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Ring Ratings Update (July 6): O’Shaquie Foster’s Rankings Remain Unchanged After Controversial Defeat

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Robson Conceicao (left) won a highly controversial split decision over O’Shaquie Foster on July 6. (Photo: Mikey Williams-Top Rank)

The 135-pound weight class took center stage last Saturday, but it was the 130-pound title fight that had the Fight Review Panel concerned.

O’Shaquie Foster he seemed to clearly outbox the three-time title challenger Robson Conceicao over 12 rounds in the main event of the Top Rank card in Newark, Recent Jersey, but two official judges (Tony Lundy and Paul Wallace) awarded the Olympic gold medalist a highly controversial split decision for his rather ineffective aggression throughout the banal fight, which was televised on ESPN.

The scores were 116-112 (Lundy) and 115-113 (Wallace) for the 35-year-old Brazilian, and 116-112 (Ron McNair) for the 30-year-old Texan, who was defending his WBC belt for the third time. Most observers agreed with McNair’s score or saw it as more one-sided in favor of Foster (22-3, 12 KOs), who entered the fight as The Ring’s No. 2 junior lightweight. Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) is The Ring’s No. 8 junior lightweight.

Conceicao was the aggressor against Foster, but his actions rarely proved effective. (Photo: Mikey Williams-Top Rank)

In the main event Top Rank Shakur StevensonThe Ring’s No. 4-ranked lightweight defended his WBC belt with a unanimous decision over the German title challenger Artem HarutyunyanThe lack of action in the fight drew criticism from ESPN commentators, mostly aimed at Stevenson’s cautious performance, which continued to be criticized by fans, pundits, and even some of the fighter’s peers on social media (partly because the 27-year-old talent remains sensitive to criticism).

On the introductory card, Keyshawn Davis passed the physical test with flying colors, going 10 tough rounds with tough Mexican brawler Miguel Madueno, who entered the fight with a flashy 31-2 (28 KO) record and a brutal attitude. Davis (11-0, 7 KO), who entered the fight as the No. 8 lightweight in The Ring’s rankings, handled the aggression to win by a unanimous decision of 99-91.

Across the country, in the Golden Boy Promotions/DAZN main event in Ontario, California, William ZepedaNo. 3 in The Ring’s lightweight rankings, he remained undefeated with a third-round knockout of scrappy title challenger Giovanni Cabrera, whose only previous loss was a split decision Isaac Cruz last July. Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) lost the first round to Cabrera (22-2, 7 KOs), but soon overwhelmed the brave outsider with his trademark pressure, weighty punching and attacking the body.

William Zepeda’s train continued to move forward with his 27th KO against the courageous but outgunned Giovanni Cabera. Photo: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy Promotions

Zepeda and Stevenson maintained their positions (given that both were weighty favorites to win), while the less experienced Davis moved up a spot. But what to do with Foster, who should have raised his hand? What to do with Conceicao, who earned the official victory but shouldn’t have?

“Foster lost his WBC title to Conceicao in a very controversial manner,” he said. Anson Wainwrightt. “This might be one of those occasions where we don’t get rid of Foster. Maybe we keep him at No. 2 and move Conceicao up, showing that we don’t agree with the decision but we also respect the official decision?”

This suggestion was not enough for the majority of the commission members, who did not want to reward Conceicao for a victory he did not actually deserve.

“I agree that there is no action for Foster,” he said. Jake Donovan“I strongly disagree with Conceicao; if anything, he should be lower. I don’t know why we should elevate him in such a bad decision that even ordinary fans are criticizing the sport.”

Added Adam Abramowitz: “I would invoke our ‘robbery clause’ for Foster-Conceicao. Conceicao didn’t win that fight. And I wouldn’t move him up either.”

Abraham Gonzalez, Michael Montero AND Diego Morel it was agreed that Conceicao should not be promoted and Foster should not be relegated.

Added Tom Gray: “We do not recognize the official decision because it was a load of crap. The only way to discourage incompetence is to reject it completely.

“It’s not Robson’s fault, but he shouldn’t be world champion and that’s it. This ‘a win is a win’ is complete excuses.”

“They both stay where they are.”

The Scot spoke.

RING RATINGS UPDATED (as of July 6):

LIGHT – William Zepeda remains at No. 3. Shakur Stevenson remains at No. 4. Keyshawn Davis moves up to No. 7.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT – O’Shaquie Foster remains at No. 2. Robson Conceicao remains at No. 8.

JUNIOR BANNER WEIGHTFernando Martinez moves up to No. 1 after winning a split decision Kazuto Jokawhich drops to 3rd place.

“AND “I agree that Puma is advanced,” he noted Donovan“I can live with Ioka staying one spot behind Estrada, even though I thought the fight would be 115-113 either way (I had Ioka but I see Puma winning). The (official) results were awful.”

HOUSEFLYRicardo Sandoval remains in 6th place after defeating Angel Acosta in round 10.

“Sandoval scored a highly questionable knockout victory over Acosta in round 10. He stays where he is,” he noted Wainwright.

JUNIOR WEIGHT FLYDaniel Matellon exits due to inactivity. Shokichi IwataFresh off a sixth-round knockout of Jahzeel Trinidad, he remains at No. 8 but moves up to No. 7 due to exhaustion. The former title challenger Regie Suganob (15-1, 5 KOs) comes in at number 10.

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The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena

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Rocha vs Curiel

In 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.

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George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former 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.

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Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One 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.

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