By Norm Frauenheim

SAN DIEGO — Jesus Ramos’ bid to take the interim out of his middleweight title is suddenly on hold because of suspected food poisoning that forced him off a PBC card Saturday at Pechanga Arena.

Ramos  got sick Thursday night, was hospitalized and released early Friday. His fight against unbeaten Kazak Meiirim Nursultanov was canceled before a ceremonial weigh-in at high noon on Friday.

According to the PBC and DAZN promotional team, the fight will be rescheduled. However, there were no details about when and where.,

Ramos, a fighter from Casa Grande in central Arizona, did extensive interviews during a news conference Thursday. He talked about an opportunity to win the World Boxing Council’s version of the 160-pound title held by Carlos Adames. Earlier in the week, the WBC ordered Adames to fight the Ramos-Nursultanov winner. Ramos was a solid favorite. 

However there has been persistent speculation that Adames would move up in weight to super middle. Had he done that and  Ramos fulfilled expectations with a victory, the WBC was expected to strip Adames of the belt and give it to Ramos, who was recently honored in Casa Grande with a key to the city. His fans were expected to make the trip to San Diego.

Without Ramos, the card was left with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz at junior welter in another fight for an interim title against Nestor Bravo. Both made weight, Bravo at 139.2 pounds and the popular Cruz at 139.0 Both engaged in a noisy face-off after stepping off the scale.

“I hope he’s coming tomorrow with the same kind of energy,” said Cruz, a Mexico City fighter. 

By Norm Frauenheim

SAN DIEGO — A return to light heavyweight is still an option for David Benavidez, despite plans to unify and defend titles at cruiserweight in his next two bouts, his father and trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. said Thursday.

There were conflicting reports about whether the ambitious Benavidez still had saw the 175-pound division as a  possibility last Saturday when he stepped into the ring in an encounter with Jai Opataia after Opetai’s victory at 200 pounds on the  card dominated by Ryan Garcia’s beat down of Conor Benn last Saturday in Las Vegas.

“175 is still there for us,’’ Benavidez Sr. told The Boxing Hour Thursday before a news  conference for the   Isaac Cruz-Nestor Bravo featured card Saturday Pechanga Arena.

Benavidez Sr, who  will be in super-middleweight Daniel Blancas’ corner on Saturday’s undercard, still holds the World Boxing Council’s 175-pound belt. He continues to hope for a shot at Dmitriy Bivol or Artur Beterbiev in a title defense. Bivol is planning a title defense against Callum Smith. It’s never been clear whether there are any real plans for a third Bivol-Beterbiev fight.

Meanwhile, Benavidez next fight in defense of two 200-pound titles is expected to be Dec 12 against Michal Cieslak in Phoenix in what would be his first hometown appearance in four years. In a confusing procedure, the World Boxing Council performed a strip-and-elevate two step, declaring Cieslak its cruiserweight champion.

A Benavidez victory would then lead to Opetai in a bout planned for next May on boxing’s valuable Cinco de Mayo date. If Bivol is still there and still a champion at 175, Benavidez Sr. said his son is ready to take the risk and go down 25 pounds. His father estimated that Davld is at about 210 now.

“We’re talking about it, and we came up with all kinds of things,’’ Benavidez Sr. said of a wild scenario which sounds more like fantasy than real . “We could go up to heavyweight and fight Andy Ruiz Jr. Then maybe (Oleksandr) Usyk.

In mind and on scale, Benavidez foresees  no  limits these days.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Ryan Garcia looks primed to enter the pound-for-pound top ten after a devastating second round knockout of Conor Benn to successfully defend the WBC welterweight title on pro boxing’s unofficial holiday, Mexican Independence Day weekend, in the main event of a nine-bout card broadcast by Paramount+ from the T-Mobile Arena.  

Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) of Los Angeles, California looked determined to make it a short night early as Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom may have caught him at the height of his powers, settled in the 147-pound version of his body. 

Garcia, 145 ½, was full of frantic energy in the first, but he made Benn, 146, take a backwards step with the first leaping left hook he landed. Benn, the WBC #1 ranked welterweight, came forward, but Garcia showed a willingness to exchange. 

Benn started the second landing before Garcia immediately took over and ended the fight. With Benn coming forward, Garcia landed a picture perfect right to drop Britain’s welterweight hopeful. 

Benn got to his feet, but was clearly not well. Garcia moved in with his hands going and landed in combination with Benn against the ropes. Not seeing Benn answer back, referee Thomas Taylor moved in and stopped the onslaught at 1:25 of round two. 

“I am blessed to fight on this day, Mexican Independence Day,” said Garcia in the immediate aftermath. “I know some of you don’t see me as Mexican because I don’t speak Spanish. But I have a place for you in my heart and Viva Mexico!” 

Garcia went on to call out Teofimo Lopez, seated ringside. “If you want to get crazy, I’ll beat your ass right now,” Garcia shouted towards Lopez before calling out Devin Haney, also seated ringside, for a rematch.

Widely regarded as the best cruiserweight in the world, Jai Opetaia (31-0, 24 KOs) of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia cemented that position with a ninth-round stoppage of Noel Mikaelian (28-4, 12 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Yerevan, Armenia, who entered the week as the WBC champion. 

A feeling out first round featured an accidental headbutt, with Mikaelian, 200, coming forward to land the right against the southpaw Opetaia. 

Opetaia, the WBC #1/WBA #1/IBF #3 ranked cruiserweight, had a left eye showing some signs of swelling in the second round from the Mikaelian right.

Mikaelian was warned after throwing late to end the third, something he had done less egregiously to end the second as well.

Opetaia, 199, upped his aggression in the fourth and some of the punches that had missed by inches earlier were beginning to land with more regularity. 

By the sixth Mikaelian was moving more, but when Opetaia got in close he found a home for some body work and tried to mix in some punches upstairs.

Mikaelian found some success early in the seventh, countering with a stiff right, before Opetaia turned the tide back late in the round with some well-placed punches on the inside.

Opetaia got some payback for the late punches earlier in the fight, landing two low in succession in the eighth, which prompted a timeout.  

The fight came to its dramatic conclusion in the ninth. With Mikaelian holding him, Opetaia landed with an overhand right that had the Armenian out on his feet. Opetaia then let go with a left hook and broke free with his right hand to land a combination that forced Mikaelian out against the ropes, but still on his feet. Referee Harvey Dock ruled it a knockdown, but waved off the bout after a short word with Mikaelian. The time of stoppage was 1:36 of the ninth. 

All three official judges had Opetaia ahead 79-73 at the time of the stoppage.

With the win, Opetaia retained the Ring Magazine and Zuffa cruiserweight titles. More importantly to fight fans, Opetaia welcomed the main challenger to his throne David Benavidez into the ring post-fight and both made clear their intentions for a fight to clear up who is the kingpin at 200 pounds. 

U.S. heavyweight prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter (13-0, 10 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida made brutally short work of Raphael Akpejiori (19-4, 18 KOs) of Miami by way of Lagos, Nigeria, scoring two knockdowns en route to a first-round stoppage. 

Vanhouter, 231 ½, hurt Akpejiori, 246, early and often. Vanhouter caught Akpejiori with an overhand right that immediately staggered the 6’8” Nigerian. When Vanhouter followed with a right uppercut, Akpejiori went down for the first time. Akpejiori was able to buy a little time when Vanhouter’s right arm was caught in an awkward position as the Nigerian leaned over with all his weight. Despite the scare, Vanhouter moved right back into position, ultimately landing with the right uppercut once more and two overhand rights to put Akpejiori down again. Referee Robert Hoyle immediately called off the fight at 1:58 of round one. 

In the opening bout of the main card, longtime contender Andres Cortes (26-0, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas may have moved back to the doorstep of the marquee fight that has eluded him to this point of his career by scoring a wide ten-round unanimous decision over former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo (29-3, 19 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. 

Cortes, 135, began the fight strong, landing to the body of Magsayo, 134 ½, and forcing the Filipino to hold on along the ropes. 

Magsayo, the IBF #6/WBO #9/WBC #10 ranked lightweight, began to turn up the output in the second. The Filipino found Cortes, the WBC #11/WBA #12/WBO #13 ranked lightweight, willing to mix it up and slip in his power right hand. 

Cortes was originally credited with a knockdown in the third with a right to the body of Magsayo. It appeared that Magsayo, who was already hunched over, believed a break may have been called and collapsed on his own accord. Referee Celestino Ruiz saw fit to call the knockdown, the first of two he ruled as such, but were overturned officially by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Cortes would again appear to have scored a knockdown late in the fourth. The Las Vegas native clubbed Magsayo with an overhand right that forced the Filipino to a knee. Magsayo did not appear hurt, but did appear a bit off track over the first half of the fight and would make several other voluntary trips to the canvas, none of which were scored as knockdowns.

Magsayo shifted his tactics by the seventh, potshotting Cortes and trying to get out of the way of any return fire. Despite finding Magsayo a more elusive target, Cortes still found a hole for some stiff right hands in the round.

The pace slowed in the latter rounds. Cortes, comfortable with his lead on the cards, was more restrained with his offense. For his part, Magsayo did not press like a fighter wanting to win and digging out of a two knockdown hole. 

After a tenth in which neither fighter showed urgency, all three judges scored the bout unanimously for the still undefeated Cortes. Judges Don Trella, Glenn Feldman and Tim Cheatham all scored the bout 97-93 for Cortes, who now has fellow Zuffa Boxing fighter Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela in his sights.

Find the results of the preliminary undercard here

Photos by Al Powers/Zuffa Boxing and Ed Mulholland/Zuffa Boxing

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Later tonight, Ryan Garcia will attempt to make his case for inclusion in the pound-for-pound top ten discussion against Conor Benn in the Paramount+ main event from the T-Mobile Arena. First bell for the five-bout preliminary undercard began at 2 PM local time.

In the final preliminary contest before the four-bout main card began, rangy super featherweight prospect Oswaldo Molina (10-0, 4 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico flashed his excellent boxer-mover skillset in claiming a wide six-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Pablo Rubio (15-1, 5 KOs) of Whittier, California. 

Molina, 131 ½, controlled the fight all the way through. Molina’s reach and jab gave Rubio, 131, trouble in the early going. Rubio had to work hard to cut off the ring and get inside close enough to land. Molina’s footwork was also a problem for the Whittier native. 

Rubio was able to land his left to the body but never really strung his punches together against the more elusive Molina. Both fighters let their hands go prior to the final bell before the final verdict was read. Judges Glenn Feldman and Don Trella both found a round for Rubio, scoring the bout 59-55. Judge Tim Cheatham had the fight a shutout, 60-54.

Abel Gonzalez (9-0, 6 KOs) of Safety Harbor, Florida rebounded from a first round knockdown to box his way past a forward-moving Raul Solomon (16-5-1, 14 KOs) of Long Beach, California by way of Ciudad Morelos, Baja California, Mexico via eight-round unanimous decision. 

The competitive first round swung completely for Salomon, 167, as he scored a knockdown with a sweeping left, followed by a right with seconds left to go. 

Gonzalez, 167 ½, appeared clear-headed as the fight continued in the second. Gonzalez’s long left jab became a problem for Salomon as the early rounds progressed, evidenced by the mouse that formed underneath the Long Beach resident’s right eye.

By the fifth, Gonzalez began to find a home for his lead right on a more frequent basis. Salomon’s constant pressure seemed to be wearing on Gonzalez some by the seventh. Both fighters closed out the eighth and final round throwing their hands. 

In the end, all three judges; Eric Cheek, Kermit Bayless and Max DeLuca, scored the bout for Gonzalez by the score of 77-74. 

Welterweight prospect Vlad Panin (25-2, 17 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Gomel, Belarus appears more than ready for the next level of opposition after a fourth-round stoppage over Dakota Linger (17-8-3, 13 KOs) of Buckhannon, West Virginia. 

Panin, 151 ½, landed with both hands from the opening bell against the smaller Linger, 150 ½, who was game enough to throw back and keep referee Thomas Taylor from jumping in for an early stoppage in the first three rounds. 

The fight got into the fourth before referee Thomas Taylor leaped-in to end things, prompted by an unanswered flurry by Panin with Linger covering up in the red corner. Time of the stoppage came at 1:22 of round four. 

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (27-2, 16 KOs) of Irvine, California scored the most noteworthy win of his career, besting former unified 140-pound champion Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-4, 18 KOs) of Avenal, California via ten-round unanimous decision in a solid scrap. 

The southpaw Rocha, 146 ½, warmed up a bit faster in the early going, perhaps banking some rounds before Ramirez, 146 ½, was really in the flow of the fight.  

The action began to pick up in the seventh, with Rocha landing a hard lead left hand that looked to hurt Ramirez momentarily. Ramirez returned the favor right back, kicking off excellent two-way action for the remainder of the round. Ramirez closed the round landing with Rocha along the ropes, attempting to hold on. 

Both fighters had their moments early in the eighth before Rocha bounced back, closing the round strong with his lead left hand. 

A clash of heads early in the ninth opened a deep cut just below Rocha’s hairline that prompted a time out and a visit to the ringside physician. Once action resumed, both fighters let their hands go immediately and the blood began to flow, creating a crimson mask over the right side of Rocha’s face. In the midst of an exchange, a glancing Rocha jab scored an official knockdown as Ramirez rushed in and tripped, throwing his right.

Rocha began the tenth well before either becoming more bothered by the blood or reaching near the limit of his gas tank before Ramirez closed the final round strong, landing in combination.

Judges Kermit Bayless and Max DeLuca both scored the bout 98-91, while Chris Migliore had it 97-92, all for Rocha. With the win, Rocha has two consecutive victories over 2012 U.S. Olympians, having decisioned Joseph Diaz this past March.

Opening the night in advance of his older brother’s main event appearance, Sean Garcia (8-1-1, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles was forced to work, but managed to move past tough Abraham Morales (4-2, 2 KOs) of Oxnard, California via six-round majority decision. 

Garcia, 134, was forced to box going backwards for much of the bout, as the determined Morales, 134, pressed the fight from the outset. The naturally larger Garcia used his reach advantage and elusiveness to avoid some of the free-swinging Morales’ attack. 

Garcia was credited for a knockdown with about a minute left in the third, as Morales overswung, leaping in with his left. Garcia landed with a glancing right while Morales made his way to the mat. 

Garcia was deducted a point for holding early in the fourth, but took the round after he wobbled Morales back with a lead left hand. Morales pressed Garcia well in a solid bounce back round in the fifth as he doubled up on his right to great effect. 

After six completed rounds, judge Patrica Morse Jarman scored the bout even, 56-56, but was overruled by judges Lisa Giampa and David Sutherland, who both scored the bout for Garcia, 58-54. 

Photos by Cooper Neill/Zuffa Boxing and Ed Mulholland/Zuffa Boxing and Al Powers/Zuffa Boxing

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Ryan Garcia aims to make the first defense of the WBC welterweight title he claimed back in February as he takes on Connor Benn in the Paramount+ main event of the Mexican Independence Day weekend event at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. Fighters for the nine-bout card weighed-in officially at the Meta APEX early on Friday morning, with the ceremonial weigh-in taking place outdoors for the public at the Paramount+ Plaza at T-Mobile Arena later in the afternoon. 

Just cracking into or on the cusp of a top ten pound-for-pound ranking depending on who you ask, Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) of Los Angeles, California rebounded from a wide decision defeat to Rolly Romero in his welterweight debut last year with a dominant unanimous decision over Mario Barrios to claim the title this past February. 

Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom returns to the 147-pound division where he began his career for this one fight in an attempt to pick up the WBC title by unseating Garcia. Benn, the WBC #1 ranked welterweight, fought just a couple pounds over the division maximum for his last fight in April, a wide decision over fading former champion Regis Prograis, but has not made the limit since 2022. 

Benn’s weight had been the topic of conversation in the lead-up and during fight week in Las Vegas, talk that ended up being all for not as Benn weighed-in one full pound under the welterweight limit at 146 pounds. 

“He’s setting up excuses, [talking] about going to 168,” said Garcia of Benn’s future plans at Friday’s pre-fight press conference. “This is a title fight at 147.”

Garcia acknowledged the validity of a story reported by multiple outlets that he had appealed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to allow the fight to still be fought with eight ounce gloves whether either fighter made the 147-pound limit or not. 

“It was more of a precautionary thing in case he don’t make weight to able to still use eight ounce gloves,” said Garcia. “That is what I always fight at, 147, and I don’t want to have to fight with ten ounce. It is more deadlier with eight ounces anyway.” 

Benn seemed unbothered yesterday by Garcia’s gamesmanship or the suggestion that he may fail to make the 147-pound welterweight limit. 

“I have never missed weight in ten years,” said Benn. “You are talking to someone who has never missed weight, as opposed to someone that has missed weight previously multiple times. So I don’t understand why this has been brought up.” 

Garcia weighed-in at 145 ½ at Friday morning’s official weigh-in. 

Widely-regarded as the number one cruiserweight in the world, Jai Opetaia (30-0, 23 KOs) of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia will take on Noel Mikaelian (28-3, 12 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Yerevan, Armenia in the twelve-round semi-main event on Saturday. 

Mikaelian, who entered the week still recognized as the WBC cruiserweight champion, weighed-in at the cruiserweight limit of 200 pounds, while his status as reigning champion remains unclear. 

Mikaelian just regained the title this past December, avenging a controversial majority verdict to Badou Jack via a wide unanimous decision. 

Opetaia, recognized as the world cruiserweight champion by both Ring Magazine and Zuffa Boxing, ranked WBC #1/WBA #1/IBF #3, can maybe sympathize with Mikaelian’s belt issues. Opetaia was stripped of the IBF title over curious sanctioning body politics this past March. 

Belts on the line or not, Mikaelian figures to test Opetaia, possibly in ways other recent opponents have not. Opetaia had scored four consecutive stoppages before Brandon Glanton took him the distance last time out this past March. Opetaia came in at 199 pounds on Friday morning.

Da’Mazion Vanhouter (12-0, 9 KOs) of Saint Petersburg, Florida is back in Las Vegas to take on Raphael Akpejiori (19-3, 18 KOs) of Miami by way of Lagos, Nigeria in an eight-round heavyweight bout. Vanhouter, who came in at 231 ½ on Friday, became one of the emerging faces of Zuffa Boxing during the initial run of shows out of the Meta APEX earlier this year, scoring two victories, highlighted by his one-round knockout of Raphael Murphy this past May. Akpejiori, weighing-in at 246 on Friday, is a full-fledged heavyweight that will have a six-inch height advantage to couple with his fourteen-and-one-half-pound weight edge. 

In the opening bout of the main card, former featherweight titleholder Mark Magsayo (29-2, 19 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines will take on Andres Cortes (25-0, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas in a ten-rounder. 

When Magsayo, the IBF #6/WBO #9/WBC #10 ranked lightweight, and Cortes, the WBC #11/WBA #12WBO #13 ranked lightweight, shared the bill of Zuffa Boxing 05 back in April, all signs pointed to them meeting one another next. Sometimes the fights that make sense actually get made when they should. The winner of Saturday’s bout is rumored to be in line to fight Rayo Valenzuela next. Magsayo weighed-in at 134 ½ pounds, while Cortes scaled 135, the lightweight division limit. 

In the final preliminary bout, 19-year-old Oswaldo Molina (9-0, 4 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico fights Pablo Rubio (15-0, 5 KOs) of Whittier, California six-round super featherweight bout. Molina, who made his Las Vegas debut with a six-round decision win in February, weighed-in at 131 ½ pounds on Friday. Rubio, who got off the deck twice to claim a decisive eight-round decision at the Meta APEX in March, scaled 131 pounds even. 

Las Vegas-born Abel Gonzalez (8-0, 6 KOs) of Safety Harbor, Florida will take on veteran Raul Salomon (16-4-1, 14 KOs) of Long Beach, California by way of Ciudad Morelos, Baja California, Mexico in an eight-round super middleweight bout. Gonzalez, making his Zuffa Boxing debut, weighed-in at 167 ½ pounds, while Salomon, fighting at T-Mobile Arena for the second time this year, scaled 167 even. 

In a six-round junior middleweight bout, Vlad Panin (24-2, 16 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way of Gomel, Belarus looks to stay busy against Dakota Linger (17-7-3, 13 KOs) of Buckhannon, West Virginia. Panin, who stopped Shinard Bunch in his Zufffa Boxing debut in March, scaled 151 ½ pounds on Friday. Linger, best known for his stoppage of Kurt Scoby in April of 2024, weighed-in at 150 ½ pounds. 

Unusually deep on an undercard, former unified junior welterweight champion Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs) of Avenal, California will take on Alexis Rocha (26-2, 16 KOs) of Irvine, California in a ten-round welterweight fight. Ramirez, looking to get back into the win column for the first time since April 2024, came in at 146 ½ pounds. Rocha, fresh off of a ten-round decision over Ramirez’s 2012 U.S. Olympic teammate Joseph Diaz this past March, also weighed-in at 146 ½ on Friday morning. 

In the opener, Sean Garcia (7-1-1, 2 KOs) of Los Angeles will take on Abraham Morales (4-1, 2 KOs) of Oxnard, California in a six-round lightweight bout. Garcia, opening the show headlined by his older brother Ryan, came in at 134 on Friday. Morales, normally a super featherweight, also weighed-in at 134 pounds. 

Quick Weigh-in Results

WBC Welterweight Championship, 12 Rounds

Garcia 145 ½ 

Benn 146

Ring Magazine Cruiserweight Championship

Zuffa Boxing Cruiserweight Championship, 12 Rounds 

Opetaia 199

Mikaelian 200

Heavyweights, 8 Rounds

Vanhouter 231 ½ 

Akpejiori 246

Lightweights, 10 Rounds

Magsayo 134 ½ 

Cortes 135

Super featherweights, 6 Rounds

Molina 131 ½ 

Rubio 131

Super middleweights, 8 Rounds

Gonzalez 167 ½ 

Salomon 167

Light middleweights, 6 Rounds

Panin 151 ½ 

Linger 150 ½ 

Welterweights, 10 Rounds

Ramirez 146 ½ 

Rocha 146 ½ 

Lightweights, 6 Rounds

Garcia 134

Morales 134

Tickets for the event, promoted by Zuffa Boxing, are available online at AXS.com 

Photos by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa Boxing

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com

By Norm Frauenheim

Skillset, a word straight out of a hardware store, is an old-school way of describing what a fighter possesses in terms of speed, power, footwork and all the other dimensions fundamental for success, if not survival. One word is missing: Maturity, called an intangible because it eludes any traditional measure.

But it’s there, the element that unifies the skills into a fighting force. Without it, yesterday’s prospect is nothing more than a bucket of bolts. 

With it, he might be Teofimo Lopez.

Or, maybe, Ryan Garcia.

Both are there, players in an unfolding story about a couple of fighters moving into their late twenties, grown up and maybe with a prime-time chance to make some welterweight history. Who knew? Just a few years ago, both looked as if their potential had been wasted, trashed by too much money and too much attention too early. 

Like the cliche says, growing up is hard to do, especially on a public stage amplified by today’s omnipresent social media.

Lopez, 29, has already displayed some surprising maturity from his whiny, man-child days of denial in the wake of a 2021 loss to George Kambosos. 

In beating longtime friend Rolly Romero a couple of weeks ago, he was disciplined in sustaining tactical pressure throughout 12 rounds, the first in a new four-fight deal with DAZN. There was calm and control. Through much of his career, there was always potential for chaos in his corner. This time, however, his volatile dad kept his cool on a night when it almost looked as if roles had been reversed. The son was parenting his father.

Now, it’s Garcia’s turn Sept. 12 against Conor Benn in a welterweight title defense at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena

For the last couple of years, fans and media have watched Garcia fight mostly to see which Garcia would show up. Will the crazed fighter chugging a beer on the scale before beating Devin Haney and testing positive for a PED after the April 2024 fight? Or the composed Garcia, now 28, who delivered a purposeful, solid decision over Mario Barrios in his last fight in February? 

Since the over-the-line behavior before and after Haney, there’s less of the shock-jock taunts and threats from Garcia on social media. He still talks trash. That’s  part of his personality, ever the showman. But it’s beginning to sound as if there’s more of a plot,  long-range plan. Like Lopez, Garcia has had to deal with defeat — Romero in 2025 at New York’s Times Square.

“From entertaining — creating content to being a great fighter — you’ve got to be able to do it all in this day,” a a business-like Garcia said Tuesday in media-day workout. “You’ve got to be the best at everything you do.

“If not, you’re going to be falling behind the wheel.”

 And, maybe, falling behind Teofimo Lopez.

For now, all things point to a Lopez-Garcia showdown, later this year or maybe early 2027. Each corner is talking about it. Mandatories and a lot more could get in the way. Benn could get in the way. 

But the momentum is building for a huge fight, Lopez-versus-Garcia, the only grown-up thing to do. 

LINCOLN, CALIFORNIA – Cruiserweight Blake McKernan sent the Sacramento Valley crowd home happy while reinvigorating his hopes for contention with a decision victory and featherweight prospect Kyle Lacanlale continued to impress with a third-round stoppage as co-headliners at the Venue at Thunder Valley at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Saturday night.  

McKernan (17-2-1, 9 KOs) of Sacramento, California began the bout behind his jab before pressing Campa (20-16, 13 KOs) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico along the ropes. Campa had his moments, finding room to counter McKernan at times during the opening round. 

McKernan, 198.1, let his hands go in the second while Campa, 198.1, was satisfied covering up. The Mexican began to throw more frequently midway through the round, briefly pressing McKernan to the ropes before some curious exchanges late in the stanza. While Campa gestured to referee Edward Collantes, McKernan adjusted his waistband, which prompted the Mexican to rush toward the Sacramento native. When McKernan began to land with some right hands, Campa opted to throw awkwardly from the southpaw stance, before switching back orthodox to close the round. 

McKernan began to mix in a body attack early in the third round, again forcing Campa’s back to the ropes. Once Campa was able to turn McKernan and fight from the center, he was briefly more successful. Before the close of the round, McKernan found a home for his right hand to both the body and head. Campa curiously opted to show off his head movement with his hands down before the bell rang to end the round. 

Late in a fourth round that was slow to develop, McKernan landed some well-placed body shots that seemed to bother Campa. With his opponent covering up, crouched forward to protect his body, McKernan let his hands go in combination. McKernan punctuated the third with a right hand at the bell that seemed to irritate Campa. 

Campa had one of his better rounds in the fifth, winging shots at the body of McKernan and maintaining a busier pace. Still, McKernan closed the round forcing Campa to the ropes while looking to land with both hands. Campa found some success with his overhand right in the sixth, but McKernan took the shot well, even when they landed clean. When McKernan pressed Campa along the ropes, the Mexican briefly employed the cross-arm guard made famous by Archie Moore. Both fighters closed the bout swinging, with McKernan’s sweeping right carrying the exchange. 

In the end, all three judges; Joel Farbstein, Brian Tsukamoto and Brian Tyler, scored the bout in McKernan’s favor by the score of 58-56. With the win, the 39-year-old McKernan successfully rebounds from a majority draw last November and keeps hope alive for a marquee match-up at 200 pounds. 

Rising featherweight prospect Kyle Lacanlale (9-0, 5 KOs) of San Ramon, California stepped up to the scheduled six-round distance against a fighter with a winning record for the first time in his pro career and turned in one of his better performances to date by stopping Kevin Nunez (6-4, 3 KOs) of Oviedo, Florida by way of Bayamón, Puerto Rico in the third round. 

Lacanlale,124.1, was stiff with his jab from the outset and began to follow-up it up with hard right hands as the first round progressed. Nunez, 125.1, looked to time the younger fighter coming in and successfully landed with a sweeping left early in the second that made Lacalale smile. When the San Ramon resident got inside, his faster hands and swift footwork created problems for his veteran opponent. 

The end would come in the third, when after an exchange, Lacalale got back into range and led with a hard right to Nunez’s body. Nunez took a step back in pain before taking a knee to prompt a count from referee David Hartman. Nunez took the count and began to rise as the official counted numbers nine and ten. While his right knee may have just lifted from the mat at nine-and-a-half, the bout was waved off at the official time of 2:59 of the third round. 

“I started by using the jab a lot and then going to the body, trying to break him down for later,” explained Lacanlale. “One of those body shots slipped in and I was able to get him out of there.” 

Shavon Furrow (4-0, 1 KO) of Fresno, California moved past the toughest test of her pro career to date by scoring a six-round unanimous decision over Tatiana Almaraz (2-7) of Pittsburg, California by way of Guatemala City, Guatemala in a fast-paced action fight. 

Both fighters wasted no time letting their hands go, as the two-minute rounds flew by at a breakneck pace. After two hard-to-score rounds, Almaraz 114.5, looked to have banked the first clear-cut round in the third, punctuated by some head-snapping punches. 

Furrow, 114, came back well in the fourth, staking her claim to the center of the ring and backing Almaraz up along the ropes. The naturally smaller Guatemalan veteran showed her strength as she seemed to hurt Furrow late in the fifth before chasing the Fresno resident to the ropes before the bell sounded to end the round. 

The action continued in the sixth, with both women having their moments and trading on even terms as the bout came to a close. Despite the highly competitive nature of the contest, Furrow won all but one round on two of the judges’ scorecards. Judges Joel Farbstein and Brian Tsukamoto both scored the bout 59-55, while judge Brian Tyler had it 58-56, all for Furrow, who has won all four of her bouts in 2026. 

Lightweight Maurice Powell (3-0, 3 KOs) of Sacramento was forced to fight past the first round for the first time in his career, but still did not need the official judges as he halted typically durable veteran William Flenoy (3-8-1, 1 KO) of Fresno in the fourth round of a scheduled six. 

Both fighters found openings in the first round as Powell, 132.2, flashed his speed and Flenoy, 133.5, utilized timing to land with some clean power punches. The pace slowed a bit in the second round as Powell began to control the range. 

The Sacramento native closed the third round well by pressuring Flenoy on ropes and landing with both hands. With the momentum in his favor, Powell upped his aggressiveness and hurt Flenoy to the body along the ropes. With his man in trouble, Powell chased Flenoy to the red corner and let his hands go until the Fresno resident finally fell to the mat in the center of the ring. Flenoy beat the count, but referee David Hartman did not like his response and waved off the bout at the official time of 2:36 of the fourth round.  

Making his pro debut, Joel Alvarez Chavez (1-0) of Napa, California pounded out a four-round unanimous decision over Solomon Colton (1-2-1, 1 KO) of Moreno Valley, California. 

Alvarez Chavez, 148.4, winged and looped many of his punches, but still found a home for plenty of them. The more polished Colton, 148.1, would have been well-suited to box and move more, but ended up being dragged into a rough inside fight that favored his opponent. 

Alvarez Chavez rocked Colton along the ropes in the fourth and continued to force his will and style to close a somewhat mauling affair. In the end, judge Joel Farbstein scored it 39-37, while judges Brian Tsukamoto and Brian Tyler both had it scored a shutout, 40-36, all for Alvarez Chavez.  

In his professional debut, Ryan Yang (1-0) of Sacramento moved past a determined Eduardo Sanchez (1-3) of Watsonville, California by way of Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico via four-round majority decision in an excellent action fight. 

Yang, 115.8, and Sanchez, 115.8, exchanged punches on the inside in a tit-for-tat manner from the opening round in a fight that saw solid two-way action throughout. Yang flashed the ability to land as a counter-puncher in the second round. One Yang left strayed a bit low, but was not called and did not slow Sanchez for more than a moment. 

The fight was fought mainly on the inside, as neither fighter wanted to give up an inch. In the fourth, Yang appeared to break through enough to stagger Sanchez with a right, before the Watsonville resident answered back with a clean combination. 

After four thrilling rounds, judge Brian Tyler had it even, 38-38, but was overruled by judges Brian Tsukamoto and Joel Farbstein, who both scored the competitive fight a shutout, 40-36, for Yang. 

In a rematch, Keon Merlo (4-1-1, 1 KO) of Fresno again outpointed the always tough Ebert Diaz (4-6-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California, this time via six-round unanimous decision. 

Merlo, 140, found a home for his southpaw left in the early going. Diaz, 139.1, was able to hang with the fast pace his opponent set from the outset to make for an entertaining scrap.

By the second round, the left eye of Diaz was swollen, red and bleeding. Merlo was quick with his counter-punching and his speed was a problem for the undeterred Diaz. 

The Diaz corner stopped the bleeding and brought down the swelling by the middle of the fight, but Merlo was still outpacing the Richmond resident. 

Diaz turned the tide some towards the end of fifth, pressing the action much of the round and forcing Merlo into the blue corner with some excellent body work.

Again in the sixth, Diaz was successful when pressuring Merlo along the ropes, while the Fresno native did his best work in the center of the ring.

Judge Brian Tsukamoto scored the bout 58-56, while judges Brian Tyler and Joel Farbstein had it a shutout, 60-54. Merlo had previously scored a four-round unanimous decision over Diaz in June of last year. 

Upper Cut Promotions will bring professional boxing back to the Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in the first quarter of next year. 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA – Making his third appearance at the Venue at Thunder Valley on Saturday night, Blake McKernan is back in the six-round main event to take on active veteran Alan Campa as Upper Cut Promotions presents “Thunder Showdown 5” at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Fighters for the seven-bout card weighed-in Friday morning at the UFC Gym in nearby Rocklin. 

McKernan (16-2-1, 9 KOs) of Sacramento, California posted back-to-back stoppage victories as the indoor venue opened to professional boxing in September 2024 and returned in March of the following year for “Thunder Showdown II.” In his first appearance of 2026, McKernan takes on Mexican journeyman Campa (20-15, 13 KOs) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico in a cruiserweight crossroads bout. 

McKernan has battled through injuries in recent years and struggled to a six-round majority draw with the inexperienced Vikash Deol last time out this past November. Despite the recent struggle, McKernan still has eyes on bigger prizes as he meets Campa on Saturday. 

“This may be my last time ever fighting in front of Sacramento,” McKernan told Fox40 News last week. “I’ve got some big opportunities lined-up after this, but it always feels good to be able to fight in front of Sacramento, so I am looking forward to it. I will be traveling the country and traveling the world and getting TV offers again. Hopefully within the next year or less, I will be fighting for a world title. Time will tell.” 

Fighting for the sixth time in less than two full calendar years, Campa has also been in with the much tougher opposition of late, but with diminishing returns. Three fights back, Campa went the eight-round distance with Gustavo Aguilar (10-0-1) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Then last November, Rogelio Romero (5-0) ended Campa’s night in the fourth round in Tijuana, Mexico. This past February in Clearwater, Florida, Campa failed to last one full round against Imran Haddabah (17-0), a well-regarded puncher prospect. Both McKernan and Campa weighed-in at an identical 198.1 pounds. 

Featherweight prospect Kyle Lacanlale (8-0, 4 KOs) of San Ramon, California will make his third start at Thunder Valley as he moves up to the six-round distance for the first time against Kevin Nunez (6-3, 3 KOs) of Oviedo, Florida by way of Bayamón, Puerto Rico in the co-main event. Lacanlale, fresh off of a four-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Almacen in June, weighed-in at 124.1 pounds on Friday morning. Nunez, who had dropped down to bantamweight in a failed attempt at a regional title two fights back, came in at 125.1 pounds. 

Shavon Furrow (3-0, 1 KO) of Fresno, California will take on Tatiana Almaraz (2-6) of Pittsburg, California by way of Guatemala City, Guatemala in a six-round super flyweight bout. Furrow, fighting for the fourth time this year, came in at 114 pounds on Friday morning. Almaraz, returning to the scene of her greatest professional triumph, a four-round decision over previously unbeaten Iris Contreras, weighed-in at 114.5 pounds. 

With less than two completed professional rounds under his belt, Maurice Powell (2-0, 2 KOs) of Sacramento will meet veteran William Flenoy (3-7-1, 1 KO) of Fresno in a lightweight bout scheduled for six. Powell, who scored a devastating knockout in his hometown debut in May, weighed-in at 132.2 pounds on Friday. Flenoy, who has proven to be mostly durable with only two stoppages among his seven defeats, came in at 133.5 pounds. 

Joel Alvarez Chavez of Napa, California, fighting out of Napa SAL, will make his professional debut against Solomon Colton (1-1-1, 1 KO) of Moreno Valley, California in a four-round junior middleweight bout. Colton, who had originally signed up to meet rising Sacramento-based prospect Khristopher Estep, scaled 148.1 on Friday, while Alvarez Chavez came in at 148.4 pounds. 

Sacramento’s Ryan Yang will make his pro debut against battle-tested three-fight veteran Eduardo Sanchez (1-2) of Watsonville, California by way of Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico in a four-round bantamweight bout. Yang, training out of the Center Ring Boxing Club in Sacramento, scaled 115.8 on Friday. Sanchez, who could have easily seen a decision go his way against Jose Aguilar (4-0) just this past June in Sacramento, weighed-in at an identical 115.8 pounds. 

In a rematch, Keon Merlo (3-1-1, 1 KO) of Fresno will aim to repeat the feat against the always tough Ebert Diaz (4-5-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California in a six-round junior welterweight bout. Merlo scored a four-round unanimous decision over Diaz in June of last year. Merlo, moving up to the six-round distance for the first time, scaled an even 140. Diaz, who has settled into the 140-pound division in recent bouts, weighed-in at 139.1 pounds on Friday morning. 

Quick Weigh-in Results

Cruiserweights, 6 Rounds

McKernan 198.1

Campa 198.1

Featherweights, 6 Rounds

Lacanlale 124.1

Nunez 125.1

Super flyweights, 6 Rounds

Furrow 114

Almaraz 114.5

Lightweights, 6 Rounds

Powell 132.2

Flenoy 133.5

Light middleweights, 4 Rounds

Alvarez Chavez 148.4

Colton 148.1

Bantamweights, 4 Rounds

Yang 115.8

Sanchez 115.8

Light welterweights, 6 Rounds

Merlo 140

Diaz 139.1

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

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Norm Frauenheim

Light-heavyweight champion Dimitry Bivol agreed to a mandatory against Callum Smith, a move that leaves questions about what’s next for Artur Beterbiev and probably makes David Benavidez’ hopes for a 175-pound bout less likely.

The Bivol-Smith agreement was announced by the World Boxing Organization, which canceled a scheduled purse bid Thursday.

In a statement, the WBO said Bivol, the acronym’s 175-pound champion, and Smith, the mandatory challenger. had reached terms, including date and venue. The announcement, however, included neither the specific date nor venue.

The news was not a huge surprise. Bivol promoter Eddie Hearn, also Smith’s promoter, had been predicting it for months.

Yet, there were questions, in part because Bivol underwent elbow surgery after his last fight, a unanimous decision over German Michael Eifert May 30 in Russia.

The agreement appears to eliminate any chance of a trilogy fight with Beterbiev, who will be 42 years old in January. He and Bivol are 1-1. Beterbiev hasn’t fought since February 2025 when he lost for the first time in a rematch with Bivol, who holds three – WBO, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association – of the light heavyweight belts.

He vacated the World Boxing Council’s version in April 2025, the day before a scheduled purse bid for a fight with Benavidez, then the mandatory challenger.

In a procedural move, Benavidez was moved into the vacancy, a title he later defended with a stoppage of Anthony Yarde November 2025 in Saudi Arabia.

Maybe, Benavidez and Beterbiev could fight. Benavidez still holds the WBC title. But he moved up the scale, taking two cruiserweight titles from Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in a dramatic stoppage in a Cinco de Mayo fight at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Benavidez continues to say he wants to go back down in weight – from 200 pounds to 175 – for a risky light heavy-defense.

For now, at least, that would mean Beterbiev is an option.

As of last week, Benavidez plans were to stay at cruiserweight. He’s already in training in Seattle for a planned defense against Michal Cieslak Dec. 12 in a Phoenix homecoming at Desert Diamond Arena in suburban Glendale, AZ.

Then, the plan, according to father and trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. is a 2027 Cinco de Mayo showdown against feared Australian Jai Opetaia, a Zuffa fighter who is already calling out Benavidez.

LAS VEGAS — The pressure was on Teofimo Lopez. It came from all sides. It was there, on both sides of the ropes. It was there, in his past and his future, a double-edged presence dangerous to  reputation and livelihood. There was no escape.

So,, Lopez did what he could only do.

He embraced the danger poised by skeptics created by his one-sided loss to Shakur Stevenson.

He embraced the risk that came with a new DAZN  deal worth a reported $20-million.

And, above all, he embraced the decision to move forward against a friend and fighter with power enough to destroy his ambition and crush his credibility. There were moments when it looked as if Rolly Romero would do exactly that. He rocked Lopez early and late. He cut midway, leaving him with a stream of blood pouring down one side of his face. But this time the wound was just a price to be paid for all that was at stake.

Lopez prevailed, scarred face and all, winning a majority decisions on score card debatable only because they failed to reflect how big his victory really was.It was 114 – 114 on one card. On the other two, both for Lopez, it was 115-113 and 116-112.

“I could care less about the scorecards,” Lopez said after taking Romero’s welterweight belt in his first fight at 147 pounds..

Only winning mattered  for Lopez, who entered the ring faced by an either-or scenario.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” he said. “When you lose and come back, you;’never lost. You’re a winner.  I’m a winner.”

He was Saturday because of his willingness to walk straight into a tactic that Romero set up as a trap. Once, Lopez stepped in, Romero’s plan was to unleash his power. It worked in the fifth round, opening a cut near Lopez’ right eye. But the blood, a nasty reminder of what happened to his face against Stevenson, was a bad sign.

But Lopez continued to move forward, certain he would eliminate that possibility. Slowly yet surely, he turned Romero’s measured defense into a liability. In the final few rounds, Romero appeared to back way as just an escape.

After it was all over, Romero questioned the scorecards. He also suggested they were close enough for a rematch.

No, Lopez said.

He has already moved on, to a future he fought to protect.

Yoenli Hernandez wins majority decision

Yoenli Hernandez’ reputation — fearless and powerful — preceded him.He was advertised as the next great middleweight.

But reputation and advertising are suddenly on hold, because of skilled Argentinian Francisco Daniel Veron, who didn’t beat him yet might have shown a way how to Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Veron (17-2-1, 10 KOs) withstood the power, stood up under the Cuban’s strength and took him to the scorecards, losing a 10-round majority decision at T-Mobile Arena. One judge scored it a draw, 95-95. The other two judges saw a different fight, one favoring Hernandez, 98-92, and the other, 99-91. 

Hernandez’ raw strength was impossible to ignore. Harder to see was an effective jab from Verson, who used it repeatedly to keep him at distance. In the fifth round, a Veron hook knocked Hernandez off balance. He often made the Cuban look awkward, never often enough to prevail, 

Dull to dynamic, Russell scores 12th round knockdown

For eleven rounds, it was deadly dull.

For one — the final one,there was sudden drama.

Gary Antonio Russell put some life into a fight and probably woke up a lot fans with a right hook that punctuated a junior-featherweight  bout like an exclamation point Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

The shot from the resilient Russell (21-1,13 KOs) dropped Victor Santillan ((16-3, 7 KOs), who fell to the canvas slowly. The crowd and perhaps Russsell would have been happy if it had ended then, Somehow, however, Sabtijjangot up just as some in the crowd woke up, A few moments later it was over, and Russell left the ring with a unanimous decision and an interim 122-pound champion in a division dominated by pound-for pound No. 1 Naoya Inoue., 

Carlos Utria gets win and boos

Carlos Utria got the victory.

Got the boos, too.

Utria (15-0, 12 KOs) overcame some late fatigue and sporadic rallies from Israel Mercado often enough to escape with a split decision, an unpopular one , too — Saturday in the pay-per-view opener to a card featuring Teofimo Lopez-Rolly Romero at T-Mobile Arena. 

The junior-welterweight fight figured to be close, And it was,, one fighter gaining momentum and the other regaining it ,from round to-round. After the 10th and final round, it looked as if it might be a draw. But two judges said no, both favoring the Colombian, 96-94 and 97-93. The third scored it 96-94 foot Mercado (13-2-2, 7 KOs).

A gathering crowd disagreed loudly, booing Utria as he left the ring.

Marco Romero overwhelms in Vegas debut

Marco Romero introduced himself to Las Vegas.

You might of missed it.

Within three minutes, Romero said goodbye to Khalil Mitchell (7-1, 4 LOs) and hello to Vegas Saturday on the Teofimo Lopez-Rolly Romero card at T-Mobile Arena, Romero (15-0, 13 KOs), a middleweight prospect from Kansas, overwhelmed Mitchell , of Chattanooga,in a fight stopped at 2:33 of the first round.

Joseph Brown’s dances to victor, gets booed

Joseph Brown, a prospect who has sparred with Boots Ennis, is unbeaten and — by the sound of it — unlikable,

Brown (8-0, 6 KOs) got booed after turning in a dominant performance for a one-sided decision over Alton Wiggins Saturday on the card featuring Teofimo Lopez-Rolly Romero at T-Mobile Arena.

Wiggins (3-3-1), of Modesto CA, never had a chance against Brown’s powerful rightt-hand.It was a rout, no reason for a celebration. Brown did anyway, dancing in the center of the ring. Scattered boos were hisreward.

Aldo Blancas, a Milwaukee prospect and a David Benavidez stablemate, flashed some Benavidez-like hand speed, scoring s second-round knockdown with a body shot and went onto win a  one-sided decision over Ricky Mamone

First Bell: Benjamin Johnson opens show with dominant decision

It started with more people in the ring than the seats.

That didn’t bother Maryland welterweight Benjamin Johnson (8-0, 8 KOs). 

He dominated, landing solid shots that echoed throughout an empty T-Mobile Arena for a unanimous decision over Gabriel Rodriguez (4-4-1, 3 KOs), of Ecuador, in a Saturday matinee, the opening bout on a card featuring Teofimo Lopez-Rolly Romero

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — If silence speaks volumes, Rolly Romero said a lot Friday.

He said nothing.

 In what proved to be the deafening final punctuation point to a ceremonial weigh-in, Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) had only silence as an answer to questions from DAZN’s Chris Mannix the day before opening bell to a defense of his welterweight title against Teofimo Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) in pay-per-view bout at T-Mobile Center.

It was an awkward moment — a rare one too–  in a business that is nothing if not noisy. It also was newsworthy on a day when both fighters made weight in the morning at the official weigh-in at the Park MGM, just across the street from T-Mobile.. Lopez was at 147 pounds, the welterweight limit. Romero was at 146.6, slightly lighter perhaps because he shed all the verbiage.

There was no explanation, of course, because Romero would have had to speak. Instead, he waved his title belt  above his head and in Lopez’ face as he stepped away from an extended stare-down in the ritual face-off after the weights were announced.

There were lots of questions, most of them raised during a contentious news conference Thursday. That’s when Lopez dismissed Romero as if he was nothing more than a mere sparring partner. Romero has been that, too.

 Yet in this fight, Lopez suggested he was only a steppingstone in Lopez’ move up to welterweight in his first fight in a rich new deal with DAZN. He reminded Lopez that he was elevated from mandatory challenger to the World Boxing Association’s real champion in a procedural move after his stunning upset of Ryan Garcia. Interim was just another insult

Nobody, Lopez suggested, was going to get in the way of his second chance at fulfilling the promise that defines his nickname, The Takeover.

Romero’s silence seemed to say:

 Prove it

By Norm Frauenheim

A boxing news conference without theatrics is a little bit like a dead battery in a high-end sports car. It’s not going anywhere.

Teofimo Lopez and Rolly Romero made sure that didn’t happen Thursday, kicking a newser out of some early yawns and transforming it into a variety show full of all the insults, threats, taunts, laughs and groans expected in the plotline before any opening bell.

Predictable?

Probably. 

Tickets, after all, were still for sale a couple of days before Lopez makes his welterweight debut in a bid to take Romero’s 147-pound belt Saturday at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena in a DAZN-streamed bout. 

That said, the newser included Teofimo and his volatile dad and trainer, who is always poised to deliver expletives and pound tables. Sure enough, Teofimo Jr. obliged, doing both midway through the newser in a ballroom at the nearby Park MGM.

Still, there was no clue that a genuine boxing newser would break out  when all of the key actors took their assigned seats like suits at an executive lunch. 

The talk was about Teofimo’s long term friendship with Romero and his new deal with DAZN, believed to be worth $20-million.

“Thank you,” Teofimo said in a polite, business-like tone.

A unanimous yawn was the audience’s reaction. But quickly, the tone changed, thanks to Romero, who has mastered an imitation of Teofimo Sr.’s voice. It’s just raspy enough to make Teofimo Sr. sound ridiculous. Apparently, both Tefimos, Jr. and Sr,. had heard it once too often. They reacted angrily, first Jr. and then Sr.

“You’re fans,” Teofimo Jr said, suddenly  in a tone more edgy than polite. “All of you are fans. I’m fighting my fans right now.

“Tell me, who is the best fighter Shakur Stevenson has on his resume? Me. They put him at No. 3 (pound-for-pound). Get out of here with all of that stuff, man. I think everybody needs a reality check on this thing. I’m coming back with a vengeance. And I mean that. I mean that.”

Then, Teofimo Jr., who is coming off a one-sided scorecard loss to Stevenson, took a breath, long enough to cast a menacing look at Romero, his former sparring partner.

“And I’m coming for you first,” Teofimo Jr. said, adding a First Testament reference. “You’ll be my Judah. My Judah.”

It wasn’t long before Teofimo Sr. joined in, raspy and predictably outraged.

“We beat Vasiliy Lomachenko and we’ll beat you,” Sr. said as he pounded the table with both fists. 

Sr. went on to rip Romero’s Cuban trainer, Ismael Salas, quiet and dignified. Through an interpreter, Salas said he didn’t want to indulge in the escalating trash talk.

“I am a trainer and not a clown,” Salas said.

Of course, Sr. took offense.

“You called me an effing clown,” he said. “You started this. Nobody knows who the hell you are. Go back to effing Cuba.”

The show was effing on. Initially, it looked as if Romero had tried to gain a psychological edge in the pre-fight maneuvering. Within minutes, however, he was on his feet, pointing accusatory gestures at Teofimo Jr.

“Have you ever had reconstruction surgery done to your face?” Romero shouted at Junior.

Finally, Junior smiled. He even sang and danced. In the ritual face-to-face pose for the cameras, Romero laughed instead of glared.

Show over. 

Maybe some of those tickets got sold, too.

Teofimo Lopez is coming off a one-sided loss with a rich new deal that coincides with a move upscale and a primetime birthday.

Call it a bet.

DAZN signed Lopez to a $20-million, multi-fight contract before his bid for a third divisional title at welterweight against Rolly Romero August 22 and after he turned 29 years old on July 30.

The timing, double-edged, is intriguing for his potential on one side and risky for his past on the other.

The risk: Lopez’ loss to Shakur Stevenson, who delivered a masterpiece –119-109 on all three scorecards – the last time we saw Lopez on January 31 at Madison Square Garden. Lopez never had a chance, yet DAZN invested in him anyway.

The potential: Lopez displayed newfound maturity in a realistic acceptance of the loss to Stevenson. At 29, fighters mature, physically and personally. After a couple of troubling meltdowns earlier in his career, a grown-up Lopez might be poised to fulfill his evident potential as he enters his prime at 147 pounds.

Perhaps wiser, Lopez still has the edgy confidence of the younger man. He’s the first to sign a unique deal with DAZN. More are expected to follow.

“The Zone has started with The Takeover,’’ Lopez said, jumping at the chance to mention his nickname – also the name of his promotional company, during a media workout in Los Angeles about 10 days before opening bell at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Lopez is favored to take the World Boxing Association welterweight belt from Romero, a friend who took the title from Ryan Garcia in a notable upset.

If the odds are accurate, it’s the beginning of a lucrative second chapter for Lopez, known for victories over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, yet also remembered for a loss he would not accept against George Kambosos Jr..

When asked why he signed with DAZN, Lopez was quick to answer:

“It was a no-brainer.’’

Garcia looms as possibility for the winner, either against Lopez in a fight of two known names or against Romero in a rematch. Garcia — almost a 4-to-1 favorite, according to some books — is expected to beat Conor Benn on Se

Claressa Shields regained the WBA and WBC Middleweight title with a sixth round stoppage of Kaye Scott in front of a sold out crowd at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

In round one, Scott suffered a welt on her forehead above he left eye.

In round six, Shields landed a big left hook that set off a flurry that was finished off by a right hand that sent Scott stumbling into the ropes for a knockdown. With Scott hurt, Shields jumped on her prey and three towels were thrown in for the stoppage at 1:38.

Shields, 159.6 lbs of Flint, MI is 17-0 with four knockouts. Scott, 159.9 lbs of Sydney, AUS is 5-2-1.

Isley Decisions Hicks

Troy Isley remained undefeated with a lackluster 10-round unanimous decision over Joseph Hicks in a middleweight fights of amateur rivlas.

Isley landed 103 of 382 punches. Hicks was 99 of 250.

Isley, 160.2 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 97-92 and 96-93 twice and is now 17-0. Hicks, 160 lbs of Grand Rapids, MI is 12-2.

Ferreira Defeats Veyre By Disqualification; Wins Super Featherweight Title

Ashleyann Lozada won a 10-round unanimous decision over Paulette Cuesta in a super bantamweight fight.

Loxada landed 130 of 339 punches. Cuesta was 55 of 213.

Lozada, 121.2 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 5-0. Cuesta, 122 lbs of Los Angels is 19-6-1.

Ferreira Wins Super Featherweight Title via Disqualification over Veyre

Bernice Ferreira won the WBC Super Featherweight Title with win via disqualification in round eight.

In round five, Veyre was deducted a point for holding. In round eight, Veyre was cited again and the fight was called at 1:08.

Ferreira, 129.2 lbs of Johannesburg, SA is 11-0. Veyre, 129.6 lbs of Montreal is 11-2.

By Norm Frauenheim

Teofimo Lopez is coming off a one-sided loss with a rich new deal that coincides with a move upscale and a primetime birthday.

Call it a bet.

DAZN signed Lopez to a $20-million, multi-fight contract before his bid for a third divisional title at welterweight against Rolly Romero August 22 and after he turned 29 years old on July 30.

The timing, double-edged, is intriguing for his potential on one side and risky for his past on the other.

The risk: Lopez’ loss to Shakur Stevenson, who delivered a masterpiece –119-109 on all three scorecards – the last time we saw Lopez on January 31 at Madison Square Garden. Lopez never had a chance, yet DAZN invested in him anyway.

The potential: Lopez displayed newfound maturity in a realistic acceptance of the loss to Stevenson. At 29, fighters mature, physically and personally. After a couple of troubling meltdowns earlier in his career, a grown-up Lopez might be poised to fulfill his evident potential as he enters his prime at 147 pounds.

Perhaps wiser, Lopez still has the edgy confidence of the younger man. He’s the first to sign a unique deal with DAZN. More are expected to follow.

“The Zone has started with The Takeover,’’ Lopez said, jumping at the chance to mention his nickname – also the name of his promotional company, during a media workout in Los Angeles about 10 days before opening bell at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Lopez is favored to take the World Boxing Association welterweight belt from Romero, a friend who took the title from Ryan Garcia in a notable upset.

If the odds are accurate, it’s the beginning of a lucrative second chapter for Lopez, known for victories over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, yet also remembered for a loss he would not accept against George Kambosos Jr..

When asked why he signed with DAZN, Lopez was quick to answer:

“It was a no-brainer.’’

Garcia looms as possibility for the winner, either against Lopez in a fight of two known names or against Romero in a rematch. Garcia — almost a 4-to-1 favorite, according to some books — is expected to beat Conor Benn on Sept. 12, also at T- Mobile. 

Aaron McKenna won the IBF Middleweight Title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Etimodo Oliha at the 3 Arena in Dublin, Ohio

In round 11, McKenna was bleeding from his forehead from a headbutt.

McKenna of Ireland won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 and is now 21-0. Oliha of Italy is 22-1.

Walsh Decisions Denny

Callum Walsh won a 10-round unanimous decision over Tyler Denny in a middleweight fight.

In round one, Walsh ducked under punches and took a knee for a knockdown. In round two, Walsh landed a right hook that put Denny on the canvas.

n round eight, each fighter was deducted a point for holding.

Walsh of Ireland won by scores of 98-91 twice and 96-90 and is now 17-0. Denny of England is 20-5.

Ward Decisions Kasparian

Joe Ward won a 10-round unanimous decision over Artjon Kasparian in a light heavyweight bout.

Ward of Ireland won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 13-1. Kasparian is now 10-1

Hickey stops Axe in 7

Sam Hickey scored an explosive seventh round stoppage over Brad Axe in a eight-round middleweight fight,

At end of round three, Hickey landed a right

In round seven. Hickey landed a booing right on the jaw that put Axe down and out at 27 seconds.

Hickey is now 6-0 with three knockouts. Axe is 5-2.

Greene Decisions Buciuc

Louis Greene won a six-round decision over Daniel Buciuc in a middleweight fight.

Greene of England won by a 59-55 score and is now 19-4. Buciuc is 16-3.

Stevie McKenna stopped Owen O’Neill in the opening round of their eight-round middleweight fight.

McKenna landed a right hand that literally sent O’Nell flying off his feet into the corner and the fight was stopped 65 seconds into the contest.

McKenna is now 17-1 with 16 knockouts. O’Neill is 10-3.

Connor Coyle remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Mark Bueke in a middleweight fight.

Coyle, 158.8 lbs of Derry, IRE won by scores o 98-92, 98-93 and 97-93 and is now 23-0. Bueke, 159.6 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX us 13-4.

Patrick O’Connor stopped Juan Manuel Moriel after one round of their six-round cruiserweight bout.

O’Connor dominated the action in the opening frame and Moriel complained of a left shoulder injury and the fight was stopped in between rounds.

O’Connor, 200.5 lbs of Washington, DC is 4-0 with four knockouts. Moriel, 191.2 lbs of Utrerea, SPA is 6-2.

By Norm Frauenheim

In a shuffle between the only two cruiserweights anybody knows, David Benavidez and Jai Opetaia changed opponents like pawns on a chess board.

Nobody much noticed.

Zuffa announced this week  that Noel Mikaelian will fight Opetaia despite reports that Mikaelian’s  94 year-old promoter, Don King, already had an agreement for him to fight Benavidez.

Meanwhile, Benavidez is expected to pursue a date against Micha? Cie?lak instead.

It all happened before anybody knew who Mikaelian and Cieslak were. They’re obscure names, Mikaelian still a champion late Thursday and Cieslak a contender, both in a division sometimes more snoozer than cruiser.

As opponents, they’re almost interchangeable. Mikaelian is 6-foot 3; Cieslak is 6-3. Mikaelian has 28 victories; Cieslak has 28 victories. Mikaelian hasn’t fought since 2025; Cieslak hasn’t fought since 2025

Almost mirror images, they’re still not exactly carbon copies. Of the two, the 35-year-old Mikaelian has a title; the 37-year-old Cieslak does not.

Yet, Mikaelian’s belt, the World Boxing Council’s cruiserweight version, looks to be in jeopardy if the announced deal to fight Opetaia unravels because of a lawsuit.

The expectation is that the WBC will strip him before he meets Opetaia Sept.12 on the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn undercard at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

In no uncertain terms, the WBC declared Mikaelian would get stripped if he did not face Benavidez, still the WBC’s reigning light-heavyweight champion who also has two of the cruiser belts, both won in a beat down of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez May 2, also at T-Mobile.

The expected strip figures to be followed by Benavidez- Cieslak for the WBC’s newly vacated belt Dec. 12, perhaps in Glendale AZ, a Phoenix suburb in what would be Benavidez’ first hometown fight in more than four years – a scary stoppage of David Lemieux May 21, 2022.

Expect Opetaia to beat Mikaelian.

Expect Benavidez to beat Cieslak.

In a reasonable business, the next step would be easy to forecast:

Benavidez-versus-Opetaia.

But this is boxing, which is another way of saying nothing is reasonable.

Opetaia-Benavidez is at the cutting edge of Zuffa versus every other governing and promotional entity. While awaiting the U.S. Senate to vote on a revised Muhammad Ali Act, the two sides have been warily looking at each other like predators circling the same water hole.

A fight for dominance looms, although there are voices that say both sides can co-exist, if not work together. But this is a business that sells fights.  Almost by definition, peace is not priority.

Already, the seeds of hostility are there from Opetaia, a feared Zuffa fighter who has trash-talked Benavidez. In Zuffa’s announcement this week that Mikaelian will fight him instead of Benavidez, Opetaia couldn’t resist.

“David Benavidez, I’m talking about you, continue to run and hide,” said Opetaia, who already has filed suit in Nevada against the International Boxing Federation for stripping him of its cruiserweight belt.

Just another pawn?

Or an opening salvo?

LAS VEGAS — There were only a couple of draws and lots of controversy for Lamont Roach Jr. last year

This year, there’s only a loss and no controversy.

William Zepeda (33-2, 27 KOs), an incoming missile throughout 12 rounds, eliminated any possibility that Roach (25-2-3, 10 KOs)would emerge with a career-correcting victory and a title Saturday night at Virgin Hotel in a TNT/DAZN opener to a monthly series.

On a night with open scoring, Zepeda managed to shut the door on Roach early and often, winning the World Boxing Council’s vacant lightweight title with a unanimous decision — 117-111, 118-110 and 117-111. 

Through the first four rounds, the left-handed Zepeda did what he was expected to. The popular Mexican moved forward, incoming almost in a straight line. Quickly, Roach found himself  on his back foot, often scrambling to find ways to slow Zepeda’s advance.

In the second round, he threw quick combinations. In the third, he tried to target Zepeda’s body. In the fourth, he retreated into a defensive posture, both gloved hands surrounding his face like castle walls.

Still, Zepeda moved forward, scoring with punches and aggressiveness. In a bout with open scoring, Zepeda led narrowly through the first four.

A Roach expectation — perhaps prayer — is that Zepeda would tire some time after the sixth. Then, the plan was for him to use all of the different weapons in his varied skill set. But there was no sign of fatigue apparent in Zepada’s march forward in the seventh and eighth. After eight, Zepeda continued to hold a narrow lead in the open scoring. 

Roach, a Washington DC fighter seeking a second dtile at a second weight,  still had a chance. But there was no chance of Zepeda slowing down. Not this time. He sustained his furious pace, throwing multiple punches — uppercuts, hooks, the kitchen sink — with every step toward his target. 

For Roach, there was no shelter

No title either.

Muratalla scores dominant decision

Raymond Muratalla had options. He still does, perhaps one or two morethan he had a few days ago.

In a business-like bout, Muratalla checked all the boxes with a thorough decision over aging contender Robson Conceicao Saturday night at Las Vegas’ Virgin Hotel.

Muratalla, still the International Boxing Federation’s lightweight champion, kept himself in the hunt for a shot at a unified title, perhaps the World Boxing Council belt that was at stake in Saturday’s  next bout, Lamont Roach-versus-William Zepeda.

More significant,perhaps, he stayed unbeaten, extending his record to 25-0, with 17 KOs). That’s a resume good enough to get some attention in the pound-for-pound neighborhood.

A lot of that was expected, of course. He was a 14-to-1 favorite, one- sided odds that explain why he wasn’t in the main event. He didn’t;t get a knockout or even a knockdown. Still, he was dominant.

Early on, it was evident that Muratalla was the better fighter. He moved forward, his feet moving in a tireless dance all the while. He was setting the pace, aggressively throwing jabs in an apparent effort to test Conceicao’s stamina. The Brazilian is 37. He’ll be 38 in October.

In the fifth and sixth rounds, it looked as if the younger man’s tactics might be working. Conceicao dropped his hands, first to his waist and then down to his hips. It was an invitation for the 29-year-old Muratalla to attack And he did. 

But that’s when Conceicao (21-4-1, 10 KOs) found some life in his legs. He began a sideway shuffle — a step left, two or three steps to the right and a short hop backwards. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to deflect some of the dangerous power headed his way. In the end, however, it was only a way to survive. Only Muratalla would thrive.

Crazy Cards: Curiel wins decision

It was supposed to be a fight fit for television.

But there was more reason to nap than watch Raul Curiel beat Quintin Randall  in a junior-middleweight fight on a Lamont Roach-William Zepeda card that was the first in a monthly TNT-DAZN series.

Curiel (18-0-1, 14) did more, just  enough to win a narrow decision that was a so-called majority, yet all over the place in terms of scores. On one card, it was 97-93 for Curiel. On another, it was 100-90, also for Curiel.  On the third, it was 95-95. Nowhere was a card that made much sense.

Curiel, of Mexico, was more active. Randall (17-4-1), of Houston, was more elusive. Neither was dominant.  

Charles Conwell back with victory

It was dull.

Also predictable.

For Charles Conwell, it had to be.

In Conwell’s first fight in 16 months, the 2016 Olympian (22-1, 17)  needed a victory and he got one Saturday, employing superior speed that kept Paul Kroll (12-1-2. 8 KOs), a Philadelphia junior-middleweight, on his back foot and into a retreat that finally ended with no counter or energy on the Lamont Roach-William Zepeda card at Las Vegas’ Virgin Hotel..

With Kroll defenseless and on the ropes, it  ended in the ninth round, Conwell a winner by TKO in his first fight since a loss in April 2025.

Prospect Dylan Capetillo stopped in stunner

Danger is written into a prospect’s job definition.

How much danger?

Dylan Capetillo, a much hyped 17-year-old from Las Vegas, found out Saturday in a stunner Saturday on the card featuring Lamont Roach-William Zepeda at Vegas’ Virgin Hotel.

It struck hard and fast, a lightning bolt that left Capetillo with his first loss in only three fights. It was delivered by Juan Becerril, a Mexican who also has only three fights yet threw a left hand with all of the authority of a tested veteran.

Becerril (3-0, 2 KOs), knocked down in the second, floored Capetillo (2-1, 1 KO) in  the third. It lifted Capetillo up and onto the canvas with a crash. The back of his head landed hard. He got up. But the referee had seen enough. He ended it at 48 seconds of the round, a hot prospect no more. 

Joel Iriarte stay unbeaten with 8th-round stoppage

Joel Iriarte employed advantages in size and strength to walk down, wear down Jorge Lagunas, who was still on his feet yet unable to offer punch resistance when the welterweight fight was stopped in the eighth round of the fourth bout Saturday on a card featuring Roach-Zepeda at Vegas’ Virgin Hotel.

Lagunas (19-10, 16 KOs), of Mexico, was unhappy at the stoppage, a decision made by ringside physicians. He walked around the ring, throwing his hands in the air as if to say he wanted to continue. For that, he got applause, but not much else.

Iriarte, of Bakersfield CA, stayed unbeaten (11-0, 10 KOs) and retained a fringe welterweight belt.

Fabian Guzman rocks and rolls to dominant decision

Fabian Guzman threw more punches. They landed with more precision. And with more power.

In the end, Guzman (11-0, 7 KOs), a middleweight from Southern California, simply had  more of everything, all enough to score a unanimous decision over Aaron Coley (17-6-2, 7 KOs), of Oakland, in the third bout on the Roach-Zepeda card Saturday at Vegas’ Virgin Hotel

Gael Cabrera stays unbeaten with dominant decision

Gael Cabrera calls himself Terror.

Terror is what he delivered.

For eight rounds, Cabrera (12-0, 7 KOs), a junior-featherweight prospect from Mexico, scored at will with punches from every possible angle Saturday in the second bout on the Lamont Roach-William Zepeda card at Vegas’ Virgin Hotel.

For an overmatched Francisco Portillo (20-15, 2 KOs), there was nowhere to hide. There was no counter either in a scorecard shutout put together by the dominant Cabrera, a Golden Boy Promotions fighter.

First Bell: Dalis Kaleiopu says Aloha with first-round stoppage

Aloha means hello. 

Means goodbye.

Dalis Kaleiopu delivered both sides of the Hawaiian greeting, saying Hello to the Mainland and then Goodbye to Yeyery Castillo for a stunning first-round stoppage in a knockout opener Saturday to a card featuring Lamont Roach Jr.-versus-William.Zepeda at Virgin Hotel.

Castillo (14-3, 11 KOs), a lightweight from Philadelphia, never had a chance against Kaleiopu, who grew up in Waianae on the leeward side of Oahu, a cultural home for Hawaiian history. There’s power in that heritage. Kaleiopu (9-0, &KOs) displayed it, scoring a first-round stoppage for the third straight time. 

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — A draw creates inevitable controversy and often doubt, but none of that was apparent in bold confidence expressed by Lamont Roach Jr,, who is coming off successive draws last year, first to Gervonta “Tank” Davis and then Isaac “Pit Bull” Cruz.

Roach stepped off the scale Friday after a mock weigh-in for his bid Saturday for a second division title against William Zepeda at the Virgin Hotel.

“I’m leaving no questions, no doubts,’’ said Roach, who was at 134.6 pounds, safely under the lightweight limit, 135, Friday morning at the official weigh-in. “I’m the best fighter in the world, no question.’’

That begged a question, of course.

How dio you expect to win?

“Anyway I want,’’ Roach (29-1-3, 10 KOs) said without hesitation.

 Zepeda (33-1,27 KOs)  who was also at 134.6 pounds, might have something to say about that. He was beaten in his last bout by Shakur Stevenson. But he went the distance, losing a decision to the pound-for-pound contender. It was a performance that said he can upset anybody, including Roach. 

Roach, of Washington DC, has been a betting favorite — minus 145 — since the bout was announced for a World Boxing Council title vacated by Stevenson. The narrow odds suggest only one thing: A 50-50 fight.

Roach gets the nod because of a comprehensive skillset. Simply put, he has more options than Zepeda, known for his aggressiveness. Zepeda knows how to apply pressure, especially in the opening rounds. But here’s the question: Can he sustain it?

If not, expect Roach to make adjustments. A boxer-puncher, he can fight from the outside and throw counters on the inside. In other words, any way he wants.

A Roach victory would restore much of the promise he had before Tank and Pit Bull sidetracked him. Ultimately, Roach says he wants a fight with Stevenson.

“It would be a great chess match,’’ he said.

First, however, he has to make all the right moves against Zepeda. Then, the next step might be a date with the winner of the co-main event, Raymond Muratalla against Robson  Conceicao on a card also newsworthy because it’s the first in a TNT/DAZN monthly series. 

 Muratalla (24-0, 17 KOs), the International Boxing Federation’s lightweight champion, was also at 134.6 pounds Friday. More significantly, he’s a much bigger favorite to win than Roach is. The Robert Garcia-trained Muratalla is a minus-14 choice to beat  Conceicao (23-3-1, 10 KOs), a competent, yet aging contender from Brazil. The 37-year-old Brazilian, who was at 135 pounds Friday, has an Olympic gold medal, yet he is still seeking his first world title belt.

“I expect a great fight, a tough fight,’’ Conceicao said through an interpreter. “He’s a great champion. But I’m ready for this.’’

From the sounds of it, so too is Roach.

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS — Bear Bryant, who is to college football what Elvis is to rock-and roll, once said a tie is like kissing your sister.  Translation: Forget about it.

Lamont Roach Jr. intends to.

Roach has more than one. He’s got two — two straight, a double shot of the dreaded draw that is boxing’s version of what was Bryant’s tie. College football got rid of it for the most part, although there are still games that end in a draw because of weather. Boxing hasn’t been quite so fortunate, mostly because there not much that can be done about inclement judging.

It happens.

Still, there is a one way to at least correct it. To quote another football guy, Win baby, just win. Roach intends to take Al Davis’ advice against William Zepeda Saturday in an intriguing lightweight bout for a vacant World Boxing Council title at Virgins Hotels. 

Roach is coming off the double draw, both in 2025 — first with Gervonta “Tank” Davis in March and again with Isaac  “Pitbull” Cruz in December. Both were controversial. Both were majority draws, one scorecard for each and one tied, But there was no majority in the crowd. It was divided and still is.

Only Roach has an opportunity at a final say-so against Zepeda, an aggressive fighter promoted by Oscar De La Hoya.  He promises to deliver a definitive performance with a versatile skill set.

“I think I will because of what I present in the ring,”  Roach said Thursday at the final news conference for the DAZN-streamed bout. “I have hundreds of skills and a ton of will.’’ 

In Zepeda, he faces a fighter known for what pundits call volume punching. There are a lot them. The key for Roach is to alter his skills often enough to perhaps fatigue Zepeda.

“That’s a bad m-effer,’’ Zepeda said when asked what he thought of Roach when he looked at him. “He’s got experience. He knows what he’s doing. He already knows what it is to be a champion.’’

Roach, of Washington DC, an already held a would junior-light weight, 130-pound belt. He hopes to emerge from Saturday’s bout with a double that will supplant the double that hurts and haunts. Beat Zepeda and he’s a two division champion.

He looked at the WBC’s belt Thursday and said:

“I can’t wait to cuddle with it.’’ 

By Norm Frauenheim

Boxing, often said to be on the fringe, will be there and just about everywhere else this weekend with fights across the globe and the virtual universe.

Center Stage:

Down Under.

That’s where Errol Spence Jr. and Tim Tszyu will meet in Sydney in a middleweight fight intriguing because it’s hard to know what will happen.

Everything about it is uncertain, which is one way to describe the state of today’s boxing, a sport that’s already a working definition for chaos.

Spence hasn’t answered an opening bell in the three years since his devastating loss to Terence Crawford.  There were questions then. And now.

Spence has acknowledged them, which raises one of the biggies: Is this the end? Will he retire if he loses to Tszyu in a DAZN-streamed bout (Sunday in Australia/Saturday in the United States on a card scheduled to begin at 9 pm ET, 6 PM PT)?

“This feels similar to when I went over to England to fight Kell Brook,’’ said Spence, who during a media workout talked about a victory that turned him into a pound-for-pound contender before suffering serious injuries in a serious car crash. “The mentality doesn’t change at all. It’s me-versus-him, everything on the line.

“The hunger is still there, and I’m still here to show everyone that Errol Spence is still here.’’

Tszyu, himself, is fighting in his homeland to restore all the promise he had before losses to Sebastian Fundora.’

“I just want to get in there and smack him,’’ said Tszyu, who during pre-fight talk and turmoil said he wanted to damage and hurt Spence.  “…He seems ready. He looks strong. I want to see how bad he wants it. We’ll see how he reacts to getting hit.’’

We’ll see.

That’s the operative phrase, perhaps caveat, for everything else on this weekend’s busy schedule.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are fighting. Fury was scheduled to face Mariusz Wach in Thailand Friday in a fight not scheduled to be televised. It’ll be over when Joshua faces Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia Saturday on DAZN.

Both bouts are considered tune-ups for a projected all-UK showdown at Wembley Stadium later in the year. Then again, it almost feels as if their careers have been one long tune-up. UK fans have talked about Fury-Joshua for more years than anyone can remember.

We’ll see,or — if its Fury-Wach — maybe not.

It all ends Sunday with Zuffa in its New York debut at Madison Square Garden’s Infosys Theater with two Brooklyn-born fighters, super-middleweight Edgar Berlanga and welterweight Richardson Hitchins on Paramount Plus.

Berlanga faces Steven Butler; Hitchins fights Ricardo Salas.

Zuffa has already had plenty to say about the state of the game. Sunday, it has a chance at some final say-so about a weekend that might be the beginning to a new chapter in how boxing is run and who runs it.

Will Zuffa deliver with a powerful statement?

We’ll see.

By Norm Frauenheim

Errol Spence Jr. arrived in Sydney to a friendly welcome this week despite mounting hostility before opening bell against Tim Tszyu, who might want to introduce Spence to a hungry crocodile.

Since their fight was announced in early May, Spence has refused to shake Tszyu’s hand, was a no-show for a virtual appearance alongside Tszyu on an Australian talk show and then decided he wanted to change the weight months after it was written into the contract.

What’s next?

Tszyu must wonder.

Ten days before the bout, Spence was greeted by a traditional Aboriginal ceremony amid news that he would fight at 160 pounds, middleweight, instead of the contracted catchweight, 158.

That raised questions about whether he was having trouble making weight for his first fight since a devastating loss at welterweight to Terence Crawford three years ago.

Nope, Spence said.

“No reasoning at all,’’ Spence told Aussie television crews after his 15-hour flight.

No reason is perhaps the only way to explain Spence’s dismissive words and moves since the fight was scheduled for the last Saturday in July.

For Tszyu, there’s no excuse. He and his trainer, former bantam and featherweight great Jeff Fenech, are increasingly angry at what they say is an insulting lack of respect.

The proud Tszyu had no problem with the new weight. Couple of pounds here,

couple of pounds there? For Tszyu, there’s a ton of motivation to silence Spence in what is a chance to resurrect his career in his homeland.

“I just don’t want any excuses,” Tszyu told The Ring. “I want him here, refreshed, rejuvenated, make sure he’s not struggling with weight, make sure everything’s on point, because I wanna beat up the best Errol Spence.”

In dissing Tszyu, Spence, whose skillset has never included diplomacy, has said what many think after losses to Sebastian Fundora.

“I don’t give a bleep what Tszyu says,’’ said Spence, who continued to amplify the stakes for Tszyu for the media that welcomed him to Sydney. “He’s just another fighter to me. He doesn’t matter.’’

Only Tszyu can prove that he does.

By Norm Frauenheim

In a rare show of unity in boxing’s balkanized state, an alliance of promoters and a streaming service staged a news conference, introduced young fighters, plans, possibilities and one intriguing fight.

In a predictable counter and a sure sign that unity in boxing is still an oxymoron, a rival promotional entity sent out a news release announcing it had signed one of the game’s biggest names.

It was that kind of day. Pick a side? Not exactly, at least not for fans, who on Thursday witnessed an emerging battleground for control of the fight game.

On the unified side, there was Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and DAZN with a blueprint for the rest of 2026, including an intriguing fight Aug. 22 featuring resilient champion Rolly Romero against Teofimo Lopez in Lopez’ welterweight debut at Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena.

For the entertaining Lopez, a shot at a third-division belt is a step up and perhaps away from his last fight, a one-sided loss at junior-welterweight to multi-division champion Shakur Stevenson in January.

“When I face the champion, I’ll be 29,’’ said Lopez, whose manager Keith Connolly said the Romero fight will launch Lopez into a series of mega-fights.. “I’ve got a lot of good prominent years left. I’m gonna answer all the questions on August 22.’’

Presumably, one will be a definitive answer to what happened against Stevenson, whose masterful performance against Lopez put him among the top five in the pound-for-pound debate.

Only Lopez’ volatile father and trainer, Teofimo Sr., referred to his son’s last fight in what was almost almost an aside during the newser. It didn’t resonate.

In an almost choreographed response, Zuffa followed up the Romero-Lopez newser by announcing what everybody already knew. Stevenson signed.

“Line them up, one-by one, and I’ll beat all the top guys once I get them in front of me,’’ the news release quoted Stevenson as saying. “With Zuffa Boxing, I’m going to go after the biggest fights in the sport and I will become the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.’’

Who and when weren’t included in the Zuffa release. Teofimo Lopez wasn’t mentioned either. But the timing clearly said he was the target, probably just one of many in a rivalry still in its infancy.

By Norm Frauenheim

Errol Spence Jr., unseen in the ring since his devastating loss to Terence Crawford nearly three years ago, goes Down Under in late July against Tim Tszyu with fans and foe wondering who will show up.

Thursday, he didn’t show up at all.

Spence was a no-show for a video appearance via-satellite at a Sydney television studio, where he and Tszyu were scheduled to talk about their 158-pound catchweight date on the last Saturday in July.

Tszyu, an Aussie living in Sydney, waited.

And waited.

No Spence.

No explanation either.

But there was plenty to say, mostly by a frustrated Tszyu.

“He’s a diva,’’ Tszyu said after an awkward 45 minutes that turned a studio into a waiting room.

Thursday morning in Sydney, he might as well have been an extraterrestrial. Repeatedly, there were attempts to reach Spence, who was in – of all places – Houston, a city known for communicating with satellites.

But there was no answer from Spence, who might as well have been in another universe or maybe just in bed. He’s been training in Houston with Jermall Charlo, who fights on the Sydney undercard against Aussie Koen Mazoudier.

Turns out, the often-volatile Charlo wasn’t lost in space. He caught his satellite and made his virtual appearance, right on time.

Charlo was there and Spence wasn’t. That only seemed to sharpen Tszyu’s anger.

I’m quite upset,” said Tszyu, a slight betting underdog in his own country

“Just a diva attitude.”

“I had to change plans. But it is what it is.

“Right now, I’m thinking about every limb of his body that I want to hurt. I want to inflict pain. And in three weeks I get to put my hands on him …”

Spence had already angered Tszyu. Before the fight was formally announced at a Las Vegas news conference on a May day when David Benavidez’ stopped Zurdo Ramirez for a unified cruiserweight title, Spence refused to shake hands with Tszyu during an encounter at the MGM Grand.

“The guy is living in his own little fairytale, thinking he runs the show.’’ Tszyu said. “He thinks everyone is on his time. But, unfortunately, we’re not. Just as I won’t be when we finally step into that ring.”

Uncertainty about Spence has been there, even before his loss to Crawford. Questions still linger about whether he has ever completely recovered from injuries suffered in a scary car crash October 2019.

Even Spence acknowledges the questions. He’s also mentioned retirement more than once. However, he expressed only confidence during a media workout Wednesday in Houston.

“Camp has been great.,” he said. “I can’t complain at all. We’re putting in the work and leaving no stone unturned. I’m excited.

“…This was the right time to come back, and against the right opponent. My body feels good, so I said why not?

“…We’re focused on the task at hand and that’s conquering Australia.’’

The continent, not the studio.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Junior middleweight Khristopher Estep and featherweight Kyle Lacanlale both unanimously decisioned their veteran opponents to remain unblemished in the co-main attractions of a six-bout card at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, Sacramento on Saturday night. 

Making his six-round debut in just his third pro fight, Estep (3-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento was tested by the always willing William Davis (5-5-2, 1 KO) also of Sacramento, making for an entertaining main event. 

Davis, 152, began the first boxing well and outworking Estep, 154, in the very early going. By late in the round, as Estep let his hands go, the power difference became apparent. Estep, the natural junior middleweight, could back up Davis, a junior welterweight for most of his career, with one or two power punches. Late in the round, Estep had Davis covering up briefly before the veteran unleashed a clean power left hook counter. The punch may have dropped a 140-pounder, but Estep was able to shake it off and stay composed. 

Both had their moments in an exciting second round. Estep began the round aggressively, but Davis found success soon after landing with a looping right along the ropes. Davis was able to keep his chin tucked while swinging high at the taller Estep’s chin. Estep weathered the storm and turned the exchange back in his favor in moments. The veteran Davis was able to get Estep to fight an in-close style, which negated the younger fighter’s height and reach advantages. 

The brisk pace continued through the middle rounds and down the stretch. Neither fighter looked to hold, both always looking to let their hands go as the fight stayed on the inside. The 36-year-old Davis impressively kept up with the 26-year-old Estep’s pace, if not setting it himself. However, Estep’s power edge was the main differentiating factor. 

In the end, judges Kermit Bayliss, Melissa McMorrow and Joel Farbstein were in agreement, scoring the unanimous decision for Estep, 59-55 across the board. With the victory, Estep stays in line for a return to the ring at The Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino in nearby Lincoln, California on September 5th. 

In the co-main event, Kyle Lacanlale (8-0, 4 KOs) of San Ramon, California scored a four-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Almacen (7-17-3, 2 KOs) of Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines. 

The 22-year-old Lacanlale held even more of a height and natural size advantage over his veteran opponent than did Estep in the co-main. The 26-year-old Almacen began his pro career at 107-pounds in 2016 when Lacanlale was 12-years-old. In April, Lacanlale scored a second-round knockout of a 134-pound opponent. 

What Almacen, 124, lacks in size and power at featherweight, he tries to make up for in evasiveness. Lacanlale, 124, was the aggressor early in the fight, but had a tough time pinning Almacen down long enough to land the combination that could end the night early. 

Almacen had his best round in the second, as he let his hands go in stretches and may have caught Lacanlale a little over frustrated. With no time to waste in a bout that was reduced from six rounds to four by the California State Athletic Commission, Lacanlale came out with renewed vigor to open the third round. Almacen just did not possess the power to earn the younger fighter’s respect. Lacanlale walked through what Almacen could land, placing power shots that backed the veteran up. 

Almacen surprisingly pressed the action early in the fourth, but Lacanlale was comfortable firing off his back foot and exchanging. Despite the solid work rate from the veteran, Lacanlale’s edge power did not require him to match Almacen punch-for-punch. 

In the end, Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout 39-37, while judges Joel Farbstein and Kermit Bayliss both scored it a shutout, 40-36, all for Lacanlale. With his victory, Lacanlale will next take to the ring on the September 5th event at The Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln. 

In a competitive and fast-paced action fight, Jose Aguilar (5-0, 3 KOs) of Linden, California remained unbeaten and moved past Eduardo Sanchez (1-2) of Watsonville, California via four-round majority decision. 

Sanchez, 116 ½, had a strong first round, setting a brisk pace and landing with several well-placed power punches. Aguilar, 117, let his hands go as well and tried to meet Sanchez’s output. Aguilar was able to land a few more power punches in the second, but otherwise the round looked very similar to the first, with Sanchez pressing forward and consistently moving his hands. With Sanchez’s pace slowed slightly in the fourth, Aguilar had one of his better rounds, landing with a few eye-catching punches upstairs that may have been enough to sway the judges. 

Judge Joel Farbstein scored the bout even 38-38, but was overruled by judges Kermit Bayliss and Melissa McMorrow, 39-37 for Aguilar. 

With a strong group of supporters on hand from Northern Nevada, Harley Sampson (3-1, 3 KOs) of Reno, Nevada upset the local fanbase of previously unbeaten Dorrel Fore Jr. (3-1) of Sacramento by scoring a first-round knockout. 

Sampson, 140, began the fight with his trademark aggressiveness and forced the boxer Fore, 140, into a firefight right away. With Fore out of his comfort zone, Sampson pressed and continually landed with his left hand. With the taller Fore perhaps feeling he was out of punching range, Sampson leaped in with a clean left hook that dropped the Sacramento native down on his back. Fore beat the count, but when he took a wobbled backwards step, referee Edward Collantes stopped the bout at 1:23 of round one. 

In the action-packed opener, Miguel “Tito” Elizondo (2-0) of Carson City, Nevada dropped Reymundo Rangel (1-1) of Grand Prairie, Texas in round one en route to a four-round unanimous decision. 

Elizondo, 129, and Rangel, 130, came right at each other from the opening bell. After some good back-and-forth, Elizondo countered a landed right from Rangel with one of his own to score the knockdown. Rangel beat the count and went right back to engaging with the oncoming Elizondo. 

Over the next three rounds, both of the previously unbeaten super featherweights engaged in a free-swinging action fight with Elizondo holding a slight, but decided edge, especially in power-punching. 

All three judges, Melissa McMorrow, Kermit Bayliss and Joel Farbstein, scored the bout a shutout for Elizondo, 40-35. 

Muay Thai Kickboxing

In an added attraction, Moises Rodriguez (1-0, 1 KO) of San Diego scored a second-round knockout of Santiago Moralez (0-1) of Sacramento. The bout came to its conclusion after Rodriguez, 155, landed a series of elbows that downed the local fighter. With Moralez, 152, unable to continue, the bout was waved off by referee Edward Collantes at 2:38 of round two. 

Promoter of Saturday’s event, Upper Cut Promotions, returns with live boxing at The Venue at Thunder Valley at Thunder Valley Casino in nearby Lincoln on September 5th. 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

Jaron Ennis stopped Xander Zayas to win the WBA/WBO Junior Middleweight titles in round seven of an exciting fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

In round one. Ennis landed a big right that put Zayas on the deck. In round three, Ennis was rocked (for the first time in his career) when Zayas landed a hard jab that was followed by a left that scraped across the chin. In round five, Ennis landed a perfect counter right uppercut to the chin that put Zayas on the canvas. Zayas was lucky to make it out of the round as Ennis applied beating.

In round seven, Ennis finished off Zayas when he landed another left hand on the inside and put Zayas on the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:49.

Ennis, 153 lbs of Philadelphia is 36-0 with 32 knockouts. Zayas, 153.8 lbs of San Juan, PR is 22-1.

Emiliano Vargas Stops Bryce Mills in 4

Emiliano Vargas stopped Bryce Mills in round four of their 10-round junior welterweight bout.

Emiliano Vargas stopped Bryce Mills in round four of their 10-round junior welterweight bout.

In round three, Vargas landed a little check right hook as Mills lunged in that sent Mills to the canvas. In round four, Vargas dropped Mills with a straight left on the chin. Vargas then landed a big flurry that forced a referee stoppage just as Mills was falling to the canvas at 1:17.

Vargas, 138.6 lbs of Las Vegas is 18-0 with 15 knockouts. Mills, 139 lbs of Liverpool, NY is 22-2.

Whittaker Stops Rivera in 2

Ben Whittaker stopped Richard Rivera in round two of their 10-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Whittaker caught Rivera with a counter right to the side of the head that put sent him to the canvas. Seconds into round two, Whittaker landed a quick left hook that put Rivera down and the fight was stopped at 27 seconds.

Whittaker, 174.4 lbs of West Bromwhich, ENG is 12-0-1 with nine knockouts. Rivera, 173.8 lbs of Hartford, CT is 27-3.

Tucker Decisions Cedeno

Jahi Tucker won a 10-round majority decision over Euri Cedeno in a middleweight bout.

Tucker, 159.8 lbs of Deer Park, NY won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95 and is now 17-1-1. Cedeno, 158.8 lbs of La Romana, DR is 14-1-1.

Juanma Lopez stopped Alberto Motos in the opening round of their six-round flyweight bout.

In round one, Lopez landed a perfect straight left down the middle that Motos flat on his back and the fight was over at 2:05.

Lopez, 114 lbs of Caguas, PR is 6-0 with three knockouts. Motos, 113.8 lbs of Madrid, SPA is 6-3.

Dennis Thompson remained undefeated with a eight-round split decision over Edwin Rodriguez in a super bantamweight fight.

Thompson took two cards 79-73 and 77-75. Rodriguez won a card 77-75.

Thompson landed 212 of 1040 punches. Rodriguez was 131 of 562.

Thompson, 120.8 lbs of Philadelphia s 11-0. Rodriguez, 121.4 lbs of Juana Diaz, PR is 12-12-3.

Quincey Williams remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Jerome Baxter in a welterweight fight.

Williams landed 142 of 418 punches. Baxter was 98 of 466.

Williams, 150 lbs of Washington, DC won by scores of 79-73 on all cards and is now 7-0. Baxter, 150 lbs of Pittsburgh us 7-2.

By Norm Frauenheim

Manny Pacquiao versus-Floyd Mayweather Jr.? Did anyone really want to see it all over again?

Didn’t think so.

The good news is that it looks as if the rematch – or is that redundancy? –won’t happen because of the legal mess surrounding Mayweather, who used to call himself Money May.

Lawsuits that seem to multiply by the day, however, suggest money may be gone and on to a life of uninterrupted court dates.

The latest evidence came Thursday when Mayweather’s exhibition against Mike Zambidis in Athens Saturday was called off, according to federal court records filed in New York.

The bout was in jeopardy after CSI, an events company reportedly contracted to stage Mayweather dates, sued, alleging breach of contract. CSI also filed for an emergency injunction to halt the fight. According to the suit, CSI claims it has rights to stage other Mayweather exhibitions, including one against Mike Tyson.

But it was never clear when – or if – the Mayweather-Tyson exhibition would ever happen. Now, it’s fair to say that the Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch is in doubt.

In effect, that’s what Pacquiao told Boxing Scene’s Lance Pugmire Thursday in the wake of news that Mayweather- Zambidis was suddenly just another Greek myth. No live stream was reported. No ticket sales were reported. No opening bell was inevitable.

Then, Pacquiao told Boxing Scene that the Mayweather rematch, scheduled for Sept. 25, had been postponed indefinitely. Indefinitely can mean lots of things, including forever.

Deepening doubt is there because of the avalanche of lawsuits involving Mayweather, who is believed to have earned a billion dollars in his prize-fighting career.

Dollars, of course, have been the only reason for a rematch. Mayweather’s victory over Pacquiao eleven years ago is memorable only for the record revenue it generated. The fight itself was a dud. Mayweather won a unanimous decision in what was a unanimous bore.

International interest before the fight was squandered during the fight. Then, the money generated by the fight was apparently squandered. Who wants to do that all over again?

That verdict has already been delivered by fans who aren’t likely to pay again for another money-grab between fighters more than a decade past their primes.

Notes on a Scorecard

Elijah Garcia (18-2, 14 KOs), a prominent prospect a couple of years ago, got back into the win column with a mandatory victory, a first-round stoppage, of Ryan Adams last Saturday at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Garcia’s hometown.

Jose Benavidez Sr., dad and trainer of three division champion David Benavidez, confirms reports this week that he has talked with troubled and talented Tank Davis about being his trainer. “Tank will announce his plans and we’ll go from there,’’ Jose Sr. tells The Good Fight.  There’s uncertainty because of Tank’s problematic legal issues.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – Rising featherweight prospect Kyle Lacanlale will take on veteran Jonathan Almacen in the all-Filipino main event of Showdown in Sactown III at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Sacramento on Saturday night. Fighters for the six-bout card weighed-in at the host venue on Friday morning. 

Lacanlale (7-0, 4 KOs) of San Ramon, California is coming off of a dominant second-round kayo of Javier Rojas Campos on April 4th. The young featherweight has outgrown preliminary opposition and has appeared ready for a proven veteran for some time. Tonight’s bout was originally slated as Lacanlale’s first foray into the six-round distance as well. However, the California State Athletic Commission made the decision to limit the contest to a scheduled four. Lacanlale weighed-in at 124 pounds on Friday morning. 

Fitting the veteran label, Almacen (7-16-3) of Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines will be familiar with the venue, having come up short to unbeaten Jose Contreras here just over one month ago. Almacen began his career in the Philippines, fighting fellow Filipinos, before taking his career to the U.S. in 2023. The shorter Almacen matched his opponent, weighing-in at 124 pounds on Friday. 

Khristopher Estep (2-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento jumps into the six-round distance against veteran William Davis (5-4-2, 1 KO) also of Sacramento in the semi main event. Estep turned professional at the DoubleTree last November and was last in the ring scoring a four-round unanimous decision this past March. The battle-tested Davis marks a step-up in Estep’s level of competition, having the experience that comes with ten years of professional fighting. Estep weighed-in at the junior middleweight limit of 154, while Davis scaled 152 pounds.

Unbeaten bantamweight Jose Aguilar (4-0, 3 KOs) of Linden, California takes to the ring for the fourth time this calendar year as he takes on returning Eduardo Sanchez (1-1) of Watsonville, California in an intriguing four-rounder. Aguilar, who scaled 117 pounds on Friday, turned professional last November in Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico and has already racked up three knockouts there to go along with a four-round unanimous decision in Jamestown, California this past March. Sanchez, a Noble-Moreno Boxing product who came in at 116 ½ pounds on Friday, returns to the ring after sitting out 2025. 

Dorrel Fore Jr. (3-0) of Sacramento will make his third start at the DoubleTree as he takes on Harley Sampson (2-1, 2 KOs) of Reno, Nevada in a four-round junior welterweight bout. Fore, who scaled 140 pounds on Friday, impressively decisioned tough Ebert Diaz in November in his last time out. Sampson, also weighing-in at 140 on Friday, scored a dominant third-round stoppage over Robert Jimenez this past April in his last ring action. 

In the opener, former amateur standout Miguel “Tito” Elizondo (1-0) of Carson City, Nevada will meet Reymundo Rangel (1-0) of Grand Prairie, Texas in a four-round super featherweight bout. Elizondo, originally scheduled to compete at the DoubleTree last month before his opponent was late to withdraw, made his professional debut in March with an impressive four-round unanimous decision over Yoel Sandobal Ochoa. Rangel, who turned pro in a four-round firefight win over Albert Mayo in February, was originally scheduled to fight in Dallas this weekend. The event in Dallas ended up being canceled as Elizondo’s opponent was again a late pullout. In need of new dance partners, the two unbeaten fighters agreed to meet each other just last weekend. Elizondo scaled 129 pounds, while Rangel made the 130-pound super featherweight limit on Friday. 

Rounding out the bill will be a three-round pro kickboxing bout. Moises Rodriguez of San Diego will make his pro debut against Sacramento’s Santiago Moralez, also making his debut. Moralez, out of Ronin Warrior Muay Thai & Fitness, weighed-in at 152 pounds on Friday morning. Rodriguez, out of Victory MMA & Fitness, needed a little extra time to sweat down to the lightweight kickboxing limit of 155 pounds. 

Quick Weigh-in Results 

Featherweights, 4 Rounds

Lacanlale 124

Almacen 124

Light middleweights, 6 Rounds

Estep 154

Davis 152

Bantamweights, 4 Rounds 

Aguilar 117

Sanchez 116 ½ 

Light welterweights, 4 Rounds

Fore 140

Sampson 140

Super featherweights, 4 Rounds

Elizondo 129

Rangel 130

Kickboxing 

Lightweights, 3 Rounds

Rodriguez 155

Moralez 152

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

By Norm Frauenheim

Speculation continues to circulate that the long-awaited Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight, projected for November, will land in the United States instead of the UK.

It gained further traction this week with a report in The Athletic that Las Vegas is a leading possibility.

Reaction: Fury-Joshua belongs in Vegas or any other U.S. city about as much as London Bridge belongs in Lake Havasu City in western Arizona.

It’s a lousy fit, an insult to history and a betrayal of UK fans, who have been waiting on the Fury-Joshua heavyweight showdown for years.

Don’t deny them.

It’s hard to know what to believe about the speculation, especially amid the confusing exchange of taunts and insults that cover boxing’s promotional edifice like obscene graffiti.

Eddie Hearn and Dana White don’t like each other. We get it. They accuse each other of lying and a whole lot of other things that keep lawyers in expensive suits and fans exasperated.

“There are more court cases than I’ve ever seen,’’ Hearn said last week in Glendale, Ariz., before Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez delivered something worth watching in stopping Antonio Vargas at Desert Diamond Arena.

Bam, thanks for a genuine statement amid all the garbage.

What’s missing in all the trolling and legalese are fans. With the advent of Zuffa and it’s ongoing attempt to monopolize the sport, fans are a forgotten factor. Did they get mentioned in the recent US Senate hearings for the Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act? Didn’t think so.

But the fear is that UK fans, the biggest and most fiercely loyal demographic anywhere, are about to get screwed. In 1968, the old London Bridge was moved, brick-by-brick, to Arizona and rebuilt over a shallow, muddy piece of water in bleached bone-dry desert.

If they can take away the London Bridge, they can take away Fury-Joshua.

For now, at least, there’s a clause in Joshua’s contract that says the projected fight must happen in the UK, according to Hearn, his promoter. However, there is no similar clause in Fury’s contract, Hearn told Boxing Scene last week.

Meanwhile, Fury showed up at the White House for Dana White’s UFC event Sunday. Fury had come back – he’s always coming back  — to the US for the first time in at least five years, reportedly because of his ties to alleged Irish gangster Daniel Kinahan.

Fury, whose promoter-of-record is Frank Warren, talked about plans, some of them presumably about joining Zuffa and White. But it was short on details. More tease than news. Yet, the fact he was in the US – at the White House, no less — suggests he’s open to fighting Joshua in Vegas or any other US city.

Meanwhile, it’s not clear what Joshua thinks. Hearn said his contract can be re-negotiated, including the clause mandating the fight happens in the UK. Saudi Prince and promoter Turki Alalshikh has enough money to change a lot of minds.

“Turki Alalshikh pays the bills,’’ Hearn said.

But UK fans are about to pay the price.

Here’s a better idea:

It’s time for Joshua to step up and speak for UK fans. Time to insist that the fight happens in the UK and only the UK, whose fans have followed him, stuck with him after losses to Andy Ruiz and are fundamental to his wealth and celebrity.

Hearn told The Boxing Hour and The Good Fight last week that he didn’t think it was in Joshua’s personality to take a public stand.

“I don’t think that would be his way,’’ Hearn said. “It’s not in his nature.’’

But it might be time for nature to change. He owes it to the fans who made him.

Elijah Garcia back

Elijah Garcia (17-2, 13 KOs), a prominent prospect a couple of years ago, hopes to get his career back on track at Celebrity Theater in Phoenix Saturday night.

Garcia, now a super-middleweigt from Phoenix, faces Ryan Adams (12-11-1) of Saint Louis.

Garcia is coming off a loss by a debatable majority decision to Kevin Newman in March at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

The card features Kingsley Ibeh (16-3-1, 14 KOs) against Dante Stone (21-2, 13 KOs) for an Arizona heavyweight title..

First Bell is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PT).

By Norm Frauenheim

GLENDALE, Ariz. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez added a third division title with his sixth round knockout of Antonio Vargas Saturday, yet his career goal of a showdown with Naoya Inoue remained unclear in the immediate aftermath of his successful debut at bantamweight.

Trainer Robert Garcia said he wanted Bam to fight once more at 118 pounds before any deal is made to face Inoue.

“We’ve talked about January or February, next year, for the Inoue fight,’’ Garcia Said after Bam knocked down Vargas after some rocky moments in front of a roaring crowd åt Desert Diamond Arena. “We can still do that. That doesn’t have to change.But I want Bam to have one more fight at 118. We can do that in September or October.’’

Bam (24-0, 17 KOs) struggled at times in the early going against Vargas, who leaned on him and backed him up with a succession of punches.

Not until the fifth round did Bam make a key adjustment. It started where it usually does: His feet. With his singular footwork, he stepped to the left of Vargas (19-2-1, 11KOs) and delivered a textbook left hand, putting the World Boxing Association’s defending champion onto the canvas.

In the sixth, Bam did it again, this time ending Vargas’ one-fight reign as the WBA champion.

In an interview inside the ring, Bam was asked about Inoue.

“If you’re asking me if I’m ready, I’m going to say yes,’’ he said. “I’m going to say yes I’m ready for anyone and yes I’m ready for whatever my team plans next.”

This Cardenas scores unanimous decision, wins rematchtime there was no debate. No trash talk either.

Arturo Cardenas made sure of it Saturday, scoring a unanimous decision over Jordan Martinez in a rematch at Desert Diamond Arena.

“I did what I didn’t last time, said Cardenas (18-0-2), who fought Martinez to a draw in early February.” I was aggressive early. I didn’t give away those rounds.’’

Martinez (16-1-1), a popular Phoenix fighter, didn’t quarrel with the result, despite at least one debatable score, a 100-90 shutout. On the other cards, it was 98-92 and 97-93, both for Cardenas

Turkish champion retains belt in narrow win over Gabby Tellez

Elif Nur Turhan kept the belt. Gabby Tellez got the cheers.

In a close and somewhat awkward fight for the women’s International Boxing Federation lightweight title Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena, the bigger Turhan sustained an aggressive pace, scoring enough points on the scorecards for a unanimous decision — 96-94 on all cards — over Tellez (7-1, 3 KOs).

With Phoenix trainer Jose Benavidez Jr. in her corner, Tellez circled Turhan, a powerful Turk, throughout the 10 rounds. Turhan landed a couple of long punches in the final couple of rounds, which might have been just enough to claim a victory that allowed here to take the belt back to Turkey

Terraza wins quick stoppage

Terraza said he knew victory was just a matter of time.

That time came swiftly.

And decisively.

Within two rounds, Terraza, an unbeaten junior-lightweight from Mexico, overwhelmed a shorter Javier Rodriguez, who was down midway through the round and finished within its final few seconds. 

Rodriguez (10-1, 6 KOs), who grew up in the Glendale neighborhood surrounding Desert Diamond Arena, simply had no counter for Terreza’s  reach. Terraza (14-0, 10 KOs) knocked him down with an overhand right and then folllowed with successive punches from all angles.

Trini Ochoa lands right to land back in win column

Trini Ochoa, a popular junior welterweight from Mesa, got back into the win column Saturday. All he needed was a right hand.

It landed, flooring Tristan Perez (12-5-1, 7 KOs) Saturday in a stunning second round at Desert Diamond Arena. Ochoa was coming off his first defeat

Esquina delivers punishing stoppage

It was punishing.

Punishing mostly for Sepu Taylor.

Xechal Esquina, an undefeated featherweight from Phoenix, tirelessly moved forward for six-plus rounds, landing shots that echoed throughout Desert Diamond Saturday on a card featuring Bam Rodriguez-Antonio Vargas.

Somehow, Taylor (1-2-1), of Denver stay edupright. Early in the sixth, however, he began to back away on unsteady feet, At 2:39 of the round, he was down. And done, a bruised stoppage loser to a relentless attack Esquina (6-0, 5 KOs).

Hector Beltran wins second round TKO

Hector Beltran Jr., who calls himself Handsome, must have looked scary to Shaquile Felicia.

Beltran (8-0, 6 KOs), a junior-middleweight From Dallas, threw a quick combo that dropped Felicia (3-2). It also left Felicia with a look that seemed to say he’d rather be back home in Anchorage. Seconds and few more combos later, he was finished, a TKO loser at 2:53 of the round.

First Bell: Ronny Alvarez stoppage opens the show

With temperatures pushing 110 degrees, a small crowd began to escape and gather inside Desert Diamond Arena.

Anything for a little air conditioning.

In the ring, however, Cuban super-middleweight Ronny Alvarez (7-0, 6 KOs) continued to pour on the heat, scoring a seventh round stoppage of Serbia Flip Stankovic (9-4, 6 KOs) Saturday afternoon in the opening bout on a card featuring Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez-Antonio Vargas.  

By Norm Frauenheim

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has formally said goodbye to superfly, all in a quest for the challenges he hopes will lead to the biggest one of all:

Naoya Inoue

That’s not exactly a secret anymore. Talk — and perhaps some real momentum — has been building for a Bam-Inoue showdown.

Now, that possibility enters a new stage, one evident by what was missing Thursday at a formal news conference for his bantamweight debut against 118-pound champion Antonio Vargas Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in a DAZN-streamed bout.

Bam wasn’t seated behind the collection of belts that are usually there. They’re gone. In boxing-speak, they’ve been vacated to make room for what Bam has said is an “inevitable” showdown with Inoue in what would be the biggest fight ever at the lighter weights.

It was news delivered Wednesday by Bam trainer Robert Garcia, who announced on social media that Bam was relinquishing three of the four.

He’s replacing them with a new challenge at a new weight.

“New challenges are more important to me that just another title defense,’’ said Bam, now a former unified champion who suddenly finds himself in the unfamiliar role of being the challenger.

There are signs that Bam won’t be a challenger for long. Vargas is being called underrated by his corner. Maybe, he is.  On the World Boxing Association’s shuffleboard, he was elevated from secondary to the real 118-pound champion a couple of weeks ago. Vargas’ credentials include experience against some of the world’s best, including Shakur Stevenson, who beat him as an amateur.

But prohibitive odds suggest that Bam won’t be a challenger for long. He has an opportunity to win a third belt at a third weight. What’s more significant, however, might be in how he performs at bantam. Success at 118 pounds would represent a steppingstone to junior-feather — 122 pounds, Inoue’s current weight.

At 26-years old, Bam has improved with each move up the scale. He also seems to get better with each fight, all victories That plants an inevitable expectation. Just how good can he be?

“I feel like I haven’t shown 50 percent of who I’ll be,’’ Bam said during Thursday’s newser.

If accurate, half of what Bam’s potential already is good enough to put him among the top five in virtually every pound for-pound rating, many of which have Inoue at No. 1

For now, at least, the question is what Inoue plans to do. Since his victory over Junto Nakatani in front 55,000 Japanese fans in Tokyo, he’s been quiet. Still, there’s talk that he’ll move up to 126 pounds, featherweight.

Garcia believes that would be a move intended to keep him away from a date with the San Antonio fighter.

“Take a look at 126,’’ said Garcia, who agrees that fans have yet to see the best Bam. “There’s nobody at 126 who would make a better fight than one against Bam.

“Moving up to 126 would say that he doesn’t want to fight Bam.’’

For now, the only relevant measurement is Bam’s first time at 118. There’s been talk about a further move up the scale to 122-pounds before a speculated date – December or January — against Inoue.

“But I can only make the right decision based on what I see Saturday night,’’ Garcia said. “I can’t be thinking about more before I see him at 118.’’

By Norm Frauenheim

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez has formally said goodbye to superfly, all in a quest for the challenges he hopes will lead to the biggest one of all:

Naoya Inoue

That’s not exactly a secret anymore. Talk — and perhaps some real momentum — has been building for a Bam-Inoue showdown.

Now, that possibility enters a new stage, one evident by what was missing Thursday at a formal news conference for his bantamweight debut against 118-pound champion Antonio Vargas Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in a DAZN-streamed bout.

Bam wasn’t seated behind the collection of belts that are usually there. They’re gone. In boxing-speak, they’ve been vacated to make room for what Bam has said is an “inevitable” showdown with Inoue in what would be the biggest fight ever at the lighter weights.

It was news delivered Wednesday by Bam trainer Robert Garcia, who announced on social media that Bam was relinquishing three of the four.

He’s replacing them with a new challenge at a new weight.

“New challenges are more important to me that just another title defense,’’ said Bam, now a former unified champion who suddenly finds himself in the unfamiliar role of being the challenger.

There are signs that Bam won’t be a challenger for long. Vargas is being called underrated by his corner. Maybe, he is.  On the World Boxing Association’s shuffleboard, he was elevated from secondary to the real 118-pound champion a couple of weeks ago. Vargas’ credentials include experience against some of the world’s best, including Shakur Stevenson, who beat him as an amateur.

But prohibitive odds suggest that Bam won’t be a challenger for long. He has an opportunity to win a third belt at a third weight. What’s more significant, however, might be in how he performs at bantam. Success at 118 pounds would represent a steppingstone to junior-feather — 122 pounds, Inoue’s current weight.

At 26-years old, Bam has improved with each move up the scale. He also seems to get better with each fight, all victories That plants an inevitable expectation. Just how good can he be?

“I feel like I haven’t shown 50 percent of who I’ll be,’’ Bam said during Thursday’s newser.

If accurate, half of what Bam’s potential already is good enough to put him among the top five in virtually every pound for-pound rating, many of which have Inoue at No. 1

For now, at least, the question is what Inoue plans to do. Since his victory over Junto Nakatani in front 55,000 Japanese fans in Tokyo, he’s been quiet. Still, there’s talk that he’ll move up to 126 pounds, featherweight.

Garcia believes that would be a move intended to keep him away from a date with the San Antonio fighter.

“Take a look at 126,’’ said Garcia, who agrees that fans have yet to see the best Bam. “There’s nobody at 126 who would make a better fight than one against Bam.

“Moving up to 126 would say that he doesn’t want to fight Bam.’’

For now, the only relevant measurement is Bam’s first time at 118. There’s been talk about a further move up the scale to 122-pounds before a speculated date – December or January — against Inoue.

“But I can only make the right decision based on what I see Saturday night,’’ Garcia said. “I can’t be thinking about more before I see him at 118.’’

By Norm Frauenheim

It’s beginning to feel as though boxing has entered a statement season, as in delivering one.

Dmitry Bivol delivered last Saturday, beating an overmatched German in Russia, yet the message from Bivol was within his performance.

Bivol, still as flawless as any sweet scientist against challenger-without-a-chance Michael Eifert, showed there’s been no evident erosion in the light-heavyweight’s comprehensive skillset after back surgery and a long stretch of inactivity following his rematch victory over Artur Beterbiev.

He knows what he’s doing. But what will he do next? There are plenty of rumors, but no sources and zero hints from Bivol, a quiet Russian who is as taciturn as he is skillful.

The real – for now, only — news is that he’s back in the conversation, including the pound-for-pound debate. He’s among the second five after falling out of the subjective ratings altogether. His options are as viable as ever, including a third fight with Beterbiev and/or a date with newly minted cruiserweight champion David Benavidez, who also continues to hold a light-heavyweight belt.

For Bivol, the task was to restore leverage, his negotiating power and presence for whatever possibility — Beterbiev or Benavidez – develops.

Statement delivered.

Now, it’s Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’ turn.

Bam’s chance will be there June 13 in Glendale, AZ, a few miles of roadwork from Benavidez childhood home in west Phoenix.

That’s when and where Bam can further his pursuit of a showdown with current pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue at Desert Diamond Arena in a bantamweight debut against Antonio Vargas, who isn’t given much more of a chance than Eifert had against Bivol.

Eifert was a 25-to-1 underdog, according to various betting sites. At opening bell, the odds facing Vargas might be even bigger. The spread ranges from 25-to-1 to 33-to-1, according to numbers posted this week, also by various betting sites.

Translation: Bam is considered a virtual lock. Like Bivol, the significance – message – is within how he wins.

A few weeks ago during a media workout at Central Boxing in Phoenix, Bam, already a two-division champion, said he thought a fight with Inoue was inevitable. Since then, there have been multiple stories about  Bam-Inoue, still a dream fight. A Netflix interest was reported. Even a projected time frame for the much discussed, much anticipated possibility has been mentioned. Some speculation has it happening in early 2027

That’s not inevitable, but it is momentum, the kind that could make it happen. So far, Inoue, who is coming off a defense of his undisputed junior featherweight title against Junto Nakatani, has been about as talkative as Bivol.

Inoue has talked about moving to featherweight. He’s also has mentioned Bam. But now Japan’s Rising Son is quiet, perhaps waiting to see what kind of message Bam delivers against Vargas.

About a week ago, Vargas was declared the World Boxing Association’s 118-pound champ. The acronym’s move was merely a paper shuffle. Vargas had held a secondary belt. For Bam, it’s an opportunity – perhaps a gift. He can add a third division title to his resume.

But a long stop at bantam has never been in the Bam plan. On his blueprint, 118 pounds is another step toward his inevitable. Always has been.

A convincing performance could move Bam closer. Currently, he’s a consensus No. 3 in pound-for-pound ratings, behind No. 1 Inoue and No. 2 Oleksandr Usyk. But there are doubts about Usyk after his problematic victory over kick boxer Rico Verhoeven May 23 in Egypt.

A dominant Bam on June 13 could vault him over Usyk into the No. 2 spot. No. 1 versus-No. 2 is a classic scenario in what would be the biggest little-guy fight in history. Maybe those stories about Netflix’s interest are accurate.

Only Bam can make sure of it with the delivery of another convincing statement.

By Norm Frauenheim

It looks as if hints to David Benavidez’ immediate future will play out Saturday with light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol’s comeback from back surgery against German Michael Eifert in Russia, but that hasn’t stopped anybody from talking — ad nauseam — about Canelo Alvarez.

By all accounts, Canelo-Benavidez won’t happen. At least, that’s what Canelo said definitively during a news conference in Egypt for a Sept. 12 fight against Christian Mbilli.

Benavidez is a cruiserweight and possibly an emerging heavyweight, Stay there, Canelo said. In a rare agreement with Canelo, Benavidez father and trainer Jose Sr. also told Fight Hub TV that the fight was no longer a possibility.

The only sure thing is that fans and media will continue to debate, wonder and fantasize about it.

Canelo-Benavidez has become a permanent fixture in the public imagination, which is where it figures to stay.

Nevertheless, Benavidez repeated what he said after his beatdown of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for a unified cruiserweight title May 2. He can still make 175 pounds. Meanwhile, Canelo is staying at 168 in a bid for a World Boxing Council title against Christian Mbilli Sept. 12.

If a heavily favored Bivol wins Saturday, a return to 175 could create Benavidez’ first opportunity at an undisputed title, a key addition to his pound-for-pound resume. The Phoenix born-and-forged fighter has the WBC version of the light-heavy title; Bivol has the other three belts.

“I was ready then and I’m ready now,’’ said Benavidez, who was in Mexico City Wednesday to honor his father as the WBC’s Trainer of the Year. “I can still make 175.’’

Benavidez went on to mention Canelo. It’s impossible not to. Yet, his promised 25-pound move downscale is really about a shot at Bivol and that undisputed distinction.

Against Eifert, there’s a chance to see what Bivol still has. Has he completely recovered from back surgery? Is he still the same fighter who upset Canelo and evened the score with a rematch decision over Artur Beterbiev?

Answers will go a long way to figuring out what and who are next for Benavidez, now a top five pound-for-pound contender. But the questions will still be about Canelo.

FIGHT CITY

Bivol, who is of Russian and Korean descent, will be fighting in his home country in a city, Yekaterinburg, with lots of history, some noteworthy and some ominous.

It is Russia’s fourth largest city, located east of the Ural Mountains. In the early to mid-19^th century, the city’s mines produced 45 percent of all the gold in the world. Some of that gold can be seen, glittering off domes at the top of an old church.  

It’s called Church on the Blood. Czar Nicholas II, Russia’s last monarch, and his family were murdered there by the Bolsheviks in July, 1918.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – What some expected to be the first test in the career of rising middleweight contender Amari Jones was no test at all. In an IBF middleweight championship eliminator, Jones rolled past former champion Vincenzo Gualtieri inside of three rounds in the DAZN-broadcasted main event at the SAP Center at San Jose on Friday night. 

Jones (17-0, 15 KOs) of Oakland, California boxed well in the first, pressing Gualtieri (25-2-1, 8 KOs) of Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in moments. Gualtieri failed to let his hands go and was willing to cover up without looking to offer much in return. 

Jones’ jab created some openings in the second round, as he began to redden the face of Gualtieri, 158.2, with combinations. Gualtieri offered a little more offense, but was still very defensive. Jones, 159.2, did not look too worried about what Gualtieri had to offer, brushing off the one clean punch the German landed and getting right back on the offensive. 

Jones, the IBF #4/WBC #14 ranked middleweight, upped his aggression in the third as Gualtieri, the IBF #5/WBO #8 ranked middleweight, looked to be fading fast. Jones eventually pressed Gualtieri into the red corner with a combination punctuated by a right uppercut that scored the first of two knockdowns. Gualtieri managed to make it to his feet before Jones moved in and flattened his face with another right uppercut to score the second and final knockdown. 

Referee Edward Collantes moved in and saw that Gualtieri would not be in any condition to continue, waving off the one-sided bout at 2:29 of round three. 

With the IBF title currently vacant, Jones could potentially be in line to challenge for the belt as soon as his next outing, something both he and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya seemed keen on in the immediate aftermath of the fight.

“The 160-pound world champions are on notice and that world title is going back to Oakland,” said De La Hoya after the bout. “I saw maturity. I saw poise. I saw him taking his time, but at the same time – aggressive. A masterclass performance. Everybody at 160: you better watch out. Maybe September or October, who knows? But we are taking that world title back to Oakland baby.”

In the cruiserweight co-main event, Robin Safar (20-0, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Flemingsberg, Stockholm, Sweden got off the canvas in the second round to score a twelve-round split decision over Yamil Peralta (18-2-1, 10 KOs) of Del Viso, Buenos Aires, Argentina. While that summation might indicate an exciting, high level contest, the San Jose crowd was less than thrilled by most of the bout.  

After a feeling out first round, Peralta, 199, landed with an overhand right in the first minute of the second round to score a flash knockdown. Safar, 199.2, did not appear to be shaken up and things got a little chippy as the round progressed. Peralta, the WBC #2/WBA #11 ranked cruiserweight, would be warned for holding, and Safar, the WBO #4/WBC #12/WBA #12/IBF #14 ranked cruiserweight, was warned for hitting behind the head before the round came to a close. 

As the fight moved to the middle rounds, Peralta became a boxer-mover, which gave Safar some problems as he was never able to really find a way to cut off the ring on his rangier opponent. While Peralta did well to avoid getting in Safar’s punching range, he never really pressed the fight for any length of time and thus allowed himself to get outworked despite not taking a great deal of punishment. 

Safar came on a bit in the seventh and found a home for several right hands and continued to attempt to press the fight. Safar may have been as disinterested in the lack of action as the crowd on hand, as he inexplicably looked away late in the ninth and caught a left hook to the face. 

After three nondescript championship rounds, the official scorers came to the split decision. 

Judge Melissa McMorrow scored the bout 115-112  for Peralta, but was overruled by judge David Solivan, who scored the bout 114-113 and judge Rudy Barragan, 116-111, both for Safar. 

With the victory, Safar claimed the lightly-regarded WBC Silver title. Despite a performance that will not get a public outcry for a title opportunity, Safar figures to be near the head of the line to challenge recently-crowned WBC champion Noel Mikaelian. Three of the top four WBC contenders (Ryan Rozicki, Jai Opetaia and Chris Billam-Smith) have recently signed with promoter Zuffa Boxing, with whom the WBC has a contentious relationship. 

Darius Fulghum (15-1-1, 13 KOs) of Houston, Texas stayed busy with a stoppage of overmatched Yoanki Urrutia (17-3, 7 KOs) of Miami, Florida by way of Las Tunas, Las Tunas, Cuba.  

Fulghum, 168.8, did not force anything, but kept touching Urrutia, 169.8, through the opening rounds. Urrutia did not have the look of a fighter trying to win a fight from the early going and had a point deducted for repeatedly holding in the third. 

Fulghum, the WBA #5 ranked super middleweight, was never able to create the space needed to land as clean as he probably wanted, but did break through with a solid right to the body, followed by a left hook through Urrutia’s guard to score a knockdown at the end of the third. 

Urrutia was saved by the bell, but sat down in his corner at the end of the round, immediately shaking his head. His corner gained the attention of referee Michael Margado to signal their fighter did not wish to continue. Time of the stoppage officially came at the end of round three.

Cruiserweight prospect Tristan Kalkreuth (17-1, 12 KOs) of North Las Vegas, Nevada had a tougher time than expected, but scored a sixth-round stoppage nonetheless over Marco Antonio Canedo (8-4-1, 5 KOs) of Tacámbaro, Michoacán, Mexico. 

Canedo, 199.6, opened up late in the first and caught a stiff left from Kalkreuth, 198.2, in retort. The Michoacán native needed to take a step back to clear the cobwebs, but luckily for him there was not much time left in the round for Kalkreuth to capitalize. 

Canedo opened up offensively in the fourth, landing with some solid left hooks in exchanges. It did not appear Kalkreuth was hurt, but the Vegas resident opted to cover up along the ropes for long stretches in the round. Canedo kept his hands busy until late in the round, when he may have expended much of his gas tank. 

Kalkreuth woke up in the fifth, rocking a tired Canedo late after a much more aggressive round. Canedo had apparently not fully recovered by the time the sixth began, as Kalkreuth landed a two-punch combination early to score a knockdown. Canedo made it upright, but was on wobbly footing and quickly tasted the canvas a second time from a right hand. Referee Rudy Barragan quickly waved off the bout without a count after the second knockdown at 51 seconds of the sixth. At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Canedo up in the fight. Judge David Solivan had it 49-46, while judges Melissa McMorrow and Joel Farbstein had it 48-47 for Canedo heading into the sixth.

Jordan Fuentes (7-0, 2 KOs) of Fresno, California opened up the main card on DAZN with an impressive six-round unanimous decision over a game Dante Ibarra Hernandez (3-2, 3 KOs) of Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.

Despite a height disadvantage, Fuentes, 117.2, wasted no time in finding the chin of Ibarra Hernandez, 118, especially with his right hand, in the first. Fuentes’ hand speed continued to be a problem for Ibarra Hernandez in the second. The Jalisco native kept up the pressure, but Fuentes was elusive, picking his spots and landing with both hands. 

Ibarra Hernandez managed to land with a straight right early in the third that backed Fuentes up, off balance. Fuentes, known as the “Brazen Bull,” quickly went back to better resembling a matador, making himself an evasive target while picking his spots to land hard shots. 

The super tough Ibarra Hernandez finally began to show signs of wilting late in the fifth, when Fuentes landed hard to his body. With Ibarra Hernandez slumping his posture, Fuentes focused on his body attack to close the round. Fuentes closed the fight strong, but Ibarra Hernandez proved to be the durable type of opponent a young prospect should encounter on his rise. 

Judge Joel Farbstein scored the bout 59-55, while judges Rogelio Chapa and Michael Margado both had the fight scored a shutout, 60-54, for Fuentes. 

In the final preliminary bout prior to the main card, Jose Medrano Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) of Salinas, California scored a fourth-round stoppage of veteran Anel Dudo (4-9-1, 1 KO) of Aurora, Colorado by way of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Medrano, 127.4, worked behind his lengthy right jab to create openings for his left. Dudo, 126.8, hung tough in the early going before Medrano opened up in the fourth. Medrano landed with a power left that sent Dudo into retreat. With the Salinas native opening up and Dudo not offering back, referee Thomas Taylor leapt in at 44 seconds of the fourth to stop the contest. 

Jordan Panthen (12-2, 10 KOs) of Honolulu, Hawaii bullied his way back into the win column, dropping soft-punching Jean Rivera-Pacheco (10-3, 1 KO) of San Juan, Puerto Rico three times en route to a third-round stoppage.  

Panthen, 159.8, was the naturally stronger fighter in the bout and used his size and power edge over Rivera-Pacheco, 159.2, from the outset. Warned for tossing Rivera-Pacheco to the mat in the first, Panthen scored the first of three knockdowns with a left to the body early in the second round. Rivera-Pacheco beat the count looking less enthused about his standing in the bout. With Rivera-Pacheco already looking at taking a knee to regroup, Panthen landed to the body with a glancing blow to score the second knockdown of the second round. 

The writing was on the wall before Panthen scored the third knockdown with an overhand right early in the third. Referee Michael Margado made his count before waving off the bout at 1:30 of the third round. With the victory, Panthen ended a two-fight skid and claimed the regional WBA Intercontinental middleweight title in the process. 

WBA #1/WBO #6/WBC #12 ranked super flyweight John “Scrappy” Ramirez (17-1, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, California continued to inch closer to a crack at a world title, outboxing veteran Lucas Fernandez (14-5-2, 9 KOs) of Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina en route to a wide ten-round unanimous decision. 

Ramirez, 114.8, began the bout using his lateral movement and outworking Fernandez, 114.8, in stretches. Fernandez’s highlights in the bout were fleeting as he most notably landed with a solid right in the eighth that caused Ramirez to hold on for a moment. Ramirez slowed his movement in the later rounds, opting to plant his feet and let his hands go for extended exchanges, to much success. 

Judge David Solivan scored all but one round for Ramirez, 99-91, while judges Rogelio Chapa and Joel Farbstein both scored the bout 98-92. With the win, Ramirez stays in line for a possible world title challenge. 

In the opener, Enkhmandakh Kharkhuu (8-0, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia remained unbeaten with an hard-fought eight round unanimous decision over Adrian Ibarra Herrera (10-5, 8 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Ibarra Herrera pressed the action for much of the fight, with Kharkhuu playing the role of counter-puncher. After Ibarra Herrera pressured and outworked Kharkhuu in rounds two and three, Kharkhuu picked up the pace to begin the fourth. Along the way, Ibarra Herrera picked up a bad cut over his left eye, but it did not slow his output. They saved the best two-way action for the last half of the eighth and final round, as Kharkhuu especially sat down on his punches as Ibarra Herrera continued to press.

In the end, Kharkhuu won over all three judges; Melissa McMorrow, 80-72, Joel Farbstein, 78-74, and Rogelio Chapa, 77-75, for the unanimous decision nod.

Photos by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy Promotions

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com

By Norm Frauenheim

David Benavidez has gone upscale and now looks down scale, all in search of belts that add up to undisputed.

On any scale, it’s risky.

How heavy a risk?  The best measure is on that unforgiving scale. Benavidez gained 25 pounds to take Zurdo Ramirez’ cruiserweight belts. Now, Benavidez, still the reigning World Boxing Council’s light heavy champion, intends to lose those 25 pounds in a planned pursuit of Dmitrii Bivol’s three 175-pound belts.

That’s 50 pounds within just two fights, a dizzy up and down roller coaster ride on any scale. Charles Barkley says he lost 62 pounds within six months on Ozempic. The former Round Mound of Rebound must be jealous. Maybe, hungry, too

But Benavidez is nothing if not bold. He dramatically enhanced his pound-for-pound clout with a dominant stoppage of Ramirez at cruiser and now looks at Bivol in pursuit of the light-heavy belts that could make him undisputed for the first time.

The Bivol plan was disclosed this week on The PorterWay Podcast when Benavidez confirmed that there had been preliminary talks. Preliminary, of course, could mean just about anything.  A simple hello, after all, qualifies as preliminary.  However, longtime Bivol promoter Eddie Hearn also told Boxing Scene that he has had discussions with manager Luis DeCubas and PBC

“We like Bivol-Benavidez,’’ Hearn said.’’…I think Bivol-Benavidez is the fight to make.’’

So does Benavidez.

“Bivol is really the only fight I want, that I truly want, ‘’ said the Phoenix born-and-forged fighter, who no longer has any interest in an immediate bout with Zuffa cruiserweight Jai Opetaia. “He has all the belts. I really want those belts. I want those accolades. That’s the only thing I want right now.”

Odds are the belts will be there. Bivol is a 25-to-1 favorite May 30 to beat German challenger Michael Eifert in a fight with a couple of problematic wrinkles. It’s in Ekaterinburg, a Russian city about 1,778 mils from Ukraine.  Because of the Russian-Ukrainian war, only two – the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association – of Bivol’s belts are at stake.  The third — World Boxing Organization’s version — will not be. The WBO withdrew it because of the conflict.

The belts – accolades – are part of a resume planned by Benavidez. He’s trying to test limits few ever have. He’s already achieved one. In stopping Zurdo, he became the first in history to win world titles at 168, 175 and 200 pounds.  Yet, he still has not won an undisputed title, unlike the consensus pound-for-pound No. 1 Naoya Inoue, undisputed at two weights – bantam and junior-feather.

His pursuit of a date with Bivol, however, is no sure thing. It hinges on Bivol’s first fight since back surgery, which he underwent after he beat Arturo Betebiev in a rematch February 2025. Initially, it looked as if Bivol and Beterbiev, now 1-and-1, were headed for a trilogy fight.

But there has been no news from Beterbiev or his plans. He’s 41-years old, six years older than Bivol and 12 years older than Benavidez.

Meanwhile, interest in Benavidez has spiked since his May 2^nd star-making statement over Zurdo. It put him squarely in the race for 2026 Fighter of the Year.

Even before Zurdo, there had been talk of a fight with Bivol, who — like Zurdo — sparred multiple rounds with Benavidez when he was still at super-middle and just beginning his futile pursuit of a fight with Canelo Alvarez.

The sparring favored Benavidez, according to him and many who witnessed it. But years have come and gone. Benavidez is entering his prime; Bivol is near the end of his.

If there’s a time to fight, it’s now.