Tag Archives: farmer

Posted on 01/28/2020

By: Sean Crose

“After I win,” says IBF super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer in the lead up to Thursday’s fight with Joseph Diaz, “I think I have one or two more fights at 130lbs and then I’ll move up, especially if the big fights don’t happen.” Although there are names such as Miguel Berchelt and Jamel Herring who hold titles in Farmer’s weight class, boxing politics might well keep unification bouts from happening. Therefore, Farmer may well just move on after a point. “It’s not frustrating,” Farmer says. “I want the unification fights and I want to be undisputed, but as long as I am still fighting and feeding my family, I am OK with that.”

Yet Farmer also wants people to know he isn’t overlooking anyone. “Talk about overlooking people is overused as you have to plan for the future,” he says, “but it’s my future and I won’t let any other fighter determine my career – you don’t want to fight me, we move on. I will make my legacy with what I do and who I fight, I don’t care what anyone else does, it’s all down to me.”

One person Farmer wants the world to know he’s focusing on is the 30-1 Diaz. “It’s going to be a hell of a fight, he’s going to come ready and I am always ready to fight,” Farmer says. “I’ve had a great camp and we’ve added some new things to what I already have so I can’t wait, it’s going to be fireworks. You can never learn enough. I’m the first in the gym and I’m the last out, I put the work in and cut no corners.” Although Diaz isn’t as high profile an opponent as some may want Farmer to face, Farmer is happy to give the Californian a chance.

“He started calling me out on social media,” he says of Diaz. “Usually I don’t pay attention to people but I thought that he would be a good name on my resume, he’s a hell of a fighter and I wanted to give him a shot at the title. I knew the fight would happen, if I say the fight is going to happen, it’s going to happen.” The 30-4-1 titlist made it clear he’s exuding confidence walking into Thursday. “He’s going to come out and try to bang,” Farmer said of Diaz, “throw a lot of power shots, maybe he could try to box too. But anything he brings I’m ready for it.”

he Farmer-Diaz bout will be part of a huge Thursday card airing live from Miami’s Meridian at Island Gardens on DAZN. The event will also feature Demetrius Andrade facing off against Luke Keeler for the WBO middleweight title, and Daniel Roman facing off against Murodjon Akhmadaliev for the WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles. 

Posted on 09/23/2019

By: Shane Willoughby

The most active champion in the world may be hitting a bit of turbulence. Tevin Farmer has fought 5 times in the last 13 months but none of those fights were that big.

However, Eddie Hearn spoke about getting his fighter a big fight at the end of the year, but who? The top of the list was Gervonta Davis.

Both men have gone back and forth for years and it seemed as if they were desperate to settle their issues. However, that fight is practically dead in the water after failed negotiations and ‘Tank’ Davis moving up to lightweight.

Another fight on the cards was against Joseph Diaz. Now Diaz is far from a massive draw in the sport but him and Farmer have had many verbal exchanges that weren’t very pleasant. These guys are far from friends and the build-up would have been fantastic.

With Jo Jo Diaz signed to DAZN as well it seemed as if that fight was inevitable. But unfortunately not, because he has decided to ditch Tevin Farmer and face Jesus Cuadro at the end of the year. It’s not looking great for Farmer.

Eddie Hearn loves putting his fighters into unification, we’ve seen him do it with Hooker, Roman, Jacob’s and Joshua and that was the plan for Farmer. Both Hearn and Farmer spoke about unifying the belts and the most likely challenger was Miguel Berchelt.

Berchelt is currently the WBC Super featherweight welterweight champion and has held the title since 2017, making 6 title defences. With him being signed to Top Rank wouldn’t have been a problem either, in fact, it may have sped up the process.

We just saw Arum send one of his fighters in Ramirez to DAZN and pick up the belt from Hooker and that negotiation seemed to happen overnight. However, Berchelt is now set to fight Jason Sosa on November 2nd.

The most active fighter seems to be without a fight. With no big fights on the horizon it’s likely we see Farmer take another easy touch before the end of the year. But Hearn needs to get a big fight for his man soon because Farmer’s contract with DAZN is up very soon.

Posted on 07/30/2019

By: Shane Willoughby

In the modern age of boxing, with all the politics involving the TV networks, it can cause inactivity with fighters. Especially if they are in a division where their promoter doesn’t have many fighters in his stable. With all that said Tevin Farmer is definitely a freak of nature in this era of the sport.

In the last 11 months Farmer has fought 5 times and is looking to continue at this rate for the remainder of the year. Whilst many fans were quite critical of his last fight Guillaume Frenois due to the lack of action, what they can’t criticise, is the fact that he is fighting.

Not only is the Philadelphia fighter active but he is winning. Farmer is 30-4 but hasn’t lost in the last 7 years. Which is remarkable.

Since signing with Matchroom in 2018, the IBF champion has fought 53 rounds in 47 weeks; and other than James Tennyson every other opponent he has fought in that time period, he has gone the distance with.

He is by far the most active champion in the division and if we were to compare him with another champion at 130lb there is no better person than Gervonta Davis. Unlike Farmer, Tank has only boxed twice in the past year; going 3 rounds in total.

It’s not that TMT are not doing right by Davis, it’s just that what Tevin Farmer is doing is nothing short of exceptional.

The expression, you don’t get paid for overtime in boxing doesn’t appear to apply for Tevin Farmer. His contract is reportedly $2 million for 4 fights, and whilst that’s not Canelo money, if you consider the fact that he is making that amount in only 8 months, those purses are more than substantial.

In fact, it might be a good thing for DAZN that he isn’t on Canelo’s contract because at the rate Farmer is going he would be getting 365 million every 2 years.

Posted on 07/26/2019

By: Robert Aaron Contreras

This Saturday, on DAZN, a unification is at hand between WBC beltholder Jose Carlos Ramirez and WBO claimant Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker. This despite the the heavy criticism both men faced for not joining the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS).

So while the WBSS finale between fellow junior welterweight champions Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor remains in limbo, the title staged is being propped up in Arlington, Texas—not far from Dallas where Hooker was a touted amateur fighter.

Ramirez vs. Hooker, 140-pound unification

Undefeated in 53 fights between them, both men regrettably turned in iffy performances earlier this year.

Hooker, for one, admitted in March to not taking seriously his challenger Mikkel LesPierre. As a result, it took the 29-year-old defending champ three attempts on the scales before finally hitting the 140-pound mark.

In Hooker’s defense—literally—LesPierre hardly edged a single round. Hooker turned him away by wide margins, befuddling the challenger at the end of his own 80-inch reach. The Texas-born boxer repeatedly straightened out his jab into LesPierre, peppering the New York transplant up and down. Mostly down, with a keen focus on setting up left hooks to the body.

A left hand from Hooker to the liver in the ninth round resulted in the only official knockdown. But additionally in the fifth stanza, a combination wobbled LesPierre, eventually falling to the canvas in a delayed reaction, which referee Benjy Esteves inexplicably called a slip.

Nonetheless, Hooker only gave up three rounds across all three judges’ scorecards. It was a dominant outing following a melee with Alex Saucedo, a finely-tuned combination puncher. Hooker was nearly finished in the second round by Saucedo. Hooker though finally got to his man, and pelted him down in the fateful seventh round.

It was a bruising display for a man with a frame such that it might suggest he can only box and move, relying on his gigantic arms that often make for awkward inside-punching sequences. But hanging back and utilizing his cartoonish length is never a bad plan either. His reach is without a doubt the longest of any high-level junior welterweight and lengthier than even heavyweights like Joseph Parker, Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz.

Andy Ruiz Jr., of course, proved the shorter—less imposing—man can always prevail. Ramirez will try to turn the same trick.

In addition to a unification, this weekend also represents Ramirez’s third title defense. He is unbeaten since turning professional in 2012. His has been a natural development in California, becoming a hit in his native Fresno. So much so Hooker reportedly wanted no part in fighting in his opponent’s domain, per BoxingScene.

Ramirez, though, had no problem traveling to Texas or even New York where he triumphed over Albany, NY’s own Amir Imam. In 2018, the visiting fighter earned the WBC belt, bullying Imam en route to a decision victory.

Ramirez, 26, secured his next two title defenses back home in Fresno. First he banged up the world-rated Antonio Orozco for a points win. His second defense against the excellent southpaw Jose Zepeda was not as easy as Ramirez escaped with a split-decision.

Zepeda however had never before been decisively beaten. A perennial contender, the Mexican challenger is not just a tricky southpaw but one with power, to boot. Ramirez experienced that firsthand, hardly landing cleanly on Zepeda. But the champion’s output was just enough to nick the rounds he needed. Fights at the elite level tend to be tit for tat. This one could have went either way.

Ramirez in proving he could pull himself out of a tough go and win big fights was the real takeaway.

Tevin Farmer vs. Guillaume Frenois, 130-pound title fight

Interestingly enough, both men here are coming off fighting the same opponent: Jono Carroll.

Frenois, a 35-year-old Frenchman, took on Carroll first. The two met last December in an eliminator for Farmer’s belt. Carroll, of Ireland—sporting too thick a beard for a boxing match that typically requires shaving down such facial hair—took an early lead. Frenois though bided his time, riding his bicycle, until Carroll’s barnstorming assault simmered down. As Carroll’s stalking approach became less creative, the French boxer applied a nice jab fighting in reverse to take back the second half of the bout.

The two settled for a split-draw, a reasonable decision.

Farmer’s time with Carroll was not any more fun. In March, the 28-year-old American headlined his first show on DAZN. It doubled as a homecoming defense in his native Philadelphia—a welcome occasion after lifting the strap in enemy territory over the Australian Billy Dib.

Carroll again got off to an early lead and by the end threw over 1,000 punches the champion’s way. The scrappy challenger ended up pushing Farmer the distance. Farmer was miserably unmotivated to fire back through the early-to-middle stages. But he turned it up in the final handful of rounds: clearly beating Carroll to the punch: clearly a combatant built for the championship distance.

Farmer has only punched in six knockouts in his 34-bout career. His fists were still mighty enough in 2018 to take out a puncher like James Tennyson by fifth-round TKO, focusing on piercing his challenger’s midsection. Farmer’s punch selection was daunting, adapting to lack of freak physical traits and relying on accuracy which matters most when dishing out liver shots. Farmer has always been one for adapting, developing over his career from an 8-4-1 club fighter, to a surging world champion, unconquered since 2013.

Frenois, far older than Farmer, is similarly a southpaw and undefeated since 2013 all the same. Amid his 15-fight win streak, the French stylist claimed in 2016 the European title, decisioning Samir Ziani, who remains Top 15 by multiple sanctioning bodies.

Two title defenses of the Euro belt followed before Frenoi left his beloved France for Yorkshire in the United Kingdom to pair off with Carroll.

Now Frenois has at last a crack at the world level. Few expect him to outduel his fellow southpaw. But a touch taller than Farmer, with a reliable chin to take whatever the champ has, it is not an impossible scenario.

Posted on 07/10/2019

By: Sean Crose

“July 27 will be the fourth defense of my world title in just under one year,” says the (29-4-1) IBF world super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer. “There is no other world champion as active as me and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. I’m only 28 years old and I’m still learning and still improving each and every time I step in the ring.” Over the past year, the Baltimore native has fought an unheard of (by today’s standards) five times, and has gone everywhere from Australia to Boston to New York to his native Philadelphia in order to ply his trade.

Now Farmer will be fighting in Texas as one of the highlights of a live card that will be aired on the DAZN streaming service from Arlington’s College Park Center. His opponent will be Guillaume Frenois (46-1-1) of Saint-Quentin, France. “It is no secret that there are major fights out there for me in the division,” says Farmer, “but I need to take care of business first with Frenois, who has had a lot to say. July 27 is going to be my best performance yet.” The southpaw Frenois, of course, has other plans. He may not be a huge name with huge wins on his resume, but the Frenchman has suffered just a single defeat in his entire career, and that was almost six years ago.

Still, all eyes are on Farmer as he continues to make his mark on the super featherweight division. “Tevin Farmer is a throwback warrior,” says promoter Lou DiBella, “who believes that a true champion defends his title at every possible opportunity.” After spending some time under the radar, Farmer is determined to let his presence be felt by remaining active. “Against Frenois,” DiBella says, “Tevin will be fighting his fifth world title fight in one year and will put an exclamation point on a historic 12-month run. With his mandatory obligation out of the way, the stage will be set for an even more historic next 12 months and beyond for Tevin.”

British super promoter Eddie Hearn is equally effusive of Farmer’s current place in the fight game “I am delighted to add another world title fight to this huge night of boxing on DAZN,” he says. “Tevin has been America’s most active world Champion over the last year and just needs to get past this to land the big one in the fall.” There has been much talk of Farmer facing fellow super featherweight titlist Gervonta Davis, though the two fight on different platforms, and for different promoters. In fact, Davis himself will be defending his WBA world title against Ricardo Nunez in Maryland the same night Farmer throws down with Frenois in Arlington.

Although both Farmer and Davis have been criticized recently for their level of competition, Hearn makes it a point to present Frenois as a legitimate challenge. “Frenois gave Jono (Carroll) a great fight when they battled to a draw last year,” he says, “and will come to Dallas full of ambition.”

Posted on 03/16/2019

By: Ken Hissner

The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Friday night was the host event as big time boxing returned to Philadelphia. The main event featured Philly’s Tevin “American” Farmer defending his IBF World Super Featherweight Title against No. 2 ranked Jono “Celtic Warrior” Carroll, of Dublin, Ireland. The promoters were Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment and J Russell Peltz’s Peltz Boxing Promotions. The event was well attended

IBF World Super Featherweight Champion southpaw Tevin “American Idol” Farmer, 29-4-1 (6), defended his title for the third time in five months by defeating southpaw Jono “Celtic Warrior King Kong” Carroll, 16-1-1 (3), of Dublin, IRE, over 12 exciting rounds.

It was surprising to see the PA commission allowed Carroll to fight with a full beard.

In the first round Farmer gave Carroll a boxing lesson having the jab in an all southpaw match in his face the entire round until the last ten seconds when Carroll landed a combination. In the second round Carroll landed a flurry of punches to the body. Farmer fought Carroll’s round staying inside and getting outworked.

In the third round it was an inside brawl from both fighters. Farmer is quicker and referee Rosato is not warning Carroll’s low flows but from a distance motioning keep them up. The fans love the action. In the fourth round Farmer returned to boxing picking Carroll apart and rocking hin with a right hook to the chin. They are going back and forth inside with Farmer getting the best of it. Farmer ended the round with lightning punches to the body and head of Carroll. Carroll laughed going back to the corner. He is a lovable character.

Photo Credit: DAZN Boxing Twitter Account

In the fifth round Farmer countered Carroll with a left cross on the chin. Carroll is outworking Farmer inside. Farmer knocked out the mouthpiece of Carroll. Farmer is puttin on a show rocking Carroll. Farmer landed a right to the head and a left uppercut to the body. Farmer got warned for a low borderline punch by referee Rosato.

In the sixth round Farmer made Carroll miss a variety of punches and came back with a flurry landing every one. Carroll kept coming. Farmer stayed inside slipping punches and rocking Carroll with a left on the chin. Farmer had Carroll missing several punches at the bell. In the seventh round Farmer has Carroll following him and walking into punches. Carroll is touch as nails but Farmer is much slicker. Farmer landed a double left uppercut on the chin.
In the eighth round both fighters are landing solid punches all inside. Its all body shots from both fighters. Farmer is landing uppercuts at will. The Irish fans are loud at the end of the rounds but not so loud during the round. In the ninth round Carroll is throwing more but Farmer landed the more effective punches. Carroll has the hart of a lion. Farmer has been playing with him but needed to land more punches. Carroll’s got a cut over his right eye. Farmer is a slickster but you never know how the judges see it.

In the ninth round the action is furious. Farmer evades many punches and comes back with solid right hooks on the chin. Carroll is cut over both eyes. Farmer is showing his superior skills. Farmer has Carroll busted up with blood covering his face. Referee Gary Rosato pulled Carroll off as he was trying to land something after the bell in desperation.

In the tenth round Carroll’s glove was untied and his corner took too long to take care of it. Farmer is out there having fun as the Celtic Warrior has him against the ropes being desperate but dangerous. In the eleventh round Farmer will slip head shots but Carroll is landing to the body. Farmer is giving him a boxing lesson but Carroll never stops tring. Carroll landed a good body shot but Farmer has him a bloody mess with head shogts. A right hook rocked Carroll. The corner should have stopped it for Carroll.

In the twelfth and final round Farmer looks to finish it. He landed a right cross to the chin rocking Carroll. Farmer landed a combination to the head of Carroll having him near exhaustion. Carroll kept fighting back like the warrior he is but he is in with a better fighter tonight. The fans enjoyed this one especially the Philly fans.

Scores were 117-110 and 117-111 twice with this writer having it 118-110. The fans loved this one.

IBF World Female and WBA World Female Lightweight Champion and 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Katie Taylor, 13-0 (6), of Bray, IRE, stopped WBO World Female Lightweight Champion Rose “The Queen” Volante, 14-1 (8), of Sao Paulo, BRZ, in a unification match at 1:40 of the ninth round in a war now having three belts.

In the first round Volante rushed out landing the first punch. A minute later Taylor dropped her with a flurry of punches for an 8 count of referee Benjy Esteves, Jr. In the second round it was a lot of infighting with both taking the lead. Taylor landed a solid right on the chin but Volante came back with a right of her own driving Taylor into Volante’s corner landing a right to the chin at the bell.

In the third round Volante came out pressing Taylor who countered well. The crowd was yelling “come on Katie”. Volante countered a right with a right moving Taylor back several steps. In the fourth round Taylor landed a 3-punch combination to the head and body. Volante has surprised the crowd going punch for punch with the highly respected Taylor. This was another close round. In the fifth round the women are slugging it out to the delight of the fans. Volante looks like she has a bloody nose.

In the sixth and seventh rounds the women fought back and forth on even terms. In the eighth round Taylor rocked Volante with a flurry of solid punches to the head. Taylor landed a good left hook to the body. Volante came back forcing the action with a right on the chin. Taylor came right back with a right on the chin. Taylor landed three punches to the head. The fans were chanting “Katie, Katie”!

In the ninth round Taylor came out landing a pair of left hooks to the body. Volante came back with a right and got countered with a flurry from Taylor staggering Volante. Taylore landed a pair of left hooks to the body. She followed after a clinch with a flurry of punches to the chin. Volante looked like her nose might be broke as referee Esteves waved it off. The Volante corner did not complain. It was a very good fight from both champions.

After eight rounds this writer had Taylor ahead 77-74.

Volante had nothing to be ashamed of for she fought like a champ. Taylor is one of the most colorful boxers in the game. Humble and very approachable to the press.

Middleweight “King” Gabe Rosado, 24-12-1 (14), of Philadelphia, lost a decision to Maciel “Striczu” Sulecki, 28-1 (11), of Warsaw, POL, for the vacant WBO International Title.

In the first round a solid lead right on the chin from Sulecki dropped Rosado who got up on shakey feet. Referee Clark gave him the 8 count. Rosado was able to get through the round. In the second round Sulecki stalked Rosado who countered with a good right on the chin. Both exchanged rights to the chin. Rosado had the Philly crowd yelling and Sulecki had the Polish crowd yelling with red and white flags flying.

Photo Credit: DAZN Boxing Twitter Account

In the third round both fighters to war with Rosado getting the best of it. Sulecki backed him into a corner with a right to the chin. The fans were really into it. Rosado landed another wild right. In the fourth round Sulecki landed a solid right on the chin. Rosado scores with one right to Sulecki’s three but the fans go wild for Rosado. Rosado landed a right to the chin followed by a right uppercut to the chin. Rosado rocked Sulecki with a right having the fans on their feet.

In the fifth round both fighters exchanged solid rights to the chin. Sulecki landed a combination to the chin. Rosado landed a 3-punch combination to the chin. Sulecki landed a hard chopping right on the head. Good and close round. In the sixth round Suleci is pressing the fight but Rosado is outlanding him. Rosado has swelling on his face while Sulecki is unmarked. Rosado has the crowd behind him since his wild introduction.

In the seventh round Rosado came out using his jab effectively. He has the faster hands. Rosado rocked Sulecki with a right cross on the chin. Rosado landed an overhand right on the chin making Sulecki smile. Rosado landed an uppercut while the referee was breaking them. Then at the bell landed one slightly after the bell on the chin.

In the eighth round Sulecki landed a straight right on the chin. Rosado started showboating and Sulecki replied with a right to the chin. Sulecki missing two and got hit with a Rosado right. Rosado landed aright uppercut but got countered with a powerful right dropping Rosado on his back for the 8 count. Rosado ran around the ring with his hands up in the air trying to recover.

In the ninth round the lead was going back and forth. A right from Rosado dropped Sulecki who got up and got dropped again by Rosado!Rosado hurt Sulecki with a right on the side of the head. Rosado landed two solid punches hurting Sulecki who came back with a right to the chin. The fans were on their feet the entire round. Sulecki clinched and too three hard uppercuts from Rosado on the chin. It turned into a out and out brawl. Rosado won the round and the crowd!

Scoring was McKaie and Braslow 95-91 and Carter 95-95 while this writer had it 95-91 Rosado. Rosado can’t catch a break even in this home city. The crowd was stunned with the decision. All of press row but this writer had Sulecki ahead. Demitrius Andrade was in the crowd and told this writer they will fight in June.

Lightweight 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist and WBC No. 1 ranked southpaw Cool Hand” Luke Campbell, 20-2 (16), of Yorkshire, UK, stopped Adrian “Chinito” Young, 26-6-2 (2), of Sinaloa, MEX, at 1:37 of the fifth round.

In the first round it was all Campbell until halfway through. Young became the aggressor the second half with Campbell wining the round. In the third round Campbell countered well but Young kept coming holding his own. In the fourth round Campbell landed a hard straight left on the chin. He followed with a right uppercut to the chin dropping Young for the 8 count. Campbell landed a pair of lefts to the chin just prior to the bell.

In round five Campbell took over landing punch after punch while Young was cut over the left eye. Young landed his one and only punch a good right on the chin. Campbell landed a flurry of punches driving Young into the ropes reeling until referee Dali wisely called a halt. The UK fans went wild!

Debuting Raymond “Savage” Ford, 1-0 (0), of Camden, NJ, made an impressive debut defeating a game Weusi Johnson, 3-11 (0), of Wilmington, DE, over 4 rounds.

In the first round an overhand left from southpaw Ford dropped Johnson for the 8 count by referee Gary Rosato. Johnson held his own surviving the round. Ford signed by Matchroom and a former National GG champion wanted to impress and did in the round. In round two Ford continued with more punches until Johnson came back quite well. Johnson being a late sub but coming off a win.

In the third round Ford and Johnson fought it out well. It was a close round with Ford getting the edge. In the fourth and final round Johnson knowing he needs a knockdown chases Ford. Ford landed a solid left to the chin that Johnson walked into. Ford seemed content to take the decision.

Scores were 39-36 by all 3 judges. This writer had it 40-35.

Welterweight 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist southpaw Danivar Yeleussinov, 6-0 (3), of KAZ, out of Brooklyn, NY, defeated Silverio Ortiz, 37-24 (18), of Yucatan, MEX, over 8 rounds.

In the first round Ortiz landed the first punch a right to the chin. Yeleussinov came right back with a combination to the chin. Then landed a hard right hook to the head. In round two Yeleussinov backed Ortriz against the ropes with a flurry of body shots. Ortiz landed a right to the chin getting off the ropes. Another close round.

In the third round Yeleussinov backed up against the ropes countering Ortiz with jabs and lefts to the chin. Ortiz is walking into punches trying to catch Yeleussinov. In the fourth round Yeleussinov warned for low punch by referee Benjy Esteves, Jr. Yeleussinov landed a hard left uppercut to the chin. Ortiz chased him the entire round.

In the fifth round Yeleussinov was dishing out wicked body punches. Ortiz halfway through the round landed a solid right to the chin. Yeleussinov worked the body for the most part. In the sixth round Yeleussinov would land three punches and Ortiz come back with one. Ortiz got a second warning for hitting behind the head. It was an entire round of in fighting.

In the seventh round Yeleussinov landed a powerful left on the head of a ducking Ortiz knocking him to the canvas but landed a punch while Ortiz was down. Referee Esteves is giving Ortiz all the time he needs to recover. The referee deducted a point from Yeleussinov. It turned into a brawl with inside fighting. Ortiz rocked Yeleussinov with a overhand right to the chin as the bell sounded. Ortiz pounded his chest.

In the eighth and final round Ortiz landed a solid right to the chin. Seconds later Ortiz landed a left hook to the chin. Knowing he is way behind he is looking to pull it out with a knockout but Yeleussinov had too much power for him to overcome.

Scores were 79-71 and 79-72 twice. This writer had it 79-71.

Lightweight Hank Lundy, 29-8-1 (14), of Philadelphia, lost a majority decision to Avery Sparrow, 10-1 (3), of Philadelphia, over 10 rounds of nothing but action! A Peltz Boxing rematch in the making!

In the first Sparrow landed the first hard punch a right on the chin. Luindy landed a hard left hook to the dhin having Sparrow against the ropes. sparrow came back seconds later landing a right on the chin. Sparrow is a much better defensive fighter but got tagged with a right and left hook on the chin seconds before the end of the round.

In the third round Sparrow ducked into a Lundy left hook to the body. Lundy was missing everything but a good jab. Avery landed the final punch of the round a lead right to the chin. In the fourth round Lundy missed with a wild left hook as Sparrow stepped to the side of it. Both are showing respect for one another only throwing jabs. Sparrow landed a right to the chin. Lundy came back missing three punches. It was a close round.
In the fifth round Sparrow landed a left hook to the chin and a right to the body. Lundy continues pressing the fight. He had good body work. In the sixth round Sparrow rocked Lundy with a right to the chin. Lundy works the body when inside while Sparros counters with a right to the chin. Sparrow landed a right to the chin and a left to the body. Both boxers talked to one another at the bell while referee Clark got between them.

In the seventh round Lundy flurried to the body backing Sparrow up. Lundy showed some of his defensive skills making Sparrow miss several punches. Sparrow landed the final punch a right on the chin In the eighth round both take turns pressing ahead. Sparrow landed a triple jab on the chin. Sparrow landed a right uppercut to the chin. Lundy turned southpaw which is his natural.

In the ninth round Lundy missed an overhand right but followed through with a left hook to the body. Sparros landed a lead right to the chin. Lundy landed a left hook to the chin. Sparrow landed a right to the chin. Lundy landing hard body shots. Sparrow landed the final punch a right to the chin.

In the tenth and final round Lundy warned for hitting behind the head by referee Clark. Sparrow missed with two punches but the third landed on the chin. Lundy landed a left hook to the chin. Both were throwing punches at the bell. This one lived up to the build up.

Scores were LaRosa 94-94, Worling 96-92 and Braslow 95-93 as did this writer have it.

John Joe Nevin, 11-0 (4), of Mullingar, IRE, Andres Figueroa, 9-3 (5),
In the first round

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard, 20-0 (13), of Temple Hills, MD, stopped Victor “Sina” Fonseca, at 2:11 of the fifth round in a scheduled 10.

In the first round after a minute Fonseca landed a pair of rights to the rib cage. Ballard landed a chopping right while inside. Fonseca pushed Ballard against the ropes with a pair of body shots. Ballard landed a right uppercut on the chin at the ten second warning. In the second round both fighters mixed it up well. This is a rematch from when Ballard had stopped Fonseca earlier in their career.

In the third round Ballard landeded a 3-punch combination to the body. He is opening up this round. Again a 3-punch combination to he body and head. Fonseca went back to his corner pretty well beaten but it only takes one punch in this game to come back. In the fourth round Ballard picked up where he left off. There is no quit in Fonseca. Ballard landing hard right uppercuts looking for a knockout.

In the fifth round Fonseca is out landing Ballard until a Ballard low punch hurt Fonseca. Referee Eric Dali is giving him time to re-cooperate. Ballard continues to come forward working the body. A right on the chin and a left hook to the body hurt Fonseca. Fonseca came back with a overhand right on the chin. Referee Dali wisely called a halt after two minutes into the round Fonseca walked back to his corner spitting out his mouthpiece.

Posted on 03/14/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Tevin Farmer (28-4-1, 6 KOs) will be looking to defend his IBF Super Featherweight title for the third time when he takes on the undefeated Jono Carroll (16-0-1, 3 KOs). These two will square off at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

Farmer is the definition of “Philly Tough”. Following a knockout loss at the hands of Jose Pedraza way back in 2012 Farmer hasn’t lost since reeling off an incredible 21 wins in a row. He doesn’t seem to be slowing down either.

In his last contest he easily defeated Francisco Fonseca to keep his streak going. Farmer has long been calling for a showdown with fellow champion, WBA title holder Gervonta Davis. Although that bout has yet to come to fruition there is growing optimism that it will come about soon. If Farmer wants to keep that contest alive, he will first have to get through Jono Carroll. The Ireland born fighter has spent his career fighting in his hometown of Ireland and in the United Kingdom. This will be his first fight on American soil.

For those unfamiliar with the style of Carroll, he is an excellent boxer who comes forward and lets his hands go early and often. He is also slick on the defensive side as well as enjoys making his opponents miss and pay. Farmer coincidentally enough has a very similar style but mostly relies on his defense to get the job done. Both fighters aren’t known for their power as they have a combined 50 fights between them but only 9 knockouts. The game plan for both men will be simple, hit and don’t get hit in return.

At this stage in Farmers career it isn’t just about simply winning fights but it is also about looking as dominant as possible as well. This contest will undoubtedly be the biggest in the career of Carroll as he will be looking to place Farmers world title around his waist. The odds are seemingly stacked against Carroll as not only is Farmer a terrific fighter but he will also have the support of his hometown crowd behind him.

Carrol won’t be the only one on this card looking to upset the odds as WBO Lightweight champion Rose Volante (14-0, 8 KOs) will look to defeat one of women’s boxing rising stars in Katie Taylor (12-0, 5 KOs). The winner of this contest will lay claim to three of the four major titles as not only will Volante’s WBO title be on the line but so will Taylor’s WBA and IBF titles as well. The pressure to perform will rest on both women but more so Taylor as she has been dubbed the next great woman’s boxer.

This amount of pressure is nothing new to Taylor as she has thrived under these circumstances. In 2012 she dominated the Olympic Games and brung home a gold medal in the process. After turning pro in 2016 she quickly won a world title in just her seventh pro fight as she won the WBA belt. In her ninth fight she would add the IBF title to her collection. To say that she is an accomplished boxer would be an understatement. She has all of the necessary tools needed in order to continue to dominate the sport.

With that being said however, she will have a very difficult time with Rose Volante come fight night. The current WBO champion is a skillful fighter who has plenty of power. In her two ring appearances in 2018 she stopped both of her opponents, needing no more than five rounds to get the job done. This won’t be a cake walk for Taylor by any means.

Tevin Farmer and Jono Carroll headline this great card but both Katie Taylor and Rose Volante will absolutely put on a show.

Posted on 03/13/2019

By: Sean Crose

“Everybody is talking about who the best is in the division – there’s only one way to tell,” says IBF Super Featherweight champ Tevin Farmer. “I am ready to fight anyone. My promoters Eddie Hearn and Lou DiBella are ready to make a fight with anyone so whomever has a belt out there – it’s time to put up or shut up.” Since winning his title off of Billy Dib in August, Farmer has successfully defended his title twice. Now the Philadelphia native is preparing for defense number three, which will be against Jono Carroll, who Farmer will meet in front of a hometown crowd this Saturday at Philly’s Liacourus Center. With such notable peers as Gervonta Davis, and Miguel Berchelt at Super Featherweight, however, Farmer is looking to show who is truly the king of the hill.

“It’s my third defense in five months,” says Farmer. “I’m the most active male World champion in the world and I want it to continue like that. I like working with Eddie, Lou and DAZN and I hope that we can keep doing business for the rest of my career.” There is little doubt that Farmer is proving himself to be unusually active fighter by modern standards, something fans are noticing. “I’m fighting more than anyone,” he says, “and I’m winning. I’ve probably defended my title more times since winning it than some champions that have had the belt for two years.” Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, which is promoting Saturday’s card, has made it clear that Farmer is eager to face WBA Super Featherweight Champion Davis…if such a fight is possible.

“Farmer has long wanted to face the WBA Super champion from Baltimore in what would be a mega showdown,” Matchroom states, “but it’s a fight that is in the distance rather than a reality – and Farmer has grown tired of talking about fights that aren’t happening as he remains one of the most active World rulers in the game.”

On Friday night, Farmer, 28-4-1, will fight the 16-0-1 Carrol live on the DAZN streaming service. Women’s WBA and IBF Lightweight champ Katie Taylor, 12-0, will also be fighting on the card, putting her belts on the line against the 14-0 WBO World Lightweight champ Rose Valante. Philadelphia native Gabriel Rosado will appear on the card, as well. The 24-11-1 fighter will be facing the 27-1 Maciej Sulecki in a middleweight affair.

Posted on 01/27/2019

By: Sean Crose

“Tevin Farmer will defend his IBF World Super-Featherweight title against Jono Carroll at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Friday March 15, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.” The red hot 28-4-1 Farmer will be putting his IBF World Super Featherweight Title on the line when he meets Ireland’s 16-0-1 Carroll on Saint Patrick’s day weekend. “He’s got a World title shot on St Patrick’s weekend,” Farmer says. “He should be thanking me.”

The Philly native says his foe is “trying to get under my skin but it’s impossible to get under my skin. He’s making himself look bad and he’s stepping up to a whole different level with me. I’m A-level and he’s going to pay.” Carroll most certainly seems ready for war. “I’ll do what I want with Tevin,” the Irishman says. “He’s a tiny little child and I’m not afraid of him…when we meet, if he’s respectful of me, I’ll be respectful back as that’s how I’ve been brought up – but if comes talking rubbish then I’ll put him in his place.”

“He says we both come from tough backgrounds, the hood,” Farmer says of the Dublin native. “That boy hasn’t come from any struggle, no hood. I’m going to show him when he comes to Philly, he’s going to eat his words. He’s trying to get his buzz up but there’s certain things that you don’t say. He’s made this personal and you don’t want to get personal with a Philly guy like me.” This will be Carroll’s first shot at a major world title. “He’s never met a man like me in his life,” Carroll says of Farmer. “He came from a rough background yes, but so did I. We’re both from crazy places but we’re in the limelight now, so we have to be grown-up and responsible as we’re going to have cameras around us.”

Farmer may not be crazy about Carroll, but he’s thrilled to be fighting in his hometown. “This is big for me, fighting as a World champion in Philly,” he says. “When does Philly hold big World championship shows? This is big – it’s a boxing town but this is as big a show as there’s been here for a long time.” This will be Farmer’s fourth fight in just over six months – a very high work rate for an established fighter, the kind preferred by Matchroom Boxing honcho Eddie Hearn, a man who, along with promoter Lou DiBella, Farmer has high praise for.

“I have to thank Eddie, Lou and DAZN,” he says, “for making this a reality, because often World champions don’t always get the chance to fight in their home city. It doesn’t happen, but it’s happening for me and that shows the level of respect that Eddie, Lou and I have for each other. It’s going to be a great night.”

Posted on 12/14/2018

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Golden Boy Promotions top promotional star, Canelo Alvarez, will make his debut in New York City and on the DAZN Streaming Network when he faces off against Rocky Fielding for Fielding’s WBA Super Middleweight title.

This bout will take place at the famed Madison Square Garden and features a rather stacked undercard. The co-main event of the night was originally supposed to be between David Lemieux and Tureano Johnson, but Lemieux had to withdraw due to dehydration issues and the bout between Tevin Farmer and Francisco Fonseca will take it’s place.

Other notable undercard fights include a welterweight bout between Sadam Ali and Mauricio Herrera, an IBF/WBA Women’s Lightweight Title bout between Katie Taylor and Eva Wahlstrom, and two bouts featuring high rated prospects Ryan Garcia and Lamont Roach Jr.

DAZN has gone all in with their partnership with Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Alvarez, and this is the first of an eleven fight contract that they have with Canelo.

The following is a preview of the co-main event and main event of the night.

Tevin Farmer (27-4) vs. Francisco Fonseca (22-1-1); IBF Junior Lightweight Title

Tevin Farmer is one of those feel good stories in the sport of boxing. He wasn’t a heralded amateur and started his career with a 2-2 record, but he has shown significant improvement since his professional debut and was able to win the IBF Super Featherweight Title.

Farmer only had sixteen amateur fights so he had to learn quickly on the job. He’s not known for his power, he has only stopped six of his opponents and was stopped twice in his career. He lost by TKO in his very first professional fight and was later stopped by Jose Pedraza.

His opponent, Francisco Fonseca, has stopped sixteen of his opponents and was only stopped one time in his career, a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis. Fonseca will have a slight inch and a half height advantage and a two and a half inch reach advantage.

Fonseca has fought mainly in Panama and Costa Rica against suspect opposition. He lost his only fight outside of Central America. His biggest win to date was against a 13-3 Daniel Miranda. He’s been fairly active and fought once in 2018 and four times in 2017.

Farmer fought twice in 2018 and twice in 2017. He’s shown significant improvement since his debut, especially defensively, and has beaten the likes of James Tennyson, Billy Dib, Arturo Santos Reyes, Ivan Redkach, and Angel Luna.

This is a bout that Farmer should win by decision. Farmer is angling for a future fight with Gervonta Davis and he’ll need an impressive performance to get the boxing community talking about a potential fight with Davis.

Rocky Fielding (27-1) vs. Canelo Alvarez (50-1-2); WBA Super Middleweight Title

Canelo Alvarez is arguably boxing’s biggest, active star. He’ll be chasing history on Saturday night as he looks to win a title in his third weight class, and become the ninth Mexican boxer to do so.

Canelo is in the midst of his prime at 28 years old and is three years younger than his opponent. However, Canelo is the smaller man and will be giving up height, reach, and size to Fielding.

Canelo turned pro at the age of fifteen, so Fielding has more amateur experience than Canelo as he experienced some success as an amateur on the English circuit.

Canelo also has significantly more power in his punches than Fielding. He has stopped 34 of his opponents while Fielding has only stopped fifteen. Fielding also has a TKO loss on his record when he was stopped by Callum Smith. Canelo’s lone loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. five years ago and he has never been stopped.

Both fighters have been fairly active. Canelo fought twice in 2017 and once in 2018 while Fielding fought twice in 2018 and in 2017.

Canelo has a long list of accomplished opponents that he has beaten. He has defeated the likes of Gennady Golovkin, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Liam Smith, Amir Khan, Miguel Cotto, James Kirkland, Erislandy Lara, Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Shane Mosley, and Carlos Baldomir.

Fielding’s biggest wins were against Tyron Zeuge for the WBA Super Middleweight title, David Brophy, John Ryder, and Brian Vera. This will only be his second fought outside of the United Kingdom and his first fight in the United States.

It’s likely Fielding’s size advantage will give Canelo some problems early on, but Canelo’s skill is levels above Fielding and he should win quite comfortably in his New York City debut.

Posted on 12/11/2018

By: Sean Crose

With only five knockouts in his previous 31 fights, super featherweight Tevin Farmer was not seen as a power puncher when he slipped between the ropes at Boston’s TD Garden last fall. Appearances, however, can be deceiving things. The crowd at Garden that night ended up being as stunned by Farmer as his opponent James Tennyson undoubtedly was. In short, the fight was over in the fifth, thanks to a thunderous performance by IBF champ Farmer. For a man whose been in the fight game since 2011, Farmer has largely stayed under the radar. As a part of the DAZN aired Canelo-Fielding broadcast this weekend from Madison Square Garden, however, the Philly native looks to continue making waves.

The 27-4-1 Farmer’s opponent this Saturday will be the 22-1-1 Costa Rican contender Francisco Fonseca. Gervonta Davis, who has had a war of words with Farmer, has been the only man to best Fonseca. What’s more, 16 of Fonseca’s opponents have been stopped within the distance. Farmer, however, appears eager to once again be the ferocious combatant fans saw in Boston several months back. “Another day,” says Farmer, “another big night. “I’m looking to do the same thing that I did to Tennyson – but much faster.”

Promoter Lou DiBella, has nothing but praise for Farmer. “Tevin Farmer is one of the most inspirational stories in boxing,” he says. “He’s won 20 fights in a row and is one of the fastest improving young stars in boxing. I’m pleased that, with Eddie Hearn and DAZN, he is now the most active champion in the ring. It’s a tremendous opportunity to be on the Canelo-Fielding bill.” Eddie Hearn also has impressive words for the champion.

“It’s brilliant,” he says, “to Tevin straight back out after his big win in Boston. We are keeping our guys nice and active and Tevin gets his chance to go again on the biggest stage at Madison Square Garden against Fonseca.” As for Fonseca, the man is ready to make the most of the moment. “I’d like to thank Tevin Farmer for the opportunity,” Fonseca claims. “I see his focus is on Gervonta Davis, not on me – but you have no idea the opponent that you will clash with on December 15.”

Hearn isn’t downplaying Saturday’s opposition. “2019 is going to be a monster for Tevin,” he says, “but he must get the job done next Saturday – I can’t wait to see him light up the Garden live on DAZN.”

Posted on 11/12/2018

By Jake Donovan

When Tevin Farmer and promoter Lou DiBella entered a co-promotional pact with Eddie Hearn, it came with the promise of bigger paydays and a steady stream of ring activity.

Two lucrative fights in less than two months qualifies as living up to such a promise.

Photo Credit: Tevin Farmer Twitter Account

Once a hard-luck contender, Farmer will see his name in bright lights as the Philadelphia-bred super featherweight titlist next defends his strap on December 15 at Madison Square Garden. His second title defense will come versus Francisco Fonseca, in supporting capacity to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’ challenge of secondary super middleweight titlist Rocky Fielding.

Both bouts will be part of what is already becoming a loaded card which will stream live on DAZN USA.

The late addition of Farmer (27-4-1, 6KOs) to the show fills an undercard void left behind after Artur Beterbiev declined an opportunity to defend his light heavyweight belt versus Joe Smith Jr. Hearn—who promotes Fielding—was guaranteed a certain amount of undercard slots by the event’s lead promoter Golden Boy Promotions and opted to get his 130-pound charge right back in the ring.

It was an easy call for Farmer, who is coming off of a 3rd round knockout of James Tennyson. The bout was so one-sided that the 28-year old titlist immediately afterward called for one more fight on the year.

In landing on the December 15 show, he now gets to end his 2018 ring campaign in stark contrast to a tumultuous 2017 run that saw him hit hard in and out of the ring. Farmer survived a gun shot while attempting to break up an altercation outside of a family function.

The incident put him on the shelf for the next few months, but with his ring return coming in the form of his first career major title fight. The opportunity came about after his divisional rival Gervonta Davis—with whom Farmer has feuded in person and online—missed weight and was forced to vacate his title ahead of a knockout win over Fonseca last August.

Farmer’s shot came last December in Las Vegas, where fans on hand as well as HBO viewers witnessed one of the worst decisions of the year as he dropped a highly questionable split decision to Japan’s Kenichi Ogawa.

Justice came in the form of a post-fight drug test, which showed Ogawa coming up hot for the banned substance androstanediol. With the title still vacant, Farmer willingly traveled to Australia where he dominated local contender Billy Dib over 12 rounds this past August.

He now enters his second title defense, which will come just 14 weeks after realizing his dream of winning a major title.

“I’m in shape and ready to defend my title,” Farmer commented of his being available for the quick turnaround. “I ain’t gotta say much, three (title) fights in four months.”

The pairing with Fonseca is a calculated move by DiBella and Hearn. Both have openly called for a unification bout with Davis, who reclaimed a separate version of the 130-pound crown earlier this year. The forthcoming title defense provides the opportunity to compare Farmer’s performance to that of Davis’ one-sided 8th round knockout.

Fonseca (22-1-1, 16KOs)—a 24-year old from Costa Rica—has since won three straight, all by knockout and all taking place in Panama City, Panama. His upcoming challenge of Farmer will mark his second bid for a major title as well as his second in the United States—his lone career loss to Davis representing the answer to each of those trivia questions.

Farmer and Fonseca join main event players Alvarez and Fielding in all fighting at Madison Square Garden for the first time in their respective careers. The placement of this bout comes on the heels of the announced undercard clash between former middleweight titlist David Lemieux and fringe contender Tureano Johnson, who was the lone boxer to represent Bahamas in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Posted on 10/19/2018

Philly’s IBF World Super Featherweight Champion Tevin “American Idol” Farmer makes his first title defense Saturday at the TD Garden, in Boston, MASS, against North Ireland’s James “The Assassin” Tennyson.

Southpaw Farmer, 26-4-1 (5), was robbed in December of 2017 losing a split decision to Kenichi Ogawa, 22-1 (17), of Tokyo, Japan, but it was changed to a NC due to Ogawa testing positive for use of androstanediol.

Farmer came back in August of 2018 to defeat Bill Dib, 43-4, over 12 rounds in Australia to win the vacant IBF World Super Featherweight title. The 28 year-old Farmer has wasted no time in defending his title.

Tennyson is ranked No. 7 in the IBF while the first two slots are vacant. After a 7-4-1 start in his career Farmer ran off 18 straight wins over a 5 year period up to the NC with Ogawa.

Farmer is trained by Raul “Chino” Rivas in the TKO Fitness Gym in Cherry Hill, NJ, along with former champion Jason Sosa. Former Philly fighter Rashiem Jefferson is the assistant trainer for both.

“God willing I will get passed this fight for I have another one lined up. Stay busy, stay sharp, stay alive,” said Farmer. This is the first of a four fight deal Farmer has with DAZN who will be broadcasting this event.

In the co-feature southpaw No. 1 ranked Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, 25-0 (16), of Providence, RI, and No. 2 ranked Walter “The Executioner” Kautondokwa, 17-0 (16), of Windhoek, Nambia, will be fighting for the vacant WBO World Middleweight title stripped from Billy Joe Saunders of the UK.

Featherweight Kid Galahad, 24-0 (15), of Sheffield, UK, meets Liberia’s southpaw Toka Kahn Clary, 25-1 (17), of Providence, RI, over 12 rounds. Also, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Katie Taylor, 10-0 (5), of Bray, Ireland, defends her IBF World and WBA World Female Lightweight titles against WBO World Featherweight champion Puerto Rico’s Cindy Serrano, 27-5-3 (10), of Brooklyn, NY, over 12 rounds.

Posted on 08/28/2018

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of August 21st to August 28th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Kubrat Pulev Promising ‘Fire & Fury’ in IBF Eliminator Against Hughie Fury on October 27th in Sofia, Bulgaria

On Saturday, October 27, “Fire & Fury” will collide, as IBF #2-rated heavyweight contender Kubrat “The Cobra” Pulev will face Britain’s IBF #5-rated Hughie Fury in a 12-round elimination bout at the Arena Armeec in Pulev’s hometown of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Pulev (25-1, 13 KOs) and Fury (21-1, 11 KOs) will be competing for the right to face the winner of the September 22 showdown between champion Anthony Joshua and challenger Alexander Povetkin.

The event, entitled “Fire & Fury” will be presented by Ivaylo Gotzev and John Wirt’s Epic Sports and Entertainment, together with Fury’s promoter, Hennessey Sports, and will be broadcast live in the UK on Channel 5.

One of the most popular athletes in all of Bulgaria, 37-year-old Pulev is on a five-fight winning streak, including a TKO 3 over former heavyweight champion Samuel Peter. Among his many distinctions, Pulev is a former two-time European and IBF International Heavyweight Champion. He stands 6’ 4 ½” and weighs in around 240 lbs. Pulev’s only career loss came in a challenge for the undisputed heavyweight championship against Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. Fury is the fourth opponent scheduled to face Pulev, as Britain’s Dillian Whyte and Americans Jarell Miller and Dominic Breazeale all declined the fight.

Pulev, who will be having his first bout since partnering with Epic Sports and Entertainment, says Fury better not be looking past him while preparing for this fight.

“The fact that Hughie Fury is coming to Bulgaria when many others ran away speaks volumes,” said Pulev. “I understand that he is very motivated because this is an eliminator fight for a chance at the world title. I suggest he stops thinking about the world title for a moment and come prepared for a real battle. I am already in beast mode and I’m hungry for my return in the ring!”

Fury hails from Manchester and is the current BBBofC British Heavyweight Champion and is trained by his father, Peter Fury. The 23-year-old stands 6’ 6” tall and also weighs in around 240 lbs. In September of 2017, Fury suffered his only career loss, a controversial majority decision to Joseph Parker for Parker’s WBO Heavyweight Championship.

“It’s taken a lot of time to make this fight happen and I want to thank all of those involved,” said Hughie Fury. “I want to fight for world titles and to do that I need to beat the guys at the top of the division. Kubrat Pulev is a serious fight for the mandatory position and I know I’ve got to be the real deal to beat him. I believe I’m going to do that in his back yard where others trembled at the thought of it.”

“We want to be involved in these big fight nights and to go up against the big names that lead the division,” added father and trainer Peter Fury. “To become a world heavyweight champion, you’ve got to overcome every challenge that’s put in front of you. And for Hughie that starts in Bulgaria in October.”

“In this day and age, when some promoters and their fighters opt for the safest bets, Hughie Fury has done the opposite,” said Ivaylo Gotzev of Fury, who has faced his own share of delays and disappointments on his way to this eliminator bout. “Fury has decided to step into the Lion’s Den, and fight Kubrat in his home town of Sofia. This matchup is intriguing, as two of the best in the division step up and face one another. We expect a great heavyweight battle – one that will decide one man’s destiny to fight for the most coveted title in the world – the Heavyweight Championship. To all of Team Fury – you are welcome in Bulgaria!”

Hennessy Sports CEO Mick Hennessy, promoter of Fury, said: “First and foremost I’d like to heap praise on my young fighter Hughie Fury. There’s no pantomime and no theatrics. He’s just a young man, full of respect for everyone he faces, and who believes in giving the fans proper fights and value for money. At just 23 years of age Hughie is a massive talent. He’s not perhaps got the plaudits he deserves, so this is his moment to make the boxing world really sit up and take notice of what he’s capable of.”

“I’d also like to thank my counterparts at Epic Sports & Entertainment for making this fight happen. It’s taken a lot to get to this point, but we were determined to give the fans a fight that they deserve. Both teams are excited about this one.”

Uzcátegui and Jerwin Ancajas Headline Oakland Throwdown

IBF super middleweight champion José Uzcátegui, the power-punching boogeyman of the 168-pounders, will face Ezequiel Maderna in the 10-round, non-title main event on Friday, Sept. 28 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

And, in the co-feature, Jerwin Ancajas, the world’s longest-reigning 115-pound world champion, is ready to add another defense to his résumé. The southpaw Filipino sensation will make the sixth defense of his IBF junior bantamweight world title against the hard-charging Alejandro Santiago.

Ancajas-Santiago and Uzcátegui-Maderna will stream live in the United States beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ — the new multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment in conjunction with ESPN.

The undercard will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET and includes a matchup of former 122-pound world champions: Jessie Magdaleno will take on Rico Ramos in a 10-round featherweight bout. Also appearing on the ESPN+ broadcast will be 118-pound contender Joshua Greer Jr. (17-1-1, 9 KOs) making his Top Rank debut in a 10-rounder against Giovanni Delgado (16-7, 9 KOs); the return of Filipino featherweight contender Genesis Servania (31-1, 14 KOs); and 18-year-old featherweight sensation Christopher Zavala (1-0) in a four-rounder.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Zanfer Promotions, tickets for this all-action card go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. PST. Priced at $105, $78.75, $52.50, and $26.25, including facility fees, tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Oracle Arena box office. The Oracle Arena box office is open Monday-Friday from 12-5 p.m.

“This is my first fight since winning the world title, and I will be representing my country and my beloved Tijuana, Mexico, with pride and guts,” Uzcátegui said. “I will show the world and my opponent why I’m the best super middleweight in the world right now!”

“I am very excited to defend my title in Oakland in front of the great fans there, and I look forward to a great challenge from Santiago,” Ancajas said. “There is a large Filipino community in Northern California, so I expect an incredible atmosphere inside the Oracle Arena. I also want to thank MP Promotions, Sean Gibbons, Top Rank, and Mr. Bob Arum for this opportunity.”

“I want to be a world champion again. I have that fire and that fuel, and I am ready to do whatever it takes to get back there,” Madgaleno said. “I have new trainers, Ismael Salas and Jorge Capetillo, and I feel like it’s been a great move. I feel like I Iacked movement in my last fight, and I felt like I needed to get back to the way I was when I won the world title against Nonito Donaire. Everyone will see a renewed Jessie Magdaleno when I fight Rico Ramos.”

Uzcátegui (27-2, 23 KOs) is coming off the biggest win of his career, an eighth-round stoppage against former world champion Andre Dirrell on March 3. It was a rematch of a controversial 2017 disqualification defeat for Uzcátegui, who was ruled to have knocked out Dirrell after the bell had sounded to end the eighth round. The win over Dirrell earned Uzcátegui the IBF interim title, but he was elevated to full champion after then-champion James DeGale elected to vacate the belt rather than face Uzcátegui. A native of El Vigia, Venezuela, Uzcátegui’s last 10 wins have come via stoppage. Maderna (26-4, 16 KOs), from Buenos Aires, Argentina, turned pro in 2008 and has won three of his past four fights.

Ancajas (28-1-1, 19 KOs) from Barangay Ramirez, Magallanes, Cavite, Philippines, is a southpaw power puncher who has been a world champion since Sept. 3, 2016, when he knocked down McJoe Arroyo in the eighth round en route to a unanimous decision victory. He is one of boxing’s most active champions, having defended his title three times in 2017 and twice in 2018. In his last bout, May 26 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, Ancajas defeated countryman Jonas Sultan via unanimous decision in the first all-Filipino world title bout since 1925. Ancajas is 16-0 with 14 knockouts since his only loss, a 10-round majority decision to Mark Geraldo on March 17, 2012.

Santiago (16-2-4, 7 KOs), a native of Tijuana, Mexico, is riding an 11-bout unbeaten streak dating back to August 2015. He last fought on March 14 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, battling to a spirited draw versus Jose Martinez for the NABO super flyweight title.

Magdaleno (25-1, 18 KOs) is a former WBO junior featherweight world champion who lost the belt in one of the best fights of 2018. On April 28 in Philadelphia, he knocked down Isaac Dogboe in the first round, but Dogboe rallied to score three knockdowns of his own and knock Magdaleno out in the 11th round of an instant classic. Ramos (29-5, 14 KOs), is a 10-year pro, won the WBA 122-pound title with a shocking, one-punch left hook knockout against Akifumi Shimoda in 2011, but lost the title in his first defense against then-unbeaten Guillermo Rigondeaux on Jan. 20, 2012 in Las Vegas. Ramos has won five in a row since a third-round KO loss against Claudio Marrero in July 2015.

WBC Ambassadors Maureen Shea and Brandon Rios Support the Grand Opening of Virgil Hill’s New Gym Funded by George Lopez

A few months ago, a Simi Valley Boxing Gym lost its owner due to canceR, It didn’t take much for comedian George Lopez and his company Fifty150 (Chasing Dreams – Overcome Obstacles) to step up to the plate and help save the gym the kids loved. This past Saturday, the gym had its Grand Opening ceremony where QuickSilver Hill Sports Academy was presented to the community with Head Coach, Former Champion, Virgil Hill.

In attendance at the Red Ribbon cutting ceremony was Former Champions and WBC Ambassadors, Bam Bam Brandon Rios and Maureen Shea, as well as Golden Boy Boxing’s house DJ Ray and hosting the event was Nancy Rodriguez. The WBC presented Virgil Hill with a WBC Certified plaque, very soon Pepe Sulaiman and team will be going to the gym for workshops and Boxing fundamentals.

The gym had two sparring sessions where both Brandon Rios and Maureen Shea were put in as trainers, which was great to see them in these roles. Many raffles, prizes, photos, autographs from the fighters, free food and drinks for all.

Rios and Shea spoke to the children in attendance and really gave them great advice on following their dreams and never giving up.

On behalf of the WBC, we’d like to congratulate Quicksilver Hill Sports Academy on their Grand Opening and we look forward to seeing them in the Boxing Community.

Showtime to Premiere Cradle of Champions

SHOWTIME has acquired the television rights to CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS, a documentary film that takes viewers through the New York Golden Gloves tournament, one of the most prestigious amateur boxing tournaments in the country. Written and directed by journalist Bartle Bull, the film will premiere Friday, September 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
https://s.sho.com/2Msfq0X
CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS chronicles three inspiring fighters—James Wilkins, Nisa Rodriguez, and Titus Williams—as they navigate the 10-week tournament and fight their way among 500 boxers from the five boroughs, all vying for the coveted title of Golden Gloves champion. Through the three intertwined yet unique narratives, the film explores the pressures and sacrifices on the arduous journey toward boxing greatness.

Shot in a cinema verité-style with no voice-over narration, the character-driven narrative examines what it means to “fight for your life,” not only for the boxers, but also for their coaches, mentors, teammates and loved ones. CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS includes genuine characters and intimate revelations set against the gritty urban landscape of New York City to create a powerful and layered account of the 2015 tournament.

The film follows Williams and Wilkins as they battle through opposite sides of the 132-pound bracket. Williams is the tournament favorite on the brink of professional success. He is mentored by coach Joe Higgins, a retired New York City firefighter suffering from illnesses sustained during rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Wilkins, a Staten Island native who channels his propensity for fighting into an amateur career, aims to beat Williams and establish himself as a prospect to watch as he turns to the professional ranks. Meanwhile, single mother and teacher Rodriquez—a five-time Golden Glove champion and self-proclaimed, “fighting pride of the South Bronx”—attempts to cement her legacy as she sets her sights on the 2016 Olympic Trials.

CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS is Bull’s first endeavor into documentary filmmaking. A New York based author and journalist by trade who specializes in foreign affairs and the Middle East, Bull has appeared on NPR, Fox News, BBC, and other news outlets, and his work has been featured in New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal.

CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS is executive produced by Donald Rosenfeld (Tree of Life, Jodorowsky’s Dune, Remains of the Day) and written and directed by Bull, in association with cinematographer Tom Hurwitz (The Queen of Versailles) and editor Michael Levine (Restrepo). The film was an official selection at the 2017 American Documentary Film Festival, the 2017 Santa Barbara International Film Festival and Doc NYC 2017. CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS was named Best Feature at the 2017 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

The Underground Showdown Returns to Atlanta September 15

ATLANTA, GA- Saturday September 15, The Underground Showdown returns to Buckhead Fight Club, presented by Holmes Entertainment . This evening of pro/amateur boxing action will see an action packed card, and promoter Mark Holmes is excited to be back in Atlanta and return to professional boxing promotions. “”This is a great opportunity to see good, local growing talent, so I’m going to put some shows together and try and keep the fighters in all these gyms busy and fighting.”

Underground Showdown is stacked with many of the top Mexican fighters in Atlanta, all ready to battle it out on Mexican Independence weekend. Pro fighters scheduled to appear are: super welterweights Jesus Tavera and Anthony Hill in a 6 round main event; featherweights Deonte Brown and Joe Gibson, 4 rounds; super welterweights Antonio Todd and Jorge Gonzales Rolon, 4 rounds; fly weights Rondarius Hunter and Arrel Love, 4 rounds; Jerson Ramos, super featherweight opponent TBD, and welterweight Sean Charleston and opponent TBD. Amateur bouts will feature Abel Aparicio, Roberto Escalante, Luis Damian, Rafael Castillo, William Hernandez and Andres Leon.

Doors open 6 PM Saturday, September 15 at Buckhead Fight Club/Atlanta Art of Boxing, 3293 Buford Hwy. NE #500, with first bell at 7 PM Sharp. Tickets are available now at Buckhead Fight Club or online at: http://undergroundshowdown3.doattend.com

Former Welterweight Champion Victor Ortiz Clashes with Hard-Hitting Brawler John Molina Jr. in Premier Boxing Champions Main Event

Expect fireworks when former welterweight champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz meets hard-hitting former title challenger John Molina Jr. on Sunday, September 30 in the 12-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes live from Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature a stacked lineup of undercard attractions leading up to the action-packed main event.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Ringstar Sports, go on sale tomorrow, August 24 at 12 p.m. PT and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

Ortiz (32-6-3, 25 KOs) is an all-action boxer-puncher who comes to fight and is always in exciting battles. The 31-year-old southpaw has one of the best resumes of anyone in the welterweight division having been in against Floyd Mayweather, Andre Berto twice, Lamont Peterson, Luis Collazo and Marcos Maidana. Ortiz, who was born in Garden City, Kansas and now lives in Ventura, California, is coming off a majority draw against Devon Alexander in February.

“We’ve known each other a long time and we’re both always in exciting battles, so fans should expect nothing less on September 30,” said Ortiz. “I had a broken eye socket from an injury in the second round of the Alexander fight, but I’m feeling 100 percent now. I’m ready to take what is rightfully mine, and that’s another world title down the road. It’s going to be a way from round one and I can’t wait.”

Molina (30-7, 24 KOs) has never backed down from a challenge and has been in the ring with some of the best boxers from lightweight to welterweight during his career. The 35-year-old from Covina, California beat a fierce Ruslan Provodnikov by unanimous decision in 2016. Another standout battle from Molina’s career saw him drop former welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse twice before losing on an 11th round knockout. In his last fight he scored a fourth round TKO victory over Ivan Redkach in a back-and-forth bout from December on FS1.

“I respect Victor and everything he’s accomplished in this game, but I know that I have the tools to overcome everything he does,” said Molina. “Everyone knows that I’m in it to win it. We’re both going to be ready to mix it up and throw bombs. There is no way that I see this fight going the distance. It’s going to come down to heart and I’m going to be there until final bell.”

“Victor Ortiz vs. John Molina Jr. has war written all over it and should be another in a long line of memorable battles featuring these Southern California fan-favorites,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman and CEO of Ringstar Sports. “These two men are known for leaving it all in the ring and giving the fans incredible action from the opening bell. I have no doubt that this will be another outstanding showdown, with the winner setting themselves up for even bigger things in the star-studded welterweight division. We’re excited to bring this matchup, plus a jam-packed undercard, to the fans in Ontario and watching live on FS1 and FOX Deportes.”

“This is a true crossroads battle between two hardnosed veterans who have fought almost every welterweight of note in the last decade,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “The one thing you can be certain of when you get Victor Ortiz and John Molina Jr. in the ring is that a fight will break out. This match should be highly entertaining for the fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena and those who tune in on FS1 and FOX Deportes on September 30.”

Tevin Farmer Pens Multi-Fight Co-Promo Deal with Matchroom Boxing USA and DiBella Entertainment

Tevin Farmer has signed a multi-fight co-promotional deal with DiBella Entertainment and Matchroom Boxing USA.

The newly crowned IBF World Super Featherweight champion will make the first defense of his title live on DAZN in a bout to be announced this week – another step in the remarkable career of the popular southpaw.

Farmer travelled to Australia earlier in the month to land the title in convincing fashion in the backyard of Sydney’s Billy Dib, to claim the IBF strap at the second attempt having been on the wrong end of a controversial split decision against Kenichi Ogawa in Las Vegas in December, a result subsequently change to a no-contest following Ogawa failing a drugs test.

The Philadelphian ace’s win was a sweet moment after recovering from a career-threatening injury when he was shot in the hand in July 2017 – reaching the World title status his undoubted talent has always promised.

Farmer is hunting down unification bouts as soon as possible, with champions Gervonta Davis, Miguel Berchelt and Masayuki Ito all on his radar.

“Winning that belt after everything I’ve been through brought me indescribable joy,” said Farmer. “I always felt that I was a true champion. I just had to go over to Australia, capture the title and prove it, and I did just that. I came home a champion and celebrated, but I got right back in the gym. I want to be an active champion and defend my title. That’s why I’m so thrilled about this deal. It’s a pleasure to work with both DiBella Entertainment and Matchroom Boxing USA and I know that with us working together, big things are going to happen. Ultimately, my goal is to get all the belts and I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m open to fighting anybody to unify. I’m looking forward to showing the world who Tevin Farmer is and what I can do.”

“Through all of Tevin’s hard work, heart and determination, he overcame the odds, achieved his dream, and now he can enjoy the fruits of his labor,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a great deal that will help progress Tevin’s career as he begins his championship reign. Starting with his first title defense in October, Tevin will stay active as we work toward getting him the biggest and most meaningful fights available.”

“Tevin Farmer has a great story but more importantly to me the man can really fight,” said Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing USA. “He showed great heart to bounce back from that shocking decision in Las Vegas and go to Australia to win the title – and now the world is his oyster.

“We have a great fight lined up for him in October but the ultimate focus is Gervonta and other unifications. We are going to keep him nice and busy and we look forward to working with Tevin and Lou on this exciting journey.”

Posted on 08/03/2018

By: Ste Rowen

Tevin ‘American Idol’ Farmer is the new IBF super-featherweight champion of the world after a completely victory over, Australian, Billy Dib.

Dib walked to the ring accompanied by two motorbikes, but it was Farmer that accelerated into the lead as the early rounds played out much as expected, with Tevin taking the initiative behind a well finished and accurate jab. Billy attempted to be more than just a passenger, but Farmer’s footwork and agility left the Australian struggling to land.

The bout threatened to turn awkward when the boxers grappled and held their way through the 2nd round. There was no inside-fighting finesse from either. Dib, a former IBF featherweight world champion, seemed to realise early on that he couldn’t outbox his southpaw opponent.

Farmer’s hands were too quick and constant, his footwork elusive and seemingly beyond what ‘The Kid’ could deal with.

Towards the end of the 4th, the American had his opponent trapped in the corner, and although Dib made it through the round, Farmer was upping the pace of his attacks. At the beginning of the 6th, Billy hit the canvas, ruled as a slip, but it summed up the home fighter’s whole fight so far.

The obvious criticism to lay at Farmer’s door is his lack of power. 5KOs in 30 bouts show that, and it felt, heading into the 7th, that considering the quality and frequency of Tevin’s punching, that with a little more power, this fight would be over.

Rounds 7 and 8 gave us more of the same, Dib’s only occasional success was coming on the inside but even then, the ‘American Idol’s’ strength kept him from being bullied or bruised up by the 47-fight veteran.

Then with 30 seconds left of the 9th, Farmer landed a beautiful left hook, which sent Dib falling backwards and down for the 10-8. The Australian survived the round, but Farmer was pumped and up on his feet for the 10th before the minute break had ended. Tevin was ready to end the bout there and then, but maybe a little too excited as he began to get sloppy and throw wide, wayward shots.

Despite the knockdown Dib survived through to see the final bell, but that’s all he did. Tevin was just far too good on the night for the brave Australian. This time there was no controversy for the American to deal with as the scorecards were read out. 118-109, 119-108, 120-107 all for new IBF 130lb world champion, Tevin Farmer.

A tearful Billy Dib announced his retirement in the ring, as he promised he would do if he was defeated tonight. The Australian ends his career as a former featherweight world champion with a record of 43-5 (24KOs).

‘‘Billy Dib is a hell of a fighter, he’s had a hell of a career. A great fighter to win the belt against’’ Said Farmer now, 26-4-1 (5KOs), post-fight. ‘‘If I was from somewhere else, not Philly, I might have been bullied…In Philly we come ready and we’re born out of the womb to be ready for war.’’

There are fascinating match-ups to be made at super-featherweight, but Farmer was keen to send a message to Gervonta Davis,

‘‘Everyone was ducking me and not wanting to give me an opportunity…Now I’ve got the belt, and everybody wants to scream my name. No more talking, send the fucking contract and the money on the table and we can make it happen.’’