Erislandy Lara 154 vs Yuri Foreman 153.2
Anthony Dirrell 169.8 vs Norbert Nemesapati 168
Miguel Cruz 146 vs Alex Martin 146.8
Juan Carlos Payano 119 vs Isao Gonzalo Carranza 118.4
Dennis Galarza 135.2 vs Edgardo Rivera 134.4
Robert Daniels Jr. 180.8 vs Antonio Alicea 179.2
Former three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz continued to prepare for his featherweight world title rematch against Carl Frampton and hosted a Los Angeles media workout Tuesday before he headlines action on Saturday, January 28 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and live on SHOWTIME®.
Also working out for the media at Fortune Gym Tuesday were lightweight world champion Dejan Zlaticanin and former two-division champion Mikey Garcia, who meet in the opening bout on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Fight week activities officially began today with media workouts at the brand new Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn before the super middleweight title unification showdown between Badou Jack and James DeGale that headlines action this Saturday, January 14 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME.
Also in attendance and opening the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT are junior lightweight world champion Jose Pedraza and unbeaten contender Gervonta Davis.
Warrior Tim Bradley, last seen in the ring doing battle for a third time with superstar Manny Pacquiao in April, has gone on record stating how he is mulling over the idea of retiring sooner rather than later. Bradley, speaking with FightHub, said “I think about it (retirement) a lot.”
A great fighter who thrilled fans with, amongst other bouts, his almost unbelievably entertaining 12 round war with Ruslan Provodnikov – this incredible, up-from-the-floor 2013 win arguably being the most exciting of Bradley’s 36 pro fights – Bradley says he “can’t complain,” and that at age 33 he feels he has “done pretty damn well,” which is of course an understatement.
A fighter’s fitness cannot be gauged accurately by looking at photos, but it must be said, David Haye looks in absolutely superb physical condition today as he trains for his grudge-match with fellow Brit Tony Bellew – and there are still a full eight weeks to go until fight night.
Haye, who is training out at Dino Spencer’s legendary 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach, released a Twitter photo today, along with a short video message also on social media. Haye looks to be about as fit and strong as he ever has, certainly more ripped and muscular than for his last fight, the May blowout of Arnold “The Cobra.”
Fighters often like to add the wisdom of a great trainer to their team as they approach a big, big fight. Oscar De La Hoya, for example, was fortunate enough to have been able to bring in the legendary Angelo Dundee ahead of his big fight with Manny Pacquiao (although not even Dundee’s vast knowledge was able to help a severely weight drained, past his best De La Hoya). And heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield was one of quite a few fighters who brought in the services of “hired gun” Emanuel Steward; “The Real Deal” doing so before his second fight with Riddick Bowe.
The superb featherweight battle Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz engaged in last July was, for many people, The Fight of 2016. Back and forth the two unbeaten warriors went, with the intense pace of the high quality fight never once relenting.
Now, in just under a couple of week’s time, the two 130-pounders will do it again – this time at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Both men have promised an improvement on fight-one: Frampton stating how he fully believes he will KO or stop Santa Cruz this time; Santa Cruz vowing he will get revenge for the sole loss of his pro career.
Former 140 and 147-pound champ Zab Judah is not yet ready to call it a career. Though the Brooklyn southpaw is now pushing 40 (he will hit the big 4 0 this October) and has not fought since being decisioned by Paulie Malignaggi in “The Battle of Brooklyn” in December of 2013, Judah will fight on.
Set to face Jorge Luis Munguia of Honduras on January 21 in Trenton, New Jersey, Zab feels he can make another run at a world title. Munguia, 13-7(5) is just 28, he has been stopped just twice and he has nothing to lose in this fight. There are no instantly recognisable names on Munguia’s record and not too much is know about him. Of course, nobody, including Judah himself, knows how much Zab has left in the tank.
Scottish hero and reigning WBA 140-pound champ Ricky Burns has had his name mentioned as a possible Manny Pacquiao foe, what with the superstar Filipino set to embark on a “world tour” (with Australia’s Jeff Horn Pac-Man’s probable next challenger).
Obviously, such a fight would be massive, a real dream come true for Burns, 41-5-1(14), even more so if it took place in the UK. But first, according to STV News, 33-year-old Burns will face recently crowned IBF 140-pound champ Julius Indongo, probably on April 8, in a big unification clash.
Ahead of his world title fight in New York this Saturday, IBF World super middleweight champion James DeGale has been reflecting on his journey to this unification showdown with Badou Jack.
Speaking in a video for wearable training gear SIXPAD, the 30-year-old native Londoner describes his introduction to boxing.