Janibek Alimkhanuly firmly cemented himself as one of the top-middleweights in the world as he captured the WBO Interim Middleweight title with a two-round thrashing of Danny Dignum at Resorts World Las Vegas.

In round one, Alimkhanuly dropped Dignum with a left hand. Round two saw Alimkhanuly land a vicious combination that punctuated by a left to the head and left uppercut that put Dignim flat on his back and the fight was called at 2:11.

Alimkhanuly, 160 lbs of Kazakhstan is now 12-0 with eight knockouts. Dignum, 159 lbs of Essex, ENG is 14-1-1.

“I am in the ring right now, and I want to tell every champion in this weight class, I am here waiting for you. I am asking every champion to come and fight me,” Janibek said. “I told {Dignum} I wish him luck in the future. I think he’s a good fighter. He showed good skills and has a big future.”

Said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, “Janibek is the next middleweight superstar. There is no doubt that he is the future of the division. What a sensational performance from a great young man and fighter.”

Jamaine Ortiz Decisions Jamel Herring

Jamaine Ortiz scored the biggest win of his career as he won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Jamel Herring in a lightweight fight.

Ortiz landed 186 of punches; Herring was 115 of 429.

Ortiz, 135 lbs of Worcester, MA won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 16-0-1. Herring, 135 lbs of Coram, NY is 21-4.

“I still got a lot of work to do. I’m just growing and going at the pace I’m going. I gotta learn quick. I gotta pick things up a little bit. I’m not afraid of challenges, and I’m here to prove I’m the best to myself, not anyone else,” Ortiz said. “I feel like I could’ve done a lot better, a lot cleaner {of a} performance. I’m hard on myself. I’m always going to be hard on myself. Much respect to a former world champion. That was an achievement I wanted to do in my career.”

Herring said, “He had a better output. I wasn’t tired or anything. He just beat me to the draw…. Jamaine was just the better man. Maybe this is it.”

Tiger Johnson Stops Kucharski in 3

2021 United States Olympian Tiger Johnson stopped Agustin Kucharski in round three of their six-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Kucharski had blood around the right eye.

In round three, Johnson dropped Kucharski twice with the finisher being a right to the head. Kucharski’s corner threw in the towel at 54 seconds.

Johnson, 142.4 lbs of Cleveland, OH is4-0 with three knockouts. Kucharski, 143.2 lbs of Cordoba, ARG is 8-5-1.

Adam Lopez got off the canvas twice to come back and win a eight-round unanimous decision over William Encarnacion in a featherweight bout.

In round one, Encarnacion dropped Lopez with a left hook. In round three, it was a counter right that put Lopez on the canvas.

Lopez, 126.8 lbs of Glendale, CA won by scores of 7-74 twice and 76-74 and is now 16-3. Encarnacion, 126.2 lbs of San Juan de la Manguia, DR is 19-3.

Karlos Balderas won an six-round unanimous decision over Ruben Cervera in a junior lightweight bout.

In round one, Balderas landed a counter left that sent Cervera to the canvas. In round three, it was another left hook that deposited Cervera on the deck.

Balderas, 132 lbs of Santa Maria, CA won by scores of 58-54 twice and 57-55 and is now 13-1. Cervera, 130.8 lbs of Santa Maria, CA is 130-3.

Former world champion Jessie Magdaleno came back from a two-year layoff to win an eight-round unanimous decision over Edy Valencia in a featherweight bout.

Magdaleno, 127.2 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 29-1. Valencia, 126.8 lbs of Culican, MEX is 19-7-6.

Duke Ragan remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Victorino Gonzalez in a featherweight bout.

Ragan, 127.6 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by 40-36 scores on all cards and is now 6-0. Gonzalez, 127 lbs of Pawleys Island, SC is 5-3.

Giovanni Cabrera remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Elias Araujo in a lightweight bout.

Cabrera, 135.4 lbs of Chicago, IL won by scores of 79-72, 78-73 and 77-74 and is now 20-0. Araujo, 135.4 lbs of Monte Comlin, ARG is 21-5.

LAS VEGAS (May 16, 2022) — Tiger Johnson has been ready for prime time ever since representing the U.S. at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. The welterweight standout will get a chance to put his skills on display in prime time as he fights an opponent to be named in a six-round special feature Saturday, May 21, at the Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World Las Vegas. Johnson’s bout will open the ESPN telecast of the Janibek Alimkhanuly-Danny Dignum WBO Interim middleweight world title bout.

Alimkhanuly-Dignum, a 10-round lightweight co-feature between Jamel Herring and Jamaine Ortiz, and Johnson’s return will air live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Following his Olympic run, Johnson (3-0, 2 KOs) made an impressive pro debut by stopping Antonius Grable in the fourth round last November on the Terence Crawford-Shawn Porter undercard. The 23-year-old followed up that performance with a decision win over Xavier Madrid and a fourth-round TKO over Sebastian Gabriel Chaves.

The following undercard bouts are scheduled to stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

• Southern California standout Adam “Blunose” Lopez (15-3, 6 KOs) will face Dominican puncher William Encarnacion (19-2, 15 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout. Lopez became a fan favorite after a breakout performance against Oscar Valdez in November 2019. Despite losing that fight, Lopez demonstrated the poise and composure that would eventually lead him to wins over Louie Coria, Jason Sanchez, and a razor-thin majority decision loss to former world champion Isaac Dogboe. The 26-year-old faces yet another tough challenge in Encarnacion, who is coming off a loss against top contender Abraham Nova.
   
• 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas (12-1, 11 KOs) will take on Colombian Ruben Cervera (13-2, 11 KOs) in a junior lightweight clash scheduled for eight or six rounds. Balderas is coming off three consecutive stoppage victories since signing with Top Rank last year.
   
• Former world champion Jessie Magdaleno (28-1, 18 KOs) returns from a nearly two-year layoff to fight Mexico’s Edy Valencia Mercado (19-6-6, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder at featherweight. Magdaleno has won three in a row since losing the WBO junior featherweight crown to Isaac Dogboe in April 2018.
   
• U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (5-0, 1 KO), from Cincinnati, Ohio, will put his unbeaten record on the line against Victorino Gonzalez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a featherweight bout scheduled for six or four rounds.
   
• Steven “So Cold” Nelson (17-0, 14 KOs), from Omaha, Nebraska, returns from an extended layoff to take on Louis Rose (17-3-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round light heavyweight battle. Nelson, who knocked out DeAndre Ware in September 2020, suffered a torn Achilles shortly after that bout.

The undercard will also feature three swing bouts:

• Undefeated lightweight contender Giovanni “El Cabron” Cabrera (19-0, 7 KOs), a Chicago native who signed with Top Rank earlier this year, will face Argentinean veteran Elias Araujo (21-4, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
   
• Lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy (2-0, 2 KOs), a former Team USA amateur standout from Brisbane, California, returns in a four-rounder against New Orleans native Burnell Jenkins (2-1, 1 KO).
   
• Rising junior welterweight Kasir “Mazzi” Goldston (4-0, 1 KO) will fight Cuban spoiler Yaniel Alvarez (2-1, 1 KO) in a bout scheduled for six or four rounds.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $25 are on sale now and can be purchased at Etix.com.
 # # #
About Resorts World Las Vegas
Resorts World Las Vegas was developed by Genting Berhad, a publicly traded Malaysian corporation registered with the Nevada Gaming Commission. The company has affiliated operations in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas. In partnership with Hilton, Resorts World Las Vegas integrates three of Hilton’s premium brands into its resort campus, including Las Vegas Hilton, the resort’s full-service brand; Conrad Las Vegas, Hilton’s lifestyle luxury brand; and LXR, Hilton’s network of independent luxury properties, which operates as Crockfords Las Vegas, Genting’s internationally renowned ultra-luxury brand. Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506 guest rooms and suites, an innovative, next-generation gaming floor, world-class food and beverage options, a 5,000-capacity theatre, distinct nightlife venues, a curated retail collection of designer and boutique shops and more. The integrated resort weaves time-honored traditions of the international Resorts World brand into the fabric of Las Vegas, introducing a bold, fresh take on hospitality to the city with stunning design, progressive technology and world-class guest service. Resorts World Las Vegas is?Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™?with?Forbes Travel Guide,?a verification that ensures the resort has appropriate health safety procedures in place.?For?more information, visit?rwlasvegas.com?or find us on?Facebook,?LinkedIn,?Twitter?and?Instagram.

About Genting Group
Genting Group comprises Genting Berhad (KLSE: GENTING), the holding company, and its listed companies Genting Malaysia Berhad (KLSE: GENM), Genting Plantations Berhad (KLSE: GENP) and Genting Singapore Limited (SGX: G13). Genting Group is involved in leisure and hospitality, power generation, oil and gas, property development, life sciences and biotechnology activities, with operations spanning across the globe, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, the United States of America, Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Genting Group is a leader in the global gaming and hospitality industry. Founded in 1965, Genting Group has more than 50 years of experience in developing and operating destination resorts in the Americas, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas, offering an unparalleled resort experience and iconic entertainment attractions to over 50 million visitors a year. For more information, visit?www.genting.com. 

Joe Smith Jr. retained the WBO Light Heavyweight title with a 9th round stoppage over late-replacement Steve Geffrard at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Smith dominated the action by landing power shots to back up Geffrard. Geffrard showed little resistance, but was able to hang around and last rounds by moving a little bit. He spent most of his time eating hard shots on the ropes.

in round nine, Smith threw a quick 15-punch flurry that put Geffrard down for the 10-count just as his corner was stopping the fight at 37 seconds.

Smith, 174 1/4 lbs of Long Island, NY is 28-3 with 22 knockouts. Geffrard, 173.5 lbs of Delray Beach, FL 18-3.

Smith said, “He really brought it today. It was a great fight. As you can see, he’s a great boxer, a good survivor. I was trying to get him out of there early, but I realized he was very tough and I wasn’t going to be able to do that. I tried to wait until the later rounds and started throwing more combinations to pick him apart.
 
“{Beterbiev} is what I want. I want to get back in the gym, work on my craft, and like I say each and every time I get in the ring, I’m going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I’ll be ready for anybody.
 
“If Canelo wants to come to 175 and fight me, I’m ready for him. That’s the fight I want. Everybody would love to see that fight. It would be a big deal.”

Nova Stops Encarnacion in 8

Abraham Nova made his featherweight debut with an 8th round stoppage over William Encarnacion.

Nova dominated the action as he landed some solid body punches early. Nova began to take his work work upstairs and started to wobble Encarnacion in round six through the rest of the fight, which was stopped at 55 of round eight after a big flurry of punches.

Nova, 126 3/4 lbs of Albany, NY is 21-0 with 15 knockouts. Encarnacion, 127 lbs of The Dominican Republic is 19-2.

Nova said, “It feels good to fight close to home a day after my birthday. I had a tricky opponent in front of me, but I got the job done.

“I want {WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete}, to be honest. Everybody thinks he’ll blow me out. Put him in there. Let’s see if he’ll do it. I know I’ll beat him. I know I have the punch output, I know I’ll knock him out, and I know I’ll be the next WBO champion.”

Omar Rosario celebrated his 24th birthday with a six-round unanimous decision over Rawkwon Butler in a junior welterweight fight.

In round six, Butler was bleeding from his nose.

Rosario landed 132 of 368 punches; Butler was 52 of 218.

Rosario, 139 1/4 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 58-55 and 59-54 twice and is now 6-0. Butler, 138 1/4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 4-2.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Akeem Black in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Tucker dropped Black after a series of hard power shots that was finished up with an uppercut. The onslaught continued in round two as Tucker continued to batter Black until the fight was stopped at 1:18.

The 18 year-old Tucker, 146 3/4 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 6-0 with four knockouts. Black, 145 3/4 lbs of Chicago, IL is 6-5.

2021 U.S. Olympian Troy Isley pounded Harry Keenan Cruz-Cubano for a six-round unanimous decision in a middleweight fight.

In round one, Cruz-Cubano was cut under his left eye.

In round six, Isley was deducted a point for a low blow.

Isley, 156 1/4 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 59-53 and 59-54 twice and is now 4-0. Cruz-Cubano, 156 1/4 lbs of Jacksonville, FLA is 6-3.

Lyubomyr Pinchuk won an eight-round unanimous decision over Jose Mario Flores in a cruiserweight fight.

In round two, Pinchuk was cut over his left eye from a clash of heads.

Pinchuk, 194.5 lbs of Lviv, UKR won by scores of 8-72 and 79-73 and is now 14-2-1. Flores, 197.5 lbs of Washington, DC is 8-3-2.

New York (January 14, 2022) — Tomorrow Night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, Abraham Nova takes on William Encarnacion in a 10-round featherweight bout.

Also, Split-T Management’s undefeated junior welterweight Omar Rosario takes on Raekwon Butler.

The fight will be the co-feature bout live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) Saturday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Nova, who is world-ranked (number-three by the WBO) at junior lightweight, moves down in weight class.

The Albany, New York native will fight close to home, as the Split-T Management fighter comes into the ring with a record of 20-0 with 14 knockouts.

Nova, 28 years-old has wins over Weusi Johnson (1-0), Martin Nicolas Matamala (9-2), Andres Zepeda (7-1), Hassan Nourdine (9-2), Sulaiman Segawa (11-1), Bryan Pelaez (8-2), Mario Ezequiel Sayal Lozano (18-2-1), Luis Ronaldo Castillo (20-3), Avery Sparrow (10-1) and his bout when Nova won a unanimous decision over Richard Pumicpic on August 14, 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Nova weighed 126.75 lbs. Encarnacion was 127 lbs

Nova is promoted by Top Rank, Murphy’s Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotions

Encarnacion of the Dominican Republic is 19-1 with 15 knockouts.

Encarnacion, 33 has wins over Anyelo Munoz (10-2), Alan Guzman (16-1), John Casado (17-1), Danny Aguero (11-1), Marlembron Acuna (4-1), Milner Marcano (10-2), and Eliezer Aquino (19-2-1). In his last outing, Encarnacion won a unanimous decision over Donny Garcia on December 17, 2020. This will be Encarnacion’s American debut.

Beginning at 7:45 on ESPN+, junior welterweight Omar Rosario will look to stay undefeated as he takes on Raekwon Butler.

Rosario of Caguas, Puerto Rico is 5-0 with two knockouts. The former Puerto Rican amateur star has defeated three undefeated foes in his first five fights with wins over Uriel Vallanueva (1-0), Wilfred Mariano (3-0) and his last opponent, Marc Misiura (2-0) on August 27, 2021 in Plant City, Florida.

Butler of Brooklyn, New York is 4-1 with two knockouts. The 26 year-old Butler is coming off a unanimous decision over Derrick Whitley on December 11, 2021 in Philadelphia.

Rosario weighed in at 139.25 lbs Butler checked in at 138.25

Rosario is promoted by Top Rank

VERONA, N.Y. (Jan. 7, 2022) — WBO light heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr will make his first title defense against an unlikely contender. British puncher Callum Johnson tested positive for COVID-19, so Smith will now face Steve Geffrard on Saturday, Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino and LIVE on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In the 10-round co-feature, featherweight contender Abraham Nova (20-0, 14 KOs), who was originally slated to fight Jose Enrique Vivas, will fight Dominican veteran William “El Gago” Encarnacion (19-1, 15 KOs) after Vivas dropped out with an injury.

“I give Steve credit for taking this fight on short notice,” Smith said. “He is a tough guy, and I expect him to bring everything he has for this opportunity. I’m ready to fight regardless of who is in the ring with me. My goal is the same, which is to defend my world title and keep it on Long Island where it belongs.”

Geffrard said, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s crazy how boxing works. One moment I’m thinking about boxing on a local show, then the phone rings for a chance to fight for the WBO world title on ESPN. Unreal!”

Smith (27-3, 21 KOs), the fighting pride of Long Island, won the title last April with a majority decision over Maxim Vlasov. His proposed October return was postponed due to a COVID-19 diagnosis, and with Johnson out, he turns his attention to Geffrard (18-2, 12 KOs), a 31-year-old native of Miami, Florida.

Geffrard is a nine-year pro who has won 18 straight fights since starting his career 0-2. He upped his record to 18-2 last March, winning an eight-round unanimous decision over longtime contender Denis Grachev. Geffrard had a fight scheduled for Jan. 8 in Delray Beach, Florida, but the “South Florida Cinderella Man” jumped at the chance to fight Smith on eight days’ notice.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, tickets priced from $49 to $89 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.

About Turning Stone Resort Casino

Host of the January 15^th event, Turning Stone Resort Casino is a Forbes Four-Star Award-winning destination resort, which continues to distinguish itself as a premier venue for fight-of-the-year caliber boxing. Turning Stone features world-class amenities including The Lounge with Caesars Sports, a state-of-the-art sports book in partnership with Caesars Entertainment, five hotels, more than 20 signature dining options, two spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, multiple entertainment venues, five golf courses, and several bars and lounges offering live entertainment every weekend.  Additionally, Turning Stone is the Official Resort Casino of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. The partnership is a multifaceted initiative to spotlight boxing throughout the entire region. The program includes a series of boxing events at Turning Stone that culminate every year in June with an elaborate and bigger-than-ever International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend celebration.  International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend will be held June 9 – 12, 2022.

As an increasing number of athletes and performers now require ticketholders to be vaccinated, Turning Stone has updated its health and safety protocols for the Event Center, The Showroom and Exit 33 nightlife venues to align with industry health and safety protocols.  All ticketholders 12 years or older are required to provide proof of vaccination to attend any event at the Turning Stone Event Center or The Showroom. Children 11 years or younger who are not vaccinated are required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of the event and will be required to wear face coverings while at Turning Stone. Guests visiting areas other than the Event Center, The Showroom and Exit 33 nightlife venues at Turning Stone are not required to provide proof of vaccination. All guests visiting Turning Stone are required to wear masks.