Jessie Vargas – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Julio Cesar Martinez outpoints Jay Harris in first flyweight title defense

Julio Cesar Martinez beat Jay Harris in a much more closely contested fight than was reflected in the judges scorecards Saturday night…

Julio Cesar Martinez didn’t get the stoppage that most expected him to get for his first defense of his flyweight title, but he put up a dominating performance anyway.

In a fervent 12-rounder, Martinez out-slugged untested Jay Harris, dropping him once en route to a unanimous decision win Saturday night at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco Texas on the Mikey Garcia-Jesse Vargas card.

The judges scored it 118-109, 116-111 and 115-112, all for the 25-year-old Martinez, who had previously never gone the distance in a 12-round bout.

“Thank God, it was a very tough battle,” said Martinez, who earned his flyweight trinket by defeating Cristofer Rosales in a vacant title shot in December. “I’ll defend this title many times. There is no fear right here.”

An entertaining offensive fighter who throws punches with abandon, Martinez (16-1, 12 KOs) started off fast and appeared to be on track for an early stoppage. But Harris (17-1, 9 KOs), from Swansea, Wales, was far more game than expected. While his head snapped back repeatedly from Martinez’s hard-winging shots early on, Harris was able to put up a decent fight in the second half of the bout. He worked diligently behind a jab and consistently answered Martinez’s flurries with his own combinations. Harris also repeatedly dug himself out of holes. In Round 7, Harris looked as though he was going to get stopped, but he fought back to arguably win the round.

Martinez’s commitment to the body paid off thirty seconds into Round 10, when he landed a hard left and right to the flanks that forced Harris to take a knee. Nevertheless, Harris was able to beat the count.

Asked if Harris surprised him at all, Martinez said, “Harris is a very strong fighter. I know that’s why he was undefeated.”

A possible matchup could be a unification against Japan’s Kosei Tanaka.

Joseph Parker returns with 5th-round knockout of Shawndell Winters

Joseph Parker returned from an extended layoff to defeat Shawndell Winters with a fifth-round knockout in Frisco, Texas.

Joseph Parker is done itching his spider bite. He’s now itching for a big fight.

The Auckland, New Zealand native returned from an eight-month layoff to knock off Shawndell Winters inside five rounds at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco Texas on the undercard of Mikey Garcia-Jesse Vargas.

Late in Round 5, Parker staggered Winters badly with a right hand and followed up with a right-left hook-right combination that decked Winters to the canvas for the second and final time in the fight. Referee Rosario Solis waved off the fight at the 2:40 mark.

Parker (27-2, 21 KOs) was originally scheduled to face British contender Dereck Chisora last October but a freak spider bite led to that fight’s cancellation

“A win’s a win,” Parker said afterward. “You gotta take the win and I’ll leave it up to (promoter) Eddie (Hearn) and the team to lock up another fight soon.”

Parker scored the first knockdown of Winters (13-3, 12 KOs) late in Round 3, Winters would survive and go on to have himself a decent Round 4, in which he landed a left hook that opened up a cut over Parker’s right eye. The Illinois native also caught Parker clean with a slew of uppercuts and hooks on the inside.

But Parker would have the final say, responding emphatically in Round 5.

“I have to work on being a bit more patient and making my punches more meaningful,” Parker said.

The Kiwi heavyweight noted he is still interested in facing Chisora, who is scheduled to go up against Oleksandr Usyk later this summer, or having a rematch with Dillian Whyte.

“I want to keep busy and hopefully get two more fights this year and finish off with a bang later this year,” he said.

Jessie Vargas fighting to prove he’s among best 147-pounders

Jessie Vargas can jump from from secondary to top-of-the-welterweight charts in an intriguing bout against Mikey Garcia Saturday on DAZN.

Jessie Vargas, the so-called B-side for as long he can remember, has a chance to flip his long-playing resume.

He can jump from B to A, from secondary to top-of-the-welterweight charts, in an intriguing bout against Mikey Garcia on Saturday night in Frisco, Texas on DAZN.

At one level, it’s a crossroads fight for both. For the ever-stubborn Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs), it’s chance to knock out the memory of the sobering loss to Errol Spence Jr. with a performance that proves he belongs at welterweight. For Vargas (29-2-2, 11 KOs), it’s an opportunity to show that he has always been there, among the best at 147 pounds.

“I plan on giving a fantastic performance, so you acknowledge that I’m the best in the division,’’ Vargas said this week during the final news conference.

Mikey Garcia (left) and Jessie Vargas have much to prove in their welterweight fight Saturday in Frisco, Texas on DAZN. Amanda Westcott / DAZN

Vargas, who has seen how the business works from his role as a ringside commentator, doesn’t have many illusions about why he’s fighting Garcia. He has a well-known name, he has held a couple of belts and his record includes losses by decision only to Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley, two of the biggest names in the game. He’s a solid opponent

“I want the best Jessie Vargas,’’ said Garcia, a Top 5 pound-for-pound contender until Spence.

Garcia needs the best Vargas to get beyond the loss to Spence, who was bigger and better than the multi-skilled Garcia. Vargas is bigger and perhaps that will be enough to convince Garcia that he should have stayed at junior welterweight or lightweight.

Vargas, insightful behind the ringside mike, has studied Garcia. He says he has spent hours looking at video of Garcia’s loss to Spence, his knockout of Roman Martinez and his technical decision over Orlando Salido.

“We’ve picked up on some things, noticed things here and there,’’ Vargas said. “This isn’t an easy fight, but either way I’m coming to win. I’ve done my homework. Mikey is a good fighter, and I’ve looked into some of his past fights.

“We have a big night ahead of us against Garcia. I’m very much prepared. I trained very hard the last two months. It’s the best training camp I’ve had to date. I know what’s ahead of me and I know the opportunity in front of me. I trained my [butt] off for two months, following the game plan. I’ve never looked this good in the ring. I’m feeling good,’’

Good enough, maybe, to finally be the A-side.

Roman Gonzalez faces stiff test against titleholder Kal Yafai

Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas: Boxing Junkie breakdown

Mikey Garcia will likely be more competitive against Jessie Vargas Saturday than he was in his last fight, a shutout loss to Errol Spence.

MIKEY GARCIA VS. JESSIE VARGAS

Date: Saturday, Feb. 29
Location: Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas
Division: Welterweight
TV: DAZN
Also fighting: Kal Yafai vs. Roman Gonzalez, junior bantamweights (for Yafai’s title); Julio Cesar Martinez vs. Jay Harris, flyweights (for Martinez’s title); Joseph Parker vs. Shawndell Winters, heavyweights; Israil Madrimov vs. Charlie Navarro, junior middleweights.
Background: The decision of Garcia (39-1, 30 KOs) to challenge for Errol Spence Jr.’s 147-pound title last March was bold. It also turned out to be damaging, as he lost a sobering shutout decision. Gone was his perfect record. Gone was the tremendous momentum he had built. And long gone was any aura of invincibility he might’ve had. At the same time, one setback – even one as thorough as that one – doesn’t necessarily mean a fighter should be written off. Let’s not forget that Garcia is a four-division titleholder who had been largely untouchable between 126 and 140 pounds, which was the reason he had climbed onto most pound-for-pound lists. Moving up to 147 to face a fighter of Spence’s caliber was simply an overreach. Vargas (29-2-2, 11 KOs) presents a more reasonable gauge as to whether Garcia can be effective against elite opposition as a welterweight and an opportunity to begin rebuilding whatever he lost against Spence. Vargas hasn’t had an important victory since he stopped Sadam Ali to win his title in March 2016 but he has draws with Adrien Broner and Thomas Dulorme more recently. He’s a solid, experienced fighter who won’t go down easily.
The fight: Garcia, whose technique is as tight as almost anyone’s, is a better boxer than Vargas. The brother of trainer Robert Garcia has demonstrated his ability over and over again against capable opposition. The problem against Spence was the Texan’s formidable combination of size, strength and unusual ability. Vargas can’t match Spence in any of those categories but he is naturally bigger than Garcia and skillful, which could pose challenges for the pound-for-pounder. Vargas probably will try to use his advantages by attacking Garcia from the outset so Garcia can’t get into a rhythm and win rounds. It won’t work. Garcia is strong enough to cope with any size-strength advantage Vargas might have, which will allow him to outbox and possibly hurt Vargas in the later rounds. Both fighters have had long layoffs. Garcia has been out of the ring for almost a year, Vargas for 10 months. So neither has an edge there. One question about Vargas: Will he be comfortable at 147 pounds? In his last fight, a knokckout of Humberto Soto, he fought at 150½ pounds as part of a plan to transition to 154 pounds. Thus, he’ll be coming down to 147. In the end, however, size and strength won’t matter as much as skill. And that’s Garcia’s wheelhouse.
Prediction: Garcia UD

Mikey Garcia: ‘I’m not done, there’s a lot more to accomplish’

Mikey Garcia will face Jessie Vargas on Feb. 29, his first step in proving to fans that his loss to Errol Spence Jr. wan an aberration.

Mikey Garcia returns to the state where he jumped up the scale and fell into the loss column for the first time. The travel plans haven’t changed, other than the wrong side of his record. He doesn’t intend to go back there.

But he is staying at welterweight in a risky fight against Jessie Vargas on Feb. 29 on DAZN in Frisco, Texas, not far from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington where he lost a one-sided decision to Errol Spence Jr. last March in his first bout at 147 pounds.

The motivation is a title in a fifth division. He has held belts at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight. He also won a couple of junior welterweight titles, first against Adrien Broner and then Sergey Lipinets. He then went back down to 135 before the bold move up the scale and into futility.

Spence beat him in just about every way in a ring at about the 50-yard line on the Dallas Cowboys home field. But he didn’t beat the bold out of him. Garcia is still as ambitious as ever.

Mikey Garcia seems to be as confident now as he was moments before his loss to Errol Spence Jr. AP Photo / Richard W. Rodriguez

“A world title in a fifth division is very exciting. I would love to fight for a title again at 147 pounds. Claiming a world title in a fifth division would be amazing, and that’s why I am staying at 147,’’ Garcia (39-1, 30KOs) said. “But there are other motivations for me in the sport. I’m not done, there’s a lot more to accomplish. After this fight, I’ll look at options at 147 and 140 pounds.

“I’m not stuck at either weight, I’m keeping my options open.’’

First, there’s Vargas. Lose to him and there are no options. Vargas (29-2-2, 11 KOs) has a draw with Broner. He lost to Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley. He goes into the fight with a couple of noteworthy physical advantages. At 5-foot-11, he is five inches taller than Garcia, who is listed at 5-6. With a 71-inch reach, he has a three-inch edge over Garcia.

“I think that there’s a lot more that I can do at 147 pounds,” said Garcia, No. 9 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list. “The Spence fight was not a representation of that. It wasn’t my night and not the fight that I wanted to fight. I just couldn’t perform, and once in a while you have an off night, and it happened to be that night for me. I need to show my fans and the boxing world that I can do a lot more, even at 147 pounds.’’

An impressive performance against Vargas would help him and fans forget about the disappointing performance against Spence.

“I have a lot of legacy to build still,” he said. “I want to create a bigger legacy for myself and for my family. I’m not done. I still feel I have a lot more to accomplish, and I know I will. I’m in the prime of my career right now. There’s no looking back or stopping me right now.

“I consider this the third stage of my career because I am coming off a loss. Can I come back stronger and better than before, or am I done? Past my prime? That’s why I’m here to prove it to everyone that I’m not any less than what you saw in previous years. In fact, I am only getting better. I’m not declining at all. I’m fast, strong and talented, and I consider this next part to be the best years of my career.”

Joseph Parker hopes to put bite on Shawndell Winters on Feb. 29

Heavyweight Joseph Parker is scheduled to face Shawndell Winters on the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas card Feb. 29 in Frisco, Texas.

Joseph Parker envisions a second world title. That’s the ambition. But to get there he has to start anew while also avoiding any rematches with dangerous insects. He might be the only heavyweight in history making a comeback from a spider bite.

It looks as if a spider did what no heavyweight has to Parker. It put him down and knocked him out of the heavyweight division’s title mix. He was forced to withdraw from a scheduled bout with Derek Chisora in October when he began to feel ill and fatigued. It was determined that he was suffering from the venom of a poisonous spider

But the poison is gone and the ambition is back as Parker resumes his quest Feb. 29 against Shawndell Winters on a DAZN card featuring welterweights Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas in Frisco, Texas.

“It was frustrating to be ruled out of the Chisora fight in October, especially in such an unusual way,’’ Parker (26-2, 20 KOs) said after Matchroom Promotions announced the fight this week. “But I have been on fire in the gym in Las Vegas and we’re ready to get back to business. The division is moving at a great pace and this is a perfect opportunity to show the world that I am one of the elite players in the division.’’

Parker won a heavyweight belt in a majority decision over Andy Ruiz Jr. in December 2016 at home in New Zealand. He defended it twice. Then, he lost it in a decision to Anthony Joshua in March 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. A few months later, 2018 just got worse for Parker, who lost a decision to Dillian Whyte in July in the U.K. He went on to win two bouts. But the road back went awry by something unforeseen. Nobody saw the spider.

In Winters (13-2,12 KOs), Parker faces an unknown heavyweight from Harvey, Illinois. Twelve knockouts in 13 victories indicate he has power.

“This is the biggest fight of my career and I am going to make it count,” said Winters, who is promoted by Lou DiBella. “I am used to being the underdog. It’s something that I thrive on, and if Joseph Parker underestimates me, he’s going to be in for a bad night, because I am going in there to take him out.’’

Joseph Parker’s trainer: Fight with Oleksandr Usyk unlikely

Joseph Parker trainer Kevin Barry is less confident that the former titleholder will fight Oleksandr Usyk anytime soon.

The options change almost daily. One day it’s Oleksandr Usyk. The next day it’s not. The dizzying merry-go-round of speculation leaves heavyweight contender Joseph Parker with only one sure thing. He waits.

Parker trainer Kevin Barry is less confident that the former titleholder will fight Usyk anytime soon.

“It’s looking least likely now that fight is going to happen,” Barry told Sky Sports.

Instead, Barry said Parker will look for other possibilities, including a bout with Derek Chisora. Parker, who is training in Las Vegas for a fight Feb. 29 against a still unknown foe on a DAZN card featuring Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas in Frisco, Texas, appeared to be in line for a title fight against Usyk.

But recent talks between Usyk promoter and Anthony Joshua, Barry said, indicate that Usyk will probably wait for Joshua’s expected mandatory title defense against Kubrat Pulev in the spring. Negotiations are ongoing.

If Joshua wins as expected, Usyk would be next in line for a shot at one of Joshua’s belts, Barry said. Joshua has shown no willingness to relinquish any of his belts. Likewise, there’s been no move from any of the acronyms that they plan to strip him. Instead, there has been talk that Joshua is trying to swing a deal that he’ll fight Deontay Wilder after his rematch with Tyson Fury Feb. 22 on Fox/ESPN+ pay-per-view.

“I honestly believe what we’re going to see is Usyk (wait) and he will fight Joshua in the summer, providing Joshua blows out Pulev, which he should look spectacular doing,’’ Barry said. “I would love nothing more than the opportunity for us to fight Usyk. But the reality of it is, I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

Roman Gonzalez gets his wish, will face Kal Yafai for title

Roman Gonzalez, the lightest fighter ever ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, will face junior bantamweight champion Kal Yafai on Feb. 29.

The second step in Roman Gonzalez’s path back to the top is official.

Gonzalez, who fought for the first time in more than a year last month, returned to Nicaragua after a victory over Filipino Diomel Diocos on Dec. 23 in Japan saying he wanted a shot at a world title in his next fight.

Wish granted.

Gonzalez (48-2, 40 KOs), the lightest fighter ever ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, faces junior bantamweight champion Kal Yafai (26-0, 15 KOs) on the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas card Feb. 29 in Frisco, Texas on DAZN.

Matchroom Boxing made the announcement on Thursday.

“God has responded to my prayers once again,’’ said Gonzalez, who scored a second-round stoppage of Diocos in his first bout in 15 months since knee surgery. “I want to thank God and Teiken [Promotions] foremost. Also, the champion, Kal Yafai, for giving me the opportunity to fight for the championship once again.”

Gonzalez got the title shot instead of Australian Andrew Moloney despite a formal objection from attorney Pat English. English argued that Moloney had earned the title shot. He scored an eighth-round stoppage of Miguel Gonzalez on Mar. 22 in Chile in what was designated as a fight for the right to be the mandatory challenger.

For Yafai, the bout against Roman Gonzalez represents an opportunity to enhance his record against a big name.

“Chocolatito is someone that I have idolized as I worked my way up to become world champion myself,’’ Yafai, a U.K. fighter, said. “So, it doesn’t get much bigger than this, and it will bring out the best in me. I can’t wait.

“It is a case of when idols become rivals.’’

Julio Cesar Martinez to defend flyweight title on Feb. 29

Julio Cesar Martinez will make his first title defense against Jay Harris on a Feb. 29 card featuring the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas bout.

Julio Cesar Martinez didn’t celebrate for long. He introduced himself as a flyweight champion in December and he will fight to validate his sudden place alongside the other 112-pound champs with a title defense in February.

Martinez (15-1, 12 KO) will make his first title defense on Feb. 29 against Jay Harris (17-0, 9 KOs) of Wales on a DAZN card featuring the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas welterweight bout in Frisco, Texas, it was announced this week.

Martinez got the only cheers on a card remembered for the debris tossed at Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Dec 20 in Phoenix. Martinez displayed power and poise, winning a ninth-round TKO of former champion Cristofer Rosales, a Nicaraguan who had never been stopped.

“I’m so happy to be back fighting so soon,’’ Martinez said. “It was a special moment to become world champion but now I must continue to work hard.’’

In part, the 24-year-old Martinez, of Mexico City, is staying busy in an attempt to gain some name recognition.

“It’s perfect to have Julio back fighting so quickly,’’ said Martinez trainer Eddy Reynoso, who also trains Canelo Alvarez. “It’s all part of developing him as a fighter. He has so much potential, and I believe he is going to dominate and unify the division in time.’’

Despite Martinez’s new found title, Harris has a better record. The Welshman is unbeaten (17-0, 9 KOs). He scored a fourth-round stoppage of three-time Olympian and two-time bronze medalist Paddy Barnes on Oct. 11 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“Julio is a great young fighter,” Harris said, “but I am feeling in the form of my life and this gives me the opportunity to shock the world.”

Joseph Parker expected to make return in February: report

Joseph Parker plans to resume training in Las Vegas with hopes of getting back into the heavyweight title mix with a fight in February.

Parker manager David Higgins told Sky Sports that he will leave New Zealand for Vegas within a few days for a fight against an opponent not yet announced by promoter Eddie Hearn.

“There are concrete plans, which it’s not my place to announce,’’ Higgins said. “But there is a date and a venue, and it’s the opponent we’re waiting on.

“We’ve just been told it will be late February and in the United States.’’

Hearn’s next major card in the U.S. features Mikey Garcia vs. Jessie Vargas in a welterweight bout on Feb. 28 in Frisco, Texas on DAZN.

Parker, who lost a heavyweight belt to Anthony Joshua on March 31, 2018, was scheduled to fight Dereck Chisora in October. However, he withdrew, reportedly from illness suffered from a spider bite.

Parker (26-2, 20 KOs) has fought three times since his loss by unanimous decision to Joshua in Cardiff, Wales. He won two and lost one, losing to Dillian White and beating Alexander Flores and Alex Leapai.