Canelo to vacate WBC title, still wants Golovkin

LOS ANGELES (May 18, 2016) – Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez today issued the following statement:

“After much consideration, today, I instructed my team at Golden Boy Promotions to continue negotiating a fight with Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and to finalize a deal as quickly as possible. I also informed the WBC that I will vacate its title. For the entirety of my career, I have taken the fights that no one wanted because I fear no man. Never has that been more true than today. I will fight ‘GGG,’ and I will beat ‘GGG’ but I will not be forced into the ring by artificial deadlines. I am hopeful that by putting aside this ticking clock, the two teams can now negotiate this fight, and ‘GGG’ and I can get in the ring as soon as possible and give the fans the fight they want to see.”

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Thurman-Porter winner must face Avanesyan-Shane Mosley winner says WBA President Mendoza Jr.

The WBA, as fans may know, says it is fully attempting to put together a series of fights and tournaments designed to crown just one world champion in each weight class. The WBA currently has a number of champions in a number of weight classes – at heavyweight, for example, Tyson Fury, Luis Ortiz and Ruslan Chagaev all hold a version of the WBA crown – and Gilberto Ramirez Junior, the WBA President, wants to sort things out.

While this is a good idea on many fronts, the order the WBA has made regarding it’s welterweight champions could prove to have dangerous consequences for future Hall of Famer and former three-weight ruler “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Mendoza recently stated how the winner of the upcoming May 28th fight between “interim” WBA 147-pound champ David Avanesyan and Mosley must then be given a shot at the “regular” WBA title, set to be defended by Keith Thurman, 26-0(22) against challenger Shawn Porter, 26-1-1(16) in June.

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Artur Beterbiev takes on Ezequiel Maderna on 6/4

MONTREAL (May 18, 2016) – Unbeaten light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev (9-0, 9 KOs) will battle veteran Argentine Olympian Ezequiel Maderna (23-2, 15 KOs) in a 12-round showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes Saturday, June 4 from Bell Center in Montreal.

Televised coverage begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT and features an exciting co-main event that sees a pair of undefeated rising contenders enter the ring as Florida’s Bryant Perrella (13-0, 12 KOs) squares-off against Washington, D.C.’s David Grayton (14-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout. PBC on ESPN returns for the first of seven fight nights between June 4 and August 12 that will feature exciting and competitive battles.

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So who will Shannon Briggs fight on Saturday night?

It was officially confirmed at today’s press conference in London that Shannon Briggs will no longer be fighting Alexander Dimitrenko on Saturday night’s David Haye-Arnold Gjergjaj card at The O2. Fans raised eyebrows when it was announced how 44-year-old Briggs would box Dimitrenko – by far the most dangerous opponent so far in Briggs’ now 8-fight comeback – as a “warm up” for his agreed next fight with Haye (providing the two win on Saturday).

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Fury says he was decked three times and beaten up in sparring – more games or is Tyson being serious?

Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury is keeping his fans up to date with his preparations and training ahead of his July 9th rematch with Wladimir Klitschko by way of video messages on his Instagram account. And Fury has posted an account of how he was “bladdered” and beaten up in sparring by a light-heavyweight from Belgium he and his team have brought in for speed work.

Fury says in the video that he was put down three times, was cut across the eye and was generally beaten up! Now, as fans know – and are getting to know more and more as time goes by – Fury is a notorious practical joker and it is hard to know when he is being serious. Is Fury merely attempting to play yet more games with Klitschko (who may or may not read about the spar) or is he being down to earth and brutally honest?

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Murat Gassiev’s vicious 1st round KO added to a night of knockouts for the PBC on FS1

Murat Gassiev’s vicious left hand ended FS1’s main event in spectacular fashion. Prior to the knockout punch, Jordan Shimmell turned Murat’s forehead bright red with jabs and left hooks. Gassiev missed his first right-handed attempt, but made the left hand count to close the show in style. Shimmell remained unconscious for a short time before showing he was okay as the crowd stood in relief. The punching power that trainer Abel Sanchez spoke of was evident with Tuesday night’s display from Gassiev.

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David Price: “If I knew Teper was on drugs, I’d have done what Wilder did and the fight wouldn’t have happened”

July 17th, 2015 is a date British heavyweight David Price is destined to never forget. That was the day when the former British and Commonwealth champion was knocked out inside a couple of rounds by Germany’s Erkan Teper in a bout that contested the vacant European crown. At the time, the loss seemed to have brought an end to Price’s once promising world class career, but, as fans know, Teper subsequently failed a drugs test and he was banned from the sport.

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Murat “Iron” Gassiev beats Jordan Shimmell

(Photo credit: Andy Samuelson/Premier Boxing Champions) CARLTON, MN. (May 18, 2016) – Unbeaten cruiserweight contender Murat “Iron” Gassiev (23-0, 17 KOs) scored a sensational knockout victory over Jordan Shimmell (20-2, 16 KOs) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday night from Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton, MN in the Otter Creek Event Center.

Gassiev delivered a powerful left hook that put Shimmell out on the mat and halted the cruiserweight title elimination bout immediately at 2:54 of the first round. Shimmell was able to move effectively for much of the round and had landed an early combination that got the attention of Gassiev.

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Gassiev KOs Shimmell in 1st round

(Photo credit: Andy Samuelson/Premier Boxing Champions) Showing very impressive punching power, undefeated Murat Gassiev (23-0, 17 KOs) made easy work of Jordan Shimmell (20-2, 16 KOs) tonight in stopped him with a single shot to the head in the 1st round at the Black Bear Casino Resort in Charlton, Minnesota. Gassiev, 6’3”, hit Shimmell with a left hand to the head and the shot knocked him senseless.

Shimmell fell hard on the canvas in landing back first. Referee Mark Nelson stopped the fight immediately at 2:54 of the round. The victory for the 22-year-old Gassiev makes him the IBF cruiserweight mandatory challenger to the winner of this Saturday’s unification fight between IBF cruiserweight champion Victor Ramirez and WBA champion Denis Lebedev.

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Vargas – Salido quotes

Eric Gomez: Good afternoon to everyone and good morning to some of you west coasters. Welcome to the Francisco Vargas Orlando Salido international media call. We are rapidly approaching what would be a thrilling fight between Mexican Warriors on Saturday, June 4th at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Francisco ‘El Bandido’ Vargas versus Orlando ‘Siri’ Salido will battle in what will sure to be a candidate for fight of the year for Vargas’ WBC Super Featherweight Championship live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

HBO is by far the best network in boxing and the StubHub Center is one of the best venues to watch live boxing in southern California. The StubHub is no stranger to great fights and this fight is surely going to down as one of the best fights of the year and it will add to the book at the StubHub Center.

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