Harris headlines tonight!

Former world champion Vivian “Vicious” Harris (29-3-1, 19 KOs) faces Noe “Platanito” Bolanos (20-4-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round junior welterweight bout tonight in the ESPN2 main event at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona. In the opening televised bout, one of the most devastating young punchers in the sport, Keith “One Time” Thurman (9-0, 9 KOs) will face the vastly more experienced Travis Hartman (10-13-1, 7 KO’s) of St. Joseph, Missouri in a six-round junior middleweight fight. Also the United States’ only boxing medalist from the 2008 Olympics, Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (6-0, 6 KOs) will look to keep his knockout streak alive in a four-round bout against Travis Allen (3-4, 3 KOs). (more…)

Classic Jones, Lacy tonight!

Hooks will be flying in Biloxi on Saturday August 15 when Eight-Time World Champion, Roy “Captain Hook” Jones Jr. and Two-Time World Champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy battle it out in “Hook City,” at the MS Coast Coliseum. To prepare us for this highly anticipated match-up of speed and power, ESPN Classic will air past Jones and Lacy fights every night next week and all day Saturday.

Continuing the action, three fights are featured tonight, beginning at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT on ESPN Classic: The 2009 fight between Jones and Omar Sheika; 2005 bout with Lacy and Robin Reid; and Lacy’s battle with Anwar Oshana. Click here for more info on this week’s schedule.

Linares headed to Venezuela

By Joe Koizumi

On the next day after a press conference to announce his next title defense against unbeaten Mexican Juan Carlos Salgado on October 10, WBA super-feather champ Jorge Linares (27-0, 18 KOs), a Japan-based Venezuelan, left for his native country on Wednesday to make a triumphal return, and then move to Las Vegas to do strenuous training with good sparring partners. The unbeaten Golden Boy (El Nino de Oro), 24, is supposed to return here in September for his final tune-up prior to the sensational event named “Homecoming.”

Weights from Maplewood, MN!

Matt Vanda 168 vs Teddy Muller 175*
Brad Patraw 126 vs Javier Segura 129.2
Jose Hilario 136.6 vs Jon Swamberg 133.2
Cerresso Fort 163.2 vs Yancy Cuellar 167.6
Bobby Kliewer 165 vs John Turner 163
Venue: Myth Nightclub, Maplewood, MN
* Muller took the fight on one weeks notice as a replacement opponent. He reportedly had to drop more then 20 pounds in that week to hit 168. When Muller was over the contracted weight of 168, Vanda said he could have the weight and thanked him for stepping in last second!

“Hook City!” final presser

Report by Drew Amendola
Photos by Scott Foster

Over a hundred members of the media and fight community were present at the final press conference for Saturday’s “Hook City!” event at the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi . . . Click here for more

Hearns defeats Thompson

By Bob Caico at ringside

Junior middleweight contender Ronald Hearns (22-1, 17 KOs), son of former middleweight champion Tommy Hearns, won a hard fought eight round unanimous decision over veteran Patrick Thompson (15-15-1, 5 KOs) on Thursday night at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY. After five close rounds, Hearns began to assert himself in the six. Thompson, however, dropped Hearns at the end of round seven. Hearns returned the favor in the eighth by putting Thompson on the deck. Scores were 77-74, 77-73, 77-73 for Hearns. (more…)

Lacy vows a short night vs. Jones

Story by Ryan Macalua

There has been no other fight that has motivated Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy (25-2, 17 KOs) more than what is going to take place on August 15th against Roy “Captain Hook” Jones Jr. (53-5, 39 KOs).

“Training camp has gone very well and I’m really excited for this fight, there aren’t that many fights that you can get excited about other than when you are preparing for a living legend,” Lacy explains . . . Click here for more

Weights from Tucson, AZ!

Annette Agredano 120.5 vs Allison Cole 121
Vivian Harris 141 vs Noe Bolanos 139
Seth Mitchell 244.5 vs Andrae Carthron 222
Joshua Renteria 149 vs Karim Mayfield 148.2
Deontay Wilder 217 vs Travis Allen 228.5
Keith Thurman 147 vs Travis Hartman 143
Robert Sockwell 150 vs Martin Vierra 149
Venue: Desert Diamond Casino, Tucson, AZ
Promoter: Golden Boy

Weights from Salem, NJ!

Hank Lundy 140 vs Gary Bergeron 136
Coy Evans 128 vs Darrell Martin 128
Elizabeth Sherman 131 vs Keytida Cook 131.5
Lonnie Jackson Jr. 138.7 vs Bobby Bynum 138
Wanzell Ellison 135 vs Norman Allen 135
Najee Hayes 139 vs Deroy Beaton 144
Venue: Campbell Fitness Center, Salem, New Jersey
Promoter: Dungeon Warrior

Klitschko, Arreola Quick Quotes

Photo: Big Joe Miranda

WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko and #1 ranked Cristobal Arreola met the media and faced-off on Thursday for the first time in Los Angeles at a packed Staples Center press conference to promote their Sept. 26 showdown.

Vitali Klitschko: “This is heavyweight boxing. It’s two punchers. No one knows what will happen, that’s why I prepare to finish the fight inside 12 rounds. But, I am ready to fight all 12 rounds. I am ready for anything that can happen. I’m an old man. I have pain. But, don’t worry. I’m feeling much better. I had a good performance against (Samuel) Peter. I stopped (Juan Carlos) Gomez. I will do the same against Arreola.

Cristobal Arreola: “I’ve never been into trash-talking. I respect the man and so we’ll save all our trash-talking for the ring. Any man is beatable. If you’ve got two hands you can beat any man. He has a chin and I have a chin. It only takes one punch. I’ve said it before: We’re in the hurt game and one of us is going to get hurt. I just hope it’s not me.”

Pinoy Power II Notes!

The announce team for Top Rank’s Pinoy Power 2 PPV telecast will be Al Bernstein, television personality Mario Lopez and two-time world champion Brian ‘Hawaiian Punch’ Viloria on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Rick Seara, award-winning producer, of Top Rank made the announcement today.
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Nonito Donaire and Rafael Concepcion will weigh in at 3 pm Friday at the Hard Rock. Donaire and Concepcion will weigh first, followed by Steven Luevano and Bernabe Concepcion. The public is invited.
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First bell on Saturday is 4 pm local time. The PPV telecast will begin at 6 pm.

Weights from Corona, CA!

Photo: Carlos Baeza/Thompson Boxing Promotions

Mauricio Herrera 139 vs Jason Davis 140.5
(WBC USNBC super lightweight championship)
Josesito Lopez 141.5 vs Sergio De La Torre 140.5
Jonathan Arias 121.5 vs Khabir Suleymanov 122
Walter Sarnoi 123 vs John Lopez 124
Jonathan Arrellano 120.5 vs Hugo Ramos 121.5
Promoter: Thompson Boxing
Venue: Omega Products International, Corona, CA
TV: Fox Sports en Español (Tape Delayed)

Jones, Lacy off the hook!

Photo by Scott Foster

Photo: Roy Jones Jr. and Jeff Lacy stare down at the final presser for “Hook City,” today at  the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi.  Saturday night’s fight takes  place at the MS Coast Coliseum, live on pay-per-view.

Luevano, Concepcion workout!

Photo: Chris Farina-Top Rank

WBO Featherweight champion Steven Luevano and #1 contender Bernabe Concepcion worked out for reporters during media day Thursday in Las Vegas. Both looked sharp in advance of their upcoming WBO featherweight title fight on Saturday’s Top Rank promoted “Pinoy Power 2” pay-per-view event at the New Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel. Click here for more photos…

Klitschko-Arreola ticket alert

Tickets will go on sale Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. PT for the September 26 WBC heavyweight title fight between world champion Vitali Klitschko and WBC #1 ranked Cristobal Arreola at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Tickets are priced at $500, $300, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, available at all TicketMaster outlets or by phone at 800-745-3000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. STAPLES Center Box Office will start selling tickets on Monday, August 17 at 10 a.m.

Dawson-Johnson II for WBC belt!

Photo: Pepe Rodriguez

The WBC sanctioned the rematch between undefeated two-time light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs) and former world champion Glen Johnson (49-12-2, 33 KOs) for its interim light heavyweight title today. The bout will take place on November 7th in Dawson’s backyard of Hartford, Connecticut — the first world title bout in Hartford in 20 years. Dawson, a former WBC light heavyweight champion who relinguished the belt to take a fight against IBF champion Antonio Tarver rather than fight a mandatory against Adrian Diaconu, visited Mexico City and personally asked World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman to open the organization’s doors once again, saying that the only world champion belt he wants is the WBC green and gold belt. (more…)

Video: “Hook City” final presser!

The Roy Jones Jr. vs. Jeff Lacy “Hook City” final press conference took place today at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi.  Saturday night’s fight will take place at the MS Coast Coliseum, live on pay-per-view.

Boxing Buzz

Atlanta Police have arrested the suspected gunman in the death of former world champion Vernon Forrest. 30-year-old Charmon Sinkfield was charged with murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault. A man suspected of robbing Forrest at gunpoint and also a man suspected of driving the getaway car are also in police custody.
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Amanda Rodrigues, wife of late ring legend Arturo Gatti, has sent a letter to the Journal de Montreal, in which she says a second autopsy on the ex-boxing champ will clear her name. She was held for 18 days by Brazilian police before Gatti’s death was ruled a suicide.
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Seminole Warriors Boxing has teamed up with Bad Dog Productions to sign lightweight Rances Barthelemy, brother of 2004 Olympic Gold medalist and current pro prospect Yan Barthelemy (8-1, 1 KO). He will make his pro debut on the August 28 Warriors card.

Boystov returns October 10th

Universum Box-Promotion’s “Universum Champions Night” event on October 10 card at the StadtHalle in Rostock, Germany will feature unbeaten heavyweight KO artist Dennis Boystov, title defenses by popular female world champions Susi Kentikian and Ina Menzer, the the debut of Olympic gold medalist Rakhim Chakhkiev. The unbeaten Boystov (25-0, 20 KOs) is currently rated WBA #5, WBO #6 and WBC #10 by world sanctioning bodies and is coming off a brutal KO of then WBA #2 rated Taras Bidenko. He will defend his WBO Intercontinental belt against an opponent to be named.
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“The Killer Queen” Susi Kentikian (25-0, 16 KOs), considered by many to be the pound-for-pound best in womens boxing, will defend her WBA and IBF flyweight world titles against unbeaten WIBF light flyweight world champion Julia Sahin (20-0, 2 KOs).
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The über-popular Ina Menzer (24-0, 9 KOs) will defend her WBC and WIBF featherweight belts against WIBF super bantamweight champion Esther Schouten (24-5-1, 13 KOs). The bout will be a rematch of their hotly contested match in January.
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In a further highlight, highly regarded 2008 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Rakhim Chakhkiev, who signed with Universum last month, will be making his pro debut. Chakhkiev will campaign in the cruiserweight division.

Fightwriter on Donaire-Concepcion

By Graham Houston

Nonito Donaire has emerged as one of the stars in the lighter weight divisions, a classy boxer-puncher who went to a new level in his last fight when demolishing the previously unbeaten Raul Martinez in four rounds to retain his IBF flyweight title. Donaire moves up in weight on Saturday when he meets Panama’s Rafael Concepcion for the vacant WBA interim 115-pound championship on Top Rank’s “Pinoy Power” PPV show in Las Vegas, and after the way he blazed through Martinez it is difficult to see any result other than a convincing win for the Filipino who lives in San Leandro, CA. (more…)

Shumenov-Campillo preview!

Photo: Team Shumenov

By Alexey Sukachev

“We are set to go and I see nothing, that could prevent Beibut from fighting for the full WBA title this coming Saturday,” said his brother and business partner Chingis Shumenov, the co-head of the KZ Event Productions, during his conversation with this reporter. “I’ve heard much about those claims from Universum and the subsequent mess around promotional options on the reigning champion (Gabriel Campillo) but this frenzy won’t stop us and I’m pretty much sure we shall proceed as planned with the Campillo-Shumenov fight being for Gabriel’s bragging rights in this prestigious weight class. We have received the WBA approval, we have been working hard to get one. The whole scene is set, people are invited to visit the show and we just can’t let them down.” (more…)

Guerrero in high spirits!

After six weeks of hard work in the isolated mountains of Big Bear California, former two-time featherweight world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, is entering the final days of training camp. “I’ve been sparring with Sugar Shane Mosley and the knowledge he’s been giving me is priceless,” Guerrero said. “Shane is a great teacher and I’m grateful to be learning from one of the best fighters in boxing history. My weight is good and I can’t wait to arrive in Houston. The final days are here and all the hard work and sacrifices will pay off come fight night.” (more…)

Green hopes to emulate Fenech

By Craig Watt

When Australian boxer Danny Green (26-3, 23 KOs) takes on Argentinean Julio Cesar Dominguez (20-4, 14 KOs) on August 15th in Biloxi, Mississippi, he has the chance to emulate Australian legend Jeff Fenech by winning three world titles in three weight divisions. The fight with Dominguez is for the vacant IBO cruiserweight title and provides a chance to add to previous world honors as WBA light heavyweight and WBC super middleweight champion. The 36-year-old from Perth, Western Australia is known as the “Green Machine” and is focused on matching Fenech’s achievement. He stated from Biloxi, “To challenge for my third world title at three weights is a major motivating factor for me on Saturday as few Australian fighters have ever achieved this goal. In recent years Jeff Fenech achieved this and if I can beat this tough opponent Dominguez then I will be able to join this elite group. When I set out in boxing all them years ago who would have thought this skinny kid from Australia could become a three weight world champion.” (more…)

Female Boxing in 2012 Olympics

By Gabriel F. Cordero

Female boxing will be added to the 2012 Olympic games in London said Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The decision was made at a meeting of the organization in
Berlin. There it will be three divisions: flyweight (106 lbs-112 lbs), lightweight (123 lbs-132 lbs) and middleweight (152 lbs-165 pounds), with 12 boxers boxing in each of three divisions. This nomination should easily be approved by the IOC General Committee in October in Copenhagen. Boxing was previously the only summer sport on the Olympic docket without female representation. With the addition of female boxing, men’s boxing will be reduced from eleven weight divisions to ten, with the lightest category being eliminated.

Pitalua-Reyes Presser!

Photo: All Star Boxing

At yesterday’s press conference in Miami, both main event fighters appeared fit and ready for their tomorrow’s Boxeo Telemundo show at the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming in Miami, FL. Former two times world title challenger Antonio Pitalua and former WBO Latin champion Jose “El Gallo” Reyes will clash in a scheduled twelve-rounder with the vacant WBC Latin super lightweight title at stake. Pitalua of Mexico City, Mexico by the way of Monteria, Colombia is ranked #15 by the WBC and brings a record of (46-4, 40 KOs). Reyes of Vineland, New Jersey by the way of Caguas, Puerto Rico is rated # 14 by the WBC and brings a record of (23-6, 8 KOs). (more…)

Jones, Lacy visit Saints camp

Photos by Tom Casino/Square Ring

Roy Jones Jr. and Jeff Lacy were invited yesterday to New Orleans Saints practice by Coach Sean Payton. While there, Jones and Lacy each addressed the team. Jones spoke about teamwork and Lacy spoke about hard training and being prepared. The team was invited to Saturday night’s fight at the MS Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, but they have Saturday meetings and Sunday morning practice at 8 AM . . . Click here for more

Relive Jones vs. Trinidad!

Hooks will be flying in Biloxi on Saturday August 15 when Eight-Time World Champion, Roy “Captain Hook” Jones Jr. and Two-Time World Champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy battle it out in “Hook City,” at the MS Coast Coliseum. To prepare us for this highly anticipated match-up of speed and power, ESPN Classic will air past Jones and Lacy fights every night next week and all day Saturday.

Continuing the action, the 2008 fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Felix Trinidad airs today, at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT on ESPN Classic. A sharp and focused Jones, fighting at his lowest weight since ’96, floors the legendary Trinidad twice en-route to a unanimous decision win.  Click here for more info on this week’s schedule.

TONIGHT: Through the Ropes!

Boxing fans, get ready to climb “Through the Ropes” with the #1 boxing news radio show hosted by award winning boxing writer Marc Lichtenfeld! This week’s guests are 1984 Olympic gold medalist Tyrell Biggs and Heavyweight Armageddon author Scoop Malinowski. Call or email your questions to ttropes@earthlink.net. Through The Ropes airs live coast to coast on Thursday nights from 9:00 – 10:00 ET on 75 affiliates of the Sports Byline USA Broadcast Network, including great radio stations like KSHP 1400 AM in Las Vegas and WNSR 560 AM in Nashville. The one-hour show will also be heard on American Forces Network, Sportsbyline.com and Fightnews.com. Fightnews readers can listen live by clicking here tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET.

King inks De La Rosa

Unbeaten welterweight James De La Rosa (19-0, 12 KOs) has signed with Don King Promotions. De La Rosa signed with DKP last week after filing for bankruptcy, thus nullifying a promotional pact with Duva Boxing. De La Rosa’s former promoter Dino Duva says he intends to file a grievance with the newly formed Boxing Promoter’s Association. “Don King signed the promoter’s association initial membership document and then immediately proceeded to raid my fighter. On top of this, he is my business partner in Duva Boxing,” said Duva who claims he had asked King for advice on handling the De La Rosa situation. De La Rosa will immediately join trainer Danny Smith and Jermain Taylor in training camp. No fight date or opponent has been announced.