Tag Archives: Top Rank boxing

PHOTOS: Terence Crawford Defends WBO Welterweight Title With Sixth Round TKO Over Amir Khan

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Terence Crawford defeated Amir Khan on Saturday night (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, April 20, WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford successfully defended his title for a second time with a sixth round TKO over former champion Amir Khan. The fight, which took place on ESPN pay per view from Madison Square Garden in New York, may not have ended how Crawford wanted or expected, but his perfect record and lofty goals are still intact.

Crawford dropped Khan in the first round and had a commanding lead midway through. In frame six, an accidental low blow from Crawford put Khan down, with the British star and his corner electing not to continue, granting the champion with a TKO victory.
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PHOTOS: Teofimo Lopez’s ‘Takeover’ Continues With Seventh Round Knockout Of Diego Magdaleno

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Teofimo Lopez stopped Diego Magdaleno in brutal fashion on Saturday (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, rising prospect-turned-contender Teofimo Lopez reminded everyone why he’s one of the emerging forces of the lightweight division with a brutal seventh round knockout over former two-time title challenger Diego Magdaleno.

Lopez (12-0, 10 KO’s) delivered a pair of left hooks in the aforementioned seventh that put the courageous Magdaleno (31-3, 13 KO’s) down and out, as the referee didn’t need to bother to count.
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PHOTOS: Sergey Kovalev Decisions Eleider Alvarez to Regain WBO Title And Calls For Unification Fights

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Sergey Kovalev gained revenge vs. Eleider Alvarez on Saturday night (Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, inside of The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX, Sergey Kovalev gained a level of revenge vs. Eleider Alvarez, winning a clear unanimous decision over 12 rounds to recapture the WBO light heavyweight title. The bout aired on the ESPN+ streaming app as the boxing world saw Kovalev, 35, become a three-time champion at 175 pounds. Scores were 120-108 and 116-112 twice.

Alvarez (24-1, 12 KOs) was coming off of a thrilling seventh round knockout over Kovalev just six months prior, a fight in which he rocked and dropped the Russian three times before finishing the contest. But, to the credit of Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KO’s), he was able to turn the rematch in his favor and box his way towards victory.
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Bob Arum, Oscar Valdez, and Teofimo Lopez Set to Invade Frisco, TX on Wednesday 1/9

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WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez with Top Rank CEO Bob Arum (Photo: Mikey Williams)

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By Chris Robinson

This Wednesday, from the Tostitos Championship Plaza at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum will be joined by two of his company’s best fighters in WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez and undefeated lightweight prospect-turned-contender Teofimo Lopez. Valdez and Lopez will be participating in an open media workout ahead of their Feb. 2 fights at the Ford Center at The Star.

Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) is coming off of his brutal brawl this past March with former champion Scott Quigg, in which he emerged victorious, and he will be looking to make the fifth defense of his title against fellow unbeaten Carmine “Mr. Wolf” Tomassone (19-0, 5 KOs). Lopez (11-0, 9 KOs), named 2018 Prospect of the Year by ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, Sports Illustrated, and Yahoo Sports, will take on former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno (31-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round showdown.
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PHOTOS: Miguel Berchelt Stops a Brave Miguel Roman In the Ninth After Three Knockdowns

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Miguel Berchelt was too much for Miguel Roman on Saturday night (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, Nov. 3, inside of the Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso, TX, WBC junior lightweight champion Miguel Berchelt delivered a brutal beating on worthy but outgunned contender Miguel “Mickey” Roman for a fourth successful defense of his title. Berchelt (34-1, 30 KO’s) scored three knockdowns along the way, two in the sixth, and one three rounds later, before the contest was stopped in round nine.

The all-Mexican showdown, aired on the ESPN + streaming app, delivered as expected, but was a bit more one-sided than one may have liked. Roman (60-13, 47 KO’s) was valiant in the face of such a savage attack, and perhaps the fight could have been stopped a few rounds earlier.
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A Look Back in PHOTOS: Terence Crawford Overcomes a Game Jose Benavidez Jr.

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Terence Crawford (R) and Jose Benavidez Jr. went at it this past Saturday night (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

There was a lot to take in during my visit to Omaha, NE this past weekend. In the main event inside of the CHI Health Center, we witnessed one of the sport’s top fighters, WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford, overcome a spirited effort from Jose Benavidez Jr. before stopping him in the 12th round on ESPN’s airwaves.

Crawford (34-0, 25 KO’s) had some tough moments during the first half of the fight against Benavidez (27-0, 18 KO’s), but he stay composed and changed the momentum of the fight following round six. Crawford began to counter Benavidez much easier, and a big uppercut from the 31-year old champion registered the fight’s only knockdown in the 12th. Crawford jumped on Benavidez moments later, hammering him accurate shots, and the fight was waived off.
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Go to Our YOUTUBE for All-Acess Coverage During Terence Crawford vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. Fight Week

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Check out our YouTube Channel for all-access coverage during #CrawfordBenavidez Fight Week

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By Chris Robinson

If the theatrics of this fight week have been any indication, boxing fans are in for a treat later tonight when WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford meets undefeated former interim champion Jose Benavidez Jr. inside of the CHI Health Center in Omaha, NE. Simply click the photo above to be taken to our YouTube page to check out videos of Friday’s weigh-in and Thursday’s final press conference, both of which were full of drama.

Crawford (33-0, 24 KO’s) vs. Benavidez (27-0, 18 KO’s) goes down later tonight on ESPN.
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VIDEO: WILD Weigh-In – Jose Benavidez Jr. SHOVES Terence Crawford and ‘Bud’ SWINGS with right

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Things got intense at the Terence Crawford vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. Weigh-In in Omaha (Photo: Hustle Boss)

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By Chris Robinson

Give how intense things have been between Terence Crawford and Jose Benavidez Jr. in recent days, you could expect something to go off at their official weigh-in on Friday afternoon. And that’s exactly what happened.

Crawford (33-0, 24 KO’s), the WBO welterweight champion, swung for Benavidez (27-0, 18 KO’s), but only after his brash opponent got things started by shoving him as they came face to face after both hit the scales inside of the CHI Health Center in Omaha, NE. Crawford weighed in at 145.25 pounds while Benavidez was slightly less at 145 pounds.
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VIDEO: Mikaela Mayer and trainer Al Mitchell on her 8th bout and the resurgence of Women’s Boxing

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Mikaela Mayer and her trainer Al Mitchell in Omaha, NE ahead of her eighth pro bout (Photo: Hustle Boss)

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By Chris Robinson

Tomorrow night, in Omaha, NE, inside of the CHI Health Center, female junior lightweight prospect Mikaela Mayer (7-0, 4 KO’s) returns to the ring for her eighth professional bout. Mayer turned professional following a run in the 2016 Olympics and has been busy under the Top Rank umbrella.

Speaking with her longtime trainer Al Mitchell, Mayer was able to shed some insight into her training regimen in Colorado, as she trained with Terence Crawford, Shakur Stevenson, and others, as she got ready for this contest. Mayer and Mitchell also spoke about the recent emergence of several top female fighters in the sport.
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VIDEO: Shakur Stevenson on sparring Terence Crawford, advice from Andre Ward, and facing Simion

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Shakur Stevenson returns to the ring Saturday night in Omaha (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

Undefeated featherweight prospect Shakur Stevenson (8-0, 4 KO’s) has a lot of buzz behind him these days. The 21-year old returns to the ring this Saturday night vs. tough featherweight Viorel Simion (21-2, 9 KO’s) on the Terence Crawford vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. undercard in Omaha, NE.

Prior to Thursday’s Crawford vs. Benavidez final presser, we spoke to Shakur about his training camp, which included sparring some rounds with Crawford, being mentored by Andre Ward, and other aspects of his boxing journey.
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VIDEO: ‘BoMac’ comes for Jose Benavidez Jr. – ‘You f*cked up dude! I’ve been seeing your fights’

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Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre speaking at Thursday’s press conference (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

The leadup to the Terence Crawford vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. fight has been pretty intriguing, with both sides exuding confidence and talking their share of trash. What we have come to find out about Crawford’s trainer, Brian “BoMac” McIntyre, is that he definitely has no problem standing up for his fighter.

This was on display on Thursday afternoon at the final Crawford vs. Benavidez press conference, as McIntyre continued to issue warnings to the 26-year old challenger. The teams of Crawford and Benavidez could be seen getting into a near scuffle on Wednesday at the open media workout and the tension carried over to Thursday’s presser.
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VIDEO: Mike Alvarado discusses the highs and lows of his career as his comeback trail continues

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Former interim champion Mike Alvarado speaks with promoter Bob Arum Omaha (Photo: Hustle Boss)

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By Chris Robinson

On Saturday night, former interim WBO junior lightweight champion Mike Alvarado returns to the ring, as he will be facing off with journeyman Robbie Cannon in Omaha, NE. Alvarado’s fight will take place on the undercard of WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford’s fight with undefeated Jose Benavidez Jr.

We spoke with Alvarado (38-4, 27 KO’s) prior to Thursday’s presser about the highs and lows of his winding career. Alvarado is intent on making one last great push in this boxing game and his spirits are again high. Check the clip below to hear the interview.
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HEATED Crawford vs Benavidez Final Presser: Both Teams Continue to Trash Talk [VIDEO]

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Terence Crawford and Jose Benavidez face to face on Thursday afternoon (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

On Thursday afternoon, Hustle Boss was on hand inside of the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Ne. for the final Terence Crawford vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. presser, that saw both teams continue to trade words with one another. The animosity between the camps of Crawford (33-0, 24 KO’s), the WBO welterweight champion, and Benavidez (27-0, 18 KO’s) continues to grow and things will be settled once and for all come Saturday night.

Check below for our exclusive look at some highlights from Thursday’s presser, as the two teams continued to verbally spar with one another.
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Exclusive PHOTOS: Behind The Scenes at the Final Terence Crawford vs. Jose Benavidez Jr. Press Conference

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WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford and undefeated prospect Shakur Stevenson (Photo: Hustle Boss)

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By Chris Robinson

On Thursday afternoon, in Omahe, Ne., undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (33-0, 24 KO’s) and former champion Jose Benavidez (27-0, 18 KO’s) and their respective teams came face to face ahead of their big showdown on Saturday night from the CHI Health Center on ESPN. Things got heated between the camps at Wednesday’s open media workout and emotions definitely carried over to the press conference.

Hustle Boss was in the building and prior to the intense final presser, we went behind the scenes and captured some exclusive photos of several of this weekend’s fighters ahead of their forthcoming matches.
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PHOTOS: Terence Crawford and Jose Benavidez Jr. Media Day Workout

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Terence Crawford and Jose Benavidez Jr. face off on Saturday (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson 

This Saturday night, in Omaha, Ne., undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford will face off with former champion Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-0,, 18 KO’s) at the CHI Health Center. The two men obviously have some bad blood for one another, a fact that was further highlighted by today’s media workout that saw them come face to face and jaw at one another.

From Crawford’s view, the beef is real.
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Angel ‘Memo’ Heredia to Begin Working With Felix Verdejo in Puerto Rico

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Felix Verdejo, left, was upset in his last fight vs. Antonio Lozada Jr. (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

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By Chris Robinson

On March 17 of this year, highly-regarded prospect Felix Verdejo suffered a shocking upset loss at the hands of Antonio Lozada Jr. in New York. Verdejo, an accomplished amateur from Puerto Rico who is signed to Top Rank, was looked at by some as the next big star to come from his island.

Instead, the 25-year old found himself in a dog fight with the unheralded Lozada inside of The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Verdejo wasn’t strong enough to keep Lozada off of him and was knocked down by a left hook in the 10th round and saw the contest waved off moments later after he was having trouble defending himself.
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Jose Benavidez Knocks Out Frank Rojas In One Round; Terence Crawford Next?

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

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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

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

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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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Isaac Dogboe vs. Jessie Magdaleno: A Classic Meeting Between Two Worthy Champions

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

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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

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

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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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