Featured Articles
MIGUEL COTTO AND CANELO ALVAREZ SET FOR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MEGA-FIGHT

WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL COTTO AND FORMER TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION CANELO ALVAREZ SET FOR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MEGA-FIGHT ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21
FROM THE MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER IN LAS VEGAS
PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
NEW YORK (August 13, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions are pleased to announce the highly anticipated clash of two titans in a classic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico battle. On Saturday, Nov. 21, Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs), the reigning WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes, and Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs), a former WBC and WBA Super Welterweight World Champion will finally meet in the ring at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas for the WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championship. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
The fight promises crowd-pleasing, high-intensity action between two powerful fighters competing in the primes of their careers who are both coming off of impressive, dominating performances in their most recent respective fights. With seven world titles between them, their impressive resumes and their levels of popularity in their home countries, Cotto vs. Canelo is shaping up to be the biggest fight in boxing this year and the biggest fight in the history of the famed Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry. The rivalry, which dates back to the 1930s, has seen epic clashes including those between Salvador “Sal” Sanchez and Wilfredo “Bazooka” Gomez, Julio Cesar “J.C.” Chavez and Hector “Macho” Camacho as well as the last super-fight of the 20th century between “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya and Felix “Tito” Trinidad.
Information regarding ticket availability and a press tour for the fight will be announced soon.
“I will give the fans the fight they want to see,” said Cotto. “As I have always said, during my whole career, I am here to fight the best names and the best fighters. This will be another chapter in my career and I will be ready for him. Fans will enjoy a real fight, another classic battle in the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.”
“Historically, mega-fights are made because fans demand them,” said Alvarez. “In this case, the fans have spoken out, longing for this fight and it is my pleasure to say that it is finally happening. All fights at this level are very important, but this fight in particular has something more. It will hold a special place in history as part of the big rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico, and I promise all the fans that this is going to be an event that will not disappoint.”
“Cotto vs. Canelo is the biggest fight in boxing, period,” said David Itskowitch, COO Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “Given the fighters’ styles, it has all the makings of a can’t-miss, all-action fight. Couple that with the popularity of both Miguel and Canelo, and you have a true mega-fight that fans have been clamoring for and one that no sports fan should miss. November 21 has all the makings of a fight that will go down in boxing history as one of the greats.”
“This is the ‘Fight of the Year’ that true boxing fans have been waiting for between two of the biggest stars in the sport today, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Cotto vs. Canelo will be an epic showdown, full of non-stop action from the moment the first bell rings. This fight is an example of exactly what Golden Boy Promotions does: puts on the best fights between top fighters in the primes of their careers.”
“We are excited to bring the fight that the fans of boxing deserve,” said Hector Soto, Miguel Cotto Promotions vice president. “This will be a real fight. On November 21, the world will witness the biggest fight in the history of Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry.”
“The great rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico has a rich history in the sport of boxing,” said Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, Manager to Canelo Alvarez. “Classic fights like Julio Cesar ‘J.C.’ Chavez vs. Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho and Wilfredo Gomez vs. Salvador Sanchez are prime examples of the history of that great rivalry. Cotto-Canelo will become part of that history, a fight that most likely will be the biggest fight to date due to the great popularity of both of the warriors. Fans demanded this fight and now have it!”
“Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez have earned the adulation and respect of fans the world over for both stepping into the ring against the most formidable opposition as well as giving everything in their arsenal to try and win their fights,” said Mark Taffet, Senior Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View. “Uniquely, Cotto-Canelo is a can’t-miss fan-friendly mega-fight and the most highly anticipated event of the second half of the year. We are delighted to serve as the television partner for this red-hot PPV showdown on November 21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.”
“The Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez championship event will be one of the most entertaining, action-packed fights of 2015,” said Richard Sturm, president of sports and entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to hosting these two great warriors in November as they deliver boxing fans worldwide a thrilling night from inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center.”
Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) is the reigning WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes. He is the former WBO Junior Welterweight World Champion, the former WBA Welterweight World Champion, the former WBO Welterweight World Champion and the former WBA Super Welterweight World Champion. He also represented Puerto Rico in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Cotto has competed in 23 world championship fights, compiling a record of 19-4 with 16 knockouts in those bouts. In Puerto Rico, he is hailed as a national hero and the successor of Felix “Tito” Trinidad as the island’s most revered boxer. Cotto is one of the biggest gate attractions in boxing and one of the largest pay-per-view draws among active fighters. In June 2014, Cotto made history in his first fight as a middleweight by dominating Argentine southpaw and defending WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KOs). He is trained by legendary Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and has fought some of the biggest names in the sport including Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. Cotto owns his own boxing promotional company in Puerto Rico, Miguel Cotto Promotions, and presides over his charity La Fundación El Ángel de Miguel Cotto, a non-profit organization dedicated to combatting childhood obesity. In March 2015, Cotto and Roc Nation Sports announced that they had entered into a partnership that includes a co-promotional agreement with Miguel Cotto Promotions to promote Cotto’s fights. On June 6, 2015, almost one year to the day since his last appearance in the ring, Cotto defended his WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships against former two-time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Cotto scored a thunderous knockdown early in the fourth round before finishing matters with a second knockdown midway through the round, which left Geale unable to continue. He now looks to further cement his Hall of Fame resume with a win over Canelo.
At the age of 25, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) has conquered the boxing world, captivating fans both in Mexico and around the globe with his action-packed fighting style, charisma and willingness to take on the toughest challenges. Alvarez’s road to stardom began in 2011 with a win over Matthew “Magic” Hatton for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World title in March, his first title defense against Ryan Rhodes in June and stoppage victories over Alfonso Gomez and former World Champion Kermit Cintron in September and November respectively. On May 5, 2012, Alvarez defended his belt for the fourth time when he faced future Hall of Famer Sugar Shane Mosley as part of the “Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto” pay-per-view telecast. Even though the fight lasted 12 rounds, the popular Mexican showed the 40 year-old veteran the road to retirement, winning via unanimous decision. The victory over Mosley set up a September 15 showdown with breakout star Josesito Lopez in which he knocked Lopez down three times before ending the bout with a fifth round technical knockout. Next, boxing’s most popular phenom continued on the path to superstardom with a 12-round unanimous decision over WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin Trout on May 4, 2013 in front of over 39,000 fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas which made him a unified world champion. The win proved Alvarez’s supremacy at 154 pounds and also made it clear that he was a bona fide ticket seller wherever he decided to fight. On September 14, 2013, Alvarez faced the man on top of the pound-for-pound list, Floyd “Money” Mayweather. He put forth a stellar effort before falling short of victory for the first time as a professional via a 12-round majority decision. The fight ended up being not just the biggest of 2013, but also the second highest grossing bout of all time and the second most watched boxing event ever on Mexican television (only behind this year’s Mayweather-Pacquiao). Since then, Alvarez has won three straight fights, defeating top stars Alfredo “Perro” Angulo on March 8, 2014 via technical knockout in the 10th round and Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara via split decision on July 12, 2014. On May 9, 2015, Alvarez dazzled with a victory over the fierce James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland at Minute Maid Park in Houston in front of more than 31,000 fans that featured what many have already deemed the “Knockout of the Year.” Now, Alvarez is on a mission to position himself as the most popular boxer of his generation and break into the top pound-for-pound list when he faces the feared Miguel Cotto on November 21.
Cotto vs. Canelo, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra; Mexico, Live it to Believe it! and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
For more information, visit www.rocnation.com,www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.canelopromotions.com.mx, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mandalaybay.com; follow on Twitter at @RocNation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @RealMiguelCotto, @Canelo, @HBOBoxing, and @MandalayBay; become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/RealMiguelACotto, www.facebook.com/SaulCaneloAlvarez, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MandalayBay; and follow on Instagram @rocnation, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @realmiguelacotto, @Canelo, @HBOboxing and @MandalayBay. Follow the conversation using #CottoCanelo.
Featured Articles
Ever-Improving Callum Walsh KOs Dean Sutherland at Madison Square Garden

Irish luck was not involved as Callum Walsh won the battle of hard-hitting southpaws over Dean Sutherland by knockout on Sunday.
One right hook was all it took.
“You’re never going to beat the Irish,” said Walsh.
In a contest between Celtic super welterweights Walsh (13-0, 11 KOs) retained the WBC Continental America’s title against Sutherland (19-2, 7 KOs) in quick fashion at the Madison Square Garden Theater in Manhattan.
Usually fights between southpaws can be confusing to both contestants. But Walsh had expressed a fondness for fighting lefthanders then vividly exhibited the reasons why.
Walsh, 24, a native of Cork, Ireland, now living and training in Los Angeles, quickly demonstrated why he likes fighting lefties with a steady flow of combinations from the opening bell.
He did not hesitate.
Sutherland, 26, had only lost once before and that was more than two years ago. Against Walsh the Scottish fighter was not hesitant to advance forward but was caught with lefts and right hooks.
After two minutes of scattered blows, Sutherland fought back valiantly and when cornered, Walsh tapped two jabs then unleashed a right hook through the Scottish fighter’s gloves that floored the Aberdeen fighter for the count at 2:45 of the first round.
“I’m feeling very good. Dean Sutherland is a very good opponent. I knew he was going to be dangerous. That was my best opponent,” said Walsh.
It was the fourth consecutive knockout win for Walsh who seems to improve with every single combat.
“I’m looking forward to the future. I’m getting stronger and stronger,” said Walsh who is trained by Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. “Anyone that comes to me I will take him out.”
Other Bouts
Super featherweight Feargal McCrory (17-1, 9 KOs) survived a knockdown in the fourth to out-muscle Keenan Carbajal (25-5-1, 17 KOs) and batter down the Arizona fighter in the seventh and again in the eighth with volume punching.
Carbajal was deducted a point early for holding in round two, but regained that point when he floored the Irish southpaw during an exchange in the fourth.
Despite suffering a knockdown, McCrory continued stalking Carbajal and floored him in the seventh and eighth with battering blows. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. stopped the fight without a count.
A rematch between two Irish super middleweights saw Emmet Brennan (6-0) remain undefeated by unanimous decision over Kevin Cronin (9-3-1).
Cronin started quickly with a pressure style and punches flowing against Brennan who resorted to covering and countering. Though it looked like Cronin was building up a lead with a busier style, the judges preferred Brennan’s judicious counters. No knockdowns were scored as all three judges saw Brennan the winner 98-92 after 10 rounds.
Dajuan Calloway (11-3, 9 KOs) emerged the winner by technical knockout over Thomas Carty (10-1) who was unable to continue after two rounds when his leg tangled and thereafter was unable to stand. Because he could not continue the fight was ruled a technical knockout win for Calloway in the heavyweight match.
Also
Cletus “Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (29-1, 23 Kos) defeated Yeis Solano (15-5) by majority decision after eight rounds in a super lightweight contest.
Donagh Keary (1-0) defeated Geral Alicea-Romero (0-1-1) by decision after four.
Light heavyweights Sean O’Bradaigh (0-0-1) and Jefferson Almeida (0-1-1) fought to a majority draw after four.
Photo credit: JP Yim
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Nick Ball Wears Down and Stops TJ Doheny Before the Home Folks in Liverpool

Fighting in his hometown, Liverpool’s five-foot-two fireplug Nick “The Wrecking” Ball stopped TJ Doheny after 10 progressively more one-sided rounds to retain his WBA belt in the second defense of the featherweight title he won with a hard-earned decision over Raymond Ford in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Referee Michael Alexander, with the assent of Doheny’s corner, waived it off following the bell ending Round 10, much to the chagrin of the brave but mildewed Doheny who burst into tears. But then, Doheny’s right eye was closed shut and he was plainly exhausted. This may be the end of the line for the 38-year-old campaigner from Perth, Australia via Portlaois, Ireland who was 26-5 heading in following his first loss inside the distance which came against pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue.
There were no knockdowns, but Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) was docked a point in round nine for throwing Doheny to the canvas after having previously been warned for this infraction. Earlier, both he and Doheny were warned for an incident that could have ended the bout prematurely. At the end of the first round, Ball extricated himself from a headlock by kicking Doheny in the back of his knee. The challenger’s leg appeared to buckle as he returned to his stool.
Going forward, Ball has many options. The 28-year-old Liverpudlian purportedly relishes a unification fight with WBC belt-holder Stephen Fulton, but the decision ultimately rests with Ball’s promoter Frank Warren.
Other Bouts of Note
In a 12-round bantamweight contest that was close on the scorecards but yet a monotonous affair, Liverpool’s Andrew Cain won a split decision over former WBC flyweight title-holder Charlie Edwards. The scores were 116-112 and 115-114 favoring Cain with judge Steve Gray submitting a disreputable 115-113 tally for Edwards. At stake were a trio of regional titles.
The science of boxing, they say, is about hitting without getting hit. Charlie Edwards is adept at the latter but the hitting part is not in his DNA. He was on his bicycle from the get-go, a style that periodically brought forth a cascade of boos. Cain, who trains in the same gym with Nick Ball, was never able to corner him – Edwards was too elusive – but Cain, to his credit, never lost his composure.
In improving to 14-1 (12), Cain achieved a measure of revenge, in a sense. In his last documented amateur bout, in 2014, Cain was defeated by Charlie’s brother Sunny Edwards, also a former world title-holder at the professional level. Heading in, Charlie Edwards (20-2, 1 NC) was unbeaten in his last 13 which included a comfortable decision over Cristofer Rosales in his flyweight title fight. Charlie relinquished that belt when he could no longer make the weight.
Showboating Cuban lightweight Jadier Herrera, who fought 13 of his first 14 pro fights in his adopted home of Dubai, advanced to 17-0 (15 KOs) with a seventh-round stoppage of spunky but outclassed Mexican import Jose Macias (21-4-2). The official time was 2:31 of round seven.
An all-Liverpool affair between super flyweights Jack Turner (11-0, 10 KOs) and Ryan Farrag (23-6) was over in a jiff. The match, which went next-to-last in the bout order, ended at the 42-second mark of round two. A barrage of punches climaxed by a left hook sent Farrag down hard and the referee waived it off.
The noted spoiler Ionut Baluta, whose former victims include Andrew Cain, forged another upset with a 10-round split decision over local fan favorite Brad Strand. The judges favored Baluta 98-91 and 96-94, out-voting the Italian judge whose 97-93 tally for Strand was deemed the most accurate by the TV pundits.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Avila Perspective, Chap. 317: Callum Walsh, Dana White and More

As Callum Walsh stood on the observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building with fists clenched, it harked back to actor Jimmy Cagney, an actor of Irish descent, yelling “Top of the world, ma,” in the 1949 motion picture White Heat.
The Irish-born Walsh brings that kind of attitude.
Once again Walsh (12-0, 10 KOs) returns to New York City and this time faces Scottish warrior Dean Sutherland (19-1, 7 KOs) in a super welterweight match set for 10 rounds on Sunday, March 16, at Madison Garden Theater.
UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Promotions event.
Flanked by master trainer Freddie Roach and managed by Dana White it brings questions as to the direction that Walsh will be steered. It was just revealed that White will head a new boxing promotion outfit with big plans to make a more UFC type of organization.
Is Walsh part of the plans?
It’s a lot to digest as the hot prospect from Cork, Ireland proceeds toward world championship dreams. Can he cleanse his mind of this major distraction?
Walsh and Sutherland are both southpaws who are meeting at the crossroads in the heart of New York City. At this point of their careers a loss can mean rebooting and taking a few steps backward. The winner moves on to the next crucial step.
Sutherland, 26, hails from Aberdeen and has never fought outside of his native Scotland. It’s a lot to ask of someone whose country’s population of 5 million is dwarfed by New York City’s 8.2 million inhabitants all packed together.
Ireland’s population is also 5 million. So basically, both Walsh and Sutherland are on even terms when they enter the prize ring on Sunday.
Who knows what kind of competition Sutherland faced in Scotland. He beat two undefeated fighters and also conquered two foes who each had more than 100 losses on their resumes.
Meanwhile, Walsh has faced only one undefeated fighter but handled veterans like Benjamin Whitaker, Ismael Villareal and Carlos Ortiz Cervantes. But you never know until they meet face to face. Anything can happen in a prize ring.
Walsh has a three-fight knockout streak. Sutherland has slept two out of his last three foes. They will be joined by several Irish fighters on the card plus Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin.
Dana, Turk and TKO
The announcement earlier in the week that Turki Alalshikh together with TKO Group Holdings that include Dana White and Nick Khan formed a new boxing promotion company.
White, who does not own UFC but guides the MMA ship, works for Endeavor, the parent company of UFC and WWE. Their events are all shown on ESPN, the powerful sports network (albeit WWE’s flagship weekly show “Raw” recently moved to Netflix). It seems Endeavor has decided to allow White to guide its boxing program too.
Where does that leave Top Rank?
It seems the partnership plans to rid boxing of the many sanctioning organizations and have only one champion per division. The champion will be given a Ring Magazine belt. Recently, Turki Alalshikh purchased The Ring magazine from Golden Boy Promotions. This seems to have been the plan all along.
Is this good for boxing?
Mark Shapiro, the president of TKO Group Holdings, said:
“This is a strategic opportunity to re-imagine the sport of boxing globally. TKO has the deep expertise, promotional prowess, and longstanding relationships. HE Turki Alalshikh and Sela share our passion and vision for evolving the current model. Together, we can bring the sweet science back to its rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem.”
DAZN all day
Three boxing cards take place on Saturday beginning with WBA featherweight titlist Nick Ball (21-0-1) the human cannonball, defending against former champion TJ Doheny from Liverpool, England. The first bout begins around 9:30 a.m. (Pacific Coast Time). Ball likes to charge forward and punch. Doheny is no slouch and has experience.
Later, Matchroom Boxing presents a show from Florida that features Edgar Berlanga (22-1) fresh off a solid contest against Canelo Alvarez. He fights undefeated Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1) in a super middleweight match. Also, Ammo Williams (17-1) returns to face dangerous Patrice Volny (19-1) in a middleweight clash. The card starts at 3:30 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time.
Saturday evening MarvNation presents Amado Vargas (11-0) meeting Eduardo Hernandez (8-2) in a super lightweight contest at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. Start time is set for 8 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time). The son of the great Fernando Vargas remains undefeated.
Fights to Watch
Sat. DAZN 11:30 a.m. Nick Ball (21-0-1) vs TJ Doheny (26-5).
Sat. DAZN 3:30 p.m. Edgar Berlanga (22-1) vs Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1) ; Ammo Williams (17-1) vs Patrice Volny (19-1).
Sat. DAZN 8 p.m. Amado Vargas (11-0) vs Eduardo Hernandez (8-2).
Sun. UFC Fight Pass 3 p.m. Callum Walsh (12-0) vs Dean Sutherland (19-1).
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Lamont Roach holds Tank Davis to a Draw in Brooklyn
-
Featured Articles3 days ago
A Fresh Face on the Boxing Scene, Bryce Mills Faces His Toughest Test on Friday
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Greg Haugen (1960-2025) was Tougher than the Toughest Tijuana Taxi Driver
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
The Hauser Report: Keyshawn Davis at Madison Square Garden
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Gene Hackman’s Involvement in Boxing Went Deeper than that of a Casual Fan
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Lucas Bahdi Paid His Dues, Quite Literally, and Now his Boxing Career is Flourishing
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Arnold Barboza Edges Past Jack Catterall in Manchester
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
The Hauser Report — Riyadh Season and Sony Hall: Very Big and Very Small