Follow all the action as Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murtata in a IBF/WBA Middleweight Title Elimination bout.  The card begins at 5:10 am ET and 6:10 PM in Tokyo with an undercard that will feature the WBO Flyweight bout between Junto Nakatani and Ryota Yamauchi

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 4: Body shot from Golovkin.  Good left hook..Uppercut

ROUND 6 Hard right from Golovkin knocks the mouthpiece out..Good right…2 hard jabs…Good counter right

ROUND 7 Good lft hook from Golovkin…Uppercut..Big left hook…Good right from Murata

ROUND 8 Jab from Golovkin…Hard rights and lefts…Big right from Murata…Good right…Left hook from Golovkin

ROUND 9 Big Right hurts Murata..Hard flurry…Murata looks done…Muata lands a left…HARD RIGHT DOWN GOES MURATA…TOWEL COMES IN FIGHT OVER

Round 4 Good body work from Nakatani…2 hard lefts and an uppercut

ROUND 5 Good combination from Yamauchi..Good left hook…Left hook to the body..Flurry on inside from Nakatani

ROUND 6 Double left and 1-2 from Nakatani..Left hook to body from Yamauchi…

ROUND 7 Big left from Nakatani…  Another hard left

ROUND 8 Good right from Yamauchi…left hook…BIG BARRAGE FROM NAKATANI..YAMAUCHI IS HURT AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Yoshino lands a jab..Ito lands a right to the body..Right from Yoshino…Jab from Ito..Left hook to the body from Yoshino
Round 2 Jab from Yoshino..Good overhand right and uppercut..Chopping right on the inside..Blood from nose of Ito..Hard body shots from Yoshino…2 Rights..Good right from Ito..Good 3 punch combination..Uppercut on inside from Yoshino
Round 3 Hard right from Yoshino..Left hook from Ito..Right..Right from Yoshino..Quick combination from Ito…Right..Body shot from Yoshino
Round 4 Left hook from Yoshino..Good rights from each guy..Counter from Ito..Jab from Yoshino..Left hook to body…Good right from Ito
Round 5 Hard right from Yoshino..Good body work…Chopping right…Ito lands 2 uppercuts..Right from Yoshino..Hard right..Big left hook..Hard right
Round 6 Ito working on the inside…Nice right..Right and uppercut..Right..Uppercut…Good body shot from Yoshino..Another..Right from Ito…Good action…hard right from Ito
Round 7 Trading hard shots..Good body work from Yoshino…
Round 8 Good right from Yoshino on the inside…Combination from Ito..Good jab from Yoshino and a left hook..Ito cut underneath his left eye
Round 9 Ito lands a left hook and right hand..Good right and jab..Trading rights…Hard right from Yoshino
Round 10 Uppercut on Inside from Ito..Doctor looking at Ito’s cut..Good left hook from Yoshino..Right from Ito…
Round 11 Good right from both fighters..Lead right from Yoshino and a good body shot..Headbutt and another cut on Ito’s left eye,  THE FIGHT IS STOPPED…GOES TO SCORE CARDS

YOSHINO WINS 107-102 twice and 106-103

Cleveland, Ohio – Willie Nelson (27-3-1) is looking to make a big impact in 2021. Like many fighters, Nelson’s 2020 campaign was aborted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nelson has been a top contender in the super welterweight division the past several years but will campaign as a full fledged middleweight when he returns to the ring.  The middleweight division has produced some of the biggest fights in boxing in recent years and there are several fighters who interest Nelson.

“I just want to get in the mix. (Gennadiy) Golovkin is a guy I want to fight.  I think his style and mine would produce the type of fight that the fans would love.  I also am looking at guys like Rob Brant, Jaime Munguia, Ryota Murata, and Jermall Charlo.  I want to fight the top guys in the division. If I can’t get a champion right away get me a top contender that would put me in position to fight for a title,” Nelson explained.

The 33 year old has never backed down from a challenge and is no stranger to big fights having fought on HBO, Showtime and ESPN throughout his career.  He holds a big knockout victory over former champion Tony Harrison and also handed top prospects Yudel Johnson and John Jackson their first professional losses.  Nelson has also faced WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade and former title challenger Vanes Martirosyan.

“I feel a lot stronger at 160.  The last couple fights was a struggle to get down in weight.  I haven’t taken much punishment and feel like I am in the prime of my career. I can’t wait to begin this next chapter of my career. I just need to get a chance with one of these big names to remind everyone what I am capable of,” said Nelson.

Gennady Golovkin stopped mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta after round seven of their IBF Middleweight championship bout at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Resort in Hollywood, Florida.

Golovkin dropped Szeremeta at the end of round one with a left hook to the chin. Golovkin sent Szeremta to the deck in round two with a overhand right to the side of the head. In round four, Golovkin landed an overhand right that was followed by a little left hook on the inside that put Szeremeta down again.

In round seven, Golovkin dropped Szeremeta with a jab. The fight was halted after that round.

Golovkin who made the 1st defense of his IBF title, and 21st middleweight title defense is now 41-1-1 with 36 knockouts. Szeremeta of Poland is 21-1.

Choi Decisions Silgado

WBA Super Featherweight champion Hyun Mi Choi won a 10-round unanimous decision over Calista Silgado.

Choi landed 163 of 552 Punches; Silgado was 89 of 364.

Choi, 131 lbs of North Korea won by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 18-0-1. Silgado, 131 lbs is 19-12-3.

Ryder Decisions Guy

Former world title challenger John Ryder won a 10-round unanimous decision over Mike Guy in a super middleweight bout.

Ryder landed 103 of 401 punches; Guy was 66 of 284.

Ryder, 170.2 lbs of London, ENG won by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 96-94 and is now 29-5. Guy, 168.2 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 12-6-1.

\Gongora shocks Akhmedov with 12th round stoppage

Carlos Gongora stunned Ali Akhmedov with a 12th round stoppage in a battle of undefeated super middeweights.

Akhmedov had the advantage early as he hurt Gongora in round two,

In round seven, Akhmedov was cut over his right eye. In round 12, Gongora knocked down Akhmedov with a uppercut. Later in the round, it was another left uppercut that plummeted Akhmedov to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:57.

Gongora of Boston via Ecuador is 19-0 with 14 knockouts. Akhmedov of Kazakhstan is 16-1.

Reshat Mati stopped Dennis Okoth in round six of their six-round welterweight bout.

Mati dominated the action and then landed a big flurry that had the referee stopped the fight with Okoth hurting his foot at 1:17.

Mati of New York is 9-0 with seven knockouts. Okoth of Silver Spring, MD is 4-5-1.

By Norm Frauenheim–

A media call with Gennadiy Golovkin this week was preceded by a warning not to ask a question. The question. Don’t ask about Canelo Alvarez, the electronic missive said. You will be muted.

Give me liberty or give me muted.

Saying no to reporters is a little bit like ordering lions not to eat red meat. If not defiance, it often ensures an artful attempt at a round-about way to ask the prohibited without mentioning the letter-of-the law.

But there was nothing artful and surely no defiance during a Zoom session a few days before GGG’s return to the ring Friday night against Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5 KOs) in Hollywood, Fla.

Promoter Eddie Hearn answered questions about Canelo. But Hearn’s history tells you he’ll talk about almost anything. After all, he once promoted Logan Paul. Meanwhile, Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) was asked about his future. (Hint, hint). He was asked about his legacy. (Hint, hint, hint).

He never went there. Not once. He later was quoted about Canelo in a story reported by AFP, the international press service headquartered in Paris.

“I don’t think about this because I’m tired of thinking about it,” Golovkin told AFP. “It’s been over two years that we’ve been throwing this around. It’s not my fault that this fight has not taken place. Currently, it’s too early to say, but there is a possibility this fight might never happen.”

Done. Enough said. For once, a prohibition on one question makes sense. There nothing left to say about GGG-Canelo 3. No outrage necessary, mostly because a third GGG-Canelo fight is way beyond its past-due date.

The question lingers this week only because of the DAZN schedule. By coincidence or not, GGG’s middleweight title defense (DAZN/5 p.m.ET/2 p.m. PT) in his first fight in 14 months is followed 24 hours later by Canelo (53-1-2, 36 KOs) in a super-middleweight bout against Callum Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) Saturday (DAZN/8 p.m.ET, 5 p.m. PT) in San Antonio. The scheduling is a sign that DAZN still wants a return on GGG and its initial investment in Canelo, who is now a free agent after suing both the streaming network and his former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya.

“I really think the challenge he wants is Canelo Alvarez,’’ said Hearn, who will be in San Antonio Saturday as Smith’s promoter.

But, Hearn said, “a lot has to happen.’’

Maybe too much.

From the looks of it, GGG is in terrific condition. He stepped on the scale Friday at a sculpted 159.2 pounds, safely under the 160 mandatory. He’s never missed weight. Truth is, there’s been any doubt that he ever would. GGG has been the consummate pro. But a scale isn’t a clock. GGG is 38. Presumably, he’ll be near or at 39 the next time he fights. His birthday is April 8. His hourglass is running out of prime time.

Meanwhile, Canelo is 30. He’ll be 31 on July 18. Best: A couple of prime-time years are still on Canelo’s clock. But the scale indicates he has moved up and beyond middleweight. There’s a reason he’ll be at super-middleweight (168) in his first fight since his 11^th-round stoppage of Sergey Kovalev at light-heavyweight (175) more than a year ago (Nov. 2, 2019).

“I personally don’t see Canelo coming back to 160,’’ Hearn said.

The question, then, is whether GGG, a natural middleweight, can ever really fight at 168. Then again, that’s a question that Canelo might have to answer Saturday against the unbeaten Smith.

It’s hard not to conclude that GGG and Canelo missed the optimum moment for a decisive third fight. They fought to a controversial split-draw in September 2017. Canelo won a debatable majority decision in September 2018. The third fight, a trilogy’s definitive chapter, should have happened a year later, September 2019. But it didn’t because of personal animosity. The contempt is mutual and real.

Perhaps, big money can change that. But an opportunity has been missed, more by Canelo than GGG. Canelo’s claim on pound-for-pound supremacy is attached to skepticism from fans who argue that Canelo did not beat GGG decisively, if at all.  A chance to deliver the proof was there in 2019, Pre-Pandemic, at a time when Canelo was improving and GGG appeared to be in decline.

Now? Who knows? Or who cares?

From a historical perspective, there’s a parallel. In September 1981, Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, then welterweights, fought one of the most memorable bouts ever. Leonard, then 25, beat the 23-year-old Hearns, scoring a fourteenth-round TKO in an outdoor ring on the tennis courts behind Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace. The fight begged for a rematch. Begged for a trilogy. But it took nearly eight years for even a rematch to happen, in part because Leonard retired and then came back because of a detached retina.

But they had lost their moment. Time robbed them of it. By today’s standards, they were still young. Leonard was 33; Hearns was 30. But the fight at super-middleweight, also at Caesars Palace, was a bust. It was a draw, despite two knockdowns. Hearns floored Leonard, once in the third and again in the eleventh. But it was more than controversial. It was forgettable.

Not worth asking about, either.

Two world title fights will be featured on the undercard of the historic Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin – Kamil Szeremeta IBF/IBO World Middleweight Championship.  Undefeated super middleweight contenders Ali Akhmedov (16-0, 12 KOs), from Almaty, Kazakhstan and Carlos Góngora (18-0, 13 KOs), from Esmeraldas, Ecuador, will rumble for the vacant IBO super middleweight world title and unbeaten WBA super featherweight world champion Hyun Mi Choi (17-0-1, 4 KOs), from Seoul, South Korea, will be looking to extend her 12-year title reign against Calista Silgado (19-11-3 14 KOs) from Tolu, Colombia.  Presented by GGG Promotions and Matchroom Boxing with Warriors Boxing, the Golovkin – Szeremeta world championship event will take place Friday, Dec. 18, behind closed doors at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. It will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN beginning at 5pm ET in over 200 countries and territories.
 
“Title fights have always been my goal, and together with the team we became one step closer to the world title.  I am confident in myself, my strength, and can’t wait to step into the ring.  The training camp was held at the highest level as always, and I am ready for the fight,” Akhmedov said.
 
“We have been training together for several years and I have seen his progress with every fight and training camp.  He is ready to fight for the world title and I am glad that Ali represents GGGP at the turning point of his career.  I am sure he will succeed,” Golovkin said.  
 
“I know I will be in tough with Akhmedov and I am ready for anything he wants to offer.  We will see if he can do the same against me.  Boston is about to see the start of its newest championship dynasty — mine,” Góngora said.                  
 
Akhmedov, who has won 75% of his fights by stoppage, returns to the ring having won five of his last six bout by knockout.  He captured the WBC International Silver super middleweight title on June 8, 2019 by knocking out undefeated Marcus McDaniel in the third round.  He followed that up with his first title defense, a first-round stoppage of Andrew Hernandez, Oct. 5, 2019.  Promoted by GGG Promotions, he has been in the same training camp of his mentor Gennadiy Golovkin for several years.    
 
Góngora, who represented Ecuador in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals in the 2008 summer games, has been training out of the Boston area throughout his professional career.  The Ecuadorian bomber’s skill set as a boxer puncher and his victory by knockout ratio of 72% has made him one of the most avoided fighters.  Now, in his first opportunity to fight on the international stage, he has vowed to make the most of this opportunity.  
 
Choi’s 19^th pro outing is her 18^th World title fight, and on her American debut, the two-weight World ruler will look to make a big statement to her star-studded rivals at Super-Featherweight, while Calista is looking to break her curse in World title outings, having challenged for elite belts on six previous fights.
 
“From the time I started boxing, it was my dream to fight in the United States,” said Choi. “Now, it’s time to realize that dream. I am ready to show everyone a great boxing match. Through this match I hope to gain respect and support from the world. I’m looking forward to my first match in the United States.”
 
Also added to the card is British Super-Middleweight World title contender John Ryder (28-5 16 KOs) who takes on Michael Guy (12-5-1 5 KOs) over ten rounds. Ryder is back in action for the first time since taking on Callum Smith for the WBA and WBC Diamond titles, running the champion close on his Liverpool home turf. The Londoner will be looking to shake the rust off as he prepares for a big fight in the first quarter of 2021.
 
Reshat Mati (8-0 6 KOs) has been an exciting addition to the paid ranks, and the Albanian Bear fights for the ninth time as a pro and unbeaten Californian 18 year old Jalan Walker (6-0 6 KOs) fights on US soil for the first time against Rafael Reyes (18-11 14 KO’s) having boxed in Mexico six times since his debut in November 2019.

The Big Drama Show is back!  Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, boxing’s most dominant middleweight of his era, returns to the ring looking to make even more history when he attempts to make a division-record 21st successful defense of his World Middleweight titles.  Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, has worn a world championship belt every year since 2010.  He will be making a mandatory title defense against undefeated top-rated contender Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5 KOs), from Biaylstok, Poland, Friday, Dec. 18, behind closed doors at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.  The Golovkin-Szeremeta IBF/IBO Middleweight World Championship fight, and its action-packed undercard bouts, will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN in over 200 countries and territories.

 “This is not just any fight.  It is a fight with great meaning.  I always have the greatest respect for all of my opponents.  I have really missed boxing and I wanted to fight this year.  The goal — fighting for a record twenty-first successful world title defense.” Golovkin said.    

“I want this title for Poland and my family.  GGG is a great champion, one of the best in history, but it is time for replacement.  Thank you for the great chance, I must take my opportunity to be the first world middleweight champion from Poland,” Szeremeta said.

“GGG is looking to make history this December on DAZN in front of a worldwide audience,” said DAZN EVP Joseph Markowski.  “We look forward to launching our Global platform with an action-packed opening month featuring boxing’s biggest stars.”

“This is a historic moment for one of the best fighters of our generation. GGG has been providing explosive entertainment for many years now and we can expect a war on December 18 against Szeremeta.  The Pole is the unbeaten mandatory challenger and I know the team really fancy their chances of an upset during these crazy times. As we have seen through Golovkin’s career — don’t blink and certainly don’t miss it,” said Eddie Hearn, managing director, Matchroom Sport.

Golovkin, who shares the record for consecutive World Middleweight title defenses, returns to the ring in his second reign as World Middleweight Champion. In a battle of former Olympic medalists, Golovkin regained the IBF middleweight title on Oct. 5, 2019, with a unanimous decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko, a hellacious toe-to-toe slugfest that had the frenzied crowd at Madison Square Garden on its feet for the entire 12 rounds.  Many considered it the Fight of the Year.  Golovkin’s Big Drama Show has packed iconic arenas around the world, selling out Madison Square Garden, The O2 in London, the Fabulous Forum and StubHub Center in Los Angeles, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  This will be his first time fighting in the Sunshine State.  His decade-long rampage on the middleweight division has also attracted millions of viewers who have watched him on premium cable, pay-per-view, and DAZN.       

Now Golovkin faces his second consecutive top-rated contender in Szeremeta.  The former EBU European middleweight champion, eight years younger than the defending world champion, enters this fight like a hurricane gathering strength, having won three of his last five fights by knockout, including a second-round stoppage of Oscar Cortes on the undercard of Golovkin-Derevyanchenko.  His reign as EBU European middleweight champion included victories over Alessandro Goddi, Ruben Diaz and Andrew Francillette, who had a combined record of 79-4-4 when he fought them — a winning percentage of 91%. 

The Golovkin-Szeremeta World Middleweight Championship event is brought to you by GGG Promotions, in association with Matchroom Boxing and Warriors Boxing.

Rumors abound that Canelo Alvarez will take on Gennady Golovkin for a 3rd time after he fights Billy Joe Saunders, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Gennady Golovkin’a mandatory title defense against Kamil Szeremeta will happen this Spring with no set date as of yet, according to Dan Rafael o f espn.com.

 according to promoter Eddie Hearn, the fight will not take place until at least April — possibly April 11 — and there is a chance that it could take place in Golovkin’s native Kazakhstan, although it could also be in the United States.

“It’s something we have been looking into,” Hearn said. “Nothing is settled, but the fight could be [in Kazakhstan].”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin could defend his title against mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta on February 29th in Chicago.

“Feb. 29 is the date we’re looking at here. We have a hold on the arena,” promoter Eddie Hearn said late Saturday night at a news conference at the arena after the event he promoted there in which former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk made his heavyweight debut with a seventh-round knockout of Chazz Witherspoon in the main event.

“Gennadiy’s had back-to-back fights at the Garden, and we’ve seen from the ticket sales for this event (on Saturday night) that we have a good reputation and relationship with fight fans in [Chicago], and if he fights his mandatory, which is Szeremeta, the Polish fighter, then it would make sense to come here with such a huge Polish community. It’s not a definite, but it’s definitely a venue we’re looking at.

“It’s difficult to go to a place twice in the year with the schedule, but if there was a place we’d go twice to in a year, it would be Chicago. We’ve probably had our two biggest gates in this arena outside of [Anthony] Joshua-[Andy] Ruiz in America and it’s a great city.”

Hearn said that Szeremeta is pushing for his mandatory title fight with Golovkin and that GGG “wants to fight Canelo, but I don’t think he’s going to wait for a decision from Canelo. So it all depends on what happens in the next few weeks. Obviously, the Kovalev fight is only three weeks away. So it’s not like [Golovkin] can’t wait until then, but I don’t think he’s prepared to wait until December, etc., to have another fight [set up]. If the IBF say that the mandatory is due [since he won] a vacant title, which is generally what happens for a vacant belt, then he would jump in and take that fight.”

NEW YORK (October 7, 2019)–Split-T Management fighters Ivan Baranchyk and Brian Ceballo turned in impressive performances on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden as each fighter registered stoppage victories on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin – Sergiy Derevyanchenko card.
Former IBF Junior Welterweight world champion, Baranchyk stopped tough New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in the 4th round of their scheduled 10-round bout, while Ceballo took out previously undefeated Ramal Amanov in the 3rd round of their welterweight tussle.  

Baranchyk came out throwing hard punches early as he was looking for the an explosive early knockout.  In round two, Baranchyk started getting to Bracero and opened a cut over the right eye of Bracero.  In round four, Baranchyk landed two hard body shots that was followed by a jab and big right that forced Bracero to hold on and eventually fall to the canvas.  When Bracero got to his feet, the fight was waved off at 1:30.
With the win, Baranchyk will look for another major opportunity with a record of 20-1 with 13 knockouts.  
“The Beast is back.  This is my message for everybody,” said Baranchyk.  “This is a good opponent and I am back.  I fought opponents that were dirtiier and I was prepared for that.  Pedro Diaz is my guy as a trainer.”
Baranchyk is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Holden productions and Fight Promotions.

Ceballo was fighting in front of a hometown crowd, and continued his ascent of the prospect rankings as he was dominant in his surgical dissection of Amanov.  
Ceballo cut Amanov’s left eye early in the fight, and the New York native started landing more and harder as round’s two and three commenced.  In the 3rd round, Ceballo landed a hard flurry of punches that forced the stoppage at 1:20.  

With the win, Ceballo, who was fighting for the 5th time in 2019 is now 11-0 with six-knockouts.  Amanov loses for the 1st time and is now 16-1.
Ceballo is promoted by 360 Promotions.
The fights were seen live on DAZN.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Madison Square Garden in a prizefight
broadcast on the aficionado’s network, DAZN, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (no new ‘i’
needed; we go with birth names, round here) narrowly decisioned Ukrainian Sergiy
“The Technician” Derevyanchenko to retain his HBO Middleweight Championship and
collect an assortment of other belts Canelo Alvarez doesn’t care for.  The match was bloody, rough and suspenseful.

And when it was over and the scorecards were read the
selfstyled Mecca of Boxing booed Golovkin loudly enough to elicit a “c’mon
guys” from boxing’s once-charming malaprop machine.  Then the postfight interview devolved into
the same scattering of the same Google Translate phrases into which every
Golovkin interview devolves, though it wasn’t nearly so amusing this time, was
it, guys?

For this time Golovkin had faced a man his own
size and looked it.  This time Golovkin,
who somehow became The People’s Champion by being unable to stop in 24 rounds a
smaller man who is between 10 and 15 times more popular than he, countered
interesting and relevant questions with his usual dumb phrases, and nobody was enchanted
as before.  All this and more, in a turn
ironic as it was predictable, oversparkled a Golovkin performance that was more
compelling and confirming than its predecessors.

All the booing and dissent served to make and
subvert what was the first underrated performance in Golovkin’s canon. 

From the third round to the closing bell Saturday the
look on Golovkin’s face was exhausted betrayal. 
One doubts Golovkin’s American assimilation comprises cultural awareness
enough to ring an internal alarm like: By jettisoning the handlers who
hoodwinked late-HBO programmers, Comrade Pyotr et al., I put myself in an
unprotected status with a network interested in feeding me to Canelo Alvarez
the way my previous network’s braintrust wanted Canelo fed to me.

Why, that’s madness, you’re now thinking, what
sort of braintrust would wish to see boxing’s one ticketseller from boxing’s one
reliable ticketbuying public mauled by a man from Kazakhstan?

You had to be there.  GGG was a mania.  In 15 years of doing this, the craziest
things I ever heard said by the sanest boxing minds were things uttered about
Golovkin’s prowess.

In this sense, what happened Saturday, what has
happened in four of Golovkin’s last six fights, was a betrayal of sorts to
those men who invested so ferally in the Golovkin legend.  Because each time Golovkin has confronted a
fellow titlist or a proper middleweight recently – notice the ‘or’ there –
Golovkin has looked like much, much less than the most-feared man on the
planet.

Daniel Jacobs, middleweight permacontender, rose
from the canvas 2 1/2 years ago and showed Golovkin’s hypemen how poorly
chopping down a welterweight prepared the middleweight champion for a defense
with an actual middleweight.  Canelo then went 36 minutes with GGG.  Then, as DAZN’s otherwise annoying broadcast
crew reminded us Saturday, Golovkin first got offered a match with Derevyanchenko
but turned it down for a chance to poleax yet another career super welter.  Canelo then went 36 minutes with GGG.  Someone named Steve Rolls got excavated to launch
GGG’s new-network debut.  And then
Saturday happened.  Another career
middleweight. 

There was a particularly disingenuous game GGG fanatics
used to play with the rest of us – a game they learned from The Money
Team.  When you mentioned the HBOGGG tagline
about Golovkin’s readiness, willingness and ability to make war with any
champion between 154 pounds and 168, at those weights, and mentioned your own
annoyance with Golovkin’s only making war on 147- and 154-pound men forcefed to
160 pounds, GGG Nation would start listing titlists at 160 and 168 pounds and
ask you if you didn’t think he could beat them.

Your hypothetical assumption of a hypothetical
Golovkin triumph in a hypothetical fight was proof Golovkin had already beaten
these men, shouldn’t be required to fight them and – this is the richest part –
frightened all these larger men such that Golovkin should only don gloves for
those smaller men brave enough to face him. 
You would try to argue it didn’t matter, really, Golovkin’s ultimate
record against men his own size; you just wanted to see him fight men his own
size before you partook in any GGG Nation naturalization ceremony.

Which is a torturous way of writing this: Golovkin
is not today diminished.  What is
happening to him now is what always would have happened to him.

He hits quite hard but certainly not that much
harder than any other middleweight champion and not nearly hard as the best
super middleweights.  His footwork is
plodding, his punches are often telegraphed, his defense is porous, and his
ring IQ ain’t that high either.  His
vaunted ability to cut-off the ring never was a product of more than his
ability to walk through smaller men’s punches (you should see me cut-off the
ring on my 110-pound wife!).

Saturday Golovkin cut-off Derevyanchenko’s escape
routes often and just as often learned they were traps Derevyanchenko set for
him.  Imagine that.  A prizefighter with a 30-percent lower
knockout ratio than GGG’s, a prizefighter felled in round 1, a prizefighter
bleeding constantly into his right eye, opined so little of GGG’s power he made
strategic retreats to walk Golovkin into counters.  He made Golovkin miss quite a bit too and
bent The People’s Champion in two, too, with a midrounds left hook to the
button.

And Golovkin responded with true heart and
chin.  Two things soft matchmaking and
hard overpromoting deprived us of seeing during Golovkin’s reign of terror as
HBO Middleweight Champion.  That’s the
good news for GGG Nation.

Here’s the bad: Y’all are out of your collective
gourd if you think Canelo “A Side” Alvarez is going to come down from 175
pounds to 160 to redeem Golovkin’s legacy. 
Canelo may well give GGG his badly needed rubber match, but it won’t be
at middleweight.  Eight years and 20
lucrative prizefights later Canelo is going to run a check on that “fight any man
from 154 to 168” credit and see what’s actually in the account.  It says here: Canelo KO-10 is what.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

NEW YORK CITY — In the main event from Madison Square Garden, Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin (40-1-1, 35KO) scored a unanimous decision (114-113, 115-112×2), edging past Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10KO) to recapture the IBF middleweight title he once owned in an all action Fight of the Year candidate streamed live on DAZN.  

It was a bombs-away affair from the get-go and similar to Dervenyanchenko’s title fight against Daniel Jacobs, the Ukranian came out of cold and was caught and dropped by a Golovkin right on the top of the head midway through the first round. GGG carried his momentum into the second round and landed a vicious lead left hook that opened a nasty gash over Derevyanchenko’s right eye that immediately sent blood running down the 33 year-old’s face.  

Perhaps spurred on by a sense of urgency brought on by the cut, Derevyanchenko stepped up pressure in the third round and started taking the fight to Golovkin, committing heavy shots to the 37 year-old’s body which immediately started to pay dividends.

Credit Derevyanchenko’s cutman, Mike Bazzel, who worked on the gruesome cut round after round, and did a good enough job to satisfy the ringside physicians who continually inspected the Ukranians eye throughout the fight.  

Derevyanchenko noticeably hurt Golovkin for the first time in the fight late into the fifth with a left hook to the liver that produced a wince from GGG and sent him backpedaling in retreat.  The following round witnessed Golovkin sucking wind, breathing deeply through his mouth, while the bloody Derevyanchenko applied more pressure.  

After dropping the early-middle rounds, Golovkin dug in in the seventh and rallied, landing huge left hooks that targeted the worsening cut over Derevyanchenko’s eye.  

The eight and ninth played host to wild exchanges where both fighters were willing to take punches to land their own shots. 

But in the tenth, a surefire Round of the Year candidate, Derevyanchenko came out of his corner guns-a-blazin’ and wailed away on GGG, who found himself in a world of hurt.  But the Kazakh once again found something within himself, withstood Derevyanchenko’s onslaught, and scored with his own huge shots as the round progressed. 

The championship rounds witnessed back and forth action with GGG besting Derevyanchenko during the most meaningful exchanges.  

At the end of twelve, judge Kevin Morgan scored the bout 114-113 and both Eric Marlinski and Frank Lombardi had it 115-112, all for Golovkin.  15Rounds.com also scored it 115-112.

Golovkin now reclaims ownership to the IBF world title he once held and the one that rival Saul “Canelo” Alvarez was stripped of earlier this year after Alvarez and Golden Boy Promotions failed to make a fight with Dereveyanchenko, the IBF mandatory challenger, by a set deadline.  

Tonight marked the second fight GGG worked with trainer Jonathan Banks in his corner.  Banks entered the picture after Golovkin and longtime trainer Abel Sanchez went through an ugly public divorce earlier this year.

For Derevyanchenko, tonight marked the second straight fight he had his longtime trainer, Andre Rozier operating as his corner’s chief second.  Derevyanchenko, who is co-trained by Rozier and Gary Stark, was forced to split from Rozier and work solely with Stark for his title clash with Daniel Jacobs, who is also trained by Rozier.  It was the second time the Ukranian came up short in a title bout, the other being to Jacobs earlier this year.  

It was Golovkin’s second consecutive fight and fifth overall inside the main room at the “World’s Most Famous Arena”, where he’s amassed a record of (4-0, 3KO).  He last fought at the Garden in June when he knocked out Steve Forbes in 4 rounds.   

Golovkin’s lone defeat remains his controversial MD defeat to Canelo Alvarez in 2018.  The two rivals also fought to a draw in 2017 in a fight that many believe Golovkin deserved to win. 

Madrimov Batters Barrera En Route To 5th Round TKO

In the co-feature from Madison Square Garden, unbeaten Uzbeki junior middleweight Israil “The Dream” Madrimov (4-0, 4KO) destroyed Mexican veteran Alejandro Barrera (29-6, 18KO), scoring a fifth round TKO in a contest initially slated for ten rounds.  

Madrimov, 24, set the tone early when he landed a leaping left hook that floored Barrera early in the first.  Instead of headhunting the foggy Barrera, Madrimov make a conscious effort to batter Barrera’s body for the remainder of the opening round.  

Madrimov, who is one of a seemingly endless number of Uzbeki fighters training out of Joel Diaz’s gym in Indio, CA, fought a level above Barrera, who did his best to slip and counter the forward-pressing Madrimov.  Madrimov kept coming though, altering from orthodox to southpaw, pouring in jabs to the body and head, and consistently working his way inside to unload.  

By the fifth round, Madrimov’s body shots began to take their toll on the 33 year-old Barrera, whose movement and reflexes significantly slowed.  It then became open season for the Matchroom Boxing prospect, who potshotted Barrera with head-snapping blows until referee Benjy Esteves stepped in to stop the punishment at the 2:36 mark of the fifth round.  

Madrimov now joins Errol Spence Jr. as the only other fighter to have stopped Barrera inside the distance.  

Baranchyk Blasts Bracero, Scores TKO3

Former IBF junior welterweight champion Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk (20-1, 13KO) bounced back from his World Boxing Super Series semi final defeat to Josh Taylor, scoring a fourth round TKO against veteran Gabriel Bracero (25-4-1, 6KO) in a contest originally scheduled for ten rounds.

It was bombs away for Baranchyk in the opening round, as the 26 year-old threw haymaker after haymaker, hoping to land a fight-ending blow early.  Credit the crafty Brooklynite, Bracero, who was able to remain composed during Baranchyk’s early bursts, and pepper in counter shots that would momentarily halt the Beast’s momentum.  

In the second, Baranchyk began connecting with his power shots.  Using his jab only to set up hooks and crosses, Baranchyk landed a huge left hook early in the round and briefly staggered Bracero.  The two engaged in numerous exchanges throughout the remainder of the round, and at times Bracero would land clean, but his punches did little to deter the forward momentum of Baranchyk who would open a cut over Bracero’s right eye before round’s end.  

In the fourth round, Baranchyk planted a heavy left hook to Bracero’s liver that forced him against the ropes.  Baranchyk immediately followed the body shot with a clean jab and a huge right cross that sent Bracero stumbling forward to the mat.  A dazed Bracero beat referee Arthur Mercante Jr.’s ten count but his corner stepped in to stop the contest before action resumed. The official time of the stoppage came at the 1:30 mark of the fourth round.  

Akhmadev Walks Through Hernandez, Stops Him In One

Khazak-born super middleweight Ali Akhmadev (16-0, 12KO) needed just :44 seconds of a scheduled ten rounds to land a fight-ending right cross to Andrew Hernandez’s (20-8-2, 9KO) temple.  

The GGG stable-mate, who is also trained by Jonathan Banks, set the right hand up nicely by throwing it behind a stiff jab. 

It was Akhmadev’s second straight win inside the distance, and just the fourth time Hernandez has been stopped in his thirty fight career.  

Ceballo Disposes Of Amanov In 3

In a battle of unbeatens, former five-time New York Golden Gloves Champion Brian Ceballo (11-0,6KO) scored a third round TKO over fellow welterweight Ramal Amanov (16-1, 5KO), handing the Azerbaijan native his first pro defeat.  

The 25 year-old Ceballo dominated from the onset, proving to be too quick and too slick for the 35 year-old Amanov.

Early on, a Ceballo left opened a bothersome cut over Amanov’s right eye.  In the third round, Ceballo, who was fighting for the fifth time in 2019, landed another left that knocked Amanov off-balance.  The Fort Greene Brooklyn native Ceballo followed up the left with a flurry of shots that prompted referee Arthur Mercante, Jr. to step in and stop the contest at the 1:20 mark of the third round.  

Szeremeta Shines In US Debut, Scores TKO2 Over Cortes

In his US debut, unbeaten Polish middleweight Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5KO) scored a second round TKO over Mexican veteran Oscar Cortes (27-5,14KO).  

The 29 year-old Szeremeta asserted himself early, dropping Corets with a beautifully thrown left hook to the chin in the opening round.  The tattooed Pole kept the heat on in the second, hurting Cortes with an overhand right, before finishing him off with a final left-right combo.  With doctors clamoring on the apron, referee Benjy Esteves Jr. called a halt to the bout at the :45 second mark of round two.  

It was the fourth time in Cortes’ career that he’s been stopped inside the distance and just Szeremeta’s win via stoppage in his last nine contests.  

Injury Spoils Irishman Joe Ward’s Pro Debut, Suffers TKO Loss 

Former 2016 Irish Olympian Joseph Ward (0-1) had his pro debut spoiled when he suffered a gruesome knee injury midway through the second round of a scheduled six round light heavyweight clash that resulted in his opponent, Marco Delgado (6-2, 4KO), being awarded a TKO victory.

The end came suddenly in the second when a Delgado feint drew a reaction from Ward, whose knee twisted awkwardly and immediately gave out, leaving Ward reeling in pain on the mat.  Referee Eddie Claudio ruled the injury “self-imposed”, and therefore Delgado received a win by TKO. The time of the stoppage came at the 1:00 mark of round 2. After doctors tended to Ward’s knee, the gritty Irishman — who is trained by Buddy McGirt — walked out of the ring under his power.  

Ababiy Kicks Off MSG Card In Style; Stops Seldon In One

Twenty year-old Matchroom Boxing super middleweight prospect Nikita “White Chocolate” Ababiy needed less than one of a scheduled six rounds to up his already perfect record to 7-0, 6KO, earning a first round TKO against 31 year-old veteran Isiah Seldon (13-3-1, 4KO).  

Ababiy, who trains under Aureliano Sosa and fights out of Brooklyn, NY, was relentless, battering Seldon’s body, before coming upstairs to deliver a definitive blow that left Seldon unable to continue as the bout was waved off at the 1:45 mark of the opening round.

It was the fifth stoppage in six career wins for the Keith Connolly managed fighter.  

On the flip side, tonight’s TKO marked just the second time in seventeen pro bouts that Seldon had been stopped inside the distance. 

The Ababiy stoppage kicked off a night of fights from Madison Square Garden that will culminate when former middleweight king Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko clash for the vacant IBF middleweight title in a bout that will be streamed live on DAZN. 

Follow all the action as Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko vie for the IBF Middleweight Title at Madison Square Garden

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1 LEFT AND RIGHT AND DOWN GOES DEREVYANCHENKO..

Round 2 2 straight rights from Derevyanchenko..Left hook to the body from Golovkin..uppercut..Body shot from Derevyanchenko..Lead hook and body shot from Golovkin..Jab from Derevyanchenko..Blood around the right eye of Sergiy–Replays showed from a punch

Round 3 Body shot from Derevyanchnko..Right..Uppercut from Golovkin..Body..Body shot..Hook to head from Derevyanchenko..Jab from Golovkin..Hard right..Good body shots from Derevyanchenko..Right to head..

Round 4 3 punch combo from Golovkin..Body shot from Derevyachenko…Good combination..

Round 5-Cut is ruled from a headbutt…Doctor looking at the cut..jab and right hand from Derevyanchenko..Hard uppercut from Golovkin…Hard body shot hurts Golovkin

Round 6 Right from Derevyanchenko..3 jabs..Body shot..Right to side of the head..Right from Golovkin..Jabs..Right and left hook

Round 7  Good hook from Golovkin..Good jab..Hard right to body..right to body..uppercut..Body shot from Derevyanchenko..Body shot..Hook to the head…Hard right from Golovkin

Round 8 Golovkin jabbing..Right to head from Derevyanchenko..Left from Golovkin..Body shot from Derevyanchenko

Round 9 Good uppercut from Golovkin…Hard right from Derevyanchenko…jab from Golovkin..Jab…Jab and right from Derevyanchenko

Round 10 Big combination from Derevychenko..jab and right hand…Moving Golovkin back..Right from Golovkin…3 punches from Derevyanchenko..Body shot..uppercut..right..Hard combination..

Round 11 Right from Golovkin…Right

Round 12 Body from Derevyanchenko..Right from Golovkin…Uppercut from Golovkin

114-113 , 115-112 FOR GOLOVKIN

Round 1 RUNNING LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES BARRERA.3 Hard jabs..hard uppercut to the body

Round 2 Madrimov lands a hard right to the body..Exchanging hard rights..Hard right from Madrimov

Round 3 Uppercut from Barrera

Round 4  Good body work from Madrimov

Round 5 Hard left from Madrimov..Pot shotting..Body shot..Another body shot..Hard jab from the southpaw stance..hard hook..big left AND BARRERA IS HURT…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 Baranchyk lunges in and lands a right..Left hook..Big right..Right to the body

Round 2 Baranchyk lands a left to the body..Hook..body..Hook by Bracero..Counter Right..Left on the ropes..Baranchyk loading up on everything

Round 3 Hard hook to the body from Baranchyk..hard right..Body and head combination..

Round 4 Left hook fro Baranchyn and a hard right that hurts Bracero….Left to BODY AND RIGHT AND DOWN GOES BRACERO…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES HERNANDEZ..FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 Body shot from Ceballo..Right to body

Round 2 1-2 from Ceballo..Good flush right and uppercut..Good combinations on the ropes..Body shot..Nice Body shot..Right to head

Round 3 Straight Right from Ceballo..Counter from Amanov..Right and left to body from Ceballo…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1 SzaeremETA LANDS A LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES CORTES
Round 2  BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES CORTES…FIGHT STOPPED…49 seconds

NEW YORK (October 4, 2019)–TONIGHT!!! Split-T Management will have two of it’s high-class fighters in action at Madison Square Garden, as former junior welterweight world champion Ivan Baranchyk takes on New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in a 10-round bout. Also seeing action on the card will be rising undefeated welterweight Brian Ceballo battling undefeated foe Ramal Amanov.

The fights will be part of the Gennadiy Golovkin – Sergiy Derevyanchenko Middleweight title undercard and will be streamed live on DAZN.beginning at 7 PM ET.

Baranchyk of Amursk, Russia, who is now residing in Miami, Oklahoma has a record of 19-1 with 12 knockouts.

The 26 year-old Baranchyk won the IBF Junior Welterweight title with a seven round beatdown of Anthony Yigit on October 27, 2018. Unfortunately, Baranchyk came up just short in dropping his title to undefeated Josh Taylor on May 18th.

Baranchyk also has wins over David Thomas (4-0), Angel Figueroa (4-1-1), Shadi Shawareb (9-0-2), Nicholas Givan (16-0-1), Eliseo Cruz Sesma (9-0-1), Zhiman Wang (7-0), Abel Ramos (17-1-2), Keenan Smith (11-0), and former two-time world title challenger Petr Petrov (38-5-2).

In Bracero, he will be facing a battle-tested veteran who has a record of 25-3-1 with six-knockouts.

Baranchyk weighed in at 139.6 lbs. Bracero was 140 lbs.

Baranchyk is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Holden Promotions and Fight Promotions.

Bracero of Brooklyn has wins over Winston Mathis (6-0), Danny O’Connor (14-0), Guillermo Valdes (12-3), Jermaine White (17-4), Dmitry Salita (35-1-1), O’Connor again (26-2), and in his last bout, Bracero stopped Artemio Reyes (25-2) in five rounds on July 28th.

Ceballo of New York City has a record of 10-0 with five knockouts.

In just 19 months, Ceballo has climbed to the top of a lot of prospect lists on the strength of victories over Bakhtiyar Eyubov (14-0-1) and Luis Alberto Lopez.

In the Eyubov fight, Ceballo dominated the power puncher, and developed a name for himself as the fight also took place at Madison Square Garden on the Gennadiy Golovkin – Steve Rolls card.

Ceballo is coming off a 4th round stoppage over Luis Eduardo Florez on August 23rd in Boston.

“A win on this stage against another undefeated fighter would allow me to continue my career as a Professional Fighter, and allow people to see what Brian Ceballo can do against different opposition,” said Ceballo

Six-year veteran Amanov is an undefeated foe who sports a record of 16-0 with five knockouts. Amanov has fought mainly in Russia, and will be making his 2nd start in the United States.

Amanov has wins over Ranses Payano (19-1) and Soloman Bogere (12-1-2).

Ceballo was 148.6 lbs. Amanov 148.4 lbs.

Ceballo is promoted by 360 Promotions.

Demetrius Andrade will be a more than interested spectator as the WBO Middleweight champion sits ringside tonight as Gennadiy Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko clash for the vacant IBF and IBO titles at Madison Square Garden live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANDRADE IN NEW YORK ON MATCHROOM BOXING’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Andrade (28-0 17 KOs) is set to defend his WBO crown in December before hunting a blockbuster clash in 2020 to back up his conviction of being the best 160lber on the planet, and both GGG and Canelo Alvarez are on ‘Boo Boo’s’ radar for that.

The Rhode Island star expects a tough fight tonight though, with Kazakh king Golovkin aiming to regain the IBF and IBO crowns while Derevyanchenko full of belief in his second World title fight.

“Fighting either one of them would be cool,” said Andrade. “Sergiy is a durable guy, his only loss is to Danny Jacobs, one of the best out there, and we’re going to see what is left in GGGs tank tonight. Has he gotten a little older or not? We can’t tell until tonight, and it’s a good step up for Sergiy to see his skill level. Either way, I would get in the ring with the winner as they are both stand out guys.

“GGG is the more popular guy and I want to go out and beat the popular guy. He may not be the most skillful out there. He’s put in the work, they’ve moved him well and he’d be a great guy to put on the resume, even if he loses – it’s still GGG!

“I’m not frustrated, I’m working on my own legacy. I want to stay active, fight who we can fight, fight my mandatories and do what we have to do so there’s no more excuses for why people won’t fight me. There’s a small window of names out there now and sooner or later, we’re going to have to fight. So how can I be frustrated when I am a World champion again, fighting four times in a year, I’m getting paid, I’m chilling, my family is good – there’s nothing to be frustrated about. It would still be an honor to get in with Canelo, with GGG, they’ve done a lot for the sport and so am I. It’s going to happen, me and Canelo are in the same age group.

“When it comes to skills, I do believe I’m the most talented fighter out there. So, people don’t want their business destroyed by fighting me. But at the end of the day, you are fighting one of the best. You’re going to say that you fought Demetrius Andrade – Olympic champion, two-weight World champion, what is there to be upset about. Everyone is fighting around the same time, GGG-Derevyanchenko tonight, Canelo in November, I’ll be fighting in December, we can fight in May or June, so it’s all lining up and all I have to do is keep winning and looking good.”

By Norm Frauenheim-

The whispers are hard to ignore. Gennadiy Golovkin has surely heard them. He’s changed, they say. A different guy, they say.

But the only thing for certain is what we know from his birth certificate. He’s older, a 37-year -old fighter who intends to silence those whispers and reaffirm what he has always believed.

Pre-Canelo and Post-Canelo, Golovkin has always been a middleweight. It’s the division that defines him. It’s also a division he dominated.

It’s that domination, perhaps, that he intends to re-assert in a tricky bid to reclaim a major 160-pound belt against Sergiy Derevyanchenko Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden in a DAZN-streamed bout.

After all of the mind-numbing controversy swirling about Canelo Alvarez’ move up to light-heavyweight in decision to bypass a third fight with Golovkin, GGG says nothing has changed. He says he is back in the gym with the same work ethic and same vigilance.

 “You can’t underestimate your opponent,’’ he said during a conference call. “It’s kind of like a duel. If you underestimate it, it could be your last one.’’

GGG (39-1-1, 35 KOs) is sick of talking about Canelo, who said he was finished with GGG on the day his step-up to 175-pounds against Sergey Kovalev on Nov. 2 was announced. Ask the inevitable and you can almost hear a weary sigh. Hard to blame him. But there’s no escaping the questions

This time, he was asked if he feared that there might be a void in his career if he doesn’t get a third shot at Canelo.

“My biggest opponent is not a particular person,’’ said GGG, who is 0-1-1 against Canelo. “My career is about what I do.

“It just looks like he (Canelo) couldn’t or didn’t want to fight me. Sergey Kovalev was his only option. How can I be disappointed, looking at those people?’’

“I feel great, just like I always have. I always feel like I am a champion. For me, every fight is the same.’’

For now, he can look at what, who is in front of him. Derevyanchenko (13-1, 10 KOs) is a Ukrainian who put himself in the middleweight mix last October with a split-decision loss to Danny Jacobs, also at Madison Square Garden.

He went on to score a unanimous decision over Jack Culcay in April, a few weeks before Canelo scored a one-sided decision over Jacobs on the Cinco de Mayo weekend.

Despite a record that includes only 14 fights (13-1, 10 KOs), Derevyanchenko has the look of a fighter who is just beginning to figure out how good he really is. He’s 33 and a late bloomer.

His promoter, Lou DiBella, thinks the time and place are perfect for Derevyanchenko to spring a major upset.

DiBella believes the whispers. He says GGG is a step beyond his prime.

“At this point in his career, he’s not getting younger, he’s not getting faster, he’s not getting better,’’ DiBella said. “Sergiy Derevyanchenko is an incredible risk to GGG.” 

Prediction: GGG wins a unanimous decision against a tactically-skilled fighter aptly named “The Technician.’’

(October 1, 2019):

Irish amateur boxing star, Joe Ward will make his highly anticipated professional debut this Saturday, October 5th at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of the IBF middleweight world title fight between Gennady Golovkin and Sergiy Derevyanchenko broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.

The 25-year-old Ward, a native of Westmeath, Ireland who recently signed a co-promotional deal with Murphys Boxing and DiBella Entertainment and is trained by Boxing Hall of Famer, Buddy McGirt and Irish trainer, Jimmy Payne, will take on a dangerous opponent in his professional debut, the hard hitting Marco Delgado (5-1, 4 KOs) in a 6 round bout.

A member of Ireland’s 2016 Olympic team, Ward is joined by undisputed world champion Katie Taylor as the only Irish boxers to win more than one European Elite gold medal. His acclaimed amateur career includes 15 Irish National Championships, three gold medals at the European Amateur Championships (2017, 2015, 2011), a gold medal at the World Youth Championships (2010), and a gold medal at the World Junior Championships (2009). Ward also earned the silver medal at the 2017 World Amateur Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Having his first fight at 11 years old, Ward ended his amateur career with a record of 290-15.

“I’m really looking forward to making my pro debut at Madison Square Garden, which is a great venue to introduce myself to the boxing world as I enter the professional ranks,” said Ward.

“It’s going to be a special night that I will never forget. I’d like to thank my team, DiBella Entertainment, Murphys Boxing and Times Square Boxing Company, for the opportunity and I am excited to put on a great performance.”

“Ken Casey and I are both thrilled that super prospect Joe Ward is debuting on the GGG-Derevyanchenko card,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.

“We expect to see a lot of support from New York’s Irish community and believe it’ll be one of many New York City fights for Joe as he begins his rise up the ranks of boxing’s elite.”

“It’s an honor to be involved with such a class fighter and person,” said Ken Casey, president of Murphys Boxing.

“We have a great team and a great plan to keep Joe busy and fighting for a world title in no time. Saturday Night will be the first step in what will be an amazing journey for all of us on Team Ward and for Joe… the start of a legendary professional career.”
ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING

Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Abraham Nova, Charles Foster, Mark DeLuca, Carlos Gongora, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and undefeated prospects like William Foster III and Luis Arcon Diaz and more!

For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com

By Norm Frauenheim-

Canelo Alvarez says and does whatever he wants these days. Money buys that kind of power and Canelo has plenty.

It’s hard to argue with his $365-million contract with DAZN. But money exerts its own price. Makes its own demands.

At some point that money is going to force Canelo to take the fight he says he doesn’t want.

In formally announcing a Nov. 2 bout with Sergey Kovalev at Las Vegas MGM Grand in a risky jump up the scale from middleweight to light-heavy, Canelo said he was finished with Gennadiy Golovkin.

Canelo, who still holds three middleweight belts, said he would go back to 160 pounds no matter what happens against Kovalev in his bid to win a fourth title at a fourth weight.

But, he told reporters at a news conference Wednesday at Los Angles’ Union Station, it won’t be against GGG, who is 0-1-1 against him. Both fights were close, close enough to beg for a third.

But, no, Canelo said.

“We are finished ,’’ he said.

I’d bet $465 million that they’re not. That’s the total DAZN has invested in exactly the bout he now says won’t happen. There is his deal, the lion’s share. There is another $100 million in a contract that GGG signed in the wake of Canelo’s landmark deal.

GGG advisor Tom Loeffler has said GGG signed with DAZN because he saw it as the fastest way to a third fight. But only social media are immediate these days.

From Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder to GGG-Canelo, there are no quick turnarounds. There’s just the waiting.

But DAZN has time and reason to wait on the one rematch that might allow it the streaming network to cash in on its investment. Demetrius Andrade is an interesting fight, but it doesn’t have the upside that third bout with GGG has. Take it the bank.

Canelo promoter Oscar De La Hoya continues to say the third bout will happen in 2020.

“Oscar says many things that make no sense,’’ Canelo said in a counter that raises some question about where the Canelo-Golden Boy Promotions relationship is headed.

But De La Hoya is right about his one. It makes sense. Lots of cents.

New York, NY (September 10, 2019) Irish amateur boxing star Joe Ward will make his highly anticipated pro debut on Saturday, October 5, at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, as part of the undercard to the Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin-Sergiy Derevyanchenko middleweight championship contest. Ward, who is co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Ken Casey’s Murphys Boxing, and managed by Times Square Boxing Co., will take on Marco Delgado (5-1, 4 KOs), of Modesto, CA, in a six-round light heavyweight clash. The 25-year-old Ward, a native of Westmeath, Ireland, is trained by Hall-of-Famer James “Buddy” McGirt and Irishman Jimmy Payne.

A member of Ireland’s 2016 Olympic team, Ward is joined by undisputed world champion Katie Taylor as the only Irish boxers to win more than one European Elite gold medal. His acclaimed amateur career includes 15 Irish National Championships, three gold medals at the European Amateur Championships (2017, 2015, 2011), a gold medal at the World Youth Championships (2010), and a gold medal at the World Junior Championships (2009). Ward also earned the silver medal at the 2017 World Amateur Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Competing for the British Lionhearts in the World Series of Boxing, Ward compiled a record of 8-1 with a 2018 ranking ahead of Cuba’s two-time Olympic champion Julio La Cruz. Having his first fight at 11 years old, Ward ended his amateur career with a record of 290-15.
“I’m really looking forward to making my pro debut at Madison Square Garden, which is a great venue to introduce myself to the boxing world as I enter the professional ranks,” said Ward. “It’s going to be a special night that I will never forget. I’d like to thank my team, DiBella Entertainment, Murphys Boxing and Times Square Boxing Co., for the opportunity and I am excited to put on a great performance.”
“Ken Casey and I are both thrilled that super prospect Joe Ward is debuting on the GGG-Derevyanchenko card,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “We expect to see a lot of support from New York’s Irish community and believe it’ll be one of many New York City fights for Joe as he begins his rise up the ranks of boxing’s elite.”
“Joe is a world-class prospect and a future star, and we are incredibly excited that he can begin his journey as a professional at such a historic and venerated venue,” said Adam Glenn, CEO of Times Square Boxing Co. “This is an amazing way to start what we know will be a tremendous boxing career.”
“Fighters spend their whole lives dreaming of fighting at Madison Square Garden,” stated Joe Winters, Chairman of Times Square Boxing Co. “Joe Ward’s hard work, dedication and accomplishments allow him to start his career there. We believe that this is going to be the first of many special nights for Joe.”
“I would like to thank my team at KO Night Boxing for working to get this opportunity against Joe Ward,” said Delgado. “I’ve been waiting for this call my whole life. I’m here to do my job and that’s to make the judges’ job easy.”
“I am truly excited for the world to get a look at Marco Delgado,” said John Anderson, of KO Night Boxing. “I think Lou DiBella will be in for a big surprise. I have all the respect in the world for Lou, but in this fight, I feel Marco is way too rugged for Joe Ward and it will show as the fight progresses.”

Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin believes his clash with Sergiy Derevyanchenko will be a classic when they meet for the vacant IBF World Middleweight title on Saturday October 5 at Madison Square Garden in New York, live on DAZN.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW FROM MSG.COM
Golovkin (39-1-1 35 KOs) and Derevyanchenko (13-1 10 KOs) met at a press conference at the mecca of boxing yesterday and both men stated their excitement for what promises to be a thrill a minute battle for the belt that Golovkin used to hold, and that Derevyanchenko has challenged for.

Former unified king Golovkin is gunning to regain the crown he held for three years as the Kazakh star targets returning to World champion status and meetings with the other champions at 160lbs.

Derevyanchenko has plans to derail that journey though and came close to landing the IBF strap himself in October at the Hulu Theater at MSG, being edged out on a split decision against Golovkin’s old foe Daniel Jacobs.

“I’m so excited,” said Golovkin. “First of all, I’m happy to be back home, my second home. Thank you to my family at MSG for always supporting me. Of course, I’m very excited right now. Right now, I work with the best people from boxing.

“I have the best opponent, Sergiy. I’ve know him for a long time and he’s a very good fighter. This is a real fight. I’m a little bit scared because he’s good. I know his team is very strong. And I’m scared because he looks good. He looks strong. He feels it’s his time right now. Maybe – this is boxing, nobody knows. So if you want to watch a real show, a real fight, come to MSG on October 5 or watch live on DAZN.”

“I’m really excited and happy to be at Madison Square Garden,” said Derevyanchenko. “Thank you to my team, and I want to give thanks to Gennadiy Golovkin for the opportunity as well. I know exactly who I’m getting in the ring with. He’s the former Middleweight champion of the world, one of the best fighters in the world, but his time is coming to an end and I want to be the one that makes that time come to an end.”

MORE QUOTES FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE

Eddie Hearn, president, Matchroom Boxing USA

“Gennadiy is for me the most entertaining, most dangerous fighter in world boxing. Is there a fighter in boxing that gives more value for money than Gennadiy Golobkin? I’m not sure, I haven’t found him yet.”

“He may look like a very calm individual, we know he’s a lovely man, but what a fearsome fighter. For me, it’s a pleasure to be a part of Team GGG now, a man that we’ve admired from a distance for a long time, become one of the biggest names in the sport of boxing. As an individual, he carries himself with so much class. He’s a role model for the next generation of fighters coming through. He has integrity, he has honor. And when you look at him in the eyes, it tells you one thing – I love to fight, and I will fight any man.”

“There’s been a lot of speculation recently about who he’s going to fight. Is it going to be Canelo? The thing that’s most important in a fighter’s career is to take control of your career. Have a strategy, have a plan, don’t worry about other people. And right now, we have a plan with Gennadiy’s career that’s extremely exciting to dominate the division and it starts on October 5 at the Mecca of boxing.”

“What a 10 months it’s been for DAZN. We’re 10 months in, that’s it, and we have by far the strongest stable of fighters in America. It’s not even close.”

Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP, North America

“It’s been a busy summer for DAZN to build out our year-end, one that is without question the most impressive schedule in fight sports. This fight on October 5^th, the second of Gennadiy’s long term deal with us, will be the start of what I see as the season of fight sports. A long-term schedule of high quality fights, best fighters against best fighters, delivering tremendous value for fight fans.

“It’s a tremendous fight itself, and it’s only a part of our backend year end schedule that’s going to be great for fight fans and sports fansin general.”

Keith Connolly, manager of Sergiy Derevyanchenko

“Wow what an amazing opportunity for Sergiy. 10 months ago we were in this building where he fought danny Jacobs, and he lost a very close decision. He and his wife were very heartbroken. I made them one promise that night, that I would do everything in my power to get them another opportunity. 10 months later, because of a lot of maneuvering, he’s back in this same position he was 10 months ago,. He’s got a second opportunity to be under the bright lights and really change his life. I think he’s got a really good chance. I’m a huge fan of GGG, but his will be the second time in my life that I‘m rooting against him. Sergiy’s got a real chance. He might only be 13-1 as a pro but he has over 400 amateur fights and won 390 of them. This is definitely an entertaining fight.”

Andre Rozier, trainer of Sergiy Derevyanchenko

“He cannot win this time. He cannot be victorious. The Technician is ready, he’s willing, he’s able. He’s putting his best foot forward. Our team is no longer fragmented. The squad is ready and we plan to be the middleweight champion of the world on October 5. Sergiy is a quiet man but you have to watch the quiet ones – they’re the most dangerous.”

Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment

“We knew that Gennadiy knew Sergiy, they’ve known each other for years, when they were both amateurs. Right now he’s moving on in his life and fighting the best middleweight in the world available to him, and I believe that’s what Sergiy is. I’m going to tell you, this is one of the three hardest fights GGG has ever walked into the ring for, one of the three best opponents GGG has ever faced as a pro. I think this is a great fight for fight fans and I promise you that between GGG Promotions and Eddie and myself, the rest of the card is going to live up to the main event and we’re going to have a night of boxing that’s one of the best on DAZN’s schedule for the rest of the year.”

Tom Loeffler, GGG Promotions

“He had that historic championship run. We’re looking forward to him winning the IBF title on October 5 to start another championship run in the middleweight division. He hasn’t lost a fight in the ring; he might have lost on the score cards, but we’re not looking back at that. We’re looking forward. He’s looking forward to Derevyanchenko.”

 Johnathon Banks, trainer of Gennadiy Golovkin

“It’s an honor to go against this guy [Rozier]. I’ve been saying that since I was 15 in the amateurs. I have nothing but the utmost respect for this guy. That’s to me, that’s one of the things that’s going to make this fight one of the biggest fights of GGG’s career. I know the pedigree that Rozier has and good fighters always surround himself with him because they know he always takes fighters to another level. This fight will be a good fight. Tune in on DAZN, come to the Garden, this is a fight you don’t want to miss. Both guys are fighting for a chance to be a world champion. One is a repeat, one is a first-timer, but it doesn’t matter, the playing field is completely even, completely level. Both guys are going to put everyone on the line for this fight to win this world title.”