FRESNO, Calif. (May 24, 2018) — History is only two days away, as Jerwin "Pretty Boy’" Ancajas will defend the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight world title in the main event Saturday evening against countryman Jonas Sultan at the Save Mart Center. It marks the first world title bout featuring two Filipino fighters in 93 years, when Pancho Villa defended the world flyweight title against Clever Sencio on May 2, 1925.
In a little over two weeks from now, WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn vs. Terence Crawford will be battling it out on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight card will be televised on ESPN+.
David Lemieux will be fighting this Saturday night against Karim Achour in a 12 round fight at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Lemieux’s management has found what they obviously hope is an easy mark in 31-year-old France-based Karim Achour (26-4-3, 4 KOs).
FRESNO, Calif (May 23, 2018) – No matter the result, history will be made Saturday evening at the Save Mart Center, when Jerwin Ancajas defends the IBF junior bantamweight title against Jonas Sultan. It will be the first all-Filipino world title bout contested since 1925.
In the co-feature, WBA 115-pound champion Kal Yafai of Birmingham, England, will make his U.S. debut against two-time world title challenger David Carmona.
The management for WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs) and mandatory challenger Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) are in talks to try and put together a deal before the June 14h deadline by the World Boxing Organization. If a deal can’t be reached, it’ll go to a purse bid.
Matchroom Boxing USA promoter Eddie Hearn says he’s had calls from 12 to 20 “superstar” fighters interested in his new $1 billion deal with DAZN. Hearn doesn’t say whether he’s signed any of them, but he’s reportedly signed a 3-deal with former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Gennady Golovkin has re-enrolled with VADA through September 15, which is a date that just happens to coincide with the date that Saul Canelo Alvarez will be fighting next. Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) is hoping to face the Mexican star Canelo to knockout this time and make sure that the judges don’t get a chance to put their own slant on the outcome like what happened last September in the first Caenlo-GGG fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fight Night Credential Pick-up (3 p.m.): South East Clock Tower Entrance. Accessed by Bulldog Lot on Chestnut and Shaw.
Parking: Approved members of the press may park in the Bulldog Lot on Chestnut and Shaw. Your name must be on the list with the attendee to gain entry to this lot.
LAS VEGAS (May 22, 2018) - Jose “Sniper” Pedraza is nearing a title shot while Shakur Stevenson is well on his way. Pedraza and Stevenson will see action June 9 on the Terence Crawford vs. Jeff Horn world championship event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pedraza (23-1, 12 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, will challenge Antonio Moran (22-2, 15 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the WBO Latino lightweight belt, while Stevenson (6-0, 3 KOs), the 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, will step up in class against Aelio Mesquita (16-1, 14 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight contest.
(May 22, 2018) — The “Monster” will wake up American fight fans on Friday morning.
From the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, two-weight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue will move up in weight to face WBA bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell, and WBC light flyweight champion Ken Shiro will make the third defense of his belt in a rematch against Ganigan Lopez. This world championship doubleheader, promoted by Ohashi Promotions and Teiken Promotions, will be broadcast live and exclusively in the United States at 7:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+ — the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company's Direct-to-Consumer and International segment and ESPN.
Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (20-0, 19 KOs) says he would like to move up to lightweight in 2019 after he unifies the super featherweight division. Davis, 23, currently holds the WBA 130lb title after recently beating Jesus Andres Cuellar by a 3rd round knockout on April 21.
Regis Prograis says he thinks Josh Taylor will defeat Viktor Postol on June 23, and then join him in the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) light welterweight tournament. Prograis (21-0, 18 KOs) says he thinks that even if Taylor (12-0, 10 KOs) doesn’t enter the WBSS tournament, he’ll beat WBC 140 pound champion Jose Ramirez to capture his belt.
Deontay Wilder really let Anthony Joshua have it on Monday for his decision to demand their unification fight take place in the UK instead of the U.S and failing to agree to the terms of the $50 million offer. Wilder Let Joshua know that he sees him as a phony, a guy talks brave, but who doesn’t walk the talk.
