Matthysse: I feel Garcia’s style suits me. He’s not a very good boxer

Looking strong, fit and sounding ultra confident, a relaxed Lucas “The Machine” Matthysse was in Carson, Calif., last Saturday to meet with the media in attendance at StubHub Center. 

If Lomachenko wins a world title in second pro fight, it won’t be an official record

In 1975, Saensak Muangsurin won the WBC light welterweight world title in only his third professional fight. Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist Vasyl “The Great” Lomachenko is aiming to become a world champion in just two fights after signing a professional contract with Top Rank. However, if Lomachenko is successful, he will not be officially recognized as breaking Muangsurin’s record.

Fight Fax, Inc., boxing’s official recordkeeper, lists Lomachenko as already having six pro fights. This problem was created by the AIBA, which allows boxers to compete in paid WSB pro bouts, while retaining their amateur status.

According to Fight Fax, Lomachenko’s WSB bouts are included in his pro record since he used 8 oz gloves, the fights had three judges, one referee, no head gear and most importantly, he got paid. Other fighters haunted by their paid “amateur” fights include U.S. Olympians JoJo Diaz and Terrell Gausha who both have WSB losses included on their official pro records.

Dereck Chisora to face Edmund Gerber for Euro heavyweight belt

Heavyweight Dereck Chisora (17-4, 11 KOs) says he’ll smash up Edmund Gerber (23-1, 14 KOs) to win the European Heavyweight title and then he wants one of the all-reigning Klitschko brothers.

“Del Boy” faces Gerber for the vacant title and will also put his WBO International title on the line at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 21st.

“Beating Gerber is another step closer to the Klitschko brothers and nothing is going to stop me winning the European title,” stormed Chisora. 

“I’m fit, lean and mean and ready to do the business against Gerber who is a good fighter, but not in my class. 

I really want do a great job on him, really smash him up and show that I deserve a shot at the Klitschkos, The titles are great, winning the European belt will mean I’ve won the big three along with the British and Commonwealth, but the world title is the one I want.”

Froch vs. Groves clash in Manchester on November 23/08/2013

Super middleweight showdown heads to the Phones 4U Arena

Carl Froch will defend his WBA and IBF World super middleweight titles against George Groves at the Phones 4U Arena Manchester on November 23.
Tickets for the blockbuster British showdown will go on sale at midday on September 17, when the champion and challenger go head-to-head for the first time at the first press conference for the fight. Full details on ticket prices will be released ahead of the sale date.

Froch added the WBA belt to his IBF crown in an epic rematch with Mikkel Kessler in May, with former British and Commonwealth champ Groves extending his unbeaten record to 19 fights on the undercard at The O2.
“I’m delighted to bring this event to Manchester on November 23,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “This 'Battle of Britain' is a fascinating fight between a true legend of British boxing in Carl Froch and a superb young talent in George Groves; it's going to be some atmosphere, some occasion. Phone lines, twitter and emails haven't stopped for tickets since we confirmed the fight. We are expecting another instant sell out when we go on sale on September 17.”

Floyd Mayweather Las Vegas Media Day

Photos: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions
Seventeen days before the record-breaking “The One: Mayweather vs. Canelo” PPV mega-event on Saturday, Sept. 14, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, boxing superstar Floyd “Money” Mayweather hosted the biggest Media Day of his career Wednesday at The Mayweather Boxing Club. Hordes of media from around the world crammed into the upscale gym in Las Vegas to watch the Eight-Time and Five-Division World Champion (44-0, 26 KO’s) as he continued to prepare for his long-awaited showdown against WBC, WBA & Ring Magazine Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO’s) during Mexican Independence Day Weekend.
During his Media Day, which lasted nearly three hours, a confident, relaxed and chiseled Mayweather did countless interviews, posed for photos and worked out. His workout consisted of hitting the mitts, hitting the heavyweight bag, hitting the speed bag, jumping rope, stretching and doing calisthenics. “This was just a light workout today; it was cool. I appreciate all the media coming out and the fans for supporting me throughout my career. It’s been truly a blessing.”
“I think I’ll be a lot sharper for this fight. My training camp has been great. Actually, this is one of my best training camps I’ve had, probably since 2005. On my first day back, I got right back into sparring. I think I sparred seven rounds. So as of now, my training camp’s been smooth. My dad is happy, Leonard (Ellerbe) is happy, Al (Haymon) is happy and I’m happy. I’ve been boxing a lot of rounds so I’m sharp. I’m in great condition and happy to get right back in there. I feel tremendous.
“My weight is made. I came into training camp weighing 150 or 149 and I came into the gym today probably weighing 150 or 149.
“Canelo is a solid competitor but it is what it is: I’ve faced the best in this sport, I know what it takes to be involved in a fight of this magnitude and I’m dedicated to my craft. I was born for this.
“This is a great matchup. He’s a puncher. I’m a sharp boxer. You know, a lot of times I hit these guys and I make them go into survival mode. Even in the Robert Guerrero fight I was looking for the knockout, but I hurt my hand. So I wasn’t impressed with myself — because I didn’t get the knockout. This time around, I’ll be looking for the knockout.
“He’s banking on his youth, I’m banking I on my experience. I have a lot of experience in championship fights. Look at his resume, look at my resume and see what you come up with.
“I can’t talk about the past, but I can talk about the present time and I can talk about the future. The present time is, I’m undefeated, and the future is, I’m going to continue to work hard and give the fans what they want to see.
“On Sept. 14, I just want everybody around the world to tune in and enjoy a great night of boxing.”
(More on facing Canelo)
“He’s no pushover; I can’t overlook him. I just have to go out and execute the game plan and do what I do best. Nothing worries me. I can make adjustments.
“He is one of the best in boxing at this particular time. He’s young and strong. He’s got guts so we’ll see how the fight plays out.
“It’s not about the weight, it’s about the skills. The skills pay the bills. I can’t wait to get in there and compete and test my skills against this young guy. I feel good, I’m still hungry.”
(On Canelo’s opposition)
“Did Canelo KO Austin Trout? This is a whole different ballgame. He may be predicting a knockout but all you have to do is look at the opponents he’s faced. I really don’t know too many, but a lot of the guys went the distance with him. And we’re not just talking about A-fighters but D- and C-fighters. Guys that he should have knocked out in the fourth round, they were able to go into the eighth and ninth rounds even though they were caught with numerous shots.’
“I don’t think Ricky Hatton’s brother is on the level of a Floyd Mayweather.”
(On notion that Canelo will stop him)
“Oscar said he was gonna knock me out also. Did you see what happened in that fight? People are entitled to do their opinion. People are going to say what they’re going to say. My job is to be the best I can be and continue to do my job. There’s a reason I do record-breaking numbers.
“My last fight against Guerrero, he thought it was just gonna be easy. A lot of times people, fighters, look from the outside and think to themselves, ‘this can’t be that difficult,’ but once they get inside that squared circle with me it’s totally different.”
(Gameplan)
“I’m going to show him a lot of angles. I have a lot of experience, and experience is going to be a factor. It’s going to be real, real different for him at this level.”
(On Canelo’s Popularity)
“Among Hispanic/Mexican/Latin fighters, I don’t really know who has the biggest following but if I had to say so, I would say probably (Juan Manuel) Marquez because he has accomplished more and done a lot for the sport of boxing. So I don’t support the thought (or subscribe to the feeling) that Canelo has a bigger following than (Marquez).”
(On why Canelo took this fight)
“I can’t really say. Of course, sometimes some people want their #1 spot, not just #1 in (their) weight class but they want to be known as the best in their sport. They want all the attention, the paydays, the money. (For me) this took years and years of hard work and dedication, belief and a strong team.”
(His hands)
“I went to three different doctors after the Guerrero fight. Everything is OK.”
(Staying ahead of the game)
“Every guy I face is always heavier. I think I’m just a very, very sharp fighter. I stay mentally sharp; by that I mean I stay five or six steps ahead of my opponents. This is chess, not checkers. These are moves you have to think about. At this level, you’ve got to get 10 steps ahead of your opponent.”
(On what it takes to remain at the top)
“You’ve got to be mentally tough, push yourself to the limit, be physically sharp, have a great chin and a tremendous heart.”
(The ONE 10-city media tour)
“The tour was wild, crazy. It started in New York and ended in Los Angeles. I think it was great for me, Canelo Alvarez, the chance to embrace the fans and also to get the chance to go to Mexico. I have a lot of fans in Mexico.”
(Fighters that impress him)
“I like Leo Santa Cruz. He’s unbelievable. I think he should be on the pound-for-pound list.”
(On Garcia-Matthysse)
“Both fighters at 140 pounds are really tough punchers and great fighters. I can’t see it going the distance.”
(Still The ONE)
“I’m the face of boxing and I’m happy that I was able to transcend and change the sport in a totally different way. At one particular time in the late 70′s, 80′s and all the way to the 90′s, it was all about the heavyweights. Then I came in and brought attention to the smaller guys. I think I’ve done a lot for the sport of boxing, and boxing has done a lot for me.”

Chavez says Vera fight will be challenging

Photo: Chris Farina / Top Rank

On Thursday afternoon, Top Rank held a press conference in Carson, Calif. to officially announce the rescheduled date for the super middleweight clash between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Brian Vera.

Chavez and Vera were set to fight on Sep. 7, but Chavez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) came down with an eye injury during training camp and was forced to postpone the fight. With the cut over his eye fully healed, the fight is finally set to go, but has since moved from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, to the Stub Hub Center in Carson.

“Vera is the real deal, a warrior,” said Chavez.  “Years ago I sparred a few rounds against Vera when I was in Dallas during the Pacquiao vs.  Margarito event. Vera was pretty intense and I knew he could fight. We were in a ring set up inside of the Gaylord Hotel. So this fight on September 28 will challenging for me.”

“We could have stayed around and fought WBO champion Peter Quillin but we know what is at stake with all of this,” said Vera.  “I feel like I been in camp for three fights.  I expect to be victorious in a great fight on September 28th.”

Chavez has not fought since being suspended following his decision loss to Sergio Martinez last September, and is now being trained by his legendary father, the great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

“I am just so happy getting back into the ring after such a long layoff. I think about the Sergio Martinez fight every day. A little of me died inside when I lost that fight. Could I have done better?  Of course I should have but it did not happen.  Now we have Vera who is aggressive and punches hard. I wanted to come back against a great fighter and Vera is all of that.  I plan to win this fight and then we will discuss my plans for 2014,” proclaimed Chavez.

HBO will televise the fight at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT and tickets, priced at $200, $100, $50 and $20, are already on sale.

Abner Mares wants rematch with Jhonny Gonzalez before the end of 2013

Plans to take the rest of the year off have apparently been scrapped, as Abner Mares has asked Richard Schaefer to make a rematch with Jhonny Gonzalez before the end of 2013.

Abner Mares said just days ago that he wanted to take some time off and spend the rest of 2013 with his family, which may have left Jhonny Gonzalez available to defend his newly-won WBC featherweight title against Gary Russell Jr or another fighter.

While Russell stated he was looking to make that fight, Mares has reportedly asked Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions to get a rematch with Gonzalez done for a date in 2013, and he has a rematch clause, which gives him first dibs, so to speak.

Mares (26-1-1, 14 KO) was knocked out in the first round by Gonzalez on August 24 in Carson, California, a stunning upset that made Gonzalez a two-time featherweight titlist, to go along with a world title won at 118 pounds. Gonzalez (55-8, 47 KO) has already said he was totally open to giving Mares the rematch.

"Abner called me yesterday himself and he said he wants to have the rematch and he wants to have it this year," Schaefer, who promotes Mares, said mid-afternoon Wednesday.

"He wants to end the year being world champion again. This fight woke up the beast in him. He wants the rematch. And I said, 'Are you sure?' And he said, 'Absolutely, that's what I want.' I said, 'OK, let me see if I can get it done. I'm not sure I can get it done this year, but this is certainly an important fight, a big fight, and I'm going to see what I can do.'"

The issues in getting it done for this year are in finding an open venue and a fight date, but the rematch could potentially be put onto another show, such as the Broner-Maidana event that is reportedly being worked on for November 9, and could wind up on pay-per-view due to budget concerns.

Malignaggi will fight Judah for 'the right deal'

As an amateur boxer, Paulie Malignaggi admired fellow Brooklyn native Zab Judah

"Zab is somebody who, when I was an amateur, he was a hotshot in New York and he was being looked up to by a lot of guys, including me. I can remember ... saying, 'Hey, man, one of these days, I'd like to be where Zab is,'" said Malignaggi, who, like Judah, has won titles at 140 and 147 pounds.

"It was like, 'Well, Zab comes from Brooklyn, and I want to be where Zab is right now.' This was me, basically, talking to myself around the year 2000 or 1999. I remember doing that and I remember saying that. So, you know, Zab is somebody that I respect a lot. Now, to come full circle, and to know me and Zab can fight each other? Yeah, that can happen, but only if the situation is right, you know?"

If Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer gets his way, Malignaggi could be matched on Dec. 7 at the Brooklyn-based Barclays Center, where each fighter suffered defeat in his most recent bout.

Judah (42-8, 29 knockouts), who turns 36 in October, was last in the ring for a spirited unanimous decision loss to RING junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia.

Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KOs), 32, is coming off June's split-decision loss to Adrien Broner, who dethroned him as WBA 147-pound titleholder.

"Am I interested in the Zab Judah fight? Of course I'm interested in the Zab Judah fight.It's a fight that interests me, because on a personal level, I have a lot of respect for Zab. On a business level, of course, man, me against Zab Judah in Brooklyn, who wouldn't be interested in that fight?" said Malignaggi.

"What boxing fans wouldn't be interested in that fight in the New York area? It's the battle for Brooklyn supremacy, like, 'Who is the best fighter from Brooklyn of this generation?'  We just happen to be in similar weight classes, so why don't we fight? The motivation has to be right, and it would be right if I chose to fight Zab."

Part of the "motivation," said Malignaggi, would mean that the price would have to be right.

"You know, everything has it's price. I'm not looking to fight unless it's totally worth it for me to bust my ass and to go to training camp, eventually. I'm sure that there still is a piece of me that still has that hunger to compete, and to fight ... But there is also a piece of me that has kind of turned off of everything that goes on in boxing," said Malignaggi, who also works as a commentator for Showtime and The Golden Boy Live series.

"There's a part of me who would kind of like to work it from the outside of the ring and to not have to deal with being inside of it myself. There are pieces of me that tear at me, and I'm sort of being pulled in both directions. But, obviously, a good financial offer is always something that can be a big motivator to kind of pushing me into fighting again. So it's really going to depend on what I'm offered, and the situation being right for me. So financially, the right deal has to be given to me, and then, I'm all for it."

Another potential sticking point could be Malignaggi's desire to be in the main event on a card Schaefer saidcould include welterweight Devon Alexander in defense of his IBF belt against Amir Khan, as well as a third bout featuring former beltholder Victor Ortiz.

"I'd like to fight in a main event, but from what I'm hearing, I wouldn't be the main event. I'm kind of not in the business of doing somebody else a favor and selling a main event that's not going to sell that much in Barclays arena. I think that Alexander-Khan should be in St. Louis, where Devon Alexander is from, and where he's the champion and where he sells a lot. Khan is definitely a notable opponent who, while he hasn't done great lately, he's fighting for the title," said Malignaggi.

"So I don't see why Alexander-Khan has to come to New York, and Malignaggi-Judah has to be a co-main event to that, because I don't see Alexander and Khan selling a lot in New York as much as it would sell in St. Louis. So, basically, me and Judah would be doing them a favor and selling the fight. That's who would sell the tickets, would be me and Judah. I feel like getting paid like a main event fighter would. So I think that from that perspective, that we would need to keep that in mind."

Prior to facing Broner, Malignaggi had not lost since May of 2010, when he was knocked out in the 11th round by Khan in a failed bid to earn the WBA's 140-pound belt.

Malignaggi rose to welterweight, where he appeared to be stronger and more energized, winning five straight bouts including a ninth-round knockout of former titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko in April of last year.

"I've got one split-decision loss in three years, and I feel like, just like in my last fight, that if I'm going to compete, I've proven that I can compete at the highest level. I should be paid like I can compete at the highest level," said Malignaggi, who won a split-decision victory over Mexico City's Pablo Cesar Cano at Barclays last October.

"My loss to Broner was in a fight that was controversial in a lot of ways to a fighter that everybody sees as having a big future in boxing. I think that if you compare how certain fighters are being paid coming off of losses anyway, then I think that I should be paid just as much if not more coming off of the loss that I'm coming off of. I should also be given that exposure at the very highest level."

But just how long Malignaggi can compete at the "highest level" remains to be seen, given his success as a commentator.

"It gets difficult because I've got a lot of stuff going on outside of boxing. So another training camp would put me in that situation again, where I have to put everything on the back burner and try not to worry about all of the things that I have going on. I have things going on that are good for me right now, including the commentating, but not limited to the commentating," said Malignaggi.

"I'm at a point in my life where the window still is open. Maybe it's closing, but it's still open for me right now. Once the door closes, it never opens up again. But one day, you're going to be too old and you're not going to be able to fight anymore and you won't have these options and the opportunity to fight at a high level anymore. So, for now, if things can be worked out, and I can fight a guy like Zab Judah, and the rivalry with Brooklyn would make it a big, big fight, then I think that it's a good time to do it. Hopefully, everything works out right."

Photos by Naoki Fukuda; Al Bello-GBP/Gettyimages

Diego De La Hoya signs with JDLHmgmnt, set for debut

LOS ANGELES — August 28, 2013 — The De La Hoya family will soon add another professional boxer to its ranks, as Diego De La Hoya signs with JDLHmgmnt in advance of his professional debut on September 12^th in Las Vegas.  His debut is the culmination of an accomplished amateur career, having had over 250 amateur bouts, and winning a silver medal in the Mexican Olympic Nationals.  Diego follows in the footsteps of his cousin, “Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya.

Diego narrowly missed the opportunity to fight in the 2012 Olympics in London, losing a close fight to now professional standout Oscar Valdez.  Diego’s subsequent plan, which included a bid for the 2016 games in Rio, was scrapped when changes were made to the AIBA rules, disallowing head gear.  “If I’m going to fight without head gear, I might as well get paid for it,” said Diego on going pro. "I am very happy to have signed with the best company in boxing. This is a great opportunity for me, and I have to take advantage of it. I feel very happy and very motivated for September 12^th, which will be my debut, and my opportunity to show people that another De La Hoya has arrived in boxing."

The signing is the fourth for JDLHmgmnt, which also manages undefeated Golden Boy Promotions fighters Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez, Hugo “The Boss” Centeno and Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas.   “I’ve watched Diego grow up in boxing, and we’re very excited for this signing,” said JDLHmgmnt founder Joel De La Hoya.   “This is another great addition to the management company. It makes it even more special that he’s family.   My job is to take him to the top, and between Golden Boy Promotions and myself, I think we’re going to be able to do that for him.” 

Diego has relocated from Mexicali, Mexico to California, and will be training with Joel Diaz at Joel Diaz Boxing in Indio.  Said Diaz, “It’s an honor having the kid here. He has a good resume. He was part of the Mexican Olympic Team. He wants to learn, and likes to work.  He has a lot of potential, and has a devastating left hook. I like working with a kid like that.”

Where Will Marquez Be In 2014? 2015? 2016?

Juan Manuel Marquez has been a top notch champion in boxing forever, and it seems as though the seconds had stopped ticking for Dinamita as his performance has not diminished a bit over the years. As a matter of fact, I have heard many boxing fans and analysts suggest that he has actually gotten better as he got older.

Being that Marquez is 40 years old, and is performing at peak, do we have a lighter version of Bernard Hopkins on our hands?

I am not attempting to compare Hopkins and Marquez, but if things keep going the way they are for Juan, I don’t foresee a retirement anytime soon for Dinamita, unless of course his family insists.

His fight against Bradley has already generated a lot more interest than I had imagined it would, as it truly is an interesting match-up, but the question in my mind, is where would Marquez go from there?

While there are various answers to this question, multiple directions that Marquez could take his career, would he once again be a part of a mega-fight against Manny Pacquiao or even Mayweather Jr.?

I remember that after the Marquez vs. Mayweather Jr. fight, Juan stated that there isn’t anyone out there that could beat Floyd. I can understand that saying something like that, despite being a realistic statement, was probably a way for Marquez to justify the way that he was dominated by Floyd.

Now that Dinamita has done the unthinkable, the unbelievable, and the unpredictable by most boxing fans, knocked out Manny Pacquiao, his confidence is at an all time high, and his belief of his own abilities is sky high. Thus, why not seek another fight against Mayweather Jr.?

I guess what I am trying to say, is that Marquez has the bragging rights and the resume to be just like Pacquiao was and Mayweather Jr. is: pick whomever, whenever, and wherever he wants to fight. So, what do you think will be his move if he comes out victorious against Bradley?

The Fight Scoop 

 by Vitali Shaposhnikov

Mitchell vs Arreola: Chris Arreola says he hates Seth Mitchell, promises a KO

Chris Arreola doesn't have warm thoughts about Seth Mitchell, except for the heat he says he'll bring up his ass (?), and promises a KO win on September 7.

Mathebula says Kiko Martinez must face him next

Column: Mayweather in fine form for a fight

TIM DAHLBERG (AP Sports Columnist)

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A rare series of storms had cooled the summer air to an almost tolerableFloyd Mayweather Jr.'s gym just a few miles from the Vegas Strip.

level, though it was steamy as ever inside 

With a couple of sparring partners in front of him late Monday afternoon, Mayweather turned up the heat even more.

''Right there, right there,'' he yelled at the first hapless pugilist to feel his wrath. ''You can't get away. I'll hit you when I want to.''

It didn't take Mayweather long to do just that. As the third of four rounds stretched to the 10-minute mark he connected with a rapid volley of punches, finishing it off with a left hook that rocked his opponent for the day, sending him stumbling across the ring.

         

Muhammad Ali awards to honor humanitarian efforts

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Boxing great Muhammad Ali wants to recognize some of the greatest humanitarians around the world.

The first-ever Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards will be presented Oct. 3 in Louisville, Ky. - the former heavyweight champion's hometown.

The Muhammad Ali Center said Tuesday that six awards will honor people ages 35 and under for making significant contributions for peace, social justice and other humanitarian causes. Those awards will be given for exemplifying six core principles - confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.

There will also be a Humanitarian of the Year Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Kentucky Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Ali and his wife, Lonnie, are members of the selection committee.

The Ali Center says award presenters will include people who've achieved greatness and worked for social change.

Buffer ready to rumble for Burns vs. Beltran

Photo: Lawrence Lustig

Matchroom Sport is shelling out the big bucks to bring American Hall of Fame ring announcer Michael Buffer over to Scotland to introduce Ricky Burns and Raymundo Beltran when the pair clash for Burns’ WBO world lightweight crown on September 7 at the SECC in Glasgow, live on Wealth TV and www.wealthtv.com.

“When Eddie Hearn reached out to me for this event, I jumped at the chance,” said Buffer. “I was originally booked in Los Angeles for JC Chavez’s fight which was cancelled and postponed. Eddie asked if I was now free to come to Glasgow for ‘Rickster’s’ title defense I couldn’t say no – Ricky has unbelievable fans!”

Buffer wanted some qualified and knowledgeable information on the challenger, ‘Sugar’ Beltran, so he called Hall of Fame matchmaker Bruce Trampler at Top Rank, Inc. – and was told Glasgow can expect a great night.

“I contacted my long-time pal Bruce and he told me this guy is hungry and can crack, he is in tremendous condition and is a very dangerous opponent who gives Manny Pacquiao all he can handle in sparring sessions,” said Buffer. “I think we are in for a great fight and anyone who knows Ricky knows that’s the only way he would want it to be. He wants to fight the top guys in his division. 

In his last fight he was behind, knew it and reached down inside with that will power to win that all great athlete have. Ricky is something special. I’m just damn glad that I have a chance to be in Glasgow again for this one.”

Braekhus: I need to be at my very best to beat an opponent like Castillo

WBA, WBC and WBO female welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus (22-0, 6 KOs) will defend her titles against WBO Female light middleweight champion Oxandia Castillo (12-0-2, 9 KOs) at the Arena Nord in Frederikshavn on September 7. Here is the latest from the First Lady prior to the clash of champions.

Q: It´s not long until the fight, how has the training been going?

CB: “Everything is going fine. We are training twice a day at the Max-Schmeling-Gym, normal training in the morning and then sparring in the afternoon. That´s very exhausting but just what I need to be in top shape. I need to be at my very best to beat an opponent like Oxandia.”

Q: Just like you, Oxandia is an unbeaten champion. She just shocked the boxing world with a KO win over Hanna Gabriel. What do you think of her?

CB: “She is young, hungry and very strong. That´s a dangerous mixture. She has a lot of power, so I must not get hit. In boxing, one punch can change the whole fight. I have to be very concentrated for the full ten rounds. I have a lot of respect for Oxandia. The way she defeated Gabriel was impressive.”

Q: Have you changed anything in your training routine to prepare for her?

CB: “Not really. We do little things differently all the time. This time, we wanted to add a little bit of strength, so we have worked on that. But you can´t really change too much. It´s important to keep your own style and make sure you are in top shape, which I will be on September 7.”

Q: It´s not often that you face fighters who are that much younger than you. What is that like?

CB: “It´s no problem. I am super fit, so even though she is younger, she won´t be in better shape. But I see a little bit of myself in her. I remember the time when I was 18, ready to take on the entire world. I wanted to be the number one and I wanted to fight everyone. I worked very hard to become world champion and the pound-for-pound number one. I won´t let her take that away from me.”

Q: What do you think of fighting in Frederikshavn again?

CB: “I love fighting in Frederikshavn. Arena Nord is a great place for boxing. The support of the Danish fans has always been fantastic. And of course there will be hundreds of Norwegians coming over, which really means a lot to me. It´s so good to have their support. Boxing is a great sport… for the athletes, the fans on TV and especially for the fans in attendance. It´s one of the great live sporting experiences. I want to invite all the Norwegian fans to come to Frederikshavn to see me fight Castillo. It will be a dramatic and exciting night.”

Mora targets Quillin

With undefeated WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin still in search of an opponent for his upcoming title defense October 26 in Atlantic City, former WBC junior middleweight champion and current world-rated middleweight contender Sergio Mora says that he would be honored to step in to face the champ. “Peter Quillin is a really strong, big, and avoided middleweight champion. He is annihilating everyone that he steps in against and because of that, not many people are jumping at the chance to face him. I have never been afraid to face any fighter in my entire career though and the same goes for Peter,” stated Mora. “The Latin Snake” (24-3-2, 7KOs), the original Contender Champion is coming off a unanimous 10-round decision victory over Grzegorz Proksa on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on June 28 of this year. He is currently rated #7 by the WBA and #14 by the IBF.

Mora targets Quillin

With undefeated WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin still in search of an opponent for his upcoming title defense October 26 in Atlantic City, former WBC junior middleweight champion and current world-rated middleweight contender Sergio Mora says that he would be honored to step in to face the champ.

“Peter Quillin is a really strong, big, and avoided middleweight champion. 

He is annihilating everyone that he steps in against and because of that, not many people are jumping at the chance to face him. 

I have never been afraid to face any fighter in my entire career though and the same goes for Peter,” stated Mora.

“The Latin Snake” (24-3-2, 7KOs), the original Contender Champion is coming off a unanimous 10-round decision victory over Grzegorz Proksa on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on June 28 of this year. He is currently rated #7 by the WBA and #14 by the IBF.

Pascal-Bute 'cast in stone'

Dan Rafael

Whether former light heavyweight champ Jean Pascal takes a Sept. 28 tuneup fight or not -- and the issue is still under discussion -- the date for his rescheduled all-Montreal showdown with former middleweight titlist Lucian Bute is set for Jan. 18. 

"Jan. 18 for Pascal-Bute is cast in stone and everybody is on board -- the fighters, HBO and the Bell Centre [in Montreal] is reserved," Yvon Michel, Pascal's promoter, told ESPN.com. 

Pascal-Bute was originally scheduled for May 25 at the Bell Centre, where both fighters are major draws. However, Bute suffered a significant hand injury that required surgery and the fight was postponed. 

Because Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KOs) will have gone 13 months between fights if he waits until January to face Bute (31-1, 24 KOs), he might fight Sept. 28 at the Bell Centre on the undercard of light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson's first defense against Tavoris Cloud. Bute is also in the midst of a long layoff, and will have gone 14 months by the time he meets Pascal in January. 

"We still not have made a decision regarding Pascal [fighting on Sept. 28]," Michel said. "We are evaluating what will be the best for Pascal. The main goal is to bring Pascal to the top condition for the Bute fight scheduled for January 18." 

Michel said a final decision will be made early this week.

Ermano Fegatilli returns to decision Michael Escobar

Ermano Fegatilli’s focus was weak, but the win was still in store in store after a flash knockdown in the second round saw Ermano Fegatilli swarm to retain his high ranking in an emphatic eight-round fight with a career the balance.

Fegatilli had to fight hard against the tough Spainyard Michael Escobar on Friday evening. With that said, it was clear that after Fegatilli had hit the deck that it would be him to come back and beat Escobar into a wide decision victory — he was the more talented athlet.

Fegatilli had over four opponent changes in the lead-up to this fight; he has also recently scheduled to marry his fiancé in the coming months. This wasn’t the way Ermano wanted to achieve his 28th victory – but a win is a win as the man known as “ll’Dottore” prepares to transcend on world title perimeters.

Still, as far as this Netherlands residing Italian-Belgian is concerned, there are more important things to set sights upon. Ermano Fegatilli will soon be going back for a more intense camp ahead of a possible October bout – which should be announced soon.

In March, Fegatilli scored a shutout decision victory over Frenchman Karim Chakim. Fegatilli’s quick combinations and scintillating body work derailed his hopeless opponent through eight rounds on another “Gents Boksgala” fight card.

In July of last year, Fegatilli mustered up a close defeat to the highly-talented EBU champion Devis Boschiero. Many, many observers felt he won the fight-of-the-year grade encounter – but the judges scored it to the Veneto, Italy native.

Fegatilli has now gone 3-0 in his last three fights and 14-1 in his last fifteen. His auspicious future currently waits affront as he moves forward into a brand new chapter of his life.

Ermano Fegatilli is now just north of his 29th birthday – which took place on August 19th – only four days shy of his bout against Michael Escobar. While fight cancellations and opponent drop-outs have been troubling; he hopes to close this year and open 2014 with as much activity as possible. A substantial fight may be scheduled for January if he claims a “W” in his upcoming fight this October.

Instead of counting his blessings, Ermano will be taking charge with his workmanlike virtue in hopes of reaching his lifelong dream of becoming the first Belgian world champion. Fegatilli, currently recognized as a top twenty boxer at Super Featherweight, may be close to his wish.

Having held the EBU European Super Featherweight strap for a year-and-a-half, he gained much world level recognition and a firm rank amongst the World Boxing Council’s top ten. Fegatilli could be opening up their Super Featherweight tournament in January – pending negotiations. If he wins this tournament; he’ll be mandated to face whoever is the W.B.C. champion at the time — obtaining that ticket is going to be a daunting task, though.

Yengoyan, Fegatelli, Persoon and Merhy score wins last Friday in Ostend, Belgium +Vidéo Merhy

The beast of the East Sasha Yengoyan needed only 2 rounds to stop Bulgarian champion Stiliyan Kostov. After a quite even first round in which both boxers showed a lot of respect for eachother local Yengoyan increased his workrate and mid the 2nd round dropped the visitor with a left-right combination. 

Kostov beat the count but was seemingly disturbed. Yengoyan tried to finish it in the follow up attack but instead pushed his opponent in the neck with his right while throwing a left to the body. The ref did not pick up the count. 

Yengoyan, who showed a lot of technical improvement and patience, went back to work. Moments later Kostov was caught again with a left, followed by a right to the chin and he went down again. When Yengoyan saw that his opponent was not fully recoved he unleashed a vicious left to the body and Kostov was down for the 3rd time in the same round and it was under Belgian rules automatically waved off at that point.

Former EBU champion and current WBC #12 Ermano Fegatelli was surprisingly dropped in the 2nd round by a left on he top of the head from Michael Escobar and give away the rest of the round to easily win all the rest of the fight. It was scored 3 times 78-73.

Belgian female star Delfine Persoon also needed only 2 rounds to stop her overmatched opponent from Bulgaria Galina Gumliiska. The visitor was down from a body punch in round 1 and cut from an accidental clash of heads in round 2. The corner did not want to work on the cut and Gumliiska preferred not to come out for the 3rd round.

Without any doubt 20 year old cruiserweight Ryad Merhy is a great prospect and has a bright future ahead of him. He needed only 2 rounds to knock out Bozinovic last June for his pro debut and this time he knocked out Nikolay Ermenkov inside 1 round. Merhy has power in both hands and uses a variety of punshes. He will be back in action on Oct 5 in Andenne, Belgium.

Other results:
Elfi Philips WUD4 Boroslava Goranova
18y old Seba Steen (pro debut) WDISQ02 Fernando Guevara
Kobe Vandekerkhove WUD08 Stanislav Nenkov

The show was held in the beautiful Casino Kursaal of Ostend, Belgium and it was promoted by Claude Van den Heede in association with Olivier Orlans and the casino. About 1300 people attended this event.
Source: Fightnews

Narvaez vs. Hisataka: El Huracan Defeats Hiroyuki Hisataka Via 10th-Round TKO

Omar Andres Narvaez (40-1-2) successfully defended his WBO Super Flyweight title on Saturday night with a vicious 10th-round TKO victory overHiroyuki Hisataka (22-11-1) in Argentina. 

The victory marked Narvaez's eighth consecutive successful defense of the title and knockout victory No. 21 in his impressive career. 

Narvaez came out early and dominated the pace of the bout, constantly pepperingHisataka with shots from the outside. Time and time again, Narvaez showcased his superior skills as the challenger was left hoping to survive the duration of the 12-round fight. 

Unfortunately for Hisataka, it wasn't in the cards, as Narvaez's work started to become too much for the 28-year-old challenger. The champion continued to batter him with power shots until the referee had to call an end to the action in the 10th round. 

Hisataka doesn't have the greatest track record in the world: This was his third failed shot at a world title and his second loss in his last three fights. But "El Huracan" showed why he's still ranked as the No. 1 fighter in his weight class by ESPN. 

With his only loss coming out of his own weight class to Nonito Donaire (31-2) in 2011 via unanimous decision at bantamweight, Narvaez definitely deserves his title as king of the Super Flyweight division. 

That doesn't mean there aren't challengers looking to surpass the 38-year-old, though. Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. is coming off of a strong victory over Narvaez's countryman, Roberto Sosa. At 16-1-1, he's making his own case to be considered the top Super Flyweight in the world. 

Jhonny Gonzalez shocks Abner Mares with first round knockout

Abner Mares was the big favorite, but Jhonny Gonzalez stunned the boxing world with a first round knockout to regain the WBC featherweight title tonight on Showtime.

Well, that wasn't supposed to happen. Abner Mares, the rising, homegrown Golden Boy star, a three-division world titleholder, and one of the key cogs at Showtime, was knocked out in the first round tonight by Jhonny Gonzalez, who regained his WBC featherweight title and took the "0" from the younger man.

Mares (26-1-1, 14 KO) and Gonzalez (55-8, 47 KO) started off pretty normal, feeling one another out for the first two minutes or so, before Gonzalez absolutely drilled Mares with one of the best left hooks you'll ever see, a punch that came over Mares right glove and around the hand, landing flush on the button.

Mares never saw it, and he never did recover. He was up before referee Jack Reiss could count him out, but was on bad legs, and with his fighter's instinct, refused to hold. The veteran Gonzalez went for the kill, which he told Showtime's Jim Gray he did entirely because he did not want the resilient Mares to recover and work his way back into the fight. In short, Gonzalez went for broke, and it paid off when Reiss stopped the fight, determining that Mares was in no shape to continue.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:55 of the first round.

"Abner Mares is a great champion," Gonzalez told Gray. "This is only a trip-up for him. He'll come back and be a champion again."

After Mares congratulated Gonzalez, he spoke with Gray and was classy in defeat, in what had to have been a difficult and jarring moment for him.

"I'm not in this sport to carry an undefeated record," Mares said. "I want to fight the best. If I can get a rematch or even a tougher fight, I'm ready."

On the stoppage, Mares said he felt he could continue on, but that, "The ref did his job. He felt that I wasn't ready to continue, and I respect that."

A rematch would be no surprise, because this was a fight that is going to have a lot of people talking. Gonzalez may look to make a defense against someone else first, but the buzz around this -- which is in the running for Upset of the Year -- may force everyone's hand.

Pulev defeats Thompson, Juergen Braehmer and Arthur Abraham won as expected today in Germany

Juergen Braehmer and Arthur Abraham won as expected today in Germany, though Abraham had a lot more trouble than anyone saw coming.

Juergen Braehmer rather easily retained his European light heavyweight title with a points win over Stefan Abatangelo of Italy today, winning on scores of 115-111, 119-108, and 119-108. BLH did not score the fight, because BLH's patience had been tested by what was a brutally dull card overall from Sauerland Event, highlighted so to speak by Kubrat Pulev's win earlier over Tony Thompson.

Braehmer (41-2, 31 KO) and Abatangelo (17-3-1, 6 KO) had a nondescript fight that included a few pretty ugly head clashes, which were arguably the most exciting thing that the fight produced. It was a rather routine matchup on paper and in execution for the 34-year-old Braehmer, who wasn't expected to be seriously tested, and in fact was not seriously tested.

Arthur Abraham looked a faded shadow of his former self, struggling mightily against Namibia's untested and unknown Willbeforce Shihepo, though the judges' scorecards didn't really reflect that. Scores were 116-112, 116-113, and a completely absurd 117-111 from Mickey Vann, a British judge and referee. BLH had it 115-113 for the underdog Shihepo, who landed a good amount of shots and, as many can and will do from here on, outworked Abraham for the majority of the bout.

Abraham (37-4, 28 KO) winning wasn't a terribly unreasonable idea, I suppose, though a total of 7-5 in rounds for him might have been about the very most he deserved. A draw also might have been plenty understandable. But to say that he won eight or nine rounds is really testing believability, in my view. Shihepo (20-7, 15 KO) wasn't supposed to win, so he didn't.

Abraham, now 33, isn't going to beat Robert Stieglitz with a performance like this one. Perhaps he overlooked Shihepo today, but he's just not the fighter he once was, maybe in no small part because guys like Shihepo no longer have any fear of him. He's a very predictable fighter and not one that's particularly hard to prepare for or combat, and his power has never been at 168 what it was at 160.

Undercard results

Kubrat Pulev started slow, but turned the fight around and went on to largely dictate the pace of the fight over 12 rounds today against Tony Thompson, outpointing the American veteran to earn a shot at the IBF world heavyweight title. Pulev won on scores of 116-112, 117-111, and 118-110. BLH had it 116-112 for Pulev.

Pulev (18-0, 9 KO) is now in line to face the winner of the October 5 fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin, where Klitschko's IBF and WBA titles will be on the line. 

Enrico Koelling TKO-3 Haris Causevic: This one didn't air on BoxNation, or else I totally missed it, but it sounds as though Koelling (9-0, 2 KO) had no trouble here against Causevic, who drops to 8-1 (5 KO). Koelling, a 2012 German Olympian, has solid boxing ability and may be worth keeping an eye on, but also maybe not, since his power seems limited at best, even with this TKO win.

Dustin Dirks D-8 Tomas Adamek: Dirks (27-1-1, 20 KO) is a Sauerland pet for whatever reason, which makes less and less sense as you seem him fight more often. He's exceptionally basic, doesn't move his head or feet much, and is very, very vulnerable against opponents who have a clue. Adamek (20-9-2, 7 KO) is hardly a world-class fighter, and he managed to overcome a bad cut suffered early to not only keep himself in this fight, but deserve the win in the eyes of the BoxNation commentary team and most watching, including, it seemed, the live audience. Dirks, 24, is just really not very good, and isn't going anywhere. He's like Sauerland's light heavyweight version of heavyweight pretender Edmund Gerber.

Tyron Zeuge UD-8 Nathan King: Wasn't much to this one, either. There were really no good fights on this entire card, with Abraham-Shihepo probably being the best of a sorry lot. Zeuge improves to 9-0 (5 KO).