Jorge Linares to defend against Luke Campbell at Fabulous Forum

Jorge Linares, left, lands a body punch on Anthony Crolla during their bout in March in England. Linares defended his title via unanimous decision/Photo by Getty Images Europe

 

It’s been three years since lightweight world champion Jorge Linares graced the United States with his presence in the ring, but that will change Sept. 23 when Linares defends his title against No. 1 contender Luke Campbell at the Fabulous Forum (on HBO).

Linares, of Venezuela, can’t wait.

“I am excited to make my return to the United States and to headline an HBO show for the first time,” said Linares, who will turn 32 on Aug. 22. “I know Luke Campbell is a tough competitor with an incredible amateur and professional background, but I am confident I will emerge victorious on Sept. 23.”

Campbell, of England, won the gold medal at bantamweight in the 2012 London Games. The 29-year-old southpaw is 17-1 with 14 knockouts.

“I’ve worked my way from Olympic champion to the No. 1 spot in the WBA and WBC rankings, and I feel now is the time to take my chance,” Campbell said.

Linares has not fought in the U.S. since knocking out Ira Terry in the second round in August 2014 at StubHub Center. Campbell has never fought outside the United Kingdom.

 

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Tickets on sale for Miguel Berchelt-Takashi Miura at Fabulous Forum

Miguel Berchelt/Photo courtesy of BoxRec.com

 

Golden Boy Promotions on July 15 will play host to a card at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood that will have super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) of Mexico defending his title against Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs) of Japan in the main event (on HBO).

Berchelt took the title from Francisco Vargas in January, stopping Vargas in the 11th round at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio.

The semi-main event will feature Jezreel Corrales (21-1, 8 KOs) of Panama defending his super featherweight title against Robinson Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs) of Mexico.

Also, Joe Smith Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) of Long Island, N.Y., will take on Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) of Cuba in a 12-round light heavyweight bout. Smith in December ended the career of Bernard Hopkins when he knocked out Hopkins in the eighth round, sending him through the ropes and onto the concrete floor at the Fabulous Forum.

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125 are on sale and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or the Forum box office at 310-330-7300. They can also be purchased online at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

 

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Miguel Cotto to fight in Southern California for just the second time

Canelo Alvarez delivers a blow to Miguel Cotto as he wins unanimously for the middleweight title.

Miguel Cotto, right, takes a left hook to the jaw from Canelo Alvarez in their November 2015 bout in Las Vegas/AP photo by John Locher

 

Miguel Cotto has not fought since November 2015. But when he returns Aug. 26 to take on Yoshihiro Kamegai of Japan, the two will be tangling for a vacant junior middleweight title at StubHub Center (on HBO).

That’s right. Cotto will have been out of the ring for 21 months, yet he gets a shot at another title upon his return. He’s stoked.

“I’m very excited to be back and showcase a high-level fight for the fans,” Cotto said in a news release distributed by Golden Boy Promotions. “Kamegai is a great, tough fighter. But I will be ready for him, and to capture the world title.”

Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs), of Puerto Rico, is right when he says Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) is a tough fighter. But Kamegai is anything but great. He comes forward, and offers no defense. But this should be a ring war, which is along the lines of many fights we’ve seen at StubHub.

“I fully understand who I am going to be in the ring against,” Kamegai said. “But Cotto’s record and history won’t matter once we are toe-to-toe.”

Cotto, who has won titles in four weight classes, will be fighting for just the second time in the Southland. He defeated Arturo Rodriguez via second-round knockout in July 2001 at Staples Center underneath the light heavyweight title fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Julio Gonzalez. It was just the sixth fight of Cotto’s career.

Cotto has not fought since losing a wide unanimous decision to Canelo Alvarez in a middleweight title fight Nov. 21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

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Terence Crawford, Felix Diaz make weight for Saturday’s bout

Terence Crawford, left, hits Viktor Postol during their WBC-WBO junior welterweight title unification bxoing bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens)

Terence Crawford, left, lands a left cross on Viktor Postol during their title-unification bout in July 2016 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Crawford won a wide decision/AP photo by Chase Stevens

 

Junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford and Felix Diaz on Friday successfully made weight for their showdown Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City (on HBO).

Crawford (30-0, 21 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., weighed in at 139.2 pounds. Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs), of the Dominican Republic, weighed 139.4; the limit is 140.

 

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Felix Diaz believes Terence Crawford has fought no one like him

FAIRFAX, VA - OCTOBER 17: Lamont Peterson punches Felix Diaz Jr. during their welterweight bout on the campus of George Mason University on October 17, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. Peterson won on judges decision. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Felix Diaz, right, covers up as Lamont Peterson swings on him during their fight in October 2015/Getty Images

 

Terence Crawford is undefeated and holder of two of the major junior welterweight belts. But none of that cuts any ice with Felix Diaz, who Saturday will challenge Crawford for his titles at Madison Square Garden in New York City (on HBO).

“With his style, I know I can beat Terence Crawford,” Diaz said this week during a conference call. “Crawford has fought no one like me. Stylistically, I can beat him.”

Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs) won the gold medal for the Dominican Republic in the 2008 Beijing Games. His only loss as a pro came to former junior welterweight and current welterweight champion Lamont Peterson via majority decision in October 2015.

Crawford, of Omaha, Neb., is 30-0 with 21 knockouts.

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Canelo Alvarez will want to rip off Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.’s head more than others when they tangle in May

Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a jab at Canelo

Canelo Alvarez, right, reacts to a punch thrown by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their September 2013 junior middleweight title fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas won by Mayweather/Associated Press photo

 

Sometimes a rather harsh question can result in a terrific response. Such was the case recently when Canelo Alvarez was asked during a conference call if, after 50 previous opponents, this is the first time he’d like to rip off his opponent’s head.

The question was, of course, in reference to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs), who will take on Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) on May 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view). It’s crystal clear that there is no love lost between these fellow Mexicans.

“No, he’s one more of the 50 of all my opponents that I’ve faced,” Alvarez said. “I’ve wanted to rip their head off; I wanted to beat them; I wanted to them knock them out. This is a little extra. There’s a little bit more motivation, of course, because of the rivalry.”

The two will tangle at a catch-weight of 164 1/2 pounds

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Andre Ward tired of all the negative talk regarding his win over Sergey Kovalev

Sergey Kovalev, right, of Russia, punches Andre Ward

Sergey Kovalev lands a left jab to the eye of Andre Ward during their fight in November in Las Vegas/Photo by Associated Press

 

It seems Andre Ward is tired of hearing how he was decked by Sergey Kovalev in the second round of their light heavyweight title fight this past November, and how he was fortunate to get the narrow decision over Kovalev at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“They have to understand, there’s nothing scary about this man,” Ward said at Monday’s news conference in New York City promoting the June 17 rematch at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view). “You realize we just fought 12 rounds four months ago? Everyone wants to highlight the knockdown; that’s probably one of the most beautiful moments of my career.

“And did you guys see the other 10 rounds? Nobody’s talking about that, but that’s what makes us who we are.”

Ward, 33, is from Oakland. He’s 31-0 with 15 knockouts.

Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs), of Russia, intimated he’s concerned that Ward will put out of this second go-round.

“I want to apologize to my fans for my performance the last time, but we’re going to get this squared, either way,” said Kovalev, 34. “We’re going to see who is the best fighter. I’m very excited for June 17. The only thing I hope is that a week or two before the fight, Andre Ward does not get injured and he has enough (courage) to come out and fight me on June 17.”

 

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Sergey Kovalev, Andre Ward will do it a second time June 17 at Mandalay Bay

Sergey Kovalev, right, of Russia, throws a left at Andre Ward during their light heavyweight boxing match, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Andre Ward, left, and Sergey Kovalev exchange punches during their light heavyweight title fight in November in Las Vegas/Associated Press photo

 

Seven months after their first go-round, Andre Ward of Oakland and Sergey Kovalev of Russia will do it again June 17 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

The two squared off this past Nov. 19 for Kovalev’s three light heavyweight world titles at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ward won a narrow decision by three scores of 114-113. Afterward, Kovalev’s promoter Kathy Duva bemoaned all the clinching Ward was allowed to do. Kovalev thought he won, and wasn’t happy that all three judges were Americans.

Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) on Tuesday seemed to answer to all that in a brief statement.

“I’m going to make it short and sweet,” he said. “You got what you asked for. Now you have to see me on June 17. This time, leave the excuses at home.”

Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs) is stoked at the chance to get his titles back.

“I’m glad to know that rematch will happen,” he said. “I really hope that Andre Ward will get into the ring for this rematch.”

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Tickets are on sale for Canelo Alvarez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Las Vegas

Canelo Alvarez lands a right uppercut to the side of Liam Smith’s head during their junior middleweight title fight won by Alvarez via ninth-round knockout this past September in Arlington, Texas/Associated Press

 

Tickets for the May 6 super middleweight fight between Canelo Alvarez of Mexico and countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas are now on sale.

Prices for the Golden Boy Promotions card are $75, $125, $200, $300, $400, $600, $800, $1,000, $1,250 and $1,500. They can be purchased by calling 888-929-7849 or by going online to www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and Chavez (50-2-1, 32 KOs) will be fighting at a catch-weight of 164 1/2 pounds, 3 1/2 pounds under the super middleweight limit.

The bout will be available on HBO pay-per-view.

 

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‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, Gennady Golovkin once again paired on a card

Roman Gonzalez, left, of Nicaragua, lands a punch on Mexican champion Carlos Cuadras during a WBC super flyweight championship boxing match, Saturday, Sept. ...

Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, left, lands a punch to the face of Carlos Cuadras in their super flyweight world-title fight in September at the Fabulous Forum/AP photo by Richard Vogel

 

Roman “Chocolatitio” Gonzalez fighting underneath a Gennady Golovkin main event has become a regular thing of late. It has been the case in three of their past four respective championship bouts.

They’ll do it again when Gonzalez defends his super flyweight world title against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand on March 18 at Madison Square Garden, where that night middleweight champion Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs) will take on Daniel Jacobs (32-1, 29 KOs) in the main event (on HBO pay-per-view).

Gonzalez (46-0, 38 KOs), of Nicaragua, believes Rungvisai is capable of giving him some grief in the ring.

“Rungvisai is a very tough fight for me,” said Gonzalez, who has won titles in four weight classes. “I know that he has fought many other great fighters, including Carlos Cuadras. But with my training and the blessing of God, I plan to come out victorious.”

Gonzalez in September became the first from his country to win titles in four weight classes when he took a unanimous decision over then-super flyweight champion Cuadras at the Fabulous Forum. Cuadras in May 2014 took the title from Rungvisai via eight-round technical decision in Cuadras’ native Mexico.

That’s the same belt Gonzalez took from Cuadras, and Rungvisai (41-4-1, 38 KOs) wants it back.

“I respect Roman Gonzalez,” he said. “He is a legend. He has done great things for boxing, especially by showing the world how talented and exciting smaller-weight fighters can be. I am happy for Nicaragua to have such a great hero.

“However, super flyweight is my weight. And the … belt is my belt. I will do whatever it takes to win my belt back and I am confident I can do it.”

 

 

 

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