Boxing
Cain Sandoval continues path to world class status in fight against veteran Romero Duno
Published
3 months agoon
Cain Sandoval looks to extend his undefeated record to 14-0 against former challenger Romero Duno. Photo: Lina Baker / 360 Promotions
“Sugar” Cain Sandoval’s crusade to become a legitimate contender could take a sweet turn if he wins against strong veteran Ramiro Duno when the junior welterweights meet in the main event on Saturday.
Sandoval (11-0, 9 KOs) could be on the verge of confirming his status as the next credible contender at 140 pounds, while the seasoned Duno (26-4, 20 KOs) seems to be in limbo, with one foot already out of the boxing door should he fall to the rising Sandoval.
The dramatic event will headline 360 Promotions’ “Hollywood Fight Nights” show from the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California, broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass.
“I’m ready to prove that I’m at the elite level,” Sandoval told The Ring during a recent media training session at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
“The sky is the limit for me. I feel like I can achieve a lot. I feel like I’m one of the best guys, but the world needs to see that. The difficult work and dedication will pay off soon. After this fight, the 140-pound division will take me seriously.”
“I see Duno as my next target. I just don’t think he’s on my level. No offense, but it’s either you or me in that ring. He better be ready. It seems like it should be a miniature night, but I’m not leaving anyone out.”
Sandoval is trained by Marcus Javier. The Sacramento slugger turned pro in 2021 and began his career with nine consecutive knockouts, but his last two appearances this year have been 10 rounds against 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina and tough guy Angel Rebollar.
“It doesn’t matter if we get a KO, but I feel like we’ll get a KO against Duno because we trained difficult,” Sandoval said. “We learned from the last two fights not to look for a KO and to be more patient. I tried too difficult to get a KO, but (more importantly) I got the wins.”
Sandoval, 22, says he, too, is a student of the sweet science, studying stars like Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez and Roberto Duran to incorporate some of the skills into his repertoire.
“I take a little bit from everyone, but I am my own boxer,” Sandoval said.
360 Promotions boss Tom Loeffler is full of optimism about one of the promising fighters in his growing stable.
“Cain Sandoval has an incredible future ahead of him,” Loeffler told The Ring. “We have a lot of confidence in him. He’s an thrilling fighter who brings non-stop action. He’s in a very tough fight with Duno, but we believe in Cain 100 percent. Our motto is to match our fighters. They don’t have inflated records of undefeated and they prove it every time they step into the ring. You have to be a world-class fighter to beat Duno. He’s on the verge of becoming a world-class fighter and breaking into the world rankings.
“We’re anticipating an incredible 2025 for Cain, who’s going to have four fights. The 140-pound weight class is open now. I think with a few wins Cain could fit in nicely. He’s so tough and he’s a pressure fighter who has grit and brings the action.”
Duno will try to thwart Sandoval’s plans and save his career at the same time. Over the past five years, Duno has been knocked out every time he’s faced Ryan Garcia, Frank Martin, and most recently in January, when he knocked out Antonio Moran in the sixth round.
The 28-year-old Filipino looks like he can’t bear another defeat.
“I know he plans to knock me out, but I’m going to show him that I’m not done boxing yet,” Duno told The Ring. “I’m not going to waste my talent or my effort. He’s a good opponent and I’m going to do everything I can to win. Because this fight could be my last if I lose. I’m going to stop boxing. That’s why I’m very motivated and I’m training difficult. Either I get a knockout or I get knocked out.”
The five-fight card will also feature airy heavyweight prospect Umar Dzambekov (8-0, 5 KOs), who will be fighting for the first time in 2024 after six fights last year, and Kazakh junior middleweight standout Sadriddin “Soldier Q” Akhmedov (13-0, 11 KOs), who will be making his U.S. debut.
“The good thing is we can keep all of our guys on the 360 Promotions roster busy,” Loeffler said.[UFC president and CEO] Dana White has been very supportive of building boxing on UFC Fight Pass. He sees the matchups we create and the engagement we get, especially from UFC fans. He is content with our ratings and sold-out shows.
UFC Fight Pass is scheduled to begin on August 31 at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
5 hours 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
2 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.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.
Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.
Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.
Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.
Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.
Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.
There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.
Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.
McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.
Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.
Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.
After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.
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