Sources have told ESPN that Brandon Adams, who won 'the Contender' middleweight tournament last year, will be challenging WBC interim middleweight titlist, Jermall Charlo, in Houston, Texas on June 15 on a card that will be televised on Showtime.

Steve Kim, ESPN8h ago

Two-time super middleweight world title challenger Jesse Hart told ESPN on Friday that he is planning to move up to light heavyweight for his next fight and has agreed to face former world titleholder Eleider “Storm” Alvarez in a possible title eliminator. Hart said Top Rank told him the fight could take place on the Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz card June 15 in Las Vegas. Hart, who lost a close decision challenging Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for his title in their December rematch, said he would not rule out a return to super middleweight for the right fight. Alvarez is also coming off a loss, yielding his title to Sergey Kovalev in their Feb. 2 rematch.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Plans are being finalized for a fight between former junior welterweight world titleholder Chris Algieri, a popular draw from New York's Long Island, and England's Tommy Coyle, a source with knowledge of the bout told ESPN. The 10-round junior welterweight fight would be, if signed, part of the undercard of the fight between unified heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua and Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller in June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Algieri has won two in a row since returning from 2 1/2-year layoff in November. Coyle has won three fights in a row.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer4d ago

Former heavyweight titlist Samuel Peter, 38 and long past his best days, is fighting on. After suffering a third-round stoppage loss to Kubrat Pulev in 2016, he was idle for more than two years in apparent retirement. But Peter returned in February for a first-round KO of a 1-21 foe and will fight again on the undercard of the Claressa Shields-Christina Hammer undisputed women’s middleweight title fight April 13 (Showtime) in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Salita Promotions announced on Tuesday in unveiling the non-televised portion of the card. Peter will face Mario Heredia in an eight-rounder.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer6d ago

IBF junior welterweight champion, Ivan Baranchyk, is now training under the guidance of Freddie Roach, and is currently at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. Baranchyk, who had been working with Pedro Diaz, was scheduled to face the talented Josh Taylor in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series, but it's not clear if this bout will take place.

Steve Kim, ESPN8d ago

England's Tyson Fury, the former WBA-IBF-WBO world heavyweight champion, has confirmed his next fight will be against Germany's Tom Schwarz at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, on June 15. Fury held WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder to a split decision draw in December, but the pair could not agree terms on an immediate rematch.

Nick Parkinson9d ago

Per the California State Athletic Commision, official contract purses for the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday night in Costa Mesa, California: Kubrat Pulev $250k, Bogdan Dinu $80,500, Jessie Magdaleno $75k, Rico Ramos $50k, Maxim Dadashev $25k, Ricky Sismundo $10k, Erick DeLeon $20k, Jose Luis Gallegos $10k, Javier Molina $20k, Abdiel Ramirez $11k, Chris vanHeerden $21k, Mahonry Montes $2k, Tyler McCreary $7,500, Roberto Castenada $3k, Bobirzhan Mominov $7,500, Jonathan Steele $8k, David Kiminsky $3k, Estevan Payan $2k, Eric Puente $3k, Alejandro Lopez $2,200, Tervel Pulev $1k, Mitch Williams $8k

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer10d ago

Junior welterweight Arthur Biyarslanov, 23, Canada’s only 2016 Olympic boxer who was 85-13 as an amateur, has signed with manager Keith Connolly. Biyarslanov (2-0, 2 KOs), who fled Chechnya with his family at age 10 and settled in Toronto, has been a sought-after prospect since winning a 2015 Pan American Games gold medal. Connolly, who also manages middleweight titlist Daniel Jacobs, interim light heavyweight titlist Marcus Browne, middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko, former junior welterweight titlist Chris Algieri and heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki, said he is fielding offers from promoters for Biyarslanov, who plans to drop down to lightweight.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer10d ago

Former super middleweight world titlist Sakio Bika, scheduled for his first fight since October 2017 on Sunday night’s Premier Boxing Champions card headlined by Lamont Peterson versus Sergey Lipinets at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, was removed from the show on Friday. Bika, 39, of Australia, was supposed to face Lionell Thompson, 35, of Buffalo, but according to PBC, Bika was taken off the show after the Maryland State Athletic Commission discovered Bika had an undisclosed medical issue during his pre-fight examination. As a result, the eight-rounder between unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Cobia Breedy and Fernando Fuentes will now open the FS1 telecast at 6 p.m. ET.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer10d ago

According to Sean Gibbons, matchmaker for MP Promotions, and close confidant to eight-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino icon could be back in the ring by the summer. "He's looking to return to the ring in July and he's reviewing all possibilities," Gibbons told ESPN.com. On January 19, Pacquiao defeated Adrien Broner over 12 one-sided rounds.

Steve Kim, ESPN11d ago

Unified junior middleweight world titlist Jarrett Hurd will get the home region fight he has wanted when he defends against Julian "J Rock" Williams in the main event of the Premier Boxing Champions card on Fox on May 11. The fight, multiple sources told ESPN, will take place at the EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, a short ride from Hurd's hometown of Accokeek, Maryland.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer11d ago

Plans are being finalized for Japan’s Masayuki Ito to make his second junior lightweight world title defense against Jamel Herring on May 25 (ESPN) at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, the same venue where he outpointed Christopher Diaz to win the 130-pound belt in July, Top Rank’s Bob Arum told ESPN on Tuesday. Ito returned to Japan for his first defense against Evgeny Chuprakov in December but will return to the United States to put the belt on the line against Herring, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, who is getting his first world title shot.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer13d ago

Official: Deontay Wilder vs. Dominic Breazeale on May 18 at Baclays Center live on Showtime -- NOT on PPV.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer14d ago

Undisputed cruiserweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk is planning to move up to heavyweight in May, so the process of his titles being vacated or stripped has seemingly begun. The WBA has ordered Usyk to make a mandatory defense against former titlist Denis Lebedev and on Tuesday scheduled a purse bid for the bout for March 28 at the WBA offices in Panama City. Minimum bid is $400,000 with Usyk entitled to 75 percent of the winning bid and Lebedev 25 percent. However, it is unlikely the Usyk team will participate because of his impending rise in weight.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer14d ago