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Jared Anderson Takes Risky Fight With Martin Bakole On August 3

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Image: Crawford vs. Madrimov on ESPN+ PPV on August 3rd

Undefeated heavyweight contender Jared Anderson will take a risky fight against highly ranked Martin Bakole on August 3, fighting on the undercard of His Excellency Turki Alalshikha at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

Top Rank’s 24-year-old Jared Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) hasn’t fought anyone as high as Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) throughout his five-year professional career, and his recent wins over Ryad Merhy and Charles Martin haven’t exactly been great.

Some believe that Top Rank’s decision to book Anderson against the shark Bakole is a sink-or-swim decision to see if his career is worth investing in any longer.

If Anderson falls apart as soon as he fights for a world title, Top Rank should see if he can handle it. The way Anderson mentally collapsed in the latter rounds of his fight with former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin last year was not a good sign.

Anderson is ranked #4 WBO, #5 IBF, #6 WBC and #13 WBA. These rankings are a result of Anderson’s wins over these fighters:

-Ryad Merhy
– Andriy Rudenko: 40
-Charles Martin: 38
-George Arias
-Jerry Forrest
-Miljan Rovcanin

These aren’t the heavyweights Top Rank has lined up with Jared Anderson, and it’s pretty clear he was brought in the same way Edgar Berlanga was in the company. That’s why Bakole is a huge risk for Anderson. He’s a real fighter with real talent, and he could finish what Charles Martin started when he hurt Jared twice in their July 1, 2023, fight.

Bakole is ranked #1 WBA, #7 WBC, #11 WBO and #14 IBF. He has notable wins over Carlos Takam, Tony Yoka and Sergey Kuzmin. Those three weightlifters are far better than anyone on Jared Anderson’s five-year resume.

“It’s risky matchmaking. Brilliant, by the way. As a fan, I don’t represent Martin Bakole or Jared Anderson. That’s why I love it,” Eddie Hearn told Boxing in the match roomtalking about the heavyweight fight that will take place on August 3rd between undefeated Jared Anderson and Martin Bakole.

This is a very risky fight for Jared Anderson, especially considering the level of opposition he faces. It’s a huge step up in class for him, and there’s a good chance he won’t make it.

His Excellency is probably paying Jared a ton of money to face Bakole, so losing wouldn’t be the end of the world. Anderson can cry himself to the bank and then try to pick up the pieces of his ruined career.

“It’s one of the fights on the card that I’m looking forward to. I think it’s a immaculate 50-50 heavyweight matchup,” Hearn said. “Jared Anderson, people in the States have a lot of respect for him. If you look at the teenage heavyweight prospects that are coming up, he’s the best of the best American prospects who already have a massive name.”

Of all the fights on the Aug. 3 card, Anderson vs. Bakole is the one that is truly a 50-50 matchup, and that makes it thrilling. The outcome will shape the careers of both fighters.

For Anderson to lose by knockout would be devastating because he would find out what his true level is and he would not be joyful about that. It would be good for Top Rank to find out if Anderson is real.

If he wins and looks great, promoter Bob Arum will have a guy to take over as older heavyweights retire. Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are all in their twilight years and are incredibly wealthy. Anderson could be the guy to take over as the best heavyweight in the division.

“I know His Excellency is a massive fan. Jared is an ambassador for the season in Riyadh,” Hearn said. “I’m not sure if it’s good matchmaking. Martin Bakole, as everyone knows, is a legitimate top-10 heavyweight.”

His Excellency may be mistaken for Jared Anderson if he fails this test against Bakole, but it will still be dramatic to see the result. This is the one fight Anderson has been missing to show whether he is a real contender or another artificial contender created through skillful matchmaking.

“There’s no doubt about it. If he’s fit and has [courage] for him, I think it’s a very complex night for Jared Anderson. It’s a very, very complex fight. It’s either brilliant matchmaking or a terrible mistake,” Hearn said.

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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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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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