Badou Jack training for his Jan. 14 clash vs. James DeGale (Photo: 1Tarrell)
By Chris Robinson
Badou Jack is officially a week away from the most important fight of his career.
On Jan. 14, Jack will face off with London’s James DeGale (23-1, 14 KO’s) in one of the biggest and most significant fights that will take place this year. The matchup is set to air on Showtime, from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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“Devin Haney continues to progress in the sport of boxing (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
As 2016 comes to a close, it’s hard to think of a more promising prospect than 18-year old Devin “The Dream” Haney.
Possessing an 11-0 record with seven knockouts in the lightweight division, Haney has been making a name for himself dating back to his early days as an amateur, when it was easy to spot his potential.
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Alex Thiel and Eric Walker put on a show recently inside of Johnny Tocco’s (Photo: Ring Dreams)
By Chris Robinson
Some excellent work continues to take place inside of Johnny Tocco’s Ringside Gym in Las Vegas.
Budding amateur Alex Thiel, who has had a stellar 2016 campaign thus far, winning numerous national tournaments, recently got in some work with sharp junior middleweight prospect Eric “Baby-Faced Assassin” Walker (13-0, 6 KO’s) and it was something to watch.
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Abner Mares and Jesus Cuellar gave the fans something to remember on Saturday (Photo: Stephanie Trap – Showtime)
By Chris Robinson
On Saturday night, Dec. 10, Abner Mares stamped another mark in his legacy by defeating former champion Jesus Cuellar over twelve rounds inside of the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif. Mares has won belts in three weight classes and again now in the featherweight division he is a champion, as he adds the WBA featherweight crown to his collection.
Mares (30-2-1, 15 KO’s) used his skills and boxing ability in the face of Cuellar (28-2, 21 KO’s) , who appeared to be the bigger and physically stronger fighter inside of the ropes.
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Ashley Theophane scored a unanimous decision victory over Yakubu Amidu on Friday night (Photo: 1Tarell #ClockInNotOut)
By Chris Robison
On Friday night, Dec. 2, former title challenger Ashley “Treasure” Theophane returned to the ring to score his 40th pro victory in besting Ghanaian veteran Yakubu Amidu over ten rounds inside of the Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nev.
Theophane ups his record to 40-7-1 with 11 knockouts while Amidu drops to 21-9-2 with 19 knockouts. Now working with former champion Lou Del Valle, Theophane was in great shape and boxed well enough to clearly take the fight, winning by scores of 100-90, 97-93, and 96-94.
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Vasyl Lomachenko, right, was too much for Nicholas Walters on Saturday night (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)
By Chris Robinson
On Saturday night, Nov. 26, inside of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, WBO junior featherweight champion Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko won a fairly-easy seventh-round stoppage over former featherweight titlist Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters.
Lomachenko was simply in another league, as his great footwork kept him constantly out of harm’s way, while he tagged and countered an onrushing Walters more and more as the rounds went by. After the seventh round, a stanza in which Walters was battered around the ring, the tough Jamaican elected to stay on his stool instead of coming out for more punishment.
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Vasyl Lomachenko and Nicholas Walters face off on Saturday night on HBO (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)
By Chris Robinson
On Saturday night, Nov. 26, from the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, WBO junior featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KO’s) and former featherweight champion Nicholas Walters (26-0-1, 21 KO’s) will face off in an HBO showdown that the boxing world has long been waiting for.
The matchup pits the savvy technique of Lomachenko against the grit and power of Walters. It’s a great clash of styles and not surprisingly, Lomachenko is heavily favored despite the stern task ahead of him.
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Vasyl Lomachenko is ready to defend his belt against Nicholas Walters this Saturday
By Chris Robinson
On Saturday night, Nov. 26, WBO featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KO’s) will face off with rugged former world champion Nicholas Walters (26-0, 21 KO’s) inside of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
The HBO-televised headliner serves as one of the biggest fights of the year and it’s evident how important this matchup is for both men. At Tuesday’s open workout, Lomachenko appeared sharp and relaxed heading into another pivotal showdown in his career.
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Behind the scenes inside of the MGM Grand during the Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev showdown (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
Hours from now the boxing world will be witness to a high-stakes clash between former super middleweight champion Andre Ward and WBA/WBO/IBF light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
It’s been a busy fight week as usual, with several boxing luminaries on hand due to their involvement in the event, whether they are undercard fighters, managers, trainers, fans, and anything in between.
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Former world champion Bryan Vasquez, left, is now part of the Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions family (Photo: Hustle Boss)
Photos by Chris Robinson
Was pleasantly surprised when I found out that former world champion Bryan “Tiquito” Vasquez has signed on to an exclusive agreement with Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions.
On Thursday evening, inside of the Brio Tuscan Grille in Las Vegas, Vasquez made the announcement 100% official by signing the contract, with 10x world champion Roy Jones Jr. and the company’s CEO/Co-Founder Keith Veltre on hand during the announcement.
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Curtis Stevens speaking in Las Vegas (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
On Saturday night, lineal light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KO’s) and former super middleweight champion Andre Ward (30-0, 15 KO’s) will meet inside of the T-Mobile Arena in an HBO pay per view attraction.
On the undercard, middleweight contender Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (28-5, 21 KO’s) will face off with upset-minded James De La Rosa (23-4, 13 KO’s). In his last match, this past May 7 on the Amir Khan vs. Canelo Alvarez undercard, Stevens stopped previously unbeaten Patrick Teixeira (26-1, 22 KO’s) in devastating fashion.
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Sergey Kovalev is in Las Vegas ahead of his Saturday night showdown vs. Andre Ward (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
On Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 15, lineal light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev and former super middleweight champion Andre Ward made their grand arrivals to the city of Las Vegas ahead of their showdown this Saturday night from the T-Mobile Arena.
Set for a clash on HBO pay per view, Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KO’s) and Ward (30-0, 15 KO’s) will face off for a battle that will likely determine who is the sport’s number-one fighter.
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Prospect Ahmed Mahmood and WBC silver flyweight champion Muhammad Waseem working (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
Some nice sparring the other day took place between unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Ahmed Mahmood (6-0-1, 3 KO’s) and WBC silver flyweight champion Muhammad Waseem (4-0, 3 KO’s).
You can tell both men were not going at each other hard, more so working on angles and technique at a modest pace. Still, up close and in the trenches you could see both men playing chess with each other as they picked their shots.
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Manny Pacquiao overcame a spirited effort from Jessie Vargas (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)
By Chris Robinson
As expected, eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao defeated Jessie Vargas this past Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nev.
Inside of the Thomas & Mack Center, Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KO’s) was sharp, strong, and efficient throughout the fight, while Vargas, (27-2, 10 KO’s) lost no stock at all in defeat, showing true grit and determination in the face of his more experienced foe.
Pacquiao, 37, picks up the WBO welterweight title for a third time with the win and speculation about a rematch with Floyd Mayweather has begun. Check below for a closer look at the action.
Photos courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Chris Robinson can be reached at CRobinson@hustleboss.com
Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas face off later tonight in Las Vegas (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)
By Chris Robinson
Later tonight, inside of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10 KO’s) meets eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KO’s) in an attempt to make a first defense of his belt and also elevate his career to a new level.
Vargas is a heavy underdog, anywhere between 6-1 to 7-1 according to Las Vegas odds makers, but he is not short of any confidence heading into the most pivotal fight of his career. Vargas is coming off of his biggest victory to date, a ninth-round TKO over previously unbeaten Olympian Sadam Ali this past March, while Pacquiao is returning following an announced retirement that came after his victory over Tim Bradley in their third encounter.
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Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas face off on Saturday night in Las Vegas (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)
By Chris Robinson
On Wednesday afternoon, inside of the Margaux Ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas, the final press conference was held for this weekend’s Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas pay per view event.
Vargas (27-1, 10 KO’s) will defend his WBO welterweight belt against Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KO’s) from the Thomas & Mack Center in a fight that he is considered a 7-1 underdog.
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Trainer Ismael Salas and Nonito Donaire inside of the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas (Photo: 1Tarrell #ClockInNotOut)
By Chris Robinson
Fight Week has again descended upon the city of Las Vegas, as the Thomas & Mack Center will host this weekend’s Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas pay per view showdown.
Vargas (27-1, 10 KO’s) will defend his WBO welterweight title against Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KO’s) in an independent pay per view to be held by promoter Top Rank.
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Manny Pacquiao training in Los Angeles ahead of his Nov. 5 bout in Las Vegas vs. Jessie Vargas (Photo: Mikey Williams)
By Chris Robinson
We are a little over a week away from the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas showdown.
Set for Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., Vargas (27-1, 10 KO’s) will defend his WBO welterweight title against Pacquiao (56-8-2, 38 KO’s), an eight-division titlist over his legendary career.
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“Prince” Albert Bell working out in Las Vegas (Photo: Hustle Boss)
By Chris Robinson
I had been hearing good things about Toledo, Oh. prospect “Prince” Albert Bell the past few months in Las Vegas and after checking out some of his work inside of the Mayweather Boxing Club recently, I can attest that his talent is for real.
Bell, 23, carries with him a 6-0 record with 2 knockouts in the junior welterweight class and he possesses a very elusive style. He darts in and out and counter-punches well enough.
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17-year old Dashaun Anderson is eyeing a breakthrough in the boxing game (Photo: Team Anderson)
By Chris Robinson
It’s been a few years now since I have been keeping in touch with young amateur Dashaun Anderson.
A native of Chicago, Ill. and now residing in Phoenix, Ariz., Anderson, 17, is ambitious as they come and has been updating me about his progress as a fighter for several months. Anderson has been active in the sport since he was eight years old, after heeding advice from his grandmother at the time, as she felt it would be a good fit for him.
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