Tag: Felix Alvarado

Good, bad, worse: Sunny Edwards impresses again, Floyd Mayweather entertains

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD That classic Showtime style! @SunnyEdwards closes out the final round with his hands in the air! #ProbellumSheffield pic.twitter.com/rry7jG52HE – Probellum (@probellum) November 11, 2022 The best …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The best fighter in the United Kingdom might be a flyweight from London.

IBF 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards gave another impressive performance on Saturday night in Sheffield, England, where he defeated former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado by a convincing unanimous decision.

And he used a rare combination of skill and durability to do it, further evidence that the 26-year-old could go a long way.

Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) boxed brilliantly, using his quick, fluid stick-and-move style to frustrate the capable Alvarado in the first half of the fight. Then, in the second half, Edwards had to rely on his determination and toughness as much as his ability to survive Alvarado’s relentless pressure and leave the ring with another victory.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, the last two of which were too generous toward Alvarado.

And remember that Edwards can’t punch, as his knockout percentage indicates. That only makes his accomplishments more remarkable: He’s able to dominate opponents without the power to hurt them.

That limitation probably works against him in terms of his place among the best British fighters, including the more-complete Josh Taylor. However, I’m not sure anyone in the U.K. can box better than Edwards.

What’s next? He wants to face another hot fighter, highly respected Bam Rodriguez, who said he plans to move down to 112 pounds. That interesting matchup of sublime young technicians would be a genuine test of Edwards’ ability.

I would lean toward Rodriguez to win that fight but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Edwards had his hand raised, cementing his place among the best in the business regardless of origin. He’s that good.

 

BAD

There is nothing inherently “bad” about boxing exhibitions involving retired fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather.

I remember enjoying old-timers baseball games as a child. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see my heroes and legends of the sport return to the field one night even though there were no winners or losers in a competitive sense. It was good fun.

Obviously that’s how some fans feel about seeing Mayweather, Mike Tyson and others climb through the ropes to remind of us of what made them great. That’s why the retirees can still make money in boxing.

Mayweather gave us a reminder once again on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, where he toyed with ridiculously overmatched YouTuber Deji Olatunji and then stopped him in six rounds.

The Hall of Famer had a blast, demonstrated that he can still bring it at 45 years old and playing to the crowd along the way. There’s no doubt that many fans worldwide were entertained, which Mayweather said afterward was his goal.

The only reason this item is filed under “bad” is that I don’t get the appeal. To me the most entertaining part of the broadcast was the back-and-forth antics of marketing wiz and part-time commentator Jake Paul and the Fury family after Tommy Fury and Rolly Lambert engaged in an exhibition.

The moment the hefty John Fury, the father of Tyson Fury, took off his shirt in the ring and challenged Paul to fight him then and there was hysterical.

To each their own, though. If you enjoy these exhibitions enough to fork over the pay-per-view fee, God bless you. You must be pleased that there are many more to come.

 

WORSE

It’s always painful to write this.

We learned after David Morrell knocked out Aidos Yerbossynuly that Yerbossynuly was placed in a medically induced coma to treat bleeding on his brain, which has us praying for the best but thinking the worst.

In retrospect it seems clear that referee Tony Weeks or Yerbossynuly’s cornermen should’ve stopped the fight earlier than the 12th and final round, in which Morrell stopped him. However, the brave Kazakh was fighting with vigor almost until the end, which made it difficult to step in.

My opinion? Err on the side of caution. You might be criticized but an early stoppage is better than one that comes too late.

Such a tragic situation, which haunts us periodically, serves as a reminder of the fighters’ courage. They don’t necessarily believe they’ll suffer such an unfortunate fate but they know it’s a possibility. Still, they step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain the fans.

I believe the powers that be do their best to protect the fighters in an inherently dangerous sport. Let’s hope they continue to do so and then some. Yerbossynuly and his peers deserve nothing less.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) didn’t live up to the hype against Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan won the fight by a unanimous decision but wasn’t particularly impressive in any respect, which must’ve been a disappointment for those hoping he’d make a statement. Alimkhanuly said he’s ready for any champion. We’ll see. … Kudos to Bentley. He’s a good fighter. … Strawweight titleholder Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) was impressive in her unanimous-decision victory over Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, 1 KO) on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card, her first fight in 11 months. The Los Angeles product might be as skillful as anyone in women’s boxing. … Montana Love (18-1-1, 9 KOs) was disqualified for throwing opponent Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) over the ropes and out of the ring in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight Saturday in Cleveland. It was a rough fight. Love when down in Round 2 and suffered a cut from a clash of heads shortly before the unusual ending. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It seems to me that Love did exactly what he was accused of doing, which is an egregious foul. I might’ve docked him two points and allowed him to continue but a disqualification certainly was justified. …

Canelo Alvarez said his therapy is going well and that he should be ready to fight again in May after having surgery to repair a right wrist injury. That’s good news. He seems to be targeting 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol, who outpointed him this past May. That makes sense. I’d still rather see him take on fellow 168-pounder David Benavidez. … Former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas seems to have produced some good fighters: His three sons, who he trains, are a combined 12-0 (10 KOs). His youngest boy, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) got everyone’s attention by stopping Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) with a single left hook in the second round of their lightweight bout on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card. Another son, Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), is considered an outstanding junior middleweight prospect. He’s scheduled to fight Alejandro Martinez on the Regis Prograis–Jose Zepeda pay-per-view card on Nov. 26. And a third son, lightweight Amado Vargas (4-0, 2 KOs), also has promise. The second-generation Vargases will have trouble living up to the standard of their father, who was one of the better fighters of his generation. However, they obviously are worth watching.

[lawrence-related id=34192,34168,34158,34153]

Good, bad, worse: Sunny Edwards impresses again, Floyd Mayweather entertains

A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD That classic Showtime style! @SunnyEdwards closes out the final round with his hands in the air! #ProbellumSheffield pic.twitter.com/rry7jG52HE – Probellum (@probellum) November 11, 2022 The best …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

The best fighter in the United Kingdom might be a flyweight from London.

IBF 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards gave another impressive performance on Saturday night in Sheffield, England, where he defeated former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado by a convincing unanimous decision.

And he used a rare combination of skill and durability to do it, further evidence that the 26-year-old could go a long way.

Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) boxed brilliantly, using his quick, fluid stick-and-move style to frustrate the capable Alvarado in the first half of the fight. Then, in the second half, Edwards had to rely on his determination and toughness as much as his ability to survive Alvarado’s relentless pressure and leave the ring with another victory.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, the last two of which were too generous toward Alvarado.

And remember that Edwards can’t punch, as his knockout percentage indicates. That only makes his accomplishments more remarkable: He’s able to dominate opponents without the power to hurt them.

That limitation probably works against him in terms of his place among the best British fighters, including the more-complete Josh Taylor. However, I’m not sure anyone in the U.K. can box better than Edwards.

What’s next? He wants to face another hot fighter, highly respected Bam Rodriguez, who said he plans to move down to 112 pounds. That interesting matchup of sublime young technicians would be a genuine test of Edwards’ ability.

I would lean toward Rodriguez to win that fight but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if Edwards had his hand raised, cementing his place among the best in the business regardless of origin. He’s that good.

 

BAD

There is nothing inherently “bad” about boxing exhibitions involving retired fighters, such as Floyd Mayweather.

I remember enjoying old-timers baseball games as a child. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see my heroes and legends of the sport return to the field one night even though there were no winners or losers in a competitive sense. It was good fun.

Obviously that’s how some fans feel about seeing Mayweather, Mike Tyson and others climb through the ropes to remind of us of what made them great. That’s why the retirees can still make money in boxing.

Mayweather gave us a reminder once again on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, where he toyed with ridiculously overmatched YouTuber Deji Olatunji and then stopped him in six rounds.

The Hall of Famer had a blast, demonstrated that he can still bring it at 45 years old and playing to the crowd along the way. There’s no doubt that many fans worldwide were entertained, which Mayweather said afterward was his goal.

The only reason this item is filed under “bad” is that I don’t get the appeal. To me the most entertaining part of the broadcast was the back-and-forth antics of marketing wiz and part-time commentator Jake Paul and the Fury family after Tommy Fury and Rolly Lambert engaged in an exhibition.

The moment the hefty John Fury, the father of Tyson Fury, took off his shirt in the ring and challenged Paul to fight him then and there was hysterical.

To each their own, though. If you enjoy these exhibitions enough to fork over the pay-per-view fee, God bless you. You must be pleased that there are many more to come.

 

WORSE

It’s always painful to write this.

We learned after David Morrell knocked out Aidos Yerbossynuly that Yerbossynuly was placed in a medically induced coma to treat bleeding on his brain, which has us praying for the best but thinking the worst.

In retrospect it seems clear that referee Tony Weeks or Yerbossynuly’s cornermen should’ve stopped the fight earlier than the 12th and final round, in which Morrell stopped him. However, the brave Kazakh was fighting with vigor almost until the end, which made it difficult to step in.

My opinion? Err on the side of caution. You might be criticized but an early stoppage is better than one that comes too late.

Such a tragic situation, which haunts us periodically, serves as a reminder of the fighters’ courage. They don’t necessarily believe they’ll suffer such an unfortunate fate but they know it’s a possibility. Still, they step through the ropes to pursue their dreams and entertain the fans.

I believe the powers that be do their best to protect the fighters in an inherently dangerous sport. Let’s hope they continue to do so and then some. Yerbossynuly and his peers deserve nothing less.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly (13-0, 8 KOs) didn’t live up to the hype against Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan won the fight by a unanimous decision but wasn’t particularly impressive in any respect, which must’ve been a disappointment for those hoping he’d make a statement. Alimkhanuly said he’s ready for any champion. We’ll see. … Kudos to Bentley. He’s a good fighter. … Strawweight titleholder Seniesa Estrada (23-0, 9 KOs) was impressive in her unanimous-decision victory over Jazmin Gala Villarino (6-2-2, 1 KO) on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card, her first fight in 11 months. The Los Angeles product might be as skillful as anyone in women’s boxing. … Montana Love (18-1-1, 9 KOs) was disqualified for throwing opponent Steve Spark (16-2, 14 KOs) over the ropes and out of the ring in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight Saturday in Cleveland. It was a rough fight. Love when down in Round 2 and suffered a cut from a clash of heads shortly before the unusual ending. I don’t know what the fuss is about. It seems to me that Love did exactly what he was accused of doing, which is an egregious foul. I might’ve docked him two points and allowed him to continue but a disqualification certainly was justified. …

Canelo Alvarez said his therapy is going well and that he should be ready to fight again in May after having surgery to repair a right wrist injury. That’s good news. He seems to be targeting 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol, who outpointed him this past May. That makes sense. I’d still rather see him take on fellow 168-pounder David Benavidez. … Former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas seems to have produced some good fighters: His three sons, who he trains, are a combined 12-0 (10 KOs). His youngest boy, 18-year-old Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) got everyone’s attention by stopping Julio Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) with a single left hook in the second round of their lightweight bout on the Alimkhanuly-Bentley card. Another son, Fernando Vargas Jr. (6-0, 6 KOs), is considered an outstanding junior middleweight prospect. He’s scheduled to fight Alejandro Martinez on the Regis Prograis–Jose Zepeda pay-per-view card on Nov. 26. And a third son, lightweight Amado Vargas (4-0, 2 KOs), also has promise. The second-generation Vargases will have trouble living up to the standard of their father, who was one of the better fighters of his generation. However, they obviously are worth watching.

[lawrence-related id=34192,34168,34158,34153]

Sunny Edwards outpoints Felix Alvarado to retain title, calls out stars

Sunny Edwards outpointed Felix Alvarado to retain his flyweight title and then called out Bam Rodriguez.

Sunny Edwards defeated to Felix Alvarado by a unanimous decision in the third defense of his 112-pound title Friday in Sheffield, England.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113.

The skillful Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) outboxed Alvarado (38-3, 33 KOs) for most of the fight and withstood a rally from the former 108-pound beltholder down the stretch.

Edwards took pride in his ability to exchange punches with a powerful opponent.

“Felix Alvarado is a phenomenal puncher and I sat there and mixed it with him,” the Londoner said. “I rode shots, took shots, threw shots, and if I can do that against him then I can do it against anyone.”

Edwards wants to take a step up in opposition in his next fight.

The rising star called out fellow flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez and 115-pound contender Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, the latter of whom expressed interest in facing Edwards.

“Bam Rodriguez, you promised me the fight,” Edwards said.  “Come and get it.”

Sunny Edwards outpoints Felix Alvarado to retain title, calls out stars

Sunny Edwards outpointed Felix Alvarado to retain his flyweight title and then called out Bam Rodriguez.

Sunny Edwards defeated to Felix Alvarado by a unanimous decision in the third defense of his 112-pound title Friday in Sheffield, England.

The official scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113.

The skillful Edwards (19-0, 4 KOs) outboxed Alvarado (38-3, 33 KOs) for most of the fight and withstood a rally from the former 108-pound beltholder down the stretch.

Edwards took pride in his ability to exchange punches with a powerful opponent.

“Felix Alvarado is a phenomenal puncher and I sat there and mixed it with him,” the Londoner said. “I rode shots, took shots, threw shots, and if I can do that against him then I can do it against anyone.”

Edwards wants to take a step up in opposition in his next fight.

The rising star called out fellow flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez and 115-pound contender Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, the latter of whom expressed interest in facing Edwards.

“Bam Rodriguez, you promised me the fight,” Edwards said.  “Come and get it.”

Sunny Edwards vs. Felix Alvarado: date, time, how to watch, background

Sunny Edwards vs. Felix Alvarado: date, time, how to watch, background.

Talented 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards will defend his title against  former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado on Friday in Sheffield, England.

SUNNY EDWARDS (18-0, 4 KOs) VS. FELIX ALVARADO (38-2, 33 KOs)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 11
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. in U.K.) (main event later in show)
  • Where: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
  • TV/Stream: FITE
  • Cost: Free
  • Division: Flyweights (112 pounds)
  • At stake: Edwards’ IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Edwards 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Thomas Essomba vs. Marcel Braithwaite, junior bantamweights; Jack Bateson vs. Shabaz Masoud, junior featherweights.
  • Prediction: Edwards UD
  • Background: Edwards is closing in on showdowns with the top little men in the world – stars like Julio Cesar Martinez and Bam Rodriguez – but he must get past the capable Alvarado first. The 26-year-old Londoner, a superb boxer, won his belt by defeating two-time champion Moruti Mthalane in April of last year. He then successfully defended against Jayson Mama and Muhammad Waseem, winning both fights by wide decisions. Alvarado, a 33-year-old Nicaraguan, held a 108-pound title from 2018 until he gave it up this year and moved up to 112. He made his flyweight debut in May, when he stopped Luis Cerrito Hernandez in four rounds. He hasn’t lost since back-to-back setbacks in 2013 and 2014, after which he has won 20 consecutive fights.

[lawrence-related id=19828]

Sunny Edwards vs. Felix Alvarado: date, time, how to watch, background

Sunny Edwards vs. Felix Alvarado: date, time, how to watch, background.

Talented 112-pound titleholder Sunny Edwards will defend his title against  former 108-pound champ Felix Alvarado on Friday in Sheffield, England.

SUNNY EDWARDS (18-0, 4 KOs) VS. FELIX ALVARADO (38-2, 33 KOs)

  • Date: Friday, Nov. 11
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. in U.K.) (main event later in show)
  • Where: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
  • TV/Stream: FITE
  • Cost: Free
  • Division: Flyweights (112 pounds)
  • At stake: Edwards’ IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Edwards 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Thomas Essomba vs. Marcel Braithwaite, junior bantamweights; Jack Bateson vs. Shabaz Masoud, junior featherweights.
  • Prediction: Edwards UD
  • Background: Edwards is closing in on showdowns with the top little men in the world – stars like Julio Cesar Martinez and Bam Rodriguez – but he must get past the capable Alvarado first. The 26-year-old Londoner, a superb boxer, won his belt by defeating two-time champion Moruti Mthalane in April of last year. He then successfully defended against Jayson Mama and Muhammad Waseem, winning both fights by wide decisions. Alvarado, a 33-year-old Nicaraguan, held a 108-pound title from 2018 until he gave it up this year and moved up to 112. He made his flyweight debut in May, when he stopped Luis Cerrito Hernandez in four rounds. He hasn’t lost since back-to-back setbacks in 2013 and 2014, after which he has won 20 consecutive fights.

[lawrence-related id=19828]

Fight Week: It’s old-timers week, starring Mayweather, Hatton, Barrera

Fight Week: Floyd Mayweather, Hatton-Barrera exhibitions; Sunny Edwards and Alimkhanuly title defenses.

FIGHT WEEK

Floyd Mayweather will return for another exhibition, as will Ricky Hatton and Marco Antonio Barrera against one another. In real fights, Sunny Edwards will face Felix Alvarado, and Janibek Alimkhanuly will take on Denzel Bentley.

SUNNY EDWARDS (18-0, 4 KOs) VS. FELIX ALVARADO (38-2, 33 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Nov. 11
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. in U.K.) (main event later in show)
  • Where: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
  • TV/Stream: FITE
  • Division: Flyweights (112 pounds)
  • At stake: Edwards’ IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Edwards 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Thomas Essomba vs. Marcel Braithwaite, junior bantamweights; Jack Bateson vs. Shabaz Masoud, junior featherweights.
  • Prediction: Edwards UD
  • Background: Edwards is closing in on showdowns with the top little men in the world – stars like Julio Cesar Martinez and Bam Rodriguez – but he must get past the capable Alvarado first. The 26-year-old Londoner, a superb boxer, won his belt by defeating two-time champion Moruti Mthalane in April of last year. He then successfully defended against Jayson Mama and Muhammad Waseem, winning both fights by wide decisions. Alvarado, a 33-year-old Nicaraguan, held a 108-pound title from 2018 until he gave it up this year and moved up to 112. He made his flyweight debut in May, when he stopped Luis Cerrito Hernandez in four rounds. He hasn’t lost since back-to-back setbacks in 2013 and 2014, after which he has won 20 consecutive fights.

 

JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY (12-0, 8 KOs) VS. DENZEL BENTLEY (17-1-1, 14 KOs)­

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 12
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Middleweights (160 pounds)
  • At stake: Alimkhanuly’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Alimkhanuly 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Jazmin Gala Villarino, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA title)
  • Prediction: Alimkhanuly KO 10
  • Background: Alimkhanuly, 29, is a talented 2013 amateur world champion and 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan who has been fast tracked as a pro. The Southern California-based southpaw won the WBO’s “interim” title in his last fight, a second-round knockout of previously unbeaten Danny Dignum in May. He was upgraded to full champion in August. He also stopped veterans Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam last year, which set up the fight with Dignum. Bentley is a 27-year-old boxer-puncher from London. He was stopped in three rounds by fellow 160-pound contender Felix Cash in April of last year but he bounced back to win three in a row, including a fourth-round knockout of Marcus Morrison in September, to earn a shot at Alimkhanuly’s title. Also on the card, Seniesa Estrada (22-0, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles is scheduled to defend her strawweight title against Jazim Gala Villarino (6-1-2, 1 KO) of Argentina.

 

RICKY HATTON VS. MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 12
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. in U.K.) (main event later in show)
  • Where: AO Arena, Manchester, England
  • TV/Stream: NOW (Sky Sports in U.K.)
  • Format: Exhibition
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Natasha Jonas vs. Marie Eve Dicaire, junior middleweights (for Jonas’ IBF, WBC and WBO titles); Dalton Smith vs. Kaisee Benjamin, junior welterweight; Tyler Denny vs. Bradley Rea, middleweights
  • Background: Barrera and Hatton are climbing onto the exhibition wagon. Barrera, 48, hasn’t fought since 2011, when the Hall of Famer from Mexico stopped journeyman Jose Arias in two rounds in Guadalajara. Hatton, 44, was last in the ring in 2012, when the former 140-pound titleholder was stopped by contender Vyacheslav Senchenko in nine rounds. The Mancunian will face Barrera in the same arena in which he delivered his greatest performance, an 11th-round knockout of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu that gave him his first major belt. Fans expecting a war between the one-time action fighters will be disappointed. Hatton said this is about fun. He told Sky Sports: “It’s a celebration.”

 

FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. DEJI OLANTUNJI

  • When: Sunday, Nov. 13
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Coca Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • TV/Stream: Pay-Per-View
  • Format: Exhibition
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Delfine Persoon vs. Ikram Kerwat, junior lightweights; Tommy Fury vs. Paul Bamba, light heavyweights
  • Background: He’s back already. Mayweather stopped mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura on Sept. 25 in Japan, his third exhibition since he last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017. He returns Sunday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he’ll face British YouTuber-turned-boxer Deji. The brother of KSI has taken part in one exhibition, a knockout victory over fellow YouTuber Fousey in August. That makes him Mayweather’s second raw amateur opponent. He “fought” Logan Paul in June of last year. The Hall Famer also faced Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018 and former sparring partner Don Moore this past May. His last sanctioned bout was in 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

SATURDAY

  • Montana Love vs. Stevie Spark, junior welterweights, Cleveland (DAZN).

[lawrence-related id=33600,33048,32982]

Fight Week: It’s old-timers week, starring Mayweather, Hatton, Barrera

Fight Week: Floyd Mayweather, Hatton-Barrera exhibitions; Sunny Edwards and Alimkhanuly title defenses.

FIGHT WEEK

Floyd Mayweather will return for another exhibition, as will Ricky Hatton and Marco Antonio Barrera against one another. In real fights, Sunny Edwards will face Felix Alvarado, and Janibek Alimkhanuly will take on Denzel Bentley.

SUNNY EDWARDS (18-0, 4 KOs) VS. FELIX ALVARADO (38-2, 33 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Nov. 11
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. in U.K.) (main event later in show)
  • Where: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
  • TV/Stream: FITE
  • Division: Flyweights (112 pounds)
  • At stake: Edwards’ IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Edwards 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Thomas Essomba vs. Marcel Braithwaite, junior bantamweights; Jack Bateson vs. Shabaz Masoud, junior featherweights.
  • Prediction: Edwards UD
  • Background: Edwards is closing in on showdowns with the top little men in the world – stars like Julio Cesar Martinez and Bam Rodriguez – but he must get past the capable Alvarado first. The 26-year-old Londoner, a superb boxer, won his belt by defeating two-time champion Moruti Mthalane in April of last year. He then successfully defended against Jayson Mama and Muhammad Waseem, winning both fights by wide decisions. Alvarado, a 33-year-old Nicaraguan, held a 108-pound title from 2018 until he gave it up this year and moved up to 112. He made his flyweight debut in May, when he stopped Luis Cerrito Hernandez in four rounds. He hasn’t lost since back-to-back setbacks in 2013 and 2014, after which he has won 20 consecutive fights.

 

JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY (12-0, 8 KOs) VS. DENZEL BENTLEY (17-1-1, 14 KOs)­

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 12
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Middleweights (160 pounds)
  • At stake: Alimkhanuly’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Alimkhanuly 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Jazmin Gala Villarino, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA title)
  • Prediction: Alimkhanuly KO 10
  • Background: Alimkhanuly, 29, is a talented 2013 amateur world champion and 2016 Olympian from Kazakhstan who has been fast tracked as a pro. The Southern California-based southpaw won the WBO’s “interim” title in his last fight, a second-round knockout of previously unbeaten Danny Dignum in May. He was upgraded to full champion in August. He also stopped veterans Rob Brant and Hassan N’Dam last year, which set up the fight with Dignum. Bentley is a 27-year-old boxer-puncher from London. He was stopped in three rounds by fellow 160-pound contender Felix Cash in April of last year but he bounced back to win three in a row, including a fourth-round knockout of Marcus Morrison in September, to earn a shot at Alimkhanuly’s title. Also on the card, Seniesa Estrada (22-0, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles is scheduled to defend her strawweight title against Jazim Gala Villarino (6-1-2, 1 KO) of Argentina.

 

RICKY HATTON VS. MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 12
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. in U.K.) (main event later in show)
  • Where: AO Arena, Manchester, England
  • TV/Stream: NOW (Sky Sports in U.K.)
  • Format: Exhibition
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Natasha Jonas vs. Marie Eve Dicaire, junior middleweights (for Jonas’ IBF, WBC and WBO titles); Dalton Smith vs. Kaisee Benjamin, junior welterweight; Tyler Denny vs. Bradley Rea, middleweights
  • Background: Barrera and Hatton are climbing onto the exhibition wagon. Barrera, 48, hasn’t fought since 2011, when the Hall of Famer from Mexico stopped journeyman Jose Arias in two rounds in Guadalajara. Hatton, 44, was last in the ring in 2012, when the former 140-pound titleholder was stopped by contender Vyacheslav Senchenko in nine rounds. The Mancunian will face Barrera in the same arena in which he delivered his greatest performance, an 11th-round knockout of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu that gave him his first major belt. Fans expecting a war between the one-time action fighters will be disappointed. Hatton said this is about fun. He told Sky Sports: “It’s a celebration.”

 

FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. DEJI OLANTUNJI

  • When: Sunday, Nov. 13
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Coca Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • TV/Stream: Pay-Per-View
  • Format: Exhibition
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Delfine Persoon vs. Ikram Kerwat, junior lightweights; Tommy Fury vs. Paul Bamba, light heavyweights
  • Background: He’s back already. Mayweather stopped mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura on Sept. 25 in Japan, his third exhibition since he last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017. He returns Sunday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he’ll face British YouTuber-turned-boxer Deji. The brother of KSI has taken part in one exhibition, a knockout victory over fellow YouTuber Fousey in August. That makes him Mayweather’s second raw amateur opponent. He “fought” Logan Paul in June of last year. The Hall Famer also faced Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018 and former sparring partner Don Moore this past May. His last sanctioned bout was in 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

SATURDAY

  • Montana Love vs. Stevie Spark, junior welterweights, Cleveland (DAZN).

[lawrence-related id=33600,33048,32982]

Felix Alvarado stops Dee-jay Kriel in Round 10 to retain title

Felix Alvarado stopped Dee-jay Kriel in Round 10 to retain his junior flyweight title Saturday in Dallas.

Felix Alvarado was just too strong for Dee-jay Kriel.

Alvarado put Kriel down twice and stopped him in the 10th round to retain his junior flyweight title on the Ryan Garcia-Luke Campbell card Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Alvarado (33-8, 22 KOs) attacked Kriel (16-2-1, 8 KOs) with abandon from the opening bell, firing — and landing — hard, accurate shots that eventually wore down the South African challenger.

Kriel went down from left hooks in the second and fourth rounds, although he wasn’t terribly hurt either time.

Kriel, a former 105-pound titleholder fighting for the second time at 108, rallied in the middle rounds. He did his best to move away from trouble and picked up his work rate, which made the fight competitive for a while.

However, Alvarado, from Nicaragua, kept coming.

The beginning of the end came late in Round 9, when Kriel began to wilt under a flurry of big punches but survived. Alvarado continued the onslaught in Round 10, landing a series of punishing blows to the head. Finally, a big right, followed by a few more punches, stunned Kriel and prompted the referee to stop the fight.

The official time was 1:39 of the 10th round.

Alvarado’s twin brother, Rene, was scheduled to fight Roger Gutierrez immediately after his victory over Kriel.