Back in 1996, when heavyweight star and former WBO champion Tommy Morrison was announced to be HIV positive, it stunned the boxing world and fighters who had recently shared a ring with Morrison went out and got themselves tested, just in case. Well, according to a breaking news story from LawNewz, newly discovered court records say Morrison was actually HIV in 1989 – a full seven years earlier.
Fresh off his stoppage win over Haumono, Joseph Parker will box another prep fight for Joshua shot; opponent to be named Tuesday
Unbeaten heavyweight contender Joseph Parker certainly likes to keep active. The 24-year-old New Zealander picked up a 4th-round stoppage win over Solomon Haumono yesterday and he is expected to get his mandatory shot at IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua late this year or early next. But in the meantime, the 20-0 contender will have another “tune-up” or “prep” fight ahead of the big one.
His promoter Dean Lonergan informed Stuff.co.nz how he will make an official announcement next Tuesday in Auckland, with Parker’s next opponent to be named. Lonergan did not give too much away yesterday, but he did say how Parker will, in his next fight, be facing “something we haven’t faced before.”
LiveStream: Crawford – Postol Official Weigh-In
Watch LIVE! Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol official weigh-in. Crawford vs. Postol happens Saturday, July 23 live on pay-per-view beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT.
Sergey Derevyanchenko defeats Sam Soliman
Unbeaten rising middleweight Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (9-0, 7 KOs) knocked down Sam “King” Soliman (44-14, 18 KOs) three times before stopping the former world champion in the second round of the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes Thursday night from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
Weights: Crawford 140, Postol 139.5
WBO light welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (28-0, 20 KOs) came right in at the light welterweight limit today in weighing in at 140lbs for his unification match this Saturday night against the taller and unbeaten WBC 140lb champion Viktor Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) for their match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 5’11” Postol weighed in at 139.5lbs. He looked in great shape and very lean.
Crawford has a lot of expectations resting on his narrow shoulders, as he’s seen by some as the replacement for Manny Pacquiao as Top Rank’s flagship fighter for the time being. Whether Crawford can replace Pacquiao or not will be determined in part on Saturday night when he gets inside the ring with the 32-year-old Postol.
Marcos Maidana thinking possible comeback?
The last time we saw Marcos Maidana in a fight, he was losing his money-spinner of a return meeting with Floyd Mayweather Junior in September of 2014. The next time we saw him after that, in a photo that was widely viewed on the internet, Maidana was carrying plenty of excess weight and had seemingly been enjoying the money he earned in his two big fights with “Money.” it seemed we had seen the ferocious Argentine warrior’s last fight.
But now, in speaking with RingTV.com, Mikey Garcia – himself having a comeback of his own – says he has a feeling Maidana may embark on a ring return some time in the future. Garcia, Ring reports, has been sparring with Maidana’s younger brother Fabian, and he says “El Chino” has expressed interest in returning to the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy to both help his brother and work out and lose some of that excess weight he picked up last year.
Santa Cruz – Frampton stats
The featherweight world championship clash between defending titlist Leo Santa Cruz and undefeated former unified super bantamweight champ Carl Frampton features an unpredictable and potentially explosive mix of styles between two of the world’s top fighters.
Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) will make the second defense of his WBA Featherweight Title against Irish superstar Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs), who relinquished two belts at 122 pounds, when they face off in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader on Saturday, July 30, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Canelo – Smith quotes from London press conference
Former two-division world champion Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) and WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) today concluded their two-city international press tour at The Landmark Hotel in London ahead of their world championship showdown.
Canelo vs. Smith will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT on Sept. 17.
Joseph Parker stops Solomon Haumono in 4th-round – Team-Haumono launch protest
Today in Christchurch, New Zealand, unbeaten IBF mandatory heavyweight contender Joseph Parker scored a dominant 4th-round stoppage over a game Solomon Haumono. A right uppercut to the head floored Haumono in the 4th, the 40-year-old being halted after 95-seconds of the session. Parker is now 20-0(17) and he awaits his shot at IBF champ Anthony Joshua. Haumono falls to 24-3-2(21) but he and his team have launched a protest insisting he was the victim of a short count.
Crawford vs Postol – The Bully Pulpit: Crawford, Postol and Arum
By: Bill Dwyre * – LAS VEGAS – Wednesday was yet another day of boxing fun and folly. There may be more colorful sports on the day of the actual competition. But there is none better than boxing during the run-up. These guys could make a turtle race sound like a Super Bowl.