Boxing
Hearn labels Catterall vs. Prograis “Mega-fight”: can it bring results?
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaPromoter Eddie Hearn calls the announced Jack Catterall vs. Regis Prograis fight a “mega-fight” for the division, which will take place on August 24 at Co-Op Live in Manchester, England. The card will be shown live on DAZN.
(Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Can he live up to Hearn’s expectations?
For Catterall-Prograis to live up to Hearn’s “mega-fight” expectations, he will need an excellent card filled with top names that the American boxing public wants to see.
If Hearn can promote the event like crazy, maybe he can turn it into a mega-fight. However, Hearn will have to work tough to turn around Catterall vs. Prograis into something resembling a mega-fight as both fighters have their issues.
Prograis (29-2, 24 KO) lost his last fight and is not someone stateside fans are excited about after his performance last December and his previous fight against Danielito Zorrilla. Bad timing for this fight to be a mega fight.
“For me, this is the best fight at 140 pounds outside of championship fights. I think Jack Catterall has become a real star,” said Eddie Hearn Boxing in the match room about the news about the fight between Jack Catterall and former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Regis Prograis, which will take place on August 24 in Manchester on DAZN.
Catterall’s style: a potential obstacle
The pre-Catterall and Prograis styles could have turned this match into a cat and mouse game. Catterall moves and holds a lot when under pressure from opponents, which isn’t fun for fans.
It could be thrilling if Catterall changes his fighting style to become more fan-friendly by not giving up, resisting the urge to clinch and throwing tough shots. There are lots of rabbits in Catterall and seeing it without a cup of mighty coffee is a nightmare.
“He put in a fantastic performance against Josh Taylor in one of the best atmospheres we have seen in the British arena for a long time,” Hearn said of Catterall. “He wanted to be busy. He talked to me about fighting for the world title. Liam Paro just won [the IBF 140-lb belt]”
Catterall wanted a title shot against one of the 140-pound champions or a title eliminator against Arnold Barboza Jr. None of these options were available to him, so now he faces the 35-year-old Prograis.
“Teofimo has a defense in front of him [on June 29th]. Devin Haney is on probation. I told him, “Listen, if you want to be busy, we want to open a cooperative arena at a major boxing event on August 24th. It’s in your backyard. He said, “I’ll fight anyone.” “Just fight the biggest fight you can,” and we tried with [Arnold] Barboza and they lost the ball.
It’s tough to believe that Hearn wouldn’t be able to equal Catterall in a title fight against one of the 140-pound champions because he promotes IBF belt holder Liam Paro and HAD a good working relationship with WBC champion Devin Haney.
Certainly Hearn could have used his magic to set Catterall up for a title shot against one of them, but why didn’t he? Is this because Catterall is seen as ratings poison due to his dull style and his recent clash with Josh Taylor where safety was paramount?
“Literally 24 hours ago while talking to Regis Prograis he said: ‘I will fight Jack Catterall in England. I need a large win. I had a great fight there with Josh Taylor. “Let’s do it,’ and we signed the fight, and it’s a mega-fight in this division, and the card is going to be epic,” Hearn said.
Prograis didn’t have many fight options, so it’s understandable that he took the chance to fight Catterall in Manchester. His career is at a bad point right now because of the loss to Haney.
“The arena is fantastic and we have another great night for British boxing on August 24. It’s very vital,” Hearn said.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
18 hours agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
‘MIKE TYSON WON’T FIGHT EVER AGAIN!’ – Gareth A Davies
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