Tag: Joel Cordova

Julio Cesar Martinez and Joel Cordova on Friday made weight with no room to spare.

Martinez, who will be defending his flyweight title on Saturday in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the challenger both weighed in at the division limit of 112 pounds.

The first in a series of shows in Mexico planned by Matchroom Boxing and Canelo Promotions will be available on DAZN.

Martinez (17-1, 13 KOs) won the vacant WBC 112-round title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in nine rounds in December 2019 and has successfully defended twice, most recently by stopping Moises Garcia in two rounds in October.

Martinez, a resident of Mexico City, has said he wants to move up to 115 pounds and face Juan Francisco Estrada or Roman Gonzalez after winning one more title at 112.

Cordova (12-4-2, 3 KOs), from Mexico City, is a relative unknown. He hasn’t lost since 2018 but has never faced an opponent anywhere near Martinez’s level. And his knockout percentage indicates that he’s a light puncher.

He’s coming off a first-round knockout of journeyman Ottoniel Zarate in January.

[lawrence-related id=21412,21386,14955]

Julio Cesar Martinez and Joel Cordova on Friday made weight with no room to spare.

Martinez, who will be defending his flyweight title on Saturday in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the challenger both weighed in at the division limit of 112 pounds.

The first in a series of shows in Mexico planned by Matchroom Boxing and Canelo Promotions will be available on DAZN.

Martinez (17-1, 13 KOs) won the vacant WBC 112-round title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in nine rounds in December 2019 and has successfully defended twice, most recently by stopping Moises Garcia in two rounds in October.

Martinez, a resident of Mexico City, has said he wants to move up to 115 pounds and face Juan Francisco Estrada or Roman Gonzalez after winning one more title at 112.

Cordova (12-4-2, 3 KOs), from Mexico City, is a relative unknown. He hasn’t lost since 2018 but has never faced an opponent anywhere near Martinez’s level. And his knockout percentage indicates that he’s a light puncher.

He’s coming off a first-round knockout of journeyman Ottoniel Zarate in January.

[lawrence-related id=21412,21386,14955]

FIGHT WEEK

GERVONTA DAVIS VS. MARIO BARRIOS AT 140 POUNDS and VASILIY LOMACHENKO’S RETURN HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER BUSY WEEKEND OF BOXING

***

GERVONTA DAVIS (24-0, 23 KOs)
vs. MARIO BARRIOS (26-0, 17 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4LKWQyeBw8

• When: Saturday, June 26
• Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
• TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
• Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
• At stake: No titles
• Pound-for-pound ranking: Davis, Honorable Mention
• Odds: Davis 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
• Also on the card: Erickson Lubin vs. Jeison Rosario, junior middleweights; Batyr Akhmedov vs. Algenis Mendez, junior welterweights; Brian Mendoza vs. TBA, junior middleweights
• Prediction: Davis KO 9
• Background: Davis is coming off the most-dramatic and most-impressive victory over his career, a one-punch, sixth-round knockout of Leo Santa Cruz to win a 130-pound title in October. And the 26-year-old dynamo isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s moving up to 140 pounds to take on an unbeaten secondary beltholder in Barrios, who is a 3½-1 underdog but a legitimate threat because of his size and solid ability. Davis is a better all-round fighter than Barrios but there are questions going into this fight. Can Davis carry his power to junior welterweight? Can he take a punch from a legitimate 140-pounder? Can he overcome height and reach disadvantages that a more pronounced than in the Santa Cruz fight? We’ll learn the answers on Saturday. Barrios gave a so-so performance in a unanimous-decision victory over Batyr Akhmedov in September 2019 but bounced back to stop capable Ryan Karl in six rounds last October, which was his most-recent fight. Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) vs. Rosario (20-2-1, 14 KOs) also is a fight to watch. Lubin is on a roll, having won five consecutive fights since he was stopped in one round by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Charlo blasted out Rosario in eight rounds in September, one fight after Rosario knocked out Julian Williams to win two 154-pound titles.

***

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (14-2, 10 KOs)
vs. MASAYOSHI NAKATANI (19-1, 13 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sv6PyhF-qc

• When: Saturday, June 26
• Where: Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• TV/Stream: ESPN+
• Division: Lightweight
• At stake: No titles
• Pound-for-pound ranking: Lomachenko No. 7
• Odds: Lomachenko 9½ favorite (average of multiple outlets)

• Also on the card: Zhanibek Alimkhanuly vs. Rob Brant, middleweights

• Prediction: Lomachenko UD
• Background: Lomachenko returns to the ring after the most-disappointing night of his career, a unanimous-decision loss to Teofimo Lopez that cost him his three lightweight titles in October. The boxing wizard from Ukraine, who was No. 1 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list at the time, bitterly disputes the scoring in the Lopez fight but some believe the 33-year-old has begun to decline. He will have a chip on his shoulder when he walks into the ring at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Nakatani is a solid fighter but is at least a level below Lomachenko. The 32-year-old Japanese fighter lost a wide decision to Lopez in July 2019. And he was losing by a large margin to Felix Verdejo this past December when he scored a stunning ninth-round knockout, which put him in a position to get this fight against Lomachenko. A victory for Lomachenko could set up another title shot for him.

***

JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ (17-1, 13 KOs)
vs. JOEL CORDOVA (12-4-2, 3 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Astj4NCX_xs

• When: Saturday, June 26
• Where: Guadalajara, Mexico
• TV/Stream: DAZN
• Division: Flyweights
• At stake: Martinez’s WBC title
• Pound-for-pound ranking: None
• Odds: Martinez 17½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
• Also on the card: Daniel Matellon vs. Jose Argumedo, junior flyweights
• Prediction: Martinez KO 4
• Background: Martinez is one of the hottest little fighters in the world. The 26-year-old from Mexico City lost his pro debut in 2015 but has been perfect since, the only exception being a no-contest in 2019. He won the vacant WBC 112-round title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in December 2019 and has successfully defended twice, most recently by stopping Moises Garcia in two rounds in October. Cordova, also 26 and from Mexico City, is a relative unknown. He hasn’t lost since 2018 but has never faced an opponent anywhere near Martinez’s level. And his apparent lack of punching power – three knockouts in his 12 victories – probably won’t help his cause. He’s coming off a first-round knockout of journeyman Ottoniel Zarate in January.

***

DAVID MORRELL (4-0, 3 KOs)
vs. MARIO CAZARES (12-0, 5 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjN_nBzro-w

• When: Sunday, June 27
• Where: Minneapolis
• TV/Stream: Fox
• Division: Super middleweight
• At stake: No titles
• Pound-for-pound ranking: None
• Odds: NA

• Also on the card: Efetobor Apochi vs. Brandon Glanton, cruiserweights; Omar Juarez vs. All Rivera, junior welterweights; Leon Lawson III vs. Nathaniel Gallimore, junior middleweights

• Prediction: Morrell KO 4
• Background: Morrell is a product of Cuba’s respect youth program, which has allowed him to progress so rapidly as a professional. He’ll be fighting Cazares for a secondary 168-pound title in only his fifth fight. He is capable in every aspect of the sport. And he has more experience than many young pros given a reported 132 amateur fights in a demanding system. He is coming off a third-round knockout of Mike Gavronski in December. Cazares, a 30-year-old Mexican, will be fighting outside his native country for the first time. He earned this opportunity by defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by a technical decision in September. Chavez was cut by an accidental headbutt. Cazares has faced on one else of note. In fact, his fight with Chavez was his first scheduled 10-rounder. No odds were available for the fight but Cazares certainly is a significant underdog.

Also fighting this weekend: Flyweight contender Jay Harris (18-1, 9 KOs) faces Ricardo Sandoval (18-1, 13 KOs) in a title eliminator in Bolton, England (ESPN+).

FIGHT WEEK

GERVONTA DAVIS VS. MARIO BARRIOS AT 140 POUNDS and VASILIY LOMACHENKO’S RETURN HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER BUSY WEEKEND OF BOXING

***

GERVONTA DAVIS (24-0, 23 KOs)
vs. MARIO BARRIOS (26-0, 17 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4LKWQyeBw8

• When: Saturday, June 26
• Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
• TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
• Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
• At stake: No titles
• Pound-for-pound ranking: Davis, Honorable Mention
• Odds: Davis 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
• Also on the card: Erickson Lubin vs. Jeison Rosario, junior middleweights; Batyr Akhmedov vs. Algenis Mendez, junior welterweights; Brian Mendoza vs. TBA, junior middleweights
• Prediction: Davis KO 9
• Background: Davis is coming off the most-dramatic and most-impressive victory over his career, a one-punch, sixth-round knockout of Leo Santa Cruz to win a 130-pound title in October. And the 26-year-old dynamo isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s moving up to 140 pounds to take on an unbeaten secondary beltholder in Barrios, who is a 3½-1 underdog but a legitimate threat because of his size and solid ability. Davis is a better all-round fighter than Barrios but there are questions going into this fight. Can Davis carry his power to junior welterweight? Can he take a punch from a legitimate 140-pounder? Can he overcome height and reach disadvantages that a more pronounced than in the Santa Cruz fight? We’ll learn the answers on Saturday. Barrios gave a so-so performance in a unanimous-decision victory over Batyr Akhmedov in September 2019 but bounced back to stop capable Ryan Karl in six rounds last October, which was his most-recent fight. Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) vs. Rosario (20-2-1, 14 KOs) also is a fight to watch. Lubin is on a roll, having won five consecutive fights since he was stopped in one round by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Charlo blasted out Rosario in eight rounds in September, one fight after Rosario knocked out Julian Williams to win two 154-pound titles.

***

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (14-2, 10 KOs)
vs. MASAYOSHI NAKATANI (19-1, 13 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sv6PyhF-qc

• When: Saturday, June 26
• Where: Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• TV/Stream: ESPN+
• Division: Lightweight
• At stake: No titles
• Pound-for-pound ranking: Lomachenko No. 7
• Odds: Lomachenko 9½ favorite (average of multiple outlets)

• Also on the card: Zhanibek Alimkhanuly vs. Rob Brant, middleweights

• Prediction: Lomachenko UD
• Background: Lomachenko returns to the ring after the most-disappointing night of his career, a unanimous-decision loss to Teofimo Lopez that cost him his three lightweight titles in October. The boxing wizard from Ukraine, who was No. 1 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list at the time, bitterly disputes the scoring in the Lopez fight but some believe the 33-year-old has begun to decline. He will have a chip on his shoulder when he walks into the ring at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Nakatani is a solid fighter but is at least a level below Lomachenko. The 32-year-old Japanese fighter lost a wide decision to Lopez in July 2019. And he was losing by a large margin to Felix Verdejo this past December when he scored a stunning ninth-round knockout, which put him in a position to get this fight against Lomachenko. A victory for Lomachenko could set up another title shot for him.

***

JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ (17-1, 13 KOs)
vs. JOEL CORDOVA (12-4-2, 3 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Astj4NCX_xs

• When: Saturday, June 26
• Where: Guadalajara, Mexico
• TV/Stream: DAZN
• Division: Flyweights
• At stake: Martinez’s WBC title
• Pound-for-pound ranking: None
• Odds: Martinez 17½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
• Also on the card: Daniel Matellon vs. Jose Argumedo, junior flyweights
• Prediction: Martinez KO 4
• Background: Martinez is one of the hottest little fighters in the world. The 26-year-old from Mexico City lost his pro debut in 2015 but has been perfect since, the only exception being a no-contest in 2019. He won the vacant WBC 112-round title by stopping Cristofer Rosales in December 2019 and has successfully defended twice, most recently by stopping Moises Garcia in two rounds in October. Cordova, also 26 and from Mexico City, is a relative unknown. He hasn’t lost since 2018 but has never faced an opponent anywhere near Martinez’s level. And his apparent lack of punching power – three knockouts in his 12 victories – probably won’t help his cause. He’s coming off a first-round knockout of journeyman Ottoniel Zarate in January.

***

DAVID MORRELL (4-0, 3 KOs)
vs. MARIO CAZARES (12-0, 5 KOs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjN_nBzro-w

• When: Sunday, June 27
• Where: Minneapolis
• TV/Stream: Fox
• Division: Super middleweight
• At stake: No titles
• Pound-for-pound ranking: None
• Odds: NA

• Also on the card: Efetobor Apochi vs. Brandon Glanton, cruiserweights; Omar Juarez vs. All Rivera, junior welterweights; Leon Lawson III vs. Nathaniel Gallimore, junior middleweights

• Prediction: Morrell KO 4
• Background: Morrell is a product of Cuba’s respect youth program, which has allowed him to progress so rapidly as a professional. He’ll be fighting Cazares for a secondary 168-pound title in only his fifth fight. He is capable in every aspect of the sport. And he has more experience than many young pros given a reported 132 amateur fights in a demanding system. He is coming off a third-round knockout of Mike Gavronski in December. Cazares, a 30-year-old Mexican, will be fighting outside his native country for the first time. He earned this opportunity by defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by a technical decision in September. Chavez was cut by an accidental headbutt. Cazares has faced on one else of note. In fact, his fight with Chavez was his first scheduled 10-rounder. No odds were available for the fight but Cazares certainly is a significant underdog.

Also fighting this weekend: Flyweight contender Jay Harris (18-1, 9 KOs) faces Ricardo Sandoval (18-1, 13 KOs) in a title eliminator in Bolton, England (ESPN+).