Tag Archives: lara

Posted on 09/01/2019

By Andrew Johnson

Cuba’s finest fighters were on display at the Armory in Minneapolis on Saturday night’s PBC on FOX event. Erislandy Lara (25-3-3, 15 KOs), Frank Sánchez (13-0, 11 KOs ) and David Morrell Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) recorded dominant victories against a trio of uninspiring opponents, but provided a glimpse of Cuba’s future in professional boxing.

The most dramatic moment of the weekend occurred at Friday’s weigh-in when Ramon Álvarez (28-8-3, 16 KOs) didn’t show up.

Photo Credit: Peter Johnson

Promoters paced in the lobby and frantically poked their cell phones trying to find the super welterweight with the famous brother. Their calls and texts were answered with bad news, Alvarez was reportedly seven pounds over the limit and no sauna on earth was going to get him close to 154 lbs. The contracts were hastily rewritten and Lara agreed to go ahead with what should be Álvarez’s last fight as a pro.

Lara outclassed Álvarez from the opening bell until the middle of the second round when referee Mark Nelson mercifully stopped the mismatch. The Cuban fighter looked sharp in the short fight, though he said he wasn’t planning on a knockout.

“I don’t train for a knockout” Lara told the BoxingInsider after the fight, “I prepare to let my hands go and if the knockout comes, it comes.”

With the victory and the WBA World Super Welterweight belt around his waist, Lara is now scheduled to fight fellow WBA belt holder Michel Soro (34-2-1, 23 KOs), but the 36 year-old veteran has his eyes on more lucrative match-ups.

“I do want to fight the best boxers out there in the division, or go up or down a division to fight Errol Spence Jr. or rematch Canelo Alvarez.” said Lara.

Heavyweight Frank Sánchez, who like Lara was born in Guantanamo, Cuba, was a late addition to the televised portion of the card when Caleb Truax had to withdraw because of a torn Achilles tendon.
Sánchez took advantage of the opportunity, looking both nimble and powerful in four rounds against Victor Bisbal (23-4, 17 KOs). Though Bisbal’s best rounds are clearly behind him, he gave an honest effort. His corner stepped in after the fourth round, deciding their fighter had absorbed enough of the Sáchez’s heavy-handed shots, and called the fight.

Earlier in the evening, David Morrell Jr. won his professional debut in just over a minute against Yendris Váldez (2-7, 2 KOs). Morrell (listed as Osvary in the amateur records) is being hailed as one of the best amateur fighters ever to come out of Cuba and just signed a long-term contract with Warriors Boxing Promotions.

Váldez had a decidedly different reputation coming into the fight after losing his last five bouts, he hardly threw a punch on Saturday night.

Morrell is a powerful, polished light heavyweight who will make his home and fight out of Minneapolis. His promotional team chose Minnesota because of the PBC’s affinity for the Armory and the renewed interest in boxing that the recent successes of Jamal James and Caleb Truax have inspired in the state. Look for him to return in December on the PBC’s next Minneapolis show.

Posted on 08/30/2019

By: Robert Aaron Contreras

The Minneapolis Armory in Minnesota was ready to welcome back its pride and joy Caleb Truax on Saturday, August 31, until the hometown champion was scrapped from his rematch with Peter Quillin, leaving Erislandy Lara to carry the bill.

Lara, a former unified beltholder, meets Ramon Alvarez, of Mexico, elder brother to one Canelo Alvarez. In chief support, Sebastian Fundora puts his giant blue-chip reputation on the line against a standout southpaw in Jamontay Clark.

The broadcast begins on FOX at 8pm ET.

Erislandy Lara (25-3-3. 14 KO) vs. Ramon Alvarez (28-7-3, 16 KO), WBA super welterweight title

In more ways than one has Lara broken the mold of the boring, avoided Cuban stylist. First, he traded fire with Jarret Hurd over 12 rounds in one of the most exciting fights of 2018. Now, after losing his two world titles, he is this weekend being pushed back into the title picture.

Not only is the WBA allowing Lara to skip the line back to the top—note, without winning a fight in almost two years±he is clearly the A-side, the betting favorite to lift the strap against what could be described as a prizefighter’s dream come true: an opponent with a big name but subpar game. His opponent is Alvarez, that being “Inocente” Ramon, the more crude, the inferior sibling of the fighting family.

In 2014, Lara engaged in a stylistic clash with Canelo Alvarez. This after crashing the Mexican superstar’s post-fight presser, where Alvarez publicly accepted Lara’s challenge against behest of his promoter. The two fought the complete 12 rounds. Lara plied his trade, accurately tagging his front-foot opponent. The Cuban technically landed more punches than his counterpart (107 total punches to Canelo’s 97). But the ringside panel were not a fan of fighting in reverse, turning in a split-decision nod for Canelo.

The loss was just the second of Lara’s career. In fact every blemish of his career has come with some sort of asterisk.

Earlier this year, Lara fought Brian Fastano to a split-draw. Castano’s efforts were valiant, though Lara clearly controlled the mid-range fighting. In his fight before that, Lara against connected at a higher rate than his man. This time against Hurd, remaining neck and neck with the sizable champion until sugaring a score-swinging knockdown in the final round.

Alas, Lara settled for a split-decision loss—again. The same way he did against Canelo. And unsurprisingly it was a disputed decision that really introduced his immense skill to the boxing world back in 2011.

In New Jersey, Lara met the nightmarish fighter that was Paul Williams, a freakishly long southpaw. Williams was another underrated fighter, who had arguably at the time got the better of every man he fought: avenging himself against former contender Carlos Quintana and pushing middleweight luminary Sergio Martinez to the limit.

Williams employed his usual strategy against Lara, as he would anybody else. But Lara wasn’t anybody else. The Cuban matched Williams’ high output with supremely accurate counterpunching and Lara wasn’t shy about matching the bigger man’s holding and ruffian tactics.

Still a majority-decision loss was all that Lara was left with—HBO’s Harold Lederman memorably scored the widely in Lara’s favor. The state commission found the cards so poor that all there judges were barred from working in Jersey ever again.

Alvarez heads into the weekend with a much lighter reputation, banking on his familial name. He has never before fought for a world title, and will be making just his second stateside appearance. He somehow appeared on the WBA rankings in April after edging out Jose Carlos Paz, an unheralded veteran who had just been flattened by Anthony Fowler inside a round.

In his first fight in the U.S., Alvarez battled the ever-brawling Brandon Rios, who was interchanging wins and losses since 2015. Fighting far above the lightweight limit where Rios found short stardom for his brawling ways, the former champion eventually pounded out Alvarez in nine rounds.

The rest of Alvarez’s ledger includes a split-decision loss to Antonio Margarito—that being a washed, 2016, squinty-eyed version of Antonio Margarito. Alvarez also split a pair of fights with Omar Chavez, a ferocious puncher and another fighter unable to shake the shadow of their younger, more talented brother.

Given their contrasting career arcs and pedigree, the 36-year-old Lara is far and away the favorite to win—opening as high as -5000. Alvarez, 33, is sitting at 25-to-1 dog odds.

Sebastian Fundora (13-0, 9 KO) vs. Jamontay Clark (14-1, 7 KO)

Making his third appearance of the year, and for the second time in his career over the 10-round distance, Fundora continues to turn heads. The great Tommy Hearns was once marbled at for fighting around 154 pounds at a towering 6’3”. Fundora actually has nearly three inches on Hearns, and drastically more height than any of his current day competition.

Clark, for one, is no chump at the junior middleweight limit. He is 6’2” and is equal measure with Fundora’s staggering reach at 80 inches long.

There still isn’t a super welterweight—or middleweight or super middleweight—alive who can match Fundora’s massive frame. He is a spindly puncher, aged just 21, and will likely pack on much more weight over the years. But at the moment he is jarringly thin.

More shocking is his preference for fighting inside of his shorter opponents. To his credit, he doesn’t cower away from scraps, nearly having his head spun around in multiple fights, eating giant right hands from Ve Shawn Owens for example.

Still undefeated, Fundora has recently proven more adept at leveraging his giant arms. In February, the California native tore up the previously unbeaten Donnie Marshall, with a keen focus on his left uppercut, overwhelming Marshall along the ropes until the referee jumped between the two in the third round.

Previously, in June, Fundora added to his repertoire, pelting away at Mexican prospect Hector Manuel Zepeda: extending a long jab, and ripping left hands up and down. Zepeda’s corner couldn’t bring themselves to send him back out for the fifth period, resulting in the first loss of his career.

Clark, 24, has the athleticism to make him competitive. He will look to extend his record on the year, where he is already 1-0 after decisioning the previously undefeated southpaw Vernon Brown as a part of the PBC on FS1 undercard in March. The Ohio native does have a notable name on his ledger in the form of the standout sharpshooter Ivan Golub. But Clark’s decision over the touted Ukrainian has been widely disputed, aided by an incompetent judging panel.

Posted on 03/03/2019

By: Sean Crose

Boxing returned to Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center on Saturday night, as Erislandy Lara battled Brain Castano for the WBA super welterweight title. First though, the card, which was aired on Showtime, presented featherweights Bryan DeGarcia (24-1-1) and Eduardo Ramierez (21-1-3) in a scheduled 12 round affair. The first three rounds were fast paced, and close, but generally uneventful. The fourth saw Ramirez apply pressure effectively while DeGracia employed strong body work. The end of the fifth saw DeGracia unload nicely on his man…though Ramirez fought back gamely. DeGracia continued to land well in the sixth. The active DeGracia looked to be carrying the fight as the match headed into the later rounds. In the ninth, however, Ramirez suddenly caught DeGracia – and unloaded. Referee Benjy Esteves stepped in and stopped the bout.

Photo Credit: Showtime Boxing Twitter Account

Next up was heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz (30-1) who was looking to get another crack at a heavyweight title by looking good against Germany’s 24-5 Christian Hammer in a scheduled 10 round battle. Ortiz won the first courtesy of an active jab and clean punching. Hammer caught Ortiz hard early in the second. Later in the round, Ortiz landed on Hammer. It was a close, exciting round, punctuated by a hard Ortiz body shot. The third saw both men trade punches. Hammer was trying to set traps, while Ortiz was a bit more active. The fourth saw both men trading leather. Something to note: many of Ortiz’ seemingly hard shots were hitting Hammer’s gloves. The fifth saw more of the same…Ortiz was winning, but it was clear he was in a fight. After a dominant sixth, Ortiz was heading into the second half of the fight seemingly in control of the scorecards.

Ortiz’ jab told the story in the seventh. In the eighth, however, it looked like Ortiz might (“might” being the operative word) be tiring a bit. Hammer was looking stronger late in the fight, possibly winning the ninth on the cards. Ortiz dominated the tenth, assuring himself the UD win he was ultimately granted by the judges. It wasn’t the heavyweight’s best fight, but he got the win, nonetheless.

It was time for the main event. Lara (25-3-2) was looking to reestablish himself as a top man in his division while the undefeated yet widely unknown champion Castano (15-0) was eager to make his mark on the world. The first round was a close affair. The second saw the slickster, Lara, trying to keep off Castano with his southpaw jab. Castano seemed to tough his way through the third, pinning his man against the ropes and landing with some effectiveness. Castano continued to be aggressive in the fourth, but many of his shots were landing on Lara’s gloves. Although he kept aggressive in the fifth, Castano took a lot of clean punches from Lara. The sixth was fast paced, exciting and very close.

Photo Credit: Showtime Boxing Twitter Account

Lara’s sharp shooting told the tale in the seventh. By the eighth, it became a matter of taste. People who enjoy pressure fighters would most likely prefer Castano. People who enjoy clean punching and defensive acumen would most likely prefer Lara. Castano landed to the body in the ninth, and Lara continued to land clean to the head. The tenth ended up being a high octane round with both men trading some nice shots. Castano’s relentless aggression may have won him the eleventh. The twelfth was also a high energy chapter, intense and hard to choose a winner from. Ultimately, the cards ruled it a draw, which was understandable considering the close nature of the fight.

Posted on 03/01/2019

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) will televise a card from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York live on Showtime. Tom Brown’s TGB Promotions and Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment are the co-promoters of this card.

The main event of the evening will be between Brian Castano and Erislandy Lara for Castano’s WBA “Regular” Junior Middleweight Title. The co-main event of the evening will be a heavyweight clash between Luis Ortiz and Christian Hammer.

The undercard will feature prospects and contenders such as Bryan De Gracia, Eduardo Ramirez, Edward Rodriguez, and Antonio Russell.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime Boxing

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

Luis Ortiz (30-1) vs. Christian Hammer (24-5); Heavyweight

Luis Ortiz challenged for the heavyweight title in 2018 in an exciting bout with Deontay Wilder but faded at the end and was stopped before the final bell. Since then he has come back to defeat Travis Kauffman and Razvan Cojanu as he attempts to get another shot at a heavyweight title.

On Saturday he’ll be facing Christian Hammer, a fighter who is about 8 years younger than him and about two inches shorter. Hamer fought twice in 2018 and three times in 2017 and has five losses on his record. Ortiz, despite his advancing age, has also been active and fought three times in 2018 and once in 2017.

Ortiz has the edge in most comparable stats. He also has the knockout power edge as he has stopped twenty six of his opponents while Hammer only stopped fourteen of his opponents. Ortiz also had a better amateur career as he was a multi-time Cuban National Champion while Hammer was a former Romanian Amateur Boxing Champion.

Ortiz has defeated the likes of Malik Scott, Tony Thompson, Bryant Jennings, and Monte Barrett. Hammer has defeated the likes of Michael Wallisch, David Price, Erkan Teper, and Kevin Johnson.

However, Hammer has also lost to the likes of Mariusz Wach, Taras Bidenko, Tyson Fury, and Alexander Povetkin.

Ortiz’s age is of concern, but he’s still an elite level boxer with considerable power. Hammer is basically a fringe contender.

Saturday should be a relatively easier fight for Ortiz.

Brian Castano (15-0) vs. Erislandy Lara (25-3-2); WBA Junior Middleweight Title

Erislandy Lara has long been considered a pound for pound great and one of the best boxers in the junior middleweight division. However, he has lost some of his shine since his loss to Jarrett Hurd and his advancing age of thirty five.

On Saturday he will be facing a tough young opponent in Brian Castano, who is six years younger than Lara.

Lara will have a significant edge in height of three inches and reach of seven inches. Lara does have fourteen stoppages on his resume, three more than Castano, but he fought twice the number of fights.

Castano had a good amateur career and was a gold medalist in the South American Games. He also beat current pound for pound great Errol Spence Jr. as an amateur. Lara was a Cuban National Champ and a World Champ as an amateur which gives him the slight edge in amateur experience.

Lara has lost to the likes of Jarrett Hurd, Canelo Alvarez, and Paul Williams. He has defeated the likes of Terrell Gausha, Yuri Foreman, Vanes Martirosyan, Jan Zaveck, Delvin Rodriguez, Ishe Smith, and Austin Trout.

Castano has defeated the likes of Cedric Vitu, Michel Soro, Emmanue de Jesus, and Marcus Upshaw. At this point in their careers, Lara has defeated the better fighters.

However, Lara is advancing in age and showed signs of it when he lost to Jarrett Hurd. Castano is known for being an aggressive fighter who throws a high number of punches, a style that will usually give an older fighter fits as the fight progresses to the later rounds.

This writer feels this will be Castano’s breakout fight and will score an upset over Lara.

Posted on 09/18/2018

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of September 11th to September 18th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime

Open Letter to Fight Fans From Oscar De La Hoya

Dear Fight Fans,

On the night of Saturday, September 15, fans were set to be treated to what sports should be all about: the two best athletes in a sport squaring off against each other with the winner earning the title of the best in the business. This kind of an event – where an individual can be called the best in any sport – is truly rare.

Not only did the fight itself deliver all that was promised, against all kinds of pressure, Canelo Alvarez gave the performance of his lifetime to secure the unified middleweight championship of the world.

•Unfairly criticized for not fighting “Mexican” enough in the first fight, he kept Gennady Golovkin on his heels all night, taking the action to the “boogeyman of boxing,” walking him down and controlling the pace.

•Repeatedly ravaged for two positive drug tests that showed minor traces of clenbuterol – a common occurrence in Mexico due to the contamination of beef across the country – Canelo submitted to more than 20 drug tests in the lead up to the fight and passed them all with flying colors.

•Saddled with a judge’s card of a year ago that he had nothing to do with; the pressure of millions of fans watching; and what many were describing as a must-win to stay relevant, Canelo delivered a near-flawless fight.

And yet…

It wouldn’t be boxing if thousands of keyboard warriors weren’t talking (or tweeting) complete nonsense in the hours and days after Canelo began to cement his legacy as an all-time great fighter.

Many have told me to ignore the haters; that I’ll never win. But, while I know I won’t convince many of them, allowing them to even partly soil what was a certain Fight of the Year; a mega-event seen by millions of people; and a virtuoso performance by boxing’s marquis fighter would do a disservice to the sport I love.

So allow me to respond to a few of the more absurd comments:

Golden Boy paid the judges to fix the fight.

Though I don’t think this deserves response, here are the facts: The three judges were chosen by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Given the result of the first fight, NSAC was under a lot of scrutiny to come up with the fairest group of judges possible. For the first time I know of, Golden Boy Promotions and Team GGG were even allowed to approve a pool of judges. They saw what everyone else did; a close, competitive fight and scored it exactly that way.

Golovkin landed more punches and therefore should have won the fight.

If landed punches were the difference between winning or losing a boxing match, we would have an incredibly different and less interesting sport. Clean punching, ring generalship, effective aggressiveness and defense are what the judges are looking for in determining the winner of a round. I’m obviously a promoter, but in the four areas that actually count in judging, I can’t find one where GGG was the victor.

Tom Loeffler’s statement that he doesn’t know if Golvokin can win a decision in Las Vegas.

Perhaps Tom is just looking to make GGG feel better, but regardless this is maybe the most disappointing comment, because it comes from someone who knows the sport. Of course, GGG can win a decision in Las Vegas. But 22,000 people aren’t going to crowd into the T-Mobile Arena to watch Golovkin fight and blast out the likes of Dominic Wade, Willie Monroe, Jr., or Vanes Martirosyan. He is going to need to fight a higher level of competition – and then fight better than that opponent – to earn a victory in the mecca of boxing.

Boxing is a wonderful sport that is coming back thanks to streaming technology and growing international interest. But, it is a sport that also faces competition, not only from the outside in the form of other, more-widely watched leagues, but from inside where the fractured nature of boxing has made it tougher and tougher for the best to face the best.

Just look at celebrity row to see how special Saturday night was. There, another best-in-sport athlete, Lebron James, joined by Will Smith, Mark Wahlberg and a huge group of other A-list celebrities to witness something special.

While everyone is entitled to his or her opinion (especially in boxing), let’s take a moment to appreciate what Canelo and GGG gave us on Saturday night and work towards doing it more often for the sake of the sport we all love so much.

Erislandy Lara Wants Canelo or GGG Next

Former WBA super welterweight world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (25-3-2, 14 KOs), felt inspired by the state of boxing after watching last Saturday night’s main event between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 KOs) and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 KOs) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin fought an amazing fight, it was a true classic.” said Lara. “I want to congratulate both of them for putting together such a tremendous effort to bring the spotlight back on boxing. It would be a great honor to fight either fighter, and I would love to challenge myself against them.”

Erislandy Lara has been training in Houston, Texas for his next fight with trainer Ronnie Shields, as he is working hard in the gym, getting ready for his next fight date.

“I am ready to make a statement and to challenge either fighter at middleweight, whether it is Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez in a rematch…I am ready!”
Mayweather-Pacquiao Rematch Props

After news broke that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is planning come out of retirement and return to the ring for a fight with Manny Pacquiao, BetDSI immediately posted a line on the rematch.

The online sportsbook also posted odds on the probability of the fight happening in 2018, as well as how many pay-per-view buys it will generate if it does occur.

Will Mayweather-Pacquiao II take place before Dec. 31, 2018?

Yes -150
No +120

Total PPV buys (in millions) for Mayweather-Pacquiao II (fight must occur by Dec. 31, 2018 for action)

Over 4.3 (-115)
Under 4.3 (-115)

While Vegas set the odds at Mayweather -220, Pacquiao +180, the sharper, offshore market sees Mayweather as a slightly bigger favorite.

Moneyline (fight must occur by Dec. 31, 2018 for action)
Floyd Mayweather -265
Manny Pacquiao +215

Total Rounds (fight must occur by Dec. 31, 2018 for action)
11.5 (-300)
11.5 (+200)
Berchelt and Roman Set for El Paso Rumble

WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel ‘El Alacrán” Berchelt and Miguel “Mickey” Roman went face-to-face on the arena floor of the Don Haskins Center, site of their Nov. 3 showdown that will, once and for all, settle this simmering grudge match.

Berchelt (34-1, 30 KOs), from, Cancun, Mexico, is the 26-year-old champion looking to make his fourth successful title defense. Roman (60-12, 47 KOs), from Juarez, Mexico, is a 32-year-old who will be making his third attempt at a world title.

Roman and Berchelt met the media on Monday in El Paso, the middle stop of a three-city press swing that, if anything, has stoked the rivalry between the two. Here is what they had to say 47 days away from one of the year’s most anticipated fights.

Miguel Berchelt

“I am very happy to be here. It’s my second time on ESPN. I am training very hard in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. When there are two Mexicans in the ring, the show is guaranteed to be great. This won’t be the exception.”

“In boxing, trash talk is normal. At the end of the day, we are fighters. It is going to be a great fight. The people will leave the arena happy because they are going to see a great fight. They are going to see a great champion in Miguel Berchelt.”

“Roman and I have wanted this fight for a very, very long time. He asked for this opportunity, and I am happy to give it to him. This is going to be a great fight, but I know it will end with my hands raised. I am young and hungry. It doesn’t matter that we’re fighting in his backyard. El Paso and Juarez are going to be my towns when it’s over.”

Miguel Roman

“I would like you to know I’m very happy. I feel great fighting for this belt against Miguel Berchelt. This is something that we’ve been waiting for. Now, it’s happening. I live near the border, and fighting here is like I’m fighting in my house. The people from El Paso, Juarez, and Las Cruces {New Mexico} always support me. On Nov. 3, my people are going to come and support me.”

“I’m fighting a great champion in Miguel Berchelt. He’s very strong and I respect him a lot. I gotta do what I gotta do. I gotta do my job. My experience, strength, and hunger to win this title will take me to victory.”

“He’s talking all of this stuff, that he’s going to take my head off and things like that. El Paso is my town. If he thinks he’s going to come in here and be talking like that, he’s got another thing coming.”

Berchelt-Roman and a soon-to-be announced co-feature will stream live in the United States beginning at 9:30 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 entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

Park Theater Showdown:Ryota Murata –Rob Brant Tickets On Sale Today

Japanese superstar Ryota Murata is taking his talents halfway around the world.

Tickets for Murata’s WBA middleweight world title defense against Rob “Bravo” Brant on Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Park Theater at Park MGM go on sale TODAY at 10 a.m. PST. The event is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Teiken Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $204, $104, $54 and $29, not including taxes and handling fees, and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also can be purchased through the MGM Resorts International Call Center at 877-795-2564.

Murata-Brant will stream live in the United States beginning at 7:30 p.m. PST 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.

This is the second defense of the WBA title for Murata (14-1, 11 KOs), who won the belt with a dominating seventh-round TKO over Hassan N’Dam in October 2017. Five months earlier, N’Dam handed Murata his only professional loss via a highly controversial split decision. Murata left no doubt in the rematch and defended the title in April in Yokohama, Japan, knocking out Emanuele Blandamura in the eighth round.

A 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Murata is a sports icon in Japan, as the Blandamura fight drew a peak rating of 17 million viewers on Japanese TV. Brant (23-1, 16 KOs), from St. Paul, Minn., is undefeated when fighting as a middleweight and is the WBA No. 2-ranked middleweight in the world.

HBO Replay of Canelo-GGG 2

HBO Sports presents WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: CANELO ALVAREZ VS. GENNADY GOLOVKIN 2, the exclusive replay of their highly anticipated rematch, SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 at 10:05 p.m. (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team, which was ringside at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the live HBO Pay-Per-View® presentation on Cinco de Mayo, called all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fight will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.

In the sport’s top prizefight of the year, middleweight champ Gennady “GGG” Golovkin put his title belts and undefeated record on the line once again against his arch-rival, superstar Canelo Alvarez, who despite his youth (27) has emerged as a box office powerhouse and one of the sport’s elite fighters. Their 12-round fight at 160-pounds took place under the bright spotlight of the T-Mobile Arena.

Posted on 04/27/2018

By: Eric Lunger

Saturday night on Fox, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) presents a triple-header from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, TX. In a classic crossroads matchup, veteran Josesito Lopez takes on undefeated prospect Miguel Cruz in a ten-round welterweight clash, while Anthony Dirrell and Abraham Han are set for ten rounds at super middleweight. The televised card opens with featherweights Jorge Lara and Claudio Marrero.

Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions Twitter Account

Lopez (35-7, 19 KOs) has been in the ring with quality opposition, including a losing world title effort against Canelo Alvarez in 2012. In that same year, however, Lopez stopped Victor Ortiz in nine rounds, his most notable win. Since then, the Riverside, CA, native has posted mixed results, with losses to Marcos Maidana and Andre Berto, but he comes into Saturday night’s looking to continue his two-win streak. Lopez is an aggressive and fan-friendly fighter who is willing to take risks. Confident and relaxed, Josesito just finished a solid camp with renowned trainer Roberto Garcia: “this is the kind of fight I can really display my skills,” Lopez said at the pre-fight press conference, “I am prepared for anything Saturday night.”

For Miguel Cruz (17-0, 11 KOs), Saturday night is a huge opportunity. With only three ten-rounders under his belt, Cruz is relatively untested. His last two outings were unanimous decision wins, over Alex Martin last June and David Grayton in November. At five-foot-eleven, Cruz will have a two-inch height advantage over Lopez and a five-inch reach surplus. “I have to be smart and execute my game plan round after round,” Cruz said, “my jab will be key, and if I can use that and wear him down to the body, I think I’ll have a great chance to stop him.”

In the co-feature, former middleweight Champion Anthony Dirrell (31-1-1, 24 KOs) looks to continue his climb back into contention after a gritty sixth-round stoppage of Denis Douglin in November of last year. Two years ago, Dirrell lost his belt by majority-decision to Badou Jack, and he later stopped future IBF champion Caleb Truax in round one of their 2016 bout, so Dirrell knows what he can do, and he knows he belongs in the mix at the top of the 168 weight class. “Everybody knows I am a championship caliber fighter, and I’ll prove it again on Saturday. After this fight I’m ready to take on any of the super middleweight champions,” Dirrell said.

Abraham Han (26-3-1, 16 KOs) is an El Paso native, and is excited to fight in front of his hometown fans. Han’s most notable win was over Marcos Reyes in November of 2014, a ten-round majority decision. Han comes into Saturday night’s bout riding a three-fight win streak, with two recent knockouts and one no-contest due to a head butt. “I hope the sport fans of El Paso come out and watch me put on a great performance,” said Han in the press conference this week. “I know the type of challenge I have in front of me, but I also know I have the skills to pull this off.”

The action will start with a televised undercard feature, pitting heavy-handed Mexican Jorge Lara (29-0, 21 KOs) against Claudio Marrero (22-2, 16 KOs) of the Dominican Republic. With a combined seventy-percent knockout rate, this bout is unlikely to go the full distance.

The action begins live on FOX and FOX streaming 8:30 ET/5:30 PT.

Posted on 04/08/2018

By: William Holmes

Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions put on a triple header on the Showtime networks live from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The main event of the evening was between Erislandy Lara and Jarrett Hurd and the co-main event of the evening was between James DeGale and Caleb Truax which was a rematch of a mammoth upset in 2017.

The opening bout of the night was between Julian Williams (24-1-1) and Nathaniel Gallimore (20-1) in the junior middleweight division. The winner of this bout will likely be looking at a title shot in the near future.

Julian Williams was a big step up in competition for Nathaniel Gallimore and he stayed behind a strong jab and good side to side movement in the opening three rounds. Gallimore was able to land some shots on the inside, and landed and received some heavy shots in the fourth round.

Williams had a small mouse under his right eye in the fifth round that opened up from an unintentional headbutt. Williams began to focus on the body more in the middle rounds, though he looked a little tired in the fifth and sixth rounds.

Williams body work continued into the seventh, eight, and ninth rounds and it was visibly sapping the energy of Gallimore. Gallimore’s punches didn’t have much snap in the tenth round and Williams had Gallimore badly hurt in the eleventh round and looked close to stopping him.

It was an entertaining fight, with only one questionable scorecard at the end.

The final scores were 114-114, 116-112, and 117-110 in favor of Julian Williams.

After this bout Floyd Mayweather Jr. was interviewed by Showtime and indicated that if he was going to unretire he would fight in the octagon.

The co-main event of the night was between Caleb Truax (29-3-2) and James DeGale (23-2-1) for the IBF Super Middleweight Title.

Photo Credit: Showtime Twitter Account

DeGale showed the quicker hand speed and more accurate in the opening two rounds, but it featured many headbutts that often happen when a southpaw faces an orthodox fighter.

Truax applied heavy pressure in the third round which featured a hard-right hand to the chin of DeGale that sent him falling backwards into the ropes. DeGale had a cut by his right eye that the referee ruled was caused by a punch, but the video replay showed it was caused by a head-butt.

The Nevada commission informed the announce team in the fourth round that the ruling on the cut being caused by a punch still stood despite the video evidence.

Truax continued to come forward in the fourth through sixth rounds while DeGale badly bled. Truax however wasn’t able to land many effective combinations but he was pressing the action.

DeGale started to land some good counters in the seventh round and land some good short shots on the inside. DeGale had a very strong eighth and ninth rounds and often switched to an orthodox stance from his traditional southpaw stance.

Truax had cuts under both of his eyes by the ninth round and appeared to be tiring. DeGale lost a point in the tenth round for a deliberate shoulder strike.

The final two rounds were close and featured some tight action, but DeGale looked like he was landing the better punches.

The final scores were 117-110, 114-113, and 114-113 for James DeGale.

The main event of the night was between Jarrett Hurd (21-0) and Erislandy Lara (25-2-2) for the IBF and WBA Junior Middleweight Titles .

Photo Credit: Showtime Twitter Account

Hurd looked like he was two weight classes bigger than Lara, but Lara was able to find a home with his straight left hand early on and land some quick combinations in the second.

Hurd didn’t appear to be too bothered with Lara’s power and was able to land some good short shots on the inside and was making Lara back away from him in the fourth rounds.

Hurd showed he had a granite chin in the fifth round and was able to take the shots of Lara and answer with his own shots to the body. Lara appeared to tire in the sixth rounds as his back was against the ropes again, and he took a hard right hook at the end of the seventh round.

Hurd was able to land some very hard shots in the eighth round and had Lara’s eye puffed up badly in the ninth.
Lara was able to slow Hurd’s momentum in the 10th round with quick counters and being the first on the attack, and he was able to finish the eleventh round strong and maybe steal the round.

The twelfth round featured both boxers going for the knockout, but it was Hurd who landed a shot that sent his opponent to the mat. Lara looked badly hurt and face was swollen, but he was able to survive the round.

The scores were 114-113 Lara, 114-113 Hurd, and 114-113 Hurd.

Posted on 04/06/2018

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Showtime will team up with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) to put on two highly competitive fights live from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas Nevada.

The main event will feature a Junior Middleweight Unificaiton bout between Erislandy Lara and the rising Jarrett Hurd. The co-main event of the evening will feature an anticipated rematch between Caleb Truax and James DeGale for the IBF Super Middleweight World Championship.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime

Their first match was won by Truax in what many consider to be the biggest upset of the year in 2017.

The undercard will feature fighters such as Julian Williams, Sergio Mora, and Alfredo Angulo.

The following is a preview of the two televised fights.

Caleb Truax (29-3-2) vs. James DeGale (23-2-1); IBF Super Middleweight Title

The expected opening bout of the telecast will be between Caleb Truax and James DeGale for the IBF Super Middleweight Title. Truax was able to pull off a tremendous upset during their first bout and surprisingly is still considered by many to be the underdog, despite the fact he beat DeGale in England.

Truax and DeGale are the same height and DeGale has a slight one inch reach advantage. Truax has been the more active boxer of the two. He fought twice in 2017 and three times in 2016. DeGale fought twice in 2017 and once in 2016.

DeGale clearly has the better amateur resume of the two. He was an Olympic Gold Medalist in 2008 while Truax was an Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Champion. However, while DeGale may be the better amateur boxer Truax appears to have more power in his punches. Truax has stopped eighteen of his opponents while DeGale has stopped fourteen.

Truax has defeated the likes of DeGale, KeAndrae Leatherwood, Melvin Betenacourt, Scott Sigmon, Derek Ennis, and Donovan George. He has lost to the likes of Anthony Dirrell, Daniel Jacobs, and Jermain Taylor.

DeGale has beaten the likes of Rogelio Medina, Lucian Bute, Andre Dirrell, Marco Antonio Periban, and Dyah Davis. His losses were to George Groves and Truax.

Even though DeGale has the edge in amateur experience and defeated opponents, Truax was able to beat DeGale in his own backyard and rather convincingly the first time they faced each other and it wasn’t by a lucky knockout punch.

Truax will have the mental edge going into Saturday night that may be the difference to help him win this rematch.

Jarrett Hurd (21-0) vs. Erislandy Lara (25-2-2); IBF/WBA Junior Middleweight Titles

This is an intriguing fight between a decorated amateur from Cuba that may be coming near the end of his physical peak and a young upcoming champion looking to make a name for him.

Lara is thirty four years old and will be seven years older than Hurd on fight night. He will also be giving up four inches in height and two and a half inches in reach. Hurd has also been the more active fighter of the two. He fought twice in 2017 and twice in 2016, while Lara only fought once in 2016 and fought twice in 2017.

Lara, however, does not appear to be worried about the size difference. He stated at the last press conference, ” “Everyone knows I love to fight his style. I’ve fought better and taller fighters than him and you’ve seen me dominate them. It’s going to be nothing different on Saturday night.”

Hurd has a slight edge in power as he has fifteen stoppage victories on his record, while Lara only has fourteen stoppage victories.

Hurd was a semifinalist in the National Golden Gloves tournament as an amateur while Lara was a Cuban National Amateur Champion and a member of the Cuban National Boxing Team.

Hurd has defeated the likes of Austin Trout, Tonly Harrison, Ionut Dan, Oscar Molina and Frank Galarza. Nobody has yet to defeat Hurd as a professional.

Lara’s two losses were close and were to Canelo Alvarez and to Paul Williams. He has defeated the likes of Terrel Gausha, Yuri Foreman, Vanes Martirosyan, Jan Zaveck, Delvin Rodriguez, Ishe Smith, Austin Trout, Alfredo Angulo, and Freddy Hernandez.

Hurd appears ready to test Lara and take advantage of his size advantage and his age advantage. He stated, “”Lara is a guy who can’t take pressure fighters well. I have some of the best pressure in the game. I’m younger, stronger, taller and longer. He’s not going to be able to run for 12 rounds. “

Has Lara reached the end of his peak? He hasn’t shown signs of slowing down and Hurd leaves himself open to counters. It should be a close fight, but this writer envisions Lara pulling away by the end of the fight.

Posted on 04/05/2018

By: Bryant Romero

Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (21-0, 15 KOs) showed no hesitation in accepting a unification bout with the considered most established and experienced champion in the Jr. Middleweight division against Erislandy Lara (25-2-2, 14 KOs) this Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Hurd relished the opportunity and is heading into the biggest fight of his career with supreme confidence that not only will he defeat Lara, but also establish himself as the only unified champion in the talented rich 154 pound division and make a strong argument that he is the best Jr. middleweight in the world.

Photo Credit:Stephanie Trapp/Showtime Boxing

“There was something in me that always wanted this fight. Once I defended my title against Austin Trout, I was quick to get on top of this opportunity.

“This is going to be a difficult fight. Lara is the type of fighter who has a lot of experience. It won’t be easy so I have to be well prepared and on top of my game come Saturday night,” Hurd said.

Hurd has on been on a tear as of late which can explain the supreme confidence he has heading into this bout. Over the past 7 fights, Hurd has recorded 7 consecutive crushing knockouts, including an impressive stoppage win over former world champion Austin Trout in his last outing. It’s only fitting that for his first unification bout, Hurd will be back at the same arena where he first gained notoriety in his impressive knockout win over the previously undefeated Frank Galarza almost 3 years ago.

“Being back in Vegas and back at Hard Rock where I beat Frank Galarza to really get this whole journey started means a lot to me. I’m planning to give everyone a great show just like I always do,” Hurd told the boxing press.

Despite a limited amateur career, Hurd is only a slight underdog to the more experienced champion in Erislandy Lara. Lara has fought by far the much better opposition, but his career has stagnated since his close decision loss to Canelo Alvarez back in 2014. Lara has since made 5 successful defenses of his WBA strap since then, but inactivity and fighting some unworthy opponents has made his WBA title run very lackluster. The word in Vegas is that Hurd will be too big, too strong, and too fresh for Lara, but whatever happens this Saturday, Hurd promises action in this Jr. Middleweight unification.

“No matter what kind of fight he brings; I’m going to stick to my game plan. He has to fight at my pace. No matter what he comes with, I’m going to be in charge in the ring.

“It’s always going to be fireworks when I’m in the ring. I have a fan-friendly style. At the end of the day, you don’t have to worry about Lara running away, because I’m going to be in his face for 12 rounds,” Hurd said.

Posted on 03/13/2018

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of March 6th to March 13th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Lara and Jarrett Hurd to Clash on April 7th

Erislandy Lara, the longest reigning world champion at 154-pounds, will clash with IBF champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd in a highly-anticipated super welterweight title unification live on SHOWTIME (10 pm ET/7 pm PT) as part of an exciting card presented by Premier Boxing Champions Saturday, April 7 from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

In the co-main event, Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb Truax will make the first defense of his IBF title against James DeGale in a rematch of one of the biggest upsets of 2017 that saw Truax wrestle the belt from DeGale on his home turf in London last December.

Tickets for the show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, will go on sale Friday, March 16 and be available by visiting AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Box Office.

“This is an action-packed card from top to bottom. The televised card features boxers who all have something significant to gain with a victory,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “The winner of Lara-Hurd will be one step closer to becoming the undisputed 154-pound world champion. In a rematch, Truax gets to re-affirm his position as champion and DeGale has a chance to regain his world championship status. This is the kind of show that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.”

“We take pride in promoting quality events that our audiences always want to see,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “This card is going to be another line-up that the fans won’t want to miss. With Lara and Hurd looking to unify their titles and guys going head-to-head in rematches on the undercard, this is sure to be a night of non-stop action.

Lara vs. Hurd is a classic contrast in styles that could force each fighter to raise their game to another level. Lara is a crafty southpaw who relies on his superior boxing skills to confound opponents, while Hurd is a pure pressure boxer-puncher that stalks his opponents and isn’t easily frustrated.

Lara, a Cuban whose nickname is “The American Dream”, is coming off a unanimous decision victory on SHOWTIME over Terrell Gausha in October. Hurd was on the same card and defeated former champion Austin Trout when Trout’s corner stopped the fight in the 10th round. That paved the way for this unification showdown.

The 34-year-old Lara (25-2-2, 14 KOs), who lives and trains in Houston, Texas, won his world title with a TKO victory over Alfredo Angulo in 2013 and has successfully defended it seven times, which includes wins over Trout, Ishe Smith and Vanes Martirosyan.

“I’m very excited and motivated for this fight and to once again be headlining on the best network in boxing on SHOWTIME, is truly a pleasure,” said Lara. “I look forward to adding another belt to my collection on April 7 and to proving that I’m the best 154-pound fighter out there. Everyone tune-in because you don’t want to miss this unification. It’s going to be a legendary night and one for the history books.”

The undefeated Hurd (21-0, 15 KOs) is coming off a career-defining TKO victory over the former champion Trout in his last fight on Oct. 14. It was the first defense of the title for the 27-year Hurd of Accokeek, Maryland, who won the championship with a TKO victory over Tony Harrison on Feb. 25, 2017.

“I plan on being the aggressor for the entire fight, so I’ve been doing some exercises and working on techniques to improve my foot work so that I can stay on top of Erislandy Lara,” said Hurd. “We are not trying to go to the scorecards, so hopefully, I can be the first man to stop him, which I hope to do in the later rounds.

“I called him out, and now, it has come to pass that I get to become a unified champion against the man everyone considers to be the best and most feared in the division, and that’s Erislandy Lara.”

They call 34-year-old Truax “Golden”, and he punched his ticket to world title gold while on a trip to London in December, when he defeated DeGale by majority decision. Truax (29-3-2, 18 KOs) of Osseo, Minnesota was on a two-fight win streak heading into the match against DeGale. Before that his only losses came against former champions Anthony Dirrell, Daniel Jacobs and Jermain Taylor.

“They made the right call on the decision in England, and I expect to be even more dominant this time around,” Truax said. “I am planning to really just beat up James Gale and get the job done in more efficient fashion this time.’

“Fighting in Las Vegas for the first time will be a very cool experience and I expect it to be friendlier than it was in London. There is a lot of pride on the line for me, being that I’m the first boxing world champion from Minnesota in a long time. So there is a lot on the line for me and I plan to keep that going, especially as a means for supporting my family.”

The 32-year-old DeGale (23-2-1, 14 KOs) was the first British boxer to win a Gold Medal in the Olympics (2008 Beijing Games) and a world championship as a professional. He won his world title with a unanimous decision over Andre Dirrell in 2015 and made two successful defenses before fighting to a draw against Badou Jack on Jan. 14, 2017. It was a brutal standoff between two world champions, but neither man had his hand raised in victory. DeGale, who was coming off of an injury, had his home town crowd behind him but couldn’t deliver a win as Truax scored a stunning upset with the majority decision victory.

‘I’m happy to have the opportunity to rematch Truax and regain my IBF title,” said DeGale. “I am not going to make excuses for my poor performance, actions speak louder than words. I am excited to be boxing in Vegas and on SHOWTIME again. The real JD will be back on fight night!”

Amir Imam Preparing for Jose Ramirez

Amir Imam (21-1, 18 KOs) is in Pompano Beach, Florida, under the auspices of head trainer Stacy McKinley, in final preparations for his March 17 showdown against Jose Ramirez (21-0, 16 KOs) from Avenal, California for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight belt Saturday, March 17, at the The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Imam, 27, rated No. 1 by the WBC, boasts a victory by knockout ratio of 86%, including his last three and five of his last seven. Ramirez, 25, WBC No. 3 ranked super lightweight, has stopped 76% of the opponents he has faced, including four consecutive and eight in his last 10 bouts

“Amir Imam is coming to Madison Square Garden, The Mecca of Boxing, in New York City, to take down not only Jose Ramirez but Bob Arum too!” boasted Imam’s promoter Don King. “I can hardly wait for Saturday night. Start the clock. Tick-tock, tick-tock.” T-minus 124 hours 45 minutes till Ramirez-Imam enter the ring, Saturday night . . .

“Yes sir, March 17 is a big day for me and the stakes are real high for both me and him. It’s the first time I get to fight in the Garden and that’s exciting, knowing that greatness has fought there. It’s the first time I am fighting in a main event and first time fighting for a world title,” said Imam. “It’s what I have been working for my whole life and it’s finally here and I’ve got to take advantage of it.

“He’s kind of tall and long just like me, so it’s like seeing each other in the mirror so it is going to be real interesting and it’s going to be an electrifying fight.”

“Ramirez is a tough fighter – a real tough fighter and we know what we’ve got to do to win this fight. If a knockout comes I will take advantage of it but I am not going in there looking for a straight knockout. I have to fight real hard and get the rounds under my belt just in case. He’s been aggressive but he may not come out aggressive – you never know. I just have to be smart in the ring and adjust to things he will be doing.”

“I can definitely match his power, I can box when I have to, and I can fight. I can do a lot of things. I can do whatever it takes to get the W. A lot of fighters these days can’t do that – they are one-dimensional fighters. If I have to box or if I have to slug I can do it. I think I am the toughest guy in the 140-pund divisi

“I can just hear them saying “The New.”

Ramírez vs. Imam will headline a spectacular St. Patrick’s Day boxing extravaganza, The Ramírez – Imam world championship fight will be televised live and exclusively at 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN and stream live on the ESPN App at 6 p.m. EDT. It will mark the first time Arum and King have battled each other promotionally on the same card since Miguel Cotto defended his World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight world title on March 12, 2011.

ESPN Scores Highest Rated Boxing Fight on Cable Television in 2018 with Saturday Night’s Top Rank on ESPN

Top Rank on ESPN saw Oscar Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) retain his WBO featherweight title against Scott Quigg while fighting under a canopy at the rainy StubHub Center, the famed outdoor boxing venue in Carson, Calif. south of downtown Los Angeles. The telecast includes two of 2018’s top five highest-rated fights on cable television in 2018, according to preliminary audience results from Nielsen. The Valdez vs. Quigg world championship fight aired live and exclusively on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and streamed live on the ESPN App.

Top Things to Know

• Last night’s telecast was the highest-rated of the three Top Rank on ESPN telecasts in 2018
• Last night’s Top Rank on ESPN featured two of the five highest-rated fights on cable television in 2018
• The main event featuring Valdez vs. Quigg averaged a 0.7 metered market rating, while the co-main event featuring undefeated junior lightweights Andy Vences vs. Erick De Leon averaged a 0.8 metered market rating
Top Boxing Overnight Ratings on Cable Television 2018 (By Fight)
03/10/2018
ESPN
VENCES vs. DE LEON
0.8

03/03/2018
SHOWTIME
WILDER vs. ORTIZ
0.8

03/10/2018
ESPN
VALDEZ vs. QUIGG
0.7

01/27/2018
HBO
MATTHYSSE vs. KIRAM
0.7

03/03/2018
HBO
KOVALEV vs. MIKHALKIN
0.7

The next Top Rank on ESPN is this Saturday, March 17 and features top-rated contenders José Ramírez and Amir “Young Man” Imam fighting for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super lightweight world title. Ramirez vs. Imam will headline a St. Patrick’s Day at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The event also features Irish Olympian Michael Conlan (5-0, 4 KO’s), from Belfast, who begins his sophomore professional year exactly where he started his freshman year — at The Garden. The Ramirez vs. Imam world championship event will live and exclusively at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and stream live on the ESPN App at 6 p.m. ET.

Witherspoon Decisions Capers in Atlantic City

Chazz Witherspoon raised his winning streak to eight in a row as he went the eight-round distance by won a unanimous decision over Lamont Capers that headlined a seven-bout card at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

The show, which took place this past Saturday, was promoted by Mis Downing Promotions and Silverspoon Promotions.

Witherspoon was able to outpoint the crafty Capers. Capers was very competitive, but it was Witherspoon’s size and harder punches that proved to be the difference as he captured the via 78-74, 78-74 and 77-75 scores.

Witherspoon of Paulsboro, NJ is now 37-3. Capers, who was fighting for the 2nd time in seven days is 9-12-4.

Willis Lockett took a six-round majority decision over Prince Badi Ajamu in a cruiserweight bout.

Lockett of Takoma Park, MD won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57, and is now 16-22-6. Ajamu of Camden, NJ is 28-4-1.

Super Lightweight John Bauza remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over David Morales.

Bauza of North Bergen, NJ won on all cards by scores of 60-54, and is now 9-0. Morales of Managua, Nicaragua is 13-9.

Mike Hilton won a three-round technical unanimous decision over Hector Perez.

The fight was a terrific back and forth brawl when Perez suffered a cut over his right eye in the third frame.

Perez almost made a quick night for himself as he dropped Hilton in the 1st round. Hilton stormed back to register his own knockdown’s in round two and three.

The scores were 28-26 on all cards at the time of the stoppage.

Hilton of Trenton, NJ is 10-0. Perez of Pleasantville, NJ is 3-2

Edgar Cortes won a four-round unanimous decision over Kevin Asmat in a featherweight bout.

Scores were 38-37 twice and 39-36 for Cortes, of Vineland, NJ, who is now 6-4. Asmat of North Bergen. NJ is 3-2.

Alejandro Jimenez made a successful pro debut with a 2nd round stoppage over Derrick Pitts in a bantamweight bout.

The time of the finish was 3:00. Pitts is 0-2.

Dan Murray and Latorrie Woodberry fought to a no-contest when Woodberry hurt his shoulder in the 1st round of their scheduled four-round welterweight bout.

“I am ecstatic about Saturday night’s card,” said Mis Downing of Mis Downing Promotions. “The fights were terrific and very competitive. I want to thank the Claridge Hotel and a special thanks to The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame. I also want to thank Mayor Frank Gilliam for supporting our event. We are excited about what is to come in the future, and we will have a very big announcement shortly about our next event, which will be a very special night of boxing.”

Posted on 10/15/2017

By: Sean Crose

The Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York, hosted three major super welterweight bouts on Saturday, in a card which was aired live by the Showtime pay cable network. First up was a twelve rounder between 30-3 former titlist Austin Trout and 20-0 IBF Super Welterweight Champion Jarrett Hurd. Neither man was dominant in the first, but Trout and his clean punching had an edge. Trout moved well, employed angles and hit with effectiveness in the second. The third was close, but a more aggressive Hurd may have taken it by a hair.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime

By the fourth round, Trout was hitting hard and with precision. Hurd landed hard in fifth, however. Trout punched clean and often again in the 6th, yet by the end of the round, Hurd caused his man to stumble. Hurd continued to do damage in the early part of the 7th, but Trout was able to make up some ground.

Hurd’s strength looked to be coming through in the 8th, but Trout remained effective with his shots. Trout was clearly starting to gas, however. Entering the championship rounds, it was Hurd who looked fresher. Trout controlled the tenth until the very end, when Hurd almost finished him. The ring doctor halted the proceedings in between rounds

Next up was Jermell Charlo, 29-0 and Erickson Lubin, 18-0, for the WBC world super welterweight title. The first part of the first was slow. The second part was slow, too – until Charlo, the champion, took his man out with a single shot. “They threw a chair at my brother.”Charlo said after the bout, referring to an unseen incident. No one seemed to be seriously hurt. Not even Lubin.

It was time for the final event of the evening. Cuban-American Erislandy Lara, 24-2-2, defended his WBA super world super welterweight title against former US Olympian Terrell Gausha, 20-0. Lara, the southpaw, was able to control the first. The second was more of the same. Ditto for the third. The crowd started booing at the inaction in the fourth – only to have Lara suddenly drop his man with a right. Guasha got up, but was unable to effectively engage. Laura continued to dominate in patient fashion.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh were virtual repeats of each other. Lara dominated. Gausha was unable to make headway. The crowd booed again and began to empty the Barclay’s Center. In the eighth, Lara began to hurt his man. Gausha, though, was able to make it to the final bell. “There’s no change of gears,” Showtime’s Paulie Malignaggi claimed correctly. The fight stayed at the same pace throughout. Lara was rewarded with a unanimous decision win.

Posted on 10/12/2017

By: Sean Crose

Junior middleweight slickster Erislandy Lara will be defending his WBA super world title this weekend when he faces undefeated Terrell Gausha at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

The bout will headline a stacked card that will be aired live Saturday starting at 10 PM eastern standard time on the Showtime pay cable network. Lara, a 24-2-2 student of the Cuban school of boxing, is a challenge for any fighter. Indeed, some feel he bested Canelo Alvarez in a fight Alvarez squeezed a decision win out of back in 2014. Cleveland’s Gausha, on the other hand, holds a 20-0 record, but has never faced anyone of Lara’ s pedigree. With that in mind, Lara is getting on at 34 years of age and hasn’t fought since January, when he bested Yuri Foreman in a bout some thought shouldn’t even have been made.

Also that evening, the undefeated, 29-0 Jermell Charlo will be defending his WBC world title in the super welterweight division by facing hard hitting 18-0 Erickson Lubin. Charlo will be coming off a streak where none of his last three bouts have gone the distance. Indeed, the man has been looking impressive as of late. For his own part, however, Orlando’s Lubin has stopped three of his own last four opponents within the distance. Some see this as the top fight of the evening, even though it will be taking a back seat to the Lara-Gausha bout in the card’s lineup. Charlo, after all, is on a hot streak…and Lubin has made it clear he’s a man with something to prove.

Still yet another junior middleweight championship bout will be going down in front of Showtime cameras on Saturday, featuring veteran fighter Austin Trout and Jarrett Hurd for Hurd’s IBF world super welterweight title. Trout a 30-3 former division titlist, hasn’t fought in over a year but is looking at a chance to reclaim past glory. Hurd’s name may not be as illustrious as former Trout foes Canelo Alvarez ‘ and Miguel Cotto’s are, but the 20-0 Maryland native has a ten year age advantage and can boast of having knocked out his last six opponents. In fact, the last time a Hurd fight went the distance was back in 2014 when the fighter bested Emmanuel Sanchez on the cards. This isn’t a going to be a battle where bad behavior is to be found in the leadup, however, as both Trout and Hurd are known to be respectful and professional.

Posted on 10/10/2017

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of October 3rd to October 10th; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

HBO Sports Extends Agreement with Veteran Broadcaster Jim Lampley

HBO Sports has entered into a new multi-year agreement with acclaimed broadcaster Jim Lampley, who serves as the primary voice for its HBO Boxing franchise. Lampley will continue to serve on multiple HBO Boxing platforms, including the host and blow-by-blow voice for “World Championship Boxing®,” “HBO Boxing After Dark®” and HBO Pay-Per-View.® He also will continue to host the boxing studio program “The Fight Game With Jim Lampley.” The agreement was announced today by Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sports.

“For nearly three decades, Jim has been the most prominent television voice in boxing,” said Nelson. “His work is universally recognized as the standard in the sport and we are thrilled to know he will continue in this high visibility role for years to come. Jim’s high journalistic standards, historical knowledge of the sport and enthusiasm for sharing the backstories of the fighters who enter the ring enriches the broadcast experience for the HBO audience.”

A four-time Sports Emmy® Award winner, Lampley was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY on June 14, 2015.

Starting with his first HBO presentation, the “World Championship Boxing” fight between Mike Tyson and Tony Tubbs from Tokyo on March 20, 1988, Lampley has been at the helm for many of the most dramatic moments in HBO Boxing history.

“I’m very lucky to have spent nearly three decades working in HBO’s unique culture, and grateful for the chance to keep doing it,” said Lampley. “It’s always been my natural home.”

Lampley returns to HBO on Saturday, Oct. 21 when he calls the “HBO Boxing After Dark” tripleheader from Verona, NY at 10:05 p.m. (ET/PT). The next edition of “The Fight Game With Jim Lampley” premieres Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT).

Pacquiao’s Possible Retirement has Arum’s Support

Top Rank’s Bob Arum recently spoke to Steve Kim of the Undisputed Boxing Network and stated that he will one hundred percent support Pacquiao’s plan to retire.

Pacquiao was last seen in the ring when he lost a shocking defeat to Australia’s Jeff Horn in July. Pacquiao hasn’t made an official decision to retire yet, but Horn already has a title fight lined up and Pacquiao’s political duties make it difficult to schedule a fight inside the ring.

Arum also stated he would be happy if Pacquiao decided to retire. He mentioned Andre Ward’s recent retirement when he stated, “So I think Andre did a really smart thing in retiring and, if Manny decides to retire- which I don’t kow- but if he does, I’ll be applauding it.

Tevin Farmer to Receive Two Briscoe Awards Sunday

Streaking junior lightweight Tevin Farmer, 25-4-1, 5 KOs, will go home with two awards at Sunday’s 10th Annual Briscoe Awards on Sunday, October 15, 2017. The annual event will be held at Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia.

Farmer, currently riding an 18-bout winning streak, is looking toward a December crack at the vacant IBF 130-pound world title. However, before that milestone comes, he will stop by the Briscoe Awards on Sunday, to receive recognition for the “2016 Performance of the Year” and as the “2016 Prospect of the Year”.

Farmer was brilliant in his fight with Ivan Redkach last year, and his virtuoso performance will be honored as the best among all other Philly fighters for 2016. This is the second straight year that Farmer has won the award.

Overall, Farmer posted four victories in 2016, pushing himself up the rankings and in position for his upcoming title opportunity. That four-fight run earned him the nod as Philly’s best prospect. If he can wrest the title in December, he’ll surely be in the running for the “2017 Philly Fighter of the Year Award”.

ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM

The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.

This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.

The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.

Jeff Horn to Face Gary Corcoran in December

Australian Jeff “The Hornet” Horn (17-0-1) is expected to take on Londoner Gary “Hellraiser” Corcoran (17-1) in the maiden defence of his WBO world welterweight title.

Promoter Bob Arum, who co-promotes Horn, has suggested that the WBO world title fight will take place at the SunCorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday 15th December, televised live on ESPN.

Brisbane’s Horn, 29, won the WBO belt last July with a highly controversial decision against eight-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao.

“Pac Man” was expected to agree to a November rematch but pulled out due to his Senatorial duties in the Philippines taking priority.

Top Rank founder, Arum, is already looking ahead to that potentially lucrative return, “If Horn beats this kid, we could do the Pacquiao rematch in the first part of 2018 or go right to a fight with [Terence] Crawford. Pacquiao might not fight again. Who knows?”

Corcoran, 26, has been described as a fringe contender, whose biggest fight came in July 2016, when he suffered his only career defeat in a British super-welterweight title showdown with bitter rival Liam Williams.

Managed by Frank Warren and trained by Frank Greaves at the Peacock Gym in London, he dropped down a division after that sole loss and recently edged past unbeaten Prizefighter winner Larry Ekundayo by split decision on July 8 to claim the vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight strap.

Winning that belt placed him at no.10 in the WBO world rankings, seven spots below stable-mate Bradley Skeete, also signed with Warren, who many anticipated winning the shot at the world title.

Horn’s selection for his first defence has been criticised by some, but his pick of a top-10 ranked opponent with the same number of wins should make for a good contest, even though “The Hornet” has one eye on a bigger fight in 2018 with either Crawford or Pacquiao.

Corcoran beat off WBO #3 Bradley Skeete, #8 Luciano Veron and #10 Ray Robinson to land the world title shot down under.

Arum favoured Corcoran’s style over other possible contenders, “Corcoran at least will bring the fight to Horn,” he said.

“We are clearing a location in Brisbane and then we can go ahead with the fight, which will now take place in December instead of November, which is what we were originally planning,” Arum said the fight probably will take place on Friday 15th December in Brisbane.

“We are waiting for the guys in Australia to finalise the plans for the stadium in the next day or two. They’re finishing that up and then we’ll send out the contracts, but everything is done with (Corcoran promoter) Frank (Warren) for the fight,” said Arum, adding that the Queensland government is heavily involved in bankrolling the fight, as it was when Horn faced Pacquiao in one of the biggest bouts in Australian history.

Horn won a debatable decision against Pacquiao on July 2 before a crowd of 51,000 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in the first main event of Top Rank’s deal with ESPN.

Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, nearly knocked out the 29-year-old home fighter in the ninth-round but couldn’t put him away.

Most spectators thought Pacquiao, who had been bloodied by multiple cuts from accidental head-butts, was the clear winner, but he ended up losing his 147-pound world title by a unanimous decision on scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113.

Pacquiao had the right to an immediate rematch and said he planned to fight Horn again in November, but changed his mind because of a busy schedule with his day job in the Philippine Senate.

He may return for the rematch in 2018 providing that “The Hornet” gets past the “Hellraiser” first.

Lara, Hurd, Gausha, Charlo, Lubin, and Trout Share their Thoughts on Fighting in New York

Six of the top 154-pound world champions and contenders will look to put on a show for the fans in New York as they prepare to enter the ring for a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader Saturday, October 14 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®.

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending against undefeated Terrell Gausha. Coverage on SHOWTIME begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting unbeaten champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo taking on top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and “Swift” Jarrett Hurd making his first title defense against tough former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

The undefeated 2012 U.S. Olympian Gausha is the only fighter on the card who will be making his Barclays Center debut. However, the Cleveland-native has fought once in New York before and looks forward to a return, this time on its’ biggest stage.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to fight at Barclays Center and add my name to the list of great fighters who have competed there,” said Gausha. “There’s something special about fighting in New York. The energy from the fans is really unique. I think I’m the perfect guy to come in and handle that pressure and have it elevate my game.”

Gausha faces WBA Champion Erislandy Lara, who won a decision against Austin Trout in their 2013 title showdown at Barclays Center. This time, Lara looks forward to taking advantage of his elevated role as the main event of this show.

“My memories of fighting at Barclays Center were incredible,” said Lara. “I put on one of my best performances against a great champion in Austin Trout and I’m looking to be even better on October 14. To be headlining in New York is incredibly special and important to me. There’s no better time to be at my very best than in front of these fans.”

Both WBC Champion Jermell Charlo and WBC No. 1 contender Erickson Lubin delivered sensational knockouts to make their Barclays Center debuts in 2017. Charlo made his first world title defense in April by stopping Charles Hatley and wants nothing else but to take care of business when he returns to the squared circle at Barclays Center.

“I’m honored to be fighting in Brooklyn,” said Charlo. “This is another exciting fight card like the last time I was here. I did what I had to do in April. I let my opponent run his mouth and then I took care of him. I’m going to let that happen again. I can’t wait for another opportunity to grow my fan base here in New York.”

Lubin has the strongest connection to the city of the six fighters, as he has made his training camp in nearby Hackensack, N.J., and is frequently able to visit his mother, who is living in Queens. He delivered a one-punch knockout of Jorge Cota at Barclays Center in March on CBS to earn this title opportunity on October 14.

“My last fight was my first ever in New York as a pro or amateur, and it was a memorable one,” said Lubin. “I left the crowd satisfied and entertained them with my squat and hit him with an overhand to knock him out. New York is like my second home and I love it here.

“I love visiting my mom in Queens and eating all the Haitian food she cooks, but I have to wait until after the fight to enjoy it. I’ve really embraced training up here though. We didn’t want to break camp at all. So we came up here for the press conference and were able to get in a workout that day. I’ll be a thousand percent ready once fight week rolls around.”

For IBF Champion Jarrett Hurd and former champion Austin Trout, New York has been a place for career-defining moments. For Hurd, his March 2016 stoppage of Mexican Olympian Carlos Molina at Barclays Center buoyed him towards his world title shot and eventually championship triumph.

“When I beat an Olympian like Carlos Molina, that was definitely when I first thought that I was a fighter who could win a world title and it proved I could compete against anybody,” said Hurd. “I think I picked up some fans in New York between that and beating the ‘Brooklyn Rocky’ Frank Galarza. New York always shows me love, so I feel it’s my duty to give them something to cheer about.

“I’m excited to be in New York because it’s very close to my home in Maryland too. I’m organizing buses for my fans to come up and watch me so I’m expecting another great atmosphere on fight night.”

Already a world champion, Trout had the opportunity to face future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto in 2012 in New York, and he was able to rise to the occasion that the stage demanded. He dominated Cotto over 12 rounds in his first start in New York and although he faltered in his return to New York against Lara, he remains fond of fighting in The Big Apple.

“New York is always a great place to be,” said Trout. “I had the biggest moment of my career in New York, but I want to make up for my last fight at Barclays Center, so fans can definitely expect fireworks on October 14. I’m coming to fight.

“My mother was born and raised in New York so I always look forward to the opportunity to compete here. My favorite thing to do is go to a Chinese restaurant on Avenue X after the fight with my family and I’m hoping to do that as a two-time world champion after this fight.”

Tickets to the event are on sale now and start at $50 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Posted on 10/03/2017

Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of September 26th to October 3rd; covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Photo Credit: Edward Jackson/Team Lara and Team Gausha/Premier Boxing Champions

Victor Conte Gives Opinion on Luis Ortiz Positive Test

Sports scientist, Victor Conte, reveals in detail, why he believes undefeated heavyweight contender, Luis Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs), is innocent in regards to his recent positive drug test. An expert in the field of scientific nutrition, Conte feels, Ortiz was negligent in declaring his blood pressure medicine, but also believes there is no evidence of intent to cheat. Conte’s position is that the WBC heavyweight championship fight between, Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) and Luis Ortiz, scheduled for November 4th on Showtime, should move forward without delay.

“Unless you have strong evidence of intent to cheat, then you don’t have a case,” said a stern Victor Conte. “Let the fight go on. Don’t deprive the fans…and the WBC, I hope your listening.”

Matchroom Boxing Secures Services of Event Marketing and Communications

Matchroom Boxing USA announced on Monday it has secured the services of Ed Keenan’s Event Marketing & Communications, a media relations company, as Matchroom launches its promotional arm in the US and promotes its first event, the HBO televised return of former middleweight world titleholder Daniel Jacobs on November 11.

“I am delighted to welcome Ed Keenan and Event Marketing Communications to the Matchroom Boxing USA team for our launch in the US and our first show on November 11,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport. “Ed has unrivaled experience and a great reputation in the sport for delivering first-class media and PR services and we look forward to forging a strong relationship.”

Ed Keenan’s career in boxing began with the heavyweight showdown between Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, the first fight under the TVKO banner (now HBO PPV). He has since worked on many of the biggest fights in boxing over the years, including the biggest pay-per-view events in the sport: Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin, Canelo vs. Miguel Cotto, De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao, Roy Jones Jr. vs. John Ruiz, Jones Jr. vs. Antonio Tarver I, II & III, Felix Trinidad vs. Bernard Hopkins, Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson, Holyfield vs. Lewis I & II, Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III & IV, Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev I & II, Riddick Bowe vs. Holyfield II & III, De La Hoya vs. Fernado Vargas, and on one of the best trilogies in boxing history, Artuto Gatti vs. Micky Ward.

Ed has also worked with fighters such as Lewis, Jones Jr., Trinidad, Gatti, Vargas, Cotto and “Prince” Naseem Hamed for most of their professional world title bouts.

Erislandy Lara vs. Terrell Gausha Training Camp Notes
WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara will defend his belt for the fifth time, and the first against an unbeaten opponent, when he battles 2012 U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in the headlining fight of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader on Saturday, October 14 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®.

Coverage on SHOWTIME begins live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting unbeaten champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo taking on top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and “Swift” Jarrett Hurd making his first title defense against tough former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

Here is what the fighters had to say from their respective training camps:

ERISLANDY LARA

(24-2-2, 14 KOs) From Guantanamo, Cuba & Training with Ronnie Shields in Houston

Q. How has training camp gone? Has it been affected by the Hurricanes and what is your message for the people effected in your training home in Houston and home in Miami?

“Training camp is going smooth as always. A lot of hard work has been put into the camp. As far as the Hurricanes, it flooded bad in the areas close to our gym, but we were only gone for a couple of days. The roads to the gym were flooded, so we couldn’t go to the gym on those days. I just want to say I’m praying for all those affected by the hurricanes in both Houston and Miami.”

Q. What do you know about Gausha and what kind of problems does he present? What do you have to be prepared to do to get the win?

“Gausha is a very good fighter. I know he was an Olympian and is currently undefeated as a professional. There’s nothing he does that I haven’t already seen. So, I’m just going to stick to my game plan and listen to my corner. If I stay composed I will be able to put on the performance I’m looking for.”

Q. What does it mean to you to be on a card with all of these 154-pound champions and top contenders? How important is it to make a statement to the rest of the division?

“It’s a great honor, especially since I’m in the main event. It shows I’m the top fighter in the division. Getting the win by all means necessary will be my statement. If I get the knockout, it will be icing on the cake as the say here in the U.S.”

Q. What do you think is the significance of you being the longest-reigning 154-pound champion? If you’re able to win on October 14 what fights in the division do you want to make in the future?

“It means a lot. I have a goal to break the record, held by Gianfranco Ross, for most title defenses at 11. But I’ll always be ready to fight anyone they put in front of me. I want big challenges so I would love to fight with GGG or Canelo, and I would also jump at the chance to unify against Cotto or Hurd.”

TERRELL GAUSHA
(20-0, 9 KOs) From Cleveland, Ohio & Training with Manny Robles in Norwalk, California

Q. How has training camp gone so far? Who have you been sparring with and what have they been able to do to prepare you for Lara? Have you tried anything new this training camp?

“Training has been great. We’ve been at it for 10 weeks. I’ve been sparring with good partners, even though I can’t pronounce most of their names. We brought in a bronze medalist from the 2012 Olympics, Chris Pearson and a great Nigerian fighter as well. They’re defensively skilled and as close as we could find to Lara’s style. He’s hard to mimic, but they’re close. We’re not really doing anything new, just working more rounds. I’ve done lots of 12-rounders in sparring, but we’ll save the rest of our secrets for fight night.”

Q. What does it mean to you to fight for a world title for the first time? Is there extra motivation from seeing other 2012 Olympians who’ve picked up titles?

“It’s a blessing and a dream come true. I’ve been working on this since I first laced up the gloves. Not everyone gets this shot and I plan on taking full advantage. Those guys from the 2012 Olympics are my brothers. We talked about things like this back at the Olympics. Then they went out and showed me it’s possible. I want to be the next one to pick up a title to fulfill my promise too.”

Q. What kind of problems does Lara present in the ring? How do you prepare for his skill set and what he does well in the ring?

“I’ve been watching Lara for a while. I know he’s a mover. Guys like that are slick and he’s a good counter-puncher. He’s a crafty veteran and has fought a lot of top guys. But I have a lot of experience myself. I’m undefeated and it’s my time.”

Q. What does it mean to you to be part of a tripleheader with the top talent in the division? How important is it to take advantage of this opportunity and put on the best performance possible?

“Being involved in this lets me know where I’m at. Not just anybody got on this card. We earned our way here and this night will open up other big fights in the division. There’s no pressure for me, though. I put in all the hard work at the gym. On fight night, I just let things flow.”

Demetrius Andrade to Battle Alantez Fox

Undefeated two-time junior middleweight world champion, Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade makes his return to HBO® when he takes on undefeated Alantez Fox in a 12 round middleweight bout that will take place on Saturday, October 21st from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

The bout will be the live co-feature of an HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader card that will feature Jazreel Corrales defending the WBA World Super Featherweight Title against undefeated Alberto Machado and Ryan Burnett taking on Zhanat Zhakiyanov (tape delay) in a Bantamweight Unification Bout. The HBO telecast will begin at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.

The Corrales vs. Machado bout is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

The Andrade – Fox bout is promoted by Banner Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and A-Team Promotions, in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island was a 2008 United Sates Olympian, and the 2007 World Amateur Champion. His success has continued in the professional ranks, as he has a perfect professional resume with a record of 24-0 with 16 knockouts.

Andrade, 29 years-old captured the WBO World Junior Middleweight crown with a 12-round split decision over fellow Olympian and previously undefeated Vanes Martirosyan on November 9, 2013. Andrade defended the title with a sensational 7th round stoppage of mandatory challenger Brian Rose.

On March 11, 2017, Andrade became a two-time world champion when he won the WBA World Junior Middleweight Championship with a 12-round split decision over reigning champion Jack Culcay in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Fox of Forestville, Maryland has a undefeated mark of 23-0-1 with 11 knockouts.

The 25 year-old Fox stands 6’4″, and he has used that height to score impressive victories over Kenneth McNeil, Ronald Montes, Paul Valenzuela Jr., and previously undefeated Patrick Day.

“First of all I need to thank HBO, and especially Peter Nelson for giving me this tremendous opportunity. Thanks to him, I get a chance to not only have a great fight on October 21st, but I also get to show my fans on prime time that I’m the best fighter in the junior middleweight and now the Middleweight division, “said Andrade. “I can’t wait for the chance to fight more often and against the very best and thanks to HBO I finally have that chance! And I’m looking forward to giving my fans a great performance and I’m going to show them how much I appreciate their support by giving them a great show!”

“The Olympics were ten years ago. He is not the same fighter. I don’t see anything that he will do that can put a loss on my record. I am going on HBO to put on a boxing exhibition,” said Fox.

“I am very happy for Demetrius to be back in the ring on HBO. There are a lot of compelling fights that could take place on HBO for Demetrius’ future career,” said Artie Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions.

“We are very pleased to have Demetrius back in the ring on HBO,” said Joe DeGuardia, President of Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. “I have always felt that Demetrius is one of the best fighters in the world, and I feel he has a very bright future.”

“Alantez Fox is a tall, rangy, powerful, and undefeated middleweight contender,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Boo Boo Andrade is a great fighter, but we believe that Fox is up to the challenge.”

Posted on 04/26/2017

Cuban Ugas stopped Lara at Tunica!
By: Ken Hissner

FS-1 Premier Boxing Champions promoted at the Fitz Casino & Hotel in Tunica, MS, Tuesday night.

In the main event Cuban Yordenis Ugas, 19-3 (9), out of Las Vegas, stopped Nicaraguan Nelson Lara, 17-8 (7), out of Costa Rica at 0:29 of the second round on a bad cut..

In the opening round Ugas was landing right hands to the body of the much shorter Lara. Lara answered with wide punches mostly missing. In the second round Ugas landed a right uppercut opening a bad cut over the left eye of Lara followed by a straight right to the head dropping him. Referee Bill Clancy called in the ring physician but made the final decision himself stopping the fight.

In a co-feature welterweight match Mexican 2012 Olympian Oscar Molina, 13-2-1 (10), out of Norwalk, CA, was soundly beaten by Levan “The Wolf” Ghvamichava, of Poti, GA, over 10 rounds.

In the opening round Molina who was moving down from super welterweight to welterweight used an effective jab while moving to his left having Ghvamichava following him and not cutting off the ring. In round two Ghvamichava who was moving up from super lightweight started showing his power going to the body of Molina while having his hands high giving Molina little offense to get through to his chin. In the third round Molina was using his jab but Ghvamichava is still going to the body very well.

In the fourth round Ghvamichava took control while Molina stayed in the middle of the ring instead of moving and he paid the price. With 10 seconds to go in the round Molina landed his best punch up until then an overhand right to the head of Ghvamichava who countered with his own right to the head. In the fifth round Molina was back to using his jab but Ghvamichava was using double jabs to the body followed by rights to the head of Molina.

In the sixth round Ghvamichava dropped Molina with a short right to the head down to a knee. The referee called it a slip. In the seventh round it seemed like the best round of the fight. Molina was landing good left hooks but one at a time.

In the eighth round Ghvamichava was waking right through Molina’s jab landing with both hands to the body and head of Molina.

In the ninth round Molina continued using the one punch left hook instead of using combinations. He landed a lead right to the head of Ghvamichava getting his attention. In the tenth and final round Molina was desperate knowing he was behind throwing wild punches with most only hitting air. Ghvamichava continued what he was doing since the second round coming forward taking it to Molina with double left hooks to the body and rights to the head.

The judges had it 98-92 twice and 97-93 as did this writer have it 97-93.
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