Tag: boxing news

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Sebastian Fundora upset Tim Tszyu by a split decision to become a unified 154-pound champion in a horribly bloody fight Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

One judge had Tszyu winning 116-112 but the other two scored it for Fundora, 116-112 and 115-113. Boxing Junkie also had Fundora winning 116-112, eight rounds to four.

Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) got off to a strong start, getting past his 6-foot-5½ opponent’s jab to land some eye-catching punches that seemed to portend a strong performance.

Then everything changed in an instant. In Round 3, Tszyu suffered a deep cut on his hairline when his head collided with Fundora’s elbow. Blood gushed into his eyes for the remainder of the fight, impairing his sight and ability to fight effectively.

And Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) took full advantage. The “Towering Inferno,” a brawler at heart, used his long jab and timely power shots to keep Tszyu at a safe distance round after round.

Tszyu tried to overcome the monumental adversity and had some good rounds, when he landed the cleaner, harder shots. However, Fundora stayed the course, outworking his favored opponent to pull out the biggest victory of his career.

Fundora, coming off a knockout loss to Brian Mendoza, became Tszyu’s opponent on short notice when Keith Thurman pulled out with an injury. Now, after taking Tszyu’s WBO belt and the vacant WBC title, he’s a world champion.

You can read a full report here.

***

Isaac Cruz has officially arrived.

The relentless “Pitbull” battered WBA140-pound titleholder Rolando Romero before finally stopping him in the eighth round to win his first major world championship.

The official time of the stoppage was :56 of Round 8.

Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) did his thing from the opening bell, which is to plow forward and wing hard punches to the head and body. Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) tried to counter, tried to get out of the way but simply had no answer for the onslaught.

Cruz almost took Romero out in the opening round when he rocked him with a left hook to the temple. Romero survived but that only prolonged his struggle.

The new champion continued to walk Romero down, pounding him to every legal target on the body as the old champ jabbed, moved, held or sometimes fired back in an attempt to survive. Romero had moments when he caught Cruz with solid shots coming in but he never fazed the Mexican once, which seemed to seal his fate.

Cruz again almost took out Romero in the final minute of Round 7, when he battered Romeo around the ring and took nothing in return. Again, Romero survived.

The end came the following round when Cruz unloaded a vicious flurry of hard, accurate shots that seemed to paralyze Romero, which prompted referee Thomas Taylor to jump between them to stop the action.

Cruz has now won four consecutive fights since he was outpointed by WBA 135-pound champ Gervonta Davis in 2021.

Romero is now 1-2 in his last three fights. He was stopped by Davis in six rounds in 2022.

***

WBA middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara stopped Michael Zerafa in the second round to retain his belt.

Nothing much happened until the violent ending, as each fighter was in the process of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the other for one-plus rounds.

Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs) evidently figured it out quickly. In the final seconds of Round 2, Zerafa missed a left jab, and Lara, a southpaw, countered with a right and then a straight left to the chin that put Zerafa onto his back and hurt him badly.

Zerafa (31-5, 19 KOs) was able to get to feet but stumbled into corner, which convinced referee Allen Huggins that the challenger was in no condition to continue. No one objected to the stoppage.

The official time of the knock out was 2:59, meaning one second remained in the round.

Lara, 40, was making the second defense of his title.

***

Julio Cesar Martinez dropped Angelino Cordova twice in the third round and defeated him by a majority decision to retain his 112-pound title in his seventh defense.

One judge had it 113-113 but he was overruled by the other two, both of whom had it 114-112 for Martinez. Boxing Junkie also scored it 114-112 for Martinez, six rounds apiece.

Cordova (18-1-1, 12 KOs) got off to a strong start, taking the fight to Martinez (21-3, 15 KOs) and landing more consistently in the first few rounds.

Then came the most dramatic moments of the fight. The Venezuelan walked into two stiff left jabs in Round 3 and ended up on his behind both times, giving Martinez a 10-7 round.

The rest of the fight followed a pattern. The fleet Cordova was the busier boxer and rarely stood still, which made it difficult for Martinez to get into a rhythm and find his target. However, Martinez clearly landed the cleaner, harder shots when he did connect, seeming to hurt Cordova several times.

Martinez suffered a gruesome cut on his left eye brow in Round 10, the result of an accidental clash of heads, but he was allowed to continue and he continued to fight hard.

***

Brian Mendoza couldn’t overcome Serhii Bohachuk’s relentless pressure.

Bohachuk (24-1, 23 KOs) had Mendoza (22-4, 16 KOs) fighting on his heels from the opening bell, outworking his opponent and ultimately delivering a significant beating to win a one-sided decision and the WBC “interim” 154-pound title.

The official scores were 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111. Boxing Junkie also had it 117-111, nine rounds to three.

Bohachuk was unable to put Mendoza down or seriously hurt him but he landed power shots almost at will to win round after round, which accounts for the scoring.

Mendoza, a strong puncher, had some good moments in the entertaining fight, but he couldn’t land the punch or combination of punches to derail the speeding Ukrainian train.

Bohachuk, whose previous 23 victories came by knockout, has now won six consecutive fights since he was stopped by Brandon Adams in 2021. He also bolstered his position as a genuine title contender.

Mendoza has now lost back-to-back fights after his sensational knockout of Fundora in April of last year. Tszyu outpointed him in October.

***

Floyd Mayweather protege Curmel Moton, a 17-year-old junior lightweight prospect, defeated Anthony Cuba by a shutout decision in an entertaining eight-round fight.

All three judges had the same score, 80-72.

Moton (3-0, 2 KOs) dominated Cuba (7-1-2, 3 KOs) from the opening bell, outboxing and outworking his 21-year-old opponent. Cuba, who obviously has a good chin, took everything thrown at him but he didn’t have the tools to keep pace with Moton.

Moton had stopped his previous two opponents in the first round.

***

Note: Middleweight contender Elijah Garcia was scheduled to fight Kyrone Davis on the Tsyzu-Fundora undercard but Garcia pulled out because of illness.

***

Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora are scheduled to fight for Tszyu’s WBO 154-pound belt and the vacant WBC title on a deep card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Also on the show:

  • Rolando Romero vs. Isaac Cruz, junior welterweights (for Romero’s WBA title) (PPV)
  • Erislandy Lara vs. Michael Zerafa, middleweights (for Lara’s WBA title) (PPV)
  • Julio Cesar Martinez vs. Angelino Cordova, flyweights (for Martinez’s WBC title) (PPV)
  • Elijah Garcia vs. Kyrone Davis, middleweights

The featured portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. (main event later in the show).

Boxing Junkie will post results, as well as a brief summary, immediately after the featured fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – detailed fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=41188,41173,41166,41162,41119,36644]

Cheeky Rolly Romero steals show at final Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora news conference

Cheeky Rolly Romero stole the show at the final Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora news conference Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas.

Rolly Romero probably isn’t the best fighter on the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora pay-per-view card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. But he’s the most amusing.

The 140-pound titleholder has been walking around with a figure on a chain that depicts his opponent, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, as a chihuahua. Clever way to promote the first show on Amazon Prime and get under his foe’s skin, although Cruz doesn’t seem all that bothered.

And Romero is incapable of keeping his mouth shut, which annoys some people but gets him a lot of attention. That was on full display Thursday at the final news conference before the card on Saturday.

Cruz gave his opening remarks immediately before Romero did, saying, “To this loudmouth over here, I’m here to shut his mouth and take the belt. So get ready.”

Then Romero made it clear where Cruz was coming from, insulting his challenger in his first comments.

“Everyone thinks this is going to be a difficult fight but I think it’s a very easy fight. He’s going to run into something because he’s stupid,” said Romero, who seemed to take great satisfaction from his own pointed remarks.

That jab undoubtedly made a lot of people chuckle because of its boldness, although Cruz wasn’t one of them. The typically soft-spoken Mexican didn’t hesitate to fire back with a warning.

“If he thinks I’m stupid, he’s even stupider,” Cruz said through a translator. “What does he think? That I have bandages around my eyes and I have my hands tied? If he thinks I’m just going to lay down, he’s very, very mistaken. And he’s going to realize it on Saturday night.”

Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) also had some serious, more analytical moments at the news conference.

Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs) acknowledged that he doesn’t plan to deviate from his seek-and-destroy style of fighting, which has overwhelmed most of his opponents and even troubled pound-for-pounder Gervonta Davis is a close loss.

Romero responded by saying, in so many words, that Cruz is predictable.

“He’ll come over there and throw and throw and throw and throw. He does the same s— over and over again,” said Romero, the implication being that it’s not difficult to beat an opponent when you know his every move.

Of course, we’ll see whether there is any substance behind Romero’s comments or whether he’ll say anything to sell the fight and himself, as well as try to get under his opponent’s skin.

The jury is still out on how good Romero is in the ring. He has already proved that he’s effective out of it.

[lawrence-related id=37327,38284,41173,41166]

Cheeky Rolly Romero steals show at final Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora news conference

Cheeky Rolly Romero stole the show at the final Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora news conference Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas.

Rolly Romero probably isn’t the best fighter on the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora pay-per-view card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. But he’s the most amusing.

The 140-pound titleholder has been walking around with a figure on a chain that depicts his opponent, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, as a chihuahua. Clever way to promote the first show on Amazon Prime and get under his foe’s skin, although Cruz doesn’t seem all that bothered.

And Romero is incapable of keeping his mouth shut, which annoys some people but gets him a lot of attention. That was on full display Thursday at the final news conference before the card on Saturday.

Cruz gave his opening remarks immediately before Romero did, saying, “To this loudmouth over here, I’m here to shut his mouth and take the belt. So get ready.”

Then Romero made it clear where Cruz was coming from, insulting his challenger in his first comments.

“Everyone thinks this is going to be a difficult fight but I think it’s a very easy fight. He’s going to run into something because he’s stupid,” said Romero, who seemed to take great satisfaction from his own pointed remarks.

That jab undoubtedly made a lot of people chuckle because of its boldness, although Cruz wasn’t one of them. The typically soft-spoken Mexican didn’t hesitate to fire back with a warning.

“If he thinks I’m stupid, he’s even stupider,” Cruz said through a translator. “What does he think? That I have bandages around my eyes and I have my hands tied? If he thinks I’m just going to lay down, he’s very, very mistaken. And he’s going to realize it on Saturday night.”

Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) also had some serious, more analytical moments at the news conference.

Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs) acknowledged that he doesn’t plan to deviate from his seek-and-destroy style of fighting, which has overwhelmed most of his opponents and even troubled pound-for-pounder Gervonta Davis is a close loss.

Romero responded by saying, in so many words, that Cruz is predictable.

“He’ll come over there and throw and throw and throw and throw. He does the same s— over and over again,” said Romero, the implication being that it’s not difficult to beat an opponent when you know his every move.

Of course, we’ll see whether there is any substance behind Romero’s comments or whether he’ll say anything to sell the fight and himself, as well as try to get under his opponent’s skin.

The jury is still out on how good Romero is in the ring. He has already proved that he’s effective out of it.

[lawrence-related id=37327,38284,41173,41166]

Gilberto Ramirez on brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds

Gilberto Ramirez is on the brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds. He’ll face titleholder Arsen Goulamirian on Friday.

Gilberto Ramirez has fought as light as 158½ pounds. Now he’s talking about moving up to heavyweight soon.

Yes, “Zurdo” is trying to follow in the footsteps of such legends as Bob Fitzsimmons, Floyd Patterson and Roy Jones Jr., relatively small, but talented and determined men who accomplished great things in the highest weight classes.

His next challenge comes Saturday at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, where he’ll challenge 200-pound beltholder Arsen Goulamirian in a bid to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion (DAZN).

“It is an honor to be able to be the main event at YouTube Theater and make a statement and potentially become a legend. This is my motivation,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) had known nothing but success against solid opposition until a year and a half ago. The now-32-year-old southpaw shut out Arthur Abraham to become the first Mexican to win a 168-pound title in 2016 and also twice beat Jesse Hart at that weight.

He moved up to 175 in 2019 and took down a series of capable opponents, including Sullivan Barrera and Yunieski Gonzalez.

Then came disaster. He challenged 175-pound beltholder and pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and was outclassed in November 2022, losing a one-sided sided decision and much of the luster on his resume.

Following that he missed weight by a whopping 7.6 pounds for a 175-pound bout with Gabriel Rosado that was canceled in March of last year, further damaging his reputation.

His next move was obvious: Move up to cruiserweight. And his choice of opponent was clever: Joe Smith Jr., a well-known former 175-pound beltholder who also was moving up in weight. They agreed on a 193-pound catch weight.

The result got Ramirez moving in the right direction once again. An excellent technician, he outboxed the powerful, but limited Smith to win nine out of the 10 rounds on all three cards.

The victory earned him a shot at Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs), a Frenchman who has fought once in four-plus years but has ability and has fought at 200 pounds his entire career.

Ramirez told RingTV.com that he’s now a natural 200-pounder.

“I feel great at this new weight class,” he told the outlet. “It’s my natural weight and there is not too much cutting. I walk around at 210, 215 all year round, so making 200 is a breeze compared to 175 or 168.

“After moving up in the weight class, I’ve been working on my strength and boxing. I feel the work that I put will allow me to be strong in pocket and trade any shots with him. My overall strength and skill set will be the difference.”

Ramirez’s goal is to do what he couldn’t do at 175, win a major title, and then go on to even bigger and better things.

“The only thing I know is that he has what I want (the WBA cruiserweight title) and I’m going to take it,” he said. “I’m here to stay and conquer the division before moving up to the heavyweight division.

“I know there isn’t too many fighters my size from my country, so I have to represent well. Viva Mexico!”

[lawrence-related id=41179,39291,39287]

Gilberto Ramirez on brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds

Gilberto Ramirez is on the brink of making history again, this time at 200 pounds. He’ll face titleholder Arsen Goulamirian on Friday.

Gilberto Ramirez has fought as light as 158½ pounds. Now he’s talking about moving up to heavyweight soon.

Yes, “Zurdo” is trying to follow in the footsteps of such legends as Bob Fitzsimmons, Floyd Patterson and Roy Jones Jr., relatively small, but talented and determined men who accomplished great things in the highest weight classes.

His next challenge comes Saturday at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, where he’ll challenge 200-pound beltholder Arsen Goulamirian in a bid to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion (DAZN).

“It is an honor to be able to be the main event at YouTube Theater and make a statement and potentially become a legend. This is my motivation,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) had known nothing but success against solid opposition until a year and a half ago. The now-32-year-old southpaw shut out Arthur Abraham to become the first Mexican to win a 168-pound title in 2016 and also twice beat Jesse Hart at that weight.

He moved up to 175 in 2019 and took down a series of capable opponents, including Sullivan Barrera and Yunieski Gonzalez.

Then came disaster. He challenged 175-pound beltholder and pound-for-pounder Dmitry Bivol and was outclassed in November 2022, losing a one-sided sided decision and much of the luster on his resume.

Following that he missed weight by a whopping 7.6 pounds for a 175-pound bout with Gabriel Rosado that was canceled in March of last year, further damaging his reputation.

His next move was obvious: Move up to cruiserweight. And his choice of opponent was clever: Joe Smith Jr., a well-known former 175-pound beltholder who also was moving up in weight. They agreed on a 193-pound catch weight.

The result got Ramirez moving in the right direction once again. An excellent technician, he outboxed the powerful, but limited Smith to win nine out of the 10 rounds on all three cards.

The victory earned him a shot at Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs), a Frenchman who has fought once in four-plus years but has ability and has fought at 200 pounds his entire career.

Ramirez told RingTV.com that he’s now a natural 200-pounder.

“I feel great at this new weight class,” he told the outlet. “It’s my natural weight and there is not too much cutting. I walk around at 210, 215 all year round, so making 200 is a breeze compared to 175 or 168.

“After moving up in the weight class, I’ve been working on my strength and boxing. I feel the work that I put will allow me to be strong in pocket and trade any shots with him. My overall strength and skill set will be the difference.”

Ramirez’s goal is to do what he couldn’t do at 175, win a major title, and then go on to even bigger and better things.

“The only thing I know is that he has what I want (the WBA cruiserweight title) and I’m going to take it,” he said. “I’m here to stay and conquer the division before moving up to the heavyweight division.

“I know there isn’t too many fighters my size from my country, so I have to represent well. Viva Mexico!”

[lawrence-related id=41179,39291,39287]

Arsen Goulamirian vs. Gilberto Ramirez: Date, time, how to watch, background

Arsen Goulamirian vs. Gilberto Ramirez: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Cruiserweight titleholder Arsen Goulamirian is scheduled to defend his belt against Gilberto Ramirez on Friday in Inglewood, California.

ARSEN GOULAMIRIAN (27-0, 19 KOs)
VS. GILBERTO RAMIREZ (45-1, 30 KOs)

Arsen Goulamirian (right) will be defending his 200-pound title for the fifth time against Gilberto Ramirez.  Gerard Julien / AFP via Getty Images
  • Date: Friday, March 29
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: YouTube Theater, Inglewood, California
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Cruiserweight (200 pounds)
  • At stake: Goulamirian’s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Ramirez 2½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Alexis Rocha vs. Fredrick Lawson, welterweights; Ricardo Sandoval vs. Luis Hernandez, flyweights; Santiago Dominguez vs. Jose Sanchez, welterweights; Kareem Hackett vs. Rowdy Montgomenry, light heavyweights
  • Background: Goulamirian will be defending his 200-pound title for the fifth time but has been unusually inactive over the past four-plus years, a period in which the California-based Frenchman has fought only once. He was out of the ring for three years between 2019 and 2022 because of illness (COVID 19) and other issues. He finally returned in November 2022, when he easily outpointed Aleksei Ergorov in France. The 36-year-old trains with Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California. The well-connected Ramirez is getting his second title shot in three fights, having lost a one-sided decision to 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in 2022. He bounced back to outclass former beltholder Joe Smith Jr. in his 200-pound debut last October, winning a near-shutout decision. Ramirez is a former 168-pound titleholder.

[lawrence-related id=39287,39279]

Arsen Goulamirian vs. Gilberto Ramirez: Date, time, how to watch, background

Arsen Goulamirian vs. Gilberto Ramirez: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Cruiserweight titleholder Arsen Goulamirian is scheduled to defend his belt against Gilberto Ramirez on Friday in Inglewood, California.

ARSEN GOULAMIRIAN (27-0, 19 KOs)
VS. GILBERTO RAMIREZ (45-1, 30 KOs)

Arsen Goulamirian (right) will be defending his 200-pound title for the fifth time against Gilberto Ramirez.  Gerard Julien / AFP via Getty Images
  • Date: Friday, March 29
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: YouTube Theater, Inglewood, California
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Cruiserweight (200 pounds)
  • At stake: Goulamirian’s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Ramirez 2½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Alexis Rocha vs. Fredrick Lawson, welterweights; Ricardo Sandoval vs. Luis Hernandez, flyweights; Santiago Dominguez vs. Jose Sanchez, welterweights; Kareem Hackett vs. Rowdy Montgomenry, light heavyweights
  • Background: Goulamirian will be defending his 200-pound title for the fifth time but has been unusually inactive over the past four-plus years, a period in which the California-based Frenchman has fought only once. He was out of the ring for three years between 2019 and 2022 because of illness (COVID 19) and other issues. He finally returned in November 2022, when he easily outpointed Aleksei Ergorov in France. The 36-year-old trains with Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California. The well-connected Ramirez is getting his second title shot in three fights, having lost a one-sided decision to 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in 2022. He bounced back to outclass former beltholder Joe Smith Jr. in his 200-pound debut last October, winning a near-shutout decision. Ramirez is a former 168-pound titleholder.

[lawrence-related id=39287,39279]

Oscar Valdez will start the rebuilding process anew vs. Liam Wilson on Friday

Oscar Valdez will start the rebuilding process anew against Liam Wilson on Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

Oscar Valdez has some work to do.

The former two-division titleholder was on top of the world after he put Miguel Berchelt down three times and ultimately stopped him in the 10th round to win the WBC 130-pound championship in February 2021.

It has been mostly downhill after that for the 33-year-old Mexican.

He tested positive for a banned weight-loss medication before his next fight seven months later, against Robson Conceicao, yet he was allowed to fight . He won a unanimous decision to retain his belt but his reputation was scarred.

Then things got worse. He was embarrassed by the gifted Shakur Stevenson in his subsequent bout, losing a one-sided decision that seemed to reveal his limitations.

He rebounded to outpoint Adam Lopez 11 months later only to lose another clear decision, this time against WBO beltholder and countryman Emanuel Navarrete, who outworked him in an entertaining fight last August.

Suddenly a rising star was just another fighter.

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) will restart the rebuilding process on Friday night, when he’s scheduled to face Liam Wilson of Australia at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (ESPN+).

The fight will be for the WBO “interim” belt, which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize as a legitimate title. Navarrete remains the WBO champ.

“I’m going to be ready,” Valdez said on Wednesday. “I was preparing myself for a world championship fight. Then we got the news that it’s now for an interim title.

“So I’m more than excited and prepared, and we’re going to show that.”

Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) is a safer opponent than either Stevenson or Navarrete, probably on the level of Lopez.

However, the 28-year-old resident of Queensland is dangerous. He proved that by decking Navarrete and hurting him before being stopped himself in nine rounds in a wild fight for the vacant WBO title in February of last year.

Wilson outpointed two second-tier opponents in Australia after his setback.

“I know Liam Wilson,” Valdez said. “He’s a tough fighter. I was there when he fought Emanuel Navarrete, and he sent him to the canvas. So you better believe that I’m coming with everything because I’m expecting that same Liam Wilson. …

“Liam Wilson is a dangerous fighter. But that makes it more exciting. And the interim title adds fuel to the fire. I’m very motivated.”

Valdez told BoxingScene.com that he would be interested in facing Vasiliy Lomachenko, assuming he wins on Friday and the Ukrainian pound-for-pounder beats underdog George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title on May 12.

However, Valdez’s first priority is to become a champion again at 130. Defeating Wilson is the first step in that process.

“This fight [against Wilson] means everything to me because whoever wins is a step closer to a world title fight at 130 pounds,” he told the outlet. “This is my division. …

“My plan this year is to become a world champion again. But I have to win this fight first. I’m mentally preparing like it’s a world title fight.”

[lawrence-related id=41171,38543,29864,23758,23752,35413]

Oscar Valdez will start the rebuilding process anew vs. Liam Wilson on Friday

Oscar Valdez will start the rebuilding process anew against Liam Wilson on Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

Oscar Valdez has some work to do.

The former two-division titleholder was on top of the world after he put Miguel Berchelt down three times and ultimately stopped him in the 10th round to win the WBC 130-pound championship in February 2021.

It has been mostly downhill after that for the 33-year-old Mexican.

He tested positive for a banned weight-loss medication before his next fight seven months later, against Robson Conceicao, yet he was allowed to fight . He won a unanimous decision to retain his belt but his reputation was scarred.

Then things got worse. He was embarrassed by the gifted Shakur Stevenson in his subsequent bout, losing a one-sided decision that seemed to reveal his limitations.

He rebounded to outpoint Adam Lopez 11 months later only to lose another clear decision, this time against WBO beltholder and countryman Emanuel Navarrete, who outworked him in an entertaining fight last August.

Suddenly a rising star was just another fighter.

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) will restart the rebuilding process on Friday night, when he’s scheduled to face Liam Wilson of Australia at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (ESPN+).

The fight will be for the WBO “interim” belt, which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize as a legitimate title. Navarrete remains the WBO champ.

“I’m going to be ready,” Valdez said on Wednesday. “I was preparing myself for a world championship fight. Then we got the news that it’s now for an interim title.

“So I’m more than excited and prepared, and we’re going to show that.”

Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) is a safer opponent than either Stevenson or Navarrete, probably on the level of Lopez.

However, the 28-year-old resident of Queensland is dangerous. He proved that by decking Navarrete and hurting him before being stopped himself in nine rounds in a wild fight for the vacant WBO title in February of last year.

Wilson outpointed two second-tier opponents in Australia after his setback.

“I know Liam Wilson,” Valdez said. “He’s a tough fighter. I was there when he fought Emanuel Navarrete, and he sent him to the canvas. So you better believe that I’m coming with everything because I’m expecting that same Liam Wilson. …

“Liam Wilson is a dangerous fighter. But that makes it more exciting. And the interim title adds fuel to the fire. I’m very motivated.”

Valdez told BoxingScene.com that he would be interested in facing Vasiliy Lomachenko, assuming he wins on Friday and the Ukrainian pound-for-pounder beats underdog George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title on May 12.

However, Valdez’s first priority is to become a champion again at 130. Defeating Wilson is the first step in that process.

“This fight [against Wilson] means everything to me because whoever wins is a step closer to a world title fight at 130 pounds,” he told the outlet. “This is my division. …

“My plan this year is to become a world champion again. But I have to win this fight first. I’m mentally preparing like it’s a world title fight.”

[lawrence-related id=41171,38543,29864,23758,23752,35413]

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: Unpacking a deep, interesting card

Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora: Unpacking a deep, interesting card.

The Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora pay-per-view card Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is unusually deep even though Tszyu lost his original opponent.

Tszyu had been scheduled to defend his 154-pound title against Keith Thurman but Thurman pulled out a few weeks ago with a biceps injury, after which Fundora agreed to take the veteran’s place in the main event.

Here is a look at the featured fights on the show, including the most interesting thing about each of them.

 

Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) vs. Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs)

Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
At stake: Tszyu’s WBO and vacant WBC titles
Most interesting thing about it: I would rather have seen Tszyu defend his belt against Thurman because of Thurman’s history. However, it will be fascinating to see whether the 5-foot-8½ Tszyu can chop down his 6-5½ opponent, as Brian Mendoza did in October. Fundora seems vulnerable after his first setback but he has had success at a high level.
Who wins?: Fundora’s only advantages are his height and reach, which won’t be enough against Tszyu. The beltholder will adjust to Fundora’s dimensions and break him down. Tszyu KO 8.

 

Rolando Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) vs. Isaac Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs)

Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: Romero’s WBA title
Most interesting thing about it: Can Romero keep Cruz off of him? That’s the mission of everyone who faces the relentlessly aggressive Mexican, whose only loss since early in his career was a close decision against Gervonta Davis. Romero will have to use his jab and timely counter shots to get Cruz’s respect to have his hand raised. It won’t be easy.
Who wins?: Romero has the power to get Cruz’s attention but not enough to deter his unusually fit, durable opponent. Cruz will outwork Romero and win a clear decision.

 

Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) vs. Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs)

Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: Lara’s WBA title
Most interesting thing about it: What does Lara have left at 40? The possible future Hall of Famer from Cuba holds a major title and continues to win fights but his opposition has been suspect. Plus, he’s more willing to exchange punches with his opponents than he used to be. That presumably is the result of him losing a step in terms of his speed and reflexes.
Who wins?: Lara. He isn’t what he once was but he remains as clever as ever and has retained enough of his physical tools to beat Zerafa, a good, rugged but limited fighter.

 

Julio Cesar Martinez (20-3, 15 KOs) vs. Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs)

Division: Flyweight (112 pounds)
At stake: Martinez’s WBC title
Most interesting thing about it: Is Angelino Cordova the real deal? The Venezuelan came out of nowhere to deliver two eye-opening performances, decision victories over one-time title challenger Axel Aragon Vega and former champ Angel Acosta. However, Martinez, making his seventh title defense, is a significant step up in opposition.
Who wins?: Cordova’s impressive little run ends here. Martinez won’t overwhelm his capable opponent but he’ll wear him down with his relentless aggression and stop him.

 

Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) vs. Kyrone Davis (18-3-1, 6 KOs)

Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Most interesting thing about it: This is a significant test for Garcia. The 20-year-old prodigy has overwhelmed second-tier opponents with his ability and power, which has generated excitement. Davis is a step up for him. The 29-year-old veteran is an excellent technician with experience in big fights. And he’s tough. Only the naturally bigger David Benavidez has stopped him.
Who wins?: Davis will give Garcia problems with his skillset but he doesn’t have the power to keep Garcia off of him for 10 rounds. Garcia will take him out late in the fight.

 

Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) vs. Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs)

Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Most interesting thing about it: Power vs. Power. Mendoza demonstrated the destructive nature of his punches with his brutal knockout of Fundora. And all 23 of Bohachuk’s victories have come by stoppage, which leaves little doubt about his ability to hurt opponents. Thus, this could be the most entertaining fight on the card. Don’t blink.
Who wins?: Mendoza might be the more durable fighter. That will allow him to take Bohachuk’s punches and deliver his own. Mendoza by late KO.

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