Boxing
Andres Cortes fends off high octane Abraham Nova, unanimous decision says
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaAndres Cortes (left) takes a challenging dig at Abraham Nova en route to a unanimous decision on June 21 in Las Vegas. Photo credit: Mikey Williams, top position
Andres Cortes didn’t perform well on the scales, but he was ultimately rewarded in the ring.
The local junior lightweight prospect was credited with more correct striking in his decision win over Abraham Nova. The scores were 97-93, 97-93 and 96-94 for Cortes, despite Nova’s high-octane attack on Friday on ESPN+ from the BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
Cortes started mighty. This was in line with his fighting style, although it was something he owed to his weight loss Thursday. The undefeated North Las Vegas resident weighed 0.8 pounds over the junior lightweight limit and never bothered to lose the excess weight. Both boxers had their moments in the first round. Cortes was the more correct and effective of the two, although Nova was always in the fight.
The second was by far the most dominant in the fight for Cortes. Nova entered the fight as a bona fide contender after narrowly missing out on WBC 130-pound champion O’Shaquie Foster (22-2, 12 KO) earlier this year. However, he had difficulty defending against an uppercut, which Cortes landed virtually at will with both hands.
The energetic changed in the third quarter. Nova connected with kicking body shots and almost blunted Cortes’ earlier powerful attack. It was Nova who suddenly became the busier player after Cortes set the pace early.
The anxiety in Cortes’ corner grew throughout the five rounds. Luis Cortes, Andres’ older brother and head coach, was worried that Nova would steal innings and run away with the decision.
Cortes tried to take the lead in the second half, but was often forced to clinch. Nova continued to come forward, but was not as effective as in the earlier rounds. Cortes used defense to prepare an attack. Nova’s wild shots were denied by Cortes, who responded with a right cross. Despite this, Nova was definitely the busier fighter as he landed 99 punches in the round.
Nova escalated his attack in the eighth set despite landing 113 punches. Cortes spent most of the round hidden behind the ropes or on the defensive. He had a brief moment of success with a pair of counterattacks. Nova recovered from the blows and unloaded her strength at the last minute.
Cortes was clearly feeling fatigue, the effects of a needy weight cut and failure to reach 130 pounds. Nova struck twice up the middle. Cortes once again placed his back against the ropes, where he allowed Nova to let go of his hands in hopes of making a mistake. That didn’t happen, as Nova consistently scored with his right hand.
The action understandably slowed down in the tenth and final round. Nova landed 120 strikes in the ninth and was more selective throughout the stretch. Cortes tried to reduce the advantage but was met with right hands each time. An adjustment was made as Cortes moved back and then forced his way inside. Cortes landed a left hook in the final ten seconds to seal the victory.
The victory moved Cortes to 22-0 (12 KOs), although he will have to make a decision regarding his weight class. He insisted he plans to fight for the title, but he still needs to prove he can make it to 130 pounds.
Nova dropped to 23-3 (16 KO). The defeat is his second in a row, although strangely he once again walked away with a more favorable reaction to his career. Even though he threw and landed more punches, he lost 198 of 763 compared to 172 of 497 for Cortes. However, it was Cortes’ much sharper punches (34.6% compared to 25% for Nova) that influenced the judges’ assessment.
In the main role, WBO featherweight world champion Rafael Espinoza (24-0, 20 KO), taking 6th place at the 126th The Ring gala, defends his compatriot Sergio Chirino (22-1, 13 KO).
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
16 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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