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Weekend Boxing: How to Watch Nakatani-Astrolabio, Paul-Perry

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ESPN No. 1 bantamweight Junto Nakatani will step into the ring for the second time this year to defend his WBC world title against Vincent Astrolabio in Tokyo on Saturday (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET).

Nakatani (27-0, 20 KOs), of Kanagawa, Japan, has won eight of his last 10 fights by knockout, including a sixth technical knockout of Alexandro Santiago to regain the title in February. Nakatani is also a former flyweight and junior bantamweight champion.

Astrolabio (19-4, 14 KOs) of General Santos City, Philippines, is a former bantamweight title contender. In May 2023, he challenged Jason Moloney for the then-vacant WBO 118-pound title and lost by majority decision. Last August, he defeated Navapon Khaikanha by 11th-round TKO in a WBO qualifier, earning a shot at Nakatani.

Also on Saturday, former undisputed junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron will face Elhem Mekhaled for the vacant WBC interim junior welterweight title in Birmingham, England (ESPN+, 12:45 p.m. ET).

Cameron (18-1, 8 KOs), from Northamptonshire, England, has been on the rise for the past four years. She won the WBC junior welterweight title in October 2020 by defeating Adriana Dos Santos Araujo. After one defense, Cameron unified the IBF title by defeating Mary McGee in October 2021. In November 2022, she defeated Jessica McCaskill by unanimous decision to become the undisputed champion, and just six months later, Cameron defeated Katie Taylor by majority decision to defend her belts in her biggest fight to date. Cameron lost the belts in a rematch with Taylor last November.

Mekhaled (17-2, 3 KOs) from Paris, France is a former WBC interim junior lightweight champion. In February 2023, she challenged Alycia Baumgardner for the undisputed junior lightweight championship but lost by unanimous decision. She has since won two more fights.

On Saturday in Tampa Bay, Florida, former YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul returns to the ring to face former MMA fighter Mike Perry in an eight-round cruiserweight bout (DAZN PPV, 9:00 p.m. ET).

Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio, was scheduled to face former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, but Tyson suffered health problems during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles and the fight was postponed until December 15.

After starting his career 6-0, in which he scored victories over former MMA fighters and fellow YouTubers, Paul lost a majority decision to Tommy Fury in February 2023. He returned with victories over MMA fighter Nate Diaz and little-known boxers Andre August and Ryan Bourland.

Perry, a native of Orlando, Florida, whose only recorded boxing fight was a fourth-round knockout loss to Kenneth McNeil in 2015, fights for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) after 15 fights in the UFC.

On Friday night in Indio, Calif., Alexis Rocha will face Santiago Dominguez in a 10-round welterweight bout (DAZN, 9 p.m. ET). And in Caracas, Venezuela, Carlos Canizales will face Ivan Garcia Balderas in a 12-round junior flyweight bout.


Where can I watch the Nakatani-Astrolabio fight on Saturday?

The Nakatani-Astrolabio fight card features three fights and is scheduled to start at 5 a.m. ET on ESPN+.

Where can I watch the Cameron-Mekhaled fight on Saturday?

The Cameron-Mekhaled fight card features seven fights and is scheduled to start at 12:45 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 Nakatani-Astrolabio card on ESPN+:

  • Title fight: Junto Nakatani vs. Vincent Astrolabio, 12 rounds, for Nakatani’s WBC bantamweight title

  • Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, 10 rounds, junior featherweight

  • Title fight: Riku Kano vs. Anthony Olascuaga, 12 rounds, for vacant WBO flyweight title

Full Cameron-Mekhaled fight card on ESPN+:

  • Nathan Heaney vs. Brad Pauls, 12 rounds, for Heaney’s British middleweight title

  • Liam Davies vs. Shabaz Masoud, 10 rounds, junior featherweight

  • Title fight: Chantelle Cameron vs. Elhem Mekhaled, 10 rounds, for vacant WBC interim women’s welterweight title

  • Solomon Dacres vs. Michael Webster, 10 rounds, heavyweight

  • Owen Cooper vs. Ekow Essuman, 10 rounds, welterweight

  • Ezra Taylor vs. Carlos Alberto Lamela, 10 rounds, featherlight heavyweight

  • Ashley Lane vs. Andrew Cain, 12 rounds, for Lane’s British bantamweight title


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

Saturday, July 20 in Tampa Bay, Florida (DAZN PPV)

  • Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry, 8 rounds, cruiserweight

  • Amanda Serrano vs. Stevie Morgan, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Shadasia Green vs. Natasha Spence, 8 rounds, Women’s Super Middleweight

  • Tony Aguilar vs. Corey Marksman, 8 rounds, lightweight

  • Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Uriah Hall, 6 rounds, featherlight heavyweight

  • Ashton Sylve vs. Lucas Bahdi, 10 rounds, lightweight

  • Angel Barrientes vs. Edwin Rodriguez, 6 rounds, junior featherweight

  • Ariel Perez vs. Dane Guerrero, 4 rounds, featherlight heavyweight

  • Alexis Chaparro vs. Kevin Hill, 4 rounds, middleweight

Friday, July 19 in Indio, California (DAZN)

  • Alexis Rocha vs. Santiago Dominguez, 10 rounds, welterweight

  • Gregory Morales vs. Jayvon Garnett, 10 rounds, featherweight

  • Fabian Guzman vs. Corey Cook, 4 Rounds, Middleweight

  • Bryan Lua vs. Diuhl Olguin, 6 rounds, junior lightweight

  • Jorge Chavez vs. Riku Kitani, 6 rounds, featherweight

  • Juan Estrada Jr. vs. Dyllon Cervantes, 4 Rounds, Lightweight

  • Grant Flores vs. Juan Meza Moreno, 4 rounds, junior middleweight

Friday, July 19 in Caracas, Venezuela

  • Carlos Canizales vs Ivan Garcia Balderas, 12 rounds, junior flyweight category

  • Jose Uzcategui vs. Fernando Brito, 10 rounds, super middleweight

  • Jeremy Alvarez vs. Leonardo Sanchez, 10 rounds, junior middleweight

  • Keiber Gonzalez vs. Humberto Diaz, 10 rounds, middleweight

  • Jesus Cuadro vs. Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Wilmer Vasquez vs. Ubaldo Resendiz, 10 rounds, heavyweight

  • Tony Nadales vs. Kevin Machine, 10 rounds, junior featherweight

  • Bestalia Sanchez vs. Estefania Matute, 10 rounds, women’s junior bantamweight

  • Yoselin Fernandez vs. Erika Bolivar, 10 rounds, junior flyweight

  • Luis Pacheco vs. Dervin Rodriguez, 8 rounds, junior featherweight

  • Carlos Zabaleta vs. Jonathan Mena, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Leobardo Barrios Jeison Prado fight, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

  • Wilson Ruiz vs. Jheimer Farina, 4 rounds, featherweight

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

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Rocha vs Curiel

In 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.

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George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former 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.

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Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One 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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