Featured Articles
R.I.P. Former World Champion Rocky Lockridge

Rocky Lockridge, a former world super featherweight champion who participated in a slew of memorable bouts in the 1980s, has reportedly died at age 60. The news was confirmed by his son, Ricky Lockridge Jr. Complications from a recent stroke were cited as the cause of death.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Lockridge won a national AAU bantamweight title as a teenager but declined an invite to compete in the Olympic trials because he was making too much money as the drummer and lead singer of a local band. He made his pro debut at age 19 in neighboring Seattle but in quick time became identified with New Jersey where he was part of the Duva family of boxers under the Main Events imprimatur. Twenty-nine of Lockridge’s first 33 fights were in the Garden State.
Lockridge, who finished his career with a record 44-9 with 36 KOs and was stopped only once, had only 16 fights under his belt when he challenged future Hall of Famer Eusebio Pedroza for the WBA featherweight title. He came up short, losing a 15-round split decision. They would fight again in San Remo, Italy, and once again Lockridge came up a tad short, losing a narrow but unanimous decision. Two of the judges gave the fight to the Panamanian (who is reportedly in very bad health) by a single point.
Four fights after his second setback to Pedroza, Lockridge won the WBA 130-pound title with a spectacular one-punch, 91-second knockout of Roger Mayweather. He would subsequently add the IBF 130-pound diadem, dethroning Australia’s Barry Michael on a card in England. Michael failed to answer the bell for the ninth round and would never fight again.
All told, Lockridge fought nine current, former, or future world title holders: Pedroza, Mayweather, Michael, Juan LaPorte, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, Wilfredo Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Tony Lopez (twice), Rafael Ruelas, and Sharmba Mitchell. His first fight with hometown hero Tony Lopez in Sacramento was named The Ring magazine Fight of the Year. He retired after losing back-to-back fights to Ruelas and Mitchell.
Lockridge didn’t adapt well to life after boxing. In 2009, he was found living on the streets of Camden, New Jersey, where he frequented the crime-ridden city’s most notorious intersection. By then he had served time for burglary and was using a walker to get around. This was quite a comedown for an articulate man known for his easy-going personality who had taken classes in business at New Jersey’s William Paterson College.
“Rocky was always just a nickname, but it came to represent a broken-down champion who lost his family and more than a decade of his life to crack and alcohol on the Camden streets,” wrote Jason Nark in the Philadelphia Daily News in 2010.
Nark’s story was in conjunction with an upcoming episode of the award- winning A&E reality show “Intervention” where Lockridge’s fight for sobriety would be chronicled. His appearance on the show was arranged by Jacquie Richardson, a woman who has dedicated her life to helping retired boxers in similar circumstances.
We here at The Sweet Science send our condolences to Lockridge’s loved ones. Rest in peace, Champ.
To comment on this article in The Fight Forum, CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Undercard Results from the Canelo-Charlo Card in Las Vegas

In a heavyweight battle slated for 10, Frank Sanchez (23-0, 16 KOs) stopped LA trial horse Scott Alexander (17-6-2) after four frames. Alexander’s corner attempted to stop it in the waning seconds of the fourth, but the referee did not see it and the bell rang before the fight was waived off.
Alexander had one big moment. In the opening round, he rocked Sanchez with a short right hand. But from there, it was all Sanchez in a rather messy fight.
A Miami-based Cuban defector, Frank Sanchez came in ranked #3 by the WBO, #4 by the WBC, and #5 by the IBF. His best win came in this building, a comfortable decision over Efe Ajagba in October of 2021. Alexander also fought here. In his previous visit to the T-Mobile, he was knocked out in the opening round by Zhilei Zhang.
Former WBO light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, in his third fight back since ending his retirement, improved to 20-0 (16) with a second-round stoppage of 38-year-old Brazilian Isaac Rodrigues (28-5). Gvozdyk, 36, left the sport after getting beat up by Artur Beterbiev, but got the itch and is pursuing a fight with Dmitry Bivol.
In an 8-round middleweight fight, 2012 U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha (24-3-1) won a majority decision over Keandre Leatherwood (23-9-1). The judges had it 76-76 and 78-74 twice. Once a highly regarded prospect, Gausha is spinning his wheels. Leatherwood, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, had been stopped four times.
Guadalajara super lightweight Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela advanced to 28-3-1 (17 KOs) with a sixth-round stoppage of overmatched Colombia import Yves Gabriel Solano (15-3). This was redemption of sorts for Valenzuela who lost an unpopular 12-round decision to Montana Love in his last outing inside these walls.
Kazakh super middleweight Bek Nuramaganbat (11-0) continued his fast ascent of the 168-pound ladder with a third-round stoppage of Bola Osundairo. A 30-year-old Chicago-based Nigerian, Osundairo was a 2021 USA National Champion at 178 pounds.
A four-round middleweight contest between Abilikhan Amankul (4-0-1, 4 KOs) and Joeshon James (7-0-2, 4 KOs) ended in a draw. Although he didn’t win, Sacramento’s James continued to exceed expectations. In previous contests he KOed previously undefeated Richard Brewart and fought to a draw with Top Rank signee Javier Martinez. Amankul, a 26-year-old Kazakh, lost a split decision to eventual gold medal winner Hebert Conceicao in the Tokyo Olympics.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
—
David Avila is ringside. Check back later for his report of the Canelo-Charlo fight and the main supporting bouts.
Featured Articles
Opetaia Demolishes Thompson in London; Wallin Upsets Gassiev in Turkey

In his first defense of his IBF cruiserweight title, Australian southpaw Jai Opetaia demolished overmatched Jordan Thompson in the featured bout of a Matchroom card at London’s Wembley Arena. Opetaia (23-0, 18 KOs) overwhelmed Thompson (15-1) from the opening gun and had the six-foot-six Mancunian on the canvas twice before the match was waived off at the 20-second mark of round four.
An Olympian at the age of 16, Opetaia won the title 15 months ago with a unanimous decision over longtime title-holder Mairis Briedis. Noting that Opetaia broke his jaw in two places early in that contest, prominent Australian sporting journalist Simon Smale called it “one of the bravest, gutsiest, victories in Australian boxing history.”
Following that fight, Opetaia had to eat through a straw for several months. Hence, there were questions about whether his jaw would hold up and whether he would show ring rust in his first title defense. But the towering Thompson, whose nickname is Troublesome, although game, proved to be no trouble whatsoever for Opetaia who would be favored to beat any cruiserweight in the world, no matter the locale.
Opetaia may return to England for his next fight which would be a unification match with Bournemouth’s 18-1 Chris Billam-Smith who captured the WBO version of the 200-pound title in May with a surprisingly one-sided decision over favored Lawrence Okolie. The other cruiserweight title-holders are the well-traveled Badou Jack (WBC) and the French-Armenian boxer Arsen Goulamirian (WBA).
Four female fights were on the undercard including two 10-rounders, both of which were won by the “A side” Englishwomen.
In her first title defense, Ellie Scotney, a 25-year-old Londoner, retained her IBF world super bantamweight title and improved to 8-0 at the expense of 37-year-old Argentine veteran Laura Soledad Griffa (20-9). In a rather monotonous fight, Scotney won every round on two of the scorecards and nine rounds on the other.
Rhiannon Dixon, a 29-year-old southpaw, had a surprisingly easy time with Norwegian veteran Katharina Thanderz, a former world title challenger. Dixon (9-0) won every round on all three cards. Thanderz, who trains in Spain, declined to 16-2.
Wallin-Gassiev
In a 12-round heavyweight fight in Antalya, Turkey, Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 KOs) won a split decision over Murat Gassiev (30-2). This was a dull fight. Owing to various issues, Gassiev had answered the bell for only eight rounds in the previous seven years and his vaunted power had deserted him. True, he landed the harder punches, but Wallin, who kept pecking away with his jab, was far busier and won the fight on volume alone. Two of the judges had it 115-113 for the Swede who is 6-0 since going 12 rounds with Tyson Fury. The other judge scored it for Gassiev by a bizarre 117-111.
Opetaia-Thompson photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Avila Perspective, Chap. 254: Canelo vs Jermell Charlo in a Battle of Undisputed Champions

LAS VEGAS-Less than the usual massive crowd gathered for boxing kingpin Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jermell Charlo in the desert heat outside of the T-Mobile Arena on Friday afternoon. Usually the weigh-ins are slightly bigger for Mexico’s idol.
Is the declining crowd an indicator of Alvarez fans ebbing belief in his abilities?
Still, on Saturday night, two undisputed world champions from differing divisions will collide as Guadalajara, Mexico’s Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) meets Houston’s Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena for the super middleweight world championship. PPV.Com will stream the clash of champions.
This year has seen a hyper-speed uptick in champions fighting other champions, perhaps the result of watching their female counterparts Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor produce the biggest fight of 2022. This year several marquee collisions were spawned from lightweights to heavyweights.
Or maybe the pandemic lull created a twitch panic among the elite.
Charlo was one of those who had been sidelined while others like Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Naoya “Monster” Inoue and Canelo Alvarez filled their pockets with cash. And others like Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez gained undisputed glory.
Instead of watching on the sidelines, Charlo decided to make his move for greater glory by attempting to dethrone one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, if not the kingpin of boxing when it comes to money.
“If I accomplish this massive goal, it will be hard to top,” Charlo said a few weeks ago during his media workout. “I’ll be in the record book with the greats of boxing for a long time.”
Risks brings rewards.
Canelo, long a member of the boxing elite, has held his position as the box office king for many years now by taking the daunting risks throughout his boxing life.
“Jermell is right, I have nothing to prove. But this time I have something to prove to him,” said Alvarez while in Las Vegas on Wednesday. “He never believed in my skills. He’s been calling me out. Now I have an opportunity to show him my skills.”
Undisputed super welterweight will challenge undisputed super middleweight in a two-division jump not often seen, except for Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran and Sugar Shane Mosley. It’s the road taken by those who seek to be great.
Both are 33 but the redhead Alvarez has been fighting professionally since he was 15. That’s a lot of bullets in the chamber he has already used. Charlo has height, speed and the ability to adapt to different styles. Stylistically, it’s a battle that makes even the skeptics take pause.
It all depends on Alvarez’s resiliency. Charlo has ring rust, while Alvarez seemingly has lost the hunger. Whose weakness will prove the greater?
“Now is the time for this fight. We’re in our primes and at our best,” said Charlo. “I wanna shake the doubters off and prove to the world why I”m in this position. There’s a reason I made it this far.”
Alvarez remembers being as hungry as Charlo.
“I never overlook any fighter,” Alvarez said. “I know what he’s going to bring and I’m ready.”
Undercard
Several other notable bouts are included on the pay-per-view card.
Former world titlists and current welterweight contenders Yordenis Ugas (27-5) and Mario Barrios (27-2) battle for an interim title set for 12 rounds.
Super welterweights Jesus Ramos (20-0, 16 KOs) and Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) match skills in a match that pits a southpaw veteran against an undefeated southpaw from Arizona. For the past three years Ramos has been moving up the ladder and was last seen pounding out highly-touted Joey Spencer. Can he survive Lubin who nearly toppled Sebastian Fundora?
Doors open at T-Mobile Arena at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.
Lampley is back
Legendary HBO announcer Jim Lampley was hired along with ace reporter Lance Pugmire who will co-host the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus Jermell Charlo showdown via viewer chat live on PPV.com.
It’s the same concept used by Monday Night Football that features former quarterback greats Peyton Manning and Eli Manning in alternative programming.
Lampley returns to boxing after a five-year absence following HBO’s yanking of the popular program that vaulted elite boxing to the top behind the likes of George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.
The veteran announcer will be live streaming all the action on media platforms before and during the fight action. He was sorely missed by all who follow the sweet science.
Photo credit: Al Applerose
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Christian Mbilli Demolishes Demond Nicholson to Inch Closer to a Title Shot
-
Featured Articles7 days ago
Tedious Fights and a Controversial Draw Smudge the Matchroom Boxing Card in Orlando
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Results from Manchester where Chris Eubank Jr Avenged a KO Loss in a Dominant Fashion
-
Featured Articles7 days ago
Skavynskyi and Bustillos Win on a MarvNation Card in Long Beach
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Avila Perspective, Chap. 250: Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr II in Manchester
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Derby’s Sandy Ryan Poised to Unify the Welterweight Title in Her U.S. Debut
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
William Zepeda Wins by KO; Yokasta Valle Wins Too at Commerce Casino
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Ruben Villa, the Pride of Salinas, Returns to the Ring on Friday