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Shakur Stevenson and Artem Harutyunyan make weight for ESPN Headliner in Newark

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Shakur Stevenson and Artem Harutyunyan face each other after the weigh-in. Photo: Carlo Estonactoc

Shakur Stevenson’s last title fight in his hometown ended in a belt loss on the scales.

This time it may turn out that his current promoter will ultimately be left behind.

Stevenson weighed in at 134.1 pounds, well under the limit this time in the first defense of his WBC lightweight title. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist and three-time world titleholder will face Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs), who weighed in at 134.8 pounds.

Their scheduled 12-round fight will headline a quadrangle televised by ESPN from the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, Modern Jersey.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 knockouts), No. 4 at 135 according to The Ring, is fighting for the fourth time at the venue. His last fight came last April, when he stopped undefeated Shuichiro Yoshino (then 16-0) in the sixth round of their WBC title eliminator.

It was a night of redemption for Stevenson, who missed weight for his September 2022 win over Robson Conceicao. As a result, he was forced to vacate his RING, lineal, WBC and WBO junior lightweight titles.

Saturday marks the final fight under Stevenson’s promotional contract with Top Rank. The 27-year-old left-hander signed with the Las Vegas powerhouse after turning professional following the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He then reigned over three divisions. However, he had yet to experience the kind of blockbuster events enjoyed by his elite peers in and around the weight class.

Stevenson has spoken openly about wanting to test the free agent market after Saturday’s game.

Photo by Carlo Estonactoc

Harutyunyan has not fought since a 12-round loss to then-unbeaten Frank Martin on July 15 in Las Vegas. The Hamburg Armenian pushed Martin to his limits but faltered toward the end of his U.S. debut, forced to kneel in 12 rounds.t and in the final round, losing on all three score cards.

O’Shaquie Foster puts his WBC 130-pound title on the line against 2016 Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao.

Foster (22-2, 12 KOs), the Ring’s No. 2 junior lightweight, weighed 129.9 pounds for his second title defense. Brazilian Conceicao (18-2-1, 9 KOs), No. 9 at 130, weighed 129 ½ pounds for his fourth title shot.

2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis, No. 8 at 135, and veteran puncher Miguel Madueno meet in a 10-round lightweight fight. Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) — a three-division teammate of Terence “Bud” Crawford — weighed in at 134.8 pounds. Mexican Madueno (31-2, 28 KOs) weighed in at 134.7 pounds.

Keyshawn Davis and Miguel Madueno after weigh-ins. Photo: Carlo Estonactoc

Kicking off the broadcast, warm lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason will face Luis LeBron in a scheduled eight-round bout. Cleveland’s Mason (13-0, 11 KOs) weighed in at 134.8 pounds. Puerto Rico’s LeBron (20-5-1, 13 KOs) weighed in at 135.8 pounds.

Below are the weightings for the ESPN+ preliminary card.

10 rounds, junior lightweight
William Foster III (17-1, 11 KOs), Modern Haven, Connecticut, 130.4 lbs
Eridson Garcia (18-1, 12 KOs), Houston via Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 130.7 lbs

4 rounds, featherweight
Keith Colon (pro debut, Newark), 125.3 pounds
Hunter Turbyfill (4-1, 1 KO), Memphis, Tennessee, 124.1 lbs

8 rounds, junior welterweight
Kelvin Davis (12-0, 7 KOs), Norfolk, Virginia, 142.9 lbs
Kevin Johnson (12-3, 8 KOs), Las Vegas, 142 ½ lbs

4 rounds, heavyweight
Ali Feliz (2-0, 2 KOs), Danbury, Conn., 219 ½ pounds
Robinson Perez (2-0, 0 KO), Southbridge, MA, 245.1 lbs

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Boxing

Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC

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Badou Jack Rozicki Mikaelian WBC

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).

If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.

“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”

29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.

Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.

“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”

Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.

The next move is Badou Jack’s.

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Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years

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Floyd Mayweather 50-0

Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.

This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.

In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.

“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.

“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.

Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.

Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.

Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.

However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.

In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.

It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.

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Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios

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Manny Pacquiao vs Barrios

WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.

Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”

WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.

Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.

As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.

However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.

Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.

Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.

Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.

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