The Latest Boxing News
It’s a fight that could happen this summer (although it is also possible Wilder could fight Wladimir Klitschko ) and fans would certainly tune in to see a heavyweight unification bout between Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker.
Wilder, the reigning WBC champ and unbeaten, has called out Parker, the WBO ruler and also unbeaten, a few times, and going by Parker’s recent fight – a points win over unheralded Razvan Cojanu, it’s easy to see why.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. took a verbal shot at middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin last weekend in saying that he’d have no problems beating him, and that he would take him to school if the two of them were to fight. The 40-year-old Mayweather says he has NO interest fighting Golovkin. That’s not a fight he’s interested in making at all. Mayweather he’s done with boxing, and he wants to face UFC star Conor McGregor to give the fans what they want to see.
By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones and Justin Jones |Photos © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones
OXON HILL, MARYLAND –After two failed attempts, WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr.(28-1, 17KOs) finally got his chance to take on former Interim WBC titlist Óscar Escandón (25-3, 17 KO)on Saturday night at The Theater at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
And Russell Jr. didn’t disappoint.
Recently, the great, the immortal, the legendary ( and also the most down to earth boxing superstar one could wish to meet) Roberto Duran paid a visit to this writer’s home town. Duran, for many millions of fans, THE greatest living fighter (above Ring Magazine’s recent choice for the honour; Sugar Ray Leonard ) dropped in at Henry Wharton’s gym in York.
Terence Crawford successfully defended his WBA and WBC 140 pound titles in beating welterweight Felix Diaz by a 10th round TKO at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was a clinical performance from the 29-year-old Crawford in dispatching the smaller 5’5” Diaz (19-2, 9 KOs) in front of a large crowd of pro-Crawford boxing fans.
The fight was shown on HBO. The fight was stopped after the 10th at the urging of Diaz’s corner. Both of Diaz’s eyes were swollen to the point where they were almost closed. Diaz wasn’t putting up much of a fight during the bout other than the 7th. When Diaz did go on the attack, Crawford would move laterally around the ring to avoid his attacks.
Gervonta Davis went on the road in the first defense of his IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship and made a statement with an emphatic third-round TKO of previously undefeated local favorite Liam Walsh in the opening bout of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING from Copper Box Arena in London.
The southpaw Davis (18-0, 17 KOs) set the pace from the opening bell, connecting seemingly at will with a strong left hook. In the third round, America’s youngest world champion floored Walsh with a strong left after a series of brutal connecting combos on the inside. Walsh got up, but the onslaught continued seconds later and referee Michael Alexander stopped the championship bout at 2:11, with Walsh defenseless and on unsteady legs.
Unbeaten rising contender David Benavidez (18-0, 17 KOs) of Phoenix, Ariz. knocked out exciting former title challenger Rogelio “Porky” Medina (37-8, 31 KOs) from San Luis Rio, Mexico in a super middleweight world title eliminator that headlined a special Saturday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes from Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas.
The action-packed main event opened with several crowd-pleasing exchanges in the first pair of rounds. Round three offered more of the same as the rugged pair of pugilists went toe-to-toe giving and receiving each other’s best.
From the MGM National Harbor “Mr.” Gary Russell Jr. (28-1, 17 KOs) had a successful homecoming in front of a nearly sold out crowd as he defended his WBC Featherweight World title with a seventh-round stoppage against the very tough, strong-willed Colombian Oscar Escandon (25-3, 17 KOs) in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.
(Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME)
In a 12-round clash for the IBF Interim Super Middleweight Title, Flint, Michigan’s Andre Dirrell, (26-2, 16 KOs), was declared the winner after round eight as Jose Uzcategui, (26-2, 22 KOs) of Merida, Venezuela, was disqualified for a punch after the bell sounded to end the eighth round.
Uzcategui started fast, battering Dirrell from the opening round, cutting off the ring and slamming away with body and head shot through the first three rounds. Dirrell saw success starting in the fourth round, countering Uzcategui and scoring well.
Two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy (26-0, 13 KOs) won a 12-round unanimous decision over valiant Kiryl Relikh, (25-3, 16 KOs), of Baranovichi, Byelorussia. Scores in the WBA Super Lightweight eliminator were 116-110, 115-111 and 117-109.
The opening two rounds of the fight featured excellent action with both fighters attempting to impose their will. In the third round Relikh suffered a low blow resulting in a two-minute delay, however, no point deduction was made by referee Kenny Chevalier. Following the low blow, the shorter Relikh became much more aggressive.