Knockout Kings are back in San Antonio, TX!
Showtime Championship Boxing returns to the culturally-rich city of San Antonio, TX to host a tripleheader that is sure to produce fireworks. “Knockout Kings II” will feature Keith Thurman VS. Diego Chaves, Omar Figueroa, Jr., VS Nihito Arakawa and Andre Berto VS. Soto Karass as the headliner.
The final press conference for the event was held on 07/27/13. The title for this card has the word “knockout” in it for a reason: all the fighters in the televised tripleheader have the ability and desire to end it via KO rather than going to the scorecards. One reason is perhaps the fact that Oscar De La Hoya will indeed grant a bonus to the fighter who will score the most spectacular knockout of the evening. This can only be a good thing for fight fans attending and watching the fight nationwide. With every fighter looking at scoring that extra bonus, it’s hard to pick which fight will steal the show.
Former IBF/WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KO’s) has a real fight on his hands this Saturday night against the tough Mexican fighter Jesus Soto Karass (27-8-3, 17 KO’s) at the AT&T Center, in San Antonio, Texas. Berto, 29 is in a weakened position having lost two out of his last three fights.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions
#9 IBF, #10 WBC, Curtis Stevens (24-3, 17 KO’s) is a strong possible opponent for WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s next fight on November 2nd in New York, according to Steve Kim. Golovkin’s promoters at K2 are interested in matching him against Britain’s Martin Murray, but that fight likely won’t happen.
British heavyweight Anthony Joshua, 23, will be making his pro debut on October 5th on the Lee Selby vs. Ryan Walsh and Kevin Mitchell vs. Gary Sykes card at the O2 Arena in London, UK. Joshua, the 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist from Britain, signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport promotional company.
Keith “One Time” Thurman (20-0, 18 KO’s) will be losing this Saturday night in his fight against #1 WBA Diego Chaves (22-0, 18 KO’s) in their battle for the interim WBA welterweight title, according to Lucas Matthysse.
Freddie Roach thinks he’s got the perfect airtight strategy for his fighter Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO’s) to end his two-fight losing streak and beat former WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios (31-1-1, 23 KO’s) on November 23rd at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort, Macao, Macao S.A.R., China.
Tony Bellew (20-1, 12 Ko’s) failed the last time he got a title shot against WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly in losing a 12 round majority decision to him two years ago in October 2011. Bellew, 30, is now on the cusp of getting another world title shot, this time against the winner of the Adonis Stevenson vs. Tavoris Cloud fight.
WBO World Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly says he’ll leave KO machine Sergey Kovalev “shaken and stirred” when they clash on Saturday 17th August at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.
LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE has said his next fight could be in the UK, after he halted Travis Walker in Melbourne on Thursday (July 25).