UK Boxing
Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai’s featherweight world title fight will take place on November 15 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Published
8 months agoon
Mexican knockout sensation Rafael “Divine” Espinoza will defend the WBO featherweight world title Arnold Khegai on Saturday, November 15, at Arena Potosí in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
The Guadalajara native will risk his crown on Mexican soil for the first time, while Khegai receives a long-awaited shot at a world title almost three years after he first broke into the WBO top 15.
The card will feature a trio of Top Rank-promoted Mexican-American stars.
US Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. returns in a 10-round heavyweight bout against the Czech veteran Tomasz Salekwhile also growing in the junior welterweight division Emiliano Fernando Vargas competing in his first scheduled 10-round match against Jonathan Montreal.
17-year-old junior lightweight genius Juliana “El Natural” Montalvo (4-0, 3 KO), from Las Vegas, is aiming for his third triumph this year in a six-round fight.
“Rafael Espinoza is an exceptional talent, a 6-foot-1 featherweight with devastating knockout power in both hands. He has dominant power, but I expect Arnold Khegai to be a formidable test,” top president Bob Arum said. “San Luis Potosí is a great fight city and I’m excited that Mexican fans will have the opportunity to see some future world champions in action on the card.”
Espinoza (27-0, 23 KO) won the WBO featherweight world title in December 2023 by majority vote over two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez. In ESPN’s “Upset of the Year,” Espinoza rose from the canvas in the fifth set, then returned the favor in the climactic 12th stanza to clinch the decision. He has since made three defenses, stopping Sergio Chirino in four rounds in June 2024, stopping Ramirez in six in a rematch in December and stopping Edward Vazquez in May in Las Vegas.
Espinoza said: “I’m elated and I’m looking forward to returning to the ring because it will be in my country, with my people. I want to showcase the novel tools in my arsenal. I know Arnold Khegai is forceful, but this motivates me to continue to show that I’m ready for great things. I’m looking forward to the support from the Mexican fans.”
Khegai (23-2-1, 14 KO), of Korean descent, took up martial arts as a teenager to support his family. Two-time world champion in Thai boxing and amateur champion of Ukraine. He turned professional in 2015, and in 2018 he made his debut in the United States, defeating Adam “Mantequill” Lopez by decision. Khegai is 7-1 since moving up to featherweight, with his only blemish being a split decision over division mainstay Joet Gonzalez in March. Khegai, ranked No. 9 in the WBO rankings, returned to winning ways with an eight-round decision over Liborio Solis in September.
“When my team mentioned Rafael Espinoza as an opponent, I told them to do everything in their power to make this fight happen,” Khegai said. “I’ve been on a long journey in boxing and this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I’m coming to Mexico to ruin his return home.”
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Eddie Hearn has once again insisted that Dana White will not be involved in promoting the Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury match.
Joshua, who has been promoted by Hearn’s Matchroom since his debut, has signed a contract to fight Fury, with their long-awaited heavyweight fight expected to take place in November.
Hearn claims the contract stipulates that White’s Zuffa Boxing – which is partly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Seli – will not be allowed to play any role in the superfight, even though the UFC boss has promised to promote it.
White doubled down on these comments when pressed Professional boxing fans following his inaugural appearance at British Zuffa in Bournemouth on Saturday.
“Do you think I would lie in public and make myself look like an idiot in front of everyone?” – said the 56-year-old.
“Do you believe I would do that?
“What would be the point?
“Call Eddie now and ask if he knows where the fight is.
“Call Eddie and ask who negotiated the contract for this fight.”
Hearn and White have been embroiled in a public feud since the latter stole Hearn’s prized acquisition, Conor Benn, from Zuffa.
The Matchroom chairman slammed his promotional rival, claiming White played no role in the negotiations and it was agreed that the fight would take place in the UK.
“Dana White had nothing to do with the fight negotiations,” Hearn said IFLTV.
“It was agreed between me, Sela and the entire legal team there.

“He talked to [Saudi Arabian boxing chief] Turki Alalshikh and told him that he should play with Fury against AJ in Las Vegas.
“There is a very clear clause in the contract that Zuffa, Dana White, TKO or anyone associated with them cannot participate in the program.
“The second thing that is in the contract was at the request of Anthony Joshua and me [Matchroom] the fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury must take place in the UK.”
Earlier this week, Boxing Scene reported that SoFi Stadium in California was being considered as a potential venue for the fight.
Hearn said the location was in Alalshikh’s hands and the contract would have to be renegotiated if the deal went to the US.
“If they want to renegotiate the contract, sign the contract again,” he added.
“We can look into it.

“But we agreed to this fight, we signed a contract for this fight, the biggest fight in the history of British boxing, because we want this fight to take place in the UK.”
Joshua will return for the first time since then knocking out Jake Paul in December, when he will face Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyad.
The 36-year-old took a break from boxing after he was involved in a horrific car crash 10 days later that killed two of his close friends and left him with minor injuries.
The two-time world heavyweight champion returned to a training camp in Spain with former rival turned stablemate Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury, who retired in April to beat Arslanbek Makhmudov, is also expected to fight before fighting “AJ” in August.
The post Eddie Hearn responds to Dana White about Joshua-Fury appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
UK Boxing
Lerrone Richards files appeal following controversial defeat of Albert Ramirez
Published
2 days agoon
June 11, 2026
Lerrone Richards has filed an appeal with the WBA following his controversial loss to Albert Ramirez last Thursday in Canada.
Richards was defeated by a controversial split decision over Ramirez in their fight for the interim WBA delicate heavyweight title in Montreal, sparking widespread outrage on social media.
33-year-old said he intended to appeal the result, and his S-JAM Boxing management team filed an appeal to the WBA on Tuesday.
The British team hopes that the result will be annulled and an immediate rematch ordered.
said Archie Slaymaker, Boxing Operations Manager at S-JAM Boxing proboxing-fans.com on Thursday: “The appeal was sent to the WBA on Tuesday afternoon with the hope that the result of last Thursday’s fight would be invalidated and an immediate rematch would be ordered.
“We all look forward to hearing the outcome of the appeal in due course.”
“Sniper The Boss” admitted that he was devastated by the result, which resulted in him losing the chance to fight delicate heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
The southpaw suffered his second loss in three fights, stopped by Steed Woodall in 2024, and called for “justice” after the defeat.
“When I read the result, I was devastated,” Richards said proboxing-fans.com.

“I went back to the locker room and honestly, I broke down and cried.
“I am a winner. Being robbed like this is devastating.
A fair outcome would be for this decision to be overturned, and if not overturned, for it to be deemed a default or not, and Ramirez and I would reverse it.
“I leave this to the team and hopefully we will have news within the next week or two.”
“There should be no dispute.
“There shouldn’t be any controversy.
You should just give me victory, give me what I worked tough for, give me what I deserve.
“I want justice.”
The post Lerrone Richards filed an appeal following controversial defeat of Albert Ramirez appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Tommy Fury admits his career is not the norm.
Fury, the younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson, is in a unique position.
Due in part to the furore his name has caused, but also to the fame he gained on the reality show Love Island in 2019, the 27-year-old can choose his fights almost freely.
In a week in which he welcomed his second child with long-time girlfriend Molly-Mae Hague, whom he met on Love Island, “TNT” faces the toughest challenge of its career as 2017 World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall performs on Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester live on DAZN pay-per-view.
The Manchester player will earn another seven-figure payday for fighting the 300-pound behemoth, who has only previously fought strongman rival Thor Björnson.
Fury has already cashed in millions after 14 rounds against YouTube sensations, Jake Paul and KSI, which attracted massive audiences and colossal pay-per-view purchases.
It’s these substantial events and checks that have pulled Fury away from the classic route and into the crossover scene, where there’s much less risk and much quicker reward.
“I can’t facilitate the way my career has gone,” he further said Ariel Helwani show.
“I’ve probably had the most amazing career ever because I’ve combined it with both sides.
“The fact is you have to know your worth.
“I’m not saying I’m a world champion because I’m far from it, but like them, they only fight once, twice or a year.
“It’s like me, I won’t fight for anything less than what I’m worth.
“At the end of the day, if it makes money, it makes sense and that’s why I’m getting back in the ring.
“I will never fight for anything I know I am not worthy of.”
Fury, who secured eight straight professional victories before back-to-back victories over the aforementioned Paul and KSI, brings legitimacy and experience to a scene that has attracted names more known for their social media following than their in-ring knowledge.
Jack Kay, nicknamed the “Final Boss of Ibiza”, rose to fame after his escapades on the Spanish party island last summer, and his viral fame landed him in a fight with rapper Jordan McCann.
Some gigantic influencers were mentioned Big stacks – who calls himself the toughest man in Britain – and Armz Korleone are also part of a confused night in Manchester.
Despite his claims that he aims to be a world champion one day, it seems his immediate future will be to continue making substantial money, and with a combined Instagram following of more than 10 million, both Fury and Hall will benefit greatly from six two-minute rounds of graft on Saturday.
The post Why is Tommy Fury fighting Eddie Hall? appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
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