Boxing
Weight Alert: Ennis-Avanesyan and Philadelphia Undercard
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaPHILADELPHIA, Pa. — It seems Jaron “Boots” Ennis had that right. He always dreamed of fighting in front of a large crowd in his hometown of Philadelphia. When he signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom in April, that chance was part of a multi-fight deal.
It will happen on Saturday.
Ennis, the No. 2 welterweight contender according to The Ring, will defend his IBF 147-pound title for the first time Saturday night on DAZN against eventual replacement David Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 knockouts). The real story is how the fight sells out. Hearn expects 14,000 fans at the 21,000-seat Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, home of the NBA 76ers and NHL Flyers.
Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in over a year. He last fought on July 8, 2023, when he stopped Roiman Villa at 1:27 of the 10th round. He has since been awarded the IBF title after Terence “Bud” Crawford vacated the belt, which gave the 27-year-old Philadelphian some incentive.
“This wasn’t how I wanted to win the world title,” Boots told The Ring. “I wanted to win it in the ring. I wanted to have the doubt. The flip side of that is I was waiting for Crawford and (Errol) Spence and Eimantas Stanionis and Cody Crowley and all the other top guys. None of them wanted to fight me. So when they told me I was getting the IBF title, I wasn’t going to say no. I know what I’ve earned and what I deserve.
“It’s just not how I wanted to have a championship belt around my waist. Now I’m defending my title and everyone’s going to be after me. I’m ready. I can’t wait. I’m going to have a good time on Saturday night. I’m going to be sitting at home on the couch with my feet up.”
Avanesyan was a last-minute replacement for the original IBF mandatory challenger, Cody Crowley, who was pulled from the fight after failing a pre-fight eye test.
The event will also feature a 10-round WBC featherweight title fight between Skye Nicolson (10-0, 1 KO) and challenger Dyana Vargas (19-1, 12 KO), while a supporting fight will feature 21-year-old undefeated welterweight contender Jalil Major Hackett (8-0, 7 KO) and Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KO).
“I know what’s going to happen, we won’t go four rounds, maybe five, I don’t know,” said Derek “Bozy” Ennis, Boots’ father, trainer and manager. “It all depends on how Boots feels. We have fun when we’re boxing. We have fun doing what we do. It’s a proud moment and a great opportunity to fight here. We appreciate everything (Matchroom) has done for us. You’re going to see a great show on Saturday night. Every time we go out, it’s a special moment. Nobody has taken us to a higher level.”
Here are the weights:
IBF welterweight title – 12 rounds
Jaron Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs), 146.4 pounds vs. David Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs), 147 pounds
Welterweight – 10 rounds
Jalil Major Hackett (8-0, 7 KOs), 146.6 pounds vs. Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KOs), 146.4 pounds
WBC featherweight title – 10 rounds
Skye Nicolson (10-0, 1 KO), 125.6 pounds vs. Dyana Vargas (18-1, 12 KO), 125.6 pounds
Airy heavyweights – 10 rounds
Khalil Coe (8-0-1, 6 KOs), 174 pounds vs. Kwame Ritter (11-1, 9 KOs), 173 pounds
Junior lightweight – 10 rounds
Christopher Diaz (28-4, 18 KOs), 131.4 pounds vs. Derlyn Hernandez-Gerarldo (12-1-1, 10 KOs), 131.4 pounds
Featherweight -8 rounds
Christian Carto (22-1, 15 KOs), 124.4 pounds vs. Carlos Buitrago (38-13-1, 22 KOs), 125.8 pounds
Junior Welterweight – 6 rounds
Ismail Muhammad (4-0, 3 KO), 144 pounds vs. Frank Brown (3-4-2, 1 KO), 144.2 pounds
Rooster – 4 rounds
Dennis Thompson (pro debut), 116.6 pounds vs. Fernando Joaquin Valdez (1-7), 119.2 pounds
You may like
Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
24 hours 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.
“DON’T LIKE BUD’S STYLE vs BOOTS” – Russell Brothers DEBATE WHO WINS Terence Crawford vs Jaron Ennis
‘ANTHONY JOSHUA REMATCH WILL NEVER HAPPEN!’ – Frank Warren on Dubois, PAUL VS TYSON
Lennox Lewis: How I Would Have Beaten Oleksandr Usyk
Trending
-
MMA6 months ago
Max Holloway is on a mission at UFC 212
-
Interviews1 month ago
Carl Froch predicts that Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
-
Interviews1 month ago
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
-
MMA6 months ago
Cris Cyborg ready to add a UFC title to her collection
-
MMA6 months ago
The Irish showed up in droves at the Mayweather-McGregor weigh-in
-
Boxing4 months ago
Lucas Bahdi ready to test his skills against Ashton Sylve
-
Interviews6 months ago
I fell in love with boxing again
-
Opinions & Features2 months ago
Dmitry Bivol: The story so far