..Double jab from Hitchins…
Round 8 Right from Hitchins,..Good counter right to the body…Good straight right…Right to body from Bauza..Right from Hitchins…Left from Bauza..
Round 9 Right from Hitchins…Big left from Bauza..Bauza trying to rally with a good flurry…3 monsterous shots from Hitchins..Left…Bauza’s face a mess…Body shots…
Round 10 Right from Hitchins…Left from Bauza…Hard right rocks Bauza..

100-88 ON ALL CARDS FOR HITCHINS

Round 1 Left from Rivera….Straight left…
Round 2 Hard left from Rivera…Diaz lands a right off the ropes…Right to body from Rivera..
Round 3 Uppercut by Diaz…Right from Rivera…Left from Diaz..Uppercut ..
Round 4 Left from Rivera..Uppercut from Diaz…Left from Rivera…Left drives Diaz back…Right hook…Straight to the body…Left to body..Good left to the body
Round 5 Left hook from Diaz..counter left…Left to body by Rivera..Combination from Diaz…Good straight left from Rivera..Right from Diaz…
Round 6 Left from Rivera…Left to body
Round 7  Right inside from Rivera…
Round 8 Left from Rivera…Right from Diaz…Hard left from Rivera..

79-73 TWICE AND 78-74 FOR RIVERA

GLENDALE, AZ – Some Mexican history was the plan. The plan survived.

So did Emanuel  Navarrete.

Navarrete was forced to come back from the edge of losing Friday night to an unlikely Australian, LIam Wilson, a determined young fighter from Brisbane who was given no chance on either side of the equator.

Wilson arrived in Arizona after a training camp that included stops in Washington DC and London. He had punched his passport, all in an attempt to punch out the favored and feared Navarette. Wilson promised to win. He wasn’t kidding, but he couldn’t hold off Navarette, who regained his focus and ferocity just in time to win a vacant junior-lightweight title.

Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) did it in a wild ninth round. He moved forward, threw punches as if he was motivated  by a mix of desperation and determination. For Wilson, a big right hand from Navarrete was the beginning of the end. It dropped Wilson, who collapsed onto the canvas in a thud that echoed throughout Desert Diamond Arena.

Wilson got to his feet. But his eyes were dazed and his defenses were down. Referee Chris Flores stopped it at 1:57 of the ninth. Flores ended it just as Wilson’s corner man was climbing up the steps. He was about to throw in the towel.

The crowd went wild. It was a celebration. It was also an expression of relief. Five rounds earlier, it looked as if Navarrete was about to lose. He was on the canvas in the fourth looking tired and beaten.

“But it was that Mexican spirit that never lets me down,” said Navarrete, who stormed back and fulfilled his goal of putting his name in Mexican history as the country’s 10th boxer to win a world title at a third weight.  “The satisfaction of winning like this is enormous. I think that I needed this test in order to be able to say my career is more complete. 

“Now that I know that I can hit the canvas and get back up and keep fighting, I’m more than happy because I know that I can continue forward.”

 The crowd went silent in the fourth when the long-armed Navarette fell to the canvas and tumbled, head over heels, like a bowl full of cooked spaghetti. He was clearly hurt after Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) landed two rights and a huge left.

“I just wanted to be [patient,” said Wilson, who also thanked Arizona after his gutsy performance.

Navarrete could also thank his good fortune. He was lucky. Had Wilson’s punches landed earlier the round, he might have been finished, then and there. He also was helped by Flores, who took several seconds to pick his mouth piece off the canvas and put it back in his mouth. Navarrete’s trip to the canvas happened with about 42 seconds left in the fourth. There wasn’t enough time left for Wilson to finish the job. Thanks in part to Flores, there also was just enough time for Navarrete to escape

To survive. 

Arnold Barboza moves closer to title shot with solid decision

Arnold Barboza Jr. has been searching for a fight that would finally secure him a shot at a world title.

The search has been frustrating. Often futile.

But Barboza )28-0, 10 KOs) appeared to take a significant step toward completing the mission. The junior-welterweight from Southern California scored a solid victory over the decorated Jose Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), a former two-time champ, in the final fight before ESPN’s main event between Emanuel Navarrete and Liam Wilson Friday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ.

The win — by unanimous decision – allowed Barboza to state his case.  He was asked  if he was closer to a world title.

“Of course,” he said, after winning 96-94, 97-93, 96-94 on the cards. 

A possibility is Regis Prograis, the WBC champion.

“We’ll see what happens,” Barboza said. “But I feel like I’ve paid my dues.”

In beating Pedraza, the unbeaten Barboza becomes a lot harder to ignore. Or duck. Barboza controlled most of the 10 rounds against the skilled Pedraza, a Puerto Rican who returned to an arena where he upset Raymundo Beltran in August 2018. Pedraza had his moments, but he never could completely elude a sharp right hand that landed again. And again. 

Punching Power: Richard Torrez Jr. delvers it for quick stoppage

He reads Plato. He punches with power.

The puncher-philosopher, Richrd Torrez Jr., delivered the power suddenly and definitively on the Navarrete-Wilson undercard Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ.

Torrez (5-0 5KOs), a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, flashed heavyweight credentials, driving James Bryant (6-3, 4 KOs) into the ropes with an uppercut-right hand combo in the closing seconds of the first round

“From the knuckles through the hand, it was a solid shot,” said Torrez, who reads the great philosophers when he isn’t in the gym.

Bryant, of Reading PA, never recovered. He walked to his corner on unsteady feet. His trainer took one look at him and ended it before the bell for the second round ever sounded

Unbeaten Andre Cortes wins shutout

There were boos from restless fans. They wanted more.

Las Vegas junior-lightweight Andres Cortes heard them. And delivered.

Cortes (19-0, 10 KOs) injected some energy into an otherwise dull bout with aggressiveness that woke up the crowd and stunned Luis Melendez (17-3, 13 KOs) in the last fight before the main ESPN telecast of Navarrete-Wilson featured card at Desert Diamond Arena.

The sudden intensity from Cortes was enough for him to score a runaway decision over the Puerto Rican. He won it in a shutout, 100-90 on all three scorecards

Unknown Phoenix fighter gets up from knockdown, tests Ali Walsh late in loss 

It’s one of boxing’s majestic names. It comes with crushing expectations. It can intimidate, both the man who has it and the man who faces it. But it didn’t scare or stop Eduardo Ayala, an unknown Phoenix middleweight who got up from a knockdown and went on to engage in a hard-fought battle with Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson.

Ayala told a couple of Phoenix sportswriters before the bout Friday that he wasn’t fighting a name. He was just another guy, another fighter, Ayala said. Ali Walsh looked as if he might have been a little bit more than just that in the second round. A thundering left hook put Ayala flat on the canvas.. 

But he recovered, then endured a succession of shots from the Las Vegas middleweight who inherited the greatest expectations. Ayala would not go away. He wouldn’t win either. Ali Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs) won a unanimous decision (59-54, 60-53, 59-54), one that was all but assured with the early knockdown.

But Ayala (9-3-1, 3 KOs) won over the crowd in the third fight on the Navarrete-Wilson card at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ. As both fighters hugged after the sixth and final round, fans who had chanted the familiar “Ali.Ali” were chanting “Ayala, Ayala.”  

Lindolfo Delgado stays unbeaten, dominates in decision win

Mexican junior-welterweight Lindolfo Delgado employed defense, careful footwork and power in the second bout on an an ESPN-televised card featuring Emanuel Navarrete-Liam Wilson Friday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz.,

 It was a triple-edged attack that proved to be  too much for Clarence Booth of Saint Petersburg, Fla.

Delgado (17-0, 13 KOs), who had trainer Robert Garcia in his corner, repeatedly landed crisp counters that echoed through the arena and backed Booth (21-7, 13 KOs) into the ropes, onto the canvas for an eighth-round knockdown and – in the end — into defeat. Delgado won on all three cards, a decision, one-sided and unanimous.

By David Galaviz-

GLENDALE, Ariz. — He has some of his father’s confidence. Some of his looks, too. It’s combo inherited from a famous dad, Fernando Vargas.

Like father, like son?

The story has begun to unfold with Emiliano Vargas, who calls himself “El General.” His father called himself “El Feroz.” Put the two together — a General’s leadership and his father’s — and it’s an ambitious beginning and perhaps an extension of the Vargas legacy.

Emiliano has already set the bar high. He’s bold about what he hopes to accomplish in this new year.

“I want to the Prospect of the Year in 2023,’’ he said.

The mission begins Friday against Francisco Duque on a ESPN card featuring Emanuel Navarrete against Liam Wilson at Desert Diamond Arena. His father will be there in his corner, a dad remembered for some of the most notable fights in the early 2000s.

The youngest of the Vargas brothers Emiliano “El General” Vargas following in his fathers footsteps, stepping in the ring. Often times children of pro athletes have unnecessary pressure to perform at the level or greater than their parents, in this case this young man dad happens to be.

Under the guidance of his father, two-time world light middleweight Emiliano became an eight-time amateur national champion.

He was busy as an amateur. and plans to stay busy as a pro

“I hope to fight five times this year” said Emiliano (2-0 2KOs), a lightweight who weighed in Thursday at 133.4 pounds. Duque (1-1), of Baytown Texas, weighed in at 136.5 pounds

Emiliano has been sparing with the likes of Jorge Linares and Shakur Stevenson. It’s an experience that can only put emiliano in a good position to accomplish one of the initial goals in a promising career. He had an exceptional amateur record, at astonishing 110 wins and only 10 loses. That record is a early sign of a young fighter who figures to be in the hunt to be the Prospect of the Year.

 Last May, he finished his opponent with a first round KO. Following his debut, “El General” picked up where he left off, scoring a second round knockout. He threw a left hook, for a sensational stoppage of Julio Cesar Martinez. It was a stunner. And more. It drew consideration for KO of the year 2022, a pretty good beginning on his goal for 2023.  

By Norm Frauenheim –

Sweet Science Boxing Promotions of Phoenix lost its bid for a license renewal by a 2-0 vote at a meeting of the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission this week.

The Commission denied the Sweet Science’s application Wednesday after a review of its promotional business practices in 2022 according to Commission Chairman Scott Fletcher

Part of the denial was based on what happened on a chaotic August 12 in Prescott Valley, north of Phoenix, on a card that was supposed to feature ex-champions Tevin Farmer and Mickey Bey in a pay-per-view bout. 

Sweet Science also canceled a card that it had advertised for December 18 at Sky Event Center in west Phoenix.

“The promoter, through both words and actions, appeared to not have the best interests of fighters and ticket holders in mind,’’ Fletcher said. “During their last event, the final six fights were canceled. These fighters had endured weeks of preparation, traveled to the venue and made weight.

“Ticket holders purchased tickets to see specific fights, which were canceled without notice.

“When questioned, the promoter could not name the co-promoters with which she had worked on this event.

“The Arizona Commission requires licensed promoters to be in complete control of fighters and ticket holders. It is for this reason that I believe the renewal application was denied.’’

The Bey-Farmer fight, which was scheduled to show on RedemptionPPV.com, never happened. Bey, a former lightweight champion, and Farmer, an ex-junior lightweight champ, refused to fight. The fight’s cancellation was never announced within the arena, the Toyota Center. News of it came through social posts from Farmer and Bey as they sat aboard a flight ready to depart SkyHarbor in Phoenix.

Both Bey and Farmer said the promoters didn’t have the money they were promised. At the time, the event was described as a Sweet Science promotion in collaboration with Bigger Than Life Sports.

Farmer-Bey was advertised as the main event. Bey-Farmer co-promoted with Bigger Than Life, which was represented by EJ Matthews. Bey-Farmer was shopped around. First it was scheduled to happen in Ghana and then Dubai, before it wound up in central Arizona.

The undercard bouts featured fighters promoted by the Sweet Science, including Keenan Carbajal, whose uncle is Hall of Fame junior-flyweight Michael Carbajal.

At Wednesday’s commission meeting, Sweet Science was represented by Lucinda Morrow. She is listed as the Sweet Science manager in the company’s LLC filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission.

The company also included Josephine Carbajal, who was listed as an officer until August 5 2021. Josephine is Keenan Carbajal’s mom. Keenan is trained by Danny Carbajal, Michael’s older brother and his former trainer/manager.

Danny Carbajal was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison in February 2008 on charges he robbed Michael, who at the time had earned more than any fighter in boxing’s lightest weight classes.

Danny Carbajal pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent schemes and two counts of theft.

He was accused of unlawfully transferring land and property that was jointly held by himself and his late wife, Sally, who was shot to death in 2005.

By Norm Frauenheim –

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Everybody made weight. Still, there was controversy.

Call it scalegate.

At least, that’s how Liam Wilson and his Australian corner seemed to describe it Thursday after the official scale produced some surprising results at the official weigh-in for his junior-lightweight title fight with Mexican Emanuel Navarrete at Desert Diamond Arena Friday night on ESPN (10 pm ET/7 pm PT.)

The scale was all over the place. At least, it was for Wilson.

After 12 undercard fighters stepped on and off the scale with no complaints, the flap began. 

When Wilson first stepped on the scale, he looked down and saw 126.3 pounds. He was closer to featherweight, 126, than a junior-lightweight, 130. He looked once. Looked again. 

What he saw might have made a Jenny Craig-customer happy. But it prompted only suspicion in Wilson.

Navarrete, a two-time champion seeking to be only the 10^th Mexican fighter to win a world title at a third weight, tipped the scale at 129.2. No surprise there. But some heavy allegations soon followed.

Wilson alleged that the scale had somehow been manipulated.

“I believe they have realized he hasn’t made weight and they have tampered with the scales,” said Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs), a big underdog to Navarrete, (36-1, 30 KOs) who still holds a featherweight title. “I was shocked because I haven’t been that light in the last 10 years.’’

His corner went on to say that there was no way the scale was accurate.

Wilson’s promoter, Matt Rose of No Limits, said there’s no way Wilson could have lost so much weight. Rose said Wilson tested the scale about an hour before the weigh-in.

“He weighed 129.5 (pounds),” Rose said. “Then he jumps on the scale for the official weigh in and he’s 126. So, they’ve changed the scale or done something. You can’t lose that much weight within an hour, sitting in a room.’’

As the ballroom cleared about an hour later, Wilson returned to the scale a couple of times. With a sweat shirt on, he said he was at 135. With the shirt off, he said he was at about 132.3.

Rose said Wilson didn’t drink a lot of water after the official weigh-in. He said he didn’t sit in a sauna before it.

Maybe not, but the noisy allegations have cooked up some noisy conspiracies.

“We believe Liam’s came in at 129 and Navarrete is over,’’ Rose said.

Scalegate, Wilson said, should eliminate Navarrete’s chance at winning the World Boxing Organization’s vacant belt. That, of course, would mean only he could win it.

“He shouldn’t be challenging for the title, Wilson said. “Something happened on those scales.”

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum had his own word for what happened.

“Bullshit,’’ Arum said. “No-one effed with the scales. He (Navarrete) made the weight, for Christ’s sake. Everyone else made weight and there weren’t any aberrations with the other fighters on the card.“It’s going to be a great fight. The Aussie is a talented fighter, but he has a handful in Navarrete, who I believe is something special.”

Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images

By Norm Frauenheim –

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Fighters often talk about their journey. Liam Wilson does, too, but his journey has been more than a metaphor. It’s about the miles.

Wilson has crossed the Pacific once and Atlantic twice. His training camp started at home in Australia, then moved to Washington DC, then to London, back to DC and then finally to a Phoenix suburb at an arena next door to where the Super Bowl will be staged in about 10 days.

“A ring is the same everywhere,’’ Wilson said Wednesday without a hint of jet lag.

It is.

But Wilson’s path to this one at Desert Diamond Arena crisscrossed time zones and continents, all in an attempt to upset Emanuel Navarrete, who hasn’t been beaten anywhere in more than a decade.

It started with a training camp at home in Brisbane. It continued in Washington DC for five weeks. Then, there were about 10 days in London, followed by a couple of more weeks in DC and now Arizona.

Let’s just say Liam Wilson does the road work. London wasn’t on the original itinerary. But a visa issue, he said, forced him across the pond. The issue was resolved, he says. He’s got the visa and now he intends to get a belt, the World Boxing Organization’s vacant junior-lightweight version in an ESPN fight this Friday (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. PT).  

Oddsmakers don’t like his chances. Even at Aussie books, he’s down and under at about 8 1/2-to-1. In the US and UK, the odds are even more one-sided, mostly because few have seen him fight. He’s fighting for the first time in the US. Navarrete was asked Wednesday what he knew about the Aussie.

“Not much,’’ said Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs), still a featherweight champion who had initially planned to fight Oscar Valdez Jr. in his first bout at 130 pounds.

But Valdez, a former Mexican Olympian who went to school in Tucson, withdrew because of an undisclosed injury. Enter Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs), who already had his bags packed in anticipation of an American debut against Archie Sharp on the Tim Tszyu-Jermell Charlo card on Jan 28 in Las Vegas. But that date was scuttled when Charlo announced he had broken his left hand.

It all added up to opportunity for Wilson, who has shown he’s willing to go an extra mile. The odds might suggest he’s nothing more than lost baggage against Navarrete, already well-known in a boxing market dominated by Mexican-American and Mexican fans. They know who he is. Navarrete has already appeared in Arizona, blowing away Isaac Dogboe in Tucson in a May 2019 rematch.

It’s the unknown, however, that can often turn into an advantage. Navarrete concedes he won’t know much about Wilson at opening bell. But Dogboe didn’t know much about Navarrete when the Mexico City fighter surprised him, taking his junior-featherweight title in a unanimous decision in December 2019 in New York in their first fight.

Wilson, perhaps, has traveled too far not to learn everything he can about his feared foe, who still hopes for a bout against Valdez.

In part, he went to Washington DC to train because of Dogboe. The entertaining Dogboe, who calls himself The Royal Storm, has been training in a DC gym. Wilson decided to train there just to pick his brain about what to expect from Navarrete. Dogboe’s only two loses are to Navarrete, a two-division champion who hopes to become only the 10^th Mexican to win a world title at a  third weight

“Dogboe told me he’s dangerous,’’ said Wilson, who told his late dad that he would one day win a world title. “He told me to watch out for his lead hand and upper cut. He’s unorthodox. That’s what makes him dangerous.

“But I’m here to win. I haven’ done it yet. But I’m here, on my own journey.’’

A journey he promises to win.

Artur Beterbiev remained completely perfect as he stopped Anthony Yarde to retain the IBF/WBC/WBO Light Heavyweight titles in action packed fight at The AVO Arena in London.

It was a fight full of action with each guy having success by landing some hard combinations. Each guy backed the other up at various times in the fight with rounds five and seven seeing terrific two way action.

At the end of round five, Yarde was cut under his right eye. During round six, Beterbiev was cut over his right eye. That did not bother Beterbiev as in round eight, Beterbiev landed a looping right to the top of the head that put Yarde on the canvas. With Yarde hurt, Beterbiev landed two more shots before Yarde’s corner stopped the fight at 2:01.

Beterbiev on Russia is 19-0 with 19 knockouts. Yarde of England is 23-2.

Beterbiev said, “Every fight is different. It’s a different preparation. And the fighter is different, too. I can’t say I did a very bad fight. But if I could do it again, I’d do it better. But I feel good. To be honest, I prepared for the all the punches he did. That’s why I could come back. It’s because we expected those punches.

“Everyone can punch hard at this level. And Anthony did, too. But he’s young. I turned into a professional when I was 28. He has time. I hope he does well in the future. I want [Dmitry] Bivol. Right now, it’s everything. In that fight, we’ll have four belts. It’s really good fight, I think.”

Maderna Shocks Itauma in 5

Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna scored a big upset by stopping Karol Itauma in round five of their eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Maderna continuously landed a straight right hands on the listless southpaw Itauma, In round five, one of those right hands landed flush and dropped Itauma. Itauma did not attempt to beat the count and the fight was stopped at 1:04.

Maderna of Argentina is 29-10 with 19 knockouts. Itauma of England is 9-1.

Dalakian Decisions Jimenez to retain Flyweight belt

Artem Dalakian retained the WBA Flyweight title with a 12-round decision over David Jimenez in a battle of undefeated fighters.

In round five, Jimenez was cut over his right eye. The fight was close, but it seemed the constant pressure of Jimenez would get him the victory and the title. The judges saw differently as the scores read 116-112 and 115-113 for the defending champion.

Punch stats favored Jimenez as he landed 122 of 435 punches; Dalakian was 94 of 547.

Dalakian, 111.6 lbs of Kiev. UKR is now 22-0. Jimenez, 111.1 lbs of Costa Rica is now 12-1.

Andy Fletcher remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Darryl Sharp in a cruiserweight bout.

Fletcher won by a 60-54 score and is now 4-0.

Moses Itauma made a successful pro debut with a 22 second knockout of Marcel Bode.

Itauma is 1-0 with one knockout. Bode is 2-2.

Follow all the action as Artur Beterbiev defends tha IBF?WBC/WBO Light Heavyweight titles against Anthony Yarde in London.  The action kicks of at 2:30 with an undercard that will feature The WBA Flyweight Title between Artem Dalakian and David Jimenez

The PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Left from Yarde..Left and right…1-2 from Beterbiev..Right..Left hook..
ROUND 2 Action heating up…Jab from Beterbiev..

ROUND 3 Right from Yarde..Right to body from Beterbiev..Hard left

ROUND 4 Right shakes Yarde..Another right..Hard right..Right from Yarde…Trading hard shots…

ROUND 5 Jab from Beterbiev..Right to body from Yarde..Jab from Beterbiev…Body shot from..Counter left from Yarde…Big Right..Looping left…Huge flurry from Beterbiev at the bell…Yarde cut under his right eye

ROUND 6 Right from Beterbiev..Jab from Yarde…Beterbiev cut over right eye

ROUND 7 Body shots from Yarde…left and right to the body…Right…Jab…Short left from Beterbiev…Right from Yardesends Beterbiev to the ropes..2 uppercuts, right and body from Beterbiev..Body shot from Yarde..Uppercut..body shot from Beterbiev..

ROUND 8 Right from Yarde…Jab from Beterbiev...HIGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES YARDE…HE IS HURT BAD…BIG RIGHT AND THE CORNER OF YARDE STOPS THE FIGHT

Round 1 Right from Maderna..Left from Itauma...Right from Maderna...Redness on nose of Itauma..
Round 2 Nice left from Itauma…Right..Left from Maderna..Right..
Round 3 Looping left hook from Maderna,,,Short left..Nice left uppercut from Itauma,,left hook to body from Maderna,,Itauma working on the inside.
Round 4 Right from Maderna..Counter right and overhand left from Itauma..Right from Maderna…Right wobbles Itauma
Round 5…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ITAUMA AND HE DOES NOT GET UP

Round 1: Left hook from Dalakian…

ROUND 2: Right to body from Jimenez..

ROUND 3 Nice right from Dalakian

ROUND 4 Left hook from Dalakina…

ROUND 5   Jimenez Pressuring..Jimenez cut over his right eye

ROUND 6 Dalakian lands a right

ROUND 7 Over hand right from Jimenez..Nice right

ROUND 8 Nice left from Jimenez…Jab..

Round 9 Right hand and uppercut from Jimenez…

ROUND 10 Right from Dalakian…Jab from Jimenez…Good body shot from Dalakian..Right from Jimenez..Left hook…Body work..

ROUND 11 Jimenez lands a body shot,.

Round 12 Good right from Jimenez…Good uppercut from Dalakian..

115-113 TWICE AND 116-112 FOR DALAKIAN

Round 1  2 PunCHES AND DOWN GOES BODE…THER FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1: Jabs from Fletcher
Round 2 Left from Fletcher..Body shot from Fletcher…
Round 3 Hard left from Fletcher…Left to body…
Round 4 Left from Fletcher…
Round 5 2 Lefts

60-54 FLETCHER

BY Norn Frauenheim –

Some might call it perfection. But Artur Beterbiev won’t. His record, like his personal style, is simply reliable. No losses. No decisions. Eighteen fights, eighteen knockouts and no bravado.

Let Jake Paul and Ryan Garcia brag about their YouTube followers. Leave the laughs and lyrics to Tyson Fury. Let Terence Crawford argue about his right to pound-for-pound supremacy.

Beterbiev just fights, a quiet craftsman with a big punch and no pretensions. It’s hard to say whether he’s better at what he does than anybody else in a business dominated by a bully pulpit amplified by social media.

Perhaps, eighteen pro fights over nearly a decade aren’t enough to deliver a true judgement on just how good he is. That might be Beterbiev’s only imperfection. A business in peril might be better off if it had seen more of him.

Yet, he’s always worth watching, a light-heavyweight who has turned craft into art in a fashion that figures to continue Saturday at London’s Wembley Arena (ESPN+, 3:30 pm ET/12:30 PT) against Anthony Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs).

Beterbiev’s understated – and underestimated – impact on boxing might be impossible to ignore in a new year.

Betting odds suggest his unblemished record will continue. He’s a 7-to-1 favorite over Yarde, whose only advantage might be a hometown crowd. He was born in London.

Then, what?

A truer test of Beterbiev’s pound-for-pound credentials might be there in a light-heavyweight showdown against Dmitry Bivol, 2022’s consensus Fighter of the Year after his upset of Canelo Alvarez and subsequent one-sided decision over Gilberto Ramirez.

It’s hard to say, mostly because it’s not certain what Canelo does next. The undisputed super-middleweight champion is expected to come off wrist surgery in May, perhaps in a tune-up against John Ryder.

Then, there’s talk – and only talk – about a rematch with Bivol. But at what weight? Light-heavyweight or super-middle? 175 pounds or 168?

By then, the winner of David Benavidez-versus Caleb Plant on March 25 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand will have to watch, wait and wonder. Benavidez and Plant are facing each other in a so-called mandatory. The winner is supposed to move on to a shot at the World Boxing Council belt held by Canelo.

But Canelo’s documented drawing power comes with some perks. Let’s say boxing’s biggest – perhaps only – pay-per-view star gets a chance to fight the rematch at 168 instead of 175, the weight class in his May loss to Bivol.

Bivol-Canelo 2 at either weight is a bigger fight than a bout against the emerging Benavidez or rematch with Plant. Nothing is more mandatory than money in prizefighting. The bigger money would be in Bivol-Canelo.

But the proud Bivol, who is about as unassuming as Beterbiev, has also expressed an interest in a career-defining date with Beterbiev, who holds three of the significant belts. Bivol has the fourth.  

For now, of course, Beterbiev isn’t saying much about Bivol. Sure, he’s interested, he said a couple of weeks ago. At a news conference in London Thursday, however, he talked about the immediate task at hand.

“I’m not dreaming about anyone to fight,’’ he told Gareth Davies in a Top Rank-produced video.

A consummate craftsman doesn’t have time for dreams. He might not be perfect if he did. 

LAS VEGAS – January 25, 2023 – Undefeated former two-time WBC Super Middleweight Champion David “El Bandera Roja’’ Benavídez and former IBF Super Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant will meet in a high-stakes, 12-round showdown to settle their long-simmering feud live on SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, March 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Benavídez and Plant will take their years-long war of words into the ring, as these assertive and hungry super middleweights look to cast their ballot as the division’s next kingpin. Both have had reigns as champions at 168 pounds and both are eager to once again ascend to the top of the division as they fight for Benavídez’s Interim WBC Super Middleweight title.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, go on sale Friday, January 27 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased HERE through AXS.com.

Pre-sale tickets will be available TOMORROW, Thursday, January 26 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT and can be purchased HERE through AXS.com with the code: BOXING

“David Benavídez vs. Caleb Plant will see two fighters in the prime of their careers take on the biggest challenge they can as they look to leave no doubt about their legacy in the ring,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “While Benavídez is known for his power, and Plant for his supreme boxing acumen, both have shown their abilities as well-rounded fighters in recent action. All of this makes for a can’t-miss night on March 25 on SHOWTIME PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.”

“Sometimes in this business, to sell a fight, people say it’s bad blood,” said Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. “For this one, I give my personal guarantee it is real bad blood, and it will be an unbelievable fight. Don’t miss it!”

“This is one of the biggest and potentially most explosive fights that can be made in boxing, not just in the super middleweight division,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “It pits two fighters at the peak of their athletic primes, both with prodigious skill-sets and contrasting styles, both of whom take great pride in the way they perform. It is an intriguing matchup and the outcome is impossible to predict. Add in their genuine and mutual dislike for one another and we have a volatile, 50-50 matchup and potential fight-of-the-year candidate. SHOWTIME is proud to deliver this event and mark yet another compelling and significant main event as we raise the curtain on our 2023 schedule.”

The 25-year-old undefeated Benavídez (26-0, 23 KOs) became the youngest-ever 168-pound world champion at just 20 years old when he defeated Ronald Gavril by split decision for the vacant WBC title on SHOWTIME in 2017. A Phoenix-native who now lives and trains in the Seattle area, Benavídez has stamped his place in the super middleweight division with knockout power in both hands and improving ring savvy with each fight.

When he was 15 years old, Benavídez went from weighing 250 pounds to a boxing prodigy under the watchful eye of his father and trainer, Jose, Sr., and his brother and veteran contender Jose Jr., as he famously held his own in sparring against middleweight champions Gennady Golovkin and Peter Quillin. Benavídez is riding a string of six straight knockout victories heading into the bout against Plant, having most recently scored a resounding third-round stoppage of former champion David Lemieux in his last fight in May.

“I can’t wait until they put me in the ring with him so I can beat his ass,” said Benavídez. “This is going to be a great night for boxing fans. I can’t wait to step in there and give everyone the beatdown they’re coming to see.”

Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) has used his sublime boxing skills to rise to the rank of world champion and, in his last fight, showed big-time power earning 2022’s Knockout of the Year (CBS Sports, BoxingScene) in a win over Anthony Dirrell. It was Plant’s debut performance with new trainer Stephen Edwards in October where he ended a heated rivalry with Dirrell with a single punch, knocking out the former two-time champion to deliver one of 2022’s most memorable finishes.

The 30-year-old Plant, who was born in Nashville, Tenn., and now lives in Las Vegas, won the IBF title in a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Jose Uzcategui in 2019. Plant dropped Uzcategui in the second and fourth rounds and cruised to victory for the championship. He made three successful title defenses, defeating Mike Lee and Vincent Feigenbutz by TKO in addition to a unanimous decision victory over former champion Caleb Truax. He lost the title in an undisputed championship match against Canelo Alvarez in November 2021, at times frustrating Alvarez with his smooth boxing acumen before defeating Dirrell to set up this highly anticipated clash with Benavidez. 

“After I knocked out Dirrell, I made it clear I wanted to go after the biggest fight that could be made in the division,” said Plant. “This is one of the most anticipated matchups and I’m here again, showing the world why I’m one of the biggest attractions in boxing. I feel sharp and on point. I’m looking forward to March 25, not only to give the fans what they’ve been waiting for, but to show who the better man is.”

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

By Matthew Benoliel –

Six-foot two, 230-pound Lorenzo “The Giant Killer” Medina (4-0, 4 KOs) will become the youngest boxer yet to appear on ProBox TV’s Future Stars series on Wednesday, January 25th at the ProBox Center in Plant City, Florida. 

ProBox subscribers know that the Future Stars series is dedicated to showcasing top amateurs who have recently turned pro, and the eighteen-year old Medina has more than earned his shot in the spotlight.

Medina began boxing at the age of seven, taking advantage of the Police Athletic Leagues in Pembroke Pines and later in Davie, Florida. According to Medina, “I became serious about boxing at age thirteen.” Traveling the country to find opponents in the amateur ranks, Medina gained valuable experience that would transfer to his advantage. By age fifteen, Medina had placed second in National competition, and by age seventeen, had placed first in the Olympic Trials. 

Ranked number one in the country at super-heavyweight, Medina decided to forgo the Olympic dream and turn pro. He was still just seventeen years old. Lorenzo scored two first round knockouts over older and more experienced opponents in Mexico before making his American debut on October 15th, 2022, on the eve of his eighteenth birthday.  Medina made an impression on the crowd at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, as well as the veteran ring announcers Michael Woods and Beto Duran when he forced his opponent to quit in the first round. 

In December of 2022, Medina advanced his record to 4-0 with a third round TKO victory over Dwight Gipson, an opponent who outweighed him by 110 pounds. The Giant Killer was living up to his alias. 

Now, Medina is excited for his opportunity to appear on the Future Stars series.  This is mainly due to the fact that since its inception, ProBox has earned a reputation for making fights against even competitors that boxing fans want to see. 

Medina stated, “50/50 fights. That’s what people need. That’s what boxing needs. The sport is being watered down with good guys who are scared to take the big fights. I want to be considered one of the greats.”  

And he has been studying the greats since age seven. “At seven, I was aware of Roy Jones Jr., James Toney, Manny Pacquaio, Oscar DeLaHoya…I wanted to be a world champion.” Now that he’s established himself as a heavyweight, Medina cites Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, David Tua, and George Benton, “the inventor of the shoulder roll,” as his favorites.

What makes Medina exceptional is that despite his age, he has a maturity beyond his years. For example, when a fight that was supposed to take place in front of his hometown crowd, in which he sold “around $13,000 in tickets,” was recently canceled. Lorenzo didn’t flinch. He returned the money he had collected, and set his sights on January 25th. He didn’t take to social media to complain or call people out. Hde simply moved on.

Likewise, Medina is a real student of the sport. He loves to talk about technique and abilities of fighters past and present. He has been privately training clients for years, and has sparred with the likes of Luis Ortiz, Lawrence Okolie, Filip Hrgovic, as well as ex-NFL stars Frank Gore and Greg Hardy, Jr. The Giant Killer has earned the respect of his sparring partners and is poised to make a statement. “85% of the heavyweight division doesn’t have fast feet. They don’t move like me.” 

On his upcoming bout, Medina wants the fans to know, ““People will see. They’re gonna see the footwork, the head movement.” On performing in front of commentators Paulie Malignaggi and Juan Manuel Marquez, Medina states, “it will make me perform even better, knowing that two great fighters will be watching me.” His 2023 goal is to reach 10-0 and possibly fight for a title. 

On January 25th, Medina will showcase his skills on the largest platform of his career thus far. Fans are in for a treat as they will witness a young man with exceptional foot and hand speed for a heavyweight, a fighter who is still developing physically, but has devoted his entire life to the sport. 

Medina trains with head coach Jeff Portiz and Kevin Gleason, and is managed by Ryan Rickey.

Liam Smith scored a fourth round stoppage over Chris Eubank Jr. in their scheduled 12-round middleweight fight at The AO Arena in Manchester, England.

In round four, Smith hurt Eubank with a hard right in the corner that set off a vicious six-punch barrage that featured a left uppercut and a left hook that put Eubank on the deck. Eubank was badly hurt and tried hold on, but Smith landed another flurry of punches that put Eubank down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:09.

Smith of Liverpool, ENG is 33-3-1 with 20 knockouts. Eubank is 32-3.

Riakphore Stops Glowacki in 4

Richard Riakphore stopped former world champion Kryzystof Glowacki in round four of their scheduled 10-roud cruiserweight bout.

In round four, Riakphore hurt Glowacki with a hard right hand that drove him to the ropes. Four punches later the bout was stopped at 2:44.

Riakphore of England is 16-0 with 12 knockouts. Glowacki of Poland is 32-4.

Essuman Decisions Kongo

Ekow Essuman won a 12-round majority decision over Chris Knongo in a welterweight bout.

Essuman of England won by scores of 116-113, 115-114 and 114-114 and is now 19-0. Kongo is 14-2.

Parker Decisions Massey

Former world Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jack Massey.

In round eight, Massey was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Massey was cut over his left eye.

Parker of New Zealand won by scores of 97-97, 96-93 and 97-93 and is now 31-3. Massey is 20-2.

Clarke Stops Espindola in 4

Frazer Clarke remained undefeated with a stoppage after round four of his scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout with Kevin Espindola.

Clarke of England is now 5-0 with four knockouts. Espindola of Argentina is 7-7.

By Norm Frauenheim –

David Benavidez and Caleb Plant have run out of expletives. There’s not much left to say, although it’s certain they’ll still find new ways to insult each other.

But, at least, there’s finally a chance to deliver the last word — and perhaps punch — to their long-running exchange of trash-talk.

Finally, there’s a date.

Finally, we’ll hear an opening bell instead of some other four-letter word.

They’ll fight March 25 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand in a Showtime pay-per-view bout, according to Boxing Scene and ESPN in news confirmed by 15 Rounds.

The date is not a surprise. Both Benavidez and Plant have known for weeks that they would fight on the last Saturday in March. Not even an ESPN bout on the same night featuring ex-junior-welterweight champion Jose Ramirez in hometown Fresno against Richard Commey would change those plans.  Their training camps have moved forward with March 25 built into the process.

The site, however, was uncertain. The super-middleweight bout had been shopped around. Dallas and Los Angeles were mentioned as possibilities. But Vegas was always there, the only place for the best 168-pound fight not involving Canelo Alvarez. More on him later.

Plant, a native Tennessean from Ashland City near Nashville, lives and trains in Vegas these days. But there’s no hometown edge there. Ask any gambler. Benavidez would probably have agreed to fight Plant at the Grand Ole Opry. He’s been waiting on Plant for years.

“For me, it’s personal, 100-percent personal,’’ said Benavidez, a Phoenix-born fighter who has been living and training in Seattle. “I’m really looking to beat the bleep out of him.’’

Expect a lot more bleep from both between now and the moment they walk down the aisle, up the steps and through the ropes.

For now, Benavidez is narrowly favored. Across multiple betting sites, he has been for weeks, a sure sign that the date has been a sure thing.

Within the ropes, interest in Benavidez and Plant has grown mostly because of Plant’s stunning stoppage of Anthony Dirrell in October. It was among the best KOs in 2022 Plant’s sudden flash of power – a left hook set up by a body punch — was a warning shot. His nickname is Sweet Hands, which had been another way of saying he could score but not stop.

But the flash of power against Dirrell might have sent a message to Benavidez.

Beware.

Benavidez is nothing if not aggressive. He moves forward, ever forward. That’s what makes him popular. But it’s also risky. It’s what could make him vulnerable to the very kind of shot that left Dirrell down and done.

The question is whether Plant can withstand Benavidez’ relentless power. It’s like one of those Pacific storms. It never stops. Perhaps, that’s why Plant demanded a 22-foot ring. A bigger piece of canvas might offer a few more escape routes.

Plant never could elude Canelo’s power, which proved to be lethal in the overall accumulation of punches that the reigning super-middleweight champion landed. He punished Plant, knocking him down twice and forcing a stoppage early in the eleventh round of a November 2021 fight.

Benavidez promises to execute a beatdown

“worse than Canelo.’’

Canelo, of course, represents a key comparison point.  Plant has faced him, Benavidez has not. Plant has been there; Benavidez has not. That experience could be a tipping point in favor of Plant.

Canelo might also be there for the winner. The fight is supposed to lead to a shot to the World Boxing Council belt held by Canelo, undisputed at 168 pounds.

But the only sure thing is that Canelo will be a fundamental part of the sales pitch.

It’s not clear what Canelo will do. He’s coming off wrist surgery. He’s expected to fight a tune-up, perhaps against UK super-middleweight John Ryder, in May. But then?

Promoter Eddie Hearn continues to suggest that Canelo might get a rematch against Dmitry Bivol at super-middleweight instead of light-heavy. Bivol, the consensus Fighter of the Year, upset Canelo, winning a decision in May at light heavy.

“I’m gonna put my neck on the line and say that Canelo Alvarez will fight Bivol for the undisputed championship at 168,’’ Hearn told IFL TV this week.  “There’s a lot of work to be done, but Dmitry Bivol is up for the challenge.’’

That would set up another long-running argument. At least, Benavidez and Plant are going to settle one.

By Norm Frauenheim –

It’s been called a fantasy by Sampson Lewkowicz, who has been hearing talk about David Benavidez-versus-Canelo Alvarez for a couple of years.

Lewkowicz, who called the Benavidez-Canelo possibility a fantasy after Benavidez’ blowout of David Lemieux last May, is still hearing the talk.

It’s been there, loud and repetitious on all of social media’s many platforms, for nearly as long as there’s been speculation about Terence Crawford-versus-Errol Spence Jr.

Crawford-Spence is still on boxing’s crowded fantasy island, seemingly in permanent residence since negotiations collapsed in October. Yet, the talk is still the buzz among exasperated fans hoping against hope that it’ll happen, maybe later in 2023.

Crawford-Spence is just the latest example of how fans never quit dreaming. Fighters fade away, but fantasies never do.

Chances of Benavidez-Canelo are still viable. But excuse Lewkowicz, Benavidez’ promoter/manager, if he remains skeptical. He’s forced to be, mostly because chances of a Benavidez-Canelo fight in 2023 appear to be somewhere between nil and zero.

“Canelo Alvarez’ legacy will be stained for the rest of his life,’’ Lewkowicz told the El Nuevo Herald, the Miami Herald’s Spanish-speaking newspaper. “They will ask him why he didn’t fight with Benavidez.”

Canelo enters the New Year in rehab from wrist surgery. At the earliest, his next fight – his first since a decision over Gennadiy Golovkin in September – is expected in May. Expect a tune-up, maybe against UK super-middleweight John Ryder.

If the wrist holds up, there are plans for a rematch against Dmitry Bivol, who upset Canelo in May and went on to win Fighter of the Year in a vote announced this week by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

If all goes well, Canelo-Bivol 2 could happen in September. But there’s a question: At what weight? Bivol beat Canelo at light-heavy. Canelo has reportedly said he wants the rematch to be fought at the same weight, 175 pounds.

But promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested that the sequel could be at super-middleweight. Canelo holds all the relevant belts at 168, including the World Boxing Council’s version.

Benavidez, a former two-time WBC champion, has agreed to fight Caleb Plant in a bout that puts the winner in line for a shot at the WBC belt.

Benavidez is currently training in Seattle for Plant in a bout projected for late March. As of Thursday, however, no site or date had been announced

Let’s say Benavidez beats Plant. The unbeaten fighter from Phoenix is favored. FanDuel favors him this week at minus-195. He has about a 65-percent shot at beating Plant, who lost to Canelo in November 2021 and then displayed some eye-opening power in a KO of Anthony Dirrell in his last outing.

But here’s the question: Bivol has said he’d consider a rematch at super-middle instead of light-heavy. What if Bivol agrees to 168 and then beats Canelo for a second time? Move over Crawford-Spence. Make room on fantasy island for Benavidez-Canelo.

Benavidez-Bivol would be interesting. But it would leave fans demanding Benavidez-Canelo – a potential classic between a Mexican-American and Mexican — feeling unfulfilled all over again.

Lewkowicz was also asked about emerging super-middleweight David Morrell, a Cuban living and training in Minneapolis.

“Morrell also beats Canelo, 100 percent, just like Benavidez,’’ Lewkowicz said. “That’s why there is no such fight. Canelo is never going to fight with Morrell or Benavidez. Canelo is an underdog against Benavidez. On the other hand, there is no favorite against Morrell.

“Benavidez-versus-Morrell, that’s a tougher fight than Plant, including Canelo.’’

Don’t say he didn’t warn you.

Matchroom Boxing’s 2023 schedule in the UK is set to begin with a bang at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Saturday February 18 as hometown hero Leigh Wood puts his WBA Featherweight World Title on the line against big-punching Mexican Mauricio Lara, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding Australia and New Zealand).

‘Leigh-thal’ (26-2 KOs) memorably stopped Michael Conlan in the 12^th and final round of his epic first defence of the WBA 126lbs title back in March 2022, knocking the Irishman out of the ring in brutal fashion to end their Fight of the Year stunner.

The Forest-mad Featherweight was heavily dropped in the opening round and looked to be heading towards his third loss in the pros before brilliantly fighting back to earn a brilliant win that will be talked about for many years to come.

Wood is now recognised as the World Boxing Associations only Champion at Featherweight after former ‘Super Champion’ Leo Santa Cruz relinquished his title on Monday December 12, and the 34-year-old wants to waste no time in adding more World Titles to his collection in 2023.

‘Bronco’ (25-2-1, 18 KOs) has been waiting patiently for his shot at Wood after their eagerly anticipated September 24 fight was postponed following a torn bicep suffered by Wood in sparring, but the Featherweight KO artist finally gets his dream World Title opportunity next month. 

Lara is well-known on UK shores after he floored and ruthlessly finished Josh Warrington in a sensational upset behind closed doors at The SSE Arena, Wembley in February 2021, ending the IBF Featherweight World Champion’s unbeaten record.

He rematched Warrington in front of a sold-out Headingley Stadium in Leeds seven months later, but a nasty cut over the left eye of the Mexican in round two caused by an accidental clash of heads resulted in the contest ending in a technical draw.

The power-punching 24-year-old blitzed Emilio Sanchez in three rounds in March 2022 on the undercard of Roman Gonzalez vs. Julio Cesar Martinez before stopping Jose Sanmartin in three in another destructive show of brute force to put the 126lbs division on notice.

“Mauricio Lara has made things personal between us with the disrespect he showed me regarding my injury and my country,” said Wood. “I’m going to show him what I’m all about. See you on February 18 Nottingham – And Still!”

“I have been waiting for this opportunity for 2 years and I am not going to waste it,” said Lara. “In February 2021 I beat Warrington in England, now in 2023 I will do the same with Wood. The WBA 126lbs World Title goes to Mexico, that I promised to my daughter, my family, my team and to my whole country. Your time has come Leigh Wood, no “injury” can save you now from this.”

“Quite simply this is a fight that you have to watch through your fingers,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “After the drama of the Conlan fight last March, Leigh Wood is about to bring another night of drama to the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham against the brutal, fearless and much avoided Mauricio Lara. This fight leads Leigh to the City Ground in the summer but first get ready for an epic main event and all action card as we gear up for another FOTY contender in Nottingham on February 18.”

“What a fight this is to kick off the Matchroom UK schedule in 2023,” said Joe Markowski, CEO DAZN North America. “Both Wood and Lara are incapable of being involved in anything other than brutal, toe to toe, edge of your seat fights and I for one cannot wait for February 18. Watch this barnstormer live and exclusive on DAZN.”

Tickets for Wood vs. Lara are priced at £40, £60, £80, £100, £150 and £300 (VIP)

Matchroom Fight Pass members will be able to purchase tickets from midday on Wednesday January 11. Priority ticket info will be emailed directly to eligible members ahead of the on-sale time. 

General Sale tickets can be purchased via Stage Front and Motorpoint Arena Nottingham from midday on Thursday January 12.

In a fight that started slow, Gervonta Davis needed just a a few seconds in round eight to land two hard shots to the jaw of Hector Luis Garcia and get a stoppage win after Garcia could not come out for round nine in front of a sold out crowd of 19, 731 Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.

When the fight got going, Garcia fought well by mixing in body shots to offset Davis trying to land power shots from the outside. The fight was on even terms as it headed into the eighth round. Even in round eight, Garcia began the stanza well by working the body. Late in the round, Davis landed two flush lefts that hurt Garcia. When Garcia got to the corner, he did not come out for round nine and the fight was officially stopped at 13 seconds.

Davis, 134 lbs of Baltimore will now take on Ryan Garcia, presumably on April 15th with a record of 28-0 with 26 knockouts. Garcia, 134 lbs of the Dominican Republic is 16-1.

Gervonta Davis

“A little surprised (he didn’t come out). But I knew he was hurt bad but he’s a fighter and he didn’t want to show it. I knew he was hurt though.

“I feel as though – I have stuff to work on. Everything. I’m a fighter and I’m not retired so I’m always willing to learn.

“I wasn’t throwing a lot of shots (in the beginning) because I was trying to beat him mentally. I was trying to trick him with my hands and my eyes and things like that because he’s a tough fighter. I had to bait him.

“His southpaw style bothered me a little bit because I don’t fight a lot of southpaws but it’s okay; it’s a part of the game.

“God willing I’m ready for the fight (with Ryan Garcia). It’s scheduled for April. I’m here. He’s been training. He’s been talking. And let’s see who’s really about that.

“On my end I’m ready. I’ll be in the gym Monday. Well, not Monday. I’ll probably take a week off but I’ll be back for sure soon.

“I have to bring my people in close and listen to my close ones, listen to Al Haymon and just stay focused. There’s a lot of bumps in the road but if we stay focused together – that’s how I’ll (maintain) longevity in the sport.”

Hector Luis Garcia

“When I got the shot to my head in the final round, that’s when I couldn’t see from my eye. I didn’t know where I was when he hit me with that shot. My vision is back but my head still hurts. I couldn’t see from my right eye. It was going well up until that point. I was picking my shots.”

Ennis Decisions Chukhadzhian to Win IBF Interim Welterweight Title

Jaron Ennis went the distance for the first time in 20 fights, but won the IBF Interim Welterweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over slippery Karen Chukhadzhian.

Ennis pressed the action while Chukhadzhian danced around the outside, and only coming in sporadically. Ennis landed the majority of punches and won by scores of 120-108 on all cards. Ennis landed 203 of 592 punches; Chukhadzhian was 97 of 573

Ennis, 145.5 lbs of Philadelphia is 30-0. Chukhadhian, 146.25 lbs of Kiev, UKR is 21-2.

Jaron Ennis

“We come here to dominate. I feel like I could have thrown more punches. I should stop that guy and that’s on me. I wanted him to engage but we did what we could. 

“I learned to just take my time and to not rush anything. I’m glad I went 12 rounds. It felt great. I felt I was in the best shape. I just needed to throw a little more punches. I should have got him out of there.

“He ran a lot. Hats off to him since a lot of guys didn’t want to fight me. So shout out to him for coming here and taking this fight.

“Everyone knows that I want Errol Spence and the winner of Virgil Ortiz and (Eimantas) Stanionis. You know – all the top guys. Let’s get it, you know?

“I’ll wait until the time is right and (Spence) is ready.”

Roiman Villa Scores Two Late Knockdowns to win Majority Decision over Rashidi Ellis

Roiman Villa needed all 36 minutes to score a 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated Rashidi Ellis in an IBF Welterweight Elimination bout

It was a fight that Ellis controlled early with his jab. Villa was applying pressure. Villa was slowing gaining momentum in the fight when in round 12, Villa decked Ellis with a vicious left hook to the jaw. Villa continued landing hard shots to Ellis, who at this point was backtracking and trying to land shots while going backwards. In the final seconds, Villa dropped Ellis again with a hard right hand.

Ellis landed 268 of 604 punches. The knockdowns were the difference as Villa was just 114 of 631.

Villa, 146.75 of Venezuela won by scores of 114-112 twice and 113-113 to raise his mark to 26-1. Ellis, 146.25 of Lynn, MA is 24-1.

Roiman Villa

“First of all, thank God for this victory. Second of all, he was a tough fighter. He moved a lot. He does hit hard. The first couple rounds I was a little tight but then I got loose.

“I was on top of him from the first round. I know that fighters such as him who are quick sooner or later will get a little tired and that’s what I took advantage of.

“My corner told me to knock him down (in the 12^th round). I couldn’t do it on the first try but I kept going.

“I thought he just fell on the last knockdown so I wasn’t sure (if it was a knockdown) . But if they want the rematch we’ll give them the rematch.

“I like the Mexican fighters with balls and I like the way he fights so I would definitely give him the rematch.

“I told him after the fight to smile and he had nothing to say.

“I didn’t really feel like I needed the knockout in that last round, I just wanted to dominate.

“Ellis is a good fighter, but this was mostly about what I was able to do. All credit to God for allowing me to come out with my arm raised up high.

“I’m not thinking about the future right now, just soaking in the moment.”

Rashidi Ellis

“I want the rematch right away. I’m fine (physically).

“I thought I was dictating the fight. I don’t know. I don’t know what happened.

“I totally disagree with the decision. I was winning most of the rounds. Yeah, he had the knockdown but other than that I was winning most of the rounds.”

Andrade Decisions Nicholson in Super Middleweight Debut

Demetrius Andrade made his super middleweight debut and the former two-division was successful as he pounded out a 10-round unanimous decision over Demond Nicholson

In round two, Andrade landed a straight left that was followed by a right hook that sent Nicholson on his rear end. Each seemingly scored knockdowns that referee Malik Waleed missed.

In round 10, Andrade landed right hook to the head that made Nicholson’s glove touch the canvas that was ruled a knockdown.

Andrade landed 145 of 325 punches. Nicholson was just 28 of 231.

Andrade, 167 lbs of Providence, RI won by scores of 100-88 on all cards and is now 32-0. Nicholson, 167.25 lbs of Laurel, MD is 26-5-1.

Demetrius Andrade

“I felt good, I can definitely tell the weight difference but the speed and combinations and the IQ was the plan today and that’s what we did. The weight (was different).”

Charlos, Benavidez vs. Plant winner?

“The only way I can say I’m the best is by fighting the best. Everyone knows that Demond Nicholson is a dog. That’s why we took this fight. He took this fight because he knew I was coming up and he definitely has the animal in him. He showed it today and we’re just boxing – IQ.”

On the 10^th round knockdown:

“That was definitely clean. Nice left. Definitely a knockdown. That left hand. Boom. It was great to be here. I want to thank SHOWTIME for the opportunity and PBC and everyone that came out today. It’s me again baby!

“I thought I would be able to get him out of there in the deep waters, but he’s a tough guy. I think we both cut each other early in the fight, but at the end of the day we do what we have to do. 

“I threw some nice combinations and some nice hard shots, but he came in shape. People get up to fight me. 

“We’re going to look to see who’s available at 168 pounds. I’m just going to get stronger, sharper and faster too.”

Vito Mielnicki stopped Omar Rosales in round four of their eight-round junior middleweight bout.

Mielnicki landed power punches throughout the contest and then unloaded on Rosales on round four and the bout was stopped at 26 seconds.

Mielnicki, 153.2 lbs of Roseland, NJ is now 14-1 with nine knockouts. Rosales, 152.8 lbs of Houston, TX is 9-2-1.

Brandun Lee remained undefeated by stopping Diego Luque in round four of a scheduled eight-round super lightweight bout.

Lee dominated the action and then landed a bevvy of hard punches that forced the corner of Luque to throw in the towel at

Lee, 141.4 lbs of a Quinta, CA is 27-0 with 23 knockouts. Luque, 141.2 lbs of Cordoba, ARG is 21-11-2.

Travon Marshall needed just 48 seconds to obliterate Shawn West in a six-round welterweight bout.

Marshall landed flush and hard power shots from the opening bell until fight was stopped at 48 seconds.

Marshall, 149.8 lbs of Capitol Heights, MD is 7-0 with six knockouts. West, 151.2 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 7-3-1.

Keeshawn Williams won a six-round unanimous decision over Gustavo David Vittori in a welterweight bout.

Williams, 146,2 lbs of Lanham, MD won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 11-1-1. Vittori, 145.6 lbs of Argentina is 26-12-1.

Former world champion Lamont Peterson tried to come back after a four-year retirement only to be stopped in round four of a six-round super lightweight bout to unheralded Michael Ogundo.

In round four, Peterson was dropped hard with a right hand. He was in serious trouble when Ogundo followed with a hard flurry that forced Peterson’s corner to wave the towel at 2:05.

Ogund0, 140.2 lbs of Quincy, MA is 17-16 with 14 knockouts. Peterson, 141.6 lbs of Washington, DC is 35-6-1,

Kyrone Davis took an eight-round unanimous decision over Cristian Fabian Rios in a super middleweight contest.

Davis, 163.8 lbs of Wilmington, DE won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 17-3-1. Rios, 164.4 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 23-16-3.

Jalil Hackett made quick work of Joel Guevara by scoring an opening round of their four-round super welterweight bout,

Hackett dropped Guevara in the opening round with a hard right hand. Hackett was all over Guevara and sent him to the canvas a with a left hook and the fight was stopped at 2:11.

Hackett, 156.2 lbs of Washington, DC is 5-0 with four knockouts. Guevara, 155.8 lbs of Charlston, WV is 4-9-1.

Mia Ellis stopped Karen Dulin in the opening round of their four-round lightweight bout.

Ellis scored two knockdowns and the fight was called after the second knockdown at 1:53.

Ellis, 128.2 lbs of Baltimore is 6-1 with five knockouts. Dulin, 129.8 lbs of Portsmouth, NH is 5-26-1.

Follow all the action as Gervonta Davis defends the WBA Lightweight title against WBA Junior Lightweight champion Hector Luis Garcia.  The card begins at 9 PM ET with former two-weight world champion Demetrius Andrade taking Demond Nicholson; Rashidi Ellis battles Roiman Villa and Jaron Ennis takes on Karen Chukhadzhian for the IBF Interim Welterweight title

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY..NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Not much happening…
Round 2 Left from Garcia…Left from Davis at the bell
Round 3 Counter left from Garcia…Left..
Round 4 Counter left from Garcia…Left from Davis..Right hook…Another..Good straight lefftLeft from Garcia..
Round 5 Left from Garcia,,,Left from Davis
Round 6 Left to body from Garcia…Right hook..Jab..Left to body..Right hook from Davis..Left..Body shot from Garcia..
Round 7 Right to body from Garcia…2 body shots…left to body…Right hook from Davis,

Round 1 Ennis jabbing
Round 2
Round 3 Chukhadzhian lands a right,,Right hook from Ennis…Left at the bell
Round 4 Right hook from Ennis..Left to the body…Counter left from Chukadzhian..
Round 5 Hard right from Ennis..Right from Chukhadzhian..
Round 6 Left from Chukhadzhian..
Round 7
Round 8 Chukhadzhian lands a right
Round 9 Big right from Ennis…Uppercut…
Round 10 Ennis chasing Chukhadzhian down…
Round 11 Ennis Jabbing
Round 12 Southpaw Jab from Ennis..Body shot..Left on ropes..Left..

Round 1: Ellis jabbing…Right to the body…Right from Villa..Jab to body from Ellis…
Round 2 Right from Villa…Body shot from Ellis…Right..Right to the body..Left to body…
Round 3 Uppercut from Ellis…
Round 4 Left to body from Villa…Right from Ellis..Good action on the inside..
Round 5 Right from Villa..Left from Ellis…Villa trying to pressure…Right from Villa…
Round 6 Right over top from Villa…Trading lefts to the body..
Round 7
Round 8 Right from Ellis
Round 9 Left from Ellis
Round 10  Villa lands a hard uppercut…Hard right drives Ellis back..Big right to the jaw…Ellis fights back
Round 11 Left to body from Villa…Right…
Round 12 HUGE LEFT AND DOWN GOES ELLIS…Villa on top of Ellis…Ellis looks spent and falls to the canvas…Huge flurry from Villa…Huge uppercuts…BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ELLIS JUST BEFOE THE BELL

114-112 TWICE FOR VILLA AND 113-113

Round 1 Andrade comes out firing…Straight left from Andrade…Right to body..Straight left
Round 2 Ripping left from Andrade…Left to body…Quick straight left…Left AND RIGHT HOOK AND DOWN GOES NICHOLSON…
Round 3 Straight left from Andrade…Good counter left to the body..Good lead left..
Round 4 Straight left drives Nicholson back…Left to the body..Right Hook…Left to the body…
Round 5 Andrade down but ruled a slip…Nicholson lands a right to the body…Good left from Andrade…Good 4 punch combination..
Round 6 4 Punch combo from Andrade…Andrade moving…Straight left…Left over the top..Right from Nicholson..Left to body from Andrade..Right to body
Round 7  3 punches to the head by Andrade…3 punch combo…Double left…Hard 3 punches puts Nicholson down but ruled a slip
Round 8 Right-left-right from Andrade…
Round 9 Andrade uncorks 8 shots in the corner…
Round 10 Left from Andrade…Right hook…LEFT HAND MAKES NICHOLSON’S GLOVE TOUCH CANVAS FOR A KNOCKDOWN…

100-88 ON ALL CARDS FOR ANDRADE