Featured Articles
Fast Results from London: Edwards Out-Foxes Mthalane; Conlan W12 Baluta

Sunny Edwards, whose style harks to some of the great cuties in boxing history, turned in the best performance of his career today at venerable York Hall, snatching the IBF world flyweight title from Moruti Mthalane, who rode into the match on 16-fight winning streak, having last lost in 2008 at the hands of Nonito Donaire. In some quarters, Mthalene, a 38-year-old South African, was considered boxingâs most underrated champion, but he had no antidote for Edwards, an undefeated (16-0) 25-year-old Londoner who displayed exceptional footwork and lateral movement to keep Mthalene from successfully applying pressure and cutting off the ring.
Mthalene, who fell to 39-3, was making the fourth defense of the title he won from Muhammad Waseem in Kuala Lumpur. Among his victories during his winning streak was a fifth-round stoppage of current WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero.
With only four of his 16 victories coming by stoppage, Edwards, the younger brother of former two-time world title-holder Charlie Edwards, wonât win any awards for his punching power, but he exhibited a high ring IQ while becoming promoter Frank Warrenâs second active world champion, joining Tyson Fury.
The judges had it 120-108, 118-111, and 115-113. Mthalene reportedly had to quarantine for 10 days in Tunisia on his flight from Johannesburg to London, but went to post the favorite although Edwards was well-fancied.
Co-Feature
Michael Conlan moved up a weight class to super bantamweight for his first 12-rounder and emerged with a majority decision over Ionut Baluta, a Madrid-based Romanian who entered the contest riding a 6-fight winning streak. The scores were 117-112, 115-114, and 114-114.
Many of the rounds were close. In the eighth, it appeared that Conlanâs body shots were taking their toll on Baluta, but the Romanian got a second wind and performed well in the 10th and the 11th. Conlan, who improved to 15-0, had the better of the milling in the final round and was a deserving winner in his second straight appearance at York Hall where he scored a 10th round stoppage of Sofiane Takoucht in his last start.
A noted spoiler whose last two victories came against a former title-holder (TJ Doheny) and a former Olympian (David Oliver Joyce), Baluta declined to 14-3.
Also
In a match between unbeaten junior middleweights, Troy Williamson (16-0-1) scored a sixth-round stoppage of Kieran Smith (16-1). This was a fairly even fight through five frames with no indication that the bout was headed to a violent conclusion. But in the sixth, Williamson nailed Smith with a wicked right hand that snapped his head back. Only the ropes kept Smith from falling, but his goose was cooked and after a flurry of punches, he pitched face-first to the canvas, unconscious.
Williamsonâs final punch landed behind Smithâs left ear as the referee was moving in to waive it off. The official time was 1:28 of round six. The match was framed as an eliminator for the British title held by Ted Cheeseman.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury on Feb. 26 in a Potential Pay-Per-View Blockbuster

Itâs now official. The twice-postponed âgrudge matchâ between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will come to fruition on Sunday, Feb. 26, at Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An 8-rounder contested at a catch-weight of 185 pounds, the match and several supporting bouts will air in the U.S. on ESPN+ PPV at a cost of $49.99.
The hook for this promotion â a come-hither that will be hammered home incessantly in the coming weeks – is that Jake Paul will finally touch gloves with a legitimate professional boxer. Paulâs previous opponents were a fellow YouTube influencer (AnEsonGib), a retired NBA player (Nate Robinson), and three former MMA champions: Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva. He fought Woodley twice.
Tommy Fury, the half-brother of reigning WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, made his pro debut in December of 2018 in a four-round bout in his hometown of Manchester. He was two fights into his pro career when he became a contestant on the TV reality show âLove Island.â An enormously popular show in Great Britain, especially among the coveted 18-34 demographic, âLove Islandâ was in its fifth season.
Fury was paired with supermodel Molly-Mae Hague with whom he finished second. They developed a great chemistry, on and off the set, became engaged, and purportedly welcomed a baby girl this week.
What about Tommy Fury the boxer? How legitimate is he?
Furyâs record currently stands at 8-0 (4 KOs). His first opponent was a professional loser from Latvia whose current ledger reads 10-113-3. His next six opponents were a combined 4-73-2. Finally, in his last fight, which occurred in April of last year, he met an opponent with a good record, Polandâs Daniel Bocianski, who was 10-1. But look closer and one discovers that all but one of Bocianskiâs 10 triumphs came against opponents with losing records. The exception was a 6-round decision over a fellow Pole whose record currently stands at 18-16-1 and who has been stopped 13 times.
Fury bloodied Bocianski and won a wide 6-round decision, but his performance was underwhelming. âFury had the Hollywood teeth, tan, and diamante-colored shorts,â wrote Chasinga Malata of the London Sun, âleaving only his performance without sheen and sparkle.â
There is nothing in Tommy Furyâs background, aside from his biological pedigree, to suggest that he has the tools to become a world-class boxer. If he were a member of the Three Stooges, he would be Shemp.
Jake Paul, by contrast, may actually be legit. Those in the know that have watched him train have come away impressed. It says here that Paul isnât moving up in class on Feb. 26; itâs the other way around.
In the co-feature, Ilunga Makabu (29-2, 25 KOs) will make the third defense of his WBC world cruiserweight title against Badou Jack (27-3-3, 16 KOs). A Congolese-South African, Makabu is the older brother of heavyweight contender Martin Bakole. Jack, four years older than Makabu at age 39, formerly held world titles at 168 and 175 pounds.
Although Badou Jack was born in Sweden and keeps a home in Las Vegas where he has long been affiliated with the Mayweather Boxing Club, he will have the home field advantage in Saudi Arabia where he has cultivated a loyal following. A devout Muslim, Jack will be making his fourth straight start in the Persian Gulf Region. In his last outing, he outpointed Richard âPopeyeâ Rivera at Jeddah, winning a 10-round split decision.

Badou Jack
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Avila Perspective, Chap. 223: A Lively Weekend in SoCal with Three Fight Cards in Two Days

Avila Perspective, Chap. 223: A Lively Weekend in SoCal with Three Fight Cards in Two Days
Big money prizefighting returns to the Los Angeles area with back-to-back shows. First, Serhii Bohachuk heads a 360 Promotions card on Friday and then Alexis Rocha is featured on Saturday in a Golden Boy Promotions production. And on the same day Riversideâs Saul Rodriguez fights in his hometown.
Bohachuk, Rocha, and Rodriguez are aggressive big hitters.
Ukraineâs Bohachuk seeks to regain footing in the super welterweight division. He was rapidly climbing up the ratings ladder when first he was defeated by Brandon Adams two years ago. And then the invasion of his home country Ukraine stalled him even more.
On Friday Jan. 27, at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, Calif. Bohachuk (21-1, 21 KOs) meets Nathaniel Gallimore (22-6-1, 17 KOs) in the main event. UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Boxing Promotions card.
Few fighters are as well-liked outside of the prize ring as Bohachuk. Always amiable, heâs one of the handful of fighters that always smiles. Inside the ring, heâs a killer. No one leaves without someone getting knocked out.
Gallimore, 34, is no slouch. He has a knockout win over former world titlist Jeison Rosario and has battled almost all of the top super welterweights. He is a veteran and very crafty.
The Quiet Cannon venue is not very large, but it does have a patio and good food and drink. Most of the crowd ventures from all over Southern California to attend the fights at that venue. It gets packed.
Golden Boy in Inglewood
Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha headlines the Golden Boy Promotions card on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the brand new YouTube Theater in Inglewood, Calif. DAZN will stream the fight card.
Rocha (21-1, 13 KOs) faces George Ashie (33-5-1) in the main event set for 12 rounds. Finally, there is an opponent for the left-handed fighter from Santa Ana. It didnât look like he was going to fight after opponent after opponent fell out for one reason or another.
âYou have to be ready for anybody they put in front of you. If itâs you or George Ashie, I have to prepare for it. I have to focus on what I can do,” said Rocha.
Others on the card include super middleweight Bektemir Melikuziev (10-1) vs Ulises Sierra (17-2-2) set for 10 rounds. Also, good looking lightweight prospect Floyd Schofield (12-0, 10 KOs) meets Alberto Mercado (17-4-1).
Schofield fights out of Austin, Texas and looks like someone to watch.
Doors open at 3 p.m.
Neno Returns in San Bernardino       Â
Garcia Promotions stages a boxing card on Saturday Jan. 28, at the Club Event Center in San Bernardino. Garcia Promotions is associated with trainer Robert Garcia and family whose training compound is located in nearby Riverside.
A primarily local fight card featuring all fighters from Garciaâs gym will be performing.
Headlining is Saul âNenoâ Rodriguez out of Riverside, California.
Itâs been nearly three years since Rodriguez (24-1-1, 18 KOs) last fought and he faces Mexicoâs Juan Meza Angulo (6-1, 3 KOs) in the co-main event.
At one time Rodriguez was a big fan favorite because of his fast work and knockout ability. Once he got to the top plateau he ran into another knockout puncher in Miguel Angel Gonzalez and lost by stoppage.
Prizefighting is a tricky road. One loss can mean difficulty in finding a big-time promoter or it can mean discovering what you need to do to re-establish your skills. A fighter can go the road of Kermit âThe Killerâ Cintron and find out other ways to win without a kill-or be-killed style. Or they can travel the road of Marco Antonio Barrera who was knocked out by Junior Jones but adapted a more boxer-puncher style that allowed him to defeat Erik Morales twice and Prince Naseem Hamed.
Rodriguez, 29, still has time to make a good run for a title bid. It all starts on Saturday.
Others on the Garcia Promotions card are fighters who are part of trainer Garciaâs stable including Gabriel Muratalla, Leonardo Ruiz, Jose Rodriguez and others.
Doors open at 4 p.m. with amateurs opening the boxing program.
Fights to Watch
Fri. UFC Fight Pass 7 p.m. Serhii Bohachuk (21-1) vs Nathaniel Gallimore (22-6-1).
Sat. ESPN+ 11:30 a.m. Artur Beterbiev (18-0) vs Anthony Yarde (23-2).
Sat. DAZN Â 5 p.m. Alexis Rocha (21-1) vs George Ashie (33-5-1).
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
Featured Articles
Artur Beterbiev:Â âIâd prefer to fight Bivol because he has the one thing I needâ

Russian Artur Beterbiev, triple champion of the 175-pound division, is the only current world champion who, thanks to the enormous power he wields in his fists, has won all his fights inside the distance.
Beterbiev has 18 victories by way of chloroform since he debuted as a professional fighter in June 2013 when he anesthetized retired American, Christian Cruz, in the tenth round at the Bell Center in Montreal where Beterbiev currently resides.
Beterbiev, who turned thirty-eight last Saturday, will defend his WBC, IBF, and WBO titles against Brit Anthony “The Beast from the East” Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) on Saturday, January 28th at the OVO Arena in London.
Beterbiev obtained the WBO belt on June 18th this past year when he defeated American Joe Smith (28-4, 22 KOs) in the second round at Madison Square Garden. This was Smithâs second defense of the belt.
Earlier, in November 2017, Beterbiev won the vacant IBF belt after defeating German Enrico Koelling (28-5, 9 KOs) by knockout in the twelfth round in Fresno, California.
Two years later, Beterbiev seized the WBC belt from Ukrainian Oleksandr Gvozdyk (17-1, 14 KOs) in Philadelphia. Three knockdowns in the tenth round forced referee Gary Rosato to stop the lopsided bout with 11 seconds remaining in the round. Beterbiev maintains that although his intention is to win each fight, in no way does he want to harm his rival and that his greatest wish is for both of them to leave the ring healthy.
Referring to his upcoming matchup, Beterbiev told BoxingScene that “after the fight, I just hope he (Yarde) is okay.”
He acknowledged that he does not know much about the British boxer, although he has watched several of his fights: âHeâs a good fighter, has good experience as a professional and heâs a boxer. Heâs dangerous so I have to prepare for this fight like I always do.â
Beterbiev said that his main motivation is to successfully defend the three belts he owns and that is why he will try to be one hundred percent ready and then it will be evident who is the better fighter.
Regarding his knockout streak, Beterbiev emphatically denied that he enjoys knocking out his opponents: âNo. Thereâs no pleasure in it. I just hope everything is OK with them. I just want to do good boxing, not hit people.â
Beterbiev smiles enigmatically and stares at the horizon when they ask him to what he attributes the strength of his fists to. âI know for sure, 1000 percent, that the secret to my power is somewhere in my boxing gym but I donât know exactly where,â he adds. âI donât know which exercise or bag gave me this secret. I donât know where it comes from. I wasnât always like this either, it has come from working every day. But really my dream is to be a good boxer one day.â
Aside from the upcoming fight with Yarde, Beterbiev acknowledges in each interview that his goal is to be the undisputed champion of the division, which means facing (and defeating) the undefeated Russian Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs), who holds the WBA light heavyweight super championship belt.
âI need Bivol,â Beterbiev admits. âIâd prefer to fight Bivol because he has the one thing I need. I hope I fight him in 2023 but the hold-up is not from my side, itâs from their side. In the last three years he always says he will fight me next but in this time weâve done unification fights against Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Joe Smith. Weâve done that whereas he has just been talking about it.
Beterbiev recalled that he was with Bivol on the Russian national team where they were amateurs. âI knew him then, but he is younger than me. We havenât talked for 10 years now. He was 75kg back then, too small for me. We were never friends.â
Article submitted by Jorge Juan Alvarez in Spanish.
 Please note any adjustments made were for clarification purposes and any errors in translation were unintentional.
To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE
-
Featured Articles4 days ago
Boxing Odds and Ends: A New Foe for Broner and an Intriguing Heavyweight Match-up
-
Featured Articles1 week ago
Jermaine Franklin and Otto Wallin; Losing Can Be Winning, or Not
-
Featured Articles7 days ago
A Shocker in Manchester: Liam Smith Stops Chris Eubank Jr in Four
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Anthony Yarde: âI am at my best when I fight fire with fire.â
-
Featured Articles3 days ago
Artur Beterbiev:Â âIâd prefer to fight Bivol because he has the one thing I needâ
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Avila Perspective, Chap 218: Looking for Mr. Good Year
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
For Whom the Bell Tolled: 2022 Boxing Obituaries PART TWO (July-Dec.)
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
For Whom the Bell Tolled: 2022 Boxing Obituaries PART ONE (Jan.-June)