Boxing
Lamont Roach Jr. fulfills a seven-year promise by defending the title in his hometown
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaIt’s been almost seven years since Maryland native Lamont Roach last fought in the “DMV” area. After a ten-round clinic hosted by Rey Perez at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Roach grabbed the microphone and promised the crowd that one day he would return home to defend his world title in front of them.
That promise will come true next Friday when Roach, 28, defends his WBA junior lightweight title against undefeated Irish rival Feargal McCrory at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC. The nation’s capital is located just 20 miles from Roach’s hometown of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, giving his local fans the chance to witness his first title defense.
“This is something special for me because this is what I decided to do. Friday night will be the final step in completing what I set out to do,” said Roach (24-1-1, 9 knockouts), who is rated No. 2 in the rankings. 4 by The Ring at 130 pounds.
Roach won the title in his last fight, defeating Hector Luis Garcia in the twelfth round to lift the title by split decision. The win was his fifth straight since his lone loss as a professional, when he lost a unanimous decision to Jamel Herring in 2019 for his first title shot. Roach says life has changed in some ways, with local fans stopping him more often to take photos or take some time out. This doesn’t bother Roach, who knows what he’s signed up for by devoting his life to such a public career. But in other respects, everything is business as usual.
“It’s still a bit surreal because I’m still training and working like I’m not a champion. This is my attitude, this is how I feel and I feel like I still have more to prove. “I think that keeps me motivated because there’s more, I still have more goals in front of me that I want to achieve so that the work never ends,” Roach said.
McCrory (16-0, 8 KO), a 31-year-old from County Tyrone, Ireland, is making significant progress in the competition, becoming his first shot at a world title. This will be McCrory’s first scheduled twelve-round fight, with only one of his fights ending after six. Despite this, McCrory has extensive amateur experience, having competed 127 times, representing Ireland internationally and winning several tournaments abroad. He has also developed a huge fan base in Recent York, where he currently lives and trains with Colin Morgan, and in Philadelphia, where he fought once in 2023.
“Feargal is tough. We’ve watched him and we know he’s a guy who likes to fight, a guy who tries to impose his will and doesn’t want to be denied. These are all factors that will make the fight fan-friendly,” said Roach of McCrory, who received a “no” rating. 12 by the WBA at 130 pounds.
“When it all came down to it, the other boys had already been beaten and were well on their way to the end of their careers. I felt like I didn’t want to fight these guys who were walking out the door because then I would feel like they should just lay down. I’m home and I want to give the fans something to focus on.”
The entire event is a family affair for the Roaches, with father/coach Lamont Roach Sr. organizing the event. and Pro Box Promotions, which will also broadcast the fight live on the Pro Box platform starting at 8 p.m. EST. Additionally, the event will feature the professional debut of Jordan Roach, Lamont’s 20-year-old younger brother, in a four-round junior bantamweight fight against Luis Domingo Hernandez (15-13-1, 10 KO) of the Dominican Republic. Jordan Roach, currently ranked No. 5 by USA Boxing at 112 pounds, has had a fantastic amateur career highlighted by, among other titles, winning the 2022 USA Boxing Championships.
Lamont Roach Jr. he says he has always dreamed of having his brother fight on one of his cards and expects Jordan to win a world title quickly because there are fewer top contenders to beat in his weight class.
“It feels great that my family is so involved in this production that we will put on for people. I can’t explain how it feels, I’m the reason we’re in this position. I can put my brother on a platform that millions of people employ. It’s not like he signed with a large promoter who will put him on an out-of-town card and you get a few show tickets. It will be a packed house and he will have it in his professional debut,” Roach said.
If he can get past McCrory, he hopes to set up a unification fight with another 130-pound titleholder, namely WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster. Roach says the two and their teams have discussed making the fight happen, but says the “business aspects” weren’t in agreement for it to happen at this point. This does not mean that he is deviating from this goal.
“I want to be a unified world champion and then I want to be a multi-division world champion. Overall, I want to be a staple in this sport. I want to be one of the guys talked about when I’m not fighting or when I retire. I just want to leave a mark on this sport,” Roach said.
By Friday evening, he will have left a mark on boxing fans in his home region.
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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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