IBF World lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr. (21-0, 14 KOs) retained his IBF title in beating former super featherweight champion Javier Fortuna (33-2-1, 23 KOs) by a 12 round split decision on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The scores were 114-113, 115-112 for Easter and 114-113 for Fortuna.
IBF World welterweight champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. (23-0, 20 KOs) wore down and halted former 2 division world champion Lamont ‘Havoc’ Peterson (35-4-1, 17 KOs) in a 8th stoppage on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The fight was halted by Peterson’s trainer Barry Hunter at the start of round 8. Peterson was too beaten up for Hunter to allow the fight to continue.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but sometimes, I find myself wanting to watch something a little predictable on TV or in the theater. Don’t get me wrong-I have nothing against plot twists or character development and certainly enjoy watching shows that contain those elements. Still, I find it fun to occasionally watch something where the outcome is a foregone conclusion, just because I know it will contain enough entertaining moments to make it worth my time.
It seems we cannot quite put talk of a catch-weight Super Fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Manny Pacquiao to bed. As fans know, this week Pacquiao got us all talking when he stated how he was “in negotiations” for a fight with pound for pound king Lomachenko; the weight of the fight being the big sticking point. But then, mere hours later, Lomachenko manager Egis Klimas shot down any notion of such a fight taking place or even being seriously discussed.
Some fight fans point to Floyd Mayweather’s commanding decision win over Canelo Alvarez, others to “Money’s” brutal dismantling of the much loved Arturo Gatti. But many other boxing fans say there is one commanding choice when it comes to the 50-0 master’s finest, most exceptional and – perhaps most importantly – fan-friendliest ring performance: his 2001 annihilation of the late, great Diego Corrales (for those fight fans who believe, how great must it be, Diego and Arturo, talking and comparing their great wars and great fights, as they share memories up above!)
According to a piece via BT Sports’ website (BT Sports in conjunction with BoxNation being the platform for the fight), WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders will make his next defence of the belt against fellow Brit Martin Murray, on April 14 at The O2 in London. To support this fight, Terry Flanagan will move up to super-lightweight and face Maurice Hooker for the WBO belt.
There comes a time for all us when we have to make a stand. Maybe we are backed against wall or faced with impossible decision. Either way we are forced to bet on ourselves. We choose a path and walk down it confident that we have made the right choice. Many of us have had to traverse many crossroads in life. These particular fighters are at a crossroad in their respective careers. Down one road is another shot at glory, relevancy, big paydays and title opportunities. Down the other is the path to mid-level purgatory. Labeled as a gatekeeper, a hype job, wasted potential or stepping stone fighter. Devon Alexander vs Victor Ortiz is a fight where the two men involved are at that crossroad right now. Both of these men need a win. Both of them want to get back to the top of their division. Both were once labeled as future heirs to the throne at 140 or 147. Now they are fighting to reclaim that lost glory. Below we break down these fighters and how they got to this point in their careers.
The highly anticipated showdown between undefeated three-division world champion Mikey Garcia and IBF 140-pound champion Sergey Lipinets has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 10th. The Premier Boxing Champions event was set to take place on February 10th, but Garcia’s quest for a fourth world title had to be rescheduled following a training injury to Lipinets’ hand. The fight will be live on SHOWTIME and will remain in San Antonio but move to the Freeman Coliseum.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME
IBF Welterweight World Championship
Errol Spence Jr.: 147 pounds
Lamont Peterson: 146 ¾ pounds
It’s official: Tyson Fury is able to fight again, with The British Boxing Board of Control today agreeing to lift the heavyweight champion’s suspension. Chiefs met with the unbeaten Fury today and they told the 29 year old they will reinstate his licence to box once Fury has provided them with up-to-date medical records.