Boxing News

Matchroom are intensifying their expansion into the Australian fight market after agreeing an eight-date broadcast agreement with the Australian broadcaster Fox Sports.

BoxingScene understands that they have agreed terms to stage four promotions and up to four pay-per-views with the influential broadcaster, having previously worked in Australia with DAZN.

Matchroom oversaw George Kambosos Jnr-Jake Wyllie in Sydney, Australia in March 2025, Wyllie-Youssef Dib in August, and also co-promoted dates led by Jai Opetaia with Tasman Fighters – in all instances with their long-term broadcaster DAZN. 

By working with Fox Sports, however, they will be sharing a broadcaster with No Limit, long Australia’s leading promoter. The development, regardless, does not represent a conflict of interests – DAZN acquired Foxtel, the owner of Fox Sports, from News Corp and Telstra in 2025 in a deal that valued the broadcaster at $3.4billion. The pay-per-view arm of Foxtel, incidentally, is Main Event.

Matchroom no longer work with Opetaia, who recently signed co-promotional terms with Zuffa Boxing, but continue to co-promote, with Tasman, the heavyweights Justis Huni and Teremoana Teremoana. 

Their long-term ambitions in Australia will be led by their popular junior featherweight Skye Nicolson, and Wyllie is also expected to contribute. The junior welterweight significantly enhanced his reputation when competitive in defeat as a late-notice opponent for Kambosos Jnr, and in the build-up to his draw in December with Paul Fleming on a Tasman promotion told BoxingScene: “Ultimately Matchroom’s the one I want to be with, but look, in the mean time, if these big fights and good offers come, I’m gonna take it. We’re in talks with Eddie Hearn.”

Matchroom will become a more permanent presence on the Australian fight scene at a time of increasing competition. Opetaia’s victory over Huseyin Cinkara in December was the first date of a broadcast agreement between Tasman and the also influential Stan. 

Speaking to BoxingScene at Opetaia-David Nyika in January 2025, Eddie Hearn said: “We want to do at least four shows here a year, and I think it’s a great market. I really do. They understand their boxing. See the turnout – I think there’s a lot of potential.”

For those lucky enough to be blessed with a full head of hair, the mishap that Jarrell Miller encountered on Saturday night caused significant amusement. Miller self-consciously joked afterwards that it was nothing major – he’d simply washed his hair in bleach by mistake (and by golly, we’ve all been there). But as those who have endured male pattern balding will tell you, it’s a tricky process to navigate. Worse for Miller is this: Unless he somehow manages to win a world belt at heavyweight, he will forever be known as the boxer whose hairpiece was punched off his head.

His legacy isn’t assisted either by the volumes of PEDs he consumed that led him to being banned after his 2019 shot at Anthony Joshua was cancelled. Miller certainly has some work to do to restore both his reputation and the appearance of his head. And I would humbly suggest that work should begin with a razor blade.

Miller can take comfort knowing that some of the best fighters in history enjoyed stellar performances after losing their hair. After all, this is boxing, where scary-looking brutes prosper and the moral of the story is simple: Own the problem and shave it off.

Marvin Hagler

There are so few photographs of Hagler with hair it’s easy to imagine him arriving from the belly of his mother without a single hair on his head. Certainly, by the time he was rising through the middleweight ranks Hagler’s pristine dome only added to his fearsome style. Throw in the goatee, those velvet shorts, and the knee-high socks, and Hagler somehow made that savagery look elegant. 

Tyson Fury

When Fury turned professional in 2008 he had thick black hair and movie-star looks. And if you’re into the tall, dark, and handsome type, Fury undeniably looked better back then. But within a few years, his thatch was thinning and he made a bold (and wise) decision: He got the clippers out and shaved off what remained. What followed was a significant uplift in form that saw him go on to rule the world at heavyweight. Coincidence? Absolutely not.

Kelly Pavlik

There’s a reason why thugs shave all their hair off: It makes them look hard. And Pavlik, as he was moving up the middleweight ranks, suddenly looked like a mean dude when he made the decision to dispense with his floundering locks. A hellacious hitter who, for a while, looked unstoppable as he flattened all-comers.

James Toney

Toney was both one of the snazziest boxers of the modern era and one of the most terrifying. He had the cold stare and demeanour of someone you wouldn’t want to upset and that only increased when he removed the hair from his head during his impressive rebirth at cruiserweight and heavyweight.  

Jack Johnson

Not only the first black heavyweight champion but also the first truly bald one – Bob Fitzsimmons doesn’t really count because he persevered with what he had left – Johnson was a trailblazer and trendsetter. Rightly regarded as one of the best boxers of them all, Johnson was also a snappy dresser, a Casanova, and a man who never once tried to hide who he was.

Bernard Hopkins

Hopkins’ transition to bald was a gradual and public process which, given he fought until his fifties, should be no surprise. As Hopkins’ career was seemingly winding down, and his hairline was retreating, he opted for close shaves as he fought with mixed results against fighters like Jermain Taylor, Antonio Tarver, Joe Calzaghe and Chad Dawson. However, by the time he was beating Tavoris Cloud and Beibut Shumenov, to become the oldest titlist in history, he was both hair-free and carefree. 

Floyd Mayweather Jnr

There is an element of truth to the idea that one needs an appropriately shaped head to wear being bald well. Some might say that Tyson Fury, for example, has a head better suited to hair. But Mayweather’s head – and you’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve seen it up close – was made to shine. Though he’s had some sort of restoration up there in recent years, Mayweather was a bald badass while earning ludicrous money for the final six years of his career.

George Foreman

You know that feeling when you bump into someone who you haven’t seen for years and you’re struck by how much older they look? Well, the whole world experienced that feeling in 1987 when Foreman returned after a 10-year layoff. Only problem was, Foreman didn’t only look older, he looked ancient. However, by the time he flattened Michael Moorer in 1994 to regain the heavyweight title, 45-year-old Foreman – merrily bald and not caring a jot about the excess baggage around his waist – became the poster boy for every middle-aged man in the land.

Evander Holyfield

Holyfield wrestled with his ever-decreasing barnet for a number of years. Which must have been difficult. You dedicate your life to becoming the world heavyweight champion and then, once achieved, your hair decides against sticking around for the party. When he lost the title to Michael Moorer in 1994, Holyfield’s tufts were so unbecoming he resembled a beaten-up teddy bear. Out came the razor and a new Holyfield was born; one who bludgeoned Mike Tyson into defeat and beat the bejabbers out of Moorer in a rematch.

Earnie Shavers

Muhammad Ali labelled Shavers ‘The Acorn’ on account of his head. He would also call Shavers one of the hardest punchers he fought, a view shared by practically everyone who encountered Shavers’ cannonball fists. Now, I’m no scientist, but it’s certainly fair to assume that Shavers wouldn’t have been nearly as effective if he’d been bogged down by some pesky hair. 

 

Having become a four-division champion with a clear win over Teofimo Lopez in Madison Square Garden, Shakur Stevenson talked about the keys to his victory.

Stevenson, among other things, urged young fighters to understand the importance of the jab and he told fighters how important it was to study tape of their opponents.

“It was an amazing night, I stayed disciplined all the way through my camp,” Newark’s Stevenson said. “I was in tremendous shape. Teo is a helluva fighter but I was the better man tonight. “

Stevenson, now 25-0 (11 KOs), claimed the WBO title at 140lbs with the win, claiming 119-109 scores across the board. Stevenson said he felt like he demoralised his opponent.

“I definitely did,” he added. “He’s a fighter, so he tried to fight back but I picked him apart. In the second round, I told my corner, ‘I’m stronger than he is.’

“I hurt him a couple of times, my jab, my left hand to the body, my left hand up top.  I put on a great show tonight.”

Was he disappointed not to get a stoppage?

“It’s no disappointment. It’s boxing at the end of the day. I seen him go out there when I was about to stop him and he started fighting back a little bit, so respect to him. He’s a sharp fighter, he’s got a lot of knowledge and he did what he needed to do to survive…. I told you he wasn’t on my level, and I proved it tonight.

“I studied him… everything I seen was there tonight. There is benefit from watching tape.

“I’ve been calling people out and Teo took the bait. Finally, someone took the bait. I was begging for this moment and we finally got it…. Tonight, I went out there and I just used my jab over and over, made it a weapon and he couldn’t stop it.”

Gifted southpaw Stevenson said he took a phonecall from Floyd Mayweather wishing him well before the fight and was asked whether he was the next Mayweather.

“I’ve got a lot of love for Floyd, but I’m the first Shakur Stevenson,” said the Newark star.

It was the opportunity that Shakur Stevenson has waited his entire career for. In the end, it was a technical mismatch.

Stevenson made it look easy on Saturday night, dominating Teofimo Lopez Jnr over 12 rounds at New York City’s Madison Square Garden to win the WBO junior welterweight title, making the 28-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, a four-division champion. The scores were 119-109 on all three cards as Stevenson, 25-0 (11 KOs), finally got his signature win after nine years as a professional.

For the Brooklyn native Lopez, 22-2 (13 KOs), the loss was his first since a 2021 upset decision loss to George Kambosos Jnr, snapping a six-fight winning streak. Instead of a classic matchup between boxer and puncher, the fight looked more like Pernell Whitaker vs. Azumah Nelson, as a technical master southpaw used a laser-accurate right jab to diffuse a more explosive but less coordinated fighter.

“I felt good, I picked him apart. I did what I was supposed to do,” said Stevenson, who previously won world titles at featherweight and junior lightweight, and still owns the WBC lightweight title.

“This is the art of boxing: Hit and don’t get hit, and pick guys apart. I can beat any of these guys; all I have to do is put my mind to it. I told y’all I’m the best fighter in the world, and I stand by that.”

Although some may disagree, it was hard to make a case against it based on what Stevenson did to Lopez, who occupied a spot on most observers’ pound-for-pound lists.

After an aggressive start from Lopez in the first round, Stevenson landed the first big punch of the fight near the end of the stanza with a straight left to the chin. Stevenson continued to find the target in the second round with his left as he became more aggressive behind his jab, which opened up opportunities for his left hand. Stevenson’s confidence continued to grow in the third as he used his jab to pick off Lopez, walking Lopez down and making him miss with lunging attempts.

Lopez was equally ineffectual in the fourth as his attempts to break through with double rights left him off balance and out of position when Stevenson countered back. Lopez’s frustration became more apparent in the fifth as he switched momentarily to southpaw before switching back after taking a clean jab.

Lopez made almost no adjustments throughout the fight as his father and trainer, Teofimo Lopez Snr, tried desperately to inspire his son with energy but offered nothing in the way of technical instructions. By contrast, Stevenson received detailed but concise instructions on adjustments to make after each round from his trainer and grandfather, Wali Moses.

Lopez’s struggles went from bad to worse in the sixth round as a cut opened up over his left eye, creating a bigger target for Stevenson’s right jab. Stevenson continued to take advantage of Lopez’s lack of coordination in the seventh, landing left-hand counters as Lopez appeared lost while trying to lay a glove on his opponent.

Lopez had his first taste of success in the eighth round when he outworked Stevenson and landed hard shots to the body. It would be the only round that Lopez won.

Stevenson turned the engines back on in the ninth round, landing a hard right hook on Lopez as he reached in with a punch. Lopez’s cut began to flow more in the 10th as Stevenson’s right jab popped off Lopez’s eyebrow with greater regularity. Stevenson increased his dominance in the 11th by letting go with more left-hand counters, which produced more swelling, this time over Lopez’s right eye. Stevenson continued to assert himself in the 12th, never giving Lopez a moment to sneak back into the fight.

Afterwards, Lopez acknowledged his lack of answers as he tried to solve the Stevenson puzzle.

“I could say a lot of things, but it’ll still be the wrong thing,” said Lopez, when asked what went wrong in the fight.

Lopez added that he would be switching his focus to the upcoming birth of his next child, and hinted at a move up to welterweight. “Maybe 147,” said Lopez, 28. “A lot of people won’t agree with that, but I’m a fighter until the day that I die.”

For Stevenson, he has a tough decision to make as he holds world titles in two divisions and now has to decide which to continue campaigning in. Although no decision has yet been announced, Stevenson did signal that he would be interested in one opponent in particular: England's Conor Benn, a welterweight who has fought his past two fights at middleweight in a grudge showdown with Chris Eubank Jnr.

Stevenson and Benn jawed at center-ring briefly in what looked like pre-planned, good-natured banter.

“Let’s make it happen,” said Stevenson, while Benn shot back, “Come up to welterweight and be a big dog.”

Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.

At the ripe age of 23, Xander Zayas is now a unified junior middleweight titleholder – and he was able to pull it off in front of his hometown fans.

Zayas won a split decision over Abass Baraou to win the WBA junior middleweight title while making the first defense of his WBO title, in Saturday’s main event at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Scores were 116-112 twice in Zayas’ favor, with one card oddly reading 116-112 for Baraou.

Zayas, fighting in Puerto Rico for the first time as a titleholder and second time in his career, started strong, boxing on the outside. Baraou, of Oberhausen, Germany, relentlessly pressed forward, forcing Zayas to stay engaged. Zayas continued his magnificent start, dancing around his opponent as Baraou struggled to mount any form of effective offense. Zayas’ beautiful counterpunching and fast hands were the story of the fight through the early rounds.

In the fifth, Baraou, 31, began to intensify the pressure and increasingly landed shots on Zayas – something he hadn’t done in any round prior. Zayas, 23, bounced back well, continuing to box deftly from the outside, while Baraou got more aggressive, looking for opportunities to land.

In the seventh, Baraou began to find Zayas again, his constant pressure beginning to pay off. But Zayas had his best combination punches in the ninth round, bringing the crowd to life. In the end, it was Zayas’ active feet that were too much for Baraou – until the final round.

Zayas obliged Baraou in the 12th, standing in the middle of the ring and trading with his opponent. He might have boxed his way to victory, but Zayas put on a show for the fans who came to support him, trading hard punches with Baraou until the final bell. After the fight, the two former sparring partners embraced, showing great sportsmanship. 

Zayas improved to 23-0 (13 KOs) and is now the youngest unified titleholder in boxing.

Baraou fell to 17-2 (9 KOs), losing his title in his first defense.

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.

Bruce Carrington turned Madison Square Garden into Shu-York on Saturday night.

Carrington, a native of Brooklyn, New York, won his first world title with a ninth-round knockout of Carlos Castro to lift the vacant WBC featherweight title. Carrington, 17-0 (10 KOs), shook off his biggest challenge to date, surviving being hurt in the fourth round before a flurry of overhand rights had Castro’s eyes spinning and left him on the canvas for the 10-count.

The official time was 1 minute and 29 seconds, as Castro, 30-4 (14 KOs), of Fullerton, California (by way of Ciudad Obregon, Mexico), was stopped for just the second time as a pro.

Carrington entered the fight in trunks inspired by the New York Yankees’ pinstripe outfits, was accompanied to the ring by a live performance of “Ante Up” by the rap group M.O.P., and was greeted after the fight by film director Spike Lee.

Tears of joy underlined the happiness that the 28-year-old Carrington felt in the moment, but they didn’t come without his overcoming adversity.

After a feeling-out first round, Carrington’s quick jab began to open up power punch opportunities in the second round, as he snuck in short uppercuts and body punches. But Castro was never far behind him, narrowly missing a right-hand counter that could have done damage. Castro’s own jab began to pay off in the third, as he gained the upper hand and landed left uppercuts and right hands. But Carrington showed he wouldn’t give up the momentum, ripping Castro with uppercuts and right hands that had him on the defensive.

The following round, Carrington survived perhaps his first-ever moments of adversity as a pro, getting rocked after dipping in the direction of an overhand right from Castro. The punch landed high on Carrington’s head and caused his legs to wobble momentarily. He recovered relatively well, landing sharp counters from the corner as he tried to clear his head. Castro continued to have success in the fifth round, continuing to land right hands from distance. Carrington began to pull himself back into the fight in the sixth, aiming to land pull counters with his right cross – but Castro still found openings to land his right hand and short left hooks.

Carrington’s speed and timing began to take over the fight again in the seventh round. He opened the stanza with a counter uppercut and then found the target with straight rights through the middle before moving his head to avoid the incoming shots.

Hand speed from Carrington also dominated the seventh round, when he put together hard combinations that had Castro looking to cover up. 

Carrington could sense that his moment was coming and his confidence grew, leading to the right-hand counter that had Castro out on his feet, before two more rights finished the job.

“To be honest, I felt that it was gonna come the round before,” said Carrington, who turned pro just over four years ago. “I was coming on hot the round before, but I just knew that I needed to land a good combination. I was looking for one shot at first, but the combinations is what set up the big punch.”

The loss was the second straight for the 31-year-old Castro, who lost a split decision to Stephen Fulton in September 2024.

Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.

Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller may have lost his hair, but he didn’t lose the fight.

The heavyweight contender Miller overcame a toupee malfunction and a spirited early performance from Kingsley Ibeh to win a split decision Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Miller, 27-1-2 (22 KOs), won the fight by scores of 97-93 on two cards while the third had it 96-94 for Ibeh, 16-3-1 (14 KOs), who saw his 11-fight win streak snapped.

Ibeh, who entered and left the fight with a bald head, started quickly, using his range and southpaw style to land counterpunches on the advancing Miller. One of the uppercuts Ibeh landed knocked Miller’s toupee loose, to the shock of those in attendance.

It was a moment that could have dislodged Miller’s confidence and focus, but instead Miller reassumed control over the situation by ripping it clean off his head and throwing it into the crowd. The toupee was caught by WBO heavyweight titleholder Fabio Wardley, who was watching the fight at ringside.

Miller’s superior experience began to pay off as he took over in the sixth round, his nonstop body attack beginning to wear down Ibeh, who had never previously fought past the sixth round.

Miller’s edge began to grow as the rounds progressed, with a left hook near the end of the ninth round rocking Ibeh.

The 36-year-old Miller, a native of Brooklyn, New York, explained his absence of hair in the post-fight interview, saying that his hair fell out two days earlier after he accidentally used ammonium bleach instead of shampoo while showering at his mother’s house. 

The fight was the first for Miller since his draw against Andy Ruiz in August 2024. He says he wants to be back in the ring in about a month.

Austin Williams may not have gotten a world title opportunity but he was at least able to get a win. A 29-year-old middleweight contender, Williams was originally scheduled to face WBC middleweight titleholder Carlos Adames, but when Adames withdrew before the weigh-in due to illness, Williams was matched instead with Wendy Toussaint, who took the fight on a day’s notice.

Toussaint, of Long Island, New York, was game but couldn’t match the preparation and offensive variety of the southpaw Williams, who won the fight by scores of 99-90 on two cards and 98-91 on the third, improving to 20-1 (13 KOs). Toussaint dropped to 17-4 (7 KOs) with the loss.

There was only one knockdown in the fight, as Williams countered a Toussaint jab to land a right uppercut near the end of the fourth round.

Opening the card, Ecuadorian journeyman Kevin Castillo pulled off a minor upset, defeating previously unbeaten Saudi boxer Ziyad Almaayouf by unanimous decision over eight rounds. Castillo, now 6-2-1, was dropped in the first round but rallied to outwork the defensively porous Almaayouf, 7-1-1 (1 KO), to win by scores of 77-74 on two cards and 78-73 on the third.

Compubox stats showed both boxers landing around the same rate, but Castillo landed and threw more (201 of 555 attempts, compared to Almaayouf’s 141 of 408).

Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.

NEWCASTLE, England – Josh Kelly defeated Bakhram Murtazaliev by the finest of margins to claim the IBF junior middleweight title at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena.

There were question marks over whether Sunderland’s Kelly would have the stamina and heart to beat one of the most avoided fighters in the division. Many pointed to Kelly’s sole defeat in the build up, a stoppage loss to David Avaneseyan in 2021, as a mirror of how the fight may play out, and it was similar in some ways. 

Kelly started fast and had success early on with his flashy footwork and fast hands, even dropping the champion in the fourth round. But as the sessions went by, the Russian started to get closer and closer, and eventually Kelly found himself in a similar position to the one he found himself in against Avaneseyan. 

Kelly was dropped in the ninth and hurt badly, but unlike against Aveneseyan he did not crumble, gritted his teeth, and pushed back. Murtazaliev continued to come on strong late, but Kelly pushed back to edge the fight and the title from the champion by scores of 113-113, 115-111 and 114-113.

Kelly, now 18-1-1 (9 KOs), started by circling the ring, allowing his tall Russian opponent to come forward. Both men’s timing was a little off, but in the second they started to find their range. Kelly was first to land a shot that brought a cheer from his home crowd, but Murtazaliev quickly returned fire with a right hand. Kelly, 31, was having the better of it, the Russian just couldn’t tie down Kelly as he bounced round the ring with his hands low. Early in the fourth it looked as though Murtazaliev, 33, may be starting to find the target when a sharp left hand landed, but as the Russian came into land again, Kelly fired in a sharp jab that sent Murtazaliev tumbling to the floor. Kelly had said earlier in the week that he had envisioned Murtazaliev on the floor, and he had done exactly that, but his foe quickly climbed to his feet.

Kelly was enjoying himself, sending his razor sharp jab into Murtazaliev’s face, and the champion seemed to be running out of ideas. Kelly was banking the rounds, and as the fifth came to a close Murtazaliev’s right eye was starting to swell. The Russian upped the tempo in the sixth, grabbing Kelly when the fleet-footed Brit attempted to pivot away from harm. But still Kelly would bounce away, smiling away as he jabbed Murtazaliev in the face. Things were going well and Kelly was dancing ahead of the eighth, but things started to turn sour.

Early in the ninth, Kelly found himself on the floor and hurt badly. A short left hook on the inside sent Kelly stumbling down. Kelly climbed up, but his quick feet were no longer there, and Murtazaliev moved in for the finish. Kelly grabbed hold in an attempt to ride the storm, but the Russian shrugged him off and landed a hard right that again rocked Kelly. It looked as though the tide had turned, but Kelly bit down on his mouthpiece and survived the round. The next three rounds were crucial, Kelly was up, but Murtazaliev was coming on strong. The Russian again had a good 10th, bullying Kelly, whose feet were still not quite beneath him, around the ring.

Kelly’s lead was now looking slim, but just in time his feet were back, and the Brit snapped Murtazaliev’s head back with a jab before circling away from harm. Kelly was waving Murtazaliev on before countering, and it seemed as though Kelly might just do it. The 12th began and Murtazaliev instantly hurt Kelly with a right hand. If Kelly was going to win the title he was going to have to go through more rough moments in the final round to get it. Murtazaliev pressed forwards, again nailing Kelly with a right hand as the Brit tried to hold on. Kelly then spun Murtazaliev and unloaded four powerful hooks that bounced off the Russian’s head. The bell sounded and the pair nervously awaited the decision only for the venue to erupt as the words “And the new” were announced. Kelly now becomes a big player in a booming 154lb division. The long avoided Murtazaliev falls to 23-1 (17 KOs).

We’re approaching the nine-year anniversary of Floyd Mayweather’s retirement from professional boxing and still we await the ‘next Floyd Mayweather’. 

Though we’ve had seemingly untouchable talent catch the eye since, like Vasiliy Lomachenko, Bam Rodriguez and Naoya Inoue, and money-making machines, like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, there hasn’t been anyone close to Mayweather for combining the two qualities – and the sport is crying out for one such individual, particularly one who hails from America.

Four names were considered candidates to one day become that complete package when their careers started to flourish. Each with supreme skillsets, braggadocious tongues, and influenced by Mayweather to different degrees. 

There was Devin Haney who was arguably the most highly regarded, and though his career continues to progress, he’s still some way from taking Mayweather’s crown. The long-troubled Gervonta Davis, the most fan-friendly of the bunch, was last week arrested after the latest of his crimes caught up with him. It now seems the longest of shots that “Tank” will ever fulfil his significant potential.

The other two, Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson, are pitched together tonight in a mouth-watering collision that should see the winner’s standing soar. No, he won’t become the face of the sport overnight – Mayweather didn’t achieve such status until much later in his career – but he’ll have proven potential to do so.

With more consistency the 28-year-old Lopez might already have lived up to his “The Takeover” moniker. After all, the WBO junior welterweight titlist can count Lomachenko and Josh Taylor among those he defeated during his 22-1 (13 KOs) career. In both bouts, Lopez was exceptional. Yet one look at those stats and it’s the loss that jars; in 2021, immediately after deservedly outpointing Lomachenko, Lopez was dropped and outhustled by George Kambosos which – if we’re comparing to Mayweather – would have been akin to Floyd coming unstuck against Carlos Hernandez after trouncing Diego Corrales in 2001.

Perhaps that’s too harsh on Lopez. Not everyone – barely anyone, in fact – can get through an entire career without having an off-night and it’s true that, physically, Lopez was far from fit and well when facing the Aussie. Yet it’s difficult to write that off as an anomaly when we dig deeper into Lopez’s ledger. Plenty felt he was lucky to get the nod over Sandor Martin in 2022 and in his three bouts since outscoring Taylor the following year, wins on the cards over Jamaine Ortiz, Steve Claggett and Arnold Barboza, Lopez has looked far from superstar material.

Stevenson, meanwhile, has been altogether more consistent. Cute defensively and so intelligent when on the attack, the 24-0 (11 KOs) Stevenson is perhaps the most like Mayweather – late-career, safety-first Mayweather, at least – when it comes to style. On those educated feet he can bewitch and dominate when keeping things at his own pace, albeit at the expense of thrills and spills, and when circumstances demand more gruelling fare, as they did against William Zepeda last July, he’s proved he can stand and fight. 

Though that victory over Zepeda was impressive there were clues that Lopez, whose front foot play is underrated, might be able to make life exceptionally uncomfortable for the 28-year-old if he’s keen to force the action. He surely will be keen to do that, too. Furthermore, though Stevenson has taken the unbeaten records of Zepeda and Oscar Valdez during reigns at junior light and lightweight, he’s yet to beat an established division leader like Lomachenko or Taylor. In that regard, if both were to apply for entry into the Hall of Fame tomorrow, only Lopez’s application would be considered.

So, while we’re right to highlight Lopez’s tendency to coast, and his struggles against lesser foes, it’s also only fair to remember that on the two occasions the bookmakers expected him to lose, he ended those bouts as the rightful winner. One can expect Lopez, then, to be approaching this showdown with a similar determination and focus. Whether it’s a malfunction in his makeup that he can’t always get ‘up’ for certain opposition is likely irrelevant here - he will come into this as determined to win as he’s ever been. Indeed, never one to shy away from the cameras during training camp, he’s this time kept himself to himself and focused on being the best version of Teofimo Lopez he can possibly be.

Which begs the question: Can the best of Stevenson beat the best of Lopez? Particularly when one considers that Stevenson – who has already stated he might drop straight back down to lightweight afterwards – will be making his debut at 140lbs where Lopez, the heftier puncher, has long been comfortable. 

Another factor to consider before playing it safe with the most obvious bet – Stevenson wins on points – is the stance of the favorite. Like Lomachenko and Taylor, both of whom Lopez got to grips with quickly, he’s a southpaw. Whether Lopez chooses to box clever, which might be his best chance against a natural counter-puncher like Stevenson, or go for the jugular to make his physical advantages count, Lopez winning is far from unthinkable. Squint your eyes and it’s easy to picture the underdog utilising that size and explosivity against a boxer rising in weight out of choice rather than necessity. 

However, it’s likely that Stevenson is much closer to his best than either Lomachenko or Taylor were. With both of those there was already a sense that we’d seen their peaks but with Stevenson, most suspect, the best is yet to come. It’s true, too, that Stevenson will recognize in Lopez – the bigger and stronger man – a greater threat than either the Ukrainian or the Scot were prepared for. Because for Stevenson, who has long been threatening to show the world how good he really is, this fight represents his defining moment and, regardless of stance or style, he’s never once failed to look like the convincing winner. No need to squint to imagine that outcome, either.

Though Lopez shouldn’t be written off, especially if he gains Stevenson’s respect early after Stevenson fails to gain his, the feeling here is that Shakur will prove too versatile, composed, and skilled for his opponent and win on points after 12 compelling rounds. And just like that, after almost a decade waiting for a new and true American superstar, one man might be leading the race to become just that.

Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson is both a high-quality match-up and a fight between two of the biggest names in the world in 2026.

Raymond Muratalla’s recent victory over Andy Cruz was a similarly high-quality match-up, but one that lacked crossover appeal. Lopez-Stevenson will draw a bigger audience, even if it ends up being as tactical as many expect.

Lopez already has two defining victories – over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor. Stevenson, who’s often struggled to get the right opponents and has been avoided, is still seeking his – and Lopez would fit. 

Stevenson has deserved a big fight for a long time, and should be given credit for his willingness to move up from lightweight to junior welterweight to secure it. I regardless also think that even if he wins on Saturday we could see him move back to 135lbs.

Both of these fighters could well be at their physical peaks. There’s no questioning their abilities, but Lopez hasn’t seemed the same fighter, psychologically, since the second half of his victory over Lomachenko in 2020. Even if the victory over Taylor three years later was impressive, Taylor also lost his following two fights and then retired, so it perhaps wasn’t as impressive as it first appeared.

Lopez is an explosive, athletic, naturally talented, dynamic fighter who can create openings out of nothing. He hasn’t been as devastating in his more recent fights as he was earlier in his career, but he retains the explosiveness that means he can hurt his opponent at any point. His IQ’s also capable of matching anyone he shares the ring with.

But he’s unpredictable and inconsistent. He’s too often too capable of fighting at the level of his opposition – by the standards of his abilities there are times that he can look awful. He’s been at his best when he’s been matched with his most dangerous opponents – Lomachenko and Taylor – and for that reason I expect him to be at his best on Saturday night. 

If he is, Stevenson’s going to have to work to earn victory. But it’s also relevant that Lopez has typically looked his best against aggressive, come-forward opponents, and while – like Lomachenko and Taylor – Stevenson is a southpaw, he can be expected to remain on the back foot, and his being a southpaw provides no guarantees. Between those two victories Lopez also fought Sandor Martin, another southpaw, and one who made him look bad.

Stevenson, in 2026, may well be a better fighter than Lomachenko was in 2020, which means that Saturday’s fight is coming against the best opponent both of them will have faced. He’s consistent, he has one of the best boxing IQs in the world, and he’s capable of controlling the space and the distance and the ring to the extent that his opponents end up fighting his fight whether they want to or not. He knows exactly how to win by disarming his opposition, and once he does so he makes victory simple. He’s such a master at figuring out how to win a fight and then execute what’s required to do so that the only weakness he has is his hands.

What can make Saturday’s fight particularly interesting is that while Stevenson’s a master at controlling distance, Lopez is so explosive that he might be capable of closing the gap between them in a way that surprises Stevenson, even if it’s something that to some degree he will expect. Lopez came out fast against Lomachenko – if he shows a similar level of hunger and ambition he’ll start aggressively again, which means that we’ll know early on which version of Lopez has showed up. If he controls the ring and attempts to be aggressive and make Stevenson uncomfortable – Stevenson’s at his best when he’s comfortable – Stevenson will have to be at his best. If he doesn’t, Stevenson can expect an easy night – and it’s also likely we’ll never see the best version of Lopez again.

The aggressive, explosive Lopez might still struggle to catch Stevenson cleanly, but he could well catch him and make him uncomfortable and threaten Stevenson’s attempts to control the distance. Stevenson showed against William Zepeda in July that he’s capable of responding when he’s pressured and of being drawn into a more physical fight – the question is whether Lopez, who’s more explosive than Zepeda, can succeed in doing so, because not only would making Stevenson fight more than he wants present him with more opportunities to hurt him, there would also be an increased chance of Stevenson again hurting his hands.

Stevenson’s never previously fought above lightweight. If Lopez can hurt him it’ll become more difficult for him to learn to negate Lopez, but even if it becomes a physical fight, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Lopez will win. If it does, Stevenson would still have to be favoured to work his way back into the fight, but he would have to overcome some doubt in his mind and maybe even take risks that would suit Lopez. Either way – particularly so if Lopez doesn’t start with sufficient intent – Stevenson should be the favourite to win on points.

On the undercard at Madison Square Garden, Keyshawn Davis fights Jamaine Ortiz. Davis has been out for a over a year, but he’s a special fighter when he’s focused. If he dominates Ortiz, a good fighter, he’ll have been the first one to do so. Ortiz will recognise Davis’ inactivity as an opportunity to transform his career so he’ll be hungry and can out-hustle Davis if Davis doesn’t perform as he can.

The much-speculated return of former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder against longtime contender Derek Chisora was made official on Friday.

Wilder, 44-4-1 (43 KOs), will square off against Chisora, 36-13 (23 KOs), on April 4 at the O2 Arena in London in MF Pro’s first-ever show, which will be broadcast on DAZN. MF Pro announced the fight on its social media channels.

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Wilder, the 40-year-old former long-reigning heavyweight belt holder from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, may be sending out a trial balloon as he weighs one last run at a title. All of his four career losses – three of them by stoppage – have come in his past six fights. Wilder appeared all but shot by the end of a June 2024 knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang, and his successful return in a seventh-round stoppage of the limited Tyrrell Anthony Herndon last June was a far cry from his heyday in multi-fight series against Tyson Fury and Luis Ortiz.

Then again, Chisora, a 42-year-old Londoner, was regarded similarly – perhaps even considered even more shopworn – at least as far back as three years ago, after he was stopped by Fury in a challenge for his belt. But Chisora has since rebounded with three quality wins, over Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce and, most recently, Otto Wallin last February.

Both fighters are indisputably living on borrowed time, but a chance to find out if a late-act rebuild for Wilder is possible and the opportunity for at least one last big fight for Chisora at the O2 make for compelling enough theater, especially given the high probability of a combustible finish.

Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.

Carlos Adames, the WBC middleweight beltholder, fell ill with apparent dehydration and was taken by ambulance to a nearby medical facility, an official connected to Adames told BoxingScene Friday.

Adames, 24-1-1 (18 KOs), of the Dominican Republic, was scheduled to make the third defense of his WBC belt Saturday night versus Austin “Ammo” Williams inside New York's Madison Square Garden, but that bout is now off, said the official.

Adames-Williams was to be the co-main event of the anticipated co-main event pitting WBO 140lbs beltholder Teofimo Lopez versus unbeaten three-division titlist Shakur Stevenson.

Adames was coming off a February draw in Saudi Arabia versus Hamzah Sheeraz.

He has feuded verbally over the past few months with fellow 160lbs champion, Janibek Alimkhanuly, who has had his own weight-cutting issues.

BoxingScene will have more information on the condition of Adames, 31, as it emerges Friday. 

 

The junior middleweight division is one of boxing’s hottest weight classes, and while the dominant talk has centred around the likes of Jaron Ennis, Vergil Ortiz, Sebastian Fundora and a range of others, Josh Kelly believes it is time to enter the conversation.

For now, the Team GB 2016 Olympian knows he is on no-one’s radar but believes that all changes should he relieve Bakhram Murtazaliev of his IBF title in Newcastle on Saturday.

“When I get that belt, then they’re going to be screaming my name, because they'll be thinking, ‘Yeah, let’s get a bit of Josh,’” smiled Kelly, who has been linked with “Boots” should he be successful. 

“But my style’s horrible to fight, it's horrible. I’m unpredictable. I can fight as well and actually when I grew up, I was a tough little chubby fat kid from Sunderland and I used to stand toe-to-toe and just go [fight] with people, so I’ve got that in me if all tactics go out the window. And listen, I’m tough. I’ll get in there and I’ll stand with you and I’ll go and if that needs to be done it needs to be done. It’s hard to prepare for someone like me. I’m just a box of tricks and it’s horrible.” 

Kelly, who sits on an enveloping couch in a sky blue T-shirt in the apartment of trainer Adam Booth a week out from the fight to talk to BoxingScene, has been shrouded in a positivity, buoyed by confidence and faith in his journey and how Murtazaliev is merely a chapter as his own story progresses. 

The sense of the pieces coming together was added to when Roy Jones, Kelly’s idol, called him last week to wish him well.

“It was crazy. It was inspiring,” Kelly beamed, not long after the FaceTime ended.

“I didn't even know I was going to speak to him but it felt like the right timing. It just filled us with so much good energy.”

When Kelly was a kid, he’d go into his school’s computer rooms to watch Jones on the monitors during his lunchbreaks.
He’d put his earphones in and watch an hour of Jones highlights.

There were others, like Sugar Ray Leonard, Naseem Hamed, Nicolino Locche, Hector Camacho, and Muhammad Ali, but it was Jones’ unorthodox brilliance that stood out.

Then, when he went to the boxing gym in the evening, he would try and replicate what he had studied. 

“Right,” he’d say to himself. “Tonight, I’m going to be this guy.”
Of course, those schooldays are a long way in the past. Kelly became a good amateur who won his first fight at the 2016 Rio Olympics before losing to the eventual gold medal winner, Daniyar Yeleussinov.

He’s now a seasoned pro, 31 years old, and preparing for his 20th career bout.
But through the journey, he never doubted this moment would come.

“I remember talking to Adam ages ago,” Kelly said. “I remember being in the street when I was a kid and playing football and doing things when I was on the council estate and just running about and I just used to think, ‘I’m going to be on the TV, I’m going to do something.’ When you’re a kid you just want to be famous and you want to think of yourself like a superstar, you look up to people. And I had this feeling inside of me, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m definitely going to be that.’

“‘I’m not normal, I’m something different, I’m special, I’m going to be different.’ I always carried that energy with me in everything I did, in boxing, in different things. And it wasn’t an ego thing, it was just a little bit of self-belief, but I knew this time would come.”

Kelly believes fate has aligned with opportunity and that dedication has aligned with dreams.

Which is ironic, because many believe the champion will break the Sunderland man and stop him on Saturday.

They talk about how fierce Murtazaliev looks, with his chiselled jaw still apparent behind his dark beard, and they see Kelly as the Pretty Boy who is out of his depth.

Kelly, clearly, does not see it that way.

“It’s perfect timing now because I feel like when I was younger, I was a little bit more immature in terms of mindset, in terms of IQ, in terms of training camps, how to go about things in and outside the ring,” he explained. “I've been a late maturer and I think my prime’s between now and probably when I'm getting to 34, 35, 36. I think I've always been a late maturer and I’m just starting to really find the man strength these last couple of years.”

With that said, it is well known that Kelly stumbled badly against David Avanesyan in 2021. He was stopped in his biggest fight to date, but that experience is something Kelly wouldn’t change and, indeed, is one he’s even grateful for.

“God's got certain ways of putting you in certain positions at certain times and sometimes the things that you think, like, ‘I lost that or I didn't perform there or that happened,’ it's always for bigger and better purposes,” Kelly said. “Plans are always bigger than what you have and it’s come full circle now. Now I feel it’s, ‘This is your time, go and shine. Just go and enjoy it. Go and enjoy it and just do you and feel what you want to feel in that ring.’”

While Kelly turned pro as an ex-Olympian, he admits that only adds pressure to a young fighter finding his way in the pros. But, also, that boxing is still only part of life rather than all of it; “the cracks of life” as he calls it.

“People don’t realise what happens outside [of boxing], a lot of things will shape your career outside the ring, it’s not necessarily in the ring because doing the training and doing everything else for me is pretty easy,” he explained. “I love it. I love getting down to hard work. I’m one of the hardest workers in the gym and I’ve never shirked a hard session. I want to take myself to them dark places in my mind. I could take myself there every day but you need them easy days and hard days, but the cracks outside of life when some people end up falling down… Once you've fallen down, it’s hard to get out. That’s why you need the right team and the right people to shelter that.” 

It's all about learned experience and growth.

The perfect storm for Kelly’s perfect moment has seen him reunite with Matchroom as Saturday’s promoters, though Team Kelly remains grateful for the work the Sauerland brothers have done for them.
The fact he’s back with the promoters he turned over with only adds to the feeling of his career coming full circle.

“It’s been written,” he added. “It's like you always have a breakdown before a breakthrough. It always feels like things are going against you before you get your chance. Inside and outside the ring, I've been dealing with things in these past few years and resetting and it's been crazy the amount of stuff I've dealt with outside the ring, never mind inside the gym… But sometimes, when things get hard, I sort of just switch on more into boxing and just get this mindset where I can just block this out and just do this and it helps us focus more on this [boxing]. When things are hard here [points to his head], I'm just like, I'll just do this [boxing] and these things will slowly fade away. In my mind, obviously they're always there after your fight, but in my mind, this is the most important thing now.”

That is something experience has helped him learn to deal with. Before the growth came the loss of the exuberance and boldness of youth, punctured by Avanesyan and crippling bouts of hypochondria.

In his own words, he was beating himself before he even made it to the ring, thinking he was getting sick, taking medication, like Lemsip, to try and feel better, but his psyche had already been infiltrated and with that, doubt always lurked nearby. 

All of that, Kelly contends, has been banished.

Which is just as well, because in Murtazaliev he is facing the man heralded as the division’s boogeyman.

If any frailty remains in Kelly, many believe the man he is facing will be the one to identify and exploit it.

“I love it,” said Kelly, asked of Murtazaliev’s fearsome status.

“This is just another fight against another guy called Bakhram. He’s another body. He’s got two arms, two legs. He’s built the same. He eats the same. He goes to the toilet the same. He showers the same, brushes his teeth the same, so nothing’s different to anyone else.

“It's exactly the same as what happened when I was boxing Troy Williamson. He was undefeated and look what he's gone on and done. He was the guy who stopped everyone and everyone was like, ‘Josh this, Josh that, Josh is not this, Josh is not that.’ Obviously this is another level up but I’ve levelled up to this now. I’m on this level. I just need to enjoy myself and do what me and my team know I do day in, day out.’

Neither Kelly nor Murtazaliev have been blessed with activity. The champion didn’t fight at all last year while Kelly saw just two minutes of action. But Kelly insists he will be sharp because he’s sparred regularly and stayed sharp while also admitting that activity has not always served him well.

“I’ve had big gaps and boxed and boxed unbelievable, I’ve had fights back-to-back and I fought unbelievable then fought terrible, so I think it just all depends on the night and which way you turn up and which way you find your rhythm and your flow.”

Not having to make 147lbs has also helped. He said he was “a shell of a man” at welterweight.

“You can ask any one of the guys who I’ve ever sparred or ever been with, can Josh fight? “Yeah, he can fight inside 100 per cent but when I was growing up I didn't grow into my features until I was like 16, 17 so I was still this ugly looking kid… just in the gym… just training… never got the attention off any girls… never went out… never drank with my friends… never went to parties. I remember the first party I went to and the first ever party my dad let me go to. I was about 17, it was a house party and I went in because I had a name in the area for boxing when I started winning things, there were all these girls and I was like ‘What the fuck is all this?’ ‘This is crazy.’ And I went back and said to my dad, ‘Why have you stopped me from ever going to parties, because that was crazy?’ He was like, ‘That’s exactly why.’”

Kelly didn’t get away with much when he was younger, but there was a spell when he quit the Olympic cycle in 2015 to become a nightclub promoter for a few months.

“I needed that mental break,” he said,

But boxing was his calling and he believes Murtazaliev is his destiny. He’s envisaged the fight relentlessly. 

“I’ve seen it loads of different ways,” he said. “All the scenarios go through your mind. I think he’s going to start fast. Hopefully he does. God willing he starts fast because it’s perfect for me. I want people to start fast and it sets me in my rhythm straight away, but I don’t want to give too much away in terms of what I think. But I can see certain things happening in the fight. I’ve seen them in my mind loads of times and I can hear people listening to the commentator saying ‘Bakhram's hit the floor for the first time’ or ‘it's the first time Bakhram’s been down in his career. ‘I can hear that, and I've heard it too many times not to be a coincidence. A lot of people think, for some reason, I don't punch and when I'm moving it's hard to really set your feet and punch but – when I want to punch – the speed is the power and I think he’s going to get a real big shock and he’s going to think where did that come from.” 

Kelly believes every word he says. He is convincing. It doesn’t matter if we buy in.

Six months ago, I asked him about potential rivals and mentioned Murtazaliev by name.

“Perfect fight for me,” he said.

Being reminded of that conversation only reinforces his belief in what lies ahead.

“It’s been written, it’s been said…. I’m at the perfect age. I’m not killing myself to get any weight. I’m not trying to be the weight bully. I’m not doing any of that. I’m at the perfect weight. I’m in a perfect mindset. Everything’s the way it needs to be. Just let it take care of itself. Go on and enjoy it and it will take care of itself.”

 

Even as the team around Anthony Joshua urged media, fans and observers to give the former two-time unified heavyweight champion the time and space to grieve the recent loss of two of his closest friends, many have offered condolences, thoughts and support via social media in the aftermath.

On Thursday, Joshua acknowledged those voices, taking to Instagram to film a short video and offer his first spoken thoughts since Sina Ghami and Kevin "Latif/Latz" Ayodele – the fighter’s friends and team members – were killed in a December 29 auto accident in Nigeria that also left Joshua with minor injuries.

“The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami,” Joshua said. “We had so many plans to wrap up 2025 and we were on a mission. We were on a mission. We went back home, went to see our families and everything just got flipped, upside on its head. And yes, God's the best planner. We can't plan. We can plan to the best of our capabilities, but that was such an unforeseen circumstance that was out of all of our controls. And not only … did their parents, their uncles, their cousins, their friends and myself lose two great men, we lost people that we dearly care about and have been major players in all of our lives – major major players in all of our lives. It's tough. It's really tough.”

Joshua appeared to speak extemporaneously, and often downplayed his own feelings, focusing more on the families of Ghami and Ayodele. But at one point, when recalling his bonds with the two men, he did seem to break slightly before collecting himself.

“It’s a shame,” Joshua said. “It’s a shame.

“What can I say? One day, my time will come – and I'm not scared, either, at all. It's actually comforting knowing I've got two brothers on the other side. You know, I've lost people before, but I don't think I've lost people like that – my left and my right. Throughout this journey that I've been on … I didn't even realize it – I'm the big guy – but I was walking with giants. Men that kept me protected, kept me shielded. But the mission must go on.

“I understand my duty. I understand what they wanted to do for their families. So my goal is to continue to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be in the physical [world]. When I pray at night, when I pray in the morning, I know, spiritually, they're going to aid me through, because it's not just physical strength that will get me through. It's going to take a lot, a lot of strength from the higher power. So I'm going to definitely be saying my prayers, and I'm going to help them fulfill their dreams for their families – not only me; there's a whole team of us, a whole brotherhood, a whole sisterhood that will be helping fulfill their legacy and fulfill their dreams.”

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Joshua, 29-4 (26 KOs), who most recently stopped Jake Paul on December 19 in Miami, didn’t address future fight dates, plans or even so much as mention boxing in his video statement. But he signed off with appreciation for the messages of support – “thousands and then maybe going into the millions” – he has received over the past weeks.

“I just want to say thank you. We heard, we saw, the messages, the tweets, the social media, the YouTubes, the prayers,” Joshua said. “It's all been acknowledged. So, yeah, we know we're going to do Mama Latz, Mama Sina, Papa Latz, Papa Sina, one love out here representing. This message is not only on behalf of me, it’s on behalf of their families. We appreciate you so much. Thank you for the love worldwide. Continue. Don't let it stop.

“And for anyone out there that's lost a son, a brother, one love to you. From us to you, we're sending that love straight back. And what more can I say? Thank you.”

Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.

On April 25, 2021 — closing in on five years ago — Ryan Garcia posted these words on Instagram:

“I know this news may be disappointing to some of my fans but I am announcing today that I am withdrawing from my July 9th fight. At this time it is important to manage my health and wellbeing. I have decided to take some time off to focus on becoming a stronger version of myself. I hope to be back soon and am looking forward to stepping back into the ring when I am my healthiest self. I want to Thank God, my family, my doctors and my supporters.”

Ever since that moment when Garcia went public with his mental health struggles — he later detailed that he’s bipolar and suffers from depression, anxiety, and panic attacks — it has been appropriate to extend compassion and to cut slack.

Garcia showed vulnerability. We should respond with sensitivity.

Hugs, not hate. Understanding, not undercutting.

You never know what someone is going through privately — except Garcia opened that door and let us in to an extent, and so when he acts up or acts out, we should pause and consider the role mental illness may be playing and grant him grace.

Up to a point, anyway.

Because whatever the chemical reasons, it gets harder and harder with each passing incident to deny that Garcia is a jerk. A brat. A petulant child. An asshole, to use the word that feels most fitting, even if I’m not comfortable putting it in the headline.

In writing about last week’s press conference formally announcing Garcia’s February 21 fight against Mario Barrios, my colleague Jason Langendorf called Garcia “boxing’s king of cringe,” and yes, “King Ry” is absolutely that.

But I wish that was where it ended. I wish he merely made me mildly uncomfortable and embarrassed for him, as he did throughout that presser, particularly in his exchanges with his former trainer Joe Goossen.

It’s so much worse than that, unfortunately. His public persona (I have no idea what he’s like privately) is abhorrent.

He’s gone on racist diatribes against Black people and Muslim people (which together got him temporarily removed from the WBC’s ratings) and has made multiple anti-LGBTQ statements. He was arrested and criminally charged with a misdemeanor count of vandalism for causing an estimated $15,000 in damage to a Beverly Hills hotel. And he put opponent Devin Haney’s health at greater risk than that normally faced by boxers by (seemingly intentionally) failing to make weight and by fighting with the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine in his system.

So, yeah. Garcia has done and said things that only a lowlife would say and do.

And I’m not sure if I should hate him for those things, or show lenience and empathy because he suffers from mental illness.

So I turned to a professional. This week I spoke with Alex Williams, a teaching professor and licensed psychologist at the University of Kansas and a longtime boxing fan, for his insights.

Williams called upon the frequently cited story of Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and U.S. President Ronald Reagan and what Peres said when he learned that Reagan planned to visit a German cemetery where members of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi army were buried:

''A friend is a friend. A mistake is a mistake. When a friend makes a mistake, it is still a mistake. And a friend is still a friend. Mr. Reagan remains a friend.”

In short: People contain multitudes, and we should be able to separate the different layers people possess.

“My analogy here is, if Ryan Garcia does have, as he says he has, significant mental illness, and then he acts like a jerk, Garcia remains Garcia, and the episodes of mental illness remain the episodes of mental illness, and the disrespectful behavior remains the disrespectful behavior,” Williams said. “It would be a mistake to just say Garcia’s entirety as a person is defined by his jerk behavior, but at the same time, the jerk behavior should not just be completely absolved as, ‘Well, that’s just what happens when one has mental illness — they must act like a jerk.’ That’s not true. And it doesn't excuse all the damage you do to people when you are behaving that way.”

The press conference exchange with Goossen last week was by no means Garcia at his worst — he wasn’t breaking any laws, displaying bigotry or putting anyone in harm’s way.

But his behavior nevertheless produced a visceral response from me — and a more complicated one because it’s harder to decide whether to hold someone with mental illness accountable when he’s essentially just being douchey.

Garcia kept insisting he was “heartbroken” and “offended” over Goossen accepting an offer to train Barrios — despite Garcia and Goossen not having worked together in nearly three years — while the Hall of Fame trainer repeatedly tried to be the bigger man.

“I thought I was being courteous and generous, and that’s what I’m trying to be here, and I hope you don’t take offense to it, because I don’t ever want to offend fighters,” Goossen said. “All I can do is try to be gracious to you, but I’ve gotta support my guy.”

Garcia’s response was to continue to insist he felt betrayed and try to paint Goossen as the bad guy — very much the opposite of Goossen’s well-earned and long-held reputation throughout the boxing business.

A few minutes later, Garcia pulled a T-shirt reading “IM A TRAITOR” out of his backpack and tried to present it to Goossen.

Shortly after that, Garcia gave Barrios the ol’ fake handshake maneuver, extending his right hand and then pulling back, before proceeding to knock to his own chair over the way a toddler in the throes of the “terrible twos” might.

“There is a continuum with bipolar disorder or other mental illness,” Williams said. “Somebody who is truly in the midst of psychosis and doesn’t understand what’s going on, I would be much more OK with saying they're absolved from responsibility because they truly are disconnected from reality. If a guy's shadowboxing an imaginary opponent on a street corner, well, he’s responsible if somebody gets hit, at least in a legal sense, but in a moral sense, I’d say he doesn't understand what’s happening.

“But given that Garcia got the T-shirts printed up and everything, clearly there was a sustained effort behind that. This wasn’t something that just happened in the spur of the moment.

“On that continuum between the person who is psychotic and doesn’t understand what’s happening and the person who is, let’s say, having a bad day and exhibiting very mild mental distress, Garcia is somewhere along that continuum.”

To keep it in the world of boxing, former heavyweight contender Ike Ibeabuchi stands out as a prime example of someone closer to the psychotic end of the spectrum. Ibeabuchi also was convicted of much more serious crimes than anything Garcia is known to have done, serving prison time for battery with intent to commit a crime and attempted sexual assault.

Ibeabuchi was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, medicated until he was deemed competent enough to enter an Alford plea and punished accordingly even though he might not have been mentally competent when the crimes were committed.

So Ibeabuchi presents a much, much more extreme case of boxing fans, and humans generally, being challenged to determine how much ire to direct toward a person and how much to ascribe the issues to mental illness.

As for Garcia, I could be polite and simply say he rubs me the wrong way, or I could be impolite and say I think the world would be a better place if he never opened his mouth again.

Either way, there remains a possibility that, with proper medication and counseling, he could be a lovely guy. From the long distance at which I’m observing him, it’s impossible to know.

Mental illness is a subject to be taken seriously, and the world would be a better place if we all defaulted to understanding and empathy.

Is Ryan Garcia a jerk? It sure seems that way.

But should we hold him responsible for everything he says and does that makes him come off as a jerk?

That’s a question my rational side will continue to ask — up through and beyond the moments my emotional side will surely spend on February 21 rooting for Mario Barrios to put him down and keep him down.

Eric Raskin is a veteran boxing journalist with nearly 30 years of experience covering the sport for such outlets as BoxingScene, ESPN, Grantland, Playboy, and The Ring (where he served as managing editor for seven years). He also co-hosted The HBO Boxing Podcast, Showtime Boxing with Raskin & Mulvaney, The Interim Champion Boxing Podcast with Raskin & Mulvaney, and Ring Theory. He has won three first-place writing awards from the BWAA, for his work with The Ring, Grantland, and HBO. Outside boxing, he is the senior editor of CasinoReports and the author of 2014’s The Moneymaker Effect. He can be reached on X, BlueSky, or LinkedIn, or via email at RaskinBoxing@yahoo.com.

Gervonta Davis has been arrested in Florida less than two weeks after Miami Gardens police issued an arrest warrant for him on counts of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping.

Davis, 31, was tracked down to the Miami Design District following a surveillance operation that spanned three counties and was taken into custody without incident as he left a retail store. Davis will be transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Facility in Miami, Miami Gardens police say. 

Davis, a Baltimore native who now lives in Florida, is a former three-division champion who last defended the WBA lightweight belt versus Lamont Roach Jnr at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in March. He was stripped of the belt this month as the police hunt ensued.

Davis will likely soon enter a plea to a Miami-Dade County judge, and learn more about his legal calendar.

Richard Wolfe, the attorney for a woman suing Davis over the treatment alleged in documents supporting the arrest warrant, told BoxingScene Wednesday night that “we look forward to service and starting the process toward civil action, and prosecuting our civil case for damages.”

Documents reviewed by BoxingScene earlier this month revealed Davis is facing counts for his alleged October 27 abuse of the woman, physically injuring and threatening her after entering her workplace around 4:15 a.m. 

“The victim stated that the subject [Davis] grabbed her by her hair with one hand and grabbed her by the throat with the other,” Miami Gardens police detective Gary Florencio told Miami-Dade County judge Andrea R. Wolfson last week.

“She further stated that [Davis] escorted her down the stairway and toward the VIP parking garage, while maintaining his grip on her head and neck. During the incident, [Davis] allegedly stated, ‘You think that I would not find you?’”

The woman, whose name was redacted in documents reviewed by BoxingScene, told police she has known Davis since 2022 and was in a relationship with him for five months.

“She stated the relationship ended one month prior to the incident,” Judge Wolfson wrote in the statement of facts in support of the arrest warrant. “She subsequently blocked all forms of communication with him. [She] advised there is a history of unreported domestic violence between them.

“[She] stated she sustained minor injuries, including bruising to her left arm, from when [Davis] grabbed her, which was visible at the time of the report. She confirmed she sought medical attention for her injuries.”

During the incident, police said the woman “tried to calm [Davis] down, but he kept asking her who she thought she was ignoring him. [Davis] told [the woman] she was leaving him and he did not care what she had to say,” after she previously ended the relationship.

As they neared the parking garage, Davis told the woman he was taking her with him, she told police, and she warned him there were cameras in the garage, police said. When Davis let her go to retrieve his vehicle, the woman “took this opportunity to run back inside and tell her manager what had happened,” according to the arrest warrant statement.

“She also showed me text messages she had received in the past from [Davis] threatening her with death,” Detective Florencio informed the judge.

Davis was in trouble earlier this year in another domestic violence episode that led to the scrapping of his planned summer rematch against Roach Jnr and then a lucrative exhibition versus Jake Paul planned for December was scrapped as a result of this case.

 

 

Tyson Fury will return on April 11 when he takes on heavyweight contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in a bout to be broadcast live by Netflix. The former heavyweight champion, 37 years old, hasn’t fought since losing for the second time to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.

Fury, 34-2-1 (24 KOs), announced his retirement following that 12-round unanimous decision loss which came seven months after Usyk had claimed undisputed recognition in their first bout, seven months earlier, on a split verdict. Fury, however, confirmed that he would be making a comeback at the start of this year. 

Makhmudov, 21-2 (19 KOs), had since been the favorite to greet Fury from his layoff. The 36-year-old Russian, who resides in Canada, saw his career falter when he was stopped by Agit Kabayel in four rounds in 2023 and in eight by Guido Vianello the following year. His most recent bout, a 12-round points success over Dave Allen, rejuvenated his fortunes somewhat and heightened his profile in the UK, where this bout against Fury is set to take place.

The venue for the event, which will be staged by The Ring, is yet to be confirmed but will mark Fury's first appearance on home soil since he bullied Derek Chisora for 10 one-sided rounds in December 2022. 

"Excited to be back," Fury said in a release circulated on social media. "Heart's always been and always will be in boxing. Someone go tell the king that the ace is back."

The comeback is set to coincide with the Netflix releases of Fury, a feature length documentary on the "Gypsy King", and a second season of the popular At Home With The Furys.

Gabe Spitzer, Vice President of Sports at Netflix, said: "His career has been defined by beating the odds and there in an undeniable electricity when he fights."

 

 

 

Interviews with key players connected to the effort to stage an anticipated Jaron “Boots” Ennis-Vergil Ortiz Jnr battle of unbeaten junior-middleweights agree this is a make-or-break week.

The sentiment is attached to the leverage that Philadelphia’s Ennis, 35-0 (31 KOs), possesses once Saturday’s IBF 154lbs title fight between champion Bakhram Murtazaliev of Russia and England’s Josh Kelly concludes in Newcastle, England.

Eddie Hearn, who promotes both Ennis and Kelly, 17-1-1 (9 KOs), said Kelly has already signed a commitment to make his first title defense versus Ennis should he win Saturday.

Murtazaliev, 23-0 (17 KOs), who has struggled to find an opponent after crushing former champion Tim Tszyu in October 2024, also is open to an Ennis fight, with former IBF welterweight champion Ennis similarly interested in that bout should the Russian retain his belt.

“He is focused on Kelly right now, of course,” Murtazaliev promoter Kathy Duva told BoxingScene. “Let’s see if any of the others want to fight him, including ‘Boots,’ after that. And you can quote me on that!”

Hearn, also occupied by his promotion of Saturday’s Shakur Stevenson-Teofimo Lopez WBO 140lbs title fight in New York, said he is open to Ennis-Ortiz talks if they are possible.

Earlier this month, Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs) – represented by manager Rick Mirigian and attorney Greg Smith – sued Ortiz promoter Oscar De La Hoya for breach of contract, complicating a joint effort to negotiate with Team Ennis.

“We’re still hoping we can do the ‘Boots’ fight, but we have the Josh Kelly [fight], and there’s also a [WBO champion] Xander Zayas [unification] fight [against WBA champion Abass Baraou] this weekend, so there’s two guys we’ll be focusing – the winners – if we can’t get Vergil Ortiz,” Hearn told BoxingScene.

“I just feel like Vergil Ortiz and ‘Boots’ are 1-2 in the division, and I want to make the best fights. That, for me, is the best versus the best in their prime.”

Hearn assessed there’s still a chance to make Ortiz-Ennis, and “we have our fingers crossed it will get made.”

Mirigian and Smith believe they have the right to negotiate for Ortiz, and their lawsuit alleges Golden Boy Promotions and Ortiz are split based on the expiration of Golden Boy’s contract with streaming network DAZN.

An industry official connected to the matter said one way to salvage the fraying situation is to bond DAZN and Golden Boy in an extension.

That would give DAZN the high-profile bout it wants, keep Golden Boy in a broadcast deal and eliminate a key point of dispute in the Ortiz lawsuit.

March 28 in Las Vegas is being held for the bout, with fighters and promoters typically wanting eight weeks to prepare for and market a fight.

In a symbolic act only, Ennis and Ortiz trainers, Bozy Ennis and Robert Garcia, shook hands last week, agreeing to move their fighters to meet sometime this year.

How this week plays out will be compelling, a scintillating bout hanging in the balance. 

 

LAS VEGAS – Diego Pacheco’s ascension to a title fight couldn’t have been scripted any better.

And as a Friday purse bid looms for his WBO super-middleweight title fight versus Hamzah Sheeraz, Pacheco has made a move to ensure he’s properly advised and effectively represented.

South Central Los Angeles’ Pacheco 25-0 (18KOs) tells BoxingScene he’s retained Sheer Sports Management to help him navigate his turn to potential free agency after years with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

“Diego represents everything we look for in a fighter: discipline, maturity and elite-level talent,” Sheer Sports CEO Ken Sheer told BoxingScene. “Our responsibility is to manage his career with intention and precision as he continues his path toward becoming a world champion.”

Pacheco, 24, fought two main events and one co-main for Matchroom on DAZN in 2025, defeating Steven Nelson, Trevor McCumby and Kevin Lele Sadjo each by unanimous decision.

The campaign moved Pacheco to the title fight precipitated by undisputed champion Terence Crawford’s December retirement, but it left something to be desired from those who watched, and from Pacheco himself.

Nelson going the distance, and then getting knocked out in the first round one fight later looked bad, and Sadjo dropped Pacheco.

Vowing to fulfill the promise others have projected from the 6-feet-4 fighter with a 79-inch reach, Pacheco sees the timing of his situation as all the incentive he’ll need.

The purse bid process has the potential to become a lucrative affair given that Sheeraz, a favorite fighter of Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh, is promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. Matchroom’s interest is expected if it plans to extend Pacheco, and there’s also the fact that Dana White’s new promotion Zuffa Boxing is eager to collect champions and elite contenders.

“I’m excited about the future,” Pacheco told BoxingScene. “I made a decision for the best of my career moving forward. I felt I was in need of a good management team that was going to back me up in every decision. I’m there, ready to fight for a world title, so I felt it was time to get with a team that would be my team for the rest of my career and be one I can achieve great things with.

“For me, it’s a dream come true to fight for a world title, and it’s been a long journey since I started this at 10 years old. I’m here now. I can’t put into words how much this means to me. I’m motivated to take care of business and become a world champion.”

Pacheco explained his purse money over the 2025 bouts was pre-negotiated between himself and Matchroom.

“I didn’t have management [because] there was nothing to negotiate with Matchroom, it was already set,” he said. “Now that the opportunity is there for a world title, I decided to get a good team behind me to make sure they’re taking care of me and looking over all my stuff.”

The 26-year-old Sheeraz, 22-1-1 (18 KOs), is coming off a summer knockout of former super-middleweight title challenger Edgar Berlanga.

Pacheco has watched Sheeraz’s recent bouts closely, particularly his February draw with WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames, whom Pacheco sparred with in preparation for that bout.

“I was in camp with Adames and we got great work together – 12 rounds straight. Dog work,” Pacheco said. “So I saw that fight, saw the fight [Sheeraz] had with [Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams], and the Berlanga fight. I like his style, feel he’s a good boxer. I feel I’m a better boxer and feel I’ll show that when we get together in the ring.”

Pacheco witnessed Alalshikh racing to Sheeraz’s corner late in the Adames fight, apparently advising him of the television scoring showing Sheeraz was trailing in the bout. Still, that favored-son status doesn’t bother Pacheco from traveling out of the U.S. for the fight, which he expects to occur by the summer.

“Yeah, [Sheeraz] 100 percent [is favored], but I still like my chances,” Pacheco said. “[The fight] can go to Saudi, U.K., I don’t mind it going anywhere.”

He heads to the bout committed to improve in training from the mixed results of 2025.

“The best thing about it was getting that experience. I was in there with some good fighters. For me to get those quality rounds will benefit me going forward,” Pacheco said.

“The experience of the different styles is so important. And I decided to leave training in Washington [with Jose Benavidez Snr] and come back to L.A. Having my team here, I’m trying to be better everyday.

“Sheer Sports has a clear vision for my career and believes in my long-term potential. This is about alignment, growth and putting the right team around me as I chase a world championship.”

This is a full weekend – especially on Saturday, January 31.

That day will feature Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson headlining a pay-per-view; Bakhram Murtazaliev defending his world title against Josh Kelly; Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou meeting in a unification bout; plus a notable super middleweight bout between Jacob Bank and William Scull.

Here’s what you need to know, starting with our top pick:

Pick it: Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson

When to Watch: Saturday, January 31 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time (11 p.m. GMT)

How to watch: DAZN Pay-Per-View

Why to Watch: The lineal junior welterweight champion, Teofimo Lopez, is defending against a talented lightweight titleholder in Shakur Stevenson.

Lopez, 22-1 (13 KOs), is a two-division champion. The 28-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, is the current king at 140lbs and the former top guy at 135.

Lopez was being groomed for success by promoter Top Rank in the latter part of the 2010s. He won his first lightweight title belt with ease by knocking out Richard Commey in about four minutes in late 2019. That was followed by a big match with Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020. Lopez took the first half of the fight, and Lomachenko came on too late to overcome the deficit. Lopez seized the throne via unanimous decision.

His reign didn’t last long. Thirteen months later, in Lopez’s first defense, he suffered a massive upset against George Kambosos Jnr. Lopez was dropped in the first round and lost a split decision. That would be it for “The Takeover” at 135.

Lopez subsequently entered junior welterweight with a sixth-round TKO of the 34-1-1 Pedro Campa and a split decision over contender Sandor Martin. None of this created high expectations for Lopez, but he once again fought up to the moment when he took on Josh Taylor, who was no longer undisputed but still had the WBO belt and lineal recognition. Lopez clearly outpointed Taylor in June 2023 and became the new champ at 140.

Three defenses have followed: decisions over Jamaine Ortiz, Steve Claggett and Arnold Barboza. This fourth defense, against Stevenson, represents Lopez’s most talented opponent since Lomachenko.

Stevenson, 24-0 (11 KOs), is the current WBC lightweight titleholder and previously held a pair of world titles at 130lbs and a title belt at 126. A win over Teofimo Lopez would make him a four-division titleholder and would be his second Ring Magazine championship.

Stevenson, a 28-year-old originally from Newark, New Jersey, took home a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics and soon turned pro with fanfare. In 2019, he widely outpointed the previously unbeaten Joet Gonzalez to capture the vacant WBO featherweight belt, then moved up in weight without defending it.

In late 2021, Stevenson dominated Jamel Herring to take the WBO junior lightweight title. One fight later, he widely outpointed Oscar Valdez to add the WBC belt and vacant Ring championship. Stevenson came in overweight for his next bout against Robson Conceicao, taking the decision but vacating his belts in the process. He then headed up to lightweight.

Stevenson’s stint at 135lbs has seen him try to find the right mix of offense and defense. He is so skilled that he can easily make opponents miss, but he hasn’t always prioritized making them pay afterward. As a result, there have been fights that weren’t as entertaining to watch. Yet he also doesn’t want to take unnecessary punishment while building a fan base. 

With that said, Stevenson’s two most recent outings – a TKO of late replacement Josh Padley last February and a clear decision over top contender William Zepeda in July – were much more enjoyable than the two that came before. Stevenson was widely derided after outpointing Edwin De Los Santos to pick up the vacant WBC title, and his first defense against Artem Harutyunyan wasn’t overly aesthetically pleasing either. 

It will be interesting to see what style and strategy Stevenson brings after moving up in weight to challenge the skilled Lopez. And it will also be interesting to see what Stevenson decides to do afterward if he picks up the victory, the WBO junior welterweight belt and the lineal championship at 140lbs. There are good fights available for him both in this packed weight class and back down at lightweight.

The undercard includes two additional title fights, plus two other notable bouts. 

One title fight will see Carlos Adames, 24-1-1 (18 KOs), back nearly a year after his controversial draw with Hamzah Sheeraz. Adames will defend his WBC belt against Austin “Ammo” Williams, 19-1 (13 KOs), who has won three straight since being stopped by Sheeraz in 2024.

In the other title fight, the vacant WBC featherweight belt is up for grabs after its previous owner, Stephen Fulton, badly missed weight in a junior lightweight title bout against O’Shaquie Foster in December. Competing for the title are WBC interim titleholder Bruce Carrington, 16-0 (9 KOs), and second-ranked Carlos Castro, 30-3 (14 KOs), who hasn’t fought since a debatable split decision loss to Fulton in September 2024.

Also on this show, former lightweight titleholder Keyshawn Davis, 13-0 (9 KOs), is fighting for the first time in a year after coming in way over 135lbs last June, causing his defense against Edwin De Los Santos to be called off. Davis has moved up to 140lbs and will debut in this weight class against Jamaine Ortiz, 20-2-1 (10 KOs). Ortiz’s only losses came on the scorecards against Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2022 and Teofimo Lopez in 2024. He is on a three-fight winning streak.

And in a heavyweight attraction, Jarrell Miller, 26-1-2 (22 KOs), will meet Kingsley Ibeh, 16-2-1 (14 KOs).

More Fights to Watch

Friday, January 30: Bryan Flores vs. Starling Castillo (ProBox TV)

The broadcast begins at 6 p.m. Eastern Time (11 p.m. GMT).

Flores, 27-1-1 (16 KOs), is a 29-year-old from Mexico who lives in Las Vegas. Two fights ago, he lost a split decision to junior welterweight contender Lindolfo Delgado in August 2024. Flores returned this past May and needed just four minutes to dispose of the 18-2-1 Hernan Leandro Carrizo.

Castillo, 20-1-1 (13 KOs), is a 30-year-old from the Dominican Republic. Both of those blemishes came in 2022: a unanimous decision loss to the 10-0 Otar Eranosyan and a draw with the 14-0 Kenny De Leon. Both of those opponents remain undefeated to this day. Castillo has won three decisions in a row – fending off low blows and biting from the 12-0 Esteuri Suero, defeating the 13-1-1 Jesus Saracho and, last August, outpointing the 21-2-1 Shinard Bunch. 

Bunch is a common opponent for Flores and Castillo; Flores took a split nod over him in 2023.

In the co-feature, featherweight Sulaiman Segawa, 18-5-1 (7 KOs), will fight for the second time since his debated majority decision loss to Bruce Carrington in September 2024. Segawa spent nearly a year away before returning last September and bouncing back with a good seventh-round TKO of the 20-1 Bryan Acosta, whose only other loss came against Ramon Cardenas. Segawa is 34 years old, is better than his record indicates, and will have the advantage in experience but will be taking on someone who is young, undefeated and hungry.

Segawa’s opponent is Rene Palacios, 18-0-1 (10 KOs), who is taking a big step up in level of opposition. His recent wins have come against opponents with records of 20-10-1, 9-9 and 20-8-2, but his team is confident that the 24-year-old is ready for this challenge..

(Note: BoxingScene and ProBox TV are both owned by Garry Jonas.)

Saturday, January 31: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou (Top Rank Classics)

The broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time (11:30 p.m. GMT). The Top Rank Classics channel is available online and on smart televisions via The Roku Channel, Tubi and Vizio. 

Abass Baraou, 17-1 (9 KOs), is the WBA junior middleweight titleholder. His lone defeat came in 2020, when he dropped a razor-thin split decision to Jack Culcay. Baraou has won eight fights since then, the most notable coming in his last outing in August. 

Baraou came in that night as the underdog against highly touted contender Yoenis Tellez, who held a secondary WBA belt while Terence Crawford remained the organization’s primary titleholder at 154lbs. The fight took place in Orlando, Florida, which had regularly hosted the Cuban Tellez. Baraou was not at all intimidated and took the fight to his 10-0 foe, building a commanding lead and dropping Tellez in the 12th round to punctuate his unanimous decision victory.

Baraou has since been upgraded. The 31-year-old from Germany is once again going to hostile territory, traveling to Puerto Rico to face Xander Zayas. 

Zayas, 22-0 (13 KOs), is the WBO junior middleweight titleholder at 154lbs. He won the vacant belt in July, when he defeated Jorge Garcia Perez via unanimous decision. Garcia Perez had previously given highly touted junior middleweight contender Charles Conwell his first defeat.

Now Zayas is simultaneously doing a victory lap while taking a unification bout. The 23-year-old hails from Puerto Rico and lives in Florida, and he’s headlining in his homeland while hoping to become the next icon from the boxing-loving island. The show is being held in San Juan at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, also known as the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot.

The win over Garcia Perez was a nice step up for Zayas, whose biggest wins before then were wide decisions over former title challenger Patrick Teixeira and the 25-2 Damian Sosa, and a ninth-round TKO of the 20-0 Slawa Spomer. Zayas is still young, yet he’s been fighting professionally since he was 17 and should no longer be competing against the second and third tiers of his weight class.

Facing Baraou, a fellow titleholder, is a good way to go into deeper waters without necessarily going in over his head too soon. Depending on if he wins on Saturday, and how he looks, Zayas and his team could then figure out what the logical next step would be. 

The winner will leave this unification bout with two world titles and an eye on the other men with belts – Sebastian Fundora (WBC) is expected to face Keith Thurman next, while Bakhram Murtazaliev (IBF) is due to defend against Josh Kelly on the same day as Baraou vs. Zayas. There’s also the WBA’s secondary titleholder, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, who may see this as a good option if a deal for a highly anticipated bout with Vergil Ortiz Jnr can’t be made.

For Zayas, the lack of a television contract right now for his promoter, Top Rank, could come into play. Either they would need to take on notable fighters who are with other companies that have TV or streaming deals, or we may see Zayas ply his trade in Puerto Rico and Florida against lesser foes, relying on ticket sales to make money while continuing to build him into an attraction.

The WBO’s junior middleweight rankings list Kelly at No. 1, followed by Brandon Adams, Keith Thurman, Rashidi Ellis, Serhii Bohachuk, Giovani Santillan, Adrian Marcelo Sasso, Israil Madrimov, Callum Walsh, Garcia Perez, Julian Vogel, Nikita Tszyu, Milan Prat, Marco Ezequiel Garcia Ovejero and Yoenis Tellez.

Saturday, January 31: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Josh Kelly (DAZN)

The broadcast begins at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (7 p.m. GMT).

Bakhram Murtazaliev, 23-0 (17 KOs), is the IBF junior middleweight titleholder. He had a fantastic 2024 that was seemingly squandered in 2025. He’s hoping to get his career back in gear in 2026.

Murtazaliev is a 33-year-old from Russia who lives near Los Angeles, California. In April 2024, he traveled to Germany and knocked out Jack Culcay in the 11th round to capture the vacant IBF belt. That made him a desirable opponent for Tim Tszyu, who was returning from losing his world title to Sebastian Fundora and wanted to jump straight back in.

Murtazaliev took Tszyu into the deep end and wouldn’t let him float. In the main event of an October 2024 show on Amazon’s Prime Video, Murtazaliev dropped Tszyu four times and scored a stunning third-round TKO.

Murtazaliev hasn’t been seen since.

Yes, he was recovering from a hand injury suffered in sparring before the Tszyu bout. But he was back in the gym as of last January. Whether Murtazaliev is the boogeyman at 154lbs, or if his inactivity is the product of being with a promoter (Main Events) that doesn’t have a network contract, he didn’t fight at all last year. It didn’t help that Erickson Lubin had been in line for a shot at Murtazaliev but ultimately pulled out of the purse bid process in order to face Vergil Ortiz Jnr instead.

Josh Kelly, 17-1-1 (9 KOs), is a 31-year-old junior middleweight from Sunderland, England, about half an hour from this show at Utilita Arena Newcastle in Newcastle, England. He is ranked third by the IBF – the two spots above him are vacant – and first by the WBO.

Kelly’s amateur career peaked with competing in the 2016 Olympics, where he won one fight in the welterweight tournament before losing to the eventual gold medalist, Daniyar Yeleussinov. Kelly turned pro in 2017 and was moved quickly – perhaps too quickly – with optimism about his amateur pedigree clouding a need for further seasoning. That need showed up in 2019, when Kelly was held to a draw against Ray Robinson, and again in early 2021, when Kelly was stopped in the sixth round by David Avanesyan.

But moving up to junior middleweight has revitalized Kelly, who is on a seven-fight winning streak (one bout against a late replacement opponent took place at middleweight). He gave Troy Williamson his first loss in 2022. He did the same to that aforementioned late replacement, Ishmael Davis, in 2024. Kelly fought just once last year, and he only got in two minutes of action before putting away the 24-1 Flavius Biea.

The undercard includes Elif Nur Turhan, 12-0 (8 KOs), making the first defense of her IBF lightweight title after seizing it in December with a stellar fifth-round of Beatriz Ferreira – capping a campaign that earned Nur Turhan BoxingScene’s Women’s Fighter of the Year award. Nur Turhan will face Taylah Gentzen, 8-1 (3 KOs), who has won two straight since a split decision loss to the 4-0 Shauna Browne in January 2025.

Also on this show: Josh Padley, 17-1 (5 KOs), is back for the third time since getting stopped by Shakur Stevenson last February. He will take on Jaouad Belmehdi, 23-2-3 (11 KOs).

Saturday, January 31: Jacob Bank vs. William Scull (DAZN)

The broadcast begins at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (7 p.m. GMT).

Jacob Bank and William Scull are two ranked super middleweights vying for a better position in an in-flux division. 

Bank, 17-0 (9 KOs), is a 24-year-old from Kolding, Denmark, where he’ll headline at the Sydbank Arena. He is ranked fourth by the WBO and 12th by the WBC. Bank’s recent victories include wins over two undefeated but unheralded foes: a fourth-round TKO of the 13-0 Ibo Diallo and a wide decision against the 17-0 Damian Biacho. In his last appearance, Bank stopped former 168lbs titleholder Tyron Zeuge in the fifth round in September.

Scull, 23-1 (9 KOs), is a 33-year-old Cuban living in Germany. He is ranked 10th by the IBF, a steep drop for that organization’s former super middleweight titleholder. Scull won the vacant belt in 2024 after Saul “Canelo” Alvarez dropped it, and then he lost it back to Canelo in a drearily defensive performance in May 2025.

The undercard includes another Danish fighter – lineal bantamweight champion Dina Thorslund, 23-0 (9 KOs) – who is returning for the first time since October 2024. Thorslund had stepped away in 2025 and vacated her two sanctioning body belts after announcing her pregnancy; sadly Thorslund suffered a miscarriage. She will face Almudena Alvarez, 7-3 (2 KOs), for the WBC’s interim featherweight belt; the WBC’s primary titleholder is Tiara Brown.

Sunday, February 1: Jose Valenzuela vs. Diego Torres (Paramount+)

The broadcast begins at 6 p.m. Eastern Time (11 p.m. GMT).

Jose Valenzuela, 14-3 (9 KOs), is a former junior welterweight titleholder who upset Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz for the WBA belt in August 2024 but lost it in his first defense, a wide defeat to Gary Antuanne Russell last March. This is the first fight back for Valenzuela, a 26-year-old from Mexico living in Washington state, and he’s returning to lightweight for this bout. He is ranked eighth at 135lbs by the WBA.

Torres, 22-1 (19 KOs), is a 28-year-old from Mexico. He was stopped in the eighth round by Raymond Muratalla in late 2023; Muratalla has since become a lightweight titleholder. Torres, meanwhile, has notched four consecutive victories, most recently taking out the 12-3-2 Ridwan Oyekola in the fifth round in August. Torres is ranked 13th at lightweight by the IBF.

On the undercard, Serhii Bohachuk, 26-3 (24 KOs), is back for the first time since his disappointing rematch loss to Brandon Adams in September. Bohachuk, a junior middleweight contender, will compete at middleweight given that Zuffa Boxing is limiting the number of weight classes it features. 

Bohachuk will face Radzhab Butaev, 16-1 (12 KOs), a former welterweight contender who’s been incredibly inactive since losing a split decision to Eimantas Stanionis in April 2022. Butaev fought once in November 2023, putting away the 11-1 Fazliddin Gaibnazarov after three rounds, and then was gone again until November 2025, shaking off rust over the course of eight rounds with a 3-12-4 foe.

Also on this show is a bout between former light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, 21-2 (17 KOs), and Radivoje Kalajdzic, 29-3 (21 KOs). Coincidentally, Gvozdyk was David Benavidez’s first fight at light heavyweight while Kalajdzic was the same for David Morrell before the two Davids faced off. Kalajdzic hasn’t fought since that decision loss in August 2024; Gvozdyk won a third-round knockout last April against a 9-7-3 opponent.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.

 

PHOENIX – Four weight divisions and three title reigns into his career, Emanuel Navarrete one day reached a point when he wondered when he could land at least one major title fight.

That was when he took matters into his own hands.

The current WBO 130lbs titlist from San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico made a point to be ringside for IBF titleholder Eduardo “Sugar” Nuñez’s win over Christopher Diaz last September in the latter’s Los Mochis hometown. More so, he immediately entered the ring to join his countryman, where they engaged in a face-off as a tease to set up a future two-belt showdown.

After years of attempting to speak such stakes into existence, Navarrete’s hands-on approach ultimately secured a dream assignment.

“I’m really excited about this fight with Sugar Nuñez. More than the fight, the main goal has been to unify these titles,” Navarrete told BoxingScene during a recent media day at 435 Collective in Phoenix to promote his clash with Nuñez. “But I am happy that it begins with him. I studied him for probably six months and knew that he was the one I wanted to fight next.

“I was very happy for him that he won that night in Los Mochis.”

Navarrete, 39-2-1 (31 KOs; 1 No-Contest) and Nuñez, 30-1 (28 KOs) will meet atop a February 28 DAZN show from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

To the surprise of nobody, both boxers agreed almost immediately to a head-on collision. Nuñez – who is co-promoted by BXSTRS Promotions and Matchroom Boxing was formally presented with the opportunity shortly after his 12-round, unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rico’s Diaz. He and his side were quick to accept terms.

The rest was in Navarrete’s hands. The three-division titlist has not fought since what was ruled at the time as a technical decision win over then-unbeaten Suarez last May in San Diego, California. The fight ended due to a cut suffered by Navarrete, at the time ruled as the result of a clash of heads.

Suarez’s team successfully appealed the ruling, to the point where it was converted to a No-Contest. Another out-of-the-ring victory was gained when the WBO ordered an immediate rematch, which left Navarrete in a predicament.

The matter extended through the WBO’s annual convention, held in late October in Bogota, Colombia. A final extension was granted to sort out final details, before a purse bid would decide matters.

However, the 15-day period was less for Navarrete and Suarez to reach terms for a second fight and more so for Top Rank – who promotes both boxers – to work out a step-aside package for the Filipino contender. Such arrangements were made to the satisfaction of all parties involved, including the WBO who permitted Navarrete to move forward with the unification bout.

“I’m really appreciative of Charly Suarez and his team working with us to allow this fight to happen,” acknowledged Navarrete. “This is a business and I know he could have stood his ground and demanded an immediate rematch instead of stepping aside.

“This was a fight that I badly wanted but also, I know I owe Suarez that rematch after this. This year will be focused on collecting belts, but it’s also important to settle unfinished business with Suarez.”

The upcoming all-Mexico clash marks Navarrete’s first unification bout after a period of more than seven years on the title stage, spanning 16 fights over four weight divisions. He’s held the WBO title at both 122lbs and 126lbs. Neither reign came within sniffing distance of getting a fellow beltholder into the ring.

There was a time where he wondered if it would happen at 130lbs. Navarrete won the vacant WBO belt at the weight in a February 2023 knockout of Liam Wilson, also at Desert Diamond Arena where he returned for an August 2023 points win over Oscar Valdez in their first fight.

Navarrete returned to Arizona, this time to the heart of Phoenix, for his December 2024 rematch with Valdez whom he knocked out in six one-sided rounds. The career-best win came seven months after he dropped a 12-round decision to Denys Berinchyk in their May 2024 vacant IBF 135lbs title fight.

Just one title defense came in 2025, his abovementioned No-Contest with Suarez.

Finally, good news has come for what will mark his first fight of 2026 and fifth defense of his current title.

“I have never gave up on the goal to become undisputed champion,” Navarrete stated. “All I need is that first step, and now I have it with this fight.”

Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.

Nearly a month has passed since a lethal auto accident involving Anthony Joshua – one that killed two of his best friends and team members, and that left the former two-time unified heavyweight champ recovering from his own physical injuries and emotional trauma.

It’s impossible to know exactly how soon is too soon, but already speculation has begun regarding if and when the 36-year-old Joshua will return to the ring. But on Saturday in Las Vegas, on the DAZN broadcast of the Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz card from the Fontainebleau as well as in a BoxingScene interview, Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn was asked those very questions.

“I was with him last week,” Matchroom’s Hearn told BoxingScene. “Obviously, physically, he's recovering. Emotionally and spiritually, he's recovering – and there's not really any talk about boxing, to be honest.”

Joshua was in Nigeria (where he has familial roots), near Lagos, on December 29 when a car in which he and friends Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami were passengers collided with a cargo truck. Ayodele and Ghami were killed in the crash, and driver Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode was charged with multiple crimes. Kayode’s case, initially scheduled for January 20, was adjourned until February 25.

“I mean, a lot of people ask me, ‘When is he going to fight again?’” Hearn said. “And the answer is, it's not even been discussed. I think it's one of those where you leave him to do what he needs to do at his time. And that is, like I said, to recover physically, to mourn, to look after the families of Sina and [Latif]. And then, if the time comes where he goes, ‘I'm ready,’ then he'll go back into training camp.”

Hearn said he believes Joshua, 29-4 (26 KOs), a 12-year pro and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, will eventually return to the sport. And although Joshua trains every day, those reps in the gym, according to Hearn, are more a form of therapy for the fighter than any indication of his imminent return.

If anything, Joshua is currently getting signals from his team to take things slow in his recovery. Interviewed on DAZN, Hearn acknowledged that Joshua had been cheating a bit by hitting pads against doctor’s orders.

“He shouldn't have been doing that,” Hearn said. “I mean, he got told off by the physio because he does have some injuries himself that he's getting over. So, yeah, I think he's one of those where you don't really push the boxing front. It's one for Anthony to return from. I think when the time is ready, if that time even comes again, it'll come through Anthony Joshua – it won't come through me and won't come for anybody saying, ‘What do you think? When do you think you want to fight again?’ It's got to come from within.”

Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.

LAS VEGAS – For all the knowledge gained in higher education, Raymond Muratalla knew the lessons of the school of hard knocks would lift him to boxing’s heights.

Saturday night, in a punishing, dogged display, Muratalla retained his IBF lightweight belt by defeating Cuba’s 2021 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz by majority decision scores of 114-114 (Max DeLuca), 118-110 (Tim Cheatham) and 116-112 (Steve Weisfeld) at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

“I deserved to be here and I showed it,” said Muratalla, 24-0 (17 KOs), who was raised in the blue-collar Southern California community of Fontana.

Cruz’s distinguished practice from the Cuban boxing school and his Olympic gold “didn’t matter to me – his background, who he was,” Muratalla said. “I was in the gym working hard.”

Muratralla’s plan was to keep the fight competitive through the first half, then rely on his comfort with going into late rounds to decide the outcome versus the Olympic champion who defeated former lightweight titleholder Keyshawn Davis in the 2021 Summer Games gold medal fight in Brazil.

But Cruz took this fight with only six pro bouts, and had never gone past 10 rounds.

“I’m not happy, but that’s life – and a loss will not define me,” Cruz, 30, said. “I always said it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Cruz beat Muratalla to the punch at the start, striking him with a fast right to the head and quick left to the face, displaying the hand-speed advantage that Muratalla answered with a clean right to the body.

The pair produced intense exchanges in the second, during which a Muratalla power right was the best punch, while Cruz dealt rapid responses and at one point landed a right flush after he made Muratalla whiff.

The third round heightened everything as Cruz and Muratalla exchanged body blows for quick head blows, the action gripping the crowd.

A similar display repeated in the fourth with Cruz withstanding the power to keep with his plan to land precisely.

Cruz’s sharpness and pedigree were on display, but Muratalla wasn’t deterred, reverting to his harder edges to pound the left side of Cruz’s torso and appear to hurt him early in the sixth.

Muratalla longed to dig deep, after hearing the snickers that he gained his belt only because Vasiliy Lomachenko retired.

“I’m a champion at the end of the day. I came to do what I had to do,” Muratalla said. “I was putting pressure and taking him into deep waters. I didn’t think he could handle it.”

The action remained even in the seventh when Muratalla was urged to throw more body punches by trainer Robert Garcia after smacking Cruz’s midsection. Cruz, meanwhile, worked to keep busy and close, willing to pay the price of doing so.

“He was trying to counter me, but I wasn’t allowing it,” Muratalla said. “I proved that I deserved to be a champion. I showed it.”

Staying busy and effective won Cruz the gold medal, and he relied on that same approach during the eighth.

He opened the ninth with clean blows, emphasizing the importance of timing, and then proved his substance, punching through Muratalla’s body punishment.

Cruz belted Muratalla with a hard right to the face early in the 10th, and flexed his smarts by turning to his jab into a difference maker in the narrow action that followed.

“I always want to do more, but I thought I did enough to get the victory,” Cruz said.

In the end, however, Muratalla was the one decorated in the gold of the belt that he now truly owns.

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.

LAS VEGAS – Eddie Hearn has witnessed Zuffa Boxing’s foray into the backstage business of the sport, seeing UFC CEO/President Dana White’s new combat sports company already seize an asset that was formerly aligned with Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, IBF cruiserweight titleholder Jai Opataia.

And now, with more of Hearn’s prize fighters also entering or nearing free agency – including unified junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and upcoming super middleweight title challenger Diego Pacheco – the competition to retain/secure talent has intensified.

On Thursday, after Hearn directed the news conference for Saturday night’s DAZN-streamed IBF lightweight title fight pitting his former Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz, 6-0 (3 KOs), versus Top Rank’s new world titlist Raymond Muratalla, 23-0 (17 KOs), at the Fontainebleau Resort, he assessed the sport’s rapidly changing landscape.

“I think they’ll go after a number of fighters, really,” Hearn told BoxingScene of Zuffa Boxing.

“But it’s all very confusing. Their narrative and the messaging is all over the place. I actually don’t think they know what they’re doing.”

Hearn is referencing the contrast in Zuffa originally pushing the message that it wanted to stage fights among boxers under its own banner, posting its own rankings and awarding its own belts, versus this week’s signing of Opetaia, with the Australian pressing for unification bouts versus rival-promotion fighters.

“On one hand, it’s like, ‘We’re not recognizing any belts,’ and on the other, with Jai, it’s, ‘We’re doing a unification,’ which they won’t get. They’ll just get random fights,” Hearn said in reference to currently unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez being promoted by White’s longtime antagonist Oscar De La Hoya.

As for Friday’s Zuffa Boxing debut card on Paramount+ headlined by unbeaten middleweight Callum Walsh, with unbeaten middleweight Misael Rodriguez and unbeaten welterweight Cain Sandoval filling out the top three bouts, Hearn asked, “What is going on [Friday] night?

“Is it the [start of their] league [awarding Zuffa belts], or is it just some random fights? What is the narrative? If you’re not pushing belts, then you’re not pushing a story. When you interview Callum Walsh and ask, ‘What’s next?’ what’s he say? Can he fight for a world championship?”

Walsh said he hopes to fight for a Zuffa Boxing belt later this year.

Hearn speaks regularly to signed and unsigned fighters, learning what the buzz is over Zuffa Boxing’s launch.

“With the fighters, there’s a mixture of excitement and ‘What is this?’” Hearn said. “If you’re not really going anywhere [as a prospect/contender] and you’ve got the option to join the league, I think it’s a great deal.

“If you’ve got a brain and you want belts and you want legacy, I think it’s a disaster. Again, I don’t think [Zuffa] knows yet what they want to do. Dana definitely doesn’t. The guys behind the scene have written down on a napkin how it’s going to look, but I don’t think they know boxing.”

The scene is far different than when Hearn expanded his British-based Matchroom promotion to the US in late 2018, telling reporters back then of his interest in rounding up gifted Latino fighters and staging major title fights across the nation with the backing of another well-funded streaming partner, DAZN.

“Everything was based on the world championship and the world rankings and positioning your fighters to become a world champion, like in this fight [with Cruz facing Muratalla on DAZN],” Hearn said.

“I couldn’t imagine coming here and putting on three [non-title] 10-rounders. What’s that? If I did the show they’re doing on Friday, I would get crucified by fight fans [wondering], ‘What the … is this?’”

The wonder is how Zuffa Boxing, with a reported $10 million annual backing of Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh, the Paramount+ deal and the support of its corporate giant TKO, which houses the UFC and WWE, will flex its potential financial muscle?

When it was proposed that the capability is there to attempt a boxing takeover, Hearn countered:

“Not really, though. Turki’s put a few quid in, but nothing major. [TKO brass are] businessmen. Their bigger problem is going to be there’ll be a revolt from the UFC stars when the boxers are making so much more money with Dana than they are in the UFC and [boxers are] a tenth of the draw.”

That fraying was seen this week when Saturday UFC main-event fighter Justin Gaethje said he’s earned less than $1 million in bonuses in his distinguished career.

“[Gaethje] is getting less than Jai Opetaia – and he’s selling out T-Mobile Arena, and it’s on Paramount+, and they’re paying [the UFC] tens of millions,” Hearn said.

“It’s going to be a bit tricky. In the first instance, the money that [White is] paying his [Zuffa] league guys is very small, and that’s good for [White] because he can say to the UFC guys, ‘These guys are just making $50,000 to $100,000.’

“When you start bringing in Opetaia or whatever other champions and start paying them $1 million to $5 million to fight when the UFC star is making nowhere near that, it’s, ‘What the fuck?’

“That will be interesting.”

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.

He bounced and bobbed, twitched and shouted, tossed custom T-shirts to the opposition and, at one point, disappeared from the dais altogether.

But nothing spoke so many decibels about the proceedings at Thursday’s Los Angeles press conference for Ryan Garcia’s upcoming welterweight fight against WBC titleholder Mario Barrios as the moment an observer in the cheap seats hijacked a media question and Garcia entertained the back-and-forth.

After declining to predict a round in which he would stop Barrios, even Garcia – boxing’s king of cringe – seemed to sense the air leaving the room and cut things short with the fan: “I got you, bro – don’t trip.”

Then, with almost perfect unintentional comic timing, he quipped:

“That guy is crazy!”

Here we go again. Boxing fans can set their watches by nothing in this mad, mad, mad sport, but they know that if they wait around long enough, they can always count on the next random display of public weirdness from Garcia. To make matters more interesting, at least in theory, Thursday’s weirdness came with a prescribed theme: the alleged betrayal of Garcia’s former trainer Joe Goossen, now in Barrios’ corner.

Forget that Goossen guided Garcia – by then an established 20-fight veteran in the pros – for all of 14 months over three fights. And forget that Goossen was gracious and played down any notion of a rift when he spoke from the dais. Garcia, spurred on by promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions and even by emcee Chris Mannix, was insistent on the narrative.

“You broke my heart, Joe,” Garcia, 24-2 (20 KOs), said from his seat, somehow making a broken-heart hand gesture appear less sincere than usual. Goossen, who stood at the center of the dais having just praised his former fighter and spoken about the high quality of the fight he expected on February 21 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is a savvy guy who had been part of the Garcia carny show for long enough to know when he was being used as a prop.

“My incentive is always the same as it is every fight – for my fighter to win. That’s it,” Goossen said when Mannix stirred the pot. “OK, look, I don't have any resentment. Wherever this resentment is coming from, I don't really know. But the bottom line is, I’ve got nothing against any fighter I’ve ever gone against, ever. OK, I’m just for my fighter, that’s all.”

When Garcia got his turn at the lectern, he thanked all the usual suspects: God, Golden Boy and Turki Alalshikh (whose name the fighter admitted he would butcher and so didn’t bother to try). He shouted out the WBC. No, he really shouted out the WBC, all but rallying those in attendance for a chant. He briefly exited stage left to drag a trio of ring card girls out holding individual placards up high that spelled out the acronym of the sanctioning body.

“Whatever,” Garcia said, finally giving up.

He then indicated he had brought gifts, explaining the backpack he wore to the affair. He began pulling T-shirts from the bag, sorting through them and all but delivering punch lines before establishing the setup – excellent theater, this was. 

Finally, mercifully, he threw a shirt that read “I AM A TRAITOR” to Goossen, who tossed it back, more uninterested than offended. Garcia tried to locate a shirt for Barrios but petered out, shrugging, and moved on. 

In the end, even he couldn’t commit to his own bit.

Meanwhile, Barrios, 29-2-2 (18 KOs), sat stone-faced, at times bemused but totally unbothered, as the absurdity swirled around him. Eventually given his front-and-center moment, he thanked his own people, chuckled and remarked, “This is turning into a circus.”

Garcia, unable to help himself, interjected: “I’m the ringmaster!”

“You’re the ringmaster?” said Barrios, a 30-year-old San Antonian of Hispanic descent, with a chortle. “The payaso.”

Clown.

“Y’all know what I bring every time I step in there,” Barrios said. “You know, they say that he’s focused, that we’re gonna get a Ryan that’s 100 per cent. That makes me happy to hear. So when I whup his ass on the 21st, there ain’t gonna be no excuses.”

In a moment of rare clarity at the event, Garcia – whose father, Henry, has again taken the wheel as his head trainer – addressed his recent performances. 

A destruction of Devin Haney in April 2024 (which was later ruled a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for a PED) was followed by a desultory unanimous decision loss to Rolando “Rolly” Romero last May, all in the wake of substance use and mental health issues that seemed to put Garcia’s career at risk.

“In order to be a great quarterback like Tom Brady, you have to forget what happened and worry about the next play,” Garcia, 27, said. “And that’s what I am [doing]. Just the next play. I got to go grab that title. I’m hungry, excited and I’m ready to put on the show. To me, it’s all a show. I want to put on the best show possible. And you guys are going to get a great, great fight. This guy ain't going to lay down. And I actually got to be more careful of him. If I’m sleeping, he’ll beat my ass. So right now, I’m super locked in, and you’re gonna see, obviously, the best version of myself that you’ve ever seen.”

Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.

The Raymond Muratalla-Andy Cruz lightweight title bout at Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a cancel-your-Saturday-plans type of fight.

(Please suspend disbelief and go along with the theoretical concept of me actually having Saturday plans.)

Muratalla vs. Cruz is just about everything we crave in a boxing matchup. They’re both undefeated as pros, they’re both in their physical primes, the clash of styles is compelling, the chance of a mismatch is minimal, both men have knockout power and both men have shown they can get hit and hurt.

We let boxing mistreat and abuse us because of the promise of nights like this — a fight that is happening at the right time and the outcome of which tells us something about the hierarchy atop the weight class while setting a path forward for additional first-class fights.

This is by no means a superfight — neither Cruz nor Muratalla is at the level of star power or accomplishment to be part of a bout with such a designation. But it’s just a damned good title fight. It’s a fight you make plans to watch live and unspoiled if you’re a real fan of this sport.

Except to a certain extent you can’t watch it unspoiled no matter when you see it.

Because I’m going to spoil it for you now: Cruz’s hand will be raised at the end. Muratalla can’t win.

I did a little tape study this week in search of a column angle, and as I assessed both boxers’ strengths and weaknesses and jotted down notes, with each round I watched, with each comparison I drew between the two men, it became abundantly clear what the outcome has to be, and in turn what my angle had to be.

As hard-fought and competitive as this contest is likely to be, we know going in that Bruce Willis is [spoiler redacted], that Vader is Luke’s [spoiler redacted], that soylent green is made out of [spoiler redacted]. It’s a hell of a fight, but BoxRec can go ahead and update their records now and list Cruz at 7-0 and Muratalla at 23-1.

Why am I so certain of that? Well, I’ll break it down in some detail as I call upon those tape-study notes, but the top-line is that Cruz, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist and three-time world amateur champion, brings rare skills and talents to the table, whereas Muratalla is someone Eleanor Shellstrop would point at and say, “Ya basic.”

The 29-year-old Muratalla is a fine boxer. He’s a fairly heavy puncher, with 17 KOs among his 23 wins. He’s reasonably versatile. But all the things he does are things we’ve seen thousands of boxers before him do. He’s a quarterback who makes the throws you need him to make and won’t lose the game for you. He’s Matt Hasselbeck.

Cruz is, relatively speaking, Patrick Mahomes. That’s not to say he’s going to be the best fighter or his generation or enter the GOAT conversation, but his capabilities are unique. There are “one-of-one” elements to how the 30-year-old Cuban fights.

And after absorbing all the footage of their past fights, I just don’t see how someone so unusual can lose to someone so, well, usual.

Especially because pretty much everything Muratalla can do, Cruz can do better. I’m not even convinced Muratalla is the heavier-handed puncher, which is one of the one two boxes most observers would instinctively tick off on his side of the ledger (the other being pro experience).

The biggest differentiator that I expect to see on display after the bell rings is in speed in pulling the trigger. Cruz has those instantaneous reflexes, that ability to unleash a punch faster than most people’s brains can process the mere thought of wanting to throw a punch. Muratalla keeps his weapons in holsters. He can get ‘em out when he needs to, he’s no faster or slower than the average guy. He’s a podcast playing at the prescribed 1x speed.

But Cruz is at 1.5x and thinking about giving 2x a shot.

Cruz is also decidedly shiftier with his legs and his upper-body movements. There’s a hyper-athleticism to both the way he punches and the way he fills the spaces in between punches. With Muratalla, there’s an athleticism, but no “hyper” upgrade.

Both men seem most comfortable counterpunching, which raises the question of who will lead on Saturday night. Cruz, however, has a massive advantage in that he can lead with the jab without putting himself at any real risk. His footwork is such that he’s mastered the ability to throw that left jab and get into range to land it but be stepping out of range all in the same motion. It’s almost reminiscent of the first time you watched Michael Jackson moonwalk and struggled to comprehend whether he was moving backward or the whole world was somehow sliding forward beneath his feet.

In theory, Muratalla can counter Cruz’ jab with a left hook — but it’s going to take pinpoint timing, bordering on impossibly pinpoint timing, as long as Cruz remains disciplined.

In general, Muratalla, along with trainer Robert Garcia in devising a game plan, faces the challenge of determining how patient to be. Not that Muratalla is a particularly high volume puncher (he threw 44 punches per round in his last fight over 12 against Zaur Abdullaev and 48 a round over 10 against Tevin Farmer), but there’s a case to be made that he can win rounds by outworking Cruz. The better strategic case, though, is for him to pick his spots. Again, countering is often his default. He just can’t be so patient, so intent on finding the dream opening while worrying that whatever comes back at him will come back faster, that he isn’t producing appreciable offense.

Muratalla, meanwhile, has much more obvious defensive shortcomings for Cruz to take advantage of.

He sometimes pulls straight back with his arms extended — an invitation for a quick-fisted, crafty, instinctive boxer like Cruz to crash home wider, looping punches.

He sometimes puts too much of his weight on his front foot as he circles, leaving him open for a snappy jab.

He sometimes tries the shoulder roll defense, a technique only a handful of fighters in history have been able to pull off. You need to either be elite or be up against someone far from elite for the shoulder roll to work. Neither part of that equation is tilting in Muratalla’s favor in the Cruz fight.

Cruz, who trains with Bozy Ennis in Philadelphia, has turned himself into a defensive mutt in the best way, blending Cuban and Philly influences to form a unique style.

But that’s not to say he’s untouchable. Yes, throughout his CompuBox-tracked career, Cruz has outlanded his opponents by a 4-to-1 ratio. But it’s 4-to-1, not 4-to-0. And there’s no denying he got rocked by an Antonio Moran left hand in the fourth round in August 2024.

Notably, however, that punch did nothing to suggest Cruz has a faulty chin. It landed on his right ear and threw off his equilibrium. Those punches still count, of course, but there’s a flukier element to their impact than a shot that rattles the jaw.

Muratalla’s best moment in probably his most meaningful win, a narrow but deserved decision over a Farmer who’d lost only once in 11 years leading up to that, came when he landed a sensational right hand in the 10th round. But that came about because Farmer — usually defensively responsible — paused and posed inside. It’s the kind of mistake I don’t see Cruz making.

And I’ve barely written a word yet about Cruz’s offense and power punches. He goes to the body with both hands. His left uppercut has emerged as a weapon. He’s shown thudding right-hand power in recent fights, particularly last time out against Hironori Mishiro — who, admittedly, was nowhere near Cruz’s level and probably nowhere near Muratalla’s either — to the point that I wouldn’t be surprised if the better boxer in this matchup is the bigger puncher too.

For all my gushing about Cruz — who, ohbytheway, went 4-0 against Keyshawn Davis in the amateurs, one of those wins clinching Olympic gold — I’ll remind you that I wrote at the top of this column that I believe there’s very little chance of a mismatch here. Muratalla is Cruz’s best opponent to date and is almost certain to keep it competitive, to have moments, to find ways to make Cruz uncomfortable.

If it goes 12 rounds, Muratalla will probably even win a few of them.

I just don’t see how he wins the fight. Even given the reality that any man who balls up his fists and throws punches has a chance at putting the other in standby mode.

This is an outstanding fight that DAZN will be airing Saturday night, and it’s perhaps flying under the radar a bit. It’s being overshadowed by an even better and much bigger fight one week later between Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez, by the more publicized debut of Zuffa Boxing on Paramount+ one night prior to Muratalla-Cruz and by the nonstop onslaught of news lately surrounding fights, fighters, promoters, legislative acts and so on.

But this is a first-rate fight, a “toughest test to date” in both directions, that is worth watching live on Saturday.

Every second I’ve spent on YouTube in advance of it tells me what the destination is here. But you can still count me in for the journey.

It’s like watching The Sixth Sense after you know Bruce Willis is [spoiler redacted]. There’s still plenty to keep an eye out for even if the suspense has been … well, dead the whole time.

Eric Raskin is a veteran boxing journalist with nearly 30 years of experience covering the sport for such outlets as BoxingScene, ESPN, Grantland, Playboy, and The Ring (where he served as managing editor for seven years). He also co-hosted The HBO Boxing Podcast, Showtime Boxing with Raskin & Mulvaney, The Interim Champion Boxing Podcast with Raskin & Mulvaney, and Ring Theory. He has won three first-place writing awards from the BWAA, for his work with The Ring, Grantland, and HBO. Outside boxing, he is the senior editor of CasinoReports and the author of 2014’s The Moneymaker Effect. He can be reached on X, BlueSky, or LinkedIn, or via email at RaskinBoxing@yahoo.com.

 

Andy Cruz expects Saturday’s IBF lightweight title fight with Raymond Muratalla to vindicate his unexpected decision to train in Philadelphia under Derek “Bozy” Ennis.

The Olympic gold medallist, on Saturday at Las Vegas’ Fontainebleau, becomes the first challenger to Muratalla in his reign as champion but in what represents only the Cuban’s seventh professional fight.

Aged 30 Cruz is also perhaps already at his physical peak, but even after so decorated an amateur career there is little question that as a professional there remains plenty for him to prove.

Cruz has made admirable progress since July 2023, the occasion of his professional debut. He has also evolved from a skilled amateur into an aggressive professional in the way that has become expected of one of Ennis’ fighters but in a way that is also atypical for the Cubans of the past.

Perhaps not unlike his compatriots David Morrell and Oslo’s Iglesias, Cruz has complemented his Cuban amateur schooling with the grit demanded of him by Ennis in Philadelphia training alongside Stephen Fulton Jnr, Jack Catterall, and “Bozy’s” son, Jaron “Boots”. 

The favoured route for Cubans turning professional has typically involved relocating to train in the heat of Miami, where there even exists a Little Havana, or perhaps the heat of Las Vegas – where the respected Ismael Salas is based – and against a fighter of Muratalla’s abilities it remains possible that by training in Miami or Vegas, Cruz may well have been better served.

One of the subplots to Saturday’s appealing contest also surrounds the reality that perhaps the world’s most sought-after fight – between Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jnr – would be another between Cruz’s and Muratalla’s respected teams. Muratalla, 29, like Ortiz Jnr trains out of California under Robert Garcia. Cruz, regardless, is convinced that he has long been in the right place.

“It could be a prequel to [Ortiz Jnr-Ennis],” Cruz told BoxingScene. “It’s just the start of a great film – that’s what it would be.

“I wanted to do something different [by training under ‘Bozy’ Ennis], and I think you will see that on Saturday. I wanted to do something different; to get different results – to perhaps other Cubans – and if you want different results you have to go down a different route, so I don’t regret making that decision. I think I’ve learned a great deal. I feel like I’ve still got a lot to learn over in Philly with Bozy, but I think the results are speaking for themselves at the moment.

“It was really difficult for me [to spend the winter in Philadelphia]. I detest the cold. I cannot stand it. I’m a Latino. I like hot weather; I like hot places. But I’ve adapted well. I’ve looked upon it – it’s a sacrifice. It’s just another sacrifice that I have to go through. But I will say it’s not been easy.

“I think it every single day – a lot of people see the results but they don’t really see the sacrifices that go behind that to enable you to get the results. It’s difficult for athletes. The most difficult thing is the process. I’ve gone through a lot of sacrifices and when you go in the ring, that’s the easy part of the sport, but you don’t see all the obstacles that you need to overcome. You have to stop doing things that you enjoy doing. Those sacrifices – that’s the most difficult thing.

“When you see all the success and all the hard work that you put in – the goals that you set yourself – you see that all this was worthwhile. When you get on to those big stages it’s all worthwhile, and that, for me, is one of the most important things. For people to recognise your hard work – the hard work that you put in as well – is a wonderful thing. This is a beautiful sport.”

The leading sacrifice to which Cruz – who lives in Miami when he is not with Ennis – was referring surrounds the fact that to become a professional prizefighter he had little choice but to leave home and defect. He was arrested when preparing to leave Cuba on a boat and therefore lost his place, and the income he was paid for it, on Cuba’s national boxing team. He was also forced to leave his young son Anthony Taylor and girlfriend behind to pursue his professional ambitions. Above all else, he later left – via the Dominican Republic with the help of his co-manager Yolfri Sanchez – to create for them, and for himself, a new life.

Asked if Muratalla represents the best he would have faced, Cruz – who at Tokyo 2020 defeated the widely admired Keyshawn Davis – responded: “Yes. Muratalla’s a great fighter. It’s no surprise – it’s not by coincidence – that he’s champion. He’s a strong, young, quick fighter; he has all the tools that’s required to be a success in boxing. He’s a dignified opponent that I’m facing on Saturday.

“There’s no similarities when you talk about opponents. No two opponents are the same. Each opponent has their own talent; has their own arsenal. The learning experience I had as an amateur – going through and facing different opponents – will help me when it comes to what I need to deal with and how I need to manage the fight, come Saturday.

“He’s a strong fighter. He’s very intelligent. He has a great ring IQ. But also his footwork – he moves very quickly in the ring. Everything you’d want from a boxer, really, to have that great movement.”

Davis moving up to junior welterweight will, regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s fight, take him beyond Cruz’s reach in the near future. Shakur Stevenson also moving up to 140lbs means that Stevenson and Cruz are also unlikely to ever fight.

That Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ legal troubles are keeping him inactive means that Cruz will be denied a further, potential defining fight in the event of him becoming champion, but Abdullah Mason – who in November defeated Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO title – is already on his radar, regardless of Cruz believing that with Stevenson having moved up he is already his division’s number one.

“We don’t know about the number two,” he said.

“What I’d say about Abdullah Mason is he’s a young fighter. He’s obviously got his title – he’s won his world title – he’s someone that’s really making big strides. He’s had a sharp rise. He’s a kid that’s looked at as one of the best out there, and for what he will do in the coming years, but he’s one of the best [today] as well.

“Each athlete and each fighter has their own strategy, and they decide what to do, along with their team. There’s some excellent fighters there. The situation with Gervonta is a real shame; he’s wasting his talents and he probably needs professional help to get out of this. Shakur and my son, Keyshawn Davis, he’s a great fighter, a good fighter, but they decide what to do with their career. But if you become a champion it’s not just about becoming a champion, it’s about going on to defend your belt and become a solid champion – that’s what I believe.

“It would be a dream come true [to win on Saturday], and then it’s also about what you need to do afterwards. It’s not just becoming a champion and winning that belt, it’s also about what you need to do afterwards. It’s not just becoming a champion and winning that belt, it’s about staying there, which is even more difficult. It’s not just about becoming a world champion, it’s about going on and defending your belt in the future.”

A bipartisan effort has moved the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act closer to reality. One of its latest amendments should please the wide spectrum of the sport’s followers who disdain the prevalence of belts.

The act, advanced by the Education and Workforce Committee by a 30-4 vote to the House of Representatives, stipulates that “a sanctioning organization or unified boxing organization shall award only one championship title for each weight class.”

An interim belt would only be awarded “in the case of an injury or illness to a reigning titleholder, refusal or inability by the reigning titleholder to defend [their] title, or for reasons beyond the control of the boxer, including inability to travel.”

Otherwise, the days could be numbered for the current landscape, in which the WBA has at times awarded more than 40 active belts in 17 weight classes, with the sanctioning body charging “champion” fighters up to a 3% fee to win the strap.

WBA officials did not immediately respond to messages left by BoxingScene.

WBO President Gustavo Olivieri said his sanctioning body has “for many years” followed the revised ground rules proposed in Wednesday’s hearing in Washington.

“Not only does that benefit the fighters; it benefits everyone,” Olivieri told BoxingScene. “It benefits the legitimate full champion, because if under that champion, you have a secondary and/or an interim champion or a champion in recess or a regional champion, it undermines the credibility of that particular champion and the sanctioning body and it confuses the fans, the public … I agree with this in that regard.”

Olivieri, a licensed attorney, has been vocal in his response to these proposed new federal regulations that will allow the new Zuffa Boxing promotion to rank fighters and award its own belts to the boxers it keeps in its stable, with company executive and UFC President/CEO Dana White saying he doesn’t intend to work with the four sanctioning bodies and rival promoters.

“Belts matter,” is a common refrain from Olivieri.

Finding common ground on the point that fewer belts matter more could soothe the entry of Zuffa Boxing, which produces its debut card with new streaming partner Paramount+ Friday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Last month, five-division champion Terence Crawford, who fought on Zuffa’s first show versus Canelo Alvarez in September, capturing the undisputed super-middleweight title, was stripped of his WBC belt after not paying $300,000 in sanctioning fees from a reported $50 million purse.

Crawford proceeded to rip the WBC for over-charging fighters.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman said his organization will abide by whatever rules the U.S. institutes on the matter.

Currently, the WBC has 24 full and interim champions and three vacancies in 18 weight classes, not counting special and regional belts.

“The WBC has the affiliation of 176 countries in the world and we respect the laws of each country,” Sulaiman told BoxingScene. “The WBC respects the autonomy and jurisdiction of the federal federations or local boxing commissions where a WBC title [fight] is contested.

“We have to study what this is all about and look into it.” 

 In a prepared statement issued following Wednesday’s session, the bill’s co-author, Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.) said he was pleased with the improvements to the bill, which also included:

– Increasing the proposed minimum payment-per-round for boxers from $150 to $200.

– Expanding the proposed minimum medical coverage from $25,000 to $50,000.

– Updating the proposed timelines and frequency requirements for mandatory medical testing, including eye exams, bloodwork, brain health testing, and related evaluations.

Additionally, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D.-Mn.) won these amendment adoptions:

– Mandating that boxer contracts be no longer than six years.

– Updating the proposed free-agency provisions to allow boxers, beginning 30 days prior to the expiration of their contracts, to initiate contact with other UBOs or promoters.

– Establishing that, in the absence of a bout within any six-month period, a boxer is entitled to compensation equal to ten times the minimum per-round compensation of $200.

“The Committee’s adoption of these amendments is reflective of my desire to create legislation with broad bipartisan support to revive one of America’s greatest sports, in the name of one of its greatest champions, Muhammad Ali,” Jack wrote.

“Today represents a critical step toward passage of the first update to federal boxing law in over a quarter century, and this legislation is now positioned for consideration by the full United States House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support.”

 

Though a heavyweight showdown between veterans Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora is being reported as all set for London in April, BoxingScene understands that official contracts are yet to be signed.

Chisora, 36-13 (23 KOs), has stated that his 50th bout would be his last after a punishing career and behind-the-scenes negotiations were underway to match him with Wilder in December. The American, however, chose to go a different route.

On Monday, when the bout was first reported by Brunch Boxing, Chisora posted a video on social media that showed him signing a contract. A source close to Chisora, who is contracted to Queensberry Promotions, has suggested that the contract seen in the video is not a genuine one and the suggestion of the bout being signed and sealed is "a lot of hot air".

That was followed by a post from Tyson Fury, who is also keen to return in April. “I’ve just heard that Derek Chisora is going to fight Deontay Wilder, two men who I’ve fought three times each,” said Fury. “I think it’s a very, very good fight but on this I’m going to go with my boy, Del Boy ‘War’ Chisora, for a stoppage… There should be a belt on the line here so, one of you sanctioning bodies, we’ve got two legendary fighters here.”

Wilder, 44-4-1 (43 KOs), hasn’t looked belt-worthy since that three-fight rivalry with Fury, however. Though he knocked out Robert Helenius in October 2022, he was then widely outpointed by Joseph Parker the following year and succumbed in five rounds to Zhilei Zhang in his only outing of 2024. A seventh-round stoppage of the limited Tyrell Anthony Herndon last June did little to convince anyone that Wilder, now 40, was on the brink of regaining the form that saw him make 10 successful defenses of the WBC title between 2015 and 2019.

There had been speculation that Wilder would challenge world heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk for his three belts later in the year, with the Ukrainian indicating more than once that the “Bronze Bomber” was his challenger of choice. Should the bout with Chisora go ahead, victory over the 42-year-old is by no means a foregone conclusion. The Englishman's post-Fury form has been better than Wilder’s. After taking a one-sided drubbing from the then-WBC beltholder at the end of 2022 he has outpointed Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce, and Otto Wallin.

A professional boxer’s career is only meant to last so long. We know this. We expect the pound-for-pound list and the superstar strata of the sport to turn over every five or 10 years.

But it’s different for those non-pugilistic participants in and around the ring. Trainers, managers, referees, judges, journalists – those are careers that can easily stretch 30, 40, 50 years.

Even so, all things must end eventually. All old guards must give way to new guards. And on two particular fronts right now in American boxing, the old guard is flirting with ending its shift.

Actually, one of those fronts has already clocked out, which is playing no small role in the other hobbling toward the exits.

Remember boxing on TV? Like, actual networks that could be found on your cable guide airing fights?

For decades, HBO, Showtime and ESPN kept the sport’s blood pumping steadily into living rooms nationwide, but one by one, the executives running those networks – or the honchos at the parent companies of those networks making commandments from the comfort of their yachts – lost interest in boxing.

New corporate overlords laid HBO boxing to rest in October 2018. A similar crew of country club VIPs who live their lives one stock quote at a time axed Showtime boxing at the end of 2023. And finally the suits at ESPN (or the Disney suits those suits report to) caught wind of the trend and got out of the boxing business last July.

(Note: The author contributed in the past as a freelance boxing writer/podcaster for HBO, Showtime and ESPN’s online platforms.)

For most of this century, it’s been widely predicted that MMA would kill boxing. In the end, it wasn’t MMA that killed televised boxing. It was M&A.

(Although, yes, MMA may have executed a takedown before those mergers and acquisitions forced the submission.)

There’s still plenty of boxing to watch on streaming networks, free and otherwise, from ProBox TV to DAZN to, beginning this week, Paramount+. (Note: BoxingScene and ProBox TV are both owned by Garry Jonas)

But boxing has been stripped of its linear title.

And as a result, the U.S.-based promoters we all grew up with are in the process of becoming the next casualty.

Some of them fell to the fringes several years ago – it’s been a little while since anyone thought of either Don King Productions or Main Events as a promotional powerhouse.

But now the rest appear to be crumbling. The holy trinity of American boxing promoters over the last decade-plus have been Top Rank (where the “plus” in “decade-plus” is doing a lot of work), Golden Boy and PBC.

As 2026 dawns, there is legit reason for concern about whether any of those three companies will last the year.

A shift took place around the turn of the century that saw networks acting more like promoters, and promoters acting more like managers, and somewhere along the line, promoters became more reliant on networks to fund their businesses. 

As it stands now, none of those three major American promoters has a network partner – unless you count a streamer that primarily works with you on pay-per-views in which it assumes no financial risk.

Top Rank had ESPN. It doesn’t anymore.

PBC had Showtime. It doesn’t anymore.

Golden Boy had HBO, and then DAZN. It definitely doesn't have HBO anymore and it might not have DAZN anymore, pending ongoing and not especially encouraging negotiations.

By the way, I take no pleasure in discussing the potential demise of any of these companies. I know and admire people employed by all three and hope not to see any of them hunting for jobs. But the facts are the facts.

Top Rank still has a loaded stable of fighters (fully or as a co-promoter), including Naoya Inoue, Tyson Fury, Teofimo Lopez, Mikaela Mayer, O’Shaquie Foster, Rafael Espinoza, Keyshawn Davis, Emanuel Navarrete, Abdullah Mason, Xander Zayas, Raymond Muratalla, Richard Torrez Jnr, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, Christian Mbilli, and on and on and on.

But where are you going to watch them ply their trade if you can’t make it to the arena?

We are approaching six full months since a network kicked in for a Top Rank card. Free Facebook streams and Fubo are fine for fans. But they are very much not a long-term solution. Zayas faces Abass Baraou at Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan in less than two weeks, and the Top Rank website still lists the broadcaster as “To Be Announced.”

As for PBC, the company website lists such championship-level fighters as Mario Barrios, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, Sebastian Fundora, Erislandy Lara, Frank “The Ghost” Martin, and assorted Gary Russells – along with countless retired and/or defected former PBC fighters.

While that page assuredly needs some updating, the schedule page on the Premier Boxing Champions website appears up to date – and couldn't possibly be more depressing. There are no fights listed, just the words “new fight schedule coming soon.”

Just a couple of months after Showtime’s boxing program got kiboshed, PBC announced with much fanfare and excitement its replacement arrangement with Amazon Prime. But in 2024 and 2025 combined, there were just 12 Prime cards (one every two months, on average), and eight of them were on pay-per-view (meaning a Prime subscription got you one boxing card every six months).

This has not been the audacious and productive leap into the streaming future that anyone in the sport hoped for. Jeff Bezos has about as much money as 2,500 Al Haymons, but apparently he isn’t interested in earmarking even a rounding error’s worth of that fortune for boxing.

Then there’s Golden Boy. The roster is not as strong as it once was, but still includes Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, Oscar Collazo, Gabriela Fundora, Floyd Schofield, William Zepeda and, under varying degrees of duress, Ryan Garcia and Vergil Ortiz Jnr.

But once Raul Curiel defeated late sub Jordan Panthen last Friday night in Palm Desert, California, there wasn’t a single fight left on the GBP schedule. Garcia faces Barrios next month, but that pay-per-view event is being promoted by Riyadh Season, not Golden Boy. Golden Boy’s contract with DAZN expired at the end of 2025, and the Curiel card was reported by boxing writer Dan Rafael to be a one-off.

Oscar De La Hoya has said he is in the process of negotiating a two-year extension with DAZN. In the meantime, the boxing fan base is growing exasperated by what seems to be Oscar standing in the way of Ortiz vs. Jaron “Boots” Ennis getting finalized, and Ortiz has grown exasperated enough to file a lawsuit against Golden Boy. And DAZN is reported to be counting on Ortiz vs. Ennis getting done to make continuing to work with Golden Boy worthwhile.

So it may be as black and white as Golden Boy makes the deal for this fight – even if it’s not the best deal De La Hoya and his frustrated fighter can possibly get – or Golden Boy has nobody to televise its fights, and before long there is no Golden Boy.

Of course, for an old guard to fall, there typically has to be a new guard to topple it, and there’s no question who the two powerhouses doing the pushing are.

Turki Alalshikh’s Saudi General Entertainment Authority-backed Riyadh Season/Ring conglomerate (I never know quite what to call this promotional enterprise of a thousand names) has been throwing its money and influence around for a few years. And Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing is about to begin doing the same.

Alalshikh executed a game plan we’ve seen plenty of times before, most recently with PBC: Overpay for fights to make a splash, benefiting the boxers in the short term and shaking up the pay scale in an unsustainable way. It’s typically good for the sport and the fans – until it isn’t.

In this case, the longer-range plan may actually be quite diabolical, as exemplified by the potential obstructions to Ortiz-Ennis. Golden Boy and Matchroom Boxing are looking to guarantee the junior middleweights X dollars to fight each other. But Alalshikh once had them believing the pot was about 2X dollars. That’s the kind of simple math that just might make a fighter want to leave his promoter.

Meanwhile, Zuffa signing cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia last week may be a bigger development than it seems at first glance. The Dana White stable, all club fighters, prospects and fringe contenders out of the gate, now has itself a boxer who matters on the world stage.

Zuffa Boxing started with the streaming deal with Paramount+ before it had a stable. But if it’s going to have a stable too, well, not that anyone wasn’t taking White’s entry into boxing seriously, but his ascent becomes inevitable if he has top-flight fighters on call.

Callum Walsh vs. Carlos Ocampo this Friday in the promotion’s debut on Paramount+ is a fine fight, but on its own, it’s more whisper than scream. White probably recognizes, though, that he doesn't need to scream just yet. Not if the old guard of promoters is about to go silent on its own. Championship-level fighters looking for an American promoter are about to become as common as cauliflower ears in UFC locker rooms.

These developments all intersect and overlap. The old guard loses its TV access and the money that comes with it while a new guard comes in waving silly amounts of money around, and before you know it, the old guard is gone.

No HBO, no Showtime, no ESPN. Soon perhaps no Top Rank, no Golden Boy, no PBC.

Blink at the wrong time, and the world you once knew becomes unrecognizable.

Of course, nothing lasts forever, and change is inevitable – fill in the “sands of time” cliche of your choosing.

But it’s alarming to consider the rapid and extreme nature of the overhaul – and to ponder how much it’s owed to a handful of mergers, acquisitions and new bosses who could see no point in broadcasting boxing if it wasn’t going to boost their year-end bonuses.

Eric Raskin is a veteran boxing journalist with nearly 30 years of experience covering the sport for such outlets as BoxingScene, ESPN, Grantland, Playboy, and The Ring (where he served as managing editor for seven years). He also co-hosted The HBO Boxing Podcast, Showtime Boxing with Raskin & Mulvaney, The Interim Champion Boxing Podcast with Raskin & Mulvaney, and Ring Theory. He has won three first-place writing awards from the BWAA, for his work with The Ring, Grantland, and HBO. Outside boxing, he is the senior editor of CasinoReports and the author of 2014’s The Moneymaker Effect. He can be reached on X, BlueSky, or LinkedIn, or via email at RaskinBoxing@yahoo.com.