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The “New England’s Future” series, promoted by Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), returns with its fifth installment on Saturday night, February 10, at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Undefeated Hartford (CT) prospect Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (5-0, 4 KOs) takes on Kevin “KRAY 2 UNKL” Cobbs (10-2, 4 KOs) for the vacant Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) New England title in the eight-round main event.

In the six-round co-featured event, New Haven (CT) super middleweight Elvis Figueroa (3-0, 1 KO) steps up to fight former New England super middleweight champion Vladine Biosse (15-7-3, 7 KOs).

Brian Halquist Productions will kick off its 2018 season with a special Friday night boxing event on Friday, Jan. 12 with Battle at the Boat 114 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. The six-bout card will feature a 10-round main event between welterweights John Jackson and Manuel Perez and the return of Walter “2 Guns” Wright.

Jackson (17-3-2, 13 KOs) is coming off a victory over former USBA lightweight champion Tyrone Harris on May 13 in his hometown of Detroit. Jackson also holds wins over Reynaldo Hurtado, who once fought for the IBF world bantamweight championship, and former NABF super bantamweight champion Ricardo Hurtado. Continue reading “Battle at the Boat kicks off Jan 12”

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Hall of Famer George Foreman thinks Anthony Joshua deserves to be rated the best heavyweight in the world and could have excelled in any era. “I think he’s a legitimate heavyweight champion. He’s on the top of the list as far as one to beat,” Foreman told The Sun tabloid.

“One day when they put together the Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder fight, it would probably be one of the greatest heavyweight fights in boxing in the modern day. Anthony Joshua is something special. What Anthony Joshua has is what every group of fighters should – he is conditioned. Continue reading “Foreman: Joshua could have existed in any era”

By Ron Jackson

Willie Toweel one of the legends of the South African ring and the last of the fighting Toweel’s passed away at his home on Christmas night. He was 83.

Willie who was born in Benoni on April 6 1934, was a magnificent fighter and trained by his father “Papa Mike” he developed into a brilliant amateur and won SA junior and senior titles and a bronze medal at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. It was reported that he lost only five fights as an amateur. Continue reading “Legend of SA ring dies”

For 2017 alone, IBF light flyweight champion Milan Melino (37-3, 13KOs) has been successful in his two world title outings against some of the biggest names in his division. One would think both fights would be enough for the new world champion in one year, but Milan has obviously set a different schedule before he celebrates a new one.

On December 31st, exactly 7 months and 10 days after he won his first world title, Melindo faces current WBA light flyweight “super” champion Ryoichi Taguchi (26-2-2, 12KOs) in an IBF/WBA world unification championship. Continue reading “One-way ticket for Melindo”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is looking forward to the return of former WBA, WBO, IBF heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who is expected to be back in action in April. “I’m excited he’s back,” Parker told Sky Sports. “He’s a character who brought a lot of interest to the division. He’s another great fighter and now that he’s back it will be a lot more exciting. There will be a lot more fights to be made … the heavyweight division is back!” Continue reading “Parker excited about Tyson Fury return”

Three one-sided world title defenses. And all three times discouraged opponents were pulled out of the fight to avoid further punishment. WBO junior lightweight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko separated himself from the pack in 2017 to not only win Fightnews.com®
Fighter of the Year honors, but also to make a strong argument for the #1 position in the P4P rankings.

Lomachenko. In April, Loma stopped WBA featherweight champion Jason Sosa after nine rounds. In August, he returned to halt Miguel Marriaga after seven rounds. And finally, in a December showdown between two two-time Olympic gold medalists, Lomachenko dominated Guillermo Rigondeaux forcing the highly regarded Rigo to quit after six rounds.

Lomachenko beat out Terence Crawford and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who both went 2-0 in 2017. Continue reading “Fighter of the Year: Vasyl Lomachenko”

By Joe Koizumi
Photo by Boxing Beat

Merry Christmas! WBA#13 featherweight Hiroshige Osawa (32-4-4, 19 KOs), 125.75, barely defeated WBA#12 super-bantam, previously unbeaten Nicaraguan Alexander Mejia (8-1, 4 KOs), 125.5, by a hairline majority decision (96-95, 97-96, 96-96) over ten hard-fought rounds on Sunday in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

Osawa, regarded as a boxer with good jabbing, gave up fighting in the long range and recklessly mixed it up all the way from the start. Mejia occasionally kept his pressure to Osawa, who responded with his countering shots to the onrushing opponent. Osawa, a veteran campaigner who fought Oscar Valdez with the vacant WBO belt at stake only to be stopped in Las Vegas a year ago, beat world-rated Julio Cortez, Indonesian champ Erick Deztroyer and Mejia since thereafter. Osawa won the last session, which barely carried him to a hard-fought victory. Continue reading “WBA #13 Osawa barely defeats #12 Mejia”

Report, Photo by Joe Koizumi

French challenger to WBO 115-pound champ Naoya “Monster” Inoue, Yoan Boyeaux (41-4, 26 KOs) arrived in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday. They will square off in Yokohama on December 30.

Accompanied by his wife Vanessa, Boyeaux (pronounced Bo-y-yaw) said at the Narita airport, “I know Inoue is a good champion, but wish to win the belt from him either by a decision or by a knockout. I have been training hard to win this fight and am in good shape without doubt.”

The Frenchman, unbeaten for almost six years since his last defeat in January 2012, looked three inches taller than the champ, and may try to utilize his advantageous height and reach against The Monster. It will take place at the Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium.

In the most notable fight on Saturday night, super lightweight Germán “El Correntino” Benitez (20-2, 9 KOs) hammered out a ten round unanimous decision over Martin “El Principito” Coggi (34-8-3, 17 KOs) at the Escuela de Enseñanza Secundaria Nº 2 Genaro Pérsico in Ranchos, Argentina. Scores were 96-94, 98-92 and 97-93 for Benitez, who claimed the vacant WBO Latino title.

In the co-feature, super bantamweight Roberto “Incho” Sosa (29-3-1, 15 KOs) defeated Carlos “Tortita” Farias (13-13-3, 1 KO) by six round unanimous decision. Scores were 59.5-56.5, 59-57, 58.5-56.5 for the former two-time world title challenger Sosa, who had previously outpointed Farias in 2014.

By Héctor Villarreal

Venezuelan welterweight Ivan Matute (24-1, 19 KOs) recovered from 2 knockdowns in the first round and a point deduction for low blows in the third to stop Mexican Javier Mercado (25-12-2, 22 KOs) and conquer the WBA Fedelatin championship in the main bout of the season-ending boxing event in La Sociedad Española, Panama City, Panama. Referee Hadilton Jimenez declared the KO at 2:16 in round number 4.

Also in the welterweight division, Panamanian Alberto “Metralleta” Mosquera (25-3-2, 16 KOs) scored a unanimous 8 rounds decision over his countryman Aristides “El Fusil” Quintero (20-11-1, 17 KOs). All 3 judges scored 77-73.

Undefeated female superbantam Laura Ledezma (11-0, 4 KOs) outpointed Colombian Neisy Torres (13-7, 9 KOs) on an 80-72 shootout in all 3 scoring cards.

By Robert Coster

The last big show of the year in Santo Domingo was marred by the absence of two Venezuelan boxers who were turned back to their country. Still, a good crowd flocked to the elegant Los Prados Social Club for a card promoted by Manguita Promotions.

The main event had hot jr welterweight prospect WBA #9, WBC #15 Alberto Puello (14-0, 8 KOs) facing veteran Francisco Contreras (30-8, 24 KOs) and Puello passed the test with flying colors. Alberto’s youth, speed, and skills were too much for the older boxer who spent the night trying to land a haymaker to turn the fight around. “Contreras wanted a brawl but I’m too smart a boxer to fall for this,” said Puello. “I outboxed him and just kept piling up the points.” The three judges voted 100-90, a clean shutout for Puello.

WBA #2, WBC #9 jr bantamweight contender Norberto “Meneito” Jimenez won by TKO in two rounds over late sub Rayci Rosa (7-10, 2 KOs). Continue reading “Puello outpoints Contreras, Jimenez scores TKO”

Former WBO flyweight champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming is being treated at a hospital in Shanghai after reportedly losing sight in his left eye. According to the South China Morning Post, Shiming appears to have suffered a suspected detached retina on flight from Beijing where he attended the Laureus China Top Ten Sports Awards. The 36-year-old has had a long series of problems with that optic and it’s too early to know if this will be a career-ending injury. Shiming had been lobbying to get a rematch with world champion Sho Kimura, who dethroned him in July.

IBF #8 heavyweight Alexander Dimitrenko (40-3-1, 26 KOs) was held to a ten round draw by late sub Miljan Rovcanin (18-0-1, 13 KOs) on Friday night at the Edel-Optics.de Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Rovcanin stepped in for Adnan Redzovic and gave the 6’8 Dimitrenko headaches all night with his aggressive (dirty) tactics. Scores were 96-90 for Dimitrenko, 94-92 for Rovcanin and 93-93. Both fighters were deducted points.

Unbeaten super welterweight Sebastian Formella (17-0, 8 KOs) handed Karlo Tabaghua (18-11, 13 KOs) his eighth straight loss. Scores were 79-73, 79-73, 80-72 after eight rounds.

Unbeaten super lightweight Fatih Keles (10-0-1, 5 KOs) once again had all he could handle with journeyman Renald Garrido (19-18-2, 3 KOs). Keles won a majority nod by scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 95-95. They previously fought to a draw.

Heavyweight Adrian Granat (15-1, 14 KOs) knocked out Irakli Gvenetadze (9-4, 8 KOs) in the fourth round on Friday night at the Edel-Optics.de Arena in Hamburg, Germany. It was Granat’s much anticipated comeback after his loss against Alexander Dimitrenko in March. Granat controlled the fight with his jab from the outset although Gvenetadze managed to land a few punches. In round four, Granat landed his right uppercut and down went Gvenetadze and the fight was over (ref wisely stopped the fight). Continue reading “Granat wins comeback fight, Wallin next”

Sergey Kovalev continues his rise back to the top of the light heavyweight division when he returns to the Mecca of Boxing on Saturday, March 3rd to defend the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title versus southpaw Igor Mikhalkin, originally of Irkutsk, Russia, now fighting out of Hamburg, Germany. A skilled boxer, Mikhalkin puts his ten-bout winning streak on the line as he steps up to challenge one of the most fearsome punchers in professional boxing at New York City’s Theater at Madison Square Garden.

In the co-main event, newly minted WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol of Russia makes his second defense of the title against Cuba’s streaking Sullivan Barrera, the mandatory challenger. Viewed as a “toss-up” bout by boxing insiders, Bivol-Barrera matches a young, explosive champion against an experienced veteran hungry for his first world title fight. Presented by Main Events, Krusher Promotions and World of Boxing in association with EC Box Promotions, the doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Ticket information will be announced shortly.

Filipino fireball Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas will make his U.S. debut, Saturday, February 3, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX. A protégé of Filipino icon Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, and promoted by Top Rank, MP Promotions and Joven Sports, Ancajas (26-1-1, 18 KOs), of Cavite City, Cavite, Philippines, will be making the fourth defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight world title against Top-10 contender Israel Gonzalez (20-1, 8 KOs), of Cabo San Lucas, México. The Ancajas-Gonzalez world championship fight will be the co-main event to the Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez-Habib “Wild Hurricane” Ahmed World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world title rumble. Both fights will be televised live on ESPN. Continue reading “Ancajas-Gonzalez official announcement”

Evander Holyfield’s The Real Deal Boxing has announced a World Boxing Council Welterweight Tournament over three events in 2018 at a site to be determined. The inaugural three-round, eight-man, single-elimination international tournament, dubbed the ‘Jose Sulaiman World Invitational,” is open to all world-class boxers who may qualify for a ranking in the top 40 by the WBC in the welterweight division.

The application for fighters may be downloaded here. The deadline to apply will be January 12, 2018 and only completed applications will be accepted.

The tournament will be a bracket-style tournament with the seeding for first-round matchups determined by the WBC ratings committee and an interactive polling of the fans. Continue reading “Holyfield, WBC planning 8-man welter tourney”

Undefeated 135-pound world champion Robert Easter will defend his IBF title against former world champion Javier Fortuna in the co-main event of Errol Spence Jr. vs. Lamont Peterson live on SHOWTIME January 20 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

On the live-streamed undercard, unbeaten light heavyweight Marcus Browne will take on once-beaten Francy Ntetu in a 10-round fight and undefeated heavyweight Adam Kownacki will face once-beaten Iago Kiladze of Kiev, Ukraine in a 10-round bout.

By TMZSports.com

Manny Pacquaio’s team is publicly shutting down any talks of a Conor McGregor boxing match — with Pacman’s trainer Freddie Roach telling TMZ Sports it just ain’t happening. Freddie told us he’s personally spoken to Bob Arum (Manny’s promoter) — who’d have to sign off on the match along with Dana White — and Bob shot down the rumors. “I talked to Arum and Arum says it’s not true,” Roach said outside Craig’s in L.A.

Freddie did tell us the one guy he’d like to see Pacquiao scrap with (Jeff Horn) … and also DESTROYED Manny’s old rival, Floyd Mayweather, for even considering a UFC fight. “He’s gonna get his ass kicked … he’s a f**kin’ old man.”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Unbeaten IBF #3 jr featherweight TJ Doheny (18-0, 13 KOs) won a twelve round split decision over IBF #7 Mike Tawatchai (44-11-1 27 KOs) in an IBF 122lb eliminator on Wednesday at Suanlum Night Bazaar, Bangkok, Thailand. Tawatchai boxed aggressively from opening bell but suffered a cut eye in round four. The action see-sawed until the final bell and scores at the conclusion were Ignatius Madisalis (117-111) and Yongsak Na Songkhla (116-112) scoring for Doheny and Gil Co scoring 115-113 for Tawatchai. Continue reading “Doheny defeats Tawatchai in IBF eliminator”

Alexander Dimitrenko 257 vs. Miljan Rovcanin 244.75
Adrian Granat 247 vs. Irakli Gvenetadze TBA
Nuri Seferi 220.5 vs. Gogita Gorgiladze TBA
Sebastian Formella 152.5 vs. Karlo Tabaghua 152.25
Fatih Keles 140 vs. Renald Garrido 140

Venue: Edel-Optics.de Arena, Hamburg, Germany
Promoter: EC Boxpromotion

By Robert Coster

Alberto Puello 142 vs. Francisco Contreras 141
Norberto Jiménez 115 vs. Reiyci Rosa 117
Mitchel Rivera 132.8 vs. Manuel Boti 134.8
Yomar Medina 134 vs. Luis Chala 132

Venue: Los Prados Social Club, Santo Domingo
Promoter: Manguita Promotion (14 bouts on the card)

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBC #1, IBF #3, WBA #7 heavyweight Dillian Whyte says he’ll be matched against WBC #11 Lucas ”Big Daddy” Browne at the 02 Arena in London on March 24. Whyte tweeted, “Finally, I get to smash up the tattooed p***s @lucasBrowne on 24th March at the O2 @EddieHearn I really am looking forward to it #WhyteBrown”

Browne responded “Be careful what you ask for dillianwhyte because I’m going to proper hurt you and enjoy it…send me a contract to sign.”

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

WBA, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker are likely to clash on March 24, March 31 or April 7 in London or Wales but the bout could land in another European City. “We’re getting there,” Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports. “As AJ says, he wants the belts, he wants to be the undisputed king of the division. That’s the aim, and to do that he has to win two belts…

“We want that unification fight, we’re close to a deal with Parker. It’s not done yet, but we hope over the Christmas period the turkey will get put to one side and we’ll work to get that done. Hopefully, we’ll be in position to announce that early in 2018.”