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Lightweights Vasiliy Lomachenko and Richard Commey faced off at the final press conference for their clash Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden New York City.

Vasiliy Lomachenko: “Madison Square Garden is a special place for me because during my professional career I had a lot of memorable fights here. It is the Mecca of Boxing. Thank you, Commey, you are a strong fighter. I think we are giving a very interesting fight to the fans. As I said before, he has big power and reach and has experience and a big heart. I’m very excited because this is the next step of my boxing career, and it will be very interesting for the fans.”

Richard Commey: I’m feeling good. I’m very excited. This is my second time coming here. The last time didn’t work out well for me {against Teofimo Lopez}, so I have the opportunity to right the wrong. I’ve got all of my country {Ghana} behind me. I’ve got all of the little children back home who want to be where I am, and I know it’s not an easy fight, but I’m coming. Losing is part of boxing, so regardless of how you lose, it’s all about coming back. So whatever happened with the Teofimo Lopez fight, it is what it is and I took it as a man. I knew I needed to come back and I came back very strong, and that is the reason why Loma chose me, and Saturday we are going to see what happens.”

In the co-feature, heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (10-0, 10 KOs) returns in an eight-rounder against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Teslenko (17-1, 13 KOs). Continue reading “Loma-Commey Final Press Conference”

WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. (31-1, 18 KOs) returns for the first time in nearly two years to make his mandatory defense against Mark Magsayo in a Showtime Championship Boxing main event on January 22 at a location to be determined. The rarely seen Russell has defended his WBC belt just five times since he dethroned Jhonny González in March 2015. Magsayo (23-0, 16 KOs), who is trained by Freddie Roach, is the number two contender for the WBC and is coming off a spectacular knockout of former champ Julio Ceja.

Former MMA world champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley discussed his upcoming PPV boxing rematch against YouTuber Jake “The Problem Child” Paul with media members on Thursday ahead of the sequel to their August clash won by Paul.

“I watched the first fight fully for the first time yesterday and I felt like I won rounds four through eight. And that’s not counting what should have been a 10-8 in round four with the knockdown. If I add in some more volume, I’m going to get the knockout. I don’t want to look ahead, but I’m not losing to Jake Paul. I’m getting the finish. I’m not leaving it in anyone else’s hands. That will probably set us up to fight a third time. Continue reading “Woodley: I’m not losing to Jake Paul”

Top Rank already has all five male Tokyo Olympians under contract: Troy Isley (3-0, 2 KOs), Tiger Johnson (1-0, 1 KO), and silver medalists Ragan (4-0, 1 KO), Keyshawn Davis (3-0, 2 KOs) and Richard Torrez Jr. (pro debut).

They have now inked a multi-year professional contract with featherweight prospect Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials champion at 125 pounds. Carrington missed out on an opportunity to qualify for Tokyo after the American qualifiers were canceled in 2020 and 2021.

Carrington, 1-0 as a pro, will be trained by Kay Koroma and his Top Rank debut is set for January 15 on the Joe Smith Jr.-Calum Johnson undercard at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.

Don King Promotions won the auction for the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight championship bout between Trevor Bryan and Mahmoud Charr. The auction was held today in Miami and King’s company won the rights after placing a bid of US$1,000,101.80 through its representative Tony Gonzalez.

The promoter informed that the possible venues for the fight are Warren, Ohio, Las Vegas, and South Florida, all with a date of January 29. The bout will continue the WBA continues world title reduction plan.

Today in Ekaterinburg, Russia, WBA super champion Arsen Gulamiryan (26-0, 18 KOs) and challenger Alexei Yegorov (11-0, 7 KOs) both made weight for their world title clash Friday night at the RCC Boxing Academy.

Gulamiryan weighed 197.5 pounds, while Egorov scaled in at 199.

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The WBC has officially ordered WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to face mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the news on social media. “The WBC hereby orders the start of the free negotiations period pursuant to the WBC Rules & Regulations for the mandatory bout between WBC World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and Mandatory Challenger and WBC Interim World Champion Dillian Whyte,” wrote Sulaiman. 

The World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight purse bid for the mandatory fight between Yordenis Ugás and Eimantas Stanionis, scheduled to be held tomorrow, was suspended after both sides reached an agreement. The teams of both boxers communicated the arrangement to the WBA with details of the date, place, and conditions of the negotiations to be announced once everything is totally finalized.

Two important purse bids for WBA mandatory fights will take place on Thursday in Miami, Florida.

The first will be the heavyweight title between champion Trevor Bryan and champion in recess Mahmoud Charr at 11:00 a.m. local time, which will be followed by the welterweight title between super champion Yordenis Ugas and his mandatory challenger Eimantas Stanionis.

Both bouts were ordered with the intention of furthering the WBA’s world title reduction plan and pit well-ranked fighters against each other in fights that are competitive and of interest to the public. Continue reading “Bryan-Charr, Ugas-Stanionis purse bids tomorrow”

Showtime will show a replay of the pay-per-view clash between WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Isaac “Pit Bull” Cruz to open Saturday’s live telecast from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, featuring the all-Filipino showdown between WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) and unbeaten Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs).

Unbeaten welterweights collide in the co-feature with Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (18-0, 10 KOs) against Cody Crowley (19-0, 9 KOs). And in the opening bout, unbeaten super lightweight Brandun Lee (23-0, 21 KOs) takes on Juan Heraldez (16-1-1, 10 KOs). Good card top to bottom.

Probellum has announced that Saturday’s world title twinbill from Dubai will be available on AXS TV and Fight Network starting at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.

“We’re thrilled to announce news of Probellum’s broadcast deal across the USA and Canada, giving millions of fight fans the opportunity to watch our huge events this month,” said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum. “One of our key goals when we launched Probellum was to make our events accessible to all, and this broadcast deal with AXS TV and Fight Network will achieve just that, allowing fans to witness some of the very best boxers from around the world.” Continue reading “Probellum announces broadcast deal”

90 years young; 2,119 fight cards and counting

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum has hit yet another milestone. Arum, the Brooklyn-born one-time federal prosecutor whose boxing career began with “The Greatest,” turns 90 years old today.

Arum is back in his old stomping grounds to promote Saturday’s ESPN-televised clash between former pound-for-king Vasiliy Lomachenko and former lightweight world champion in the 12-round main event at Madison Square Garden. Lomachenko-Commey marks the 2,120th fight card of his promotional career.

Arum’s inaugural promotion took place in Toronto on March 29, 1966, when Muhammad Ali defended his heavyweight title against George Chuvalo. In the 55-plus years since Ali-Chuvalo, Arum has promoted many of boxing’s biggest superstars, including 27 Ali fights, the entire middleweight championship run of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, George Foreman’s triumphant return to the ring that culminated in his second heavyweight title, and Manny Pacquiao’s rise to modern-day legend. Continue reading “Happy Birthday Bob Arum!”

Things ended on a heated note in London today as the UK press tour for February’s showdown between undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor (18-0, 13 KOs) and challenger Jack Catterall  (26-0, 13 KOs) concluded in the nation’s capital.  Taylor, generally not given to outbursts, was provoked when Catterall told press conference host Adam Smith, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development, that he saw “several ways” to beat Taylor in Glasgow in February.

“How? In what way? How are you going to do it?” snapped Taylor.
“There’s several ways,” replied Catterall.
“Go on, how? Tell me one,” said Taylor, fixing Catterall with a stare.
“By turning up and being Jack Catterall. I’ll get in there and punch your head in!” said the challenger.
“You’ll punch my head in? Easy as that!?” scoffed Taylor.
“Well it won’t be easy, but I’m going to,” shrugged Catterall.
Taylor shook his head and laughed. “Go back to bed.”

Continue reading “Taylor-Catterall Press Tour Ends”

After he defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) in a WBC title elimination bout this past Sunday, middleweight Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) now has his sights set on conquering Jaime Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs) in a final eliminator as soon as possible to earn a fight for the WBC world title against Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs).

“I’m here to prove that I’m the best middleweight in the division,” said Adames, who trains in Las Vegas under the guidance of Ismael Salas. “I’m very thankful to the WBC for making my fight with Derevyanchenko a title elimination bout. Now that I’ve been victorious, I’m one step closer of my dream of becoming a world champion, and I want to fight Jaime Munguia next. Munguia has a fan-friendly style like myself, and I know this is a fight the fans will want to witness.” Continue reading “Adames wants Munguia as soon as possible”

Unbeaten welterweight contender Conor Benn’ (19-0, 12 KOs) is aiming to end a successful 2021 in style when he defends his WBA Continental title against former world champion Chris Algieri (25-3, 9 KOs) at the top of the bill at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool this Saturday, live worldwide on DAZN.

“It’s going to be a Christmas special. It’s a Christmas cracker, that’s what it is. You’ll always get criticized for who you fight. People are saying Algieri is old. He’s 37 and he looks after himself, but I’m preparing for a prime Chris Algieri and I believe he is going to bring absolutely everything. He’s a former world champion. We’re testing the waters in my career. We need these fights to test the waters and see where I’m at. I believe I’m world level, and I should beat people like Chris Algieri with ease. I’m very confident in my ability and everything we have been working on. I’ve just got to go in there and leave my stamp. The minute I smell a bit of blood, I’m on him like a rash.”

Good news for worldwide boxing fans. DAZN has picked up up the fight between WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and challenger Umar Salamov, who faced off Tuesday at the final press conference for Saturday’s clash in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Dmitry Bivol: “This is a worthy contender. He is a fairly technical boxer. He is tall. This is a serious contender…it’s nice to box at home. I understand that I need to develop my career, roughly speaking, in America, but I also need to box at home and please my audience with fights.”

Umar Salamov: “I have been preparing for battle since August 1, exactly four months. But I wasn’t preparing for Bivol, I was preparing for [Joe] Smith. I had to change my preparation a little, but the most important thing is that I am physically ready to box 12 rounds. We made minor changes to the battle plan, and that’s all.”

Ageless heavyweight contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz and former world champion Charles Martin, plus rising heavyweight star Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez and  2008 Olympian Carlos Negron, previewed their heavyweight showdowns during a virtual press conference Tuesday before they step into the ring in FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view action January 1 from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday: Continue reading “Ortiz, Martin, Sanchez, Negron quotes”

TV fan favorite, the late James “The Outlaw” Hughes will be remembered and honored as part of the class of 2022 Alabama Boxing Hall of Fame.

Inductees include:

• Pro Boxer: James “The Outlaw”Hughes, Pete Taliaferro, Randall “Kid Galahad” Yonker
• Amateur Boxer: Clint Jackson, Lane Killian
• Old Timer: Edgar “Mad Dog” Ross, Jack Tillman
• Manager/Trainer/Promoter: Charles Leverette, Ross Fields
• Support Personnel: Sonny Gunnells, Sonny Cauthen

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Three-time world champion Lovemore Ndou talks to Fightnews.com® about his 2016 prediction that newly crowned WBA, WBO, IBF, WBC franchise lightweight champion George Kambosos would become a world champion five years ago, his close relationship with his father, having good promoter in Lou DiBella, and how Kambosos can defeat Devin Haney, Ryan García and Gervonta Davis in 2022. Continue reading “Ndou: Kambosos can defeat Haney, Garcia, Tank”

The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum has announced the members of the Class of 2022. Living inductees include Miguel Cotto, Roy Jones Jr. and James Toney in the men’s Modern category; Regina Halmich and Holly Holm in the women’s Modern category; publicist Bill Caplan in the Non-Participant category; and journalist Ron Borges and historian/producer Bob Yalen in the Observer category. Continue reading “2022 Boxing Hall of Fame inductees announced”

Eddie Hearn and Matchroom have announced that IBF super featherweight Kenichi Ogawa has signed a multi-fight promotional deal in association with Teiken Promotions. Ogawa (26-1-1 18 KOs) landed the vacant IBF belt at the end of November with a superb victory over Azinga Fuzile at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York, flooring the South African in the fifth and final rounds.

The 33-year-old Japanese star will target a first defense in 2022 and will be hunting down unification bouts with fellow champions Shakur Stevenson (WBO), Oscar Valdez (WBC) and Roger Gutierrez (WBA) next year.

Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions has announced that this Friday’s Hollywood Fight Nights event will be streamed live from the Quiet Cannon – Montebello Country Club. Working with BXNGTV.com, the live stream will commence at 7:00 p.m. PST at a cost of $19.99.

Just announced today, world ranked Ali Akhmedov (17-1, 13 KOs) will return to battle against Paul Valenzuela Jr, (26-10, 17 KOs) in a 10 round super middleweight battle. Akhmedov is promoted by GGG Promotions and is returning after a third-round knockout of David Zegarra on September 16.

Former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) is determined to return to the top of the lightweight heap. Lomachenko fights former world champion Richard Commey in a 12-round main event at Madison Square Garden on ESPN Saturday.

George Kambosos Jr. recently staked his claim as the division’s top dog with last month’s split decision over Teofimo Lopez, who toppled Lomachenko by unanimous decision in October 2020. Kambosos’ win shook up the lightweight picture, and Lomachenko aims to make a bold statement Saturday evening.

Lomachenko said, “Richard Commey has big power, reach and experience. This is an interesting challenge for me, and I know it’s a fight the fans are excited to watch. Continue reading “Loma: I’m not going to say if I am the number one”

The centuries-old rivalry between Scotland and England rekindled in Edinburgh today when Caledonian pride Josh Taylor (18-0, 13 KOs) faced off with English challenger Jack Catterall (26-0, 13 KOs) today at Edinburgh Castle – the iconic Scottish fortress which has witnessed many an Anglo-Scots clash in its thousand-year history.

The clash between undisputed super lightweight champion Taylor and mandatory challenger Catterall will take place February 26 at the OVO Hydro Arena, Glasgow. Continue reading “Taylor-Catterall kickoff press conference”