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Weekend Boxing: How to Watch Janibek, ‘Chocolatito’, Ennis and More

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WBO and IBF middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly will defend his belts against Andrey Mikhailovich in the main event of Top Rank on ESPN at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday (ESPN+ at 6:40 p.m. ET).

Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs) from Zhyland, Kazakhstan, is defending his WBO title for the third time and his IBF belt for the first time. He won the WBO world title with a unanimous decision over Denzel Bentley in November 2022. He defended the belt six months later with an impressive second-round knockout victory over Steven Butler. Last October, Alimkhanuly stopped Vincenzo Gualtieri in the sixth round to add the IBF belt.

“I’m looking forward to defending my world titles and I have to give Andrei Mikhailovich a lot of credit,” Alimkhanuly said when the fight was officially announced in tardy May. “Other middleweight world champions have turned down the challenge and he’s risen to the occasion.”

His promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, called Alimkhanuly “the best middleweight in the world” and added that his fighter “is ready to fight anyone in the division.”

Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) from St. Petersburg, Russia, but based in Auckland, Recent Zealand, has never fought outside his adopted country. His last fight was a first-round TKO victory over Les Sherrington in April.

On Friday night in Managua, Nicaragua, local hero and future Hall of Famer Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez will face Rober Barrera in a 10-round bantamweight bout (ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET), Gonzalez’s first fight in his homeland in nearly a decade.

Gonzalez (51-4, 41 KOs) is a four-division champion who lost his WBC junior bantamweight title in a majority decision loss to Juan Francisco Estrada in December 2022. He hopes a win on Friday will catapult him into another title shot.

On Saturday in Philadelphia, IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis will face David Avanesyan in a 12-round bout in the main event of a DAZN card that will also feature a WBC featherweight title fight between WBC champion Skye Nicolson and challenger Dyana Vargas.

Ennis (31-0, 8 KOs), of Philadelphia, won the interim IBF welterweight title by defeating Karen Chukhadzhian in January 2023, but the organization recently awarded him the title of full champion, and Terence Crawford also became champion during the fight’s break.


Where can I watch the “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Barrera fight on Friday?

The “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Barrera fight card features six fights and will begin at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN+.

Where can I watch the Alimhanuly vs. Mikhailovich fight gala on Saturday?

The Alimhanuly vs. Mikhailovich fight card features nine fights and is scheduled to begin at 6:40 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Watch: Download the ESPN app | WatchESPN | TV

Don’t have ESPN? Find out how to get instant access today: ESPNInstantAccess.com


How to watch the fights?

The fights will be available to watch on mobile devices using the ESPN app.

Full “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Barrera card on ESPN+:

  • Roman Gonzalez vs. Robert Barrera, 10 rounds, bantamweight

  • Eveling Ortega vs. Karol Mazariegos Gonzalez, 8 rounds, junior flyweight

  • Kevin Vivas vs. Azael Villar, 8 rounds, Junior Flyweight

  • Michael Carmona vs. Edwin Cano Hernandez, 8 rounds, Strawweight

  • Elysson Marquez vs. Aron Juarez, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Jeffrey Gonzalez vs. Andres Quesada, 4 rounds, heavyweight

Full Alimhanuly vs. Mikhailovich card on ESPN+:

  • Title fight: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich, 12 rounds, for Alimkhanuly’s WBO and IBF middleweight titles

  • Raymond Muratalla vs. Tevin Farmer, 10 rounds, lightweight

  • Ruben Villa vs. Sulaiman Segawa, 10 rounds, featherweight

  • Jonathan Lopez vs. Leonardo Padilla, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

  • Charlie Sheehy vs. Ricardo Quiroz, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Art Barrera Jr. vs. Javier Mayoral, 6 Rounds, Welterweight

  • Israel Mercado vs. Dondrell Haynes, 6 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Albert Gonzalez vs. Conrado S. Martinez, 6 rounds, junior lightweight

  • Javier Zamarron vs. Michael Bracamontes, 6 rounds, featherweight


What other events are happening this weekend and where can I watch them?

Saturday, July 13 in Philadelphia (DAZN)

  • Title fight: Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan, 12 rounds, for Ennis’ IBF welterweight title

  • Title fight: Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas, 10 rounds, for Nicolson’s WBC featherweight title

  • Christopher Diaz vs. Derlyn Hernandez-Gerarldo, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

  • Jalil Major Hackett vs. Peter Dobson, 10 rounds, welterweight

  • Khalil Coe vs. Manuel Gallegos, 10 rounds, lithe heavyweight

  • Christian Carto vs. Carlos Buitrago, 8 rounds, bantamweight

  • Ismail Muhammad vs. Frank Brown, 6 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Dennis Thompson vs. Fernando Joaquin Valdez, 4 rounds, bantamweight

To see all the other top boxing fights, visit ESPN’s boxing fight schedule.

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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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