Category Archives: Boxing

PHOTOS: Canelo Alvarez Works Out in Los Angeles, Claims Gennady Golovkin Rematch is ‘Personal’

Canelo Alvarez during his media day in Los Angeles on Sunday (Photo: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos)

By Chris Robinson

On Sunday afternoon, Aug. 26, former two-division champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and WBA/WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin held an open media workout in front of thousands at the Banc of California Stadium ahead of their highly-anticipated rematch on Sep. 15. Canelo (49-1-2, 34 KO’s) will face Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KO’s) from the T=Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an HBO pay per view telecast that has bad blood attached to it.

The two camps have been going back and forth with one another in the press for several months now and for Canelo, this isn’t just another prize fight.
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PHOTOS: Kendo Castaneda and Jesus Gutierrez Stage a Barnburner in Las Vegas

Jesus “Chuy” Gutierrez and Kendo Castaneda Went to War on Friday Night (Photo: Manny “Mitts” Murillo)

By Chris Robinson

On Friday night, from the Red Rock Casino Resort, a local Vegas fan favorite, Jesus “Chuy” Gutierrez, locked horns with undefeated prospect Kendro Castaneda. The match itself was fast-paced and well worth watching, but once again, in the aftermath, I was left wondering about the scorecards.

Gutierrez teamed back up with trainer Danny Garcia for this contest, his first fight since suffering an 8th round TKO loss in April of last year to Mayweather Promotions’ prospect Ladarius “Memphis” Miller. Garcia has worked with Gutierrez for many years, dating back to the fighter’s pro debut in 2010, and I knew they would be ready for this contest.
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PHOTOS: Ladarius Miller Training for Dennis Galarza Clash on Bounce

Ladarius Miller Returns to the Ring Friday night (Photo: Mayweather Promotions)

By Chris Robinson

On Friday, Aug. 3, once-beaten lightweight contender Ladarius “Memphis” Miller will return to the ring when he faces off with Dennis Galarza from the Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, in a Premier Boxing Champions telecast that will be aired on Bounce (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

“I’m putting the lightweight division on notice,” said Miller, as he worked out from the Mayweather Boxing Club. “I will be a name tossed in with the other great fighters in this division and I’m coming for that top spot. No one can stop me.”
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PHOTOS: Sergey Kovalev Visits Monmouth Park Ahead of HBO Clash vs. Eleider Alvarez

Sergey Kovalev Ahead Of His Aug. 4 Fight vs. Sullivan Barrera (Photo: Bill Denver, EQUI-PHOTO, INV)

By Chris Robinson

WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev recently made an appearance at Monmouth Park on Sunday, July 29, as he took place in the betfair.com Haskell Invitational. Kovalev faces off with unbeaten contender Eleider “Storm” Alvarez on Aug. 4 at the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Atlantic City in a bout that will air on HBO’s World Championship Boxing.

Kovalev visited the Monmouth Park Sports Book by William Hill and met with various jockeys and trainers before appearing in the winner’s circle. Monmouth Park will be offering wagering in regards to the final outcome of the Kovalev vs. Alvarez match, as well as the undercard matches, in their Sports Book. The evening’s co-main event will see WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol defend his title against Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba.
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PHOTOS: Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia Come Face to Face At Press Conference Ahead of Sep. 8 Bout

Angel Garcia, Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter, and Kenny Porter at Monday’s presser (Photo: Amanda Westcott – SHOWTIME)

By Chris Robinson

On Monday afternoon, inside of the Dream Hotel in Downtown Manhattan, former world champions Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter came face to face ahead of their big Sep. 8 showdown. The Porter vs. Garcia clash will take place from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be aired on SHOWTIME, with the vacant WBC welterweight title at stake.

After coming face to face at the presser, and exchanging a few words with one another, the two men appear ready to go, as they will be heading back to their respective training camps for the time being. For Garcia (34-1, 20’s), who is coming off of a ninth round knockout over Brandon Rios in February, he’s eager to get back in the ring and show who’s boss.
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PHOTOS: Mikey Garcia (135) vs. Robert Easter Jr. (134.5) Official Weigh-In From Los Angeles

Robert Easter Jr. Faces Mikey Garcia on Saturday Night (Photo: Scott Hirano – SHOWTIME)

By Chris Robinson

On Friday afternoon, WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia came face to face with IBF lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr. at the weigh-in ahead of their unification showdown. Garcia (38-0, 30 KO’s) faces Easter (21-0, 14 KO’s) on Saturday night from the Staples Center in Los Angeles in a Premier Boxing Champions telecast that will air on SHOWTIME.

As the two men stared one another down, Easter seemed far more animated while Garcia was stone-faced.
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PHOTOS: Jaime Munguia Drops And Defeats Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith Over 12 Rounds

Jaime Munguia Got The Better of Liam Smith on Saturday (Photo: Tom Hogan – Golden Boy Promotions)

By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, July 21, WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (30-0, 25 KO’s) defeated a very game Liam “Beefy” Smith (26-2-1, 14 KO’s) over 12 fast-paced rounds that left many asking for more. The Munguia vs. Smith fight took place from The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., and was aired on HBO ‘s Boxing After Dark.

The match revealed a lot about Munguia, who captured the attention of the boxing world just months prior after stopping Sadam Ali in rousing fashion to become a champion. The Tijuana, Mex. native won by scores of 119-108, 119-110, and 116-111 when cards were read. Munguia wasn’t able to secure the knockout many were expecting, yet he was able to register a knockdown in the sixth round while also landing several big blows along the way.
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PHOTOS: Mikey Garcia Media Day Ahead of July 28 Unification vs. Robert Easter Jr.

Mikey Garcia (Photo: Esther Lin – SHOWTIME)

By Chris Robinson

On Tuesday afternoon, WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia worked out for the media inside of the Fortune Gym in Los Angeles ahead of his July 28 bout vs. IBF champion Robert Easter Jr. Garcia (38-0, 30 KO’s) faces Easter (21-0, 14 KO’s) inside of the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles in a Premier Boxing Champions telecast that will air live on SHOWTIME.

Garcia lives in nearby Riverside and is happy to be fighting so close to home.
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Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez Part II: Will The Rematch Be Worth The Wait?

Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin will meet again (Photo: HoganPhotos)

By Chris Robinson

By now, it’s been well documented to everyone the kind of ride Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin have put us through these past few months. From Canelo Alvarez initially failing a pre-fight drug test that ended up leading to the cancellation of their May rematch, to the back-and-forth war of words between the two camps, and eventually the promising news that we will be seeing the two men face off again in Sep., there has been a lot to take in.

But Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin part two is officially on its way, as the rematch is set for Sep. 15 inside of the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., with HBO pay per view once again airing the contest. The two men fought to a controversial split-draw verdict after 12 rounds of action and people were speculating as to whether a rematch was going to actually take place.
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VIDEO: TMT’s Lanell Bellows Talks 7/21 Return in Memphis And Life at The Mayweather Boxing Club

Lanell Bellows at BB Films Studio in Las Vegas (Photo: Hustle Boss)

By Chris Robinson

If you are a fighter, one of the most important things you can focus on is your activity in the ring. For Mayweather Promotions’ own Lanell Bellows, he is eager to get back in the ring next month, as he will be fighting July 21 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s a quick turnaround for Bellows (17-2-2, 10 KO’s), a super middleweight with a mean punch and a tireless work ethic; he fought this past May 12 inside of Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, settling for a technical draw with Naim Terbunja after a clash of heads caused a head cut that prematurely ended their matchup.

With another fight lined up, we were able to speak with Bellows about a lot of things going on in his life and career, including his ring return, how training at the Mayweather Boxing Club has been, how his children help inspire him, and much more.
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PHOTOS: Errol Spence Jr. Demolishes Carlos Ocampo In One Round in Frisco, TX

Errol Spence Jr. was dominant again on Saturday night (Photo: Stacey Verbeek)

By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, inside of the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Tex., undefeated IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. retained his title with a viscous and dominating 1st round knockout over mandatory challenger Carlos Ocampo. Spence (24-0, 21 KO’s) was heavily favored heading into the match for good reason vs. Ocampo (22-1, 13 KO’s), who he had little trouble dealing with.

Towards the end of the first round, Spence pinned Ocampo against the ropes and unloaded a series of punches, the last being a body shot that sent his overmatched foe to the ground for the count. And, just like that, Spence again delivered a star-turning performance.
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Jose Benavidez Knocks Out Frank Rojas In One Round; Terence Crawford Next?

Jose Benavidez Returned With a Win on Saturday Night (Photo: Top Rank Boxing)

By Chris Robinson

Earlier tonight, inside of the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., former world champion Jose Benavidez Jr. needed just one minute and 24 seconds to knock out previously undefeated Frank Rojas on the Terence Crawford vs. Jeff Horn undercard.

Benavidez landed a big right hand and followed it up with a short shot to the liver that had Rojas down and out before their scheduled 10-round match could get rolling. Referee Vic Drakulich wisely waved the contest off.
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Referee Robert Byrd to Officiate Terence Crawford’s Challenge of WBO Welterweight Champion Jeff Horn This Weekend

Robert Byrd will referee the Terence Crawford vs. Jeff Horn Fight This Saturday (Photo: Premier Boxing Champions)

By Chris Robinson

It’s fight week in Las Vegas, as undefeated, two-division world champion Terence Crawford will be moving up in weight to challenge Jeff Horn for his WBO welterweight title. The Crawford vs. Horn match will take place from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be aired on the ESPN + App starting at 9:30 p.m./ET.

The third man in the ring for the Crawford vs. Horn duel will be longtime Vegas referee Robert Byrd. Byrd’s most recent fights that he has officiated have been James DeGale’s victory over Caleb Truax in their rematch at the Hard Rock on April 17, and a recent Mayweather Promotions’ show, where he worked the fights of LaDarius Miller and Maurice Lee in separate bouts.
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Abner Mares on Leo Santa Cruz Rematch: ‘I’m Locked in And Ready to Put On a Great Show For The Fans of Los Angeles’

Abner Mares (Photo: Mares Enterprises/Eder Mercado)

By Chris Robinson

Four-time world champion Abner Mares is inching closer to his June 9 rematch with three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz, who he meets inside of the Staples Center in a fight that will be aired by SHOWTIME. On Thursday afternoon, Mares could be found inside of Dodgers Stadium to throw out the ceremonial first pitch as part of Viva Los Dodgers.

Mares (31-2-1, 15 KO’s) appreciates being around the public so close to his fight date, which he insists he will be ready for. Santa Cruz defeated Mares via majority decision in August of 2015 in a fast-paced fight and the rematch is something Mares has always wanted.
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Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney Continues to Move Career Forward After TKO Over Mason Menard

Devin Haney defeated Mason Menard on May 11 (Photo: Stephane Trapp – SHOWTIME)

By Chris Robinson

It was hard for me to not take serious notice when young Devin Haney made his professional debut in December of 2015. A top amateur fighting out of Las Vegas in 2010, I recall being introduced to Haney by Zab Judah inside of the then-H.I.T. Factory Gym. Judah, the former two-division world champion from Brooklyn, insisted that I interview Haney that summer day.

Haney was just 10 years old at the time, but you just got the sense that he was working with something special, even back then. Haney’s demeanor was very low key and he always seemed to be doing more talking inside of the ring than out. It was refreshing to see someone so young and talented yet still grounded.
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Isaac Dogboe vs. Jessie Magdaleno: A Classic Meeting Between Two Worthy Champions

Isaac Dogboe defeated Jessie Magdaleno on Saturday night (Photo: Senyuiedzorm A. Adadevoh – ImagesImage.com)

By Chris Robinson

Having known Jessie Magdaleno as far back as the tail-end of his amateur days here in Las Vegas, I can attest that I’ve always seen something special in the southpaw fighter.

I saw Magdaleno make the transition from one of the city’s most-talked about amateur prospects all the way up to the championship ranks and it was a memorable ride to take in.
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PHOTOS: Jorge Linares Grinds in Camp in Las Vegas as May 12 Vasy Lomachenko Showdown Looms

Jorge Linares working in Las Vegas (Photo: Hustle Boss)

By Chris Robinson

Earlier this week, we swung through the training camp of WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares, out in Las Vegas. Linares (44-3, 27 KO’s) is preparing for a huge fight against two-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KO’s), who he meets on May 12 inside of New York’s Madison Square Garden on ESPN.

Linares is an underdog heading into the match, and it was recently revealed that he would not be having longtime trainer Ismael Salas in his corner, as the Cuban trainer is overseas working with David Haye ahead of his May 5 rematch vs. Tony Bellew. Still, Linares’ spirits in camp are great, as he works with his brother Carlos Linares, trainer Jorge Capetillo, and Southern California’s Rudy Hernandez, a longtime staple in the sport.
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PHOTOS: Erislandy Lara (153.5) vs. Jarrett Hurd (153) Official Weigh-In

Erislandy Lara and Jarrett Hurd Face Off on Saturday night (Photo: Stephanie Trapp – SHOWTIME)

By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, April 7, IBF junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd will face off with WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara in a classic unification match to be aired on SHOWTIME from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. It’s a match showcasing the power and aggression of Hurd (21-0, 15 KO’s) vs. the finesse, experience, and sharp-shooting of Lara (25-2-2, 14 KO’s).

“They are over here saying I’m not ready,” Hurd stated at the weigh-in. ” I’m more than ready. This is my time right now. I’m ready to get on that stage and show the world why I’ve been asking for this fight. We know he’s going to use the entire ring, but you can’t run from ‘Swift’ Jarrett Hurd for 12 rounds. We know we are going to be in his face and know he’ll have to engage at some point.”
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PHOTOS: Anthony Joshua Defeats Joseph Parker Via Unanimous Decision in Wales

Anthony Joshua Defeated Joseph Parker on Saturday Night (Photo: Esther Lin – SHOWTIME)

By Chris Robinson

Anthony Joshua is still undefeated, having recently defeated former WBO champion Joseph Parker over the course of 12 rounds. The bout took place inside of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, and Joshua was able to retain his WBA/IBF belts while collecting Parker’s WBO strap with the win. Joshua, 28 years old now, went the distance for the first time yet was still able to come up with enough to score the win. The bout was aired live on SHOWTIME and other worldwide outlets.

Scores read 119-109 and 118-108 twice in Joshua’s favor, as he moves ever forward with his popular career, as the 28-year old champion raises his record to 21-0 with 20 knockouts. Parker, 26, the solid former WBO champion from New Zealand, gave a solid account of himself and sees his record go to 24-1 with 18 knockouts.
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PHOTOS: Behind The Scenes With Nick Frese During His Most Recent Victory in Thailand

Nick Frese, center, continues to build momentum in his career (Photo: Hustle Boss)

By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, March 24, unbeaten welterweight prospect Nick Frese scored another successful triumph as he moved to 8-0 (6 KO’s) with a dominant 6-round unanimous decision over very rugged journeyman Daichi Yoshikawa. The bout took place from the Workpoint Studio just outside of Bangkok, Thailand.

The fight was entertaining and bloody, with Frese controlling the action and putting on a boxing clinic with his footwork, timing, accuracy, and speed. Scores of 60-54 across the board were read in Frese’s favor.
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