Former unified junior middleweight world titlist Jarrett Hurd returned from losing his belts to easily outpoint Francisco “Chia” Santana in the Garcia-Redkach co-feature. Hurd dropped Santana in the final seconds of the fight with a right uppercut and won 99-90, 99-90, 97-92.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer20h ago

In Brooklyn, New York, on the Danny Garcia-Ivan Redkach card, junior featherweight Stephen Fulton Jr. won a unanimous decision over Arnold Khegai in a world title elimination fight. Scores were 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer21h ago

The WBO has ordered cruiserweights Dilan Prasovic and Edin Puhalo to meet in a title elimination fight and given their camps two weeks to make a deal before calling for a purse bid, though either side can refuse to negotiate and call for an immediate purse bid. Minimum bid: $300,000. The belt is presently vacant but the WBO said a provision of the eliminator order is that if the winner of the World Boxing Super Series final on March 21 between IBF titlist Yuniel Dorticos and Mairis Breidis requests a unification bout with whomever emerges with the WBO belt that that fight would take precedence over the Prasovic-Puhalo winner getting first crack at the title.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer2d ago

The WBO on Friday ordered a purse bid for the fight between junior middleweight titlist Patrick Teixeira and mandatory challenger Brian Castano, sending a letter to Teixeira promoter Eric Gomez of Golden Boy and Castano promoter Tom Brown, who have been unable to make a deal. The purse bid is set for Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. ET in the lobby of the Nautilus Hotel in Miami. Minimum bid is $200,000. The split will be either 80-20 or 75-25 in Teixeira’s favor, depending where the bout takes place.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer2d ago

Negotiations for a proposed fight between former junior welterweight titleholders Maurice Hooker and Regis Prograis are getting more serious. Dino Duva, Hooker's promoter, told ESPN that he received a formal offer for the fight from Frank Smith of Matchroom Boxing, Hooker's co-promoter, Tuesday night with dates for the bout, which would be on DAZN, being either April 11 or April 25. "It's getting serious now," Duva said. "I'm going to talk to Maurice about the offer. We want to make this fight." Matchroom would also still need to iron out a deal with Prograis' team.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Plans are in the works for junior middleweight contender Erickson Lubin to return to action on Showtime, probably in April, sources with knowledge of the plans told ESPN. Lubin, 24, of Orlando, Florida, could be fighting for an interim world title. He has won four fights in a row since getting stopped in the first round challenging Jermell Charlo for a world title in October 2017. Lubin (22-1, 16 KOs) is coming off a strong performance in a near-shutout of Nathaniel Gallimore in October.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Middleweight world titlist Gennadiy Golovkin’s mandatory defense against Kamil Szeremeta, which was at first discussed for Feb. 29 and then for March 28, likely will move into April, a source with knowledge of the plans told ESPN on Wednesday. The Wintrust Arena in Chicago has been the leading site to host the bout. Golovkin won a vacant belt by close decision over Sergey Derevyanchenko on Oct. 5 in New York with Szeremeta stopping Oscar Cortes in the second round on the undercard.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer4d ago

Unified junior featherweight world titlist Danny Roman (27-2-1 10 KOs) defends his belts vs. mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev (7-0, 6 KOs) on Jan. 30 (DAZN) in Miami but what he really wants is to further unify 122-pound titles. “Hopefully everything works out great and we beat Akhmadaliev,” Roman said. “I have been calling out Rey Vargas and he’s challenged me too. If it doesn’t happen with him, we can fight Emanuel Navarrete. Hopefully, Rey and I both win and we can get it on.”

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer4d ago

A four-fight “ShoBox: The New Generation” card is on tap at Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena Feb. 14, Showtime announced Wednesday. Lightweights Thomas Mattice and Isaac Cruz Gonzalez meet in the 10-round main event. There are also three eight-rounders: undefeated junior featherweight Raeese Aleem vs. Adam Lopez in the co-feature, a match of undefeated junior welterweights in Montana Love vs. Jerrico Walton and undefeated junior middleweights Derrick Colemon and Joseph Jackson meeting in the opener.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer4d ago

Former junior middleweight world titlist Liam Smith, of England, has been dropped from the WBC’s 154-pound rankings because he did not register for the sanctioning organization’s Clean Boxing Program, which is overseen by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, by the deadline, the WBC said on Wednesday.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer4d ago

The WBC on Tuesday postponed for one week the purse bid for the mandatory fight between bantamweight world titlist Nordine Oubaali and mandatory challenger (and former four-division titlist) Nonito Donaire until Jan 28, Donaire promoter Richard Schaefer of Ringstar Sports told ESPN. He said he and Bob Yalen, president of Oubaali management company MTK Global, asked the WBC for the delay and it was granted as they continue to discuss a deal. If there's a bid, it's a 60-40 split in Oubaali' favor.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago

Woodland Hills, California-based Irish super middleweight Jason Quigley (17-1, 13 KOs) has a new opponent for his 10-round main event on Golden Boy’s “Thursday Night Fights” card this week at the Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. (DAZN, RingTV.com). Quigley will face Mexico’s Fernando Marin (16-4-3, 12 KOs), who is a late replacement for Oscar Cortes, who dropped out.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago

Flyweight Trinidad Vargas, a 16-year-old from Dallas, who was 198-12 as an amateur and won various national titles (including two junior Olympic gold medals), is going pro and has signed with manager Peter Kahn. Vargas, a high school junior, who turns 17 in June, was too young to quality for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team. He will trained by Javiel Centeno at the Sweatbox Boxing and Fitness Center in Davie, Florida. He joins Kahn's stable that also includes welterweight prospect Xander Zayas, 17, as well as Amir Imam, Emmanuel Tagoe and George Kambosos Jr.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago

Multiple sources confirm to ESPN that Ice Cube will play the role of boxing champ Claressa Shields' former trainer Jason Crutchfield in her upcoming biopic Flint Strong. "That's special to me, I'll tell you that. That's an honor," Crutchfield said. "I feel like I've done something right."

Eric Woodyard, ESPN10d ago

The IBF has ordered a purse bid to determine promotional rights for the mandatory bout it recently ordered between unified junior welterweight titlist Josh Taylor and Apinun Khongsong, sending a letter via email its registered promoters Monday informing them that Khongsong and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz were no longer willing to negotiate with Top Rank, Taylor's new promoter. According to the letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, the purse bid is scheduled for Jan. 24 at 12 p.m. ET at the IBF offices in Springfield, N.J. The sides can make a deal up to 15 minutes before the auction. Taylor is entitled to 65% of the winning bid and Khongsong 35%. Given the turn of events it's likely Khongsong will be Taylor's spring foe in his first bout since signing with Top Rank last week.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer12d ago