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Real or not: Espinoza the best – 126; Tank vs. Loma; Fury defeats Usyk in the rematch

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Rafael Espinoza will defend his WBO featherweight title against Sergio Chirino on Friday (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET) in the main event of Top Rank at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Espinoza has won eight of his last 10 fights by stoppage, including an impressive majority decision over Robeisy Ramirez for the belt. But is he the best fighter in the 126-pound class?

Gervonta “Tank” Davis defeated Frank Martin on June 15 in an eighth-round KO victory and is now moving on to bigger and better things. That could be a fight with fellow lightweight champion Vasily Lomachenko. Could this fight happen in the future?

In the heavyweight division, Oleksandr Usyk will defend his undisputed heavyweight title, which he won by defeating Tyson Fury in May. Will Fury be able to exact revenge in the December rematch? What about Zhilei Zhang? Will he be able to fight Joseph Parker again to avenge his loss to Parker in March?

And can Nate Diaz beat former UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal in the ring?

Mike Coppinger, Nick Parkinson and Brett Okamoto answer these and other questions as they try to separate what’s real from what’s not.


True or not: Rafael Espinoza is the best featherweight in boxing

Not real (yet). Espinoza still has something to work on and win more titles. But the way he boxes seems inevitable.

Espinoza (24-0, 20 KO), of Guadalajara, Mexico, makes his first defense of his WBO title on Friday against Sergio Chirino in Las Vegas, six months after his decisive victory over Robeisy Ramirez. Espinoza recovered from a fifth-round knockout and defeated Ramirez, who was the favorite for the fight, by majority vote. Espinoza dropped Ramirez in the final round after an impressive finish from the Mexican, whose punch count outplayed the two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba.

What makes Espinoza (literally) a cut above many elite featherweights is his 6-foot-10 height. Espinoza can apply his height and 74-inch reach to win fights, but he also showed the heart to get off the canvas and win like that.

Espinoza, 30, is one of many who have shined in the featherweight division over the past 12 months. Nick Ball has emerged as one of the top boxers in this division after robust previous two fights. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KO), of Liverpool, England, won the WBA featherweight title with a split decision victory over Raymond Ford earlier this month. The triumph followed a controversial draw with Rey Vargas for the WBC title in March. But Espinoza dominated the ball 5-2.

The 33-year-old Vargas disappointed against the 27-year-old Ball and has not won in almost two years, and a move to junior lightweight seems likely. Former WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood (28-3, 17 KO) of Nottingham, England, could also move up a division, with speculation in the UK linking him to a rematch with Josh Warrington at 130 pounds. Even before his last fight, 35-year-old Wood talked about moving up a weight class.

Luis Alberto Lopez (30-2, 17 KO) of Baja California, Mexico, is the current ESPN No. 1 featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight rounds in March for his third defense of the IBF belt. What’s impressive about Lopez is how he triumphed over obstacles such as boxing in the champion’s hometown and being injured early in his fight with Warrington in Leeds, England.

Lopez, 30, and Brandon Figueroa pose the biggest threats to Espinoza at featherweight. Figueroa (25-1, 19 KO) has made steady progress since moving up from junior featherweight, and the 27-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, showed he can fight at featherweight after knocking out Jessie Magdaleno in May. Figueroa (27) may face Vargas for the WBC belt this year.

However, an event that may upset the order in the featherweight division is the potential transition of Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 KO) from the junior featherweight category. Inoue is a four-weight world champion and arguably one of the best boxers in the world on a pound-for-pound basis (Inoue is ranked No. 3 in the ESPN rankings).

If Espinoza is going to become the No. 1 featherweight, he better do it soon.


Real or not: Gervonta Davis vs. Vasily Lomachenko will happen

True. Following Tank’s eighth-round KO victory over Frank Martin to retain his WBA title, talks are expected to gain momentum toward a top lightweight clash with Loma later this year (Davis is No. 1 in ESPN’s 135-pound rankings and Lomachenko is number 2).

Davis is the No. 7 boxer in ESPN’s weight-for-pound rankings and undoubtedly one of the most hazardous boxers in the sport. His impressive in-ring IQ and patient approach allow him to find opportunities that lead to explosive KOs. However, he has yet to face another elite competitor.

Even though Lomachenko is now 36 years ancient and not yet in his prime, he is still pretty damn good. His stunning angles and impeccable footwork were on display during Lomachenko’s 11th-round TKO victory over George Kambosos Jr. last month and winning the IBF lightweight title.

Lomachenko also has name recognition thanks to many major televised events. And while he’s not as massive a star as Davis, a PPV fight between the pair would generate massive business.

This is a long-awaited fight, and since Lomachenko will turn 37 in February, it’s time to unify the lightweight title. Yes, Davis is in PBC and Lomachenko is in Top Rank, but that should not prevent this fight from being organized. The two companies previously collaborated on the second and third Fury-Wilder fights and the 2021 Terence Crawford-Shawn Porter fight.


Real or not: Tyson Fury will defeat Oleksandr Usyk in the rematch

False. Don’t write off the “Gypsy King” regaining the heavyweight crown for a third time, but undisputed heavyweight champion Usyk retaining the belts seems more likely after their rematch scheduled for December 21.

Fury (34-1-1, 24 KO) can take a lot of positives from his performance against Usyk in Saudi Arabia last month. The English boxer won several early rounds and although it looked as if he would be stopped in round 9, Fury carried on to the end. Usyk won by split decision.

Usyk (22-0, 14 KO) showered Fury with punches and knocked him down in the 9th round. The Englishman also knocked down Francis Ngannou again in October last year. Fury needs to find a way to strengthen his defense in the rematch as Usyk repeatedly landed left hands in the second half of the fight.

Fury (35) is a astute boxer with the right skills. He showed he can win rounds against Usyk, but Fury will need to adapt in the rematch, find a way to avoid Usyk’s overhand from the left and perhaps make better apply of his reach by moving out of range after throwing punches.

As well as regaining his belts, Fury will be motivated to deliver robust performances to keep the prospect of fighting English rival Anthony Joshua alive in 2025.

However, most will favor the 37-year-old Usyk winning again, perhaps by a larger margin.


Real or not: Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang will meet in a rematch later this year

True. This appears to be a fight to make after Parker was knocked down twice but recovered to outlast Zhang in March.

China’s Zhang bounced back from a spectacular fifth-round KO of Deontay Wilder earlier this month, likely securing another marquee fight later this year. This should put Modern Zealand’s Parker up against it, especially considering who is in ESPN’s top 10 heavyweights.

Usyk and Fury are tied in the rematch on December 21. Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois are heading to their September 21 fight at Wembley Stadium. That leaves Parker and Zhang, who round out ESPN’s top five (Parker is No. 4, Zhang is No. 5).

Zhang’s last two fights were in Riyad, as were Parker’s last three fights (including his decision victory over Wilder in December). In his first fight, Zhang dropped Parker in rounds 3 and 8. Parker otherwise mostly lost to the then 40-year-old.

Parker-Zhang 2 could land on the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol card on October 12 in Riyad, if not December 21. The September 21 card in London is also the highlight of the season in Riyad.


Real or not: Nate Diaz will beat Jorge Masvidal in boxing

On paper, not in reality. It’s challenging to say he’ll do it. Masvidal is a -230 betting favorite (per ESPN BET) for a reason. Diaz’s ability to take damage and stay in a fight remains surprisingly intact, but he’s reached a point in his career where that could happen at any time.

The last time we saw Diaz, almost a year ago, he was losing almost every round to Jake Paul. He also fell in this fight and appeared to be injured in the first round. This is bad news for the Diaz Army. Here’s some good news. This boxing match against Paul was at 185 pounds, which favored Paul. Paul’s youth also played a massive role in this matchup.

Masvidal is 39, like Diaz. This is a fight where what Diaz does well – punching with volume, using his size on Masvidal to wear him down on the ropes – should work much better than last year, when it was officially his first professional fight. The protected bet here is Masvidal’s decision, but there are reasons to believe that Diaz is not a passive player. This fight is more complicated for him than the last one, but Masvidal’s speed and veteran will still make it very hard.

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Boxing

Tyson’s conqueror, Danny Williams, was “never considered” for Morrison

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Kenzie Morrison Danny Williams

World Boxing News has learned that Danny Williams was never considered for a fight against Tommy Morrison’s son Kenzie on November 9.

WBN has learned from a source that Williams was scheduled to face Morrison next month when he returns to action at Firelake Arena in Shawnee. However, promoter Tony Holden confirmed what WBN initially reported, namely that Williams had been offered for the fight.

BoxRec also briefly placed Williams within Morrison’s record on November 9, before removing the former British champion. Williams famously knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, but has since lived off his victory despite losing his British license more than a decade ago.

Holden, who represents Morrison and is looking for an opponent for the competition in three weeks, explained the situation exclusively to WBN.

“I never confirmed William’s story and I never considered him,” Holden said. “I said no when a local promoter suggested it.”

Williams, 51, last fought in August 202, losing for the 33rd time in his career. With 88 professional fights under his belt, Williams seems unable to turn down a payday despite his advanced age.

Morrison, a power puncher who has stopped 19 of his 21 wins, will look for his next conquest elsewhere. The fight with Mike Balogun remains on the table for 2025 after it was postponed from its original October date.

Balogun, who knocked out Kenzi’s brother Trey in the first round, claimed Morrison was pulled from the fight to spare him the loss.

Holden denies this view.

“Even though this post isn’t up to my standards, I’m going to write it anyway. Mike Balogun falsely claimed that I pulled Kenzie Morrison out of the fight because I was afraid he would lose. Please allow me to correct you, Mr. Balogun,” he stated.

“The decision was not made by Kenzie. Let’s raise the stakes and make it fascinating. If you emerge victorious this month, Kenzie will fight in November.

“We may decide this early next year. If your confidence remains unshaken, we can place a significant bet. Watch Kenzie take revenge on her brother and end your career.

Balogun, a former San Francisco 49ers linebacker, responded to Holden by increasing his salary for a potential collision next year.

“No matter how fair and honorable your decision was, just remember that ‘yesterday’s price is not today’s price,’” said the 2010 undrafted pick.

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Andrew Moloney is confident that if given the chance, he would have beaten Phumelele Cafu and Kosei Tanaka

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Andrew Moloney (left) attacks Pedro Guevara – photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Few people were more disappointed than Andrew Moloney when Kosei Tanaka lost his WBO super flyweight belt to Phumelele Cafu at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Monday night.

The 33-year-old Australian veteran was hoping to get a shot at beating Tanaka in the lucrative Japanese market.

Those dreams were dashed when South Africa’s Cafu delivered the performance of his life, knocking out Tanaka in the fifth round and finishing the fight strongly, beating the four-weight world champion by split decision.

“The plan was to target the WBO and really chase the Tanaka fight, but it all fell apart on Monday night,” Moloney (26-4-1NC, 16 KO) told The Ring. “I think the WBO is probably still the direction we go, but I’m not sure if they have a rematch clause or if Tanaka will take it. But after watching the fight yesterday, I would be really confident that I could fight one of these guys and win. We would like to follow this path.

“I would love to fight Tanaka in Japan as a four-division world champion. He’s definitely someone I’ve looked up to and wanted to fight for a long time.

“Last night was a little hard to watch. The way he performed, I’m more confident than ever that I have what it takes to beat Tanaka.

I assume there will be a rematch and I hope that Tanaka will regain the belt and I will be able to return to the ring and climb the rankings, and maybe this fight will still happen.

Tanaka entered Moloney’s orbit four years ago when he debuted at 115 pounds. Earlier this year, it looked like they were also on a collision course, with Moloney being number one in the WBO rankings. However, when an offer was made for the vacant IBF lightweight title fight between Vasily Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. in May in Perth, Western Australia, Moloney felt he couldn’t turn her down.

This decision ended in disaster. Moloney faced Carlos Cuadras, who withdrew from the fight with a ruptured Achilles tendon and was replaced by Pedro Guevara. Moloney entered the fight with a torn bicep and was largely reduced to boxing with one hand, which circumscribed his punching power.

Still, Moloney felt he did more than enough to win, and was shocked when Guevara was declared the winner by split decision. He was so disappointed that he announced immediately after the fight that he was leaving the ring, but a few days later he withdrew these comments.

It was a breakthrough moment in his career.

“Looking back, it’s a wonderful thing, but watching the Tanaka-Cafu fight made me think that maybe I would do a lot of things if I could turn back time a little bit,” Moloney explained.

“Before my last fight, I was number one in the WBO rankings and I rejected the option of waiting to fight Tanaka. But the opportunity arose to fight Guevara in Australia for the interim WBC title on a major card, and to be candid, I kind of regretted that the Tanaka fight was hanging in the balance, but ultimately we decided to stay busy and take the opportunity to fight in Australia.

“Also, the injury before the fight was another thing I thought about: will I undergo surgery, keep the top spot and wait for Tanaka, but I made the decision to go ahead with the fight with Guevara. Looking back now, maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. And looking at the way Tanaka fought last night, I thought maybe I should have waited. I’m sure I could beat Tanaka and take the belt away from him.

“So I take some consolation, but unfortunately you can’t turn back time.”

It’s been a frustrating year for Moloney, but he’s still hitting the gym and his team is working to get him another fight. The window of opportunity to box again this year is closing quickly, but he still hopes to return to the ring in December, most likely in his native Australia.

“I really hope so,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been working on. I have been training strenuous at the gym for some time, quite a few months. I hope to return before the end of the year.

“At this stage it will probably be December. I’m trying to block something, but so far no luck. I’m still training away as if the fight was to take place in December, the team is currently working on it and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be able to finish it.

“I just hope we can get out before the end of the year, get back into the winner’s circle and start climbing the rankings again.”

Moloney, who fought at bantamweight for the first three years of his professional career before dropping down to super flyweight, surprisingly, said he would even consider moving up to another weight class given the right opportunity.

“It’s a tough time in the super flyweight division,” said Moloney, the eighth challenger to The Ring’s 115-pound title. “There’s a lot going on and it’s always strenuous to plan which route to take because everything changes so quickly. I’d pick Bam Rodriguez to beat Guevara, then there’s talk of a rematch between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez on Up-to-date Year’s Eve. And then there’s talk of Bama, if they win, fighting the winner of that game in unification. The WBO seems to me the fastest way to win the title, so that’s the path we will follow.

“We have also rejected for some time the idea of ​​moving up to flyweight and getting crack there. There’s also some engaging scene going on there right now, but it’s still uncertain. I’d probably feel a little better at super flyweight, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Cafu and Tanaka, but like I said, I’d feel comfortable and confident against either of them, so hopefully he can make it it will happen sooner rather than later.”

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Doubts that fuel 19-year-old Benjamin Johnson

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Despite an impressive amateur resume, welterweight Benjamin Johnson of Springdale, Maryland, enters the professional ring with a shoulder injury.

Johnson will face Kevin Pantoja in a four-round fight at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland, promoted by his trainer Lamont Roach Snr’s NoXcuses Promotions. The fight will be broadcast on Saturday on ProBox TV.

Johnson, 1-0 (1 KO), spent just 2:23 in the ring in his professional debut, displaying the quick, aggressive hands that won him multiple national titles. However, 19-year-old Johnson feels an advantage, believing he is being overlooked by his NoXcuses Boxing Gym teammates.

Pantoja, 1-1, 27, has never stopped being a professional – Johnson aims to change that.

“People underestimate me,” Johnson said. “It’s been like that since I was an amateur.”

He added that this underestimation increases his motivation in the gym. Johnson is determined to prove his worth not only to himself, but also to those who doubt him or, worse, don’t recognize him. “I never felt like I was recognized as that guy, so I feel like I’m underappreciated,” Johnson said of his amateur and now professional career.

Johnson sees the fight as a key step in his career, compared to feared forward David Benavidez by some teammates and touted by others as one of the most ready-to-fight prospects in the country.

“I train as much as I can,” Johnson said. “It’s about making a statement. The way you win shows people what you’re capable of, and I’m ready to show my best.

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