Boytsov TKOs Gavern in 7

Photo: Eroll Popova

By Karl Freitag

Unbeaten WBA #5, IBF #8, WBC #10, WBO #10 rated heavyweight KO artist Denis Boytsov (26-0, 21 KOs) scored a seventh round TKO over Jason Gavern (18-6-3, 8 KOs) on Saturday night at the Stadthalle in Rostock, Germany. Boytsov floored Gavern in round one with a huge right hand. Gavern was on the deck again in round two from a left hook to the chin and then was given a standing eight count later in the round. Gavern started clowning around in round three and continued to showboat as the rounds progressed. Gavern was dropped again in the sixth. Gavern was dropped twice more in the seventh and the referee waved it off. Time was 2:08. It was the first time the durable Gavern has ever been stopped. For more details and photos click here…

Moreno, Cordoba victorious

Photo: Olivier Montserrat-Robert

By Robert Coster

WBA bantamweight champion Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno (27-1-1, 10 KOs) stepped up in weight to fight seasoned Colombian Jorge Otero (20-9-2, 8 KOs) and put on a clinic of beautifully delivered textbook punches, outclassing his foe and forcing the referee to put an halt to actions in the sixth round. The classy southpaw champion will now renew his road-warrior habits as he plans to travel to the city of Agde, France to defend his WBA crown against challenger Frederic Patrac on November 7th. On the same card, former WBA junior featherweight Ricardo “Maestrito” Cordoba (35-2-2, 22 KOs) returned to ring action and also won in convincing fashion against Colombian prospect Eddy Julio (10-1-1, 9 KOs), forcing a stoppage in the 10th round. Apart from those two bouts, fans were treated to an additional 10 action-packed fights at the Roberto Duran Arena, presented by Premium Boxing Promotions. Click here for more photos…

Shocker: Salgado destroys Linares

Photo: Naoki Fukuda

By Joe Koizumi

Unbeaten but unheralded Mexican Juan Carlos Salgado (22-0-1, 16 KOs), 130, greatly shocked the boxing world when he scored an unexpected TKO over previously unbeaten WBA super-feather champ Jorge Linares (27-1, 18 KOs), 129.75, a prohibitive favorite, at 1:13 of the opening session to capture the belt on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

WBC super-bantam titlist Toshiaki Nishioka (35-4-3, 22 KOs), 121.75, kept his throne as he broke the jaw of Mexican challenger Ivan Hernandez (25-4-1, 15 KOs), 122, with a vicious countering left midway in the contest to have him retire at the end of the third session. For more details and photos click here…

Burgos KOs Herrera

Photo: Big Joe Miranda

WBC #1 featherweight contender in the world, Juan Carlos Burgos moved one step closer to the championship by dismantling veteran Yogli Herrera, stopping him impressively at 1:16 in the 6th round by a solid TKO. Burgos, from Tijuana, Mexico, showcased an arsenal of weapons in this fight against his over-matched Colombian challenger, including digging hooks to the body that were right from the Julio Cesar Chavez textbook of punches. Herrera, despite coming into the fight riding a six fight losing streak, still proved to be a gutsy challenger who was perhaps too willing to trade with Burgos, the defending WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) champion. However, it is worth noting that of Herrera’s 22 victories, the wins have come against opponents with a combined record, incredibly, of 9 – 151. The term “tomato can” would be a compliment for the quality of fighters that Herrera has actually managed to defeat, although in losing efforts he has faced much better opposition. For more details and photos click here…

‘High Stakes’ at the scales

From Houston, Texas:

Dat Nguyen 126.5 vs. Andres Ledesma 129
Rayonta Whitfield 112.5 vs. Evaristo Primero 113.5
Eugene Hill 252.5 vs. Joseph Harris 226
KJ Noons 154 vs. Julio Perez 154
Francisco Contreras 138 vs. Ronald Boyd 134
Mickey Bey Jr. 134 vs. Michaelangelo Lynks 137
Gerardo Ibarra 148 vs. Gustavo Mejia 147
David Garcia 147 vs. Artis Walton 142.5 (more…)

Castillo in Manila!

Photo: Nick Giongco

By Nick Giongco

Former WBC lightweight king Jose Luis Castillo has arrived in Manila. The heavy-handed Mexican has been picked to spar with Manny Pacquiao, who is training in Baguio City for his Nov. 14 showdown with Miguel Cotto. Castillo arrived at 5:30 am via Philippine Airlines from Los Angeles and he was joined by unbeaten American super-lightweight Danny Escobar, who might also be used to spar with the Filipino pound-for-pound king. Castillo and Escobar were brought to a downtown Manila hotel and awaiting word about their travel plans since Baguio is not accessible by land owing to the landslides. Pacquiao has been training in Baguio the past few weeks and sparring with unbeaten super-welter Shawn Porter and Urbano Antillon.

Photo: Former world lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo (right) strikes a pose with undefeated American super-lightweight Danny Escobar shortly after their arrival in Manila.

Weights from Los Angeles

Tom Hogan, Hogan Photos/Golden Boy

Israel Vazquez 125.5 vs. Angel Priolo 124.75
Carlos Molina 138 vs. Cesar Holguin 137.5
Luis Grajeda 149 vs. Juan Carlos Diaz 147.5
Jose Armando Santa Cruz 143 vs. Sergio Macias 143.75
Ronny Rios 126.5 vs. John Wampash 126.5
Khabir Suleymanov 122.5 vs. Hugo Ramos 123
Ricky Duenas 145.75 vs. Jose Cardenas 149
Oscar Venegas 121 vs. Misael Martinez 117.75
Venue: Nokia Theatre – L.A. Live Los Angeles
Promoter: Golden Boy
TV: Fox Sports Espanol

Fans turn out for ‘High Stakes’ presser!

A large contingent of Houston fight fans and local media turned out on Thursday afternoon at Champs Americana for the final press conference for HIGH STAKES, an evening of world class professional boxing set for Saturday night, October 10th at the Arena Theater  . . . . . Click here for more

Weights from Salisbury, MD

Fernando Guerrero 159 vs Ossie Duran 160
(NABO Interim Middleweight Title)
Ty Barnett 136 vs Juan Santiago 135
Omar Sims 159 vs Ken Dunham 160
Alex Guerrero 194.5 vs Rodricka Ray 195.5
Francois Ambang 178.5 vs Ariel Espinal 180
Venue: Arthur W. Perdue Stadium
Promoter: Prize Fight Boxing
Tickets: 410-219-3112

Bakhtov, Glazkov foes named

By Alexey Sukachev

The heavyweight part of the upcoming show, scheduled in Ekaterinburg on Oct. 24 under German Titov Promotions, has been finalized today. WBA #10 heavyweight Denis Bakhtov (30-5, 19 KOs) faces Uzbek journeyman Sherzod Mamajanov (6-10, 2 KOs) in a tune-up six-rounder. 2008 Beijing super heavyweight bronze medalist Vyacheslav Glazkov (1-0) will make his first step up by taking on former two-time national and GBU heavyweight champion Alexey Varakin (28-16-3, 16 KOs), who is coming off two and a half years of hiatus. The main event will see Dmitry Ganiev (10-0-1, 4 KOs), defending his PABA and WBO Asia Pacific lightweight titles, against Thai Fahsan 3K Battery (59-9-2, 35 KOs).

Cleverly still unbeaten

By Alexey Sukachev

The new Welsh pride Nathan Cleverly (18-0, 8 KOs) wasn’t impressive all the way but got the job done against former amateur star Courtney Fry (13-3, 5 KOs), stopping him at 2:51 of the eighth to retain both his British and Commonwealth light heavyweight titles. WBO #5, IBF #8, WBC #11 and WBA #15 Cleverly started the fight in his usual mode, targeting Fry’s body with his left hook and adding right hand on occasion, while also peppering his foe with a jab. However, it was right uppercut, which won the fight for the Cardiff native. He hadn’t discovered this up to the midst of the fight and gave Fry some spotlight in the fifth, when he ate a variety of different shots from his rival. It was when Cleverly sensed he had to get back to some basics and he did that indeed. Rounds six and seven were rather tedious, but in the eighth stanza the Welshman finally started to deliver some bombs. At the end of the round, he increased his punch output and continuously rocked Fry several times, the last one with right uppercut and the subsequent right hand, forcing referee Victor Loughlin to stop the fight and… to fell down on canvas with him. A nice win for rising prospect and Cardiff University student Nathan Cleverly.
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Beijing British Olympian Billy Joe Saunders (4-0, 3 KOs) was forced to go the distance for the first time in his career by Latvian rugged journeyman Alex Spitko (6-16, 4 KOs). The score was 40-36 by Dave Parris in Saunders’ favor.
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Heavyweight Derek Chisora (11-0, 6 KOs) stopped Georgian Zurab Noniashvili (12-7-1, 6 KOs) in three rounds of action.

Hopkins-Ornelas December 2

Future Hall of Famer and former two-division world champion Bernard Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KOs) and contender Enrique Ornelas (29-5, 19 KOs) will host a news conference on Wednesday to announce their upcoming light heavyweight battle “Broad Street Brawl” on December 2 at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. The bout will be televised live on VERSUS.

Sithchatchawal, Paulino draw

Photo: Sroi Mungmee

By Damrong Simakajornboon

WBA # 6 super featherweight Somsak Sithchatchawal (60-3-3, 44 KOs) barely kept his PABA interim 130lb title as he drew against PABA # 14 Dante Paulino (reportedly 14-8-2, 10 KOs) on Friday at Taksin University in Songkhla, Thailand. Filipino Paulino surprised the Thai crowd as he excitingly battled with the former WBA 122lb champion in a close affair bout. It seemed that the Filipino dropped the local fighter twice, in round two and round five, but the referee considered as Sithchatchawal’s slips because of the wet canvas. Scored: 105-104, 104-105 and 105-105. After the bout, promoter Kokiet Panichyarom said he will hold the rematch of Sithchatchawal-Paulino soon, probably next January. For more details and photos click here…

Weights from NYC

Photo: Chris Farina-Top Rank

Juan Manuel Lopez 121 vs Rogers Mtagwa 121
(WBO jr featherweight championship)
Yuriorkis Gamboa 124.5 vs Whyber Garcia 124.5
(WBA featherweight championship)
Odlanier Solis 271 vs Monte Barrett 218.5
Pawel Wolak 155.5 vs Carlos Nascimento 154
John Duddy 161 vs Michi Martinez 160
Venue: WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: PPV 9PM ET/6PM PT
Click here for more photos…

Johnson: I’ll be champion again

Photo: Yenili Garcia

By Lee Bates

Former world light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson (49-12-2, 33 KOs) does a tire hitting drill under the watchful eye of trainer Orlando Cuellar in Miami, Florida. Johnson is in preparation for his much anticipated November 7th rematch with current IBO light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs). Also at stake will be the WBC Interim title. Johnson and Dawson fought in March of 2008 where Dawson won a hard fought unanimous decision. Johnson closed the bout extremely strong hurting Dawson which left the door open for a rematch. The bout will take place in Dawson’s resident state of Connecticut in the city of Hartford. The venue will be the XL Center. “I’m very pleased with my training camp as it has gone beautifully. This time around I will eliminate all doubts to who the winner is. I will stop Chad Dawson inside the distance and once again I will be light heavyweight champion of the world,” said Johnson.

Win Everlast fight gloves

Every Friday Everlast will be giving away one (1) pair of fight gloves through their Facebook page. To enter…simply log onto Facebook, find the Everlast Facebook page, become a fan of Everlast, and post a comment as directed by the Fight Glove Friday post. It’s that easy! Not easy enough for you? Here…we’ll make it so easy that all you have to do to own a pair of the best fight gloves on the market is click this link. Good luck!

Weights from Rostock, Germany

Photo: Eroll Popova

Ina Menzer 125.6 vs Esther Schouten 123.4
(WIBF/WBC/WBO female featherweight championship)
Susi kentikian 111.7 vs Julia Sahin 110.8
(WIBF/WBA/WBO female flyweight championship)
Denis Boytsov 225.9 vs Jason Gavern 231.4
Sebastian Köber 223.1 vs Markus Tomala 235.4
Manual Charr 242.5 vs Sherman Williams 264.5
Marcel Meyerdiercks 125.8 vs Zsolt Nagy 128.3
Rachim Tschachkijew 198.8 vs Tayar Mehmed 201.7
Damian Jonak 154.3 vs Sylvestre Marianini 151
Phil Lo Greco 149.4 vs Albert Starikov 149.9
Venue: Stadthalle, Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Promoter: Universum Box-Promotion
Click here for more photos…

Pacquiao-Cotto TV undercard set

Undefeated #1 contenders Julio César Chavez, Jr. and Yuri Foreman, plus three-time world champion Daniel Santos add more “Firepower” to Top Rank’s blockbuster November 14th pay-per-view PPV card headlined by the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto welterweight championship, taking place at the sold out MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Chavez (40-0-1, 30 KOs) will be facing Troy Rowland (25-2, 7 KOs) in a ten-round middleweight bout. Santos (32-2-1, 23 KOs) will be making the first defense of his WBA super welterweight title against #1 contender Yuri Foreman (27-0, 8 KOs). Rounding out the televised undercard will be a 10-round welterweight bout between Alfonso Gomez (20-4-2, 10 KOs), an alumnus of season one of “The Contender,” against IBF #5/WBC #7 Jesus Soto-Karass (24-3-3, 16 KOs).

Tokyo title twinbill

Photo: Naoki Fukuda

By Joe Koizumi

Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Promotions will present a sensational world title twinbill tomorrow (Saturday) at the Yoyogi Second Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan. WBC super-bantam champ Toshiaki Nishioka (34-4-3, 21 KOs), a Japanese hard-hitting southpaw, will put his belt on the line against ex-WBO titlist Ivan Hernandez (25-3-1, 15 KOs), Mexico, over twelve rounds. Also, unbeaten WBA super-feather kingpin Jorge Linares (27-0, 18 KOs), a Japan-based Venezuelan, will defend his second world belt against also undefeated Juan Carlos Salgado (21-0-1, 15 KOs), an up-and-coming Mexican, over twelve. We saw a weigh-in ceremony, where Nishioka tipped the beam a quarter pound lighter than the limit at 121.75, while Hernandez 122. Linares scaled in at 129.75 to the 130-pound class limit for Salgado. The officials are as follows: WBC 122-pound title bout: referee Mike Griffin (Canada); judges Glenn Trowbridge (US), Bruce McTavish (Philippines) and Douglas Belton (New Zealand); supervisor Gabriel Penagaricano (Puerto Rico). For more details and photos click here…

Weights from Panama

Olivier Monserrat-Robert

By Robert Coster

Anselmo Moreno 124 vs Jorge Otero 120
Ricardo Cordoba 123 vs Eddy Julio 122
Augusto Pinilla 129 vs Lucas Gacon 128
Irving Berry 127 vs Armando Cordoba 126
Humberto Pena 114 vs Ezequiel Asprilla 114
Jose Arosemena 155 vs Wilmer Gonzalez 158
Rolando Giono 127 vs Julio Castanos 129
Evens Pierre 140 vs Jose Castro 140
Antonio Fernandez 124 vs Gabriel Dorado 124
Johny Dorisme 121 vs Omar Anderson 118
Gustavo Gomez 121 vs Jose Garcia 120
Promoter: PREMIUM BOXING PROMOTIONS
Venue: Robert Duran Arena

Hernandez ready for Medina!

For former middleweight contender Miguel Hernandez, October 30th could be the biggest fight of his career, no small statement considering his resume. With the memory of his gritty, albeit losing, performance against Wayne Johnsen in his opening fight of ESPN’s third season of the Contender now fading, Hernandez knows that a solid win over middleweight prospect David Medina could propel him back into the world rankings and possibly set up a match with the winner of the Hector Camacho Jr. versus Ramon Campas fight in the main event . . . . Click here for more

“LATIN INVASION 2″ will be held at UTEP’s Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. The event will be on live on Pay-Per-View. Tickets for this event available at TicketMaster, or can be purchased at the Don Haskins Center box office, at 915-747-5234.

Povetkin added to Baltimore card

By Gary “Digital” Williams

The Friday, October 16 Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore receives a nice boost because IBF #1 ranked heavyweight Alexander Povetkin has been added to the card. The undefeated Russian (17-0, 12 KO’s) will battle “Dangerous” Damon Reed of Topeka, KS (44-13, 31 KO’s) in a scheduled 10-round contest. Povetkin, who won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, is trained by Teddy Atlas, who will be ringside for Povetkin’s first pro bout in the United States. (more…)

Froch: Dirrell in trouble

Carl Froch has laughed off Andre Dirrell’s attempts to rile him ahead of their Super Six World Boxing Classic showdown at the Trent FM Arena, Nottingham on October 17th. Froch will defend his WBC World Super Middleweight title against the undefeated American hotshot who has certainly proved a championships contender in the trash talking stakes. (more…)

Provodnikov to face Prescott

By Alexey Sukachev

Junior welterweight hope Ruslan Provodnikov (12-0, 7 KOs) will make a quantum leap up in class by facing hard-charging Columbian Breidis ‘Khanqueror’ Prescott (21-1, 18 KOs) in a scheduled twelve-rounder for a vacant WBO Intercontinental title at 140 lbs. The cross-roader, which has been confirmed today by matchmaker Stanislav Bukhlov, will take place on November 28 in Samara during a major show, promoted by Kira Plotnikova, the spouse of late Russian promoter Alexey Plotnikov, who tragically passed away in a car accident in November 2007. Matchmakers are Stanislav Bukhlov and Andrey Katyshev (German Titov Promotions). (more…)

Shafikov faces Trejo

By Alexey Sukachev

Mexican journeyman Fernando ‘El Pillo’ Trejo (30-15-4, 18 KOs) is a man, who will test the ring wisdom and punching power of up-and-coming Russian junior welterweight Denis Shafikov (21-0, 12 KOs). The fight, which is a scheduled twelve-rounder for the vacant IBO Intercontinental 140lb title, will take place on Oct. 24 at Urheilutalo in Helsinki, Finland. Trejo, who was stopped only once in his career on cuts and has sound victories over Jose Armando Santa Cruz and Darling Jimenez, is said to take a tune-up this weekend before flying over to Europe. Shafikov is already 4-0, 3 KOs this year.
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The show will be co-organized by the Union Boxing Management and P3 Boxing. The co-featured bout of the evening will see BBU welterweight champion and tough guy Roman Seliverstov (10-8, 2 KOs) defending his IBO I/C title against former world title challenger Cosme ‘El Chino’ Rivera (31-12-2, 22 KOs). More local prospects will see action in an undercard.

Browne defeats Belandres

Photo: Tim Barry

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Classy Australian featherweight Davey Browne (16-1-1,4KO’s) outscored tough Filipino Reynaldo “Boy of Steel” Belandres (12-1-2,8KO’s) over ten rounds to capture the WBC Youth title at the Star City Casino, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Browne, 5’10, had a four inch height advantage over his opponent but chose to go toe-to-toe with the powerful import. Browne suffered a cut over the right eye in round one and it was inspected by Doctor Lou Lewis at the end of round eight. Both boxers were rocked several times but at the conclusion of ten action packed rounds judges had Browne the winner by scores Will Soulos 97-94, George Pellis 98-92, Kevin Hogan 97-95. For more details and photos click here…

Q&A: Sergiy Dzinziruk

By Alexey Potapov

WBO light middleweight champion Sergiy Dzinziruk (36-0, 22 KOs) is looking to make a unification fight against IBF light middleweight champion Cory Spinks (37-5, 11 KOs) on October 31st in Las Vegas. Dzinziruk spoke about that and many other things in an exclusive interview with Fightnews.com

Hello, Sergiy. Glad to see you again. How are you?

Hi Alex! I’m great, thanks.

There’s talk about a possible fight against Cory Spinks. Is it the truth?

Yes. Now I am at home in the Ukraine. After Universum Box-Promotion couldn’t organize my fight against Paul Williams, I was compelled to break off with this organization. They’re not getting me work. I contacted the managers of Spinks and offered them a unification fight. They suggested we discuss in detail in the USA. Next week I depart to America and I’ll organize that fight and probably and find a new promoter for myself.

Have you met with Klaus Peter Kohl to discuss the situation?

I wanted to meet with him, but probably he didn’t want it. As a result, now I communicate by means of the lawyer.

Why are you interested in a fight against Spinks?

This fight would be interesting to millions to fans of boxing and for a long time I dreamed of fighting in America. Such a fight is the best chance for me. Besides, Spinks wants the fight with me.

You’re not worried about carrying out a fight as soon as October 31st?

No, I keep myself in excellent condition and I perfectly know the style of conducting a fight against Spinks. I’ve seen a lot of his fights.

Do you have a manager?

No. I don’t think that it’s necessary for me. I’ve been in boxing for a lot of years and I also know it as a business. Assuredly I will have an advisor.

I spoke with WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, he expressed interest in you fighting for his company K2 Promotions. Did you know this?

I want my fights to be seen in the Ukraine. I have agreed to meet with Vitali and talk about it. If conditions suit me, all is possible.

Did you speak with the WBO about your promotional situation?

They have granted me a delay in the defense of the title until February 2010. I should tell them thanks. They have understood the complex situation in which I’m involved.

I know, you wanted a fight against Paul Williams. But he will fight Kelly Pavlik on December 5th. Your prediction for this fight?

I think that chances are 50/50. They’re boxing superstars and everyone has chance to win. It will be an interesting fight.