Richard Schaefer likes the notion that he was missed during his time away

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Robert Morales

Former Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, center, looks on as boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Canelo Alvarez pose before their 2013 fight. Schaefer left Golden Boy and is now starting Ringstar. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Promoter Richard Schaefer, center, said he found out he was missed during his time away from boxing/Photo by Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Promoter Richard Schaefer has spent more than two years on the sidelines after resigning his post as CEO of Golden Boy Promotions in June 2014. He didn’t go to a lot of fights during that time, but the few he did attend contained a message he really liked.

“I went to only a handful of fights during that time, maybe five or six,” said Schaefer, who is president and founder of Ringstar Sports. “I went to Floyd (Mayweather Jr.’s) fights, I went to a couple of fights in New York. And I was sort of touched by the kind of reception I got from the fans when I came into the venue, ‘Hey, Schaefer, we need you back, we want you back. Boxing is not the same.’

“The same with fighters. Fighters said, ‘We need you to create these events you used to create and the hype and everything which goes with it.’ ”

Schaefer is back in the saddle and will be co-promoting Saturday’s card at USC’s Galen Center that will be headlined by the featherweight title fight between Abner Mares of Hawaiian Gardens and champion Jesus Cuellar of Argentina (on Showtime).

Ringstar will also be co-promoting the Jan. 28 featherweight championship rematch between champion Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland and Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights (on Showtime).

Richard Schaefer confirms his Ringstar Sports will co-promote Frampton-Santa Cruz rematch in Las Vegas

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Robert Morales

Carl Frampton celebrates his win after defeating Leo Santa Cruz in the 12 round WBA Super featherweight championship bout at Barclays Center on July 30, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough in New York City. (Photo by Anthony Geathers/Getty Images)

Carl Frampton celebrates his victory over Leo Santa Cruz on July 30 in New York City/Photo by Anthony Geathers, Getty Images

Promoter Richard Schaefer on Wednesday confirmed that his new company – Ringstar Sports – will co-promote the Jan. 28 rematch between featherweight champion Carl Frampton of Northern Ireland and Leo Santa Cruz of Lincoln Heights at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. RingTV.com reported this on Friday.

Schaefer is the former CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. He recently founded Ringstar, and his first order of business will be to co-promote the Dec. 10 fight between another featherweight champion – Jesus Cuellar of Argentina – and Abner Mares of Hawaiian Gardens at USC’s Galen Center (on Showtime).

Frampton took Santa Cruz’s belt via majority decision in July.

Bernard Hopkins never considered taking on a weak opponent in final fight

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Robert Morales

In his most recent fight, Bernard Hopkins (right) was dominated by light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in November 2014/Photo by Associated Press

Bernard Hopkins is 51. He’s a living legend and will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

Not one person would have blamed Hopkins if he decided to fight a tomato can for his farewell fight. Hopkins doesn’t roll like that, though. Instead, he’s taking on highly ranked light heavyweight Joe Smith Jr. in his final bout Dec. 17 at the Fabulous Forum (on HBO).

Hopkins and the rest of the interested parties played host to a news conference Monday to formally announce the bout. Hopkins was asked about taking on a guy who in his most recent bout stunned everyone by stopping Andrzej Fonfara in the first round this past June in Chicago, instead of an easy mark.

“That’s not me,” Hopkins said. “And you would look at it as, ‘Bernard wants the easy way out.’ I never want anything easy. And just give me an opportunity and I want to figure it out myself. And I think that is more of the credibility that’s in me even at this age, to understand that’s just me.

“I don’t want nobody to think anything different. Win, lose or draw, this is the final one. I will win and I will win impressively. And I’m in it with a guy that’s going to push me, that’s going to make me fight a young man’s fight in this sport.”

Hopkins, of Philadelphia, is 55-7-2 with 32 knockouts. Smith, 27, of Long Island, N.Y., is 22-1 with 18 knockouts. That’s a knockout ratio of 78 percent. He is ranked as high as No. 2 in the world.

Luis Ortiz, Malik Scott will square off Nov. 12 in Monte Carlo on HBO

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Robert Morales

December 19, 2015; Verona, NY; Luis Ortiz and Bryant Jennings during their HBO Boxing After Dark bout at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. Photo: Ed Mulholland/HBO

Luis Ortiz/Photo courtesy of Matchroom Boxing

Top-rated heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz of Cuba will take on Malik Scott of Philadelphia on Nov. 12 from Monte Carlo, and it will be televised on HBO.

“Fans know Luis Ortiz as a heavyweight knockout machine, and we’re happy to announce his showdown with Malik Scott from Monte Carlo live on our network on Nov. 12,” said Peter Nelson, executive vice president of HBO Sports.

Ortiz (25-0, 22 KOs) is 37. He previously boxed under the Golden Boy Promotions banner, but recently signed with Matchroom Boxing.

Scott, 36, is 38-2-1 with 13 knockouts.

Bernard Hopkins’ final fight will be against Joe Smith Jr. on Dec. 17 at Forum

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Robert Morales

Kovalev dominates Hoplrins

Sergey Kovalev, left, lands a punch to the head of Bernard Hopkins during their fight in November 2014/Associated Press file photo

Living boxing legend Bernard Hopkins has been saying he wants to fight one more time, even though he’s 51. Hopkins will get his wish when he takes on Joe Smith Jr. in a light heavyweight bout Dec. 17 at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood (on HBO).

Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, confirmed late Monday morning that a verbal accord had been reached for the bout.

“We just got a deal done,” Gomez said.

Hopkins is a partner in Golden Boy, whose CEO and chairman is Oscar De La Hoya. De La Hoya, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014, began his pro career at the Forum in 1992.

That irony is not lost on Gomez.

“It’s pretty cool that Oscar started his career at the Forum and now Bernard is going to retire at the Forum,” Gomez said.

Hopkins, of Philadelphia, is 55-7-2 with 32 knockouts. He hasn’t fought since losing a wide decision to light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in November 2014. Smith, 27, is from Long Island, N.Y. He is 22-1 18 knockouts.

Hopkins-Smith would have taken place on the same card as the interim super featherweight title fight between Orlando Salido of Mexico and Takashi Miura of Japan. But Salido sustained a back injury this past week and pulled out Monday.

“Now we’re either going to replace Salido with a suitable replacement, or replace the entire fight,” Gomez said. “We don’t know yet.”

Canelo Alvarez gets second opinion on thumb, and he will not need surgery

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Robert Morales

Canelo Alvarez/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

Junior middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez of Mexico received a good report Wednesday when he visited Los Angeles-area hand and wrist specialist Dr. Kenneth R. Sabbag to get a second opinion on the avulsion fracture of his right thumb.

Alvarez had been told by his personal physician in Mexico he did not need surgery. That was confirmed by Dr. Sabbag.

“So the verdict – he doesn’t need surgery, which is great,” said Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, for which Alvarez fights.

Gomez said Alvarez will go back to Dr. Sabbag on Nov. 10. If given a clean bill of health, Alvarez will be able to start using the hand to “punch a little bit,” Gomez said.

Gomez also said there is still a chance Alvarez could fight again early next year, but that will only happen if he is 100 percent.

Alvarez sustained the injury during his ninth-round knockout of Liam Smith on Sept. 17 in Arlington, Tecas.

Canelo Alvarez in Los Angeles for second opinion on fractured right thumb

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Robert Morales

Canelo Alvarez/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

Newly crowned junior middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez of Mexico was in Los Angeles on Wednesday to get a second opinion on the avulsion fracture in his right thumb sustained during his ninth-round knockout of Liam Smith on Sept. 17 in Arlington, Texas.

Alvarez fights under the Golden Boy Promotions banner. Its president, Eric Gomez, said Alvarez was going to visit hand and wrist specialist Dr. Kenneth R. Sabbag to make sure that the therapy ordered by Alvarez’s personal physician is all it will take for Alvarez’s recovery.

Gomez said that depending on how things go, Alvarez could be ready to fight again by “early next year.” As for an opponent, Gomez was asked if Willie Monroe Jr. remains a possible opponent for that next fight.

There was talk from Gomez before Alvarez beat Smith that the winner of the undercard fight between Monroe (21-2, 6 KOs) and Gabriel Rosado, who also fights for Golden Boy, could be next for Alvarez. Monroe emerged via wide unanimous decision. But Monroe said in a statement this week he now believes Golden Boy has no intention of giving him the fight.

“I don’t think it’s Canelo himself, but it is his team,” said Monroe, who boxes for Banner Promotions. “I know Canelo would fight me. I think it is his trainers who fear that they can’t prepare Canelo for my style.”

Monroe, of Rochester, N.Y., is a southpaw.

“If he is a true man, they should stick to their word,” Monroe said. “The plan was for the winner of that fight to be able to fight Canelo. They thought Rosado would win, and he would just be a guy that would get pounded by Canelo.

“If the shoe was on the other foot, and it was me who did not want to fight an aggressive fighter, I would look like a punk.”

Gomez during an Aug. 29 conference call did not say the winner of Monroe-Rosado would definitely get Alvarez, but he did say, “The winner of this fight very well could be fighting Canelo in December.”

Well, December wasn’t going to happen once Alvarez injured his thumb, but that hasn’t changed Monroe’s desire to fight Alvarez. Gomez on Wednesday addressed that, saying all options remain possible.

“As is customary with Canelo, we’re going to leave all the doors open,” Gomez said. “We would consider anybody. That’s what’s customary. We’re not going to close any doors.”

Art Hovhannisyan wants to put on show Friday in main event at Belasco Theater

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Robert Morales

Art Hovhannisyan addresses reporters at this week’s media workout in Los Angeles/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

If Art Hovhannisyan of Glendale stays true to his credo, fans could be in for a good time when he takes on Diego Magdaleno in the junior welterweight main event Friday at Belasco Theater in Los Angeles (on Estrella TV).

“I started my boxing career when I was 12, and was inspired by my favorite boxer, Mike Tyson,” Hovhannisyan said. “I’m the type of fighter that loves to put on a show in the ring.”

Hovhannisyan could have his hands full with Magdaleno, a southpaw out of Las Vegas who is 29-2 with 12 knockouts.

“… I have watched him fight a few times,” Hovhannisyan said. “I know what I have to do in the ring to earn the victory.”

Magdaleno is the older brother of Jessie Magdaleno, who Nov. 5 will challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight title on the undercard of the Jessie Vargas-Manny Pacquiao welterweight title fight at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95.

Petr Petrov, a 16-year veteran, earns his second shot at major world title

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Robert Morales

Petr Petrov, right, lands a punch to the face of Michael Perez/Photo by Kyte Monroe, Banner Promotions

Petr Petrov of Russia has been a professional boxer for nearly 16 years, but he has never held a major world title. Petrov should now get his second opportunity to fight for one.

Petrov on Friday night stopped Michael Perez (24-2-2) of Newark, N.J., after six rounds of their lightweight main event slated for 12 rounds at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. It was a title-elimination bout, which means Petrov (38-4-2, 19 KOs) could get a shot at WBA champion Jorge Linares.

“This victory is what I have been working for, to be so close to a world title shot,” said Petrov, 33. Petrov previously fought for a super lightweight world title, but was stopped in the fourth round by Marcos Maidana in September 2011.

Petrov’s promoter, Artie Pelullo of Banner Promotions, liked what he saw.

“Petr looked sensational,” Pelullo said. “He has been getting better every fight, and this is the best he has looked. He has really earned his title opportunity. … Now we will look to make the WBA world title bout as quickly as possible.”

Jorge Linares makes a happy man out of his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Robert Morales

Anthony Crolla, left, and Jorge Linares pose after this past Friday’s weigh-in for their fight Saturday in England/Photo courtesy of Lawrence Lustig, Matchroom Boxing

Jorge Linares of Venezuela entered his fight this past Saturday against WBA lightweight champion Anthony Crolla having already held the WBC belt. But Linares was stripped of that title in February when he could not make a mandatory defense because of a fractured hand.

That said, Linares was eager to once again be a world champion. He did not disappoint himself as he took Crolla’s title via unanimous decision at Manchester Arena in Crolla’s native England.

Linares’ promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, was stoked about what he saw from Linares and what he might see in the future from him.

“Jorge Linares has proven himself once again as a world champion fighter with incredible skill, strength and talent. This is a fighter that continues to fight the best and win against the best in the lightweight division,” De La Hoya said. “Linares gave us a highly entertaining and thrilling fight against Anthony Crolla today, and we can’t wait to see what more is to come from him following this tremendous … victory.”

Linares, 31, is now 41-3. Crolla, 29, is 31-5-3. He was trying to make his second successful title defense.

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