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Danny Garcia is grooming Philadelphia’s novel star in Johnny Rivera, and he drew a thousand viewers to prove it

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Danny Garcia with Philadelphia rising star Johnny Rivera Jr. and Johnny Rivera Sr. (Photo: Joseph Santoliquito/Ring)

by Joseph Santoliquito |

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — A week after one of Philadelphia’s greatest boxing accomplishments, drawing 14,119 fans to the Wells Fargo Center for the first defense of Jaron “Boots” Ennis’ IBF welterweight title against eventual replacement David Avanesyan, you might think Philadelphia is tired of boxing.

Not exactly.

Danny Garcia, the 36-year-old former two-division world champion, is shaping a novel rising star in Johnny “Different Breed” Rivera. On July 20, the back of the 2300 Arena in South Philly was packed to the rafters. The venue could hold 1,300 people. Rivera’s four-round welterweight decision victory over 19-fight veteran Nelson Morales, who came in at 154, was easily attended by 1,000 people.

Rivera, just 18, was the first fighter signed under Garcia’s Swift Promotions banner and is 3-0 with two knockouts. In the Morales fight, 32, the newborn welterweight might have to fight a bit more often than he would have liked, but the win, plus the turnout, bodes well for future fights in Philadelphia.

“It was a great night and 1,000 people showed up,” Garcia said. “Johnny weighed 147 and the kid weighed 154, but we believe in Johnny, he has the skills to win. It showed that people in Philadelphia still love boxing. It was a great start. Tonight we had 1,000 people and then we’ll start building more and get into bigger arenas where we can get 2,000 people in there. The goal is to build guys like Johnny and build their brand.”

There’s a lot going on in Rivera. He’s a handsome, striking welterweight. His family is the equivalent of the Philadelphia-based Fundoras. Johnny Rivera Sr. is his son’s trainer. Johnny Sr. has two younger children who are also fighters, ranking at the top of their weight classes and age groups. Riveras has had seven opponents who have turned down a fight.

After Ennis, Rivera Garcia may be the next favorite to play in Philadelphia.

“Morales made Johnny work difficult and it would have been nice to go six rounds, but this guy wanted to go four rounds and live, and we were cheerful he took the fight because no one else would have,” said Rivera Sr. “We want to get back in the ring on August 16th. This Morales guy was a much bigger guy, easily 160, 165 pounds, and my son came in tonight at about 149. That (weight difference) won’t happen again. Johnny’s 18 years ancient and he’s a 19-time national amateur champion. He’ll just keep learning and growing.”

The refreshing thing about Rivera is his responsibility.

“I’m not cheerful at all, I could have cut weight much better than I did and I would have given myself a C-minus because I did a lot more,” said Rivera Jr. “I didn’t train for it fully as I should have and I need to hold the weight better. I cut weight at the last minute. Next time I fight I’ll come in much stronger.”

Rivera is back in the gym two days after his fight on Monday. He knows he has to sharpen his defense. He knows he has to be more disciplined.

Garcia knows Rivera’s future looks glowing.

“I think Johnny has a lot of me in him,” Garcia said. “He’s a difficult worker, he’s dedicated to the sport and he’s only 18. He’s still got a lot to learn and I like that he knows that. He’s good now and he can be a lot better. We have time. We can be patient. I want to facilitate him with the experience I have in and out of the ring. There were 1,000 people there tonight. If you were delayed, it would take a while to park because the place was so packed. This is just the beginning for Swift Promotions and Johnny Rivera.”

Follow @JSantoliquito

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Boxing

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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Boxing

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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