Fightnews.com

Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) has arrived in San Antonio and kicked off fight week with an appearance at the San Antonio Spurs vs. Charlotte Hornets game at the AT&T Center. Zurdo was on-site to be cheered on by the fans and square off with the San Antonio Spurs’ mascot “Coyote.” Ramirez is set to face Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez (21-3, 17 KOs) in a 12-round WBA light heavyweight world title eliminator Saturday on DAZN.

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

On the undercard of the Inoue-Dipaen world bantamweight title bout, sensational former K-1 champ Yoshiki Takei (3-0, 3 KOs), 122.5, scored three consecutive first-round demolition in as many career when he needed just 59 seconds in the opening session to dispose of Kazuhiro Imamura (2-1-1, 1 KO), 121, in a scheduled eight on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.  Takei, formerly K-1 Grand prix 122-pound champ, had registered a 23-2 mark with 16 stoppages.  Yoshiki, a stylish southpaw at 25, cautiously started fighting and caught Imamura with a southpaw right uppercut to put him prone en route to a fine TKO victory.  Prior to his debut in the international style fighting Takei engaged in an exhibition with ex-WBO flyweight champ Sho Kimura and lopsidedly battered him nearly at will.  Ohashi Promotions once planned to make Takei win any regional belt within three pro outings, but the WBO Asia Pacific body told Takei for at least ten professional bouts, which was very logical.  The vastly talented Takei, quick and hard-punching, will acquire any regional belt sooner or later.  This prospect is worth watching.

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By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBA #8 middleweight Michael Zerafa (28-4, 17 KOs) will be in action against Fijian Siliveni Nawai (12-4- 1, 8 KOs) over ten rounds on Monday with the WBA Oceana title up for grabs at the Melbourne Pavillion, Flemington, Victoria, Australia . Zerafa is coming off a knockout over former WBA super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine in round one in March. Promoter and matchmaker Sam LaBruna.

Former WBA super flyweight champion Andrew Moloney (21-2, 14 KOs) will clash with Frolan Saludar (32-4-1, 22 KOs) over ten rounds on Tuesday  at the Star Event Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Moloney challenged Joshua Franco for the WBA super flyweight crown unsuccessfully in August losing a twelve round decision in Las Vegas. Televised Foxtel Main Event and ESPN+. Promoter George Rose/No Limit Promotions. Matchmaker Matt Rose.

Australian heavyweight contender and rugby league legend Paul Gallen (11-1-2, 6 KOs) returns against Darcy Lussick (1-0, 1 KO) on Wednesday at the Star Event Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Gallen, 40, is one of Australia’s biggest pay-per-view stars and in his most recent contest reportedly was paid AUD$1.5 million when he was defeated in ten rounds against Justis Huni in an Australian heavyweight title challenge in June. Continue reading “Zerafa, Moloney, Gallen return next week”

By Miguel Maravilla

East LA’s WBA minimumweight champion Seneisa “Super Bad” Estrada (21-0, 8 KOs) will defend her title against undefeated Maria “La Imparable” Santizo (9-0, 5 KOs) of Guatemala City, Guatemala, this Saturday night at the AT&T Center in San Antonio live on DAZN. Fightnews.com® caught up with her and here is what the champ had to say.

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By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni (5-0, 4 KOs) is in Los Angeles, training with former Manny Pacquiao strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune in preparation for his national title defense against Joseph Goodall (7-0-1, 6 KOs) n Brisbane on February 4.

“We’re pretty fortunate to be in the position that we’re in,” Huni’s father and trainer Rocki Huni told Wide World of Sports. “It’s all thanks to the team – (promoter) Dean Lonergan, (matchmaker) Stuart Duncan – to get this opportunity to train with a legend like Justin Fortune. Continue reading “Huni training with Justin Fortune in LA”

Woman’s P4P best and seven-division world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano faces Miriam Gutierrez in the co-main event of Saturday’s Paul-Woodley PPV in Tampa, Florida. Serrano is moving up to lightweight in anticipation of challenging undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor next year.

“I have knockout power throughout all the weight classes, but I do feel stronger at this weight,” said Serrano. The girls at this weight are a little slower, so it’s going to be a different attack than what you saw from my last fight. I have a task in front of me and that’s Miriam Gutierrez. I always train like I’m the underdog. Once you overlook your opponent, you won’t get what you want in the future.”

Of course, if Serrano knocks out Gutierrez, it would send a message to Taylor, who beat Gutierrez by decision last year. Continue reading “Serrano: Lightweight is where the big fights are”

By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán / President of the WBC

This past Saturday a wonderful cycle culminated in the lightweight division; without a doubt, the most attractive category of today, filled with talent and potential great matches to be made. With great satisfaction, we see that the World Boxing Council concept of the franchise champion is flourishing.

This innovation arose to recognize those few elite boxers with special benefits, but most importantly to enable the great fights to be made.

This concept still has detractors. Resistance to change is a conservative and stubborn part of human nature, and systematic criticism from those who live in obduracy occurs incessantly when there are controversial issues.

It is confusing, but the results and the facts are what count. They speak for themselves. Continue reading “Recognition of the Greatness of Boxing”

On January 22, in the Lincoln Ballroom of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, Michigan, Salita Promotions returns for another installment of their popular “Detroit Brawl” series of professional boxing shows.

Appearing in the night’s 10-round middleweight main event will be WBC #9- and WBO #15-ranked middleweight Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr. (28-3-1, 15 KOs) taking on an opponent to be announced shortly. Continue reading “Hugo “The Boss” Centeno returns Jan 22″

World light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs), boxing’s only world champion with a 100% knockout rate, will defend his WBC and IBF titles against 2012 U.S. Olympian Marcus Browne (24-1, 16 KOs) this Friday at Bell Centre in Montreal. The fighters previewed their bout at Wednesday’s press conference.

Artur Beterbiev: “We are ready. We had a good training camp, and I am ready to show my best on Friday night.”

Marcus Browne: “We trained hard for the fight. He’s a tough customer, but on Friday night, we are changing the narrative. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe, and come Friday night, you will see. I’m tired of talking. I want to fight.”

WBO #2, WBC #4, IBF #4 heavyweight Joseph Parker (29-2, 21 KOs) says his career is on the line when he meets British veteran Derek Chisora for a second time at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday live worldwide on DAZN.

“The first fight wasn’t the longest camp together with Andy, we were just getting to know each other and getting ready for the fight,” said Parker. “A longer camp is more beneficial as I am understanding more what Andy is trying to teach me. We’ve worked so hard every day and I think that it’s really going to show on the night. Continue reading “Parker: I just want to fight hard and beat him up”

Unbeaten heavyweight Alen Babic (9-0, 9 KOs) hits the pads during today’s fighter workout ahead of his fight this weekend on DAZN. An opponent for Babic has finally been found. “The Savage” will face David Spilmont (11-7-1, 7 KOs).

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Unbeaten “Monster” Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs), 118, retained his WBA, IBF bantamweight belts as he kept sticking strong jabs to hurt durable Thai challenger Aran Dipaen (12-3, 11 KOs), 117.5, finally dropped him with a looping left hook following a solid combination and another left hook prompted the referee’s halt at 2:34 of the eighth round on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Naoya kept battering IBF#5, WBA#10 Dipaen upstairs and downstairs, but the game but nose-bleeding Thailander withstood the champ’s continual assault and occasionally retaliated with big shots, though averted by the champ. Dipaen was visibly slowing down with his absorption of the champ’s persistent body bombardments, and Naoya finally caught up with the durable challenger with a vicious left hook following effective combos. Down he went. Dipaen, reportedly with some fifty Muay-thai victories, barely stood up and resumed fighting on. A smashing left hook caught the challenger’s chin, when the referee Michiaki Someya promptly declared a halt. The crowd praised Naoya’s expected victory as well as Dipaen’s much better performance than expected. Continue reading “Full Report: Inoue stops Dipaen in eight”

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Japanese southpaw Masataka Taniguchi (15-3, 10 KOs), 105, impressively captured the WBO 105-pound belt as he dropped southpaw defending champ Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez (16-2, 6 KOs), 105, in the second round, pressed the action and finally caught up with him with a flurry of punches to prompt the referee’s intervention at 1:08 of the eleventh session on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. It looked a competitive fight before the trick happened. The tallies prior to the stoppage were as follows: Kazunobu Asao and Michiaki Someya both 97-91, and Yuji Fukuchi 95-93—all for the challenger. Mendez, in round six, was penalized a point for holding by referee Nobuto Ikehara (former world challenger who failed to win the WBA bantam belt from Volodymyr Sydoreno on points in 2008). Continue reading “Full Report: Taniguchi upsets Mendez”

By Miguel Maravilla

Fightnews.com® writer Miguel Maravilla caught up with former world champion, light heavyweight Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) of Mazatlán, Mexico, as he takes on Cuba’s Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez (21-3, 17 KOs) in a WBA light heavyweight title eliminator this Saturday night from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas live on DAZN. Here is what Zurdo had to say.

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By Miguel Maravilla

Super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr. (21-1-1, 9 KOs) spoke with Fightnews.com® writer Miguel Maravilla on his upcoming fight against former world champion Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (32-10, 21 KOs) this Saturday night for the vacant NABA super featherweight title. Here is what he had to say.

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By Miguel Maravilla

2016 U.S Olympian and current WBC women’s flyweight world champion Marlen Esparza (10-1, 1 KOs) of Houston, Texas, goes up against former WBA world champion, Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz (31-4, 4 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico, this Saturday night live on DAZN. Here is what Esparza had to say.

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Derek Chisora has promised to exact revenge on Joseph Parker when they rematch for the WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday on DAZN.

Chisora (32-11, 23 KOs) was left angered by what he felt was more rough treatment by boxing judges following his split decision points loss to former WBO world champion Parker earlier this year – the eleventh loss of his 43-fight career in boxing’s glamour division. Continue reading “Chisora: It’s going to be sick”

Super welterweights Mikaël Zewski (35-2, 23 KOs) and Serhii Bohachuck (20-1, 20 KOs) will clash March 25 In a ten-rounder at the Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. This will be Zewski’s first bout in his hometown.

Also featured will be popular welterweight Sébastien Bouchard (19-2, 8 KOs).

Unbeaten WBA minimumweight champion Knockout CP Freshmart (23-0, 9 KOs) defended his belt with a fifth round KO over Robert Paradero (18-2, 12 KOs) on Tuesday night in a temporary arena erected in Saphan Hin Park, Phuket, Thailand. Paradero was down twice in a wild round four and Freshmart was down once but the ref didn’t start a count on any of them. The end was dramatic. Freshmart again dropped Paradero with a right hand in round five. He got up reeling, fell, got up again, staggered and fell again.

CP Knockout, also known as Thammanoon Niyomtrong, won the WBA interim title in 2014 and the full title in 2016. He has 13 title defenses.

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten “Monster” Naoya Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs), 118, retained his WBA, IBF bantamweight belts as he kept sticking strong jabs to hurt durable Thai challenger Aran Dipaen (12-3, 11 KOs), 117.5, finally caught him with a looping left hook following a solid combination and another left hook prompted the referee’s halt at 2:34 of the eighth round on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Naoya kept battering Dipaen upstairs and downstairs, but the game but nose-bleeding Thailander withstood the champ’s continual assault and occasionally retaliated with big shots, though averted by the champ. Dipaen was visibly slowing down with his absorption of the champ’s persistent body bombardments, and Naoya finally caught up with the durable challenger with effective combos following a vicious left hook. The crowd praised Naoya’s expected victory as well as Dipaen’s much better performance than expected.

Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.

(More to come)

By Joe Koizumi

Japanese southpaw Masataka Taniguchi (15-3, 10 KOs), 105, impressively captured the WBO 105-pound belt as he dropped southpaw defending champ Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez (16-2, 6 KOs), 105, in the second round, pressed the action and finally caught up with him with a flurry of punches to prompt the referee’s intervention at 1:08 of the eleventh session on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

(More to come)

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO #3, IBF #3 super lightweight Liam Paro (21-0, 13 KOs) could steal the show on the Saturday PPV card headlined by Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley. Paro has an opportunity to move closer to a world title shot with a win against unbeaten WBO #8 Yomar Alamo (20-0-1, 12 KOs) at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

“I am getting some real good work in Las Vegas,” Paro told Fightnews.com®. “We have impressed a lot of people. I have been sparring WBO 130-pound champion Shakur Stevenson. After our first sparring session, he dropped using other (southpaw) sparring partners and only used me. It has been great to get that world-class sparring. Stevenson is hands down the best boxer I have ever been in the ring with. His boxing IQ is next level. He was also a great amateur – he is the best of the best. I also sparred with two-time world champion Rances Barthelemy.”

Here is a photo of Monster Naoya Inoue’s sparring, which discloses the secret of Inoue’s tremendous power punching – his back muscles. Inoue will be in the ring in a few hours.
-Joe Koizumi

ShoBox: The New Generation will kick off the 2022 boxing calendar with a tripleheader featuring six undefeated fighters January 7 from Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The three matchups include fighters with a combined record of 80-0 and 57 knockouts and marks the first time ShoBox has featured a tripleheader in which all six fighters enter fight night without a loss in the 20-plus year history of the prospect series. The event is also the first time ShoBox will take place in Orlando.

In the main event, lightweight Luis Nunez (15-0, 11 KOs) faces Carlos Arrieta (14-0, 8 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Lightweight Starling Castillo (16-0, 12 KOs) meets Otar Eranosyan (10-0, 6 KOs) in the eight-round co-feature. In the opener, super featherweight Edwin De Los Santos (13-0, 12 KOs) battles William Foster III (12-0, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Continue reading “ShoBox card to feature all unbeaten fighters”

Still no opponent for heavyweight knockout artist Alen ‘The Savage’ Babic (9-0, 9 KOs), who looks to make it ten knockouts from ten fights on Saturday’s Parker-Chisora undercard. Babic has been feuding with Filip Hrgovic on social media.

Hammerin’ Hank Lundy announced his retirement after losing over the weekend. He ends with a record of 31 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw, and 14 KOs.

Unbeaten welterweight Conor Benn has called out Adrien “The Problem” Broner.