Boxing
Tonight’s fight could define Kabayel’s future in the heavyweight division
Published
2 months agoon
Kabayel pressure approach
Kabayel’s victories over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang were achieved through constant, fierce pressure. Kabayel deliberately closes space by getting into the body early, staying there, and forcing opponents to carry weight they don’t want. In the fight against Zhang, the Chinese fighter was not overwhelmed by a single shot, but exhausted by accumulating damage. Kabayel’s ability to force opponents to fight is a key element of his approach. His opponents do not fight cleanly; they react. In the middle rounds, Kabayel is already in possession of the middle, landing ponderous body shots and the damage is already done.
Damian Knyba arrives with an undefeated record, but the problem is that he hasn’t been tested against anyone of Kabayel’s caliber. What matters to Kabayel is how he can win. He is expected to rule over Knyba. A lesser result would be considered a setback in his career and a sign that he may no longer be among the top heavyweights. At this stage, victories alone are not enough. Kabayel must demonstrate continued progress and relevance.
Looking to the future: Usyk, Itauma and a clear task
Kabaye’s ambitions are well known. He mentioned that he would like to fight Oleksandr Usyk, but this fight is not guaranteed. Usyk, who missed the mandatory defense, made it clear that the space for novel challengers was quickly closing. If Kabayel is to have any chance of winning the title, it must continue to dominate in the league that remains open.
One such challenge may be the character of Moses Itauma, a youthful and hazardous warrior. Kabayel did not shy away from this risk, considering such fights necessary to remain relevant. The best way to climb the rankings is to stay energetic against fighters who want to challenge you, even if the titles are out of reach. Tonight, Kabayel needs to strengthen his position by showing that he can handle another wave of heavyweights without hesitation.
Date: January 10
Premises: Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen
Local start time: 18:00 Central European Time
United States Time: 12:00 EST
UK time: 17:00
Scales:
Agit Kabayel: 240 pounds (109.7 kg)
Damian Knyba: 239 pounds (108.4 kg)
Granit Shala 256 vs. Peter Milas 240
Jadier Herrera 134.4 vs. Ricardo Nuñez 134.4
Roman Fury 227 vs. Kevin Greenwood
Nelvie Tiafak 256 vs. Piotr Cwik 276
Tom Galm has been covering the global boxing scene since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, business trends and fighter psychology.
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Boxing
Jai Opetaia defeats Brandon Glanton over 12 rounds in Vegas
Published
1 hour agoon
March 9, 2026
In the fifth round, Opetai’s right uppercut to the head again hurt Glanton in the final minute. In the sixth round, Opetaia continued his body attack and took another round, while Glanton lost a point for holding. In the last minute of the seventh round, both fighters exchanged blows. In the eighth round, Glanton landed several low blows and lost a point from referee Allen Huggins.
In the ninth round, both fighters had their moments. Opetaia continued to work the body as Glanton ended the round with a punch to the chin. In the tenth round, Opetaia landed a right uppercut to Glanton’s body. Just when it looked like Glanton might be ready to attack, he counterattacked and landed straight into Opetai’s body.
In the eleventh round, Opetaia lost a point for holding. In the twelfth and final round, the action was still competitive at the bell.
All three judges scored the fight 119-106.
Retains Saracho Rooms
Ricardo Adan Salas stopped Jesus “Junior” Saracho at 2:05 of the eighth round of a scheduled 10-round fight.
In the first round, Salas’ last-minute shot shocked Saracho. In the second round, both had their moments in a close round. In the third round, Salas landed a pair of rights to Saracho’s chin in the final seconds and won the round.
In the last 30 seconds of the fourth round, Saracho landed a combination to the chin, but in the final seconds Salas responded with a quick attack and took the round. In the fifth round, Salas landed a right uppercut to the body that hurt Saracho midway through the round. In the last seconds, Salas landed several punches again and won the round.
In the sixth round, Salas landed a left hook to the body that hurt Saracho in the first minute, although Saracho fought well for the rest of the round. In the seventh round, Salas landed a right uppercut to the chin that hurt Saracho, and the two exchanged punches midway through the round. Salas finished the round stronger, working his body well.
In the eighth round, Salas hurt Saracho with several body blows as the referee looked ready to step in. Salas landed to the body again, hurting Saracho and forcing referee Robert Hoyle to stop the fight.
Panin stops the group
Vlad “Super Bad” Panin stopped Shinard Bunch at 2:29 of the ninth round of a scheduled 10-round fight.
It was a one-sided fight lasting eight rounds, with Panin dominating. In the ninth round, Panin landed a series of punches, forcing referee Allen Huggins to stop.
Palma defeats Rubio
Adan Palma won a split decision over Pablo “Shark” Rubio Jr. over eight innings after scoring two knockdowns.
In the third round, Palma’s left hook knocked down Rubio for eight. Moments later, Palma dropped Rubio again, landing another right to the chin. In the fourth round, Rubio fought back, although Palma’s left hook was still effective.
In the fifth round, Palma landed a pair of left hooks to the chin. Rubio responded with a combination at the bell in the close round. In the sixth round, Rubio landed several unanswered punches mid-round to even the fight.
In the eighth and final round, Rubio rallied strongly.
The scores were 76-74 for Rubio and 78-77 for Palma twice.
Juarez wins by decision
Joshua Jay Juarez defeated Jardae Anderson in eight rounds.
Juarez used his attacking style to put pressure on Anderson while also scoring points with his hand speed and power shots. The pace slowed in the second half of the fight until the final ten seconds when both fighters exchanged.
The scores were 77-75, 79-73 and 78-74.
Ramos and Perez draw
Jaycob Ramos fought Ethan Perez for most of six rounds.
Both fighters hit the canvas during the fight. In the second round, Perez dropped Ramos with a left hand for an eight count. Ramos managed to survive until the bell.
In the third round, Ramos returned the favor, dropping Perez with a right hand to get the count back to eight.
The scores were 57-55 Ramos and 56-56 twice.
Ochoa and Serrano tied
Brady Ochoa fought six rounds against Adrian Serrano to a majority draw.
The competitors fought for six rounds of competition.
The scores were 58-56 Ochoa and 57-57 twice.
Alvarado wins by decision
Emiliano Alvarado defeated Eric Rosado in six rounds.
After losing the opening round, Alvarado dropped Rosado in the second round and controlled the remainder of the fight.
All scores were 59-55.
Ken Hissner is a senior boxing journalist at Boxing News 24 with over 20 years of experience in the sport. Known for his in-ring reporting, detailed results and historical perspective, he provides authoritative coverage of boxing through the eras.
Boxing
Shakur Stevenson only sees one winner in Canelo vs. David Benavidez: ‘I’m a fan’
Published
3 hours agoon
March 8, 2026
Shakur Stevenson gave a balanced assessment of why the fight between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez has not yet taken place.
Both multi-weight world champions seemed to be on a collision course at 168 pounds, with Canelo reigning as the undisputed king.
Meanwhile, Benavidez held the “interim” WBC title after becoming a two-time super middleweight world champion and awaited his mandatory shot at the full WBC title.
This opportunity, however, never materialized as Canelo continued to defend his undisputed crown against alternative opposition.
During that time, the Mexican had one-sided points victories over the likes of John Ryder and Jermell Charlo, but was widely criticized for failing to face his most formidable rival, Benavidez.
Benavidez has since won the WBC 175-pound title and now looks set to become a three-weight world champion against Gilberto Ramirez, whom he will face on May 2 for the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles.
This may seem like a bold move, but the 29-year-old’s physique will enable him to develop into an effective 200-pound operator, while Canelo is clearly best suited at 168 pounds.
The natural size difference therefore made their clash even less likely, as Stevenson points out Joe Rogan that in his opinion this is the most significant factor.
“Benavidez is too large for Canelo. I see both sides. I love Benavidez and I’m a fan of his, so I see the ‘fight me, brother’ side.”
“But then I see Canelo’s attitude. He’s like, ‘Man, this guy regularly weighs 200 pounds. I don’t get anywhere near that weight, so I ask myself, ‘Why would I fight this guy?'”
Despite a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford, Canelo was promised a shot at the world championship by Turki Alalshikh in Riyad, Saudi Arabia in September this year.
Potential options include Christian Mbilli and Jose Armando Resendiz, the respective WBC and WBA champions, while the IBF and WBO super middleweight world titles remain vacant following Crawford’s retirement.
“If you ask me to immaculate your shoes, I will immaculate them,” Hearn told The Stomping Ground. “But basically the reference was that I said I wasn’t too proud to know my position and the opportunities open to me.”
Over the past two years, Saudi Arabia has financed a series of major boxing events, combining several championship fights that had been stalled in customary negotiations. Matchroom-promoted fighters have appeared on a number of Riyad’s season cards during this period, including major title fights and heavyweight events featuring some of the sport’s most recognizable names.
Hearn said his approach has always been elementary. When an opportunity arises that will benefit the players and the company, the priority is to take advantage of it rather than worrying about what the moment will look like in public.
“My senior man says if you walk past a fivepence coin on the floor you’ll pick it up,” Hearn said. “If a great opportunity comes along, we make money and I enjoy it, no problem.”
Hearn added that he expects to continue working with Turki on future boxing events, despite the occasional public exchange. Several promoters now partner with Saudi-backed events, and financing has become a regular feature of the sport’s biggest fight negotiations.
“I think he enjoys working with us,” Hearn said. “He will always do what suits him and we will continue to do what suits us and our players.”
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most essential fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
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