The Latest Boxing News
Making his debut in the featherweight division, undefeated Leo Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs) proved to be too strong and too busy for 29-year-old former three division world champion Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) in defeating him by a 12 round unanimous decision to win the WBA Super World and WBC Diamond featherweight straps tonight in their fight on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
In an impressive display of punching power, unbeaten #2 World Boxing Organization cruiserweight contender Oleksandr Usyk (8-0, 8 KOs) smashed his opponent #15 WBO Johnny Muller (19-5-2, 13 KOs) in knocking him down twice en route to a 3rd round TKO on Saturday night in front of a huge crowd at the Palace of Sports in Kiev, Ukraine.
Britain’s George Groves is well aware of the opportunity at hand when he challenges Las Vegas-based Swede Badou Jack on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather/Andre Berto fight on September 12th, and he plans on seizing his 3rd shot at a world title by snatching the “Ripper’s” WBC 168lb strap in considerable style.
The Hammersmith fighter – currently training at Abel Sanchez’s Summit facility in California in preparation – is looking forward to seeing his star rise as a result, and wishes to rubber stamp his name into the consciousness of the American fight fans with victory.
If promotional heavyweights Top Rank have their way, then October 3rd’s penciled in light welterweight title fight between Al Haymon advised Ohioian motor-mouth Adrien Broner (30-2, 22ko) and Russia’s Khabib Allakhverdiev (19-1, 9ko) will NOT be for the vacant WBA (reg) 140 lb title, as is currently scheduled.
Thanks to the WBA’s ludicrous insistence of crowning three tiers of champion per weight class – Super, Regular and Interim, the promotional giant, who look after 140lb interim champion Jose Benavidez Jr (23-0, 16ko), have taken exception to the fact that Broner and Allakhverdiev, fighters who both lost their last outings, will be able to clash for the ‘regular’ belt recently vacated by Danny Garcia, ahead of their fighter.
Former 2x middleweight world title challenger Matthew Macklin (33-6, 22ko) is convinced he has still has more to give at the top level, and took another small step toward getting his career back on track last night in Marbella, when he stopped German club fighter Chris Hermann (19-7-1, 10ko) inside a round on a show put on by the promotional arm of his MGM gymnasium, which is located in the Spanish resort.
‘I touched him (Hermann) with the uppercut to bring his hands up and that gave me the opening to the liver/floating rib area… when you land clean there with a bit of power, not too many guys get up from it,’ Macklin said following the body shot victory.
On a hot summer August night, in a specially-constructed ring outside the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC) across from the D Las Vegas, Trevor “The Dream” Bryan remained unbeaten and passed the toughest test of his career with a crowd-pleasing, hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision over Derric Rossy in the main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader live on SHOWTIME®.
Bryan (16-0, 11 KOs), of Albany, N.Y., dropped the vastly more experienced Rossy (30-10, 14 KOs), of Medford, N.Y., with a flurry of punches 30 seconds into the fight en route to winning one of the most exciting heavyweight fights of the year by the scores of 98-91 twice and 97-92. Round 3 of the slugfest could be a candidate for Round of the Year.
George Groves – “Training camp has been going great. We’re fully acclimated to the time change and altitude. We’re performing very well in the gym and fulfilling the plan. I’m ready to rock.
“We’ve trained in the U.S. before. Last year we came over to spar with Gennady Golovkin. This time we’re out there for much longer and it has been very successful.
“I like training in the altitude and I expect it to help me on fight night. We got used to it over the weeks of camp and now it’s time to bring the extra energy to the ring.
Saturday Night, live on ESPN (10 PM EST) from the Staples Center in Los Angeles California, Unbeaten two-division titilist Leo Santa Cruz (30-0-1 17 KO) of Rosemead California, takes on former 3-division titilist Abner Mares (29-1-1 15 KO) of Montebello California. The main event of this Saturday night’s PBC card on ESPN will be a non-title clash, contested at the Featherweight limit of 126 lbs.
Santa Cruz 27, comes into this potential “Fight of The Year” candidate as the slight betting favorite at -225. Mares 29, is pegged by oddsmakers as the slight underdog at +175.
Here is a closer look at the two pugilistic principles set to square off come Saturday night.
Two-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) participated in a media workout at the J.W. Marriott at L.A. Live as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career. In front of an enthusiastic crowd, Berto looked focused and in great shape, jumping rope and shadowboxing, as he looks to become the first fighter to defeat 12-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs), on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). In addition to Berto, top 168-pound contender George Groves and former three-time world champion Jhonny Gonzalez participated in the media workout as they prepare for their respective fights on the SHOWTIME PPV broadcast.
Lots of leather will be thrown in this featherweight dust-up between Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz. The broadcast will air live in primetime on ESPN/ESPNDeportes from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The winner will be the King of LA without a crown with only a WBC Diamond trinket on the line. A more fitting label might be the battle to become the “Prince” of Los Angeles. Can Abner get his groove back by digging his way out of the rut he’s been stuck in for two years since suffering a shocking first round defeat to Jhonny Gonzalez? Will Leo sink or swim in his first true test of his career?
Just around two years ago (and 4 days) the stage was being set for a classic west coast matchup between a young slugger named Leo Santa Cruz and a rising star in Abner Mares. Can you hear the song? Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Fill in Abner Mares’s name for Joe’s in that song and it paints a picture of the current state of Abner’s once promising career.