The Latest Boxing News
By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones and Justin Jones | Photo © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones
OXON HILL, MD – 26-year-old, WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs)put Americanfans,the boxing media, and his divisional counterparts on notice after shellacking Samuel “The Main Event” Clarkson (19-4, 12 KOs) en route to a4thround TKOin the main event of SHOWTIME’sSHOBOX: The New Generationcard at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Charles Huerta (19-5, 12 KOs) obtained the knock out victory in LA FIGHT CLUB’s sold out event going head to head with South Central’s Ivan “Striker” Delgado (11-1-1, 4 KOs) in the main event at the Belasco Theater that was televised live nationally on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar. The action was hot, both fighters feeling the urgency to get the win. Delgado went down at the beginning of the third round after being on the receiving end of a powerful shot to the body, and attempted to carry on. Huerta came forward even stronger, and the referee ultimately stopped the match giving him the victory at the 3:36 mark of the third round.
Undefeated WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Titlist Dmitry Bivol knocked down Samuel Clarkson three times en route to a fourth-round TKO Friday in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME from MGM National Harbor.
(Photo credit Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)
Bivol (10-0, 8 KOs) is now the mandatory challenger for WBA (regular) Light Heavyweight World Champion Nathan Cleverly.
Lou DiBella
We’re going to start with “Showtime” Shawn Porter, out of Las Vegas right now. Former IBF World Champion. Everyone knows he’s trained by his dad, Ken, and he was a tremendous amateur. He has been a tremendous pro. And I know he’s ready for this important matchup on April 22nd. Shawn?
They both came up short in big fights against world champs Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, but Dillian Whyte (who gave a pre-IBF ruling Joshua a real scare in a great fight) and Gerald Washinton (who enjoyed early success before WBC king Wilder lowered the boom on him) remain contenders and are both searching for another shot.
And the two sluggers who are both “learning on the job” according to Washington, could meet in an interesting match-up this June in London. Recently, Whyte announced how he would be headlining a London card on June 3rd, “against a big name,” with Washington, Mariusz Wach, Bryant Jennings and Artur Szpilka being listed as possibilities.
Back in November of 2015, in an explosive and thoroughly entertaining slugfest, Nigerian cruiserweight Olanrewaju Durodola upset unbeaten Russian KO King Dmitry Kudryashov inside two rounds. Now the two are set for a rematch on May 20, once again in Russia with the WBC silver strap on the line.
Durodola, 25-3(23) lost to recently crowned WBO champ Mairis Breidis in his next fight after the big win over Kudryashov, but he has bounced back, winning his last three, all by KO. Known as “God’s Power,” the 36 year old, in kindly giving ESB some of his time, said he has had better preparation ahead of his second fight with Kudryashov, 20-1(20).
Does Manny Pacquiao want a knockout victory on July 2 when he will defend his WBO welterweight title against Australia’s Jeff Horn? Freddie Roach sure does. As fight fans know, Pac-Man has not registered a KO or stoppage over a foe since way, way back in November of 2009, when he halted an immeasurably brave and determined Miguel Cotto in the 12th and final round of their welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.
Since then, Pacquiao, 59-6-2(38) has seen just one of his fights end inside the distance: the fight he lost by sensational KO at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth (and seemingly final) meeting in December of 2012. Roach wants to see an end to the KO drought, and he has told The Courier Mail that the plan is for it to be ended at the expense of the unbeaten Horn in Brisbane.
Vasyl Lomachenko is a hot-button topic across many social media platforms and of course in boxing forums. Nobody can deny or argue against Vasyl’s skill-set, the main sticking point of this recent debate is just how great this two-time gold medalist from the Ukraine is.
Based off HBO’s broadcast team a casual boxing fan may assume Loma is the best fighter on the planet. HBO and Bob Arum will tell you he’s hands down the best fighter of this still developing generation. Arum loves to skip right on past Floyd Mayweather, Roy Jones, Pernell Whitaker, and unbelievably the four kings of the 1980’s. That’s right Bob has to journey all the way to the 1970’s to compare Lomachenko to the great Muhammad Ali. Let us not forget, at least Arum is the promoter so one can expect him being overzealous at times.
Subtle it may not be, but the official advert/commercial for the upcoming all-Mexican superfight that is Canelo Alvarez-Julio Cesar Chavez Junior definitely hits the mark – or the wall!
The 45-sec ad, promoting the massive May 6 catchweight mega-fight all of Mexico, along with around half of America, will be watching, both gets the juices flowing for the big fight and takes a punch at President Trump’s infamous wall plans. Both boxers, pumped up, oiled up and looking toned up, quite literally run right through the wall and crash their way into the heart of fabulous Las Vegas, ready to fight and thrill.
After the sheer amount of controversy the November 2016 decision picked up by Andre Ward in his win over Sergey Kovalev caused, the rematch, set for June 17, needs a clear and decisive winner. But will we get one? A KO, scored by either fighter, would of course be the best way to settle things, but one looks unlikely.
Certainly, Kovalev, who recently said that Ward “hits like woman,” has no concerns of being stopped by Ward, while Ward being flattened, though possible, seems a long shot. So, with no KO, the rematch of one of the most debated decision fights of recent years will be decided once again by the three official judges.