By Norm Frauenheim

Canelo Álvarez, who has never fought anywhere outside of the Western Hemisphere, arrived in New York Thursday, the first step in a journey that will lead him to answer his first opening bell somewhere out of the Americas.

Canelo is not exactly going global. He’s already introduced himself to the world with world-class wealth generated by the rock-and-roll power in his combinations. That beat — beatdown — figures to continue in Saudi Arabia during the first weekend in May against somebody named William Scull, a Cuban with a belt, mostly anonymity and virtually no chance.

At least, the oddsmakers don’t give him one.

His chances at beating Canelo are at 30-to-1. Odds were better that somebody in the audience Thursday knew who Scull was when he arrived at Radio City Music Hall for the newser. Scull wore a red cap, glasses and no name tag. He could have used one. He could have been a tourist looking for a slice of pizza for all anybody knew. Come to think of it, a hungry tourist in New York might have as much of a chance at upsetting Canelo in Riyadh. 

The stakes, after all, are huge in a brand new, four-fight Saudi deal that is supposed to begin with a tune-up, a set-up for a captivating September showdown, super-middleweight Canelo against all-time welterweight great and newly-minted junior-middleweight Terence Crawford at an NFL stadium.

Canelo, a careful pro in the ring and on the stage, didn’t want to talk about Crawford when asked if the Scull fight could risk the projected biggie.

“We don’t have a fight in September,’’ Canelo said during the live-stream. “There is only this fight. Then, we will see.’’

It didn’t take long for Saudi Prince Turki Alalshikh to remind Canelo of the real reason he signed him to a contract in a furious 11th-hour deal last month. 

September 12, Alalshikh said, offering a specific date for Canelo-Crawford on a Friday night at Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders home field. Alalshikh told Canelo that he forgot to mention one item: The International Boxing Federation 168-pound belt, stripped from Canelo and then won by Scull in a unanimous decision over Vladimir Shiskin for the then vacant belt last October in Germany.

“I got you, don’t worry,’’ Canelo said, relaxed and smiling, said to Alalshikh.

It was a comment from a fighter in control, a sign that he also expects to be in control and undisputed all over again in May.

“He has only one belt, and that’s mine, too,’’ Canelo said of Scull.

Through an interpreter, Scull acknowledged he’s in a tough spot. He’s the designated fall guy in a bout that Alalshikh is confident will set the stage for a huge money-maker in September. 

“This is just how boxing is sometimes,’’ said Scull, who lives in Berlin.

But, Scull continued through an interpreter, “I’m going to shut up everybody. You’ll see.’’

For Scull, the newser on a New York stage was often awkward. He had never been there. The crowd grew restless when it couldn’t hear him in the early moments. Please, speak into the microphone, Canelo told him. It was Canelo’s show.

The Mexican, still boxing’s pay-per-view star, did say that Scull’s Cuban pedigree could present some problems.  Before his move to Germany, Scull learned how to box in the slick Cuban style, which has won a lot of Olympic medals but frustrates fans and opponents on the professional level.

“It’s going to be difficult, because the Cuban style always is,’’ Canelo said. “He has a lot of skills, but there is nobody else, no other Canelo, out there.’’

Canelo’s experience with Cuban fighters is perhaps defined by a difficult night against Erislandy Lara at junior-middleweight in July 2014 in Vegas. Canelo escaped with a controversial split-decision. Lara landed more punches (107, connecting at 28 percent) than Canelo (97, connecting at 23 percent.) 

The argument is that Canelo’s shots were more effective. Whatever you believe, the fight itself was a dud. The styles simply didn’t mix well enough to produce a fan-friendly fight. It’s safe to say Alalshikh is urging for more. He was talking about a belt when he mentioned “an item.’’ But the genuine item might be a knockout. Canelo hasn’t scored one since 2021.

Maybe, Canelo, now 34,  discovers some of his youthful power in his first fight in a different hemisphere. He concedes the atmosphere will be different. There’s talk that the fight will take place in the morning of May 3 in Riyadh. That way, Canelo’s Mexican fans have a better chance to see the PPV bout on a Cinco de May weekend, one of Canelo’s traditional dates.

“Different for me, for sure,’’ Canelo said.

But, he continued, he felt “most assured that the whole world is Canelo territory.’’

Alalshikh is betting on it.

LINCOLN, CALIFORNIA – Cruiserweight contender Blake McKernan kept his comeback rolling, scoring a stoppage of late replacement Jurmain McDonald in the main event of a ten-bout card at the Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Saturday night.

McKernan (16-2, 9 KOs) of Sacramento, California started out working behind his jab and using his reach advantage over the former middleweight McDonald (8-8, 3 KOs) of Jefferson City, Missouri. McKernan, 195.5, made McDonald, 200, feel his power midway through the round when he landed a hard right hand that gave the Jefferson City native reason to pause his attack. 

After allowing McDonald some comfort in round two, McKernan turned up the aggression in round three and rocked McDonald along the ropes and followed-up until the bell to end the round. By round four, McDonald was only looking to land one looping shot at a time and was bloodied by the nose. Though McDonald’s ample body was there as a target, McKernan mostly landed his power shots upstairs, often off of his jab. 

McDonald returned weary to his corner at the end of round four and, after consulting with the corner, referee Edward Collantes opted to end the bout between rounds, officially at 3:00 of round five. With the victory, McKernan has won three straight since returning from a nearly two-year layoff induced by multiple shoulder surgeries and a bout with severe sepsis. 

Undefeated middleweight Islam Abdusamadov (5-0, 2 KOs) of Santa Clara, California by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia scored a four-round unanimous decision over Josias Gonzales (2-5-1) of Whittier, California. 

Abdusamadov, 157, dropped Gonzales, 148, in the second, landing a right in the middle of an exchange. Gonzales had the habit of falling off balance when he was errant with a power shot and Abdusamadov was ready to counter. Gonzales did not appear hurt and fired back in a wild exchange to end the round. 

Gonzales had a solid round three as perhaps Abdusmadov was looking to time a perfect counter once more, but ultimately was outworked in stretches of the round. Again the round ended with a heated exchange, where Abdusamadov was able to flex some of his power against the busy Gonzales. 

In round four, Abdusamadov was willing to give ground against the forward-moving Gonzales in order to land his power counter punches. Gonzales would throw a flurry, but Abdusamadov would time him and land one or two clean shots that would win the moment for him. In the end, judge Joel Farbstein had it 39-36, while judges Melissa McMorrow and Edward Collantes scored it 38-37, all for Abdusamadov. 

Kyle Lacanlale (4-0, 3 KOs) of San Ramon, California was taken the distance, but won every round against a tough Brandon Badillo (0-4-1) of Lancaster, South Carolina. 

Lacanlale, 124, set the pace and landed in combination against the shorter Badillo, 126.5. Lacanlale was the better boxer and landed with power shots, but Badillo hung tough and fought back throughout. 

All three judges, Joel Farbstein, Melissa McMorrow and David Hartman scored the bout a shutout for Lacanlale, 40-36. Lacanlale’s next bout is already set for May 24th at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California. 

In a rough inside fight, Jessie James Guerrero (5-0-3, 4 KOs) of Gilroy, California remained unbeaten with a four-round majority decision over Antonio Vallecillo Velasquez (0-2) of Richmond, California by way of Chinandega, Nicaragua.

Guerrero, 110.5, and Vallecillo Velasquez 110.5, traded on even terms for much of the bout. Guerrero landed well in combination, but Vallecillo Velasquez had his moments, landing some clean power shots. 

Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout even, 38-38, but was overruled by judges Michael Margado and Joel Farbstein, who scored the fight 39-37 for Guerrero. 

Braulio Ceja Navarro (4-0, 2 KOs) of Concord, California pounded out a four-round unanimous decision over journeyman David Minter (4-7, 3 KOs) of Lincoln.

Ceja Navarro, 138.9, threw and landed in combination as the veteran Minter, 139.5  could not keep up with the high output. 

Slowed only by a warning and timeout for a low blow in the final round, Ceja Navarro claimed a shutout on the cards of all four judges, Joel Farbstein, Melissa McMorrow and David Hartman, 40-36.

In an excellent action fight, Ebert Diaz (3-2-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California scored a hard-fought six-round majority decision over Christian Avalos (3-2-2) of Carson City, Nevada. 

Avalos, 135, got off to a great start, rocking Diaz, 134.8, in an exchange in the first, but the Richmond native regained his footing quickly and bounced back to have a solid second round. 

As the fight progressed, Diaz’s pressure began to turn the fight in his favor, but all six rounds featured two-way action. Avalos landed with a clean uppercut late in the sixth, but ultimately came up short on the cards. 

Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout even, 57-57, but was overruled by judges Joel Farbstein and Edward Collantes, 58-56, for Diaz.

In his pro debut, former amateur standout Sergio Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento scored two knockdowns en route to a third-round stoppage of Miguel Soto-Garcia (1-5) of Fresno, California by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Gonzalez, 149, turned up the pressure in the second round, dropping Soto-Garcia, 150.5, with a left hook. Later in the round, Gonzalez caught Soto-Garcia with a right in the middle of an exchange to score a second knockdown.

After a visit to the Soto-Garcia corner at the end of round two, referee Edward Collantes stopped the bout officially at 3:00 of round three.

Vikash Deol (2-0, 1 KO) of Hayward, California remained unbeaten via four-round unanimous decision over Herman Hodnett (0-2) of Oroville, California.

With his basketball center frame, Hodnett, 246, failed to take advantage of his height and reach and fought an inside fight with the stalky Deol, 230. 

Late in the final round, referee David Hartman deducted a point from Hodnett for hitting behind the head, which ended up being the difference in the scoring, as judges Joel Farbstein and Edward Collantes both scored the bout 38-37, while judge Melissa McMorrow had it 39-36, all for Deol.

Dante Kirkman (4-0, 2 KOs) of Palo Alto, California scored two knockdowns in short order to halt journeyman Jose Cruz (2-7, 1 KO) of El Monte, California in the opening round. 

Kirkman, 158, downed Cruz, 160, in the early going with an overhand right. Cruz managed to rise, but was soon forced into the red corner, where Kirkman landed a solid right and a sweeping left to down Cruz for the second time. Referee Michael Margado began his count, but ultimately waved it off at  2:32 of round one.

In the opener, Pedro Angel Cruz (4-6, 2 KOs) of San Jose, California boxed his way to a six-round unanimous decision over brawling Luciano Ramos (2-9) of Stockton, California by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Cruz, 143, had the superior technique, but Ramos, 142.5, had his moments, landing with power punches. In the end judges Joel Farbstein and Michael Margado scored it 58-56, while judge Melissa McMorrow scored it 59-55, all for Cruz. 

Upper Cut Promotions will bring professional boxing back to the Venue at Thunder Valley on Saturday, September 6th.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA – Cruiserweight contender Blake McKernan ended a two-year sabbatical last August and will now fight for the third time in his return on Saturday night as he takes on short notice replacement Jurmain McDonald in the eight-round main event at the Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Fighters for the ten-bout card weighed-in Friday morning at Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ in nearby Rocklin. 

McKernan (15-2, 8 KOs) of Sacramento, California scored fourth-round stoppages in both of his bouts last year, stopping Jasper McCargo on his feet in August and dropping Milton Nunez to a knee to force the last stoppage at the Venue this past October. The two fights last year ended a long layoff induced by multiple shoulder surgeries and a bout with severe sepsis. McKernan originally prepared for veteran Shawn Miller, a naturally larger opponent than he will end up meeting in his replacement. McKernan weighed-in at 195.5-pounds on Friday. 

McDonald (8-7, 3 KOs) of Jefferson City, Missouri is a recent entrant into the cruiserweight division, as he ended a two-plus year layoff this past January, scoring a four-round decision in his 200-pound debut. Prior to the time away, McDonald fought at middleweight and will likely look to use his footwork and movement on Saturday, as he was not a puncher at the 160-pound weight class. McDonald made the cruiserweight limit of 200-pounds on Friday. 

Power-punching middleweight prospect Islam Abdusamadov (4-0, 2 KOs) of Santa Clara, California by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia will take on gatekeeper Josias Gonzales (2-4-1) of Whittier, California by way of Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico in a four-round bout. Abdusamadov, coming off of a four-round unanimous decision at the Venue last October, weighed-in at 157-pounds Friday. Gonzales, whose previous opponents all combined have only one loss among them, scaled 148-pounds on Friday. 

Exciting featherweight prospect Kyle Lacanlale (3-0, 2 KOs) of San Ramon, California will take a step-up against better-than-his-record Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) of Lancaster County, South Carolina in a four-rounder. Lacanlale, fighting for the fourth time since turning pro in late August, weighed-in at 124-pounds on Friday. The well-traveled Badillo, who has never fought an opponent with a prior loss, weighed-in at 126.5-pounds. 

Jessie James Guerrero (4-0-3, 4 KOs) of Gilroy, California returns to the ring on Saturday against Antonio Vallecillo Velasquez (0-1) of Richmond, California by way of Chinandega, Nicaragua in a four-round flyweight bout. Guerrero, came away with a draw last time out against Bryan Santiago last October, and Vallecillo Velasquez, fighting for the first time since May of 2023, both scaled 110.5-pounds on Friday. 

Making his 2025 debut, Braulio Ceja Navarro (3-0, 2 KOs) of Concord, California will take on veteran journeyman David Minter (4-6, 3 KOs) of Lincoln in a four-round light welterweight bout. Ceja Navarro’s original opponent was a late scratch and the Concord native agreed to step up in weight to meet Minter and keep his spot on the card Saturday. Ceja Navarro, normally a super featherweight, weighed-in at 138.9-pounds on Friday. Minter, no stranger to testing undefeated pros, scaled 139.5-pounds.

 

In what is sure to be an action fight, Christian Avalos (3-1-2) of Carson City, Nevada will take on Ebert Diaz (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California in a four-round lightweight bout. Avalos, winner of three straight bouts, weighed-in at 135-pounds on Friday. Diaz, coming off of a decisive victory over previously unbeaten Kevin Montano, scaled 134.8-pounds. 

Former amateur standout Sergio Gonzalez, who trains out of Caballero’s Boxing Gym in Sacramento, will make his highly-anticipated debut in a four-round junior middleweight bout against Miguel Soto-Garcia (1-4) of Fresno, California by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. Gonzalez weighed-in at 149-pounds, while Soto-Garcia scaled 150.5. 

Vikash Deol (1-0, 1 KO) of Hayward, California will end a six-year absence when he meets Herman Hodnett (0-1) of Oroville, California in a four-round heavyweight bout. Deol weighed-in at 230-pounds, while the much taller Hodnett came in at 246. 

Junior middleweight prospect Dante Kirkman (3-0, 1 KO) of Palo Alto, California will make his 2025 debut against Jose Cruz (2-6, 1 KO) of El Monte, California in a four-round bout. Kirkman, finishing up his undergraduate degree at Stanford University this semester, weighed-in at 158-pounds, while Cruz made the 160-pound middleweight limit. 

In what promises to be a crowd-pleaser, Pedro Angel Cruz (3-6, 2 KOs) of San Jose, California will open the night as he takes on Luciano Ramos (2-8) of Stockton, California by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina in a six-round welterweight fight. Cruz weighed-in at 143-pounds, while Ramos scaled 142.5-pounds on Friday. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Cruiserweights, 8 Rounds 

McKernan 195.5

McDonald 200

Middleweights, 4 Rounds

Abdusamadov 157

Gonzalez 148

Featherweights, 4 Rounds

Lacanlale 124

Badillo 126.5

Flyweights, 4 Rounds

Guerrero 110.5

Vallecillo Velasquez 110.5

Light welterweights, 4 Rounds

Ceja Navarro 138.9

Minter 139.5

Lightweights, 6 Rounds

Avalos 135

Diaz 134.8

Light middleweights, 4 Rounds

Gonzales 149

Soto-Garcia 150.5

Heavyweights, 4 Rounds

Deol 230

Hodnett 246

Middleweights, 4 Rounds

Kirkman 158

Cruz 160

Welterweights, 6 Rounds

Cruz 143

Ramos 142.5

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

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

Just seven months into his pro career, former amateur standout Kyle Lacanlale will make his fourth ring appearance this coming Saturday as part of the “Thunder Showdown II” event at the Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Lacanlale will take on tough Brandon Badillo in a four-round featherweight attraction as he continues his rise a short ride from home.

Lacanlale (3-0, 2 KOs) of San Ramon, California made his pro debut just last August 31st, as he steamrolled his opponent in one minute before a vocal gathering in nearby Oakland. After scoring a second career stoppage in October, Lacanlale was taken the four-round distance for the first time in his last outing, November 30th in Tijuana, Mexico. 

“That fight was fun,” says Lacanlale of his bout south of the border. “We went down there to get another fight in before the year ended. The fight went the four rounds and I got a unanimous decision. My opponent came in a little overweight and had eleven fights, so it was a good experience for me to go out there and go the four rounds. I was able to box him and get the win out there.”

Veteran Luis Antonio Macias had some extra poundage and a few veteran tactics that aided his ability to last the distance against Lacanlale. However, it is the type of fight that every young fighter needs to learn and grow before moving on to the next level. 

“Our opponent didn’t make weight,” recalls Kyle’s father-trainer Lyndon Lacanlale. “He was five pounds heavier than our contract was, but we took the fight. [Kyle] could have done a little better. He was accepting the holds a little more than he should have. The guy was a crafty and held a lot. He fought defensively, basically. He was also a grown man at 27-years-old and he had some experience. There were little tricks they were doing as well, like using some vaseline, which makes it hard to make solid contact with the punches, with everything sliding off. I wish it would have went a little better, but Kyle got the win on the cards of all three judges.”

Like most young fighters, Lacanlale would have preferred to continued his knockout streak, but he was able to show he could go the four full rounds and finish strong. The knowledge gained will definitely serve Lacanlale as the competition gets tougher.

“Obviously, I want to get the knockout when I fight, but if it comes, it comes,” explains Kyle. “But I was able to box and dominate all four rounds. I felt like I was in control the whole fight. There wasn’t much for me to worry about and I felt like I could execute what I wanted to do in the ring.”

Next up this coming Saturday, Lacanlale will take on a better-than-his-record Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) of Lancaster County, South Carolina at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in the Sacramento suburb of Lincoln, California. 

“I’ve seen a little film on him,” says Kyle. “He’s a southpaw and I know he’s tough. All his losses were to high-ranked amateurs or guys with good professional records so far, so I am looking to go out there and make a statement. I am going to execute the game plan and hopefully come out with the stoppage.”

Originally Lacanlale and his team had agreed to fight an unbeaten opponent, before that fighter fell out and was replaced by the ultra tough Badillo.

“We had a different opponent that was 3-0 that dropped out for whatever reason, and Badillo stepped-in and I actually think he is a better fighter than the 3-0,” says Lyndon. “Some people will just look at his record and say he is a bum, but he’s not. He’s lasted in every fight. I’m expecting good things out of Kyle. I’m happy with a win, but I’d be even happier with a stoppage, just because these national champions [that have fought Badillo] couldn’t do it.”

Three fights in, on the verge of walking out for bout number four, Kyle Lacanlale is pleased with the path he has traveled thus far, while getting ready for what it is to come. 

“I’m happy with what we have done since last year,” says Kyle, who hopes to stay active by fighting every couple months. “I had three fights in the last quarter of last year and I am getting ready for my fourth fight at the beginning of this year, so I am just going to continue to build and setting myself up for the future.”

Building a professional boxing career has similarities to building a home. Before anything else, you need a solid foundation. With a wealth of amateur experience and the beginnings of a well-planned pro career coming together, Lacanlale’s foundation looks strong. The young fighter continues to build this coming Saturday in Lincoln, before a supportive fanbase. 

“They can expect a dominant performance,” predicts Kyle, whose next bout is already pegged for May 24th near home at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. “I have been training hard. I am sharp. I am ready and I am motivated. I am just going to go out there and do my best to show everyone the skills that I have.”

Very few tickets remain for Saturday’s event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, and are available online at uppercutpro.com 

There is something that never gets old about the story of a fighter finding his way to America to pursue his dreams and doing what it takes to succeed and accomplish improbable goals. From the dry, mountainous terrain of  Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia, middleweight Islam Abdusamadov made his way to the States and continues to achieve his objectives this coming Saturday night as he returns to the ring to meet Josias Gonzales as part of “Thunder Showdown II” at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. 

Currently residing in Santa Clara, California, middleweight upstart Abdusamadov (4-0, 2 KOs) first took to boxing in his native Dagestan following his cousin to the gym.  

“I started training with my cousin Sadula Magomedov in Dagestan, Russia and I liked it,” explains Abdusamadov. “I went to the store and bought a boxing bag and for two months I trained myself. I kept training and training for about two years before I started fighting amateurs in Russia.” 

Fighting and training out of the mountains of Dagestan, Abdusamadov approximates he fought to a record of about 20-5 before a family member living in the San Francisco Bay Area convinced him it would be a good idea for his budding boxing career to make the move to the United States and offered to take him into his home. 

“My uncle Ramazan Magomedov has helped me a lot and continues to support me,” explains Islam. “My uncle doesn’t know boxing, but he has helped me. He still helps me and cares for me a lot. My uncle was living here and told me I could be better here.” 

Abdusamadov did not speak much English at the time of the move and obviously had some adapting to do once he arrived in Santa Clara. After some adjusting, and picking up the language, Abdusamadov feels at home now as he pursues his dream of boxing stardom. 

“Maybe for about a year it was hard, but I had someone here, in my uncle, to help me,” explains Abdusamadov. “When I came here, I did not speak English. I learned from speaking with people myself, so for the first year it was hard, but now it is easy.” 

Soon after arriving, Abdusamadov’s uncle helped his nephew find his new home boxing gym after a quick Google search pulled up the nearby Relentless Boxing and Training Center, founded by accomplished former professional, and now a well-regarded trainer, Arturo Quintero. Abdusamadov eventually ended working with Quintero and Eriky Alvarez Cosio through a few more amateur fights before the time was right to turn professional. 

“Even though he didn’t have an extensive amateur career, he has developed really fast,” explains Quntero. “The power that he has is insane, insane power. He just needs to start relaxing a little bit more, work more on setting up his punches and everything else will fall into place.” 

Sometimes things just work out for a reason and by chance Abdusamadov had an uncle that lived near a quality boxing gym with a good team of coaches and everything has fit just right for the Dagestan native while he pursues his singular goal of boxing success. Abdusamadov has adapted to the American fighting style while still having some of the Russian amateur teachings in his arsenal. 

 “I came here for training,” explains Abdusamadov. “I did not come here for clubbing or girls, I came here just to train boxing. I don’t have a choice. Before I go back to Dagestan, this is my goal. Professional boxing. For Russia, everyone is not training to be professionals, they are only training for the amateurs. The coaches only know amateur boxing. They are born for amateur boxing and I believe they are better amateurs there. But here, in the United States, we train for professional boxing. We fight in the amateurs for the experience, but we train to be professionals. Over there, they train to be the best amateurs, but not professionals.” 

Abdusamadov, with his power-punching approach, crafted his style to the pro game and finally realized his dream of turning professional in November of 2023, stopping Miguel Soto-Garcia in the third round at Gold Country Casino Resort in Oroville, California. 

“It is different,” explains Abdusamadov. “Amateur and professionals are very different. Professional boxing is more calm. You punch for power. You want to knock down the guy. I like knockouts. I look for the knockout. In amateurs, you have headgear and big gloves. It is hard to get a knockout. But in the pros, I like to go for the knockout. It is fun.” 

Abdusamadov’s love affair with the knockout almost got him into some trouble in pro bout number two, which took place last January against eight-fight veteran Juan Meza Moreno in Sacramento, California. After dropping Meza Moreno late in the second round, Abdusamadov punched himself out late in the fight, trying to end matters inside the distance. In the end, the knockdown scored gave Abdusamadov the points win, as Meza Moreno was able to box over the last two rounds but ultimately lost 38-37 on all three cards. 

 “I knocked him down and tried for the knockout, but it was hard,” recalls Abdusamadov. “I tried, but I still won the decision. That is the important thing. Maybe he felt my power and decided he needed to be careful. I wanted to finish him in the fight, but still I won.”

For Abdusamadov, the experience gained in his second pro fight will serve him well for the rest of his career. 

“It was a great learning experience,” says Quintero. “He pushed through and showed a lot of heart. I have been in that situation, so I know what it feels like. To push through it and come out with the win still, it was good to see. It is only going to help him for his next fights and show him that he needs to stay relaxed. It is not just about that one shot. As he starts progressing to more rounds, the fighters he is going to be fighting are going to be more experienced fighters. These guys are going to be able to take his punches a lot better than the ones when he first started. It was a good experience for him to understand that he will not be able to take everyone out with one punch. He needs to be patient, set-up his punches and when he sees the opening when the fighter is hurt, then go for that finish. But he can’t just start looking for that knockout.”

In his second fight, Abdusamadov did not need to worry about conserving energy, as he halted normally tough Matthew Monroe inside the first round last August. The Dagestan native returned less than two months later and, similarly to the Meza Moreno bout, dropped his opponent Andrew Buchanan early, but this time he boxed smarter down the stretch. Buchanan, much like Meza Moreno, reverted to a boxer’s style to close out the fight after feeling Abdusamadov’s power, which helped get the fight to the scorecards. Abdusamadov prevailed 39-36 on all three official cards. 

Next up on March 8th at the Venue at Thunder Valley in Lincoln, California, Abdusamadov takes a step-up in seven-fight veteran Josias Gonzales, a tough southpaw fighter that has fought almost exclusively against unbeaten prospects in his early pro career. 

“His record might now show it, but the guy is a good fighter, a strong fighter and very durable,” says Quintero of Josias Gonzales. “Islam can win, he just has to stick to his game plan and stay focused and relaxed and do his work.”

Helping bring confidence to Team Abdusamadov heading into battle this Saturday is the quality work they have put in preparation, especially in sparring. 

“He’s ready,” says Quintero of Abdusamadov. “This has probably been his best camp since turning pro. We have got great work with Vladimir Hernandez and Cristian Baez. Even though we know Vladimir is a right hander, the work he gives us is beyond comparison. Mentally and physically, Vladimir pushes you. He just throws non-stop punches. It gives Islam that sense of pressure, how to set himself up, how to move around and get around him. How to fight a pressure fighter. With Cristian, many of the same tactics, but Cristian is more of a boxer and he is a southpaw, like Islam’s opponent will be on March 8th.”  

Gonzales is a tough guy to stop inside the distance and his last opponent, a 5-0 at the time Sincere Brooks, was lucky to escape with a split decision last November, but Abdusamadov still envisions ending things early this Saturday night. 

“I never know what will happen. Once the fight starts, I will see what he brings and see if I can knock him out,” says Abdusamadov. “I always think about the knockout. If in the first round I can, I will in the first round. But we will see. Maybe the third or fourth round, but I will try. In my head, I will try to knock him out. I know it is hard to do, because the opponent can fight, but I will try and we will see. I know he is a good fighter, but I am better and we will see.” 

Limited tickets remain for this Saturday’s event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, at uppercutpro.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

BROOKLYN–Gervonta Davis is still undefeated, he is still champion, but that should be in question after he got a 12-round split draw with local rival Lamont Roach Jr. in front of a record crowd of 19,250 at Barclays Center.

Davis started off the first half of fight in decent fashion as he slowed the pace and was able to squeeze some early rounds under his belt by thin margins.

Roach, who is the WBA champion at Super Featherweight, looked and started to fight like the bigger man as he began to dictate the fight on his on terms by engaging Davis in a series of toe-to-toe exchanges for which he got the better of. In round nine, Roach seemed to land a punch that made Davis take a step back and take a knee. Referee Steve Willis started to and then stopped the count and ultimately ruled it a slip. Davis then leaned between the ropes and got toweled off by his corner with the consent in Willis. That action would seem to warrant a disqualification but Willis let the fight continue. The fight continued at a furious pace which favored the 16-1 underdog Roach, and many ringside observers and fans watching on television echoed their thoughts via social media that they thought that despite the antics in round nine, that Roach deserved to have his hands raised. That was not the case as one judge scored the fight for Davis 115-113, while two other judges scored it even at 114-114.

Davis landed 103 of 279 punches. Roach was 112 of 400.

GERVONTA DAVIS
“I think I pulled it out in the last three rounds for sure. I was catching him with some clean shots. I feel I was breaking him down as the rounds were going on, but he kept coming so I didn’t want to make mistakes and I kept it cautious. “I made it competitive to be honest. For sure, Lamont is a great fighter. He got the skills like I said before and the punching power. It was a lesson learned. Shout out to Lamont Roach and his whole team. Hopefully we can run it back in New York. Let’s do it again baby! “A little shit talking. That’s how it is when you are competitive. That’s how it is when you grew up in the sport together. Hopefully we can get a rematch. If not, all the beset to Lamont Roach and his whole team. “I just got my hair done two days ago and she put grease in my shit. So, the grease was coming into my face. It’s all cool. They love you, then they hate you. Then they love you again. You know what I mean?

LAMONT ROACH
This is every day for me. I ain’t gonna lie. I’m cut like this. I’ve been one of the ones and I came out here and showed it. I’m a little disappointed in the decision. I thought I pulled it out. That’s what two skilled fighters do, go in there and show off their craft. I definitely thought I won but we can run it back . Gervonta is a great fighter. I thank him for the opportunity to show all the people that were doubting me, all the fake boxing media and fans talking shit. That shit got flipped upside down. Even though I didn’t win tonight, I thought I did, but it’s a win for me in my book, but we are not satisfied with that. We need a real W. I told y’all in every interview single interview since the fight got announced. I put belt to ass. And you can see that’s what I do. I’m him. I’m one of the best fighters in the world and it showed tonight. It should have been a knockdown. If that was knockdown, I win the fight. He’s saying grease got in his eye, but if he takes a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown. It is what it is. I’m not banking on that knockdown to win. I just thought I pulled it out.  I want to run it back for sure. I hope you all enjoyed yourself. Thanks for loving me and thanks for hating me. I’ll be back on the grand stage again, where I belong.

Gary Antuanne Russell Decisions Valenzuela to Win Super Lightweight Title

Gary Antuanne Russell won the WBA Super Lightweight Title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Jose Valenzuela.

Russell was dominant, especially with his straight left. In round eight, he had Valenzuela thinking as he landed a few straight lefts. In round nine, with Valenzuela bleeding from the nose, Russell landed a series of hard straight left hands that caromed off the face of Valenzuela. One buckled the champion. Round 11 saw Russell continue to batter Valenzuela with left hands. He hurt Valenzuela with a left to the body. Both southpaws landed bombs with the left hand in round 12 that culminated the entertaining fight.

Russell landed 252 of 957 punches. Valenzuela was 127 of 443.

Russell, 138.2 lbs of Capitol Heights, MD won by scores of 120-108 and 119-109 twice and is now 18-1. Valenzuela, 138.8 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 14-3.

GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL“I want to thank God. This is a small steppingstone for me. I’m going for the rest of the belts. I love y’all for supporting us. Thank you for making this arena a grand arena. I did it for DC and my family. We are onto the next! “A rule of thumb in my profession is you have to follow instructions. My brother always told me, the difference between great and good is inches or centimeters and the ability to produce because that what it takes. “Valenzuela motivated me a hell of a lot. In this sport, you have to be dominant. You have to have a rough mentality, and he brought it out of me. I had the right dance partner in front of me and I’m glad he gave me the opportunity. I told him to keep that same energy because I’m bringing it in the ring. “My father would be proud of me. This is a steppingstone. This is a marathon. In a marathon, you come across the table with some water, but that’s just a pitstop so you can keep going to the next. I’m coming!”

JOSÉ VALENZUELA

“It just wasn’t my night tonight. His speed got to me a little bit, and I was slow on my feet. No excuses, I have to make adjustments”

“I have to go back to the drawing board now, come out stronger from this and bounce back like I know I can” 

Puello Edges Martin; Retains Super Lightweight Title

Alberto Puello retained the WBC Super Lightweight world title with a 12-round split decision over Sandor Martin.

It was a close fight with neither fighter taking any sustained advantage. Puello landed a few more of the harder shots, and that is what may have propelled him to the victory that saw cards read 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 for Martin.

Puello landed 150 of 526 punches. Martin was 162 of 441.

Puello, 139.2 lbs of San Juan de la Maguana, DR is now 24-0. Martin, 139.2 lbs of Barcelona, SPA is 42-4.

ALBERTO PUELLO

“I thought that the judges made the right call. I didn´t fight like I wanted to, but I fought like the champion I am.  

“I had some issues coming out at the beginning of some rounds, but I adapted and ended up resolving each challenge that came my way.

“It’s time for me to go after unifying titles. I will take on any champion, anytime.”  

SANDOR MARTÍN

“I felt like I won this fight, but I’m not the judges and they clearly saw it a different way. I don’t know what I’m lacking, but I’m not about to give up.

“I’ll talk to my team to figure out what’s next. I leave New Yirk with my head held high.”

Tellez Decisions Former Champion Williams; Wins Interim Super Welterweight Title

Yoenis Tellez won a 12-round unanimous decision over former unified world champion Julian Williams to win the WBA Interim Super Welterweight title.

In round three, Williams was cut under his right eye. In round five, the blood started coming from around his right eye.

Tellez was crisp with his right hand and Williams was unable to sustain consistent offense.

Tellez landed 180 of 502 punches. Williams was 108 of 399.

Tellez, 153.4 lbs od Santiago de Cuba, CUB won by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 117-111 and is now 10-0. Williams, 152.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 29-5-1.

YOENIS TÉLLEZ
“This was a complete effort, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I want to dedicate this to my team and all my loved ones, as well as the fans who came out here to support me”.

“J-Rock (Williams) is a great champion, and I gave it my all through 12 rounds against a quality opponent”
“What’s next? I don’t know yet. The only thing I’m sure of is that I’m ready to face any champion out there, and that the 154-pound division has a hungry Cuban fighter coming for more  
JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I don’t know what was missing. I’ll have to look at the tape. In the end, I hope that the fans got to enjoy a great fight”

Johan Gonzalez took a 10-round split decision over former unified world champion Jarrett Hurd in a middleweight bout.

Gonzalez landed 228 of 674 punches. Hurd was 141 of 478.

Gonzalez, 158.8 lbs of Valencia, VEN won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 96-94 for Hurd. Gonzalez is now 36-4. Hurd, 159 1/2 lbs of Accokeek, MD is now 28-4-1;

David Whitmire remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Angel Munoz in a welterweight bout.

Whitmire, 146.4 lbs of Washington, DC won by scores of 60-54 on all cards is now 9-0. Munoz,

Deric Davis blew out Jamal Johnson inside of a round of their four-round lightweight bout.

Davis scored two knockdowns. The first coming on a left hook in the corner. The second coming from a combination. Johnson got to his feet but wobbled and the fight was stopped at 1:56.

Davis, 138.2 lbs of Fort Washington, MD is 6-0 with six knockouts. Johnson, 140.8 lbs of Baltimore is 2-1.

Dwyke Flemmings Jr. remained undefeated with an six-round unanimous decision over Florent Dervis in a super welterweight bout.

In round one Flemmings was all over Derbis and dropped him with a hard left in the corner.

Flemmings, 155 lbs of Paterson, NJ won on all cards and goes the distance for the first time and is now 10-0. Dervis, 155.2 lbs of Boston is 10-3.

In the opening contest, Cristian Cangelosi pitched a shut in winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Jerrod Tennant in a super welterweight bout

Cangelosi, 155 lbs of Brooklyn won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 10-0. Tennant, 155.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 9-4.

NOTES…Saturday night’s Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Premier Boxing Champions event at Barclays Center has not only set the all-time attendance record in the arena’s history but has also become the second-highest grossing event of all time for the Brooklyn arena. Davis also broke his attendance record for a boxing event at Barclays Center, with a sold-out crowd of 19,250, eclipsing his previous record set in May 2022 when he scored a high-light reel KO of Rolando Romero.

“Brooklyn has become Gervonta Davis’ home away from home, and the energy he brings to Barclays Center is unmatched,” said Laurie Jacoby, Executive Vice President and Chief Entertainment Officer at BSE Global, parent company of Barclays Center. “Each time he steps into the ring, the atmosphere electrifies, creating unforgettable moments for boxing fans. We are thrilled to continue hosting Gervonta’s fights, as he has become one of the sport’s biggest attractions, drawing crowds from across the world. Boxing is an integral part of our diverse programming slate at Barclays Center, and we’re proud to be a venue that champions the legacy of this great sport. As Gervonta’s momentum grows, so does the excitement surrounding every fight — it’s an honor to be part of his journey.”

By Norm Frauenheim

A tank is easy to understand. Gervonta Davis isn’t. He’s more mercurial than his bulldozing, armor-plated nickname ever could be. In the ring and out of it, he’s a dynamic force, often a volatile mix of powerful athletic skill and emotions. Unpredictable and unbeaten.

He’s both, and both are very much in play this week as he resumes his career Saturday at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in a lightweight title defense against Lamont Roach. Only the fight itself (Amazon Prime, Pay-Per-View) itself is predictable. Expect a blowout of the likable, yet smaller Roach, who enters the ring in possession of a junior-lightweight belt.

“You know who I am,’’ Davis said at a news conference this week when asked for a prediction. “You know what I do.’’

What he’s done is undisputed. It’s hard to argue with 28 knockouts in 30 victories. Knowing who he is, however, isn’t quite as clear as his record, a powerful statement of his pound-for-pound credentials. This week, there were more surprises from Davis. Let’s just start with arrivals. Davis has a habit of keeping promoters and reporters waiting. He’s been late to news conferences about as often as he’s left the ring with another stoppage. 

But Thursday he was on time and respectful. In part, perhaps, that’s because he knows and seems to like Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs), who grew up in Washington DC. Davis is from nearby Baltimore. They’ve known each other since they were kids in the amateur ranks. In part, also perhaps, Davis knows he can dominate Roach.

On paper, the fight looks to be bridge to bigger dates, the biggest of which would be Shakur Stevenson. If not Stevenson, then maybe emerging Keyshawn Davis, the World Boxing Organization’s new lightweight champion. The opportunities are all there for Tank in a year when he could put himself in contention for the top spot in the pound-for-pound argument currently still led by Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk, all-time  welterweight great and current junior-middleweight champion Terence Crawford and junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue.

From rating to rating, Davis is among the second five. For now. There’s a sense that Davis is better than anyone included among the top 10. Nobody has his finishing power, consistently delivered with predatory instinct and precision. Still, there’s a guessing game about his plans, brought on by his own uncertainty, evident this week on successive days. 

At a live-streamed media workout Wednesday, Davis talked about hopes for a busy year. 

 “I want to say hopefully I got three fights this year,’’ Davis told the moderator about a path that could lead to the top of the pound-of-the-pound debate

The next day, however, Davis wasn’t so sure.

“Yes, it’s good to be in the sport, but sometimes we’ve got to learn ourselves,’’ Davis, now 30 and a father of three,  told Boxing Scene and other reporters Thursday after the formal part of the final news conference.  “I’ve been giving so much to the sport, I don’t take the time to study and learn [myself]. Even if it’s not the sport, I’ve been dishing myself out to other people. I just need time for myself – to grow. And then, hopefully, six months or one year from now, I can come back to the sport and fight these guys.”

Davis has often been compared to Mike Tyson, who on one day would wonder why he’s in the ring and on the next day would talk about how much he loved to fight.  Davis been been called the mini-Tyson for lots of reasons, all also on display this week in the build-up to Saturday’s opening bell. 

Davis was asked about his precise power. He had a Tyson-like answer:

When the big punch lands, Davis said, “It actually feels like a home run, when somebody hit the bat and it’s just right on the target and it goes far. It’s like that. That’s how it feel when you actually hit somebody on the button, you know that you catch ‘em real good.”

Tyson’s description: “I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose, because I try to punch the bone into the brain.’’

From this corner, the guess is that Davis will finish Roach in a way that will include both descriptions — a lot of his own and some of Tyson’s.

But then what? That’s the bigger guess, one for Tank as surely as it was for Tyson.

Top Rank sued

A chill went through the boxing business Thursday at news of a lawsuit filed in California against Top Rank. 

Manager/consultant William Keane is suing Top Rank for more than $25 million in unpaid fees, according to the complaint.

Keane alleges Top Rank President Todd duBoef asked him to secure a deal with alleged Irish gangster Daniel Kinahan for American promotional rights to Tyson Fury, a former heavyweight champion who said he retired in the wake of a rematch loss to Usyk. Fury has acknowledged he has been friendly with Kinahan.

Kinahan, wanted in Ireland for reported money-laundering charges, is reportedly in Dubai.

Top Rank did not comment.

Dmitry Bivol got his revenge as he was able to turn the tide and win a 12-round majority decision over Artur Beterbiev in a rematch at the A & B Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The fight was almost a mirror image of the first fight that took place in October, but this time it was Bivol who won the majority of rounds over the second half of the contest. Beterbiev was good early as he landed the harder shots and took an early lead on the cards. Bivol was able to change thigs up as he boxed and countered and was able to get off his shots. Beterbiev was never out of the fight, but he simply was not able to keep the same rhythm that of the first six rounds.

Bivol landed 170 of 547 punches. Beterbiev was 121 of 688.

Bivol, 174.1 lbs of Tokmak, Kyrgystan won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 and is now 24-1. Beterbiev, 175 lbs of Khasavyurt, RUS is 21-1.

Speaking to DAZN analyst Chris Mannix immediately following the bout, an overjoyed Bivol exclaimed, “I’m just so happy. I went through a lot in the last year. Thank you so much everybody. I appreciate everybody from my team, my coaches, everyone.” Answering what was different in his performance on this occasion, he responded, “Just me. I was better. I was pushing myself more. I was more confident, I was lighter, and I just wanted to win so much today.”

Artur Beterbiev did not wish to discuss the judges decision in the aftermath of the contest, but he did note that he and Bivol had put on another instant classic while setting the table for his chance to enter the deciding bout as the challenger. “I think this fight was better than the first fight. Now it’s my time to come back.

Parker Stops Bakole in 2 to win WBO Interim Title

Joseph Parker stopped very late replacement Martin Bakole in round 2 to win the WBO Interim Heavyweight title.

In round two, Parker landed a big overhand right to temple that slumped Bakole to the canvas. The fight was stopped with Bakole down and corner stopped the bout at 2:17

Parker, 267 lbs of Auckland, NZ is 36-3 with 24 knockouts. Bakole of the Congo, took the fight on two days notice after IBF champion Daniel DuBois fell ill, is now 21-2.

Following the victory, Parker exclaimed, “Martin Bakole, thank you very much for accepting the challenge and flying over here on short notice to give me a good fight.”

When asked about his preparation going into a fight with a late opponent change, Parker shared, “I’m fit, I’m strong, I’m healthy. I’m sharp thanks to these two men and my hard work as well. Andy was breaking it down for me, and I came in and I had to be patient. I just went out there and listened, stayed calm, composed, and got the victory. Andy gave me instructions to be patient. When he walks in and attacks, that’s when you have to take your shot.”

Despite the successful outcome, Parker remains unsatisfied and noted, “I want to say, who’s next? How can I fight for the world title? I want to fight for a world title, and I’d like to be champion of the world again, too. I will fight anyone and everyone. Saudi Arabia has been amazing. Four fights. Four wins. Thanks to everyone who has been involved.”

Stevenson Stops Late Replacement Padley in 9; Retains Lightweight Title

Shakur Stevenson stopped late-replacement Josh Padley in round nine to defend the WBC Lightweight title.

It was a typical Stevenson fight as he dominated the fight was his boxing against the overmatched Padley. In round seven, Stevenson turned up the gas and started to really break Padley down. Finally in round nine, Stevenson scored three knockdowns, all on body shots and the corner of Padley rescued their man and threw in the towel.

Stevenson, 134.1 lbs of Newark, NJ is 23-0 with 11 knockouts. Padley, 134 lbs of Yorkshire, ENG is 15-1.

Following the victory, Stevenson admitted, “I just did what I was supposed to do with the person that was in front of me. Honestly, you up the level and get the top guys to get in the ring with me, I’ll make them look like that too.”

After being asked who he wants to face next, Stevenson quickly replied “Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. I think that’s the biggest fight in boxing. Me and him can make the most money if we make this fight happen, so let’s do it.”

Adames and Sheeraz Battle to Draw in Middleweight Title bout

Carlos Adames retained the WBC Middleweight title with a split draw with Hamzah Sheeraz.

In round eight, Sheeraz started to swell under his right eye. the bout did noy feature much sustained action as Adames was trying to come forward and the longer Sheeraz fought off the back foot, Each landed some good shots, but neither followed up.

Scores were 118-110 for Adames, 115-114 for Sheeraz and 114-114.

Adames landed 143 of 509 punches. Sheeraz was 135 of 490.

Adames, 158.1 lbs of Elias Pina, DR is now 24-1-1. Sheeraz, 158 lbs of Essex, ENG is 21-0-1.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. Decisions Madrimov to Retain WBC Interim Title

Vergil Ortiz Jr. retained the WBC Interim Super Welterweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Israil Madrimov.

In round two, Ortiz began to swell under both eyes. It was a fight where Ortiz was able to find Madrimov enough as Madrimov tried to move around the ring for the better part of the first nine rounds.

Ortiz landed 166 of 561 punches. Madrimov was 127 of 466.

Ortiz, 153.1 lbs of Grand Praire, TX won by scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice and is now 23-0. Madrimov, 152.1 lbs of Khiva, UZB is 10-2-1.

Reflecting on the biggest win of his career, Ortiz noted, “This was expected. I knew I was the better fighter, all respect to Madrimov. We knew what kind of fight this was going to be, he’s a tough opponent and was there to prove himself after a loss against one of the best in the world. We just wanted to show that we’re the best at 154 pounds, and we say yes to everybody.”

When asked who may be next for the champion at the top of the 154-pound division, Ortiz welcomed all challengers. “I just want to fight the best. I’ve never ducked anybody, no matter what anybody says.”

Kabayel Stops Zhang in 6 to Win WBC Interim Heavyweight Title

Agit Kabayel scored a sixth round stoppage over Zhilei Zhang to win the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title

Kabayel took it Zhang for the better part of the first four rounds. Kabayel was touching Zhang to the body and coming upstairs to the head. It seemed like Zang was starting to wilt, until he landed big left counter in round five that put Kabayel on the canvas. In round six, Kabayel landed a right to the body that doubled over Zhang and the ref separated the fighters for what looked to be a knockdown. Somehow it wasn’t called that. But a moment later, it was another right that put Zhang on the canvas. Zhang tried to beat the count but was not able to at 2:29.

Kabayel, 241 lbs of Nortdrhein, GER is 26-0 with 18 knockouts. Zhang, 287.5 lbs of Zhoukou, CHI 27-3-1.

“We trained hard for this,” said Kabayel immediately after the fight. “This fight was hard. The training camp was hard. I’m so happy.”

Callum Smith Decisions Buatsi in Slugfest to Capture interim Light Heavyweight Title

In a terrific action fight to start the main card, Callum Smith won a 12-round unanimous decision over Joshua Buatsi to win the WBO Interim Light Heavyweight title.

In round four, Smith was cut over his right eye. That seemed to fuel Smith as in round’s five and six, Smith hurt Buatsi with hard body shots. When it seemed that Smith was on his way to a stoppage, Buatsi hurt Smith with a big left hook in the final seconds of the frame.

It was a battle of body shots with both guys being hurt to the flank area,. The two battled down the strecth, but it was Smith who had the more telling blows.

Smith landed 272 of 716 punches. Buatsi was 247 of 606.

Smith, 174.1 lbs of Liverpool. ENG won by scores of 119-110, 116-112 and 115-113 and is now 31-2. Buatsi, 175 lbs of London is 19-1.

Reflecting on his new title, Smith admitted, “I feel good. Obviously it wasn’t perfect. I know I still have plenty left and feel I’m good enough to be a two-division world champion. I felt I had to prove a lot of people wrong tonight. It wasn’t the perfect performance. I took off a few rounds towards the end. I lost my rhythm a little bit, and my vision was a little impaired, but that’s boxing, and you have to get on with it. It took a performance—Josh Buatsi is a very good fighter, and I knew I needed to be on my best tonight, and I believe I was.”

Mohammed Alakel remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Engel Gomez in a super featherweight fight.

Alakel, 134.1 ls of Riyadh, SA won by a 60-54 score and is now 3-0. Gomez, 132.1 lbs of Chinandega, SA is 8-43-3.

 “It wasn’t the performance I was hoping for.” I just wasn’t listening to my corner, and it just didn’t go my way,” 

Ziyad Almaayouf remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Jonatas de Oliveira in a welterweight fight.

Almaayouf, 143.2 lbs of Riyadh, SA won by a 60-54 score and is now 7-0-1. Oliveira, 141.6 lbs of Para, BRA is 6-21.

 “I feel so great. It’s so good to get back to winning ways,” said Almaayouf after the contest. “I had the best sparring, the best fight camp I ever had. But I had to do that coming from what I did last time out.”

Follow all the action from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as Artur Beterbiev rematches Dmitry Bivol for the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title. The action begins at 10:30 AM ET / 7:30 AM PT/ 6:30 PM in Riyadh with 6 incredible world title fights.

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY…NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

ROUND 1: Good right from Bivol…Left hook…

ROUND 2 Good right from Beterbiev…Good right from Bivol..Body shot..Good left..

ROUND 3 Combination from Bicol off the ropes..Counter..Good right from Beterbiev…Body shot

ROUND 4Combination from Beterbiev..Body shot..Bivol lands a right to the body..Good right from Beterbiev..Good jab from Bivol

ROUND 5 Big right from Beterbiev..2 body shots..Right from Bivol…Hard right from Beterbiev

ROUND 6 Right from Bivol..2 rights from Beterbiev..Right from Bivol…another..right to body..Hard right from Beterviev

ROUND 7 Good combination from Beterbiev..

ROUND 8 Good right from Bivol..3 punch combination..Good right…Combination,,,

ROUND 9 Slip and combination from Bivol…

ROUND 10 Good right from Bivol…Good body shot from Beterbiev…Body and left hook to head from Bivol..Body shot from Beterbiev..Counter from Bivol..

ROUND 11 Good Right from Bivol..

ROUND 12 Right from Beterbiev..Bivol is cut around the left eye…Good right from Bivol

114-114; 116-112; 115-113 FOR DMITRY BIVOL

ROUND 1 Good jab from Parker..Right from Bakole

ROUND 2 Right from Parker..Left uppercut and body shot from Bakole..Right from Parker…BIG OVERHAND RIGHT TO THE TEMPLE AND DOWN GOES BAKOLE…FIGHT IS STOPPED

ROUND 1 Good right from Padley

ROUND 2 Straight left from Stevenson. 2 lefts..

ROUND 3 Body shot from Stevenson..Jab..Left on the inside..

ROUND 4 Left from Stevenson

ROUND 5 Left from Stevenson..Right to body…Flurry to the head

ROUND 6 Combination from Stevenson…Body shot…Stevenson starting to beat up Padley..Padley trying to answer..

ROUND 7 Stevenson boxing 

ROUND 8 

ROUND 9 STEVENSON DROPS PADLEY 3 TIMES WITH BODY SHOTS…CORNER THROWS IN THE TOWEL

ROUND 1 Good jab from Sheeraz…

ROUND 2 Right to body from Adames..Jab from Sheeraz..another…1-2 from Adames..

ROUND 3 Combination from Adames..Good jab from Sheeraz

ROUND 4 Body shot from Sheeraz..Right..Body shot

ROUND 5 Body shot from Adames..Body..Nice right from Sheeraz..

ROUND 6 Sheeraz lands a right…Good body shot from Adames..another..

ROUND 7

ROUND 8 Hard right from Adames drives Sheeraz to the ropes..Big right from Sheeraz…Swelling under the right eye of Sheeraz..Jab from Sheeraz

ROUND 9 Jab from Sheeraz..Right to body from Adames..Adames warned for low blow..

ROUND 10 Right uppercut from Sheeraz…

ROUND 11 Good right from Adames..Good body shots from Sheeraz…Right uppercut…Counter..Good right

ROUND 12 Good right from Adames..Counter left from Sheraz..

115-114 Sheeraz; 118-110 Adames, 114-114 EVEN

ROUND 1 

ROUND 2 Right from Madrimov…Ortiz swelling under both eyes…Good counter right from Madrimov

ROUND 7 Right to body from Madrimov..Right..Right from Ortiz…Ortiz out landing Madrimov 81-72

ROUND 8 Right from Ortiz…Good right..Nice body shot..Hard body shot

ROUND 10 Overhand right from Madrimov..Left hook..overhand right…Right from Ortiz..

ROUND 11 Left hook from Madrimov…Body shot..Good left…Counter right from Ortiz…Body shot…Left hook from Madrimov..

ROUND 12 Body shot from Ortiz..big right…Right from Madrimov…Left 

117-111, 115-113 TWICE FOR VERGIL ORTIZ

ROUND 1 Right hook from Zhang..Good right from Kabayel..Body shots from Zhang…

ROUND 2 Combination from Kabayel..Right..Uppercut from Zhang…

ROUND 3 Kabayel working on the inside..Body shots..

ROUND 4 2 good uppercuts from Kabayel..3 good rights…

ROUND 5 COUNTER LEFT AND DOWN GOES KABAYEL…Kabayel lands a body shot

ROUND 6 LEFT TO THE BODY DOUBLES OVER ZHANG, BUT NOT RULED A KNOCKDOWN?  Right from Kabayel..Big right..Short right to the body..RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES ZHANG…HES NOT GETTING UP…FIGHT OVER

ROUND 1: Smith lands a left hook to the body…Body shot from Buatsi..

ROUND 2: Good left hook from Buatsi..2 body shots from Smith..Body shots from Buatsi…Good left hook from Smith…Nice jab from Buatsi…

ROUND 3: Left and right from Buatsi…Good left hook and uppercut from Smith..Left and uppercut..Hard body shot hurts Smith..Right from Smith

ROUND 4 Smith starting swell over right eye..Right from Buatsi..Straight right

ROUND 5: Straight from Smith..Good uppercut by Buatsi…Body shot hurts Buatsi..Double left hook to the head..Left hook knockous out Buatsi;s mouthpiece..Body shot from Smith

ROUND 6 Body shot from Smith..Good left…Body shots..Big right wobbles Buatsi..Big right..Big left hok from Buatsi

ROUND 7 Good right from Smith…2 good rights from Buatsi

ROUND 8 Double hook from Smith..Nice uppercut from Buatsi..3 punch combination..

ROUND 9 Combination from Smith..Nice counter right..Right hand..

ROUND 10 Body shot from Smith..2 good body shots from Buatsi…Straight right to the head..Big right from Smith to the jaw…Good body shot from Buatsi,,,Bog right from Smith

ROUND 11 Left to body from Smith..Sweeping right from Buatsi..

ROUND 12 Good left hook from Smith.  And another..Big left hook..2 rights from Buatsi..double left hook from Smith..

119-110, 115-113, 116-112 CALLUM SMITH

By Norm Frauenheim

Rematches, like sequels, often disappoint just about everybody other than the opposite corners that get a second trip to the pay window. From Sugar Ray Leonard-versus-Thomas Hearns to Bernard Hopkins-versus-Roy Jones Jr., they just happen too late. They reach their past-due date. We waited — and waited — for a second Canelo-Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch and then wondered why. It was a dud, altogether forgettable.

But then, there’s the exception, which in the here-and-now means Artur Beterbiev-Dmitrii Bivol 2 Saturday. Let’s just start with the timing. It’s serves as a lesson. To wit: Immediate and rematch should be inseparable. Remove the immediacy and the sequel goes stale.

Beterbiev and Bivol last fought in October, a light-heavyweight bout won by the narrowest of margins by Beterbiev on scorecards that sparked a debate that over the last four months has sustained interest in Saturday’s sequel (DAZN, pay-per-view) in Saudi Arabia like no advertising campaign ever could. 

The absence of a definitive conclusion on Oct. 12 screamed out for a second opening bell as soon as possible. Beterbiev’s birth certificate suggests that even he isn’t immune from time’s inevitable toll. He’s 40. On any clock, there aren’t many rematches — if any — left in his 21-fight career.

In the sequel, maybe Bivol can rewrite the script, reversing inconclusive cards that had him trailing on two — 115-113 and 116-112 — and in a draw on the third, 115-115. After all, he’s the younger man, six years younger, in fact. But narrow odds late this week suggest the sequel will be as close as the original. Beterbiev is a narrow favorite. It’s somewhat intriguing that Bivol was a narrow favorite in October. Best bet, perhaps, is the 34-year Bivol, who might force a trilogy — a third fight — if he wins and if the middle-aged Beterbiev decides to fight on, or at least fight once more.

Saudi promoter, Prince Turki Alalshikh, has said he’ll try to put together a third fight if there’s a Bivol victory, forcing David Benavidez to wait on his bid for the 175-pound title. After his solid decision over David Morrell three weeks ago, Benavidez is the so-called mandatory challenger, which in acronym speak could mean just about anything. In a promising sign, Benavidez and father/trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr, will be there, at ringside in Riyadh. The Phoenix-born Benavidez and his dad boarded a flight to Saudi Thursday. Saudi money is the only factor that could turn mandatory into reality.

Prime Time: Maturing David Benavidez moves into the next chapter of his emerging career

Beterbiev was quoted this week as saying he’d be interested in fighting Benavidez instead of Canelo, the super-middleweight champ is pointing toward a September date against former welterweight great Terence Crawford after a perceived tune up against William Scull during the first weekend in May in Riyadh in May. But whatever Beterbiev said about plans beyond Saturday is irrelevant. Neither Beterbiev nor Bivol is thinking about anything beyond Saturday, the biggest date for both.

“I was happy with the first fight because I won,’’ Beterbiev, a taciturn Russian living in Canada, said Thursday at the final news conference in Saudi Arabia  “There are many things {I learned}. It’s too long to tell you. Let’s talk after the fight.”

Beterbiev’s feared skillset includes everything but a few good quotes, of course. Then again, Bivol, also Russian, won’t ever have his own talk show, either.

“I didn’t win last time,’’ Bivol said Thursday.  “And I really want to win. It’s burning inside of me. I want to change something because I can see where I was wrong at some points. And I want to change it.’’

What Bivol wants, presumably, is more energy over the final three rounds. He was leading on the cards through the first nine. Seemingly, suddenly, his punching power lost some of the edge that kept Beterbiev off him until the tenth. That’s when Beterbiev, the older man, found enough energy to apply just enough pressure to win a majority decision. Still, Bivol goes into the rematch with some momentum. Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) went into the first fight with a perfect record — 20 victories all by stoppage. Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) is the first opponent he’s not stopped. 

Safe to say, Beterbiev will want to prove Bivol is somebody he can stop. The rematch offers him that opportunity.

“For me, for nine rounds, Dmitrii Bivol completely dominated,’’ Bivol promoter Eddie Hearn said Thursday of the first fight. “And yes, Beterbiev did come on strong and win rounds 10, 11, 12. I stand by that Dmitrii Bivol won the fight, but it was a fantastic fight between two great fighters. But it’s done now, it’s over. 

“The great thing for fans and the fighters is we get to run it back. I want to echo what (Bivol manager) Vadim Kornilov said and thank Artur Beterbiev because he is now the champion, he is the hunted and he’s been the hunter for a long time. I just see the look in this man’s (Bivol) eye this week, I see something different. I couldn’t believe how well Bivol took the defeat. No sulking, no moaning, unbelievable mindset from this man. 

“I just truly believe you’re going to see one of the great performances from this man, Dmitrii Bivoll this weekend. I’m very confident that he becomes the undisputed champion. I believe he should have been last time, but now that’s done, that’s over. I expect another fight for the ages between two great champions but for me, I truly believe Dmitrii Bivol will be the undisputed champion this weekend.’’

Which could mean an immediate trilogy.

JAMESTOWN, CALIFORNIA – Lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. scored two knockdowns, but was taken to the limit by hard-charging Jose Arellano, despite wide official scores, en route to a ten-round unanimous decision in the ProBox TV main event from the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort. 

Flores (26-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton, California was the first to strike, scoring the first official knockdown of the bout in the early moments when a left counter forced Arellano (11-3, 6 KOs) Aurora, Colorado by way of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico into the ropes. With Arellano gripping a stand to stay vertical, referee Michael Margado correctly ruled the knockdown. 

Arellano, 133.4, was more caught off balance and quickly made his presence known in the fight. Flores, 134.8, always the classy boxer, attempted to use his superior jab to keep the Colorado native at range, but Arellano was undeterred and found his way inside for much of the middle round action. 

With the fight that had the feel of one slipping away from the Stockton native, Flores, the WBO #10/WBA #12 ranked lightweight, found his distance in round six and was able to use his jab to better effect. Arellano still landed some clean power shots as the fight progressed into the later rounds as he continually pressed the action. 

Flores found a rhythm again early in round nine and would score a second knockdown to start round ten. Flores’ counter downed the forward-moving Arellano in a moment that felt more significant before the final cards would be read. Flores closed the fight strong, but ultimately did not require either knockdown to win over the judges. 

Judge Michael Rinaldi scored the bout 99-89, judge Dan Stell scored it 98-90 and judge Brian Tsukamoto had it the closest, 95-93. With the victory, Flores retained his WBA Continental USA lightweight title and remains viable in the 135-pound division. 

In the co-main event, Emiliano Moreno (12-0, 7 KOs) of Long Beach, California overcame a slow start to score a seventh-round stoppage of Cesar Francis (13-3, 8 KOs) of West New York, New Jersey. 

Moreno, 149.6, started methodically, but picked up the pace as the fight went along. Francis, 146.6, boxed well in the early rounds, pressing the action and setting the pace. 

Moreno was careful in his punch selection early, but landed the cleaner, harder shots when he found the opening. 

Francis began to show signs of wilting in the sixth as his output dipped considerably. Moreno broke through in the seventh, landing combinations upstairs. Francis buckled as a result, but regained his footing enough to find the corner. Before Moreno moved in to follow-up, referee Dan Stell moved in to stop the fight, receiving a mild protest from Francis, who was ahead on the cards at the time of the stoppage. Official time came at 2:44 of the seventh round. 

Anthony Cuba (9-1-2, 4 KOs) of Fontana, California overcame a knockdown to score an eight-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten DeMichael Harris (12-1-1, 11 KOs) of Smyrna, Georgia. 

Cuba, 137, was the aggressor throughout as Harris, 134.2, spent too much time on the ropes. By the sixth, Cuba was distancing himself on the cards with solid power shots. 

Harris had a moment early in the eighth, landing a tomahawk right that dropped Cuba in an exchange. The knockdown came too late, as Cuba regained his footing and claimed the wide unanimous verdict. 

Judge Michael Margado scored it 78-73, while judges Michael Rinaldi and Brian Tsukamoto had it a round closer, 77-74, all for Cuba. 

Kevin Soltero (4-0, 2 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri sprung an upset over previously unbeaten Andrew Rodriguez (5-1, 1 KO) of Salinas, California via six-round majority decision. 

Rodriguez, 116.4, had to battle with a cut suffered from a headbutt in the second round, but closed that same act with some solid body work. Soltero, 116.6, applied relentless pressure in the third round, as Rodriguez looked to circle and box. 

The Kansas City native was finding a home for his right in the middle rounds and had a strong fourth as the blood seemed to bother Rodriguez. The final two rounds featured excellent two-way action, but it was ultimately Soltero that won over the judges. Judge Dan Stell scored the bout even, 57-57, but was overruled by judge Brian Tsukamoto, 58-56, and judge Mike Rinaldi, 60-54. 

Jennah Creason (2-0-1) of Visalia, California and Samantha Ginithan (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Las Cruces, New Mexico battled it out to a four-round majority draw. 

Ginithan, 140.2, and Creason, 139, both had their moments in a fight fought at close quarters for the eight scheduled minutes. With neither making a clear case, judges Michael Rinaldi and David Hartman both scored the bout even, 38-38. Judge Brian Tsukamoto turned in a dissenting card for Ginithan, 39-37. 

In the walk-out bout, Antonio Mireles (9-0-1, 7 KOs) of Des Moines, Iowa took an eight-round shutout decision over much shorter Josue Vargas (5-10-2, 2 KOs) of Panorama City, California. 

Vargas, 244, was able to make it a mauling, inside fight from the early going. When Mireles, 274, had daylight to punch, he was successful landing in combination. Mireles did not follow his corner’s repeated instructions to turn Vargas and get his back away from the ropes or create distance, but ultimately did enough to win every round, claiming all three cards, 80-72. 

Photos by Julio C. Sanchez/G-Squad Entertainment

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

JAMESTOWN, CALIFORNIA – In the ten-round main event of tonight’s ProBox TV broadcast emanating from the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, world ranked lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. will take on TV-friendly action fighter Jose Arellano in what could be an intriguing clash of styles. With the preparation complete, both fighters expressed their feelings about the bout on Tuesday. 

“I feel great,” proclaimed Flores (25-2, 8 KOs) of nearby Stockton, California, just before getting on the scale on Tuesday. “I feel ready. All my confidence comes from the preparation and training. I don’t cut no corners. I work as hard as I can and I get great sparring in the city of Las Vegas.” 

With tonight’s fight being broadcasted by a readily-available outlet, there is extra onus on Flores to perform the way that he knows he is capable of, as the eyes of the boxing industry will likely be tuned into the contest. 

“It just makes me excited for everyone to get to see how I am progressing as more of a pro,” says Flores, the WBO #10/WBA #12 ranked 135-pounder. “I started at 17-years-old. Now I am here to show my man strength, my man mentality and all that follows.” 

Flores took exception to the claim that Arellano presents more of a pressure style than recent previous opponents. 

“He’s aggressive, but I don’t know if he is more aggressive than my last three opponents,” says Flores. “He’s probably just as aggressive. I don’t see him being anymore aggressive. Julian Rodarte was pretty aggressive. Ronal Ron, he was coming forward, he was on me. And in my last fight, I was throwing shots and [Dennis Contreras] kept on coming and kept on coming. So I can’t imagine him bringing any more pressure, but if he does, good for him, but I don’t think it is going to make much of a difference. I am ready.” 

Flores, who will be defending his regional WBA Continental USA lightweight title, plans to put on a show for his fans on Wednesday night. 

“Intensity and an explosive Gabriel Flores,” predicts the Stockton native. “Always doing something entertaining.”

Arellano (11-2, 6 KOs) Aurora, Colorado by way of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico is no stranger to the bright lights of ProBox TV, having engaged in some memorable, at times bloody, bouts on the streamer. 

“I feel good,” said Arellano, just after Tuesday morning’s weigh-in. “I am ready. Everything is done, so we just wait for the last thing and that is the fight tomorrow.” 

For Arellano, who campaigns as a super featherweight, the regional lightweight title bout on Wednesday does not mark a permanent move up in weight for the Colorado resident. Instead it was the opportunity to fight Flores that felt like the right fit for Arellano and his team. 

“We are just fighting at this weight for the opportunity,” explains Arellano. “We will beat him and then go back down to 130. My coach Javiel Centeno liked the fight for me. He believed that I could beat him and I went on board with it, so now we are here.” 

One thing that Arellano and Flores agreed on was that the Colorado fighter is not simply a pressure fighter. 

“They call me a pressure fighter, but I consider myself something else,” says Arellano. “It is a match-up of styles and we are going to clash either way, so it should be a fun fight, period. Whether he has to box or I have to box, it is going to be a very good fight. He is gifted, he is a very good boxer, but we are going to have to fight because of our styles. I take nothing away from him, but we will be there.” 

Tickets for the event, promoted by G-Squad Entertainment and Robert Garcia’s House of Champions, are available online at gsquadent.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

When Kylie Jenner accepted his longshot request to accompany him to prom, eventually featuring the event on the maiden episode of the E! Television show “Life with Kylie,” Sacramento, California’s Albert Ochoa soon became a social media celebrity himself. After making the rounds on local and national television and being featured in print and online publications, Ochoa eventually found a way to parlay his newfound fame into a new passion project: boxing. After gaining some ring experience in “influencer boxing” exhibitions and training with notable professionals, Ochoa feels ready to move into the big league of sanctioned professional boxing and will make his pro debut this coming Saturday in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato, Mexico. 

Celebrity boxing has been around a long time, but the world of social media lent itself to organized boxing exhibitions and leagues in a way not possible when television was the main conduit of in-home entertainment. Recognizing a trend, Ochoa decided to try his hand at the sport and quickly grew to have a great devotion to the craft. 

“I saw that these YouTubers and influencers were fighting and Jake Paul did it too, so I said, ‘Let’s try it.’ Then I fell in love with the sport too,” Ochoa recalled after a recent media workout at the Undisputed Boxing Gym in Redwood City, California. “Now we are here and the hard work is paying off.” 

After a failed first attempt, Ochoa returned to the ring over a year later better prepared and began a string of five straight exhibition victories. Over the two years of competing and in the time since his last bout, Ochoa has worked with a line-up of noteworthy names in the sport. 

“I just connected with the right people and fell in the love with the sport,” explains Ochoa. “Despite what people say about me, I did things differently, but I’ve also worked with some great people: Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, Vicente Escobedo, Joel Casamayor, Bob Santos. I think I have picked something from every trainer I’ve had. I think I’ve got better as we have gone along. I’ve got better every day I am in the gym. One fight at a time, one win at a time and I think I am ready for this next step-up. This pro debut will get me considered as a legit, pro fighter now, despite what people say.” 

After deciding he would turn professional, Ochoa turned to one of his hometown’s recent fighting stars in Stan Martyniouk for guidance. A former top level amateur and an accomplished professional, Martyniouk will be guiding his first pro as a head trainer when Ochoa meets six-fight veteran Zachary Johnson this coming Saturday night. 

“I’ve been training amateur fighters and helping a lot of other up-and-comers get ready,” explains Martyniouk. “It was something that I wanted to do after boxing. With the knowledge that I have from coming up in the ranks, I want to help out the younger generation and get them ready and get them better.

He messaged me on Instagram and said he was looking for a new trainer. He had trained with a few trainers in Vegas, but it didn’t really work out, so he asked me if I could help him get ready. I said absolutely, so he came out here in December to try me out. We trained for one day and he liked what he saw and he liked what he did, so he scheduled his training camp with me in January.” 

Ochoa has not only had expert advice coming from his corner, but his significant other more than knows her way around the ring. After a chance meeting at the airport and some online smooth talk, Ochoa struck up a relationship with multiple time world title challenger Maricela Cornejo early last year. 

“We met at an airport,” recalls Ochoa. “She was fighting for Jake Paul in Orlando last year on February 2nd. I was going to that fight, regardless, as just a fan and I saw her at the airport and I’ve been attached to her ever since. She understood my journey and I understood hers. We both got started in the game late and made an impact and got attention right away.” 

A professional for over twelve years, Cornejo is an invaluable resource as Ochoa charts his path as a professional with limited prior ring experience. Not only is Cornejo familiar with the in-ring aspect of the business, but she understands the path of developing a fighter from the beginning stages. 

“I went pro with only four amateur fights, within six months of learning what a jab was,” recalls Cornejo. “So I made some connections with a lot of promoters and just like Top Rank and Golden Boy, they grow their fighters with a plethora of amateur or Olympic backgrounds and they still have to build them up. So I said, ‘Don’t let what anyone else says about these supposedly easy fights bother you, because everybody has them. You don’t have that experience and those that have Olympic experience do it as well. Don’t worry about what anyone says and just stick to the plan.’  I just have been in the sport for a number of years and I think it helps to have another set of eyes looking and trying to help out whenever I can.” 

Based on his winless record, East Rochester, New York’s Zachary Johnson appears to be the right type of matchmaking for a fighter with a limited amount of ring time in his log book, but Ochoa is taking every fight seriously. 

“I know a little bit about him. He’s a pro and he called me out a year ago. He’s a professional fighter. He’s on BoxRec and he’s had more fights than me. So I consider it a big test for me, but I am ready.” 

Should things go according to plan this coming Saturday, the next bout will be a little closer to home at a venue in Southern California. However, one of Ochoa’s career goals is to bring a marquee attraction type event to his hometown of Sacramento, and he already has the fight in mind. 

“I called Urijah Faber out after my last fight and I think that would be big for Sacramento,” says Ochoa. “ I think that is going to happen. He can’t fight another boxer with a bigger name in Sacramento and sell it out. I am that guy. It is going to be big when it happens. That’s why turning pro now to get to those next steps of what I want to accomplish, such as fighting a former UFC fighter as one of those goals.  I think it is something that could be really big for Sacramento. I feel a lot of people would be really excited for it.” 

This Saturday, Albert Ochoa steps into his new reality as a professional boxer. He will have to walk before he can run, but the young Sacramento native is excited to take the next step in his fistic odyssey. 

“It has been a great three years into this journey,” says Ochoa. “I’ve worked my butt off. Stan has pushed me and I’ve worked on a lot of speed and power. This is the strongest I’ve been and I feel my grown man strength coming in and it will show this Saturday.” 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

JAMESTOWN, CALIFORNIA – Lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. aims to continue his rise up the 135-pound ladder and state his case for a title opportunity on the national stage as professional boxing comes to the former California Gold Rush town for the very first time on Wednesday night. Flores, the classy boxer, will take on pressure-fighter Jose Arellano in the ProBox TV-broadcasted ten-round main event from the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort. Fighters for the six-bout card weighed-in on Tuesday morning at the host venue. 

Flores (25-2, 8 KOs) of Stockton, California has reeled off four consecutive victories at home since suffering a ten-round decision setback to Giovanni Cabrera in July of 2022. The last three were fought under his father-trainer Gabe Flores Sr.’s G-Squad Entertainment promotional banner, as Flores and his team have carefully charted a course that has led to a WBO #10/WBA #12 world ranking. Traveling roughly 60 miles from home, Flores will still have the home crowd advantage as he hopes to successfully defend his regional WBA Continental USA title for the third time. Flores weighed-in at 134.8-pounds on Tuesday morning. 

Hoping to spoil any world title hopes for the hometown favorite Flores, Arellano (11-2, 6 KOs) Aurora, Colorado by way of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico moves up from super featherweight and brings an aggressive style that Flores has not encountered with his most recent opponents. Arellano is no stranger to the ProBox TV audience, having gone 1-2 in action fights, notably scoring an upset over 6’3” Oscar Alvarez two Octobers ago in Florida. Arellano scaled 133.4-pounds on Tuesday. 

In the co-feature, 19-year-old prospect Emiliano Moreno (11-0, 6 KOs) of Long Beach, California will take on Cesar Francis (13-2, 8 KOs) of West New York, New Jersey in a ten-round welterweight bout. Moreno was last seen in a stay-busy bout, dispatching Sergio Gil in four rounds last November. Francis, who holds a win over former world champion Raymundo Beltran, did not fight last calendar year and was last in the ring in December 2023, stopping once-beaten Windry Martinez in two. Moreno made 149.6, Francis came in at 146.6-pounds. 

In an eight-round lightweight bout, DeMichael Harris (12-0-1, 11 KOs) of Smyrna, Georgia meets Anthony Cuba (8-1-2, 4 KOs) of Fontana, California. Harris is taking a step-up from recent competition in meeting Cuba on Wednesday. Harris’ two 2024 opponents combined to have a 14-42-1 record, whereas Cuba’s lone defeat came at the hands of mega prospect Curmel Moton, who was extended the distance for the only time in his career to date on that night in March of last year. Harris made 134.2-pounds. Cuba first tipped the scales at 137.4, but returned to make the contracted 137-pounds. 

Heavyweight Antonio Mireles (8-0-1, 7 KOs) of Des Moines, Iowa will look to remain unbeaten in an eight-rounder against Josue Vargas (5-9-2, 2 KOs) of Panorama City, California. Mireles did not make a ring appearance last year and will be making his first start since his majority draw to fellow undefeated Skylar Lacy in November of 2023. Vargas has dropped three straight, albeit against fairly solid opposition. The towering Mireles came in at 274-pounds, while the shorter Vargas scaled 244.2-pounds.

Super flyweight prospect Andrew Rodriguez (5-0, 1 KO) of Salinas, California will take on fellow unbeaten Kevin Soltero (3-0, 2 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri in a six-round bout. Rodriguez moves up to the scheduled six-round distance for this first time, coming off a dominant four-round decision last October in Stockton. Soltero, with his national level amateur pedigree, figures to be a tougher test on Wednesday. Rodriguez made 116.4, Soltero came in at 116.6-pounds.

Multi-sport star Jennah Creason (2-0) of Visalia, California seeks win number three against Samantha Ginithan (1-0, 1 KO) of Las Cruces, New Mexico in a four-round junior welterweight bout. Creason, who plans to simultaneously pursue her career in MMA, weighed-in at 139-pounds. Ginithan, who also posted a 9-2 record in single round bouts during season two of Team Combat League, made 140.2-pounds   

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBA Continental USA Lightweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Flores 134.8

Arellano 133.4

Welterweights, 10 Rounds 

Moreno 149.6

Francis 146.6

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Harris 134.2

Cuba 137*

Heavyweights, 8 Rounds

Mireles 274

Vargas 244.2

Super flyweights, 6 Rounds

Rodriguez 116.4

Soltero 116.6

Light welterweights, 4 Rounds

Creason 139

Ginithan 140.2

Tickets for the event, promoted by G-Squad Entertainment and Robert Garcia’s House of Champions, are available online at gsquadent.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

By Norm Frauenheim

David Benavidez emerges from his victory over David Morrell in more control of his career than ever because of how he dominated often edgy pre-fight appearances, how he fought and how the boxing business changed wildly in the aftermath of the significant light-heavyweight fight.

Benavidez, a two-time super-middleweight once known for being the youngest champion in the history of the division, is moving on and up the scale, both in weight and wisdom. He’s a grown-up.

That’s the simplest way of saying it. Too simple, perhaps, mostly because there’s still a lot of maturing to do for an instinctive fighter who has an unrivaled upside. At 28 years old and just entering his prime, there’s still lots of time to grow into the stardom he foresees and many project. 

Is he already there? No, and that’s good news, promising in part because Benavidez understands where he is — who he is — at this point in his ongoing transformation from an overweight, unknown Phoenix kid with no expectations to one who believes he can be the Face of the Game.

“I’ll be the Face of the Game soon,’’ he said boldly after his unanimous decision over Morrell a couple of weeks ago in front of a roaring, pro-Benavidez crowd at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Soon could mean just about anything, of course. There’s a debate about the so-called Face, a mythic title that some have tried to buy and others have tried to steal. For now, at least, it’s fair to argue there is no face. In acronym-speak, it’s vacant. There are choices, but no consensus. The numbers suggest that Canelo Alvarez still gets the nod, despite some support for Terence Crawford, Canelo’s future foe for a projected September date.

The debate is incomplete without at least a mention of Japan’s junior-featherweight whirlwind, Naoya Inoue, the Asian version of The Monster, and heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, a heroic face amid the Ukraine’s desperate war against the Russians. But if you take a well-worn path and follow the money, it’s Canelo, the only prizefighter to consistently crack the top tier of the Forbes’ list of the world’s wealthiest athletes. Over the last year, however, that changed. Usyk and Tyson Fury surpassed Canelo with two heavyweight title fights last year, both won by Usyk. 

According to Sportico last week, Fury’s total for the two fights was $140 million and Usyk  $120 million, placing both in a different income bracket than Canelo, whose 2024 income was reported to be $73 million. Sportico ranked Fury third, Usyk seventh and Canelo 20th among the world’s highest earning athletes last year.

But it’s a good bet that Canelo will re-take his income supremacy among prizefighters in 2025. Fury says he’s retired. But don’t count on it. Also, don’t count on him getting anywhere close to his 2024 income if he makes a comeback. Meanwhile, Usyk says he’ll fight two more times and retire. But no fight figures to pay him anything approaching the pay he collected against Fury. Meanwhile, Canelo has a rich, multi-fight deal with the Saudis

Add that to his documented command of pay-per-view numbers and the risk-reward ratio, and Canelo’s face still belongs on the game for the same reason George Washington’s face is on the dollar bill. That’s still where the value is. That’s also why Saudi Prince Turki Alalshikh, boxing’s new money man, scrambled to sign him to a four-fight contract and away from a Netflix spectacle with showman Jake Paul in an 11th-hour deal five days after Benavidez secured his own place as a prominent factor on boxing’s board of potential moves over the next couple of years. 

The deal left one significant question. To wit: How much longer will Canelo hold the key to the vault? Like everything else amid the constant chaos, it’s impossible to know. Expectations, the business agenda’s glass jaw, is full of repeated examples. One unforeseen punch changes everything. For now, Canelo’s plans include a perceived tuneup in Riyadh during the first weekend in May against William Scull, a Cuban living in Germany who holds a piece of the 168-pound puzzle that the IBF — Irrelevant Boxing Federation took from Canelo. It’s an opportunity to restore some order, restore Canelo’s undisputed status, both in name and fact. 

Barring that aforementioned punch, Canelo’s business plan then takes him to the intriguing September date with Crawford, perhaps in a ring on the Las Vegas Raiders home field at Allegiant Stadium. It’s a fight between two of the best from different weight classes. Canelo has more size and presumably power; the smaller Crawford has more speed and skill. There’s a reasonable argument for either in what looks to be pick-em fight between the best of a their generation.

Age is a factor. For Crawford, the Canelo challenge — and the payday it’ll include — looks to be a career ender. Crawford is 37. He’ll be 38 on September 28. From Jaron “Boots’’ Ennis to Vergil Ortiz, the former welterweight great, who has fought once at junior-middle, has ignored challenges from the young lions.

Then, there’s Canelo. Between Scull and Crawford, Mexico’s pay-per-view star will celebrate a birthday. He’ll be 35 on July 18. He’s talked about retiring when he turns 37. Beyond the planned Crawford date, there are two more fights on his contract with Alalshikh. What happens against Crawford is sure to dictate what happens to the remaining dates. If Canelo loses to the smaller man, maybe he retires. If he wins, presumably he fights on in a scenario that could include Benavidez. 

If nothing else, Canelo’s deal with Alalshikh has revived some of the talk about Benavidez-versus-Canelo, which for years has been No. 1 on the list of fights the fans most want to see. Those fans haven’t forgotten. Benavidez has moved on, onto light-heavy, after years of calling out Canelo in a futile chase that threatened to define him. He continued to hear the question, even on the night after he proved he could stand on his own — define himself on his own terms — against Morrell.

What about Canelo? The question was inevitable, of course.

“I would love to fight Canelo, it would be a massive, massive, fight,’’ Benavidez said. “But, Canelo says he has other things and he says I’m being ‘too mean’ in the way I’m approaching him. I guess I got to work on my attitude.”

Then, it was a joke, almost said as if it was a parting shot. But the Canelo-Alalshikh deal five days later kept the possibility on the table. It depends on the Crawford-Canelo outcome. It also depends on Benavidez’ next move. He’s expected to be in Riyadh next Saturday (Feb. 22) for the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitrii Bivol rematch of Beterbiev’s narrow victory for the light-heavyweight title last October. Benavidez is in line to face the winner. Even that plan is uncertain, however. Father Time, also like that unforeseen punch, can change everything. Beterbiev had another birthday last month. He turned 40 on January 21. Retirement can’t be too far away.

What remains in place, however, is Benavidez’ current place among the fighters who hold the key to boxing’s future. Benavidez, a consensus pick for the pound-for-pound’s top 10 for the first time this month, is there alongside Tank Davis and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. He’s younger than Crawford, Canelo and Beterbiev. He’s younger, too, than Inoue, 31, and Usyk, 38.

Meanwhile, Benavidez is just getting started, a still emerging and maturing force who used his comprehensive victory over Morrell as a way to announce he’ll be around for awhile.

Keyshawn Davis stopped Denys Berinchyk in round four to win the WBO Lightweight title at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

In round three, Davis landed a left to the body that put Berinchyk on a knee for a knockdown. In round four, it was another left to the body to liver as Berinchyk tried to come in and throw punches that put Berinchyk on the deck for the 10-count at

Davis, 134.2 lbs of Norfolk, VA is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Berinchyk, 134.6 lbs of Kyiv, UKR is 19-1.

Davis said, “It was an amazing feeling. Right before I knocked him out, I was hearing the crowd saying, ‘Norfolk! Norfolk! Norfolk!’ I was like, ‘I’ve got to knock him out now! Boom!’”

“I never really had problems with awkward fighters. The only thing that was giving me trouble was how he kept jumping in and out. And he was a little faster than I expected. As the rounds went on, I got more comfortable in there, and in the fourth round, I did it to him.”

“My son was here. I had to show up for my son, Keyshawn Jr. He was in the crowd watching me. It means a lot to me now. When he looks back at this day, he’s going to be proud of his father.”

“I want anybody who has the balls to step in the ring and fight me. There are two 135-pound champions that I would love to fight. If they have the guts to step in the ring with ‘The Businessman,’ tell them to send me a contract, or I can send them one.”

Xander Zayas Stops Slawa Spomer in 9

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a ninth round stoppage of Slawa Spomer in a battled of undefeated junior middleweights.

In round one, Spomer began to bleed from his nose.

In round nine, Zayas hurt Spomer with a left hook to the body. Spomer retreated to the ropes and Zayas pounced on Spomer with a flurry of punches until Zayas doubled over Spomer again with a another left to the body, and the fight was stopped at 2:01.

Zayas, 153.2 lbs of San Juan, PR is 21-0 with 13 knockouts. Spomer, 153.2 lbs of Heilbromn, GER is 20-1.

Zayas said, “I knew from the first round that he would wear down little by little. In the third or fourth, I hurt him, and he got me with a good shot. But I went to my corner, and they told me to keep fighting intelligently because we had 10 rounds to wear him down. And by the eighth and ninth, they told me, let’s step it up with the combinations, and we started to land with more power to get the finish.”

“On paper, he was my toughest opponent to date, and I stopped him. I have passed every test that has been put in front of me, and I feel I’m ready to fight for a world title right now. I want that next.”

Mielnicki and Coyle Battle To Majority Draw

Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Connor Coyle battled to a 10-round majority draw in a middleweight fight.

In round four, Mielnicki was bleeding from his mouth. In the same round, Coyle was cut around his left eye.

Mielnicki landed 146 of 546 punches. Coyle was 98 of 520.

Mielnicki, 159.4 lbs of Roseland, NJ took a card by a 96-94 tally while two judges had it even at 95-95. Mielnicki is now 20-1-1. Coyle, 158.3 lbs of Derry, NI is 21-0-1.

Juanmita Lopez DeJesus needed just 59 seconds to win his pro debut over Bryan Santiago in a four-round junior bantamweight bout.

DeJesus landed a left uppercut that put Santiago down and out.

Dejesus, 113.8 lbs of Caguas, PR is the son of former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez. Santiago, 113.6 lbs of Weslaco, TX is 1-2-1.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated by dropping Manuel Jaimes four-times enroute to a fourth round stoppage in a eight-round lightweight bout.

In round Mason dropped Jaimes with a step-back left uppercut. Mason scored another knockdown in round three from another left hand.. In round four, Mason dropped Jaimes with a right hook that was followed by a left. Mason finished off Jaimes when he dumped him agaion the canvas with a straight left hand that was followed by two right hooks at 1:55.

Mason, 136.2 lbs of Cleveland is 17-0 with 15 knockouts. Jaimes, 137 lbs of Stockton, CA is 16-3-1.

“I said the same thing {about no longer being called a prospect}. We say the same thing. We want the belts, world championship,” Mason said. “I gotta keep doing what I’m doing and making these guys look the way I’ve been doing since I turned pro.”

Rohan Polanco stopped Jean Carlos Torres in round two of their 10-round welterweight fight.

In round one, Polanco dropped Torres with a leaping left hook to the temple In round two, it was a left hook that d put Torres down again. Seconds later, it was a big right hand that rocked Torres and one punch later the fight was stopped at 1:48.

Polanco, 146.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Torres, 147 lbs of Trujillo Alto, PR is 22-2.

Keon Davis stopped Ira Johnson in round two of their four-round welterweight fight.

In round two, Davis dropped Johnson with a left hook to the body. Then it was a flurry that was capped by a right over the top that put Johnson down for 10-count at 1:38.

Davis, 149.2 lbs of Norfolk, VA is 2-0 with one knockout. Johnson, 148.2l lbs of Kansas City is 3-3.

Jared Anderson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Marios Kollias in a heavyweight bout.

In round four, Kollias started to swell under his left eye.

ANerson, 256.8 lbs of Toledo won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 18-1. Kollias, 235.4 lbs of Pares, GRE is 12-4-1.

Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. scored an upset six-round split decision over Nico Ali Walsh in a middleweight fight.

Guerra, 1578.8 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 58-56 twice and 58-56 for Walsh. Guerra is now 6-1-1. Waksh, 15.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 11-2.

The San Francisco Bay Area has a crop of young fighters beginning to emerge that may make up the next wave of world champions to come from the region. One fighter that has received some attention, partially due to his unique story of balancing time as a Stanford student, majoring in Art Practice, with a career in the fistic arts, is junior middleweight Dante Kirkman. The Silicon Valley native’s story of perseverance as a fighter overcoming injury is one just as intriguing and inspiring as his tale as a student-athlete. 

Kirkman (3-0, 1 KO) of Palo Alto, California found appeal in boxing as a youth where other team sports had disappointed him. Growing up, Kirkman tried his hand at just about every sport possible, having played soccer, football, basketball, running track and competing as a wrestler. 

“I remember, with team sports, I never felt like I was getting my fair chance,” explains Kirkman. “I felt like in football, the coaches would play their sons the most or give their sons the ball the most. Or we would lose because somebody didn’t block or something that was out of my control. In boxing, I could control my own destiny and with my dad being a boxing fan, he always wanted to raise my brother and I to protect ourselves.” 

Kirkman’s father, Robert, is not only a boxing fan, he took part in the sport as a young amateur growing up in East Palo Alto. Robert’s passion for the sport did not diminish once his time as an athlete concluded and he eventually passed down his love of boxing to his son. 

“Where my father grew up was, at one point, the murder capital of the U.S. I believe, but he found a great path in life in amateur boxing, competing in the local Golden Gloves and traveling with his gym team,” details Dante. “He never really knew how to pursue boxing as a career, so it was just something he was really good at and really proud of. He was a big Sugar Ray Leonard fan and boxing fan in general. He always kept watching boxing and eventually introduced it to me at a young age.” 

Robert’s fighting career did not blossom into a profession, but when his son expressed interest in boxing, Dante’s father wanted to make sure he got started off the right way so that if he displayed an aptitude for the sweet science, Kirkman would be set up for success. Eventually, Robert was put in touch with retired formerly world-ranked contender Mitchell Julien, who had carved out a noteworthy career mainly in Northern California rings. 

“With my dad’s background in boxing, he had always felt that he wasn’t able to pursue a career because of where he was training at and people not knowing the real route to success,” explains Kirkman. “Because of that, my dad would call and ask around for people that had a deeper history in boxing than he did, like Mitch Julien, who I believe at one point was ranked number eight in the world and fought Roger Mayweather. Mitch wasn’t going to be staying here. I believe he was moving to Houston, but my dad asked Mitch, ‘My son is going to box and I am not going to just bring him to a fitness instructor. I really want him to be led the right way from the beginning.’ So Mitch recommended Eddie Croft.”

Croft, a former world title challenger and one of the most well-respected trainers in Northern California out of his B Street Boxing in San Mateo, turned out to be a perfect fit for Dante and, just as his father had hoped, the young Kirkman would be led the right way from the start. 

“From the beginning, Eddie’s and my personalities were very similar,” says Kirkman. “I really appreciated Eddie’s hunger and knowledge for boxing. All of the things he was teaching to these ten and eleven-year-old kids, he wasn’t just letting them go through the motions, but actually enabling them to understand how boxing works. Eddie was actually teaching them and not letting them slack off.” 

By the time he turned 16, Kirkman had progressed to the point that he was ready to take on the best fighters in the country in national tournaments. Unfortunately, the only thing that could hold Kirkman back was his own body. 

“I had a lot of injuries growing up, from overtraining and issues with my growth plates,” explains Kirkman. “For example, I started out orthodox and I hurt my left shoulder. Then I started training southpaw for a year or two and injured my left shoulder and switched back. I would constantly have something, whether it was a shoulder, elbow or hand, just something that would allow me to have a few fights and then take me out for a little bit. Eventually those injuries slowed down enough for me to be able to compete. My team and I decided it was the time to really start doing it and getting to the next level.” 

While the injuries to his shoulders were a hindrance to his amateur career at the time, the experience of learning to box out of both stances will prove to be quite useful as he pursues his professional career. 

“What is funny is that I am left handed, but I played sports like I was right handed,” recalls Kirkman. “So when Eddie asked me to show my stance, I hesitated for a bit, but I went into the orthodox stance. It wasn’t until two years later, when I injured my shoulder, that Eddie learned that I was actually left handed. Because of that, it was a pretty smooth transition to southpaw because I was actually left handed.” 

All the while Kirkman was pursuing athletic achievement in the ring, the Palo Alto native was also excelling in the classroom. When away from the gym, Kirkman applied his studious nature not only to his classwork, but also to improve as a fighter. 

“I would do film study, where I would see examples of these cool switches, like Willie Pep doing cool sidestep movements and I played around with how I could integrate these subtle switches or how I could do these things,” explains Kirkman. “I ended up doing whole national tournaments orthodox and other whole national tournaments completely southpaw and whole national tournaments going back-and-forth. So that was a great experience for me to be able to have that in my arsenal.” 

While learning to box from both stances was a positive side effect from Kirkman’s recurring injuries, the young boxer was going to need to find a way to stay healthy if he wanted to pursue his Olympic or professional dreams. Luck would have it, that Kirkman’s trainer Eddie Croft knew someone very well that could be of great help.

“SNAC [Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning] started helping me, through Eddie’s wife, Casey Croft, who is a director at SNAC and has been amazing for my career, about five months before the Olympic Trials,” recalls Kirkman. “I started at the USA Boxing Eastern Qualifier. That was the introductory point, where I just started to get help from them, but even a week made a huge difference in how my body felt. After that, I had a full summer training camp, or multiple training camps with them, where my body completely changed. I grew a lot because I was getting the food I was supposed to eat. I wasn’t overtraining and so I noticed a big difference in my body.” 

Healthy and fully-focused on boxing, with a respite from his workload as a Stanford student, Kirkman performed well at the U.S. Olympic Trials, besting two national champions in early rounds of the December of 2023 tournament, but ultimately coming up short in a semi-final bout with Keon Davis. 

“It was a great experience,” says Kirkman. “I was there to compete, but it also just felt really good to be around the best fighters that in the coming years are going to be competing for or defending world titles. It felt like I belonged there and the legends before me, whether they won or lost, like Terence Crawford, who lost in the Olympic Trials and was there at that Olympic Trials as well, it definitely made me realize that I could do something special in this sport. No matter my story, whether I won or lost, it would be a part of my unique path and one day lead me to greatness.” 

With his Olympic Trials experience in the rearview, Kirkman and his team immediately turned their focus to his professional debut, which would ultimately land in Redwood City, California in May of last year and result in a four-round unanimous decision over a seven-fight veteran. In his second bout, Kirkman would take another four-round decision, this time in Oakland, California, and again sweep all three official scorecards. Unlike some young prospects, Kirkman is planning to keep busy fighting at home and not make any trips to Mexico or elsewhere to fill out his record. Kirkman, who carries the nickname of “The Inferno,” it is part of a concerted effort to build his name in the local markets. 

“It has been a choice,” explains Kirkman. “As a Bay Area native, inspired by Andre Ward, I have always felt that I wanted to have that fanbase behind me and to fight in front of friends and family. I want to be able to gain a larger fanbase behind me and someday fight in the 49ers stadium or Stanford Stadium or the Warriors stadium and have a big Bay Area show.”

Last time out, Kirkman scored his first professional knockout over Jose Madrigal Rodriguez in the third round back in Redwood City. For Kirkman, the victory was extra sweet as he felt he may have silenced some critics by his display of power. 

“That felt great,” explains Kirkman. “I would always get little comments questioning my power from people. It never bothered me. My power played a factor in my amateur fights, and that was with extra padded gloves and headgear, but I would have fight-altering power at times. Also, in my first two fights, once my opponents felt my punches, they did not want to feel them again. It was just awkward, trying to get someone out that once they felt the power, they did not want to feel that again and kind of hopped on the defensive end. So finally getting to close the show in the third fight felt like a confirmation of my hard work and fighting ability.” 

Kirkman will return to the ring on March 8th against eight-fight pro Jose Cruz in a four-rounder at the Venue at Thunder Valley in Lincoln, California. Kirkman will come prepared, having studied his opponent and preparing as best he can for the test come fight night. 

“He’s a bit of an awkward guy,” Kirkman has surmised from his study. “He has a little bit of flash. He’s not a showboat, but he has some extra stuff. He tries to think a little bit. I am just interested in doing what I have to do. My coach Eddie Croft and I have a gameplan and we’re always going to be able to execute it. I just look forward to putting on a good show against a good opponent and hopefully have an exciting fight and get the job done and get my second knockout.” 

To get to this point in his career, it has been a long road traveled from those early years of watching boxing with his father on television for Kirkman. Given his skill, determination and attention to detail, Kirkman’s journey ahead could be one to keep on every Bay Area fight fan’s radar. The promising young fighter looks forward to building his name in just under a month’s time at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort. 

“My fans can expect to see someone that is very passionate about boxing, displaying their skills on the blank canvas of the ring and doing what I always do: bringing the heat,” says Kirkman. “As my Inferno nickname indicates, and hopefully putting on a great show and a dominant performance.” 

Tickets for the March 8th event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, are available online at uppercutpro.com 

Photos by Ed Silva/Original Solo Photos 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

By Norm Frauenheim

Surprise, surprise, the Canelo Álvarez-Terence Crawford fight was off. Then, faster than flipping a light switch, it was back on. For the nut jobs gathered in the murky bottom of the social-media cesspool, that was the first sign of a lot more off and on. Sure enough, that’s what followed within a few hours Thursday. Canelo-Jake Paul was on, then suddenly off, in a dizzy sequence of dueling reports, all hard to follow in a sport known more for feints than facts.

Welcome to boxing, once called the red-light district of sports.  Buyer beware, which these days means don’t believe anything you read or hear because it’s about to change.

It all started late Wednesday with a Canelo-Crawford report from The Ring. Suddenly, a fight rumored for about a year and reportedly a done deal for September was suddenly off. Why? Fill in the blanks.

Immediately after news that — for “now” — the reported Canelo-Crawford fight in September on the Las Vegas Raiders home field is off, there were reports that Canelo would fight Jake Paul, who issued a statement Thursday evening, saying “when there is something to announce, we will announce it.’’

Turns out, there was nothing to announce. Instead, there was boxing’s new money man, Saudi Prince Turki Alalshikh, on social media, saying — somewhat cryptically — that Canelo had a four-fight deal for the Riyadh Season. It’s supposed to start on the first weekend in May, but apparently Paul will not be included, despite multiple reports to the contrary earlier in the day.  Meanwhile, The Ring, which Alalshikh recently bought, posted that Canelo-Paul was off. Please, pass the dramamine. It’s hard to know when this messy merry-go-round stops.

Above all, it suggests what everybody already knows. To wit: Boxing doesn’t know what it’s doing. Never has. The difference this week is the chaos. There’s more of that than ever. The best bet — perhaps the only one — is that the chaos will continue, leaving fans and media free to speculate wildly about what to believe and who to mock, what to rip and who to insult.

The best guess in this corner is that an untold amount of money was offered in some furious wheeling-and-dealing between the offs and ons, all in an 11th-hour effort to convince Canelo that he was better off with the Saudis than with a reported bout against Jake Paul. 

The Paul reports were credible, mostly because they made sense.

Canelo, the wealthiest boxer on Forbes’ annual list of the world’s richest athletes, has been more businessman than boxer over the last couple of years. He has employed the risk-reward formula he inherited from Floyd Mayweather Jr., who reportedly became a billionaire boxer by adhering to the ratio.

Paul has been calling out Canelo for years. As an aside, he has never called out David Benavidez, who also had been pursuing Canelo for years before his solid victory at light-heavyweight Saturday over David Morrell. Paul fought MMA star Anderson Silva in a boxing match two-plus years ago in Glendale AZ, just a few blocks from Phoenix streets where Benavidez grew up. 

“You call out Canelo, why not Benavidez?’’ I asked him at the formal news conference.

“I’m not ready for that,’’ Paul said.

He’s not. 

Not then. 

Especially not now.

Canelo, super-middleweight champ and still ranked in the middle of most pound-for-pound ratings, knows that, of course. He also knows that Crawford, an all-time welterweight great still among the top three in the pound-for-pound debate and now 1-0 at junior-middle, is a bigger risk than Paul ever could be. 

Like Benavidez, Paul has never called out Crawford either. 

The risk in either is not worth the reward.

But Paul, whose persona includes an edgy notoriety, has a social-media following that only Gallup can count. His drawing power is also undisputed. A Netflix audience for Paul’s sad spectacle against aging and ailing Mike Tyson on Nov. 15 was reported to peak at 65 million. The live crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington TX was announced at 72,300. Factor in all of that and it looked to be a no-brainer. 

The only downside would be the criticism Canelo would inevitably hear if he fought Paul, a novice boxer, instead of the emerging Benavidez or the feared Crawford, who is promoted by Alalshikh.  But the Saudi offer apparently was big, bigger than even the money Canelo might have made in a May date against Paul.

Apparently, the Saudi deal also restores plans for a Crawford fight against Canelo in September. Crawford tweeted Thursday night that he would wait on Canelo to fight a perceived tuneup in May. Super-middleweight belt-holder William Scull, a Cuban living in Germany, Jermall Charlo and Bruno Surface — who knocked out Jaime Munguia in a huge upset — are possibilities for the May date.

But there’s still a caveat. As of late Thursday, there was still no word — yes or no — from Canelo, the reigning Face of the Game. Only his final say-so can stop the chaos, or maybe just ignite a lot more of it.   

Last month, The Ring Magazine named Robert Garcia as 2024’s Trainer of the Year, an accolade he previously achieved back in 2011 and 2012. While much of that recognition comes from the success Garcia experienced with world champions Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela and Virgil Ortiz over the last calendar year, ardent followers of the sport know there is nary a major event that takes place, in Las Vegas, Los Angeles or San Antonio especially, that does not feature at least one of his champions, contenders or up-and-coming prospects. One such promising young southpaw that already has the Alamo City excited just four fights into his pro career would be Ethan Perez, a 20-year-old featherweight who goes for win number five in his hometown at the Boeing Center at Tech Port this coming Saturday night. 

Perez (4-0, 2 KOs) originally found the sport of boxing, following his older brother Anthony into the Alamo City Boxing Club, at just six-years-old and quickly found he had an aptitude for the sweet science. Five years later, with the full support of his parents, Perez was already qualifying and traveling for national tournaments. 

“By like ten or eleven, we started going more towards the national tournaments and out of state for tournaments,” recalls Perez. “Whatever [my parents] felt like they needed to do, they would do, and a lot of times it is not cheap. We would do plate sales or waters, things like that to raise up the money. My parents have always been a big help.” 

Alvino Valles of Texas Boxers & Brawlers, co-promoter of Saturday’s event, has known Ethan and the Perez family since those early years. 

“I’ve known Ethan since he was about ten, eleven years old,” recalls Valles. Ethan, Dan Cortez and my grandson used to all work out together at the RGBA [Robert Garcia Boxing Academy] on Bandera Road. As a matter of fact, Ethan beat up my grandson, who is the same age, when they were young. After Ethan was done with him, my grandson said, ‘This isn’t for me.’ Ethan’s dad has been by his side since day one. They are good people, him and his wife. They’ve done very well with him. He is a well-mannered young man.” 

Ethan’s father Raymond not only was a financial and emotional support during his son’s journey, he also took up as his primary trainer from near the end of his amateur run until the beginnings of his pro career. 

“From 16 up to 18, my dad was coaching me on his own,” recalls Ethan. “Anytime before that, we would try different coaches here and there. I was training with Mario Barrios’ dad for a year or two. I was trained by Bam’s dad for a good year-and-a-half to two years. It was kind of coach-to-coach, but my dad was my main coach for my first and second pro fights, as well as Daniel Cortez’s dad. His dad was a help too.” 

Daniel Cortez is another exciting young fighter out of the same camp, who grew up alongside Perez in San Antonio rings. The two share a close bond, having charted the same path simultaneously in what can be a lonely sport at times. 

“Me and Danny grew up together and we have always been kind of close in weight,” says Perez. “We’ve always been really helpful when it comes to having to spar with each other or working on things with each other. That we are doing it together still, in the pros, is really helpful.” 

Despite his numerical youth and accomplished amateur credentials, Perez opted to turn professional at an early age in the fall of 2023. It was a decision Perez would make together with his father, ultimately leading to his pro debut that September in his hometown of San Antonio. 

“It was a decision that I made right out of high school,” recalls Perez. “I told my dad, ‘Look, I’m ready to get my career started.’ I just feel like the amateurs are just an up and downward spiral. Betweens wins and losses in tournaments. I just felt like I was ready to go pro and take that next step in my career and see how this goes.” 

Perez prepared for his pro debut with his father as his head trainer. In preparing his son for that first big step into the pros, Raymond upped the intensity and attention to detail, leaving nothing to chance. 

“The lead-up was difficult, I am not going to lie,” explains Ethan. “My dad was my coach for that fight. I was living with him, so it was every day. He was watching everything that I would eat, watching how much I weighed everyday. Pushing me through two to three workouts everyday. He pushed me pretty hard for that first fight. 

When we were younger, he explained to me how I needed to tell the difference between him being my coach and him being my father. He said, ‘When we are in the gym and when it is about boxing, you have to realize I am your coach, I am not your father. And also, anytime we are at home or we are outside of boxing, I am your father.’ He didn’t want to mesh the two because it would stir something else up if we started bumping heads. That is something I had to learn growing up, when he’s my coach and not-so-much my father.” 

Making his pro debut in his hometown of San Antonio, Perez scored a shutout, four-round unanimous decision before a raucous crowd at the outdoor Smoke Sky Bar. 

“The whole experience was something different that I had experienced in amateurs,” explains Perez. “In the amateurs, you’re always traveling so much that you don’t have that supportive fanbase there, because you are in different states. But in San Antonio, I had family and friends and a bunch of people that came out and supported. It was a different experience than I had ever felt. It was amazing.” 

In his second pro bout, two months later back at the Smoke Sky Bar, Perez would score his first professional stoppage at just :31 seconds of the first round, which ignited the crowd into a frenzy. 

“I had never experienced that before, especially hearing the crowd,” explains Perez. “Whenever the ref stepped-in, I backed up and I didn’t really process that the fight was already over. I looked at the opponent, like waiting to see what was next, and then the ref was waving it off and finally it clicked. It was crazy and very exciting.” 

The camp for his second pro bout, which included some time working with Daniel Cortez Sr. when Raymond was tied up with work, would be Ethan Perez’s last in San Antonio before making the move to work with Robert Garcia, who had also been the co-promoter of those first two fights. 

“Robert had reached out after the first pro fight and said he wanted me to go out there and start training with him and that was obviously an honor,” recalls Perez. “But I felt that we needed to spend a little more time to get ready, my dad and I, and put in a little more work to mentally prepare me and physically prepare me for Robert’s camp. So that is why we did one more fight back at home, so then going into that third fight, we had three or four months to mentally prepare myself for whatever was to come at RGBA. That’s how I ended up here.”

Their first camp together was to prepare for a fight last March that ultimately fell apart when the scheduled opponent pulled out late. When his next opportunity rolled around last June, Perez’ opponent again put the fight in jeopardy when he came in heavy. However, with two camps with Garcia under his belt, Perez was not going to let a few extra pounds get in the way of notching his third pro victory. 

“They told me that the guy was struggling to make weight, so could I come up a little bit,” recalls Perez. “So from there I started drinking water and gatorade that morning. Then I weighed-in at 128 and he showed up at 132 ¼. I didn’t know he was going to come in so heavy. My dad and I talked about it, and we felt like we could still handle business, regardless of the four pounds over he was. We still felt like we were coming in strong and ready.” 

Strong and ready Perez was, as he punished his heavy opponent before scoring a third-round stoppage (which BoxRec incorrectly lists as a first-round kayo) with a vicious body attack. 

“I was boxing good the whole time, landing solid shots,” remembers Perez. “We had worked on sitting down on punches as opposed to the first fight when I was just trying to throw as much as I could. For the third fight, we were working on sitting down on punches, landing clean shots and showing skills. I feel like it really showed in that fight. I dropped him twice and by the second one, the fight was already over.” 

Since moving over to work with Garcia, both Perez and his good friend Cortez have shown great improvement as they have passed every test put in front of them. 

“They are progressing at a good rate, fight-by-fight, the way that they are supposed to be progressing,” explains Valles, who has co-promoted every one of Perez’s professional bouts. “You can see it, fight-by-fight, every time out they are bringing something new to the ring. You can tell they are learning and getting better. This is going to be Ethan’s last four-rounder [on Saturday.] After this he will be moving up to six-rounds.” 

This Saturday, Perez will be taking a step-up in class when he takes on Steve Garagarza (4-8-1, 2 KOs) of Laredo, Texas. Garagarza has stretched some fighters and sprung an upset on a previously unbeaten fighter before, while also having more wins than Perez’s previous opponents combined. 

“Steve is a strong guy and these are the types of fights Ethan is going to have to take as he moves forward,” explains Valles. “Steve is very durable, very strong. Steve is coming off of a good outing and he knocked off an undefeated guy that was 2-0 prior, so these are good fights for Ethan.” 

Regardless of the opponent, Perez is ready to showcase what he has been working on in the lab with the Trainer of the Year. 

“I don’t know much about him, honestly,” says Perez of Garagarza. “I’m just coming into this fight always trying to work to be better. With this guy, he has more wins than the other opponents I’ve fought against, so I’m going to make sure that I am on my A-game. Just expect to see action. I plan to put on a good show.” 

Tickets for the event, promoted by Texas Boxers & Brawlers and Robert Garcia’s House of Champions and broadcast by ProBox TV, are available online at boeingcentertechport.com

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — David Benavidez did the shuffle, touched the canvas, gestured at fans and his opponent.

He did it all.

He won.

In an often contentious light-heavyweight fight, Benavidez always survived, sometimes dominated and ultimately prevailed, scoring a unanimous decision Saturday night over Cuban David Morrell in front of a roaring crowd at T-Mobile Arena and an Amazon Prime pay-per-view audience.

The bout was called an eliminator, a bureaucratic euphemism that could mean just about anything. Maybe, a shot at 175-pound division’s undisputed title awaits. Maybe, the winner of the Feb. 22 rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dimitrii Bivol awaits.

But Saturday fight was loaded with evidence that Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) isn’t waiting on anybody or anything. He delivered a multi-angled performance that overcame some difficult moments with the kind of resilience that suggests he won’t be eliminated any time soon. 

Against the clever Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs), there were moments when a premature end to all his promises could have been there. He got knocked down late in the 11th when he was off balance and his gloves touched the canvas. Immediately, he rallied, with a furious assault in the round’s final seconds.  Morrell, stunned, reacted a second too late. He popped Benavidez with a counter one second after the bell sounded an end to the round. A one-point penalty was assessed by referee Thomas Taylor.

Would it have mattered? No. Benavidez had a solid advantage on all three scorecards. It was 115-111, 118-108 and 115-111, all for Benavidez. But his quick thinking in response to sudden chaos was a sign of some inexhaustible poise and a stubborn will to fight. It’s what Monsters do, he suggested during an interview in the middle ring immediately after the victory. This Monster is not extinct, despite talk that suggested otherwise.

“He knows that,’’ Benavidez said as he nodded toward Morrell’s corner. “Everybody knows that the Monster is still here. Now he does, too.’’

Morrell had no complaints in the immediate aftermath. He did not rip the referee for taking a point. He did not hurl profanities at Benavidez. They hugged after it was all over..

“It’s OK,’’ Morrell said. “I’m not going to criticize. Thank you, David Benavidez. I want to fight you again. I know I can beat you 

 The violence, promised by promoter Tom Brown, was there — fully locked and loaded — in an explosive fourth round. 

It happened at both sides of the ring, in opposite corners, each neutral only in name. First, there was Benavidez, trapping Morrell in one corner and unleashing punches at a familiar, yet still astonishing rate. Initially, it looked as if Morrell couldn’t tell where the punches were coming from. They rained in on the Cuban from impossible angles. Benavidez was delivering chaos. But  Morrell escaped, stepping to his right along the ropes and into the relative calm of the center ring.

But that calm proved to be an illusion, a little bit like the eye of a storm.

Within seconds, the winds of violence blew Benavidez into the opposite corner. This time, it was Morrell’s turn. With Benavidez’ back up against the ring post, Morrell unloaded a skillset noted for more precision than chaos. One big shot landed, rocking Benavidez’ head back almost as if it were attached to his shoulders by a long, loose spring.

“He hit me, but I thought he would hit harder,’’ Benavidez said.

Translation: Morrell couldn’t take away some of the intangibles that continue to make Benavidez so effective. He always has an answer. They were there Saturday night, at every moment and in every corner.  

Fulton wins, crowd boos

The sequel is never as good as the original.

Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa proved the old line, ad nauseam, Saturday with an oh-so-dull rematch of their first encounter in November 2021.

Then, they did it at super-bantamweight in a bout won by Fulton in a majority-decision. Saturday, they were at featherweight with a World Boxing Council title at stake. But it didn’t matter. Fulton 23-1, 8 KOs) won the belt, scoring a unanimous decision.But there was no celebration. Only boos

On any scale, a restless T-Mobile Arena crowd waiting for the David Benavidez-David Morrell main course  just wanted it to end.

The crowd began booing in the fourth round. The booing continued for the next few rounds before some in the crowd began to chant insults and expletives in Spanish. In any language, Fulton-Figueroa 2 was boring. It also took some air out of the arena after an entertaining junior welterweight bout won by Isaac Cruz over Angel Fierro in the prior bout.

Neither Fulton nor Figueroa was able to mount, much less sustain, any kind of an attack. Fulton landed a powerful right. But not much more from either fighter after that.

In the twelfth, there were finally cheers from a crowd happy only that it had ended

Isaac Cruz wins decision in tough fight for belt named after Israel Vazquez

Israel Vazquez would have been proud.

Isaac Cruz and Angel Fierro fought with some of the heart and much of the same stubborn skill that defined the late Vazquez through 10 competitive rounds for a WBC Aztec belt named after the late Mexican great Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

In the end, Cruz prevailed, winning a unanimous decision.

Go ahead and argue with the scores — 96-94, 97-93, 98-92, all for the better-known, more popular Cruz.

But there was no argument with the fight. It was a toe-to-toe, back-and-forth battle between two Mexicans. In the end Cruz (26-4-1, 18 KOs) prevailed. Perhaps, he had just a little bit more bite, although the 98-92 didn’t indicate that. It should have.

 But Fierro (23-3-2, 11 KOs) didn’t complain.

“I came here to give the fans a great fight and leave it all in the ring,” he said through an interpreter. “I don’t care about the judges, I care about the fans. But I do hope that ‘Pitbull’ gives me a rematch, because I think I deserve it.”

 With the crowd woofing and the dog still apparent in Cruz, nicknamed the Pitbull, things suddenly changed in the third round. That’s when Fierro let the barking fans and the aggressive Cruz know that he wasn’t going to go away meekly. 

Fierro, of Tijuana, used his advantages in height and reach to catch the incoming  Cruz with a succession of shots that wobbled him. Suddenly, some of that barking began to sound like begging in the pro-Cruz crowd..

Through the next two rounds, Cruz, of Mexico City, would back up Fierro with his power. But the stubborn Fierro always knew where he was. Cruz was moving, always incoming. He knows no other way. Hence, the dogged nickname.

Fierro caught again in the fourth 

And again in the fifth..

By the seventh and eighth, both junior-welterweights began to tire. Cruz didn’t pursue with the same energy. Fierro’s hands and shoulders began to droop, then drop. But in the 1oth and final round, both stood, exchanging blow after blow.

Israel Vazquez must have been smiling.

Ramos wins middleweight TKO, plans to go back to 154 pounds

Losses are lessons.

Lesson learned.

Jesus Ramos applied what he remembered from a painful, controversial loss to Erickson Lubin in his lone defeat and beat Jeison Rosario Saturday at T-Mobile Arena with a definitive finish.

He won by stoppage. This time, he eliminated any chance at a scorecard debate.

“I was hoping for a knockcout,” said Ramos, who plans to go back down to junior middleweight after the 160-pound victory, his second straight win since the Lubin loss.

But he didn’t quibble with the technical part of it, although Rosario appeared to when the referee ended at 2:18 of the eighth round on a card featuring David Benavidez-versus-David Morrell.

By then, Ramos (22-1, 18 KOs), who ended it with a succession of punches — two to the head and two to the body , was in complete control with a thorough body-to-head attack that broke down Rosario (24-5-2, 13 KOs). It also knocked him down in the seventh.

Ramos, fighting out of a southpaw stance, was effective with lead left hands in the opening round and again in the second. Rosario, a former welterweight champion, moved forward, but his advance was repeatedly met by agile combinations, body to head and head to body.

After three rounds, Ramos had landed 38 body punches, according to a ringside computer.. By the fifth, Ramos appeared to be gaining control of the middleweight bout. His fans, many from his hometown of Casa Grande in central Arizona, thought so.

“Ramos, Ramos,” they chanted.

By the sixth, Ramos’ body shots were having an impact — one that echoed through the arena. Rosario’s forward movement began to slow. His hands began to drop. It was an opportunity, and Ramos capitalized with one uppercut after another. Rosario was hurt. In the seventh he was down, dropped by a right-left combination from Ramos.. 

Photo by Ester Lin/Premier Boxing Champions

Follow all the action as David Benavidez and David Morrell get it on in a cant-miss Light Heavyweight Battle. The four-fight card begins at 8 PM ET / 5 PM Pt with Jesus Ramos taking on former unified champion Jeison Rosario. In all-Mexican showdown, former world champion Isaac Cruz takes on Angel Fierro. In a rematch for the WBC Featherweight title, Brandon Figueroa takes on former unified champion Stephen Fulton.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1:Body shot from Brnavidez..Body combination..Right hook from Morrell
Round 2 Straight left from Morrell…Left to body..Uppercut from Benavidez…Nice uppercut and right from Morrell…2 hard rights from Benavidez..
Round 3 Combination from Benavidez…Benavidez cut over left eye
Round 4 The Two unloading heavy punches..Left hook to body from Benavidez..Big left from Morrell
Round 5 Counter left from Benavidez..Left to the body..Left..Nice right and right to the body
Round 6 Left uppercut from Morrell..Another uppercut..2 more uppercuts
Round 7 Body shot from Benavidez…Right from Benavidez…Counter left from Morrell..Combination..
Round 8 Counter left from Morrell..Combination..Left from Benavidez…Short left from Morrell
Round 9 Body shots and uppercuts from Benavidez..3 punch combo from Morell…Right hook..Body shot
Round 10 Chopping right from Benavidez…Another right
Round 11 Left hook to body from Benavidez..Chopping right..Morell landing on the ropes…COUNTER RIGHT AND DOWN GOES BENAVIDEZ..POINT DEDUCTED FROM MORRELL FOR HITTING AFTER THE BELL
ROUND 12 Right to body from Benavidez…Uppercut…Left hook…Swelling under both eyes of Morrell

115-111 twice and 118-109 FOR DAVID BENAVIDEZ

ROUND 1 

ROUND 2 Counter right from Fulton..Counter right..Jab and right to body

ROUND 3 Right from Fulton..Sharp right

ROUND 4 Body shot from Fulton…Body shot from Figueroa…Left to head from Fulton…

ROUND 5 Counter uppercut from Fulton..Right and left

ROUND 6 Double right from Figueroa..Counter from Fulton…Right uppercut…Body shot

ROUND 7 Jab from Fulton..And another..Right from Figueroa..

ROUND 8 Double left and right from Figueroa…Fulton Outlanding Figueroa 139-84

ROUND 9 Uppercut on inside from Figueroa..right..

ROUND 10 Nice counter right from Fulton…nice Left hook

ROUND 11 Body shot and left hook from Fulton..Left to body…Counter left from Figueroa

ROUND 12 Body shot from Fulton..Left from Figueroa..Right from Fulton

116-112 TWICE AND 117-111 FOR STEPHEN FULTON

Round 1: They come out wailing away in the center of the ring.  Left to body from Fierro…Big right from Cruz..2 Hard rights..
Round 2 Big Left hook from Cruz..Left hook and right hand…2 left hooks to the live..Combination to the head..Left hook to body from Fierro..Lead left to body from Cruz..left to head..Jab…
Round 3 Body shot…Uppercut…1-2…Right from Fierro..Uppercut..Big right from Fierro…toe-to-toe war…Big right from Fierro..Big right
Round 4 Jab from Cruz..Left…Straight right..Big right..
Round 5 Counter right from Fierro..Right from Cruz..2 rights drives Fierro to the corner…Right to the head..Right from Fierro..4 punch combination
Round 6 Straight right from Cruz
Round 7 Jab from Fierro…2 rights from Cruz
Round 8 Left hook from Cruz…Body work..Leaping left..Hard left…Fierro throwing back
Round 9 Right to head from Cruz. Right upper cut. left to body from Fierro..Lead left hook from Cruz..Big left and big right…
Round 10 Left from Fierro..Big left from Cruz…Uppercut..Left from Fierro..Right..

96-94, 97-93 and 98-92 FOR ISAAC CRUZ

CRUZ Outlanded Fierro 248 of 624  to 238 of 786…Fight was a Fight of The Year Candidate for sure.

Round 1 Right to body from Rosario…2 shots from Ramos…Left…Straight Right
Round 2 Jab from Ramos..Left…Right from Rosario…Right to the body from Rosario,,Right to body
Round 3 3 Body bunches from Ramos..Straight left to the body…Good right to the body. Straight left to the body. Combination featur4ed by a right to th e body
Round 4 4 punch combination from Body..More Body work…3 punch combination
Round 5 Jab and left from Ramos…3 punch combination finished off by a body shot.  1-2..Lead left..  Ramos outlanding Rosario 137-37
Round 6 Uppercut drives Rosario back…Rosario backtracking..Body shots…
Round 7 Punishing body shot..PERFECT LEFT TO THE HEAD AND DOWN GOES ROSARIO
Round 8 Doctor checking out Rosario…Huge right hook from Ramos and THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — Words, mostly the four-letter variety, have been exchanged. So have threats, insults and all of the rest. David Benavidez and David Morrell played their roles and memorized their lines. It was boxing theater at its best. And its worst. Promoter Tom Brown promises violence, which of course is exactly what you’d expect in a fight.

By Friday, there wasn’t much left to say. After all, there are only so many four-letter combinations. We’ve heard them all, and none of them have really changed any minds. Benavidez-Morrell was a pick-em fight when it was announced. It was virtually a pick-em fight Friday after both stepped off the scale — appropriately enough — without a fraction of a pound separating them.

Their weights were like their first names. Both Davids came in at an identical 174.2 pounds, safely under the 175-pound mandatory for a light-heavyweight fight Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena that is supposed to lead to a shot at the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitrii Bivol winner on Feb. 22 in Saudi Arabia.

The weigh-in, a staged version of the official one earlier Friday, was perhaps noteworthy for what didn’t happen. There were no blows, not even a shove.

Escalating rhetoric, mostly sparked by Benavidez, at news conferences and public appearances had set off more than a few alarms. A few punches the day before opening bell would not have surprised anybody. But it didn’t happen, mostly because of Morrell.

As the two rivals moved toward center stage for the ritual face-off, Morrell suddenly looked down and stepped back, exiting left and away from an impending storm. It’ll happen anyway, sometime around 8 p.m. (PT) in the Amazon streamed bout.

That doesn’t exactly mean that the two camps were suddenly at peace. They’re not. The evident hostility was there, behind closed doors,  at the official weigh-in in a moment best described by Morrell manager Luis De Cubas. 

Benavidez and De Cubas have been insulting each other all week. There have been allegations about performance-enhancing drugs, a knockdown of Morrell in training camp, money and even hand shakes. According to De Cubas, Friday morning’s chapter of discontent started with an attempted hand shake.

De Cubas said Benavidez arrived at the official weigh-in, offering to shake De Cubas’ hand. De Cubas refused. He said he wouldn’t accept anything — not an apology or anything else — from Benavidez. De Cubas called him a “——sucker” at Thursday’s news conference.

“He called me a thief,’’ De Cubas said.

By the time everybody reached the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the staged weigh-in, Benavidez  was only offering promises of pain and peril for the 27-year-old Morrell, an unbeaten Cuban living in Minneapolis.

“I guarantee that I’ll knock him out,’’ the 28-year-old Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) said to a crowd of a few thousand, most of whom made the drive up to Vegas from Phoenix, Benavidez’ hometown.

The weigh-in crowd was clearly there for Benavidez, who has gone from fat kid to feared fighter in an unlikely ascent to stardom. Fans at the weigh-in identify with Benavidez and the westside Phoenix streets that produced him.

“Benavidez, Benavidez”, they chanted.

Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) heard them. His only answer was a gesture. He blew them kisses. It also might have been his way at telling them to kiss off. He and his corner enter Saturday’s fight confident that they can slow down Benavidez, often a freight train in the late rounds of any fight. The Cuban’s left hand, they say, will do to Benavidez what he guaranteed he’ll do to Morrell. A KO is Morrell’s promise.

Best bet?

Violence.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – The first must-see fight of 2025 takes place this coming Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena as power-puncher David Benavidez takes on boxing savant David Morrell to determine the next in line at 175-pounds, as mandated by not only two of the sport’s sanctioning bodies, but by the public as well. Fighters for Saturday’s event weighed-in this morning, but reenacted their trips to the scale before a large gathering on Friday afternoon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand. 

Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Phoenix, Arizona has appeared motivated and agitated in the lead-up to Saturday’s fight, something that looked to be missing in his debut at 175-pounds. If the Arizona native unleashes “The Monster” of previous fights, Morrell will have his hands full once the bell rings. 

Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) of Minneapolis, Minnesota by way of Santa Clara, Cuba has been waiting for an opportunity at one of the big names at 168 or 175-pounds to agree to put him on the big stage. When a fight with Canelo Alvarez, which has eluded Benavidez as well, was not forthcoming, Morrell’s team switched their focus to the Arizona puncher. Morrell, like Benavidez, did not look like his best self in his debut at the weight, even while scoring a wide decision. 

To many in the boxing world, the matter of who could stake claim as the number one light heavyweight in the world was settled last October when Artur Beterbiev decisioned Dmitrii Bivol to unify the four major world titles. Finding ways to cloud up a clear situation, the WBC and WBA each had anointed additional champions at 175-pounds, prior to the unification bout last fall. Benavidez claimed the interim WBC title in his light heavyweight debut via unanimous decision over Oleksandr Gvozdyk last June. Morrell, in his light heavyweight debut, moved past a tough Radivoje Kalajdzic to claim a secondary version of the WBA title last October. 

While Beterbiev and Bivol are set to meet again later this month, the winner of Saturday’s bout will unequivocally become the clear leading contender for the winner. Benavidez and Morrell both came in at 174.2-pounds. 

In a long awaited rematch, Brandon Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KOs) of Weslaco, Texas attempts to avenge his lone career defeat while also defending the WBC featherweight title against Stephen Fulton Jr. (22-1, 8 KOs) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the co-main event of the evening. 

From the moment Figueroa heard the official cards go against him back in November of 2021, he believed he deserved the nod and wanted the rematch, but at 126-pounds, four pounds north. Figueroa made the necessary move to 126 where he would claim and defend the interim version of the WBC title, before being elevated to full-champion when Rey Vargas was demoted to the title of “champion in recess.” Now in his first defense of the full title, Figueroa will get the second chance at Fulton that he has yearned for since 2021. 

Fulton remained at 122-pounds after his victory over Figueroa, making one successful defense of his unified title before running into the buzzsaw that is Naoya Inoue and falling by way of eighth-round stoppage. Fulton, the WBC #2 ranked featherweight, made this bout a possibility by moving past veteran Carlos Castro via split decision last September here at T-Mobile Arena. Figueroa weighed-in at 125.8-pounds, while Fulton met the division limit of 126. 

Always a crowd favorite, Isaac Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KOs) of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico hopes to take a step back towards a world title opportunity when he takes on former regional title holder Angel Fierro (23-2-2, 18 KOs) of San Diego, California by way of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico in a ten-round junior welterweight bout. 

Cruz looks to rebound from a decision defeat to Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela last August and regain the momentum he had accrued since his memorable decision defeat to Gervonta Davis in 2021. Fierro moved up to the 140-pound class two fights back and was unsuccessful in Puerto Rico, before a get-well welterweight victory back home in Tijuana last time out. Cruz scaled 138.6-pounds, while Fierro made 139. 

WBC #6/WBA #7/IBF #8 ranked junior middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) of Casa Grande, Arizona attempts to get his career rolling again against former champion Jeison Rosario (24-4-2, 18 KOs) of Miami, Floria by way of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in a ten-round middleweight bout to open the pay-per-view telecast. 

Ramos last saw action in May of last year when he moved past Johan Gonzalez by ninth-round stoppage in this same arena. For Ramos, that victory is the one bout he has had since coming up short against Erikson Lubin the year prior. Rosario, who claimed the IBF light middleweight title, stopping Julian Williams, in January of 2020, is attempting to resurrect his career at Ramos’ expense. Ramos scaled 159-pounds, while Rosario came in at 159.2. The bout is for the vacant WBA North America middleweight title. 

In the final appetizer before the main pay-per-view card, Mirco Cuello (14-0, 11 KOs) of Arroyo Seco, Santa Fe, Argentina will take on Christian Olivo (22-1-1, 9 KOs) of San Diego by way of Hermosillo, Mexico in a ten-round elimination bout, putting the winner potentially next in line to securing a title opportunity against WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball. Cuello, the WBA #3/IBF #15 ranked featherweight, scaled 125.6-pounds. “Kiki” Olivo, the WBA #5 ranked 126-pounder, made 25.6-pounds.

In another of the broadcasted preliminaries, Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez (6-0, 6 KOs) of Providence, Rhode Island by way of Camaguey, Cuba will aim to get his countrymen in attendance warmed-up for the main event when he meets Angel Ruiz (18-3-1, 13 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico in a ten-round middleweight fight. Feliciano Hernandez, who scored an eighth-round stoppage of a previously unbeaten opponent last time out in October, weighed-in at 158.4-pounds. Ruiz, who in 2021 stunted the career of Kazak Bobirzhan Mominov by decision, scaled 159.6-pounds. Feliciano Hernandez’s regional WBA Continental Latin America title is at stake. 

A late addition to the preliminary broadcast, which is free to all on Prime Video, Mayweather Promotions’ budding star Curmel Moton (6-0, 5 KOs) of Las Vegas returns to the ring against Frank Zaldivar (5-1, 3 KOs) of Miami by way of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba in an eight-round lightweight bout. Moton, returning to the scheduled eight-round distance for the first time since his second pro bout, came in at 134.8-pounds. Zaldivar, who dropped a ten-round decision in his last bout, made 135.8-pounds. 

Homegrown prospect Kaipo Gallegos (7-0-1, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas makes his second career appearance at T-Mobile Arena when takes on Leonardo Padilla (24-6-1, 17 KOs) of Petare, Venezuela in an eight-round lightweight bout on Saturday. Gallegos, reportedly an 18-time national champion as an amateur, scaled 134.6-pounds. Padilla, who scored his signature win over Andy Vences in 2023, but has struggled to see the final bell against the majority of his class opponents, weighed-in at 129.8. 

In a pairing of unbeaten super middleweights, former amateur star Daniel Blancas (11-0, 5 KOs) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin battles Juan Barajas (11-0-2, 7 KOs) of Victorville, California in an eight-round fight. Blancas, a regular David Benavidez sparring partner, scaled 166.2-pounds, while Barajas, entering the contest off of two consecutive draws, weighed-in 166.6. 

The elder of the fighting Benavidez brothers, Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) of Phoenix is back in action against former Nico Ali Walsh adversary Danny Rosenberger (20-9-4, 10 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio in an eight-round middleweight bout. Benavidez, looking to rebound from his one-sided defeat to Jermall Charlo back in November of 2023, came in at 160.8-pounds. Rosenberger, who notably fought Ali Walsh to a draw, only to have the decision changed to a no contest when the Ohio native’s random drug test came back with high levels of testosterone, scaled 159-pounds. 

Mayweather Promotions’ super middleweight John Easter (7-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas takes a step-up in class in just his second fight on U.S. soil when takes on Joseph Aguilar (6-2-1, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon in a six-rounder. Easter, in his first action since taking on award-winning trainer Bob Santos, weighed-in at 169.4-pounds. Aguilar, who has more wins than Easter’s previous seven opponents combined, made 171.8-pounds, which was 1.8 over the contracted limit. 

In a battle for Lone Star State bragging rights, Gabriela Tellez (3-0, 1 KO) of San Antonio, Texas will meet Abril Anguiano (4-0, 2 KOs) of Garland, Texas in a six-round featherweight bout. Tellez, a standout amateur before turning professional in July of last year, weighed-in at 127.8-pounds. Anguiano, who won a six-round decision in her last official bout over a solid fighter in Melissa Holguin last March, but also logged four rounds over two nights in Team Combat League last summer, came in at 125.2-pounds. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

WBC Interim Light Heavyweight Championship

WBA Light Heavyweight Championship

WBC Light Heavyweight Championship & WBA Light Heavyweight Championship Elimination Bout, 12 Rounds

Benavidez 174.2

Morrell 174.2

WBC Featherweight Championship, 12 Rounds

Figueroa 125.8

Fulton Jr. 126

Light welterweights, 10 Rounds 

Cruz 138.6

Fierro 139

WBA Continental North America Middleweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Ramos Jr. 159

Rosario 159.2

WBA Featherweight Championship Elimination Bout, 10 Rounds

Cuello 125.6

Olivo 125.6

WBA Continental Latin America Middleweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Feliciano Hernandez 158.4

Ruiz 159.6

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Gallegos 134.6

Padilla 129.8

Super middleweights, 8 Rounds

Blancas 166.2

Barajas 159.6

Lightweights, 8 Rounds

Moton 134.8

Zaldivar 135.8

Middleweights, 8 Rounds

Benavidez Jr. 160.8

Rosenberger 159

Super middleweights, 8 Rounds

Easter 169.4

Aguilar 171.8*

Featherweights, 6 Rounds

Tellez 127.8

Anguiano 125.2

*Aguilar 1.8-pounds over contracted weight 

Tickets for the Premier Boxing Champions event, promoted by TGB Promotions, Warriors Boxing Promotions, Sampson Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are available online at Ticketmaster.com 

Photos by Ester Lin/Premier Boxing Champions 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — Two days before opening bell, promoter Tom Brown promises violence. Minutes later, David Benavidez says enough to enrage David Morrell and his manager, Luis DeCubas, pushing Brown’s promise ever closer to reality during a contentious news conference Thursday. 

Benavidez turned up the rhetoric, elevating the potential hostility by several octaves, with everything from profane threats to personal insults during an angry hour in a ballroom at the MGM Grand.

Ordinarily, trash talk at a boxing news conference is a redundancy. It’s all part of the show. Increasingly however, a method in Benavidez’ madness is apparent. It’s in his words, to be sure. But it’s also in his eyes. Again and again Thursday, the Phoenix-born fighter looked  across the table at Morrell and De Cubas with eyes that flashed like sparks off flint. Benavidez, nicknamed The Monster and sounding like one, looks to be serious in the final hours before his light-heavyweight clash with Morrell Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

The trash talk is like another training session, one that further sharpens the edge on his mind and emotion. Ask him about it, and he acknowledges that the verbal exchanges help channel his energies and maybe his anger, too.

That wasn’t apparent in his last fight, a light-heavyweight debut, a bout with former 175-pound champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June. Benavidez won, but without any of the dynamic energy that has been a trademark for so long. He liked Gvozdyk, a quiet and skillful Ukrainian.

“We spoke different languages and we respected each other, unlike this effing guy, who I don’t effing respect at all,’’ Benavidez told The Boxing Hour/15 Rounds as he waved a dismissive gesture toward Morrell’s side of the stage.

One thing became loudly clear at the newser. Benavidez and Morrell understand each other. Both are fluent in profanity. But there were signs that Morrell wanted to insert a little civility to the pre-fight proceedings.

“Peace and love,’’ Morrell, a Cuban living in Minneapolis, said at the end of his first turn at the bully pulpit.

Benavidez reacted to that like a predator pursuing prey.

“Peace and love, what’s the hell is that?’’ Benavidez said. “But I’m not surprised, because I know he’s effing afraid of me.’’

The hostility, sparked by Benavidez, began with a barrage of insults aimed at De Cubas. De Cubas tried to keep his cool as he spoke amid one interruption after another. But it was to no avail. Finally, De Cubas answered, profanity-for-profanity.

“—-sucker,’’ he yelled, throwing out an obscene insult that set the stage for an X-rated show.

It got so bad that Benavidez manager and promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz actually admonished De Cubas.

 “I want to apologize for De Cubas’ behavior,’’ said Lewkowicz, who isn’t exactly known for diplomacy. “We didn’t need anybody to scream. This fight sells it itself.’’

But the screaming continued anyway for an intriguing light-heavyweight bout between young fighters, both entering their primes and both unbeaten. They’re both cocksure, which isn’t exactly the word De Cubas used to describe Benavidez. But you get the idea.

After the newser, De Cubas said he wasn’t surprised at how Benavidez went at him.

“We know all about Benavidez’ bullying and all of that other stuff,’’ De Cubas said in the relative calm just outside the doors to the MGM Grand’s media room. “I knew it was coming. But when you behave like that, it’s because of fear. I saw that fear in him. Look, I think he knows that some time during the fight he’s going to realize that he shouldn’t have taken this fight in the first place.

“He’s complaining about not shaking hands. Before that, there was all this stuff about steroids. But we were the first to agree to VADA testing. There’s always something. Why? Because he’s afraid he’s gonna get knocked out.”

Who’s afraid of who? Brown’s promise suggests that nobody is afraid at all. In part, that’s why he’s forecasting violence.

“At the end of the day, we’re selling fights, right?’’ said Benavidez, who lives in Miami these days yet continues to honor his Phoenix roots with PHX boldly stitched onto the waistband of his trunks. “Would I rather say he’s a good fighter? I’m trying to sell the fight. I’m trying to sell pay-per-views. I’m trying to generate interest because if I don’t say anything, this effing guy’s not going to say anything. People are paying hard-earned money for this fight. 

“They want to see something. Let’s give them something to see.”

Angry words, but they’re also words from a fighter who hopes to be a peoples champ. Perhaps, The Peoples Champ

“I want to be the Face of Boxing,’’ said Benavidez, who on Thursday was a face hard to ignore. 

Harder to silence. 

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — If trash talk is a reliable way to measure David Benavidez’ readiness, it’s at the top of the scale and climbing  just a few days before he faces David Morrell Saturday in a bout as big as any in his career.

Benavidez welcomed a crowd of gamblers, guests and fans on the MGM Grand’s casino floor Wednesday with promises and threats about what he intends to do to Morrell at the nearby T-Mobile Arena in a light-heavyweight eliminator streamed by Amazon Prime.

“I’m going to beat the bleep out of him,’’ Benavidez (29-0, 21 KOs) shouted as he stepped into the ring for a public workout that included three-year-old son, Anthony, who imitated his father with a display of fast hands and a playful look.

Subtract a bleep or two, and Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) said pretty much the same thing to a crowd of fans anxious to see the former Cuban amateur, now a left-handed light-heavyweight living in Minneapolis.

If the trash-talk exchange sounds familiar, it is. Benavidez, a Phoenix fighter now living in Miami, shouted some of the same insults with the same intensity at Caleb Plant before he scored a punishing super-middleweight decision over Plant in March 2023 at the MGM Grand. 

Benavidez and Plant exchanged profane threats then. They also exchanged hugs after it was all over.

“Truth is, I always hate the guys I’m about to fight,’’ said Benavidez, whose older brother, Phoenix-born fighter Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs), is also scheduled for the undercard in an eight-rounder against Danny Rosenberger (28-9-4, 10 KOs), a junior-middleweight from Youngstown, Ohio. “But this time, the guy is promising to beat me up, knock me out. All of that makes me respond. I never been more ready to beat the bleep out someone more than I am this guy.’’

Benavidez, who said he was ready for Morrell’s southpaw style, also enters the clash — David-versus-David — with some intriguing help from one of the best light-heavyweights ever. 

Andre Ward, who retired unbeaten, spent some time with Benavidez in a training camp that was divided between Miami and Las Vegas.

“It was good,’’ said Benavidez, who spent time with Ward during the Vegas half of the camp. “We talked about a lot of stuff. The biggest thing is something you’ll see Saturday. He told me to keep my lead hand up. There were other things. But that’s help I’ll use right away.’’

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – This coming Saturday night, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a mouth-watering light heavyweight unification bout takes center stage on pay-per-view between two former super middleweight champions that grew tired of waiting on Canelo Alvarez to return their messages and instead moved up one weight class in their last respective bouts to claim gold at 175-pounds, as David Morrell takes on David Benavidez. Morrell, previously one of the most decorated and successful amateur boxers of this generation, shares a trainer with an aspiring super middleweight that began his career from a different starting point in John “The Candyman” Easter, who will take a step-up in class on the undercard this weekend against Joseph Aguilar in a six-round bout. 

Easter (7-0, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas came to boxing later than some, having participated in many other athletic endeavors before finding his way to boxing somewhat out of necessity. Born in South Carolina, but raised between Texas and Nevada, Easter had trouble settling into any season long enough to play a team sport. 

“I ran track, played football, basketball and golf,” recalls Easter. “When you play those other sports, you have to make the team and I moved around a lot growing up, so boxing was the way I could live my life through my athletic ability without the things that I could not control. There isn’t a team you have to make in boxing.”

Easter’s desire to utilize his athleticism led him to the sport of boxing, but from the beginning, the young athlete was not interested in taking it up as just a hobby. Easter got into boxing to become a paid professional. 

“I wanted to make something of myself and I didn’t want to be another statistic,” explains Easter. “I wanted to become something and change my family’s lives.” 

Despite not being a loyal follower of the sport, there was one professional pugilist that stood out and reached Easter’s awareness. By the time Easter reached elementary school, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had reached the pinnacle of the sport and was widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. An undeniable crossover star by the time he beat Oscar De La Hoya in 2007, Mayweather was someone that Easter revered. 

“Floyd was definitely somebody that was doing great things and I knew who he was and he was somebody that I did look up to,” recalls Easter. “Absolutely I did, because he was doing something great and I look up to greatness.” 

Fast forward in life and John Easter would find himself under the tutelage of the man himself, Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather Promotions has handled many fighters dating back to when Mayweather was still actively fighting, but in recent years the company has scaled back the roster of fighters it oversees. Easter finds himself as one of the few that Mayweather has a vested interest in these days, and it is not lost on the young fighter what a gift that relationship is to his career. 

“More than anybody would know,” says Easter when asked how involved Mayweather is in his fistic journey. “Any question I have or anything I want to go over, he is hands on. It is really a blessing that he is there for me in any way I need.” 

While Mayweather retired after his 50th career win, which came over Conor McGregor in 2017, he has followed a path paved by great fighters from years-gone-by in taking up exhibitions in different parts of the world. On the undercard of one such bout, taking place last August at Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico, Easter was able to notch his seventh pro victory over Jesus Villa Miranda, before witnessing his mentor show off before a raucous crowd. 

“The experience was a great experience,” recalls Easter. “It was my first time opening up for Floyd, so that is always going to be amazing, to be able to say that I opened up for Floyd Mayweather. It was awesome. It was a great overall experience. The people embraced me when I went into the crowd to show love, the people loved me. Also, the magnitude of the event was perfect for me, because I am a big dreamer.” 

With Mayweather’s guidance, Easter made a change to his corner last year, replacing the trainer that started him, Kofi Jantuah, and joining up with multiple-time trainer of the year, Bob Santos. Saturday’s bout will be the first the new duo embarks on together since joining forces around six months ago. 

“Obviously, I’ve always had a good relationship with Floyd Mayweather, going back a long, long ways and Floyd is his promoter,” explains Santos. “Floyd gave his blessing to move him over here with me. He thought they needed to make a change. I think Kofi Jantuah did a great job with him, but for whatever reason, and I’m not privy to all the details, they thought they needed to make a change. Floyd thought I would be the best possible guy, moving forward with his career.”

 “Bob has been phenomenal,” says Easter. “I’ve found a great place to be. It is a great home and I am very thankful that I crossed paths with Bob. I’ve learned a lot and he really believes in me. That is what matters to me.”

Easter came to boxing after competing in other sports and then opted to gain ring experience less from amateur bouts and more by sparring before turning professional in Mexico in May of 2021. While some may see the lack of amateur pedigree as a disadvantage, Easter and his trainer Santos are of like mind that is not necessarily the case. 

“I didn’t train to be an amateur,” explains Easter. “I trained to be a pro. At the end of the day, there is not an advantage or disadvantage [in regards to having an amateur background]. At the end of the day, it is a fight. You have to go out there and punch. A lot of that stuff doesn’t make a difference. You have to go out there and fight. I think some fighters that have bigger amateur backgrounds are better than those that don’t, but then there are some fighters that don’t have that much of an amateur background that go on to be legends.” 

“Roberto Duran didn’t have very many amateur fights and you saw what he did with his career,” says Santos. “There’s been a lot of guys [without amateur backgrounds] that ascended to the top. We’ve also had guys that won gold medals and never won a world championship. In the perfect world, would you like the amateur background? Yes. But sometimes, guys can’t transition from the amateurs to the pros because they are so stuck in one pattern they are not even coachable.” 

Santos speaks from prior experience, pointing to a success story from his past as a prime example of what can be accomplished without the long amateur pedigree. 

“I worked with a guy named Hector Lizaaraga that won a world championship from Fresno that had only 20 amateur fights, so this isn’t my first rodeo working with guys that don’t have a plethora of amateur fights and taking them to the top,” explains Santos. “We did it with Lizaaraga and I know we can do it with John Easter.”

Long before any designs can be made on winning world championships, Easter must pass the test at hand, this coming Saturday, in the form of Joseph Aguilar (6-2-1, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon.

“I don’t really know too much about him or know what to expect from him,” admits Easter, without apologies. “I didn’t do my research on him. I am going in there to be the best me. I am not going in there to be the best opponent for my opponent. I know he is going to bring something to the table, but at the end of the day, I know that I can box.”

While Easter seems less-than-concerned about what Aguilar may bring to the table, his team does recognize that the Oregonian represents a step-up in class from prior opposition for their young charge. 

“No doubt about it, it is a step-up in class from where he has been fighting,” admits Santos. “But John is coming along really, really well and I am expecting for us to have a great performance and be victorious.” 

Easter, known as “The Candyman,” is ready to put on a show for those who decide to arrive early to T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. 

“I am very excited to be fighting in Las Vegas on Saturday,” says Easter. “It is a blessing. I wish it was a different magnitude, but my time will come. You can expect to see me using my athleticism. Me going out there, being smart, listening to my team and having a victory with a big smile.” 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – It can be debated when Vegas became the boxing capital of the world. Of course, New York was once the city the boxing world revolved around, but when hotel-casino moguls needed something to pull patrons to the desert to visit their City of Lost Wages, big time boxing became one of the major drawing cards. By the time George Foreman exchanged knockdowns with Ron Lyle, before a national television audience, in the 1976 Fight of the Year, from the Sports Pavilion at Caesar’s Palace, big time boxing had found its new permanent home. Despite that fact, it took 37 years before Ishe Smith defeated Cornelius Bundrage for the IBF light middleweight title to become widely recognized as Las Vegas’ first homegrown world champion. Very few have followed in the years since, but one young rising star, in super featherweight Kaipo Gallegos, aims to make certain that drought does not last much longer. 

The 18-year-old Gallegos (7-0-1, 6 KOs) returns to fight in his hometown for just the second time as a professional, taking on well-traveled veteran Leonardo Padilla (24-6-1, 17 KOs) of Petare, Venezuela in an eight-round bout this coming Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena on the undercard of the light heavyweight unification bout between David Benavidez and David Morrell. For the aspiring 130-pound wunderkind, it will be his second time fighting at the big arena in his hometown, a moment that is not lost on Gallegos. 

“It feels good, because ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to fight in my hometown, in front of my family and just put on a good show for them,” says Gallegos. 

Gallegos’ family is as deeply involved in the sweet science as a family can be. His father, Jayson, is his trainer and the long-time proprietor of the Las Vegas Fight Club, a gym that serves young school-age boxers-to-be, as well as professionals, such as Kaipo and his older brother Jayson, an undefeated 130-pound pro as well. 

“It has been a long journey,” explains Kaipo’s father-trainer. “I was a really bad kid growing up, so I guess I am giving back. I give back to the kids that I work with everyday, almost 80 kids a day and adults. God put me in this situation to give back after all the bad I did.” 

Whatever wrongs the elder Jayson may have had in his past, he has done many things right since, as evidenced by the success of his sons. Kaipo was one of the most decorated U.S. amateur boxers in recent years, claiming 18 national titles during his time in the unpaid ranks. All that success came with great sacrifices, as Kaipo followed his father’s instruction, giving up on many of the pleasures most of us enjoy during our youth. 

“We’ve been doing this so long, ever since he was five,” says his father. “I’m also his nutritionist, I’m his trainer, I make sure he goes to sleep on time, I make sure he recovers on time. We’ve been doing this so long, I don’t even have to tell him. He does everything on his own. He knows what he needs to do. He’s a very disciplined kid.” 

Gallegos was able to amass an incredibly full trophy collection, despite leaving the amateur game behind for the paid ranks at the ripe age of 16. With few exceptions, most commissions in the United States will not even license a fighter at that age. For Kaipo, who began fighting at the age of five, moving to the pros was just the next natural step in his progression. 

“We have been doing this since I was little,” explains Kaipo. “Through the amateurs, where I became an 18-time national champion. Now, we just are going to take it on in the professionals and keep moving forward.” 

With his long and successful amateur pedigree, Gallegos’ father and team did not take any baby steps out of the gate in the pros, despite his young chronological age. 

“He started his career off in the Dominican Republic until he had four fights, but every fight was a hard fight, it wasn’t easy,” explains Jayson. “We never went to Mexico. We never took those easy fights. They haven’t given us anybody easy. His first fight, on the BoxRec rating, he had a star-and-a-half match rating. Even in the Dominican Republic, those guys he fought were hungry. It is not like going to Mexico and they fall down or take a knee so they can get paid. In the Dominican Republic, everybody over there is hungry and they want to kill you.”

Gallegos jumped into deep waters right away during his stretch of fights in the Dominican Republic. After scoring a fourth-round stoppage in his pro debut in April of 2023, Gallegos returned and jumped up to the six-round distance against a fighter in Misael Vazquez that was eleven years older and a veteran of 17 pro fights at the time. The hometown fighter was able to force a split decision draw, which represents the only thing resembling a blemish on Gallegos’ ledger to date. Failing to come away with the victory did not slow Gallegos’ career trajectory, as he immediately jumped up to the eight-round distance for his next outing. 

“Ever since Kaipo was young, he’s had a pro style,” explains Jayson. “He takes his time and round-by-round he gets stronger, so having more rounds helps him. He had his first eight-rounder at 17, he won the WBO Youth title. He fought two eight-rounders last year and got them out of there early. He was ready for eight-rounders.” 

In his last fight, this past November, Gallegos picked up a WBA Youth title against another durable and game opponent in Iron Alvarez, who managed to hang in there in stretches, but ultimately was stopped standing in the seventh round in Orlando, Florida. 

“I felt like it was a tough fight,” says Kaipo. “He was a durable guy that was not just in there to lay down. So I feel like that was a good fight for me and a good step up in my career.” 

On Saturday, Gallegos will take on Padilla before the early arrivers T-Mobile Arena, in what could be one of his last eight-round contests before moving up to the ten-round distance.

“I feel like I am going to put on a good performance this time because I fought recently, so I am ready,” explains the young fighter. “I expect a tough fight, but I feel that I have what it takes to beat him. I feel like I am going to break him down and bring him to the later rounds and get him out of there. I picked up some stuff [from watching footage,] but once we get into the ring, I will find out more about him.” 

Having fought at T-Mobile Arena a little under a year ago, early in the night on the undercard of Sebastian Fundora’s bloody war with Tim Tszyu, should serve Gallegos well this coming Saturday. The 18-year-old fighter will know what to expect, but one thing his local following in attendance can expect is that the Gallegos family will make them proud. 

“When we were in the amateurs, people would come up to us and ask us about being from Vegas and I would say, ‘Yes, born and raised.’ We were all so proud to be representing Las Vegas,” recalls Gallegos’ father. “My boxing gym is called Las Vegas Fight Club, so we represent that with pride. This is his hometown. Family, friends will all be there. We grew up representing Vegas for his whole life. Vegas is our home, both my sons were born and raised here.” 

Those who decide to show up early for the marathon night of boxing this weekend could be treated to seeing the next step in the career of Las Vegas’ next homegrown world champion.  

“Watch out for me and tune-in on February 1st at T-Mobile Arena,” says Kaipo. “And just be ready for me to put on a great performance.”

Photo by Damon Gonzalez/Boxlab Promotions

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Undefeated 23-year-old super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco turned back the challenge of Steven Nelson, scoring a twelve-round unanimous decision at the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in the main event of a multi-continent DAZN broadcast on Saturday night. 

Attempting to stamp his position as the next in line at 168-pounds, Pacheco (23-0, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles, California opted to fight a previously undefeated fighter others have apparently avoided for good reason in Nelson (20-1, 16 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska.

After a feeling out first round, Pacheco, 166.4, and Nelson, 168, opened up a bit more at the close of the second round. After Pacheco found a home for a few stiff jabs, Nelson landed clean just before the bell in retort. 

Pacheco, the WBO #1/WBC #3/IBF #6 ranked contender, continued to rely on his jab in the third, but it was Nelson, the WBO #9 ranked super middleweight, who was busier and found a home for a couple power shots late in the stanza. 

Just as Nelson was having a fairly successful fourth, outworking Pacheco, the pride of South Central Los Angeles timed the overhand right he had been looking to land and busted up the former Army veteran with his counter. 

With the left side of his face turning into a crimson mask, Nelson was less apt to engage in the fifth. Pacheco began walking down the Nebraskan native, just missing the mark at times with potential night-enders.

Pacheco opened up more to close the fifth and kept up the output through the sixth and seventh, when the action really heated up. Pacheco still looked to time the perfect shot in the eighth, just missing the mark on a couple occasions. 

After a tenth in which both combatants had their moments, Nelson came out with renewed vigor in the eleventh, landing clean with power punches with both hands. Even when Pacheco timed a couple well-placed uppercuts, Nelson was undeterred in his forward attack. 

In the twelfth, Nelson maintained the pressure, snapping Pacheco’s head back on several occasions. Even when Pacheco landed, Nelson was hell-bent on maintaining his forward attack.  

All three judges, Tim Cheatham, Max DeLuca and David Sutherland, scored the bout 117-111 for Pacheco, who holds onto his USWBC and WBO International super middleweight titles and place near the top of the rankings. 

While he gave a great technical performance against a solid, previously undefeated fighter, Saturday’s win may not have been the type to create a public outcry for the money man in the division, Canelo Alvarez, to sign on for a bout with Pacheco just yet. 

In the co-featured bout, lightweight contender Andy Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba passed the stiffest test of his pro career to date, pounding out a ten-round unanimous decision over a game Omar Salcido (20-2, 14 KOs) of Lakeside, California by way of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. 

Cruz, 134.8, had more gears and dimensions than did his Mexican counterpart, Salcido, 134.8. Cruz seemed content to utilize the boxing skills that made him one of the most decorated amateurs of recent years through the first nine rounds. The WBA #4/IBF#5/WBC #6/WBO #15 ranked lightweight Cruz attempted to close the show in style in the final round, but the WBA #12 ranked Salcido hung tough and held his own through the ten rounds. 

In the end, Cruz outboxed Salcido by scores of 99-91 (judge Chris Migliore) and 98-92 (judges Dave Moretti and Zachary Young) twice, taking home two regional titles: the WBA Continental Latin America and IBF International lightweight belts. 

Undefeated junior welterweight Ernesto Mercado (17-0, 16 KOs) of Pomona, California stamped himself a contender with a fourth-round kayo over former world champion Jose Pedraza (29-7-2, 14 KOs) of Cidra, Puerto Rico. 

Mercado, 142.4, was the naturally larger fighter in the bout and utilized that size advantage to great effect. In the end, it looked as though the knockout blow to Pedraza, 143, may have strayed to the back of the head. However, referee Robert Hoyle opted to count and then wave off the bout when Pedraza did not appear to be in any condition to continue. Official time of the stoppage was 2:08 of round four. 

After the bout, the still unbeaten fighter called out Shakur Stevenson, “I want that punk right there,” said Mercado, pointing towards the three-division champion, who was less-than-thrilled to hear his name being called.

Leonardo Rubalcava (9-0-1, 3 KOs) of Jurupa Valley, California by way of Teocaltiche, Jalisco, Mexico narrowly escaped with his unbeaten record intact, fighting to an eight-round majority draw in his bout against a determined Israel Mercado (11-1-1, 7 KOs) of Montclair, California.

Mercado, 141, controlled almost all of the first, before Rubalcava, 141, landed one right that should have scored an official knockdown immediately. Referee Allen Huggins dusted the gloves of Mercado and let the action resume, but indicated before the start of round two, that Mercado was in fact down.  

By the end of the fourth, Mercado was dictating the fight in extended moments, beating the young prospect to the punch. 

However, Mercado was deducted a point late in round seven for a low blow, which would unfortunately play a key factor in the scoring. 

After the knockdown and the point deduction, two judges (Chris Migliore and Dave Moretti) scored the bout a draw, 75-75. Judge Zachary Young had the dissenting card for the underdog, Mercado, 76-74. 

In his professional debut, Nishant Dev (1-0, 1 KO) of Karnal, India flashed his power in the lighter gloves, scoring a first-round round stoppage of Alton Wiggins (1-1-1) of Modesto, California. 

Dev, 155.8, and Wiggins, 156.4, both fought out of the southpaw stance. However, Dev, who won bronze for India at the 2020 Olympic Games, had a clear edge in power and flurried Wiggins for the first of two knockdowns. The game Wiggins was able to continue briefly, but soon enough Dev scored a second knockdown, prompting referee Robert Hoyle to call for the end at  2:48 of round one. 

Power-punching former amateur star Harley Mederos (8-0, 7 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York scored a third-round stoppage of Arturo de Isla (5-3-1, 4 KOs) of  Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

Mederos, 134.4, varied his attack from the opening bell and all de Isla, 135.6, could hope to do was to hang in there. The sound from Mederos’ punches alone were thudding and reverberating throughout the Chelsea. 

Mederos broke through in the third, dropping Mederos hard with a right hand. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. immediately stopped the contest at 1:27 of the third round. 

In the opening bout, 19-year-old wunderkind Zaquin Moses (2-0, 1 KO) of Newark, New Jersey was just getting warmed-up after one round of boxing when short-notice replacement Mario Garcia (3-1, 3 KOs) of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico remained on his stool. 

Moses, 130.4, began to open-up from his southpaw stance in the final moments. Garcia, 137.4, seemed fine going to his corner, but ultimately the fight ended after just minutes. 

Photo by Melina Pizano/Matchroom

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

Highly-regarded super middleweight Diego Pacheco meets fellow unbeaten Steven Nelson at the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in the headlining bout of the second leg of a two-continent DAZN broadcast on Saturday night. While two regional titles are at stake, the true prize for the winner of the twelve-rounder could be a bout against one of the major players at 168-pounds. Fighters weighed-in on Friday afternoon at the OPM Theater, one floor down from the host venue. 

Pacheco (22-0, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles, California has gradually moved to the precipice of landing the marque bout he has vocally demanded during fight week. In his last time out, Pacheco impressively halted veteran Maciej Sulecki in the sixth with a perfectly-placed bodyshot. Sulecki, albeit naturally smaller and now older, had previously lasted the distance against Demetrius Andrade and Daniel Jacobs in his only two prior defeats. 

The 36-year-old U.S. Army veteran Nelson (20-0, 16 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska has moved along at a different pace and to less fanfare than his 23-year-old counterpart. Nelson’s resume does not have a Sulecki type to be found, as Pacheco marks the veteran’s first major headline opportunity. In his last bout, Nelson dropped previously undefeated Marcos Vazquez three times en route to a fifth-round stoppage, deep down on the undercard of Terence Crawford’s victory over Ismail Madrimov in Los Angeles last August.   

Pacheco, the WBO #1/WBC #3/IBF #6 ranked super middleweight, is only one fight away from a bout with Canelo Alvarez, according to recent remarks by his promoter, Eddie Hearn. Pacheco is trained by Jose Benavidez Sr., no stranger to leading a 168-pounder to the doorstep of such a bout, as David Benavidez was in that same position not long ago. Benavidez Sr.’s first journey towards Canelo has thus proven fruitless and it remains to be seen where on the scale Alvarez will appear next. 

Nelson, the WBO #9 ranked super middleweight, must look at his opportunity against Pacheco as his Canelo fight. The Nebraska native has developed quietly, in the shadows of Crawford, fighting mainly on his undercards in recent years. With a win over Pacheco, who defends the regional USWBC and WBO International titles on Saturday, Nelson would put himself in prime position to attract one of the big names at 168-pounds. 

Pacheco made 166.4-pounds on Friday, while Nelson hit the super middleweight limit of 168. The public weigh-in ceremony got heated during the face-off, as a jawing back-and-forth turned into some shoving before camps went their seperate ways.

In the leading supporting bout, WBA #4/IBF#5/WBC #6/WBO #15 ranked lightweight Andy Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba defends the regional IBF International lightweight title against WBA #12 ranked Omar Salcido (20-1, 14 KOs) of Lakeside, California by way of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico in a ten-round bout. 

Cruz, previously one of the most accomplished amateurs of all-time, appears to be on the fast-track towards a world title opportunity. Cruz has referred to himself as Keyshawn Davis’ daddy in the lead-up to Saturday’s bout, a nod to his four amateur victories over the fellow lightweight contender. While Davis will vie for a world title in February, Cruz will be defending the regional title he won in his pro debut for the fourth time. However, the 2020 Cuban Olympic gold medalist cannot afford to look past the veteran Salcido, who enters the bout fresh off of his signature victory to date, a ninth-round stoppage of Chris Colbert this past October. 

For the bout, which will also see the WBA Continental Latin America title on the line, Cruz and Salcido scaled an identical 134.8-pounds each. 

Junior welterweight prospect Ernesto Mercado (16-0, 15 KOs) of Pomona, California looks to march towards to bonafide contender status as he moves up in class against former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza (29-6-2, 14 KOs) of Cidra, Puerto Rico in a ten-round bout. Mercado, 142.4 at Friday’s weigh-in and recently signed to Matchroom Boxing, will be making his Las Vegas debut against a fighter in Pedraza, 143, that has fought a who’s who list from all over the world. 

Junior welterweight prospect Leonardo Rubalcava (9-0, 3 KOs) of Jurupa Valley, California by way of Teocaltiche, Jalisco, Mexico takes on Israel Mercado (11-1, 7 KOs) of Montclair, California in an eight-round bout. Rubalcava, making his Las Vegas debut, scaled 141-pounds, as did Mercado, fighting in Vegas for the second straight occasion. 

Former amateur standout Harley Mederos (7-0, 6 KOs) of Brooklyn, New York will meet Arturo de Isla (5-2-1, 4 KOs) of  Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico in a six-round lightweight bout. Mederos, who capped a well decorated amateur run as U.S. National champion in 2020, scaled 134.4-pounds, while de Isla made 135.6.  

2024 Indian Olympic bronze medalist Nishant Dev of Woodland, California by way of Karnal, India will make his professional debut against Alton Wiggins (1-0-1) of Modesto, California in a six-round junior middleweight bout. Dev came in at 155.8-pounds, while Wiggins tipped 156.4.  

19-year-old former amateur standout Zaquin Moses (1-0) of Newark, New Jersey will take on replacement opponent Mario Garcia (3-0, 3 KOs) of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico in a four-round super featherweight bout. Moses was 130.4, giving up seven pounds to make the fight, with the short-notice Garcia at 137.4-pounds Friday. 

For those watching from home, the DAZN marathon boxing broadcast begins with Dalton Smith’s junior welterweight headliner against Walid Ouizza from Nottingham, England, with coverage beginning at 12:15 EST. Coverage from Las Vegas begins at 5:45 EST. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

USWBC Super Middleweight Championship

WBO International Super Middleweight Championship, 12 Rounds

Pacheco 166.4

Nelson 168

WBA Continental Latin America Championship 

IBF International Lightweight Championship, 10 Rounds

Cruz 134.8

Salcido 134.8

Light welterweights, 10 Rounds

Mercado 142.4

Pedraza 143

Light welterweights, 8 Rounds

Rubalcava 141

Mercado 141

Lightweights, 6 Rounds

Mederos 134.4

de Isla 135.6

Light middleweights, 6 Rounds

Dev 155.8

Wiggins 156.4 

Super featherweights, 4 Rounds

Moses 130.4

Garcia 137.4

Tickets for the event, promoted by Matchroom Boxing, are available online at Ticketmaster.com 

Photos by Melina Pizano/Matchroom

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected]

By Norm Frauenheim

Naoya Inoue’s astonishing career continues without any apparent limits.

There are 10 straight knockouts, 22 in title fights. There are four titles in four weight classes, two undisputed. He’s unbeaten, and for now unchallenged. 

Yet, he talks as if his resume is somehow incomplete. He talks about his career as though it’s more of a search for identity than just another fight. 

Inoue, Japan’s Rising Son, wants to know more about himself.

“I don’t know how complete I am as a boxer,’’ Inoue said.

That might surprise Ye Joon Kim, who was destroyed in another thorough beat down delivered by Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) at home in Tokyo Friday with still another deadly display of tactical efficiency and predatory instinct.

The result, a fourth-round knockout of Kim in a junior-featherweight title defense, was also thoroughly predictable. Kim (21-3-2, 13 KOs) was a late stand-in for Sam Goodman, an Australian forced to withdraw because of a nasty cut suffered in training. But we expect a lot from Inoue these days. Anything less than dominance would be disappointment.

Kim didn’t have a chance. Goodman wouldn’t have either. That, of course, has raised a familiar chorus of skepticism. Terence Crawford, an Inoue rival alongside Oleksandr Usyk in the pound-for-pound debate, has heard the same questions. They go all the way back to Joe Louis’ Bum Of The Month during his heavyweight reign. 

Dominance is double edged. Too much of it, and fans begin to doubt because of inevitable questions about the quality of the opposition. 

Inoue might wonder himself. 

Might wonder, too, about how more complete he can be against fighters perceived to be real threats. Fighters like Junto Nakatani, or Murodjon Akhmadaliev, or Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. Against them, perhaps, Inoue will be forced to extend himself beyond the limits of what it means to be complete.

That journey in self-discovery begins — appropriately enough — on the road. Inoue confirmed what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told The Boxing Hour/15 rounds and Boxing Scene in early December while in Phoenix for Emanuel Navarrete’ stoppage of Oscar Valdez in a rematch. Inoue said he will leave the comforts of home and the intense loyalty of Japanese fans for the first time in nearly four years.

“Yes, 2025 will be a big year for me to go overseas to have a fight,’’ Inoue said during a post-fight monologue that was seen on ESPN+ in the early-morning hours in the United States. “In spring of 2025, I’ll be going to Las Vegas to show the great match. I am planning to have fights in Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia this year.’’

Arum, who likened Inoue to Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, foresees an Inoue fight in Vegas in April or May. The initial road test is not expected to present Inoue with a steep challenge. The opposition figures to be more like Kim than Bam. 

Both The Boxing Hour/15 Rounds and Boxing Scene reported in early December that there had been some preliminary talks about Alan David Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs), a Mexico City junior-featherweight with the perfect last name for Inoue’s masterpiece of a career.

So far, it’s been an artistic run, one summed up Friday with a body assault that — in the end —was punctuated by a head-rocking, left-right combo. At 2:25 of the fourth, Inoue was already planning to hit the road.

“The great country of Japan has given Ohtani to the city of Los Angeles, and at least for one fight, the great country of Japan will give this great Inoue to the city of Las Vegas for one fight this spring,” said the 93-year-old Arum, who was at ringside at Ariake Arena.

For the 31-year-old Inoue, it’s an opportunity to introduce and re-introduce himself to fans whose only opportunity to see him has been in the early-morning hours. Hitting the road is another way of saying he’s going global, all in an attempt to become a complete craftsman and the game’s first real cross-over star since Manny Pacquiao.

Jesus Ramos wants Lubin rematch

Colleague Marc Abrams broke some news this week on his 15 Rounds podcast in an interview with Jose Ramos Jr., who fights former junior-middleweight champion Jeison Rosario Feb. 1 on the card featuring fellow Arizonan David Benavidez against David Morrell at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. 

The fight is Ramos’ second since a controversial scorecard loss to Erickson Lubin in September 2023. Ramos, who stopped Johan Gonzalez last May in his first fight since his lone loss, says he’s seeking a rematch.

“Definitely,’’ said Ramos (22-1, 17 KOs), who lives and trains in Casa Grande, south of Phoenix. “We’ve been trying. Whenever he’s ready.’’

Rosario’s power poses a threat in what’s an interesting fight and perhaps a step toward a rematch. Lubin (18-2, 8 KOs), of Orlando, stopped Rosario (29-4-2, 23 KOs), dropping the Dominican twice in the sixth round nearly four years ago in Atlanta.

Ramos, now 23, says there are lessons in the loss, controversial because of a couple of widely different scores, all favoring Lubin — 117-111, 116-112, 115-113. When announced, there were lots of boos from a crowd at T-Mobile for Canelo Álvarez’ decision over Jermell Charlo.

The defeat, Ramos said, changed his mindset.

“I’m learning more, growing as a person,’’ he said.

By Norm Frauenheim

Benavidez-Morrell, David-versus-David, is intriguing on several levels in a fight primarily significant because it’s a new year’s first real stage-setter for a potential light-heavyweight showdown between the best of a new generation and the best in an aging one.

Three weeks after the Davids, both in their late 20s and entering their primes, meet on Feb. 1 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Center, the 175-pound establishment’s leading faces, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol, meet again on Feb 22 in a rematch of Beterbiev’s narrow scorecard victory in Saudi Arabia in October.

The winner in the first is supposed to meet the winner of the second in what could be a generational showdown. That’s the plan, anyway. That might be the problem, too. In the boxing biz, plans are just another glass jaw. They get shattered all the time.

The good news is that Benavidez-Morrell is a pick-em fight. The 28-year-old Benavidez has been a slight favorite since it was announced, probably because the unbeaten, yet former two-time super-middleweight champion has more professional experience. But Morrell, also unbeaten, has the amateur pedigree that comes with being a Cuban-born boxer. Morrell, who turns 27 this Saturday (Jan. 18) — the day after Muhammad Ali’s birthday, had a reported amateur record of 130-5. 

That suggests he knows his way around the ring, a skill he might need in countering Benavidez, a Phoenix-born fighter known for his energy and ferocious pursuit in the later rounds. That’s just one element in a fight close enough to perhaps lead to a rematch, a sequel that could also get replayed in calls for a trilogy fight between the 34-year old Bivol and Beterbiev.

If Bivol wins the second, then expect a third against Beterbiev, who will be 39 years old on Tuesday, January 21 in a month that should include boxing gloves on the hooves of its traditional zodiac sign, a goat. Or is that GOAT?

Nobody, perhaps, will be more interested in each fight more than Canelo Álvarez, who has fallen out of the pound-for-pound debate, yet continues to be the pay-per-view leader. Canelo is the biggest reason for the Benavidez-Morrell fight. 

He wouldn’t fight either, forcing both to move up the scale, from 168 pounds to 175. Each is 1-0 at the heavier weight in respective debuts that they won, yet each with a mixed performance. Their second appearance at light-heavy is also considered too-close-to-call in part because it’s hard to judge their debuts — an injured Benavidez, in a unanimous decision over former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June and a tentative Morrell, also in a unanimous decision over Radivoje Kalajdzic in August.

Most of Canelo’s attention figures to be on Bivol-Beterbiev. A Bivol victory in that rematch might convince him to seek his own rematch with the Russian, who upset him, scoring a unanimous decision over the heavily-favored Mexican in May 2022.

For Canelo, each fight figures to be something of a scouting mission. He’s 34, presumably entering the last stage in his brilliant career. Reportedly, he’s looking for options. If he doesn’t find one in the light-heavyweight double-header in February, there’s persistent talk that he’ll turn to Terence Crawford, the welterweight great who won a junior-middleweight title in his first fight at 154 pounds in August.

Talk about that possibility, rumored ever since Crawford’s defining welterweight stoppage of Errol Spence in July 2023, was all over social media this week. This time, there was talk that an agreement was in place for Crawford to challenge Canelo, undisputed at 168 pounds, some time later in the year, perhaps in September in Las Vegas. 

But none of that talk came from Canelo.

Until it does, it’s still speculation. Fair or not, his pay-per-view supremacy comes with perks, including the final say-so. If he sees an option or options in February, the Crawford possibility might get postponed or eliminated altogether. 

Still, it is a potential story, part of the Goliath-sized stakes that could be there for a February twin bill that starts with the Davids.

By Norm Frauenheim

A New Year started out a lot like the old one with news this week that suggests 2025 will be more idle than busy.

Teofimo Lopez, more enigmatic than charismatic these days, let a Tuesday deadline come and go without agreeing to a March 15 bout with ex-champion Subriel Matias for a junior-welterweight title defense at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Why? That’s become the proverbial question without an answer. Predictably, Lopez tried to explain himself on unsocial media. But it was more of a tease than a reliable answer, fitting for X, an appropriately-named platform that inflames more than informs.

Lopez said he had unfinished business with Top Rank, whatever that means. He promised he’d be fighting in 2025.

“Guaranteed,’’ he said, ‘’by the powers that be! 3 6 9. ..’’

Those numbers could add up to just about anything, of course. March, June and September? The numbers are also thought to have some sort of mystical quality. Nickolas Tesla, the inventor and not X owner Elon Musk’s car, believed in writing down goals 3 times in the morning, 6 times at noon and 9 times at night. 

Repetition, Tesla reportedly thought, would make them happen. Then again, maybe 369 is just an area code. Eureka, it actually is for communities in Northern California.

Who knows? Increasingly, that’s another question being asked about Lopez. Media and fans are trying to get a clue. But throwing spaghetti against the wall makes more sense. Nothing there but a mess.

Lopez is entering his prime. He’s 27. He’s a two-division champion with a resume that includes a victory over the masterful Vasiliy Lomachenko. But the decision over Lomachenko happened in Oct. 2020. 

Then, it looked as if Lopez would fulfill his nickname, The Takeover. 

Over the next four years, however, there has been only mounting doubt, including a faux retirement and a scorecard loss to George Kambosos. Lopez disputed the defeat — a 2021 split decision in front of a hometown crowd in New York — in a wild post-fight scene. Kambosos, who would later lose to Lomachenko, called him delusional. 

But Top Rank preached patience. Bob Arum would wait for Lopez to  grow up, grow into his evident potential for enduring stardom. After a couple of ho-hum performances last year against Steve Claggett in June and Jermaine Ortiz in February, there was hope that the mature Lopez would finally arrive in 2025.

Finally, Take Over.

But Tuesday came, went and left the same questions about Lopez, who four years ago was called a cornerstone to a potential remake of Four Kings — Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns, a four-way rivalry memorialized forever by writer George Kimball’s terrific book on the busy 1980s. 

About five years ago, Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Tank Davis were anointed. They were going to be the sequel, the next Four.

But Garcia is under suspension and undergoing surgery. Haney is suing Garcia, who tested positive after punishing Haney in the 2024 Controversy of the Year in April. Haney is in London and hopes to resume his career in March. Tank, the best of the four, overwhelmed Garcia in April 2023, knocking him down twice in a seventh-round stoppage.

Tank, who fought only once in 2024 with a stoppage of Frank Martin in June, is scheduled to fight Lamont Roach March 1 in Brooklyn. He says he wants three more fights. Then, he says, he’ll retire.

Four Kings 2? More like Forgettable Four in an idle empire, one that figures to stay that way if Lopez’ latest move is a reliable sign.  

By Norm Frauenheim

Say goodbye to the good, bad and the stupid. 2024 was a lot like so many other years on boxing’s roller-coaster ride through history. 

From Ryan Garcia to Jake Paul-versus-Mike Tyson, there was plenty to forget. Actually, Tyson probably had the best advice. He said he didn’t remember a thing about the Paul fight, a Netflix show of the absurd. Wish it was that easy.

But there were moments and performances worth remembering. Thank you Oleksandr Usyk, Jesse Rodriguez, Naoya Inoue, Artur Beterbiev, Dmitrii Bivol and the Ukrainians for saving the year from becoming one for the spit bucket.

A look back at 2024 and hoping for better in 2025:

Fighter of the Year

Usyk, From this corner, it looks to be a no-brainer. He beat Tyson Fury twice, nearly stopping him in May and then backing it up in December with a comprehensive — 116-112 on all three cards — decision on Dec. 21, both in Saudi Arabia. But there is no consensus in boxing or anywhere else these days. The social-media mob dismissed the rematch’s scoring and Usyk’s place in history. If you don’t like him as Fighter of the Year, how about Man of the Year? He stands up for the Ukraine, his home in a desperate war against the Russians. He is boxing’s most compelling personalty since Manny Pacquiao, also a people’s champ still revered by fellow Filipinos.

What does Usyk do in 2025? Nobody knows. He doesn’t know. The answer might rest in the fate of his country. If he continues to box, there’s an opportunity to further his claim on a genuine legacy. 2025 includes the 50th anniversary of Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier 3. Ali won the 1975 fight, an unrivaled mix of courage, skill and brutality on October 1 of that year. Trainer Eddie Futch, knowing that Frazier couldn’t see and had only his inexhaustible will to continue, ended it after the 14th round. 

The fight was many things. There was the violence witnessed in Fury-Deontay Wilder 3. There was Evander Holyfield’s masterful skillset, a key to conquering the bully in feared Tyson. All of the classic elements were there — all at once — in the Thrilla In Manila. A reported 100 million watched on closed-circuit. A reported 500,000 bought HBO pay-per-view. Boxing will never be the same. But the aniversary is an opportunity to look at heavyweight history and a chance for Usyk to prove that he has place in it.

Fighter Of The Year Runner-up

Jesse Rodriguez. He calls himself Bam and that’s exactly the impact he had on 2024. His power was already documented, but there might have been some questions about the skills needed to deliver it against an equally skilled opponent. 

Enter Juan Francisco Estrada in late June on a hot desert night in downtown Phoenix. Rodriguez, then a flyweight champion, re-claimed his Super Fly belt and reputation in a bout that was fought at a skills-and-will level as high as any throughout 2024. Bam scored a knockdown, got knocked down himself, got up and finished Estrada with body punches delivered with timing and precision. Estrada, an acknowledged master of  ring tactics, was finished, moving up in weight instead of a rematch. Rodriguez went on to win a third-round stoppage of Pedro Guevara in Philadelphia in November.

Bam in 2025? His momentum carries him into the New Year, but it is double edged. Everybody saw what he did to Estrada, who said no to another one, despite a rematch clause. Roman Gonzalez had been rumored, but apparently he also said no to a proposed date with Rodriguez. Rodriguez wants to unify the 115-pound title, perhaps against Argentine Fernando Martinez, who withdrew from a New Year’s Eve rematch with Kazuko Ioka in Japan because of the flu. Eventually, Martinez figures to fight Ioka. Rodriguez gets the winner?  It looms as a possible steppingstone to what is still a dream fight — Rodriguez against pound-for-pound claimant Naoya Inoue.

Fight Of The Year

Ageless Artur Beterbiev, in majority-decision over Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light-heavyweight title in a beauty of a bout in October. 

It was close enough to do it all over again, and that’s the plan, also in Saudi Arabia on Feb 22.

What happens in 2025? The rematch, a pick-em fight, is a stage setter for the rest of the year. Three weeks before, David Benavidez and David Morrell, light-heavyweight newcomers, face each other in the first real significant fight of 2025 in Las Vegas. 

The Benavidez-Morrell winner on Feb. 1 is a so-called mandatory, meaning it will lead to a fight against the Beterbiev-Bivol winner. But only complications are really mandatory, especially if the tactically-skilled Bivol wins this time. 

That might might mean Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super-middleweight champion in a move to to avenge his 2022 scorecard loss to Bivol.

It’s not clear what Canelo intends to do. A date with former welterweight great and current junior-middleweight champ Terence Crawford continues to be at the top of the rumor mill. But Bivol would be an option. So, to would Beterbiev, although that one is unlikely because of the rugged Beterbiev’s heavy-handed power.

No matter what happens, Benavidez has to beat Morrell first. It’s risky, but it has fans talking a month before opening bell precisely because it is. 

If Benavidez wins what will be only his second fight at 175 pounds and Canelo chooses to fight the Bivol-Beterbiev winner, Benavidez will find himself  in the same place the Phoenix-born fighter  has always been:

Waiting on Canelo — another chapter to a story line that dominated in 2023 and again in 2024.

Trainer Of The Year

Robert Garcia. This is a no-brainer. Garcia, Jesse Rodriguez’  trainer, is putting the best into busy. Latest example: Garcia, Jesse Rodriguez’ trainer, put in a lot of roadwork on Dec. 7. From dressing room to ring and back, Garcia worked five corners on a Top Rank/ESPN-televised card featuring Emanuel Navarrete’s blowout stoppage of Oscar Valdez in a rematch at Footprint Center, the Phoenix Suns home arena.

Fighters of the Year

The Ukrainians. They aren’t all as talented as Usyk or Vasiliy Lomachenko. Throughout 2024, however, virtually all have proven to be a tough out. There’s an old line in boxing: They come to fight. It’s a cliche, but the Ukrainians gave it new life throughout 2024. With their country in peril from the Russians in a brutal war, they boxed with skill and inexhaustible resilience against better-known and always heavily favored fighters. In 2024, an unprepared Ukrainian did not answer an opening bell.

Here are just two:

Denys Berinchyk. He introduced Navarrete to the lightweight division. The favored Navarrete lost a split decision to Berinchyk in San Diego for a vacant 135-pound title in May. Instead of a rematch with Berinchyk for a bid at a fourth division title, he chose to fight Valdez for a second time.

Serhii Bohachuk. He knocked down talented junior-middleweight Vergil Ortiz Jr. twice before losing a debatable majority decision in August in Las Vegas. It was the first time any fighter had taken Ortiz to the scorecards.

Remember them. Without them, boxing wouldn’t have been what it was in 2024.

By Norm Frauenheim

Legacy is this generation’s tired cliche. Actually, it’s more than just that. It’s silly, a refrain repeated by fighters more idle than busy. Legacy has been transformed into just another argument, which makes it about as cheap as another title belt. Just about everybody has one, or thinks they deserve one. 

But there is an exception:

Oleksandr Usyk.

His decision — unanimous on identical scorecards and tactically thorough throughout 12 rounds — over Tyson Fury last Saturday has led to a yada-yada debate about his place in heavyweight history. He’s an all-timer. No, he’s not. Hell, yes, he is. Opinion, more plentiful than even those aforementioned belts, is also like legacy these days. On social media, everybody has one. A boxing acronym would say it’s mandatory. Meaningless, too. 

Usyk, I think, knows that. His voice is missing from the debate his victory ignited. Above all, he has already delivered a solid argument, one that will be fairly judged and best decided over time. He has beaten Fury twice, nearly stopping the much bigger man in their first encounter and dominating him on the cards — 116-112 on all three — in the second.

Each fight provides a further look at Usyk, whose ring persona is beginning to say a lot about who he is outside of the ropes. In his two fights against Usyk, it’s clear — make that undisputed — that he fights with purpose. As a tactician, he possesses some deadly determination. He’s stubbornly sure of himself and what he can do. Nothing Fury said or sang could interrupt a focus that was evident on any television screen. What’s more, it was there, from Round 1 to Round 24, in Fury’s face, a mix of confusion and frustration

Fury’s clowning is a lot more than a lousy lounge act. It’s been a Fury tactic, effective against Deontay Wilder and others. Distract the opponent, anger him and then turn him into the punch line. But Usyk would not fall for the Fury feints and foolishness. In effect, Usyk turned the stand-up routine in Fury’s skillset into a significant, perhaps, fatal weakness.

Simply put: He wouldn’t allow Fury to be himself. That’s an art, performed only by some of the all-timers. Muhammad Ali did it to George Foreman with the Rope-A-Dope on a 1974 night in Africa forever memorialized in the film, When We Were Kings.

I don’t know if Fury will be back. Maybe, he returns for a fight against Anthony Joshua or somebody else who would fall for his tricks, a show that still sells.

I don’t know if Uysk will be back. Maybe, he goes back to cruiserweight. He talked about it. Maybe, he fights Daniel Dubois, who made a fool of himself when he climbed into the ring and tried to goad Usyk into a rematch. 

It was a flashback to the aftermath of his split-decision over Joshua in a rematch August, 2022. Joshua, acting very much like a big toddler throwing a heavyweight tantrum, threw belts out of the ring, grabbed the microphone and later cried at the post-fight newser. All the while, Usyk, looking like the only grown up in boxing’s overgrown kindergarten, remained patient, poised and ever purposeful.

During Saturday night’s aftermath in Riyadh, there was a further sign — a powerful symbol — that Usyk is fighting for something more than just another belt or some more Saudi cash. Instead of a belt, he held an ancient sword above his head. The saber, according to Ukrainian media, belonged to Ivan Mazepa, a warrior who used it to fight for Ukraine’s independence from Russia three centuries ago.

It’s a story I didn’t know. It’s a story boxing fans beyond Ukraine’s bloodied front lines don’t know. It’s a story that today’s  Russians are trying to bury in their ongoing war against the Ukrainians

It’s also a story worth telling, one that helps explain Usyk, a fighter with a purpose bigger than himself and one that will eventually put him among the all-time greats, no matter what is said today.

By Norm Frauenheim

Oleksandr Usyk, never a man of many words, has had even fewer this week, just days before a sequel that has all of social-media’s usual suspects talking. 

But Usyk doesn’t have to say much, if anything, before a rematch full of its own redundancies. His name already says it best.

Oleksandr, which is of Greek origin, means:

To Defend.

It’s a goal as clear as it is risky against Tyson Fury, whose heavyweight resume is a masterpiece collection of adjustments within fights and between them.

To wit: He doesn’t lose rematches. 

Then again, neither does Usyk. 

That’s about to change Saturday (DAZN) in Riyadh in a rematch perhaps as significant as any in the history of boxing’s fabled flagship division.

Of course, Fury, unlike Usyk, has had a lot to say this week without really saying anything at all.

“The biggest adjustment I’ve made is to grow a beard,’’ Fury said after he arrived in Saudi Arabia to a parade that added a few octaves and exclamation points to what over-the-top means.

Fury has always been better with lyrics and one liners than just anybody in the crowded trash-talking corner of the noisy game. It’s part lousy-lounge act. But it’s also a tactic, one he has used with great effect throughout his heavyweight reign. 

After opening bell, his brilliant feint is a weapon. Before opening bell, he weaponizes his words. 

It worked against Deontay Wilder, especially in their first rematch when the dangerous Wilder tried to blame the sudden loss of his singular power on fatigue he said he suffered by wearing an armored medieval costume in his ring walk. 

Truth is, Wilder didn’t know who the heck he was anymore. He had lost his feared identity, his armor of confidence, on the night Fury got up from his power six years ago in Los Angeles, in a wild draw. 

Fury then reminded him of that repeatedly — hauntingly — during the weeks and months before their first rematch — won by Fury in a seventh-round TKO — February 2020 in Las Vegas.

Wilder was embarrassed then. Later, he was destroyed in a concussive conclusion to the trilogy, five knockdowns of violence that ended in Fury winning an 11th-round KO October 2021, also in Vegas.

Fury dominated Wilder, both physically and psychologically, perhaps finishing his career. 

The damage done to Fury is still an open question, one that Usyk surely hopes to answer Saturday in the rematch to his contentious split decision over Fury seven months ago. 

Fury swears he’s in better condition. He says he went into seclusion in training at a camp in Malta. He says he didn’t speak to his wife for months. She might have been relieved. Just joking, I think. This time, he says he won’t clown around. This time, he says he promises to deliver only pain. 

Blah-blah-blah. By now, we’ve heard it all from Fury.

So, too, has Usyk.

A difference, however, is that Usyk, unlike Wilder, doesn’t really listen. At least, he doesn’t appear to react to anything said or sung by Fury. Usyk — poised, patient and menacing — is his own counsel. 

Amid everything he didn’t say this week, he had one comment, quotable if you’re the media and perhaps foreboding if you’re Usyk.

“Don’t be afraid,’’ Usyk said at a final news conference that included an unblinking, 12-minute stare-down. “I will not leave you alone.’’

By now, Fury knows that. Since May, I’m guessing he has had dreams of Usyk, always there and always in his face. 

In a style that borders on a battle of attrition, the smaller Usyk, stubborn and stealthy, tirelessly works his way inside. It a risk, big enough to be costly for Usyk, especially in the early rounds.

Fury knows that. Fury’s immense advantages in size and power could end this fight before the sixth round. If, however, Usyk is able to push the fight into the seventh, then the eighth and again into the ninth, perhaps he has a chance to finish what he could not in their first fight. 

That’s when he hurt a fading Fury badly. He didn’t stop him, although there’s a solid argument that it should have ended, then and there. But a knockdown was ruled, which was enough for Usyk to win on two of the three scorecards.

It was close, but close is when Usyk is at his very best. Fury is best at pulling off the dramatic. Only Fury got up from the full impact of the lethal power in Wilder’s right hand. Only he could survive that right once more, get up all over again and knock out Wilder in a scary third encounter. 

Guess here: Each fighter knows the other very well by now. For Usyk, the task is to endure an early assault, then launch one of his own later. For Fury, the test is to end it, close the show as fast as possible.

There’s a temptation to predict that this one ends in a draw. Yes, that’s cynical, but some cynicism is a fight fan’s best defense. Riyadh, Matchroom, Top Rank and DAZN would love a third fight. 

A close first fight suggests that the second will be too, which also would probably lead to a trilogy. Neither Usyk nor Fury is young. But they’re not exactly old either. Usyk is 37. He’ll be 38 on Jan. 17. Fury is 36. He’ll be 37 on August 12.

A rematch clause is in place, according to Fury promoter Frank Warren.

“It’s contracted,” Warren told Boxing News. “That will be the case if Tyson wins, providing nobody retires.”

Providing, too, that Usyk, the defending champion, doesn’t do what his name has always told him:

To Defend.