Sammy Vasquez Jr faces Luis Collazo on Wilder-Arreola card on 7/16

BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 21, 2016) – Undefeated welterweight contender Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez Jr. (21-0, 15 KOs) is set to battle former world champion Luis Collazo (36-7, 19 KOs) in the 10-round co-main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes in primetime on Saturday, July 16 from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with two more hours of boxing on FS1 and FOX Deportes to follow immediately at 10 p.m. ET. Further details will be announced shortly.

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Kubrat Pulev-Mariusz Wach in the works for September/October

Kubrat Pulev, last seen winning the vacant European heavyweight title with a 12-round split decision over Dereck Chisora (the fight was not seen as that close in the opinion of nearly everyone apart from one official) will face Poland’s Mariusz Wach in his first defence, Novinite.com reports. The fight does not have a confirmed date yet, but is expected tp go ahead in either September or October, with the likely venue being Sofia, in Pulev’s hometown of Bulgaria.

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David Price insists: “I’ve still got a massive amount to offer”

David Price returned to winning ways at the end of last month, scoring an impressive and, most importantly, confidence boosting KO victory in Liverpool (never mind the calibre of the opponent, Price was happy to get back in there and let his fists fly). The win came after an agonising period for the heavy-handed contender, what with him losing to Tony Thompson and then Erkan Teper – both fighters later failing drugs tests, their wins over Price being severely tainted as a result; Price rightfully feeling cheated.

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Joshua-Breazeale conference call quotes

NEW YORK (June 20, 2016) – Undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) will make the first defense of his title against fellow unbeaten Dominic Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) of Upland, Calif., this Saturday, June 25 on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® from The O2 in London, live on SHOWTIME® on at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

Just a few hours later in Primetime on CBS (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), Keith “One Time” Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Title against former champ Shawn “Showtime” Porter in a welterweight blockbuster that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

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Fonfara was “Stuck in the Middle With You”

By now you know light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara was annihilated in the first round this past Saturday night. Fonfara was being showcased on NBC by Premier Boxing Champions at UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago is Fonfara’s stomping ground, and the largely Polish crowd looked forward to an impressive win by their hero. After all, Fonfara was a top World Title contender, and “Who was this Joe Smith, Jr. guy”? Fonfara, the heavy favorite, was expected to do a little Polka as he danced through the gaps in Smith’s defense.

The “Irish Bomber” with a record of 21-1-0 with 17KOs seemed impressive on paper, but really who had he beat? Five years ago he suffered a TKO loss to Eddie Caminero, whose current record is 7-9-0, 7KOs. To make matters worse, Caminero has been kayo’d seven times. What does that say about the power of this Irish lad from Long Island, N.Y? The announcers let fans know Smith’s real job was in construction with Union #66. Polish fans expected an exciting, but short night with a Chicago Honky or Push to follow.

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Sugar Ray Leonard & Thomas Hearns Weigh-In on Thurman vs Porter

“The winner of Thurman-Porter will immediately move into the
welterweight penthouse.” – Leonard

“I know that Porter and Thurman both have the ability to get each other out of there. It’s going to be a matter of who gets to who first.” -Hearns

Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns might be uniquely qualified to talk about what WBA welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and “Showtime” Shawn Porter are thinking and feeling heading into their battle that pits two men against each other who are in their primes in a highly charged battle for supremacy in the talent-laden welterweight division.

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Dillian Whyte to face Danny Batchelder on Saturday’s Joshua-Breazeale card

Returning to the ring for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery after his exciting loss to current IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua, Dillian Whyte will face short notice foe Danny Batchelder this Saturday on the Joshua-Breazeale card at The O2. 28-year-old Whyte, 16-1(13) last boxed in December, the 7th-round stoppage loss to A.J, and he is chasing a rematch with Joshua. As a comeback opponent, Batchelder, 31-11-1(15) is not a bad choice; even if the man from Phoenix has seen better days.

Go back a few years, to 2007 and 2008, and Batchelder was facing former world champions James Toney and Lamon Brewster and giving them good fights, Toney especially, who won only a split decision over him. A top class journeyman/trial horse in his day, Batchelder could always be relied upon to give world class fighters a decent enough test. But Batchelder, who has been stopped six times, has not fought in almost a full year and he lost his last two bouts. Before that, though, Batchelder had reeled off six straight wins (against limited opposition).

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William Hill Sponsors Joshua vs Breazeale; Breazeale Confident Ahead Of Fight

Dominic Breazeale says that Anthony Joshua MBE has had it easy in his career so far but he’ll take him into deep waters when they clash for Joshua’s IBF World Heavyweight title at The O2 in London on Saturday June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Breazeale returns to London four years after he was Team USA’s Super-Heavyweight representative at the London 2012 Olympics. Joshua would go onto win gold that summer and become a British sporting hero in the process, and the Londoner has built on that momentum to move to 16-0 with 16 KO wins, the latest in April landing him the IBF crown he defends on Saturday.

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Hearn: I think I’ve got the best heavyweight on the planet for the next ten years

The above statement, on IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, was not made by Eddie Hearn, but by his father, Barry Hearn. Still, regardless of who made the bold statement, it is just that – bold. Many people (myself included) see Joshua, 16-0(16) as a talented fighter with plenty of potential, but nothing more at this stage in his career. Look at Joshua’s record of opposition and you will see two, maybe three decent names. Until he beats an elite heavyweight – a Tyson Fury, a Wladimir Klitschko or a Deontay Wilder for example – the jury will still be out on how good, or great, as Hearn claims, Joshua really is.

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Korean boxer Lee Kyu Suk makes waves in Ghana

Lee Kyu Suk claimed a second straight first round win in only his second professional fight after stopping Ghana’s James Lamptey in a Welterweight contest on the undercard of Isaac Dogboe-Edward Kakembo WBO Africa championship in Accra on Saturday night.

Lee who arrived in the West African country two months ago on a 6-month training tour to hone his boxing skills, launched his professional career with a round one victory over another Ghanaian, Francis Gakpetor back in April and the Korean was at it again on Saturday night at the Accra Sports Stadium in front of dignitaries including former Ghana president, Jerry Rawlings and former boxing world champion and Hall of Famer, Azumah Nelson.

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