Boxing
Weekend Boxing: How to Watch Janibek, ‘Chocolatito’, Ennis and More
Published
5 months agoon
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J. HumzaWBO 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+:
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Roman Gonzalez vs. Robert Barrera, 10 rounds, bantamweight
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Eveling Ortega vs. Karol Mazariegos Gonzalez, 8 rounds, junior flyweight
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Kevin Vivas vs. Azael Villar, 8 rounds, Junior Flyweight
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Michael Carmona vs. Edwin Cano Hernandez, 8 rounds, Strawweight
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Elysson Marquez vs. Aron Juarez, 8 rounds, junior welterweight
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Jeffrey Gonzalez vs. Andres Quesada, 4 rounds, heavyweight
Full Alimhanuly vs. Mikhailovich card on ESPN+:
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Title fight: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich, 12 rounds, for Alimkhanuly’s WBO and IBF middleweight titles
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Raymond Muratalla vs. Tevin Farmer, 10 rounds, lightweight
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Ruben Villa vs. Sulaiman Segawa, 10 rounds, featherweight
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Jonathan Lopez vs. Leonardo Padilla, 8 rounds, junior lightweight
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Charlie Sheehy vs. Ricardo Quiroz, 8 rounds, junior welterweight
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Art Barrera Jr. vs. Javier Mayoral, 6 Rounds, Welterweight
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Israel Mercado vs. Dondrell Haynes, 6 rounds, junior welterweight
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Albert Gonzalez vs. Conrado S. Martinez, 6 rounds, junior lightweight
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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)
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Title fight: Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan, 12 rounds, for Ennis’ IBF welterweight title
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Title fight: Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas, 10 rounds, for Nicolson’s WBC featherweight title
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Christopher Diaz vs. Derlyn Hernandez-Gerarldo, 10 rounds, junior lightweight
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Jalil Major Hackett vs. Peter Dobson, 10 rounds, welterweight
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Khalil Coe vs. Manuel Gallegos, 10 rounds, lithe heavyweight
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Christian Carto vs. Carlos Buitrago, 8 rounds, bantamweight
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Ismail Muhammad vs. Frank Brown, 6 rounds, junior welterweight
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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
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024In 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.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
2 days agoon
November 23, 2024Former 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.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One 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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