The big fight this week will take place on Friday when Emanuel Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) faces Ruben Villa (18-0, 5 KOs) for the vacant WBO featherweight title formerly held by Shakur Stevenson. ESPN will televise.
No official announcement yet, but it looks like Showtime’s card scheduled for Saturday featuring the IBF interim welterweight fight between Sergey Lipinets and Kudratillo Abdukakhorov is being postponed until October 24 due to visa issues with Abdukakhorov.
After losing Lipinets-Abdukakhorov, it looks like the David Lemieux vs. Francy Ntetu stream is the main dish for Saturday night fight fans this week. It’s a pay-per-view. Price is $59.99 Canadian ($46.23 USD).
It’s possible that ESPN+ could pick up some Euro action this Saturday. WBA interim light heavyweight champion Dominic Boesel faces Robin Krasniqi in Germany, and British middleweight champion Liam Williams meets Andrew Robinson in England. ESPN+ has aired previous shows from the respective promoters, so hopefully something happens.
Promoter Lou DiBella announced on Twitter that Ivan Baranchyk left the hospital with co-promoter Tony Holden. “Thankfully he’s well enough to talk about and appreciate the fight of 2020 with family. God is good,” wrote DiBella.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s comment on Zepeda-Baranchyk was “One of the best fights I’ve seen since Foreman-Lyle. Plain and simple.”
The WBC called it “the most dramatic fight seen in sixty-two years,” hearkening back to Archie Moore vs. Yvon Durelle in 1958.
Zepeda-Baranchyk will probably be “Fight of the Year,” “Round of the Year,” and “KO of the Year,” although Alexander Povetkin may have something to say about “KO of the Year.”
Looks like Fury-Wilder 3 might not happen until 2021. Wilder recently parted ways with co-trainer Mark Breland.
Sad to hear of the passing of longtime Boxeo Telemundo ring announcer Ernesto Zuazo, who left us last Friday at the age of 67. He was a class act and a good human being. RIP Ernesto.
Wilder should thank Breland and give him a large bonus for saving him and giving him the opportunity for one more big payday.
Breland should have fired Wilder for NON-IMPROVEMENT and continuing to display C level boxing skills
Yes, good points.
Looks like Wilder is going to be trained my Mayweather, smart move.
Jake,
Toooo late
Breland was an awesome fighter and a great trainer for Wilder. Breland knew how to connect and throw with accuracy while being in control. Bad move by Wilder. It’s not because of Breland that Wilder lost. Wilder needs to fire the brown noses around him and rehire Breland and learn to fight like Breland.
To me , it makes sense for Wilder to negotiate a deal where he doesn’t face Fury next.
If Mayweather comes in it’s likely to take a few fights for any improvements to take shape and surely the money is compromised by the current situation.
I think that now is the ideal time to try and rebuild in some lower key fights and if he can look good then maybe it will make the rematch more appealing.
BTW if what I have read re Breland’s treatment is true then he’s better off out of it
Was hoping Tommy Fury, (Tyson’s Mini me) would KO Marsellos “Mini me” Wilder on the same night.
Probably Paris Fury could KO Marsellos “The Chin” also.
I admire Deontay’s heart and power but his knuckle dragging mentality came out when Dominic Breazille was assaulted in a hotel lobby by the Wilder posse. And what a crappy way to treat a great boxing hero like Mark Breland… UFB
No good deed goes unpunished. Breland saves Wilder from a savage beatdown and gets blamed and fired. Wilder is delusional and is blaming everybody and everything else but himself. Look no further than the mirror! I believe Breland had been training him ever since he was an amateur, and honestly, I never understood what he was teaching him. Breland has the reputation of being a very technical trainer, and I never saw any of that in Wilder’s fight style. Perhaps he will benefit from Mayweather, who seems to suit Wilders boisterous and flamboyant personality more so than the mellow, subdued Breland. I actually met Breland when I was a kid before the 84 Olympics and I could barely tell he was awake!
No matter how you slice it Wilder needs a change. I doubt it can affect his next fight (assuming he moves forward with Fury next), but even psychologically a change could have an impact. If he took a few fights to actually work on using his jab, then maybe. Ultimately, I think he is what he is and if a trainer change can reinstill his belief, then he will always have a puncher’s chance.