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Katsuma Akitsugi and Jesus Ramirez Rubio clash in crossroads fight in Florida

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Junior featherweight prospect Katsuma Akitsugi has blossomed at Thompson Boxing shows. Photo: Carlos Baeza – Thompson Boxing Promotions

by Francisco Salazar |

Katsuma Akitsugi and Jesus Ramirez Rubio know the stakes are high, which could make their clash even more thrilling.

Akitsugi and Ramirez will face off tonight at Whitesands (aka ProBox TV) Events Center in Plant City, Florida. The 10-round fight will headline a four-fight card that will stream live on the ProBox TV YouTube page (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

At Tuesday’s weigh-in, Akitsugi weighed 118.6 pounds. Ramirez weighed 118.8 pounds.

In the main event, welterweight contender Nicklaus Flaz will face reserve contender Alfredo Escarcega in a 10-round fight.

Chris Glover of ProBox TV reiterated that this is exactly what martial arts fans want: even ones that are evenly matched and action-packed.

“(Today) is another good show,” Glover told The Ring on Tuesday afternoon. “Katsuma Akitsugi beat unbeaten after unbeaten (fighter). He’s a top kid, too. Obviously, Ramirez looked great and was unlucky in his last fight with (prospect Ramon) Cardenas. It’s a really tough fight. It’s a close fight.”

“Nicklaus Flaz is on a roll. He was a little lost at one point when he lost twice. He’s really rebuilding now. Peter Dobson was supposed to fight him. He didn’t like the job, so he pulled out. Escarcega is a last-minute replacement. He’s in shape. He’s a Mexican-American fighting out of Arizona. He’s coming in to fight. I have nothing but respect for him. He’s got the balls to get in the ring and he didn’t give us any trouble.

“Overall, another thrilling, unpredictable 50-50 show on ProBox TV.”

Akitsugi (10-0, 1 KO), from Wakayama, Japan, and currently based in Los Angeles, hasn’t fought since a May 2022 victory over Jose Santos Gonzalez by technical decision. Five weeks prior to his win over Gonzalez, Akitsugi defeated Gregory Morales by unanimous decision.

Over the course of 14 months, from February 2021 to April 2022, Akitsugi defeated four undefeated fighters, including Morales, Rasheen Brown, Eros Correa and Arnold Dinong.

Since making his professional debut in December 2018, Akitsugi has fought under promotions such as Golden Boy Promotions, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and Thompson Boxing Promotions.

Ramirez (22-3-3, 16 KOs), who lives in Guaymas, Mexico, last fought on April 24, losing by ninth-round knockout to Ramon Cardenas, who is ranked No. 10 by The Ring at 122 pounds. At the time of the stoppage, each fighter was leading 77-75, while the third judge scored the fight a 76-76 draw.

In his previous fight on May 26 of last year, Ramirez knocked out veteran Felipe Carlón Lopez in the seventh round. The win over Lopez came six and a half months after Ramirez was stopped in the first round by Nick Ball.

Flaz has had some recent success in his fights and hopes a win over Escarcega will earn him contender status.

The 28-year-old Flaz (12-2, 8 KOs), from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, stopped Luke Santamaria in the sixth round of his last fight on March 13.

Prior to the fight with Santamaria, Flaz had fought and defeated two undefeated prospects in Brian Ceballo and Jahi Tucker. Flaz had won his last three fights since losing to Janelson Figueroa in October 2020.

Escarcega (15-1-1, 7 KOs) hasn’t fought since May 26 of last year, when he defeated Brian Mora Munoz by unanimous decision. The win over Mora Munoz came nearly a year after losing a one-sided decision to Julian Smith.

The 26-year-old fought his last fights in Phoenix, near his Goodyear home.

Earlier on the card, there will be a clash of undefeated lithe heavyweights, as Najee Lopez (10-0, 8 KOs) of Atlanta will face Steven Sumpter (9-0-1, 7 KOs) of Lawrence, Massachusetts in an eight-round fight.

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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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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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