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Gennady Golovkin vs Esquiva Falcao with Erislandy Lara to Face the Winner

A surprising twist has occurred in the middleweight division pertaining to the recent deal between the WBA and the IBF which involves world champions Gennady Golovkin and Erislandy Lara, as well as undefeated Brazilian Esquiva Falcao.
A few weeks ago, the WBA ordered the duel between GGG and the Cuban southpaw Lara, super champion and regular champion respectively. They were given until October 23 to reach an agreement or otherwise it would go to a purse bid.
The WBA explained that according to rule C.11 of its statutes, the champion (Golovkin) must defend the crown against the official contender (Lara), no later than 120 days after winning the title.
The Golovkin-Lara confrontation, with the possibility of materializing at the beginning of the coming year, would put two boxers in the ring who are both approximately 40 years old.
Golovkin seized the WBA title in Saitama, Japan on April 9 of this year – one day after his 40th birthday-, when he put Japanese Ryota Murata to sleep in the ninth round, unifying the super champion belts of the WBA (held by the local fighter) and that of the IBF, which GGG held.
The deadline to defend the WBA world belt expired on August 8, but even so, the WBA granted a “special permit” for Golovkin to collide with SaĂșl “Canelo” Ălvarez in the third duel between them. On September 17th, they met at 168 pounds, in which Canelo retained the four most important belts in boxing: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.
Now the WBA (in a 180-degree turn) has agreed with the IBF that Golovkin will have two mandatory fights, the first against Brazilian Esquiva Falcao, ranked at the top of 160 pounds in the second mentioned sanctioning body, and then against Lara, who passed “to the waiting circle” and will face the winner between GGG and Falcao (if a different “resolution” does not arise in the meantime).
WBA President Gilberto Mendoza told the site El Izquierdazo that he and the IBF had passed a joint resolution that would have Golovkin fight IBF mandatory Esquiva Falcao and the winner would then face Lara.
âThe double mandatory will be communicated to Golovkin soonâ, he added. âFirst with Falcao and then the winner against Erislandy Lara. There will no longer be licenses from us, and I donât think there are any from the IBF eitherâ, concluded Gilberto.
Lara took over the vacant WBA belt on May 1st in his debut in the middleweight category, anesthetizing American Thomas LaManna (33-5-1, 13 KOs) in the opening round in Carson, CA.
More recently, in his first title defense, Lara knocked out Irishman Gary “El Pincho” O’Sullivan (31-5-0, 21 KOs) in the eighth round at the Barclays Center, in New York.
On July 4, 2008, Lara debuted as a professional fighter with a victory by decision in four rounds against the Russian Ivan Maslov in Ankara, Turkey. A year earlier, during the 2007 Pan American Games, Lara left the Cuban delegation, along with fellow southpaw and double Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux.
The southpaw Esquiva Falcao (30-0-0, 20 KOs) comes from unanimously defeating the Argentine Cristian RĂos (23-15-3, 7 KOs), also a southpaw, in 10 rounds on May 29th in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo.
In the amateur ranks, Falcao won the bronze medal at the World Championships which were held in 201 in Baku, Azerbaijan. He lost in the semifinals against the Japanese Ryota Murata. A year later, he won the silver medal in the 75-kilogram division at the London Olympics, again defeated by Murata in the finals by a close score of 14-13.
Article submitted by Jorge Juan Alvarez in Spanish.
Please note any adjustments made were for clarification purposes and any errors in translation were unintentional.
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Rey Vargas: “The featherweight title is absolutely still mine”

Although there have been many speculations and comments about his boxing future, Mexican Rey Vargas affirms with total conviction that he will only decide after his fight against American O’Shaquie Foster on February 11th at the Alamodome in Texas.
Undefeated and current WBC featherweight champion, Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) will seek to add the vacant WBC super featherweight belt that American southpaw Shakur Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) lost on the scale last September when he beat Brazilian Robson Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs) by unanimous decision.
Referring to his 126-pound title, Vargas expressed via a translator, âThe featherweight title is absolutely still mine, so no worries about that. As far as 130, this is definitely an interesting challenge, an interesting place to be. We havenât really decided what weâre gonna do afterwards, but weâre focused on the moment right now. Letâs focus on this fight, on this great crowd that weâre gonna be in front of, and then whatever happens, it will come after this fight.â
Born 32 years ago in the Federal District and residing in Otumba, Mexico, Vargas captured the world featherweight belt in February 2017, defeating Gavin McDonnell (22-2-3, 6 KOs) by majority decision at the Ice Arena in McDonnellâs hometown of Hull, England.
During the following two years, he made five successful defenses and in November 2021 he was victorious in a 10-round bout against his compatriot Leonardo BĂĄez (21-5, 12 KOs) at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
Eight months later, in his second appearance at 126 pounds, Vargas defeated then-undefeated Philippine champion Mark Magsayo (24-1, 16 KOs) by split decision. Magsayo was defending his WBC belt for the first time that night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
After beating Magsayo, Vargas’s representatives made arrangements to collide with Mexican Leo Santa Cruz (38-2-1, 19 KOs), who at that time was the WBA featherweight super champion.
However, the agreement with Santa Cruz did not materialize and Vargas directed his attention towards the 130-pound belt, which Stevenson lost at the weigh-in in September. Considering his status as champion, the WBC agreed to Vargas’ request and ordered him to compete with O’Foster, who is ranked at the top of the category.
In a statement on its website, the WBC specified that the winner between Vargas and Foster has the obligation to make two defenses, according to the rules and regulations of that sanctioning body.
âThe Leo Santa Cruz fight is definitely something that we have been meaning to do for years now,â Vargas said. âBut as the process got more complicated and other stuff just kept getting in our way, this door opened for us where it was definitely an interesting challenge, something that can be as good as the Leo Santa Cruz fight.â
â(Iâm) in a new division, the super featherweight division, where I can test myself,â said Vargas. Yes, itâs not my division per se, but Iâm always up to new and exciting challenges, and this is definitely one of them. So, even though this isnât the Leo Santa Cruz fight, it can definitely live up to the hype just as that one would.â
Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) has nine successive wins, the most recent against Tajikistan southpaw Muhammadkhuja Yakubon on March 18 of last year in Dubai, where they fought for the WBC silver belt.
Born 29 years ago in Orange, Texas, Foster said in an interview that this opportunity to face Vargas for the 130-pound crown âis a dream come true. And I’m so happy I can’t even hide it.â
Foster continued, âIt’s something that I’ve been working for since I was eight years old. I never had a dream to be an Olympian, it was always to be a world champion so I’m feeling great and I’m ready to put on a show for the world.
âI feel like everything is happening at the right time and it’s my time to take over. I would love to unify once I get the title and then go undisputed if I can. I’ve got big, big, big aspirations coming up. We’re going to make it happen.â
Article submitted by Jorge Juan Ălvarez in Spanish.
Please note any adjustments made were for clarification purposes and any errors in translation were unintentional.
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Navarrete Overcomes Adversity to TKO Wilson in a Corker

Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete won his 31st straight fight, pushing his record to 37-1 (31) and captured a title in a third weight class tonight at the Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, but nearly came a cropper himself in a match in which both he and his opponent Liam Wilson were on the deck and hurt on multiple occasions. At stake was the WBO 130-pound belt vacated by Shakur Stevenson.
The obscure 26-year-old Wilson, subbing for Oscar Valdez who had to pull out with a rib injury, was making his U.S. debut and appearing in his first scheduled 12-rounder. The skinny on him was that he had a puncher’s chance because of a powerful left hook, but with only 12 pro fights on his ledger he was a massive underdog.
Navarrete got a taste of that left hook in the fourth round which Wilson landed after landing a hard overhand right, and suddenly it appeared that the Queenslander was poised to score the biggest upset in Australian boxing history since Jeff Horn upended Manny Pacquiao. Navarrete hit the deck, lost his mouthpiece and was clearly hurt, but managed to survive the round after precious seconds elapsed as he was getting his mouthpiece re-fitted.
Navarrete fought his way back into the fight and was having a strong sixth round until the final 30 seconds when Wilson hurt him again, this time with a right hook. But the Mexican weathered the storm, winning the next two rounds decisively and closed the show in round nine when he put the intrepid Aussie on the deck with an overhand right, the prelude to an assault that forced the referee to waive it off.
Semi-windup
In a tactical junior welterweight fight that heated up in the final round, LAâs Arnold Barboza continued his steady ascent toward a title fight with a narrow but unanimous decision over Puerto Rican veteran Jose Pedraza, a former Olympian and world title-holder in two weight divisions.
Barboza, who fights well off his back foot but isnât a hard puncher, won by scores of 97-93 and 96-94 twice to push his record to 28-0. The 33-year-old Barboza fell to 29-5-1.
Also
In the opening bout on ESPNâs main platform, Tulare, Californiaâs Richard Torrez Jr, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Summer Games, scored his fifth fast knockout in as many opportunities at the expense late sub James Bryant
Torrez came out like gangbusters, as is his custom, and sent Bryant stumbling back into the ropes with a harsh left uppercut followed by a straight hand in the waning seconds of the opening round. A highly decorated high school football player in Pennsylvania who had a cup of coffee with two NFL teams, Bryant, 37, was saved by the bell but elected not to come out for round two.
Torrez has mentioned that he would welcome a fight with British up-and-comer Frazer Clarke. Both were defeated in the Tokyo Olympics by fearsome Uzbek southpaw Bakhodir Jalolov, the heavy favorite.
ESPN+
Las Vegas super featherweight Andres Cortes (19-0) overcame a deep cut on his left eyelid to keep his undefeated record intact with a lopsided decision over Luis Melendez. The cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads in round six. Cut man deluxe âStitchâ Duran used his magic potion to stem the bleeding and the match continued on its established course. Cortes, the busier fighter, won all 10 rounds on all three cards. Melendez, a Puerto Rican from Hialeah, Florida, declined to 17-3.
Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Aliâs grandson, advanced to 8-0 (5) with a unanimous decision over a local fighter, Eduardo Ayala (9-3-1), in a six-round middleweight affair. The scores were 60-53 and 59-54 twice.
Walsh, who sparred with Caleb Plant in preparation for this fight, had Ayala on the canvas in round two, compliments of a short right hand, but his durable opponent managed to last the distance.
In an 8-round junior welterweight match, Mexicoâs Lindolfo Delgado, a 2016 Rio Olympian, advanced to 17-0 (13) with a unanimous decision over Clarence Booth (21-7), a 35-year-old Floridian. The scores were 80-71 and 79-72 twice.
The heavy-handed Delgado, who had Robert Garcia in his corner, scored the fightâs lone knockdown, knocking Booth off his pins in the final stanza with a chopping right hand to the ear.
In the ESPN+ opener, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (3-0, 2 KOs) won a 4-round unanimous decision over 19-year-old Tex-Mex southpaw Francisco Duque (1-2). Vargas won all four rounds, but Duque had several good moments.
Emiliano Vargas is the youngest and most well-touted of three fighting sons of Fernando Vargas, the former U.S. Olympian and two-time world super welterweight champion.
A 10-round super featherweight fight between Zavier Martinez (18-1) and Yohan Vasquez (25-3) was cancelled when it became obvious that Martinez would not make the contracted weight.
Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 223: An Act of War Benavidez vs Plant Press Confab

LOS ANGELES-Heated words straight out of a burning furnace filled the cool air in downtown L.A. at the press conference on Thursday for top super middleweight contenders David Benavidez and Caleb Plant.
âEvery fighter has one of these grudge matches that brings the best out of them. I donât like Caleb at all, but I want to thank him for bringing the animal out of me. Iâm more motivated than ever,â said Benavidez. âOn March 25, I finally get to put hands on Caleb Plant.â
Plant was cool in his response.
âThis rivalry only started because we agree to disagree on whoâs better. And thatâs fine, he should feel like that. Thatâs how great fighters are supposed to feel. Itâs slowly built up over time,â said Plant.
Both are former world champions and both are ready to engage.
A large media turnout arrived at the Conga Room in LA Live to witness the two opposite style fighters, much like fire and ice.
Fiery Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) seemed eager to fight on the stage as the mere presence and cool demeanor of Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) seemed to ignite anger. They have both agreed to meet in the prize ring on March 25, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Showtime pay-per-view will televise the TGB Promotions card.
âIf you know anything about boxing, you know this is one of the very best fights that can be made in the sport. The consensus No. 1 and No. 2 contenders in this division,â said Stephen Espinoza president of Showtime boxing. âThis is a high-stakes matchup, personally and professionally. Thereâs a personal rivalry here. There are bragging rights here. There is supremacy in the division at stake.â
Both fighters have held world titles before and for years debates sprung up on who was better.
Benavidez was the youngest super middleweight champion at 20 when he first won the WBC version in 2017 defeating Ronald Gavril. He lost the title for testing positive for illegal substances the next year. In 2019 he faced Anthony Dirrell for the WBC title again and stopped him in nine rounds in Los Angeles. However, he failed to make weight in his next fight and lost the title again on the scales.
He is hungry to regain a world title but even more hungry to defeat Plant.
âIâve been wanting to fight him for a long time and now the winner of this fight gets to be the mandatory for Canelo Alvarez. Iâm super motivated,â Benavidez said.
Plant agrees that their match up is motivating because the winner gets Saul âCaneloâ Alvarez and a hefty payday.
âI knew I was next in line to fight the interim champ before that fight, and that meant David Benavidez. Iâm in the fight that I want,â said Plant who formerly held the IBF title.
Plantâs last fight was voted WBA Knockout of the Year when he double-left-hooked Dirrell to unconsciousness last October in Brooklyn. It was a shocking ending. His fight before that saw him lose the world title to Canelo Alvarez by knockout.
No shame in losing to Canelo.
Now the title former world titlists are eager to regain their former status and grab a mega payday fighting Alvarez. Itâs perhaps the best fight in over a year for menâs boxing.
âI believe that this fight between David Benavidez and Caleb Plant will be added to the list of epic brawls between two warriors taking it to the next level,â said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. âThis fight will be one of, if not the winner of Fight of the Year this year. This is one you donât want to miss.â
Top Rank
Mexicoâs Emanuel Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) challenges Australiaâs Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant WBO super featherweight title today, Feb. 3, at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank card.
Wilson, 26, has never fought outside of Australia but is known for his strength and power. He is also taller than Navarrete.

Navarrete and Wilson
Navarrete is the former WBO featherweight champion and has not lost a fight in over a decade.
Also, Arnold Barboza (27-0) meets Jose Pedraza (29-4-1) in a super lightweight battle. And several others such as Lindolfo Delgado, Richard Torrez and Nico Ali Walsh will be performing.
Ontario Card
Southern Californiaâs hot super lightweight prospect Ernesto âTitoâ Mercado (8-0, 8 Kos) fights Jose Angulo (14-4) at the LumColor Center in Ontario, California on Saturday, Feb. 4. RedBoxing Promotions is staging the event.
Doors open at 6 p.m.
Photo credits: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME; Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images
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