Connect with us

Featured Articles

Title Fights for Shakur and Navarrete Cap a Hectic Three-Day Midweek Slate

Published

on

Title-Fights-for-Shakur-and-Navarrete-Cap-a-Hectic-Three-Day-Midweek-Slate

Title Fights for Shakur and Navarrete Cap a Hectic Three-Day Midweek Slate

What has been a relatively quiet November is about to burst wide open. This week, there are noteworthy boxing cards on three consecutive days bleeding into the weekend.

The action begins Tuesday, Nov. 14, with a card in Montreal that will air in North America on ESPN+. In the main go, Canada’s Steve Claggett (36-7-2) opposes Mexico’s Miguel Madueno (30-1, 28 KOs). At stake will be a pair of regional 140-pound titles.

Claggett, 34, is enjoying an impressive late career surge. He’s won seven straight, most recently a lopsided decision over Carlos Sanchez. In his bout before that, he scored a third-round stoppage of former 130-pound world title-holder Alberto Machado. The Calgary scrapper (pictured) has fought seven of his last nine fights in the province of Quebec where he has a developed a fan base among the region’s French-speaking population.

On paper, Madueno is Claggett’s toughest assignment. At age 25, the big banger will have youth on his side. In his only defeat, he went the distance with Panamanian southpaw Jezzrel Corrales, a former WBA super featherweight champion, in Panama City.

Montreal’s Steven Butler (32-4-1, 26 KOs) returns to the ring in the semi-windup with Mexican journeyman Ivan Alvarez (32-14-4) in the opposite corner. In his last start, Butler challenged WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly. That didn’t go well for him. He was blasted out in the second round.

Also on the card is Imam Khataev, a light heavyweight on the fast track. The 29-year-old Russian, who has been living in Sydney, Australia, made his North American debut last month and made a strong impression, knocking out his Argentine opponent in the third round. With his thick torso hinged to his thick neck, the five-foot-10 Khataev has a physique reminiscent of Mike Tyson. At the pro level, the Olympic bronze medalist has knocked out all four of his opponents. Victim number 5 will be Fernando Galvan who is 8-8-1, but 1-6 in Canadian rings.

Wednesday

Garry Jonas, the founder of the ProBox TV website whose content includes real-time live-streamed boxing matches from the Jonas-owned Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida, keeps his oddsmakers Melvin Rivas and Daniel Rubin very busy. Wednesday’s card is their 15th this year, the last nine of which were run when the ambitious Jonas switched from a monthly to a twice-monthly format.

The featured attraction this week is a 10-round junior middleweight match between Venezuela’s Johan Gonzalez (33-2, 33 KOs) and Argentina’s Guido Emmanuel Schramm (16-1-2, 7 KOs).

Gonzalez’s record invites suspicion. All 33 of his wins have come inside the distance, 18 in the opening round. However, unlike some boxers with similar records, he’s certainly no fraud. Last December he went 10 hard rounds with the formidable Russian, Magomed Kurbanov (#2 WBA), in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Schramm, a high-octane 27-year-old Argentine, has been training in Los Angeles.

Two 10-rounders top the undercard.

Houston lightweight Justin Pauldo (16-1-1 NC, 7 KOs) opposes So Cal’s Jerry Perez (14-3-1, 11 KOs). Pauldo is unbeaten in his last twelve fights. Perez has been repeatedly matched tough. His losses came at the hands of Frank Martin, Michel Rivera, and Jojo Diaz. The other co-feature is a middleweight affair between England’s Jimmy “Kilrain” Kelly (27-3, 10 KOs) and Argentina’s Juan Jose Velasco (24-5, 16 KOs). This is the third fight in Plant City for Kelly who scored his best win here, a 10-round decision over Kazakhstan’s 28-0 Kanat Islam. Velasco has been in with the likes of Regis Prograis and Mario Barrios.

Thursday

It’s rare for Top Rank to promote a show on a Thursday, let alone a Thursday show in an arena as large as the T-Mobile, but there’s a back story here. The Las Vegas Grand Prix, which culminates with the big race on Saturday night, is a four-day Formula 1 extravaganza. The city will be teeming with well-heeled visitors, many from overseas, and Top Rank hopes to capture many of the early arrivals before things heat up. They certainly couldn’t go head-to-head with the big race, not with the T-Mobile effectively inaccessible because of what will inevitably be the mother of all Las Vegas Strip gridlocks.

The nine-bout card is headlined by a world championship doubleheader. In a battle of southpaws, Shakur Stevenson (20-10, 10 KOs) meets Edwin De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) for the vacant WBC world lightweight title. Stevenson, whose defensive wizardry harkens to the legendary Willie Pep, has already cracked many of the pound-for-pound lists after winning world titles at 127 and 130.

In the co-feature, Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete (38-1, 31 KOs) defends his WBO super featherweight tittle against Brazil’s Robson Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs). Navarrete, a sure-shot future Hall of Famer, rides in on a 33-fight winning streak that includes a 12-0 mark in world title fights. Conceicao won a gold medal for Brazil in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The featured bouts will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT.

The undercard, live-streamed on ESPN+, includes a very interesting 8-round fight for intra-city bragging rights between bantamweights Max Ornelas (15-1-1, 5 KOs) and Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (9-0, 3 KOs). Several of Top Rank’s top prospects – e.g., Abdullah Mason, Emiliano Vargas, Troy Isley – are on the card, as is Hugo Micallef (8-0, 1 KOs) who will be making his U.S. debut.

Hugo Micaleff

Hugo Micaleff

Monte Carlo’s Micallef, a tall 25-year-old welterweight with an 8-0 (1 KO) record, is the only active professional fighter from Monaco. He signed with Top Rank in 2021, undoubtedly with an eye to deploying him on this card. Monaco may have the highest number of Formula 1 fans per capita of any place in the world.

Micallef, nicknamed the French Prince of Monaco, is a close friend of Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc. He opposes Austria’s Sergio Odabai (6-1-1) in a 6-rounder.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

 

 

Share The Sweet Science experience!
Advertisement
Avila-Perspective-Chap-330-Matchroom-in-New-York-plus-the-latest-on-Canelo-Crawford
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 330: Matchroom in New York plus the Latest on Canelo-Crawford

Vito-Mielnicki-Whitewashes-Kamil-Gardzielik-Before-the-Home-Folks-in-Newark
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Vito Mielnicki Jr Whitewashes Kamil Gardzielik Before the Home Folks in Newark

Pacquiao-is-Back,-Fabio-in-England-and-More.jpg
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap 329: Pacquiao is Back, Fabio in England and More

Opetaia-and-Nakatani-Crush-Overmatched-Foes-Capping-Off-a-Wild-Boxing-Weekend
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Opetaia and Nakatani Crush Overmatched Foes, Capping Off a Wild Boxing Weekend

Catching-Up-with-Clay-Moyle-Who-Talks-About-His-Massive-Collection-of-Boxing-Books
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Catching Up with Clay Moyle Who Talks About His Massive Collection of Boxing Books

Fabio-Wardley-Comes-from-Behind-to-KO-Justis-Huni
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Fabio Wardley Comes from Behind to KO Justis Huni  

More-Medals-for-Hawaii's-Patricio-Family-at-USA-Boxing's-Summer-Festival
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

More Medals for Hawaii’s Patricio Family at the USA Boxing Summer Festival

Delving-Into-'Hoopa'-With-Notes-on-Books-by-George-Plimpton-and-Joyce-Carol-Oates
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Delving into ‘Hoopla’ with Notes on Books by George Plimpton and Joyce Carol Oates

The-Shafting-of-Blair-the-Flair-Cobbs-a-Familar-Thread-in-the-Cruelest-Sport
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

The Shafting of Blair “The Flair” Cobbs, a Familiar Thread in the Cruelest Sport

Richardson-Hitchins-Batters-and-Stops-George-Kambosos-at-Madison-Square-Garden
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Richardson Hitchins Batters and Stops George Kambosos at Madison Square Garden 

Callum-Walsh-Umar-Dzambekov-and-Cain-Sandoval-Remain-Unbeaten-at-Santa-Ynez
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Callum Walsh, Umar Dzambekov and Cain Sandoval Remain Unbeaten at Santa Ynez

A-Fight-Fan-and-Teremoana-Samson-Junior-Leon-Teremoana
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

A Fight Fan and Teremoana Samson Junior Leon Teremoana

Paro
Featured Articles1 week ago

Liam Paro Returns with a Flourish on Wednesday’s ‘No Limit’ Card in Queensland

Avila-Perspective-Chap-331-Callum-Walsh-Brian-Norman-Galal-Yafai-and-More
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 331: Callum Walsh, Brian Norman, Galal Yafai and More

Brian-Norman-Jr-Bombs-Out-Jin-Sasaki-with-a-Frightful-Left-Hook
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Brian Norman Jr Bombs Out Jin Sasaki with a Frightful Left Hook

Jake-Paul-Outpoints-Julio-Cesar-Chavez-Jr-plus-Other-Results-from-Anaheim
Featured Articles5 days ago

Jake Paul Outpoints Julio Cesar Chavez Jr plus Other Results from Anaheim

A-Closer-Look-at-Mario-Barrios-Poised-to-Wreck-the-Comeback-of-a-Legend
Featured Articles1 week ago

A Closer Look at Mario Barrios, Poised to Wreck the Comeback of a Legend

A-Boxing-Card-in-Alabama-Goes-Pfft-A-True-Tale-from-the-Underbelly-of-the-Sweet-Science
Featured Articles2 days ago

A Boxing Card in Alabama Goes Pfft: A True Tale from the Underbelly of The Sweet Science

Avila-Perspective-Chap-332-Jake-Paul-vs-Chavez-Jr-plus-Mbilli-Deontay-and-More
Featured Articles7 days ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 332: Jake Paul vs Chavez Jr., plus Mbilli, Deontay and More

Mbilli-Blasts-Out-Sulecki-in-Quebec-Wilder-TKOs-Herndon-in-Wichita
Featured Articles6 days ago

Mbilli Blasts Out Sulecki in Quebec; Wilder TKOs Herndon in Wichita

When-Boxing-Was-Big-on-the-Fourth-of-July-A-TSS-Classic
Featured Articles16 hours ago

When Boxing was Big on the Fourth of July: A TSS Classic

A-Boxing-Card-in-Alabama-Goes-Pfft-A-True-Tale-from-the-Underbelly-of-the-Sweet-Science
Featured Articles2 days ago

A Boxing Card in Alabama Goes Pfft: A True Tale from the Underbelly of The Sweet Science

Mexico's-Francisco-Rodriguez-Jr-is-the-TSS-Fighter-of-the-Month-for-June
Featured Articles3 days ago

Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez Jr is the TSS Fighter of the Month for June

Jake-Paul-Outpoints-Julio-Cesar-Chavez-Jr-plus-Other-Results-from-Anaheim
Featured Articles5 days ago

Jake Paul Outpoints Julio Cesar Chavez Jr plus Other Results from Anaheim

Holly-Holm-Joshua-Edwards-and-Rene-Alvarado-Sparkle-on-the-Paul-Chavez-Undercard
Featured Articles5 days ago

Holly Holm, Joshua Edwards, and Rene Alvarado Sparkle on the Paul-Chavez Undercard

Mbilli-Blasts-Out-Sulecki-in-Quebec-Wilder-TKOs-Herndon-in-Wichita
Featured Articles6 days ago

Mbilli Blasts Out Sulecki in Quebec; Wilder TKOs Herndon in Wichita

Avila-Perspective-Chap-332-Jake-Paul-vs-Chavez-Jr-plus-Mbilli-Deontay-and-More
Featured Articles7 days ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 332: Jake Paul vs Chavez Jr., plus Mbilli, Deontay and More

A-Closer-Look-at-Mario-Barrios-Poised-to-Wreck-the-Comeback-of-a-Legend
Featured Articles1 week ago

A Closer Look at Mario Barrios, Poised to Wreck the Comeback of a Legend

Paro
Featured Articles1 week ago

Liam Paro Returns with a Flourish on Wednesday’s ‘No Limit’ Card in Queensland

More-Medals-for-Hawaii's-Patricio-Family-at-USA-Boxing's-Summer-Festival
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

More Medals for Hawaii’s Patricio Family at the USA Boxing Summer Festival

Callum-Walsh-Umar-Dzambekov-and-Cain-Sandoval-Remain-Unbeaten-at-Santa-Ynez
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Callum Walsh, Umar Dzambekov and Cain Sandoval Remain Unbeaten at Santa Ynez

Vito-Mielnicki-Whitewashes-Kamil-Gardzielik-Before-the-Home-Folks-in-Newark
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Vito Mielnicki Jr Whitewashes Kamil Gardzielik Before the Home Folks in Newark

Avila-Perspective-Chap-331-Callum-Walsh-Brian-Norman-Galal-Yafai-and-More
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 331: Callum Walsh, Brian Norman, Galal Yafai and More

Brian-Norman-Jr-Bombs-Out-Jin-Sasaki-with-a-Frightful-Left-Hook
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Brian Norman Jr Bombs Out Jin Sasaki with a Frightful Left Hook

A-Fight-Fan-and-Teremoana-Samson-Junior-Leon-Teremoana
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

A Fight Fan and Teremoana Samson Junior Leon Teremoana

Catching-Up-with-Clay-Moyle-Who-Talks-About-His-Massive-Collection-of-Boxing-Books
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Catching Up with Clay Moyle Who Talks About His Massive Collection of Boxing Books

Richardson-Hitchins-Batters-and-Stops-George-Kambosos-at-Madison-Square-Garden
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Richardson Hitchins Batters and Stops George Kambosos at Madison Square Garden 

Avila-Perspective-Chap-330-Matchroom-in-New-York-plus-the-latest-on-Canelo-Crawford
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 330: Matchroom in New York plus the Latest on Canelo-Crawford

The-Shafting-of-Blair-the-Flair-Cobbs-a-Familar-Thread-in-the-Cruelest-Sport
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

The Shafting of Blair “The Flair” Cobbs, a Familiar Thread in the Cruelest Sport

Opetaia-and-Nakatani-Crush-Overmatched-Foes-Capping-Off-a-Wild-Boxing-Weekend
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Opetaia and Nakatani Crush Overmatched Foes, Capping Off a Wild Boxing Weekend

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending