The latest boxing top stories and breaking news
WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy Lara knocked down previously unbeaten Terrell Gausha en route to a 12-round unanimous decision in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday on SHOWTIME at Barclays Center.
The Premier Boxing Champions event featured three world title fights in the stacked 154-pound division, a lineup including five fighters ranked in the top 10, and four in the top five.
Featherweight world champions Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares were both victorious in their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes fights Saturday night from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and officially set up a world championship rematch between the two popular southern California champions in early 2018.
“I want Abner Mares,” said Santa Cruz. “I said if we both win; we’re going to fight. I’m ready to fight him in Los Angeles in the beginning of next year.”
WBA Super World super middleweight champion George Groves successfully defended his title on Saturday night in stopping unbeaten Jamie Cox in the 4th round in the World Boxing Super Series tournament quarterfinals at the SSE Arena in Wembley, UK. Groves knocked Cox down with a right to the body in round 4. Cox was too hurt to get up.
A tantalizing junior middleweight championship matchup between Jermell Charlo and Erickson Lubin might as well be the main event on Showtime’s Tripleheader this Saturday. Both Americans are undefeated, Charlo entering his prime and Lubin isn’t far off considering Erickson just turned 22 at the beginning of October. Nowadays (generally speaking) it’s a rarity for young fighters to risk losing their ‘0’ this early in a promising career. It’s a breath of fresh air so let’s hope the media and fans appreciate it instead of downgrading one of them at the end. Especially if it’s Erickson, a phenom who is taking a major step up in class challenging Jermell for his 154-pound strap.
In what may well turn out to be the best, most fascinating fight of the year, saved for the end of the year as it has been – Vasyl Lomachenko-Guillermo Rigondeux has attracted fan attention in one big way; hence the December 9 fight selling out two full months ahead of bell-one.
UK fans can catch the action live on Box Nation, and it was via a short piece with the boxing channel’s web site that Ukraine’s Lomachenko, 9-1(7) declared how he will “squash” the unbeaten Cuban when they clash in New York. As fans know, “Rigo” will be making quite a step up in weight: from super-bantam to super-featherweight, and for this reason, “Hi-Tech,” feels he will not get too much credit for beating the naturally smaller and older man.
My first reaction when hearing about the matchup between Ricky Burns and Anthony Crolla brought a smile to my face as I nodded in approval. The fight just made so much sense for both men at this stage of their careers and of course the venue selection was perfect. A world championship belt isn’t on the line but it doesn’t matter and that’s the beauty of it all. What matters is the next step for these guys and what better motivation then money and pride.
Tonight in Riga, Latvia, defending WBC cruiserweight champ Mairis Breidis retained his belt and also advanced in the WBSS tournament by way of a unanimous decision victory over Mike Perez. Local hero Breidis, now 23-0(18) won by scores of 116-110, 115-111 and 114-112. Perez, who was mightily disappointed by his defeat, is now 22-3(14).
Tonight’s fight was far from a classic, with an almost shocking amount of holding witnessed, with defending champ Breidis being guilty of initiating most of it. There was a clash of heads in the third-round, with Breidis suffering a nasty cut to his left eye. Perez was docked a point by the referee.
In terrible news, it has been confirmed by multiple sources that heavyweight Luis Ortiz has testesd positive for a banned substance in a pre-fight drugs test that was conducted by VADA a week ago. Ortiz was of course to have challenged WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder on November4; this fight is now off.
It remains to be seen whether or not Wilder, unbeaten at 38-0 will still fight on the November date (some people have suggested he may fight former foe Bermane Stiverne in a return; Stiverne being the fighter who took step-aside money to allow Wilder to face Ortiz instead – but this is nothing more than speculation at this point in time).
Following the blockbuster battle between Tony Bellew and David Haye earlier this year, the two nemeses will once again go to war in The Rematch at The O2 on Sunday December 17, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
After a fiery build up, Haye and Bellew met at the Greenwich venue in March this year and served up an explosive encounter which left fans on their edge of their seats. Both fighters went toe to toe for a thrilling 11 round contest. Haye bravely fought on despite fully rupturing his Achilles in the sixth round, Bellew was victorious after Haye’s team eventually threw the towel in.
Carl Frampton MBE has signed an exclusive promotional deal with Hall of Fame Promoter Frank Warren.
The three-time World Champion will make his highly-anticipated Belfast homecoming at the SSE Arena Belfast on Saturday 18th November, broadcast live on BT Sport and BoxNation.