Boxing

by Marlon Bernardino
PHILIPPINE Chess wizard Jasper Concepcion Faeldonia won the 1st Meralco Chess Club Youth Rapid Chess Tournament after beating San Beda University bet Johann Cedrick Gaddi in the seventh and final round was held recently at the Multi-Purpose hall, Meralco Compound, Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City.

LAS VEGAS (June 13, 2018) — One of the United States’ top amateur boxers, Chris “The Boy” Zavala, has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced today.

Zavala, an 18-year-old native of Long Beach, California, had a sterling amateur record of 125-9, traveling around the globe as one of the nation’s best young boxers and winning a 2015 National Golden Gloves title at 125 pounds.

Welterweight slugger Carlos Adames to take on Artemio Reyes in 10-round co-feature
ESPN+ to Stream Diaz-Ito and Adames-Reyes LIVE at 9:30 p.m. ET

Kissimmee, Fla. (June 11, 2018) — Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz wants to add his name to the storied list of Puerto Rican world champions. He will get that chance July 28 at the Kissimmee Civic Center, when he squares off against Masayuki Ito for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight title.  

WITNESS Manny Pacquiao return to the ring to challenge Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse for the WBA welterweight title live on July 14, 9 a.m., via Sky Sports Pay-Per-View (PPV). Early sign-ups on Sky Sports Pay-Per-View get a discount.

Terence Crawford's introduction to the welterweight division was a dominant one on Saturday as he disarmed and clinically dismantled WBO champion Jeff Horn. Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs), who unified all four 140-pound titles last August, became boxing's latest three-division champion with a ninth-round TKO of Horn at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Leo Santa Cruz (35-1-1, 19 KOs) defeated Abner Mares (31-2-1, 15 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision in their rematch on Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The scores were 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111. Boxing News 24 scored it for Santa Cruz 116-112. Mares landed a lot of shots, but he lacked the power.

Former light welterweight unified champion Terence Crawford 33-0, 24 KOs) beat up and stopped WBO 147lb champion Jeff Horn (18-1-1, 12 KOs) in the 9th round knockout on Saturday night in his debut at welterweight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Crawford, 30, knocked Horn down in the 9th round.

WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo (31-0, 15 KOs) defeated former WBA 154lb champion Austin Trout by a closer than expected 12 round majority decision on Saturday night on Showtime Boxing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman had planned on returning on August 4 for his next fight, but it’s now it’s looking like the 29-year-old could be moved to September 8th, according to ESPN. Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) has been dealing with injury problems for the last year.

Tyson Fury weighed in at a career high of 276 pounds on Friday for his scheduled 10 round comeback fight against the much smaller cruiserweight Sefer Seferi. For his part, the 39-year-old Seferi weighed in at 210 lbs.

In a surprise move, Dillian ‘Body Snatcher’ Whyte (23-1, 17 KOs) will be facing the recently beaten former heavyweight world title challenger Joseph Parker (24-1, 18 KOs) on July 28 on Sky Box Office at the O2 Arena in London, England.

If the rumors are true, former middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs (34-2, 29 KOs) has been given an 80-20 offer from Golden Boy Promotions to fight Saul Canelo Alvarez on September 15 on HBO PPV in place of Gennady Golovkin, who has priced himself out for the fight.