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Mbilla fight date, Goodman risks Inoue and ‘Large Bang’ hits Belfast

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Mbilli and Derevyanchenko ready for war

Christian Mbilli already had a fight signed and sealed against the reliable, world-class fighter Sergiy Derevyanchenko before his last appearance.

Mbilli only had to overtake Mark Heffron, which he did in 40 seconds. Now Derevyanchenko’s fight has been officially confirmed for August 17 in Quebec City. This is shaping up to be a phone booth affair.

“It’s an honor to fight Sergiy Derevyanchenko,” said Mbilli (27-0, 23 KO). “I had heard about him since I was 16, playing in the amateur ranks, where he beat several Frenchmen. He’s only fought large names professionally, so this will definitely be my biggest fight yet. I can not wait for it. It will be war.”

Gennady Golovkin exchanges blows with Sergiy Derevyanchenko during their IBF middleweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on October 5, 2019 (Photo: Steven Ryan/Getty Images)

While Mbilli, a Frenchman of Cameroonian descent who now lives in Montreal, can punch, Derevyanchenko (above, right) has developed a reputation for high activity and extreme endurance.

If Mbilli can punch the Ukrainian, who has put a lot of effort into his 20 fights, it will be a statement to potential future rivals.

“I made the decision to move up to 168 pounds to win a world title. Throughout my career, I have always fought against the best in the world and August 17 will be no different,” replied Derevyanchenko (15-5, 10 KO).

“I’m fighting a tough opponent, Christian Mbilli, who is number one in the WBC rankings. If I win this fight, I expect to fight for the world title next, which has always been my ultimate goal. I expect August 17 to be a war and a Fight of the Year candidate and I will be the winner.


‘Large Bang’ hits Belfast

Pierce O’Leary is geographically moving closer to a true homecoming in Dublin, headlining the SSE Arena in Belfast on June 28 against Darragh Foley.

Mark Dunlop’s undefeated flyweight Conor Quinn fights Conner Kelsall for the vacant Commonwealth crown.

Colm ‘Posh Boy’ Murphy fights Glasgow’s Jack Turner, while lightweight talent James McGivern fights Cardiff’s Rashid ‘Brickfists’ Omar. Still excited about his 5v5 whitewash, Frank Warren promotes.


Goodman takes a risk before Inoue’s date with destiny

July 10 Sam Goodman is taking a risk ahead of a potential year-end showdown with Naoya Inoue by remaining lively. Thai opponent Thachtana Luangphon has an improved record of 25-0-1 (15 KOs), but has never played in Goodman’s class before.

“I’m a gambler. I have to roll the dice. I’m all-in again,” Goodman confidently told Australian media.

No Limit Boxing will promote the gala in Wollongong, during which Liam Wilson will return home after another unsuccessful attempt to win the world title in America and will face Youssef Dib over 10 rounds.


Illness forces Tyson to withdraw from his fight with Jake Paul

Mike Tyson’s return to the ring was postponed due to the exacerbation of his peptic ulcer disease. The heavyweight legend was scheduled to fight Jake Paul on July 20 in an officially licensed bout in Texas. The fight was thrown into doubt when Tyson suffered health problems on board the plane.

Shortly thereafter, it was announced that the competition had been temporarily suspended. It’s unclear whether the Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor rematch will take place (likely at a smaller venue) or if it will be rescheduled with Paul at a later date. As of this writing, talks about a possible move to Germany are gaining momentum.

Tyson and Paul look down (highlights)


Unlucky Lemos merge with Top Rank

Argentine puncher Gustavo Daniel Lemos has signed a contract with Top Rank. Lemos is coming off a win over Lee Selby and in April he pushed Richardson Hitchins into the ring, losing by controversial decision in an IBF super lightweight title eliminator.

“The waiting and difficult work has paid off and I will make the most of this opportunity,” Lemos said. “I’m finally making it to the large leagues, realizing a lifelong dream, and getting closer and closer to the possibility of becoming a world champion.”

Promoter Bob Arum rightly described his up-to-date acquisition as “a handful for any fighter weighing 135 or 140 pounds.”

The second part of the comment suggests that Lemos will return south of the super lightweight division if the right opportunity presents itself.


Junto is leading the charge in Japan

Another solid Japanese card has been announced, this time on July 20 in Tokyo, where Junto Nakatani will defend his WBC title bantamweight title against a Filipino challenger Vincent’s astrolabe.

WBO super flyweight champion Kosei Tanaka is on the card against Jonathan Rodriguez

Riku Kano boxes Anthony Olascuaga for the vacant WBO flyweight title. The Los Angeles fighter, Olascuaga, is just 6-1 and has already given Kenshiro Teraji food for thought as he fights for the unified Teraji titles in 2023.

Japan’s Junto Nakatani (left) fights Mexican Alexandro Santiago during their boxing fight for the WBC bantamweight championship at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February 24, 2024. (Photo: Philip FONG/AFP) (Photo: PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images )


Janibek comes face to face with a mysterious man Mikhailovich

Janibek Alimkhanuly enters the unknown on July 13 against Andrei Mikhailovich. A decent boxer from Recent Zealand (Russian born), Mikhailovich has earned his shot at the IBF and WBO titles, but winning Alimkhanuly will be a tough task.

“I’m looking forward to defending my world titles and I have to hold Andrei Mikhailovich in high regard. The other middleweight world champions rejected the challenge and he rose to the occasion,” Alimkhanuly roasted.

Strongly confident in his abilities, Mikhailovich worked difficult to win regional belts, defeating undefeated fighters such as Edison Saltarin (16-0) and Alex Walters (13-0) to separate himself from the pack.

“At the end of the day, Janibek is just another guy, another test on my path to greatness. Others will say it’s a large deal, but for me it’s fate. I was born for this. From day one, I planned to dominate, take control of my destiny and control it,” said Mikhailovich, who believes the difference will be his fighter’s mindset.

On the undercard, Raymond Muratalla will face Tevin Farmer, and Gustavo Lemos (see above) will make his Top Rank debut on the Las Vegas show.

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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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