Yahu “Rock” Blackwell, seen here with Floyd Mayweather, is back in action March 9 (Photo: Team Blackwell)
By Chris Robinson
This past month in Las Vegas, I came across legendary boxing figure Joe Cortez.
Now retired as an official, Cortez is known best for having been a referee during some of the sport’s biggest matches over the years. These days, Cortez stays busy with commentating, as well as advising those in the sport.
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Sena Agbeko sparring inside of Johnny Tocco’s against amateur Jamey Swanson (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
Earlier this month, inside of Johnny Tocco’s Ringside Gym in Las Vegas, Nev., undefeated super middleweight prospect Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (14-0, 10 KO’s) and once-beaten super middleweight Sena Agbeko (15-1, 15 KO’s) visited the gym to get in some sparring ahead of their respective bouts.
Plant fights on Feb. 25 inside of the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Al., against Ghana’s Thomas Awimbono (25-6-1, 21 KO’s) on the same card that WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder faces off with contender Gerald Washington. The following month, on March 17, Agbeko returns against journeyman Rashad Jones in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Erickson Lubin fights on March 4 in Brooklyn, New York (Photo: Douglas DeFelice/Prime 360 )
By Chris Robinson
On Saturday, March 4, undefeated rising star Erickson “Hammer” Lubin will face off with once-beaten contender Jorge Cota in a 12-round junior middleweight bout from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Lubin (17-0, 12 KO’s) and Cota (25-1, 22 KO’s) will see their bout aired live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, as part of a Premier Boxing Champions telecast.
Lubin held a media day inside of his gym in his hometown of Orlando, Fl. this past Thursday and he appears to be as sharp and focused as ever heading into the biggest assignment of his career. The Lubin-Cota bout will take place on the Danny Garcia vs. Keith Thurman card, which is one of the biggest matches of the year.
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Alex Thiel, left, sparring Rahim Gonzales in Las Vegas (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
Top sparring continues to take place inside of Johnny Tocco’s Ringside Gym in Las Vegas, Nev. as the gym’s monthly “First Friday” sparring exhibition series also continues to gain steam.
This past Friday, Feb. 3, more action was taking place inside of Tocco’s, as we caught up with two of the nation’s top amateurs, Rahim Gonzales and Alex “ATG” Thiel, while they were putting in some work.
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