Last night in Cancun, Mexico, 35 year old Yuriorkis Gamboa kept his career alive with a win – but only just. The once seemingly untouchable Cuban scraped through with a ten round MD over Mexico’s Alexis Reyes, prevailing by scores of 95-94 twice in the 135 pound bout, the third judge seeing things all square at 94-94.
Gamboa is now 27-2(17), 22 year old Reyes, who has never been stopped, is now 15-3-1(7).
As fight fans now have a chance to see a short (very short) clip of the sparring sessions we’ve heard so much about, between Conor McGregor and Paulie Malignaggi, they also have a chance to listen to the MMA star’s latest prediction regarding his August 26 showdown with Floyd Mayweather.
Regarding the short clip of the sparring sessions: the clip does show Malignaggi going down, yet he appears to be off-balance and also helped down by a forearm, and the second the clip ends, Malignaggi is in the act of bouncing straight back up, clearly unhurt. Still, McGregor and his supporters are using the video clip as “proof” that he can box and that Mayweather will be in trouble, as was Malignaggi.
Boxing legends Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns are currently in Las Vegas – the scene of many of their sensational, unforgettable fights – to attend tonight’s Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
Hearns, a former five-weight king, will be inducted, Leonard, also a five-weight ruler, will be taking care of the induction duties. Once venomous rivals, the two all-time greats who met in 1981, at welterweight, and in 1989, at super-middleweight, have nothing but mutual respect these days. They earned it in the ring, in so doing thrilling the world with 26 rounds of superb boxing.
It was “The Notorious” Conor McGregor’s turn to meet with the media on Friday from UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, a day after Floyd “Money” Mayweather did the same in advance of their Saturday, Aug. 26, headlining attraction of a SHOWTIME PPV event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Here is what McGregor had to say Friday:
He suffered only one loss, won the pride of his native Mexico and dazzled opponents with superior skill like poetry in motion. But his life was short like haiku – exactly 35 years ago today Sanchez died in a vehicle accident at only 24 years of age.
Sanchez’s early death undoubtedly raised his legend in a very James Dean-ish way; his detractors will argue that his legend stems more from his aura than his considerable potential. When you consider the intangibles of boxing, it’s admittedly ridiculous to speculate. My own ridiculous view follows, for whatever it’s worth. On such an anniversary, I might not be the only one airing them.
FRIDAY – Conor McGregor Media Day – 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT From UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas
SHOWTIME Sports will present live HD Satellite and Internet coverage from Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor Media Days as the boxing legend and UFC superstar open their training camps in preparation for their August 26 SHOWTIME PPV® blockbuster from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Deontay Wilder is shopping around for his next fight – set to take place, possibly, in November – and he may have found a most marketable and exciting opponent in dangerous Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz.
Speaking with Premier Boxing Champions, the unbeaten WBC heavyweight king spoke about how Ortiz, also unbeaten, is a fighter other heavyweights are afraid of. But “The Bronze Bomber,” who said Ortiz is known as a “Boogeyman,” insists he does not in any way shape or form scare him.
The last time he fought, former two-weight champ Juan Manuel Lopez actually fought twice on the same night. “Juanma,” who returned from a two year layoff last October, this inactive spell coming after two straight (and quite nasty) stoppage losses, beat Wilfredo Vazquez Jr – and after the 11th round TKO win, the Puerto Rican got involved in a fracas with one of Vazquez’ corner-men!
Biggest isn’t always best. Promoter Oscar De La Hoya, himself no stranger to gargantuan numbers, either as a fighter or as a promoter, said on Tuesday’s conference call to further promote the September 16 world middleweight clash between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Canelo Alvarez that the upcoming fight will be THE biggest fight in the history of the middleweight division.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather opened up the Mayweather Boxing Club on Thursday for a media workout ahead of his highly anticipated matchup against UFC champion Conor McGregor on Saturday, Aug. 26 in the headlining attraction of a SHOWTIME PPV event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Joining Mayweather at the media workout were a trio of fighters competing under the Mayweather Promotions banner who enter the ring in undercard attractions on SHOWTIME PPV.