Boxing
Mark your calendar – June preview featuring Wilder, Billam-Smith v. Riakporhe 2, Tank Davis and Estrada-Rodriguez
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaIn May Unforgettable, Canelo Alvarez and Vasily Lomachenko reminded everyone that it’s not over yet, Naoya Inoue conducts another symphony of destruction, Lauren Price dazzles with her first world title win, Lawrence Okolie regains his mojo, Jack Catterall gains redemption and Oleksandr Usyk makes weight history massive.
June begins with a veteran promoter looking to teach his newborn rival a lesson, and ends with an aging champion looking to destroy the reputation of one of boxing’s talented novel stars.
browses offers for June and chooses the best offer for the next 30 days. Also, remember to download the Boxing News app and receive reminders about upcoming fights in the ring.
Date: Saturday, June 1
Location: Kingdom Arena, Riyad, Saudi Arabia
Event: Queensberry vs Matchroom 5v5
June starts with a five-fight card with Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn at stake. However, the real winners are the fans, and each fight has its own intriguing storyline and career consequences. Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang; Filip Hrgovic vs. Daniel Dubois; Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Austin Williams; Raymond Ford vs. Nick Ball; Craig Richards vs. Willy Hutchinson. A list of fights that in the past would have been written down for fun. Now it’s reality.
Is it worth watching? Absolutely. It’s worth turning off your phone for every fight.
Date: Saturday, June 15
Location: Selhurst Park, London
Event: Chris Billam-Smith vs. Richard Riakporhe 2
British boxing’s love affair with football stadiums continues on a busy evening for the sport. First up is a rematch between two of Britain’s top cruiserweights, who fought a 10-round non-title fight five years ago. That night, Riakporhe received the nod. This time, Billam-Smith is entering enemy territory as the WBO champion, keen to remind everyone why he is the main 200lb fighter in the UK.
Is it worth watching? A British rivalry, a football stadium, a world title… and the cruiserweights rarely disappoint. What’s not to love? Note another cruiserweight segment on the undercard of the fights between Isaac Chamberlain and Jack Massey for the vacant European title.
Date: Saturday, June 15
Location: Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum, Puerto Rico
Event: Subriel Matias vs. Liam Paro
IBF super lightweight champion Subriel Matias returns home from Puerto Rico for his second title defense against Australia’s Paro. The former is building a reputation as one of the most feared men in sports. His challenger is undefeated in 24 contests, and in December he scored the biggest victory of his career against Montana Love.
Is it worth watching? If you like huge hits, then yes. All 20 of Matias’ opponents retired, stopped the fight, or were knocked out. However, Paro is a worthy challenger and can win.
Date: Saturday, June 15
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Event: Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin
One of the sport’s biggest stars, Gervonta “Tank” Davis, will return 14 months after her victory over Ryan Garcia. It was a defining moment in Davis’ career with Baltimore, but external problems halted its momentum. He puts his WBA 135-pound title on the line against Detroit-born Martin, who was once tipped for huge things.
Is it worth watching? Davis is money and his absence raises questions that need to be answered. It is also worth spending time on the co-main event between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Date: Saturday, June 22
Venue: Resorts World Arena, Birmingham
Event: Tyler Denny vs. Felix Cash
Two of Britain’s best middleweights will headline the Matchroom event, with Ben Shalom hoping his man Denny will beat Eddie Hearn and his man Cash. If Denny manages to do so, it will not only be a successful first defense of his European title, but also a continuation of the uplifting story of a fighter who lost to Reece Cartwright and Linus Udofia respectively in 2018 and 2019 when the idea of playing the main character was floated huge event The UK program may have seemed unreal.
Is it worth watching? Yes. The main event features contrasting characters and is a must-win for Cash. While tipped for great things, his career was plagued by injuries, inactivity and personal problems. Look out for a potential thriller between Lewis Crocker and Conah Walker on the card.
Date: Saturday, June 29
Location: Footprint Center, Phoenix
Event: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez
Rodriguez is carving out a career for himself that could one day be one for the history books. The Texan has already defeated Carlos Cuadras, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Sunlit Edwards. Now he is trying to regain the WBC super flyweight title, which he vacated in a fight against the underrated Estrada. He, Chocolatito Gonzalez, Cuadras and Rungvisai were boxing kings in the smaller weight classes, but Rodriguez may outshine any of them.
Is it worth watching? This is a must see. Rodriguez looks like a generational talent who could become an all-time great. However, underestimate Estrada at your peril. Look out for the return of Sunlit Edwards on the undercard against Adrian Curiel.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
9 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.
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