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WBA super middleweight champion Tyron Zeuge (21-0-1, 11 KOs) will make the third defense of his title against Isaac Ekpo (32-3, 25 KOs) on Saturday at the Inselparkhalle Arena in Hamburg, Germany. The bout is a rematch. In their first clash in March of last year, Zeuge won a technical decision after a cut caused by a head clash.

Former WBA world bantamweight “super” champion Juan Carlos Payano’s 10-round fight against undefeated Philippine “Magic” Mike Plania has been elevated to the co-main event at this Friday’s “Rumble at the Rock” event at Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Payano (19-1, 9 KOs) vs. Plania (14-0, 7 KOs) will serve as the chief supporting bout to the 12-round WBA Interim World Bantamweight Championship main event between St. Louis’ Stephon “Showstopper” Young (17-0-3, 7 KOs) and Reymart “GenSan Assassin” Gaballo (18-0, 16 KOs) from General Santos City, Philippines.

This past Saturday night at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, featherweight prospect Braulio Rodriguez (19-3, 17 KOs) was holding his own against undefeated prospect Christopher Diaz in a battle for the WBO-NABO Super Featherweight title. Then in round four, he suddenly could not continue. Rodriguez was later diagnosed with a Metacarpal fracture on his right hand.

“Braulio proved that he can compete with the top 130 pound fighters out there,” said his manager, Felipe Gomez of El Matador Management. “He suffered a freak injury before he could really get going. He was landing some good shots, and I feel he had a good chance of winning. When he heals, hopefully we can get a rematch or some big fight as I feel he should be in the mix for those opportunities.” Rodriguez is promoted by Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Boxing.

Betting establishments are posting lines on a possible Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor rematch, this time under UFC rules. Mayweather fueled the fire, telling TMZ he’s planning to get licensed as an MMA fighter. While any agreement is a long way off, the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas reportedly installed McGregor as -1,000 favorite, while online sportsbook Bovada lists McGregor as a -900 pick.

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

In the second installment of Johnny Lewis Fight Promotion Series, WBA #8 jr welterweight Darragh Foley (15-2, 8 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous points decision over Canada’s WBA #10 Steven Wilcox (18-2-1, 5 KOs) on Saturday at the Star City Casino, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Foley, an Australia-based Irishman, prevailed by scores of 117-111, 118-110 and 116-112.

“I outboxed Wilcox,” said Foley. “They thought I was going to come out swinging but I showed I had boxing skills. I felt like I could have done another sixteen rounds against Wilcox. I was landing at will and he was visibly hurt three or four times. In round eight I wobbled Wilcox with a left hook. Continue reading “Darragh Foley: Relikh is made for me”

Liam Smith has extra motivation to regain the world title against Sadam Ali with the knowledge a host of Americans are queueing up for unification clashes and domestic rivals Kell Brook and Amir Khan have joined the division. Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) takes on Ali (26-1, 14 KOs) in Verona, New York on May 12 in an attempt to recapture the WBO world jr middleweight crown he lost to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September 2016.

With the other belts at 154lbs held by Jarrett Hurd, Jermell Charlo and Erislandy Lara, “Beefy” Smith is adamant he’s the man to break the US monopoly and open up a host of options – including unifications and lucrative defenses. Continue reading “Smith focused on Ali, eying other fights”

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Former WBA heavyweight champion Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne faces WBC #1 Dillian Whyte on Saturday at the 02 Arena in London. Fighting in Whyte’s adopted hometown may be just as well for Browne, whose popularity in his home country of Australia has been negatively affected by two failed drug tests.

“Jeff Horn, for example after he beat Manny Pacquiao, was given the key to his city and a parade,” Browne told Sky Sports. “I had four reporters wait for me at the airport, and that’s it. That was disappointing. It was because of who Horn fought – if I had fought Wladimir Klitschko, for example, it would have been different. Once the drugs thing came up, there were 10 people waiting to talk.” Continue reading “Browne aims to win over Aussie fans”

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Unbeaten southpaw Liam Paro (13-0, 9 KOs) captured the vacant Australian light-welterweight title when he stopped Melbourne based-English born Andrew Wallace (11-11-1, 7 KOs) at the conclusion of round three of a scheduled ten round bout at the Mansfield Tavern in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on Saturday. Paro won rounds one, two and three and Wallace retired in the corner after suffering a cut eye. Paro is a chief sparring partner of WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn

Former world cruiserweight challenger Mark “Bam Bam” Flanagan (24-5, 17 KOs) stopped Uruguay’s Mauricio Barragan (16-3, 9 KOs) in round six of a scheduled ten round bout. Barragan came to fight, but the hard head and body shots of the world class Queenslander had the visitor in trouble and on the canvas in round six. Referee Derek Milham crowned Flanagan at 2:23. Flanagan challenged for the WBA world title against Denis Lebedev in 2017 losing a twelve round decision. Continue reading “Paro, Flanagan victorious”

World Boxing Association (WBA) Mandatory challenger Isaac Ekpo (32-3, 25 KOs) from Abuja, Nigeria, and Rafael “Sweet Pea” Mensah (31-0, 23 KOs) from Accra Ghana both recently arrived to the U.S. with a new manager, new direction and first full training camps with trainer Stacy McKinley, to prepare for their upcoming world title fights.

Ekpo arrived in Germany Sunday for a world title rematch against WBA Super Middleweight Champion Tyron Zeuge. Their first bout, almost a year ago to the day on March 25, 2017, ended in controversial fashion and a loss for Ekpo.

Mensah has been in serious negotiations to challenge WBA Super Featherweight Champion Alberto Machado (19-0, 16 KOs). Continue reading “Don King backing Ekpo and Mensah”