Salido sharp in workout

Photos: Zanfer Promotions

WBO featherweight champion Orlando “Siri” Salido (39-11-2, 27 KOs) conducted a public workout Tuesday at the Gimnasio Osuna in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. Salido looked fast, strong and focused for his January 19 showdown with undefeated Miguel “Mikey” Garcia (30-0, 26 KOs) in The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“We’ve been preparing for eight weeks and in the past we’ve worked quickly and we’ve succeeded. We are in the range of the 126 pounds and won’t have problems,” said advisor Sean Gibbons. (more…)

Rios-Ramos Preview

Always-exciting featherweight Ronny Rios (19-0, 9 KOs), of Santa Ana, Calif., puts his unbeaten record on the line when he faces former WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Rico Ramos (21-1, 11 KOs), of Los Angeles, for the vacant NABF title on Friday night at Fantasy Springs Casino Resort in Indio, California.

The 22-year-old Rios, a stablemate of WBC world champions Abner Mares and Daniel Ponce de Leon is taking a significant leap in class after being steadily stepped up in recent fights. “I’ve been training really hard, and we really want to take advantage of this opportunity that’s been presented to us,” said Rios. “I’m looking forward to a good fight.”

IBF #7/WBA #8 Ramos, 25, captured the WBA 122-pound world title in his 20th pro fight with a spectacular, come-from-behind, one-punch, seventh-round knockout over Akifumi Shimoda in July 2011 is seeking his second consecutive victory since losing the WBA crown in his first defense to Guillermo Rigondeaux 12 months ago. (more…)

Canelo Alvarez Update

By Gabriel F. Cordero

A important source has informed Fightnews.com that Mexican idol Saul Alvarez has not yet signed a contract for the May 4 Golden Boy Promotions events at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, where it is rumored that he could face WBA super welterweight champion Austin Trout. The source indicates that the fight is expected to be finalized in the next few days, but apparently hinges on a possible fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr on September 14. The source further states that if Golden Boy can’t assure the bout against Mayweather then Alvarez may prefer another date in the U.S. or even fight in Mexico. Canelo’s manager Eddy Reynoso is already on the record saying that Alvarez could defend his crown in Mexico with the support of HBO.

Sturm: “I’m ready for Soliman!”

Photo by Sturm Box-Promotion

Three-Time Middleweight Champion Felix Sturm is currently preparing for his Feb. 1st IBF title eliminator against No. 1 contender Sam Soliman from Australia. The bout will headline a Sturm Box-Promotion event at the ISS Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany, which will feature Susi Kentikian and Maurice Weber among others on the undercard.

The fight will declare the official challenger for the winner of Daniel Geale’s rematch and IBF title defense against Anthony Mundine on Jan. 30th. Geale defeated Sturm by a narrow decision last September to capture Sturm’s WBA belt. He has since relinquished that title in order to face Mundine since the WBA mandated him to face WBA regular titleholder Gennady Golovkin without any further fights.

Sturm has been preparing hard for Soliman in the last couple weeks and begun sparring on Monday. “I’m already in great shape. My condition is there, the speed, the movement”, Sturm stated. “I’m now looking to get the final touch in sparring. I need to beat Soliman to reach my goal of becoming world champion again and getting a rematch with Geale. But make no mistake, I won’t overlook Sam – he is a great and dangerous fighter and the rightful No. 1 contender. But that doesn’t matter when he steps into the ring with me. I promise I will go out victorious. I want to become Germany’s first four-time champion of the world.” (more…)

Dannie Williams Seeks Redemption

By Brian Grammer
Photos: Bob Barton/Rumble Time Promotions

“Dangerous” Dannie Williams’ life has been a series of second chances. A record of 22-2 with 18 knockouts and seeking a return to the lightweight spotlight, Williams continues to pursue his dream of being a world champion. The former WBC Continental Americas champion lost a tough unanimous decision to then-NABF lightweight titlist, “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy in March 2012, dropping him out of the rankings.

The 2004 national Golden Gloves gold medalist at 132 pounds, Williams amassed a record of 127-27, with one of those wins over an undefeated Brandon Rios. He turned pro in 2005 and had won his first three bouts, all by stoppage.

Life as a young man in North St. Louis then intervened. A conviction for unlawful weapons use resulted in an almost three year stay in a Missouri penitentiary. “They call those places ‘correctional facilities’ for a reason.,” said Williams. “You either get yourself correct or you just end up going back.” (more…)

Gutknecht: I’m already in good shape

Current EBU light heavyweight champion Eduard Gutknecht (24-1, 9 KOs) is ready to defend his title against former WBO World Champion Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30 KOs) at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany on February 2. Just a few days ago, Gutknecht and assistant coach Georg Bramowski undertook a fitness test on the treadmill, which the 30-year-old champion passed with flying colors. That test was now followed by an assessment of his all-around punching abilities as a boxer, which includes power, precision and stamina. Again, Gutknecht showed an outstanding performance, which testified that he is already in good shape to defend his title in less than a month. (more…)

FBHOF Class of 2013 to be announced

The Florida Boxing Hall of Fame will announce the names of the inductees into the class of 2013 on Saturday at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel, 100 Fairway Dr., Deerfield Beach, Florida. The event kicks off at 5:30 pm with a cocktail party followed by a buffet dinner, all with an open bar. The formal announcement will take place during the dinner portion. Many former and new inductees will be attending. Confirmed guests include former light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson, former heavyweight champion, Pinklon Thomas, HBO Boxing analyst Harold Lederman, Micky Ward, Howard Davis, Jr., and legendary promotor Don King and more. Starting at 8:00 pm, following the announcement of the inductees, a program of amateur boxing will be presented. Tickets for this Gala Event are reasonably priced at $50, all inclusive. The official induction ceremonies will take place in Tampa on June 21-23.

“Confesor” defends WBC 108lb belt on Saturday

Photos: Pepe Rodriguez

WBC jr flyweight world champion Adrian “Confesor” Hernandez (25-2-1, 16 KOs) will expose his title for the first time against Panamanian Dirceu Cabarca (13-6, 5 KOs) on Saturday in Toluca, Mexico State. Hernandez, in his second run as world champion, is now more mature and focused and plans to keep this belt for a long time and defend it continuously, same as his countrymen Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez (11 defenses as champion in three stages between 1989 and 1995) and Jorge “Travieso” Arce (7 defenses between 2002 and 2004). (more…)

Haye only interested in Vitali

Heavyweight David Haye says he is only interested in challenging WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko and will never fight upcoming contenders David Price or Tyson Fury. Haye told Sky Sports that Price has “all the tools that a Klitschko has,” and should be ready within two years. “I’ll be long retired by then with my pipe and slippers.”

Canelo resumes training camp

By Hesiquio Balderas / Canelo Promotions
Photos: Jorge Israel Barajas / Canelo Promotions

Super Welterweight World champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, began his preparation towards the sixth defense of his WBC title belt, scheduled on May 4 against an opponent to be announced. The Mexican superstar ran early today in the Los Colomos Forest, in Guadalajara, Mexico under the watchful eye of his manager Chepo Reynoso and his trainer Edison Reynoso. Canelo and his team were sorouded by a group of fighters that work under the Canelo Promotions banner. “Canelo” ran with hat and gloves to cover the prevailing cold winter mornings in Guadalajara. (more…)

Tyson Marquez returns March 23

Former WBA flyweight champion Hernan “Tyson” Marquez is scheduled to return March 23 at the Estado Nuevo in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico against a high level opponent. “There are great plans for ‘Tyson’ Marquez and we will seek a rematch with Viloria for the second half of 2013,” said Zanfer President Fernando Beltran. “But if Viloria decides to climb to super flyweight, then ‘Tyson’ will seek the WBO flyweight scepter that would become vacant…Hernan Marquez has our full support and backup. He’s a fighter of great courage and both television and the public likes him. He’s young, healthy and very dedicated, and certainly will be world champion again.”

Report/photos: Muwendo vs. Napunyi

Ringside report and photos by Jesse Kelley

Ismail “The Sharp Shooter” Muwendo moved to (12-0, 9 KO’s) with a unanimous decision victory over Anthony Napunyi (14-12, 7 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, MN. Scores read 79-73, 79-73, 80-72 all in favor of Muwendo following 8 rounds of action.

Muwendo controlled the fight and dictated the pace although he did have trouble landing clean at times on Napunyi, who was crafty defensively. There was reportedly a history of bad feelings between the two African born fighters going in which was most likely the reason Muwendo came out a little wild. (more…)

Sabaupan, Jaro to invade Puerto Rico

Filipinos Al Sabaupan and Sonny Boy Jaro will face Puerto Ricans Jose “Chelo” Gonzalez and McWilliams Arroyo on February 2 at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, where former two time world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez will return to the ring in a PR Best Boxing Promotions (PRBBP) presentation in association with Top Rank. “These (Sabaupan and Jaro) will be good foes for Chelo Gonzalez and McWilliams Arroyo. There are hard tests for them,” PRBBP Vice-President Peter Rivera said. (more…)

Ward set to begin rehab after surgery

Photos: Squint Photo

Deferring to the recommendation of a noted Bay Area orthopedic specialist after receiving a second opinion on his injured right shoulder, reigning WBA/WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward underwent successful surgery, which will keep him out of action for an indefinite period and has forced the postponement of his highly-anticipated title bout against Kelly Pavlik for a second time. Originally scheduled as an HBO “World Championship Boxing” main event from the Galen Center on the campus of USC on January 26, the bout was rescheduled to March 2nd after the 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, “Super Six” World Boxing Classic tournament winner and 2011 “Fighter of the Year” felt pain in his right shoulder after throwing a punch at sparring partner Tony Hirsch during training in Andre’s hometown of Oakland. The original MRI revealed a significant amount of swelling and inflammation, but no injury to the rotator cuff. (more…)

Yuri Foreman opponent named

On Wednesday, January 23, former junior middleweight world champion Yuri Foreman (28-2, 8KOs) will return to the ring for the first time in nearly two years when he takes on Brandon Baue (12-8, 10KOs) in a special attraction six-round feature bout at BB King Blues club in New York City. The Belarusian-born Israeli Foreman, who has been living and training in Brooklyn since 1999, is studying to become a Rabbi in addition to competing as a professional boxer. (more…)

Ayala: Stevens is dangerous but he is not Abraham

On Saturday night January 19th former world title challenger Elvin Ayala (26-5-1, 12 KOs) will take on Curtis Stevens (22-3, 16 KOs) in a Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut in a bout to be televised by the NBC Sports Network. For the thirty-one year old Ayala, this fight is a chance to get to the head of the line for a second world title opportunity. It is also a “full circle” moment for Ayala as he is training in the place where he was born in Reading, Pennsylvania under the eye of trainer Marshall Kauffman.

“I was born in Reading but I have lived in New Haven, Connecticut for the better part of a decade. So this is a homecoming in many ways as I get to train where I grew up and I am fighting so close to the place which is my adopted home”, said Ayala. But standing in front of him is noted “Chin Checker”, Curtis “Showtime” Stevens. (more…)

Braehmer vows to “get rid of” Gutknecht

Photo: Team Sauerland

Former WBO light heavyweight champion Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30 KOs) is doing everything he can to ensure that he gets the new year off to a winning start. The 34-year-old will challenge current European Light Heavyweight Champion Eduard Gutknecht (24-1, 9 KOs) when the pair meet inside the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany. After having spent some of his training in Berlin and Schwerin, Braehmer and his coach Karsten Roewer have now travelled to the city of Guestrow in the north of Germany to add the finishing touches for the title fight. (more…)

Q&A with Mike Mollo

Interview and photos by Przemek Garczarczyk

“We’ll see what Szpilka can and cannot do on Friday, February 1. I heard that he’s already scheduled his next fight three weeks after we meet in Chicago. Hell, he is sure about himself, isn’t he? Thanks for extra motivation, Artur. I watched couple of his fights but it didn’t help me because people he was fighting were not comparable to my style, my power,” says heavyweight Mike Mollo (20-3, 12 KOs) who on February 1 will fight the new Polish heavyweight hope Artur Szpilka (12-0, 9 KOs) in Chicago’s UIC Pavilion. Mollo-Szpilka fight will be a part of an ESPN Friday Night Fights card, but it won’t be televised live in United States, only in Szpilka’s native Poland. The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine, at the corner of Harrison and Racine on the campus of University of Illinois-Chicago. (more…)

Gavin ready for Welborn

Frankie Gavin’s trainer Tom Chaney says that winning the British Welterweight title has put a sparkle in his fighter and that he’ll shine on January 18th at Walsall Town Hall when he defends against Jason Welborn. Chaney, who took Gavin to two ABA titles, Commonwealth Gold and a World title in the amateurs, joined Gavin in the professional ranks as his trainer at the beginning of last year and helped the young star through personal problems that affected his form. Since then the pair have racked up three wins together culminating last November when Gavin put on his best performance to date against Junior Witter to win the British title, outpointing the wiley veteran at London’s York Hall. (more…)

Confident Rosado bets it all against Golovkin

Story and photos by John DiSanto/Philly Boxing History (.com)

North Philly junior middleweight “King” Gabriel Rosado started 2012 as a fairly well-kept boxing secret, just another tough kid with a modest record of 18-5. He was popular among Philly fight fanatics, but uninteresting to the TV networks and boxing powerbrokers that make the fights that change lives.

However, 2012 changed all that! (more…)

Agbeko-Melendez on Feb 22 for IBO belt in Ghana

Former IBF bantamweight world champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko (28-4, 22 KOs) will fight for the vacant IBO bantamweight belt against Colombian Luis Melendes (34-8-1, 25 KOs) on February 22 in front of an estimated 40,000+ at the Accra Sports Stadium in Agbeko’s native Ghana. It will be Agbeko’s first fight since a December 2011 loss to IBF champion Abner Mares, and the first world title fight in Ghana since Azumah Nelson defended his belt against Sidnei Dal Rovere in 1988.

Q&A: Daniel Geale trainer Graham Shaw

Interview and photo by Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Fightnews talks to Graham Shaw, trainer for IBF middleweight champion Daniel “Real Deal” Geale, who defends the title against Anthony “The Man” Mundine on January 30 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Shaw is confident that Geale will win this rematch and avenge his 2009 loss to Mundine. He also talks about possible million dollar fights with Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm, and also Gennady Golovkin’s amateur win over Geale.

How is training for Geale’s January 30 IBF title defense against Mundine?

We started sparring three weeks ago and he is now boxing ten rounds in gym sessions. He is looking very sharp now. We had three sparring sessions with Sakio Bika who had to leave for a fight in the USA. We have Rob Medley and Trent Broadhurst who worked with Daniel for the Sebastian Sylvester fight. I am also having (WBA #9) Ben McCullouch who was sparring partner for Sturm fight. Robbie Bryant sparred Geale six rounds a few weeks ago. Daniel is looking very good with over three weeks to go. (more…)