Also on the card: Rene Santiago vs. Kevin Vivas, junior flyweights
Prediction: Gonzalez UD
Background: Gonzalez will be making the third defense of the 108-pound title he won by outpointing Elwin Soto in October 2021. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican subsequently decisioned Mark Anthony Barriga in Florida and Shokichi Iwata in Japan. The latter fight took place in November, almost a year ago. Gonzalez has won five consecutive fights since he was stopped by then 112-pound titleholder Kosei Tanaka in seven rounds in 2019. Zapata is a 29-year-old who will be fighting for a major title for the first time. And he’ll be doing it in his home country. He failed to win his last two fights, a disqualification loss against Rene Santiago last December and a split draw against Azael Villar in August. Gonzalez had been scheduled to face Leyman Benavidez but Benavidez pulled out because of illness a month ago. Zapata, scheduled to fight on the undercard, happily stepped in.
Also on the card: Rene Santiago vs. Kevin Vivas, junior flyweights
Prediction: Gonzalez UD
Background: Gonzalez will be making the third defense of the 108-pound title he won by outpointing Elwin Soto in October 2021. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican subsequently decisioned Mark Anthony Barriga in Florida and Shokichi Iwata in Japan. The latter fight took place in November, almost a year ago. Gonzalez has won five consecutive fights since he was stopped by then 112-pound titleholder Kosei Tanaka in seven rounds in 2019. Zapata is a 29-year-old who will be fighting for a major title for the first time. And he’ll be doing it in his home country. He failed to win his last two fights, a disqualification loss against Rene Santiago last December and a split draw against Azael Villar in August. Gonzalez had been scheduled to face Leyman Benavidez but Benavidez pulled out because of illness a month ago. Zapata, scheduled to fight on the undercard, happily stepped in.
Fight Week: Tyson Fury is scheduled to “fight” Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
FIGHT WEEK
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is scheduled to face MMA star and boxing newbie Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia. Also, Amanda Serrano will take part in a fight with three-minute rounds.
Odds: Serrano 11-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Damian Lescaille vs. Ray Barlow, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Hernan Marquez, bantamweights
Prediction: Serrano UD
Background: Serrano’s fight with Ramos fight will be contested under men’s rules, 12 three-minute rounds. The longtime 126-pound queen will be making her third defense this year and fourth in 13 months. She last fought in August, when she nearly shutout Heather Hardy in their rematch in Dallas. The 35-year-old Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing a decision to 135-pound champ Katie Taylor in April of last year. Serrano has held major titles in a record seven divisions if you don’t count Manny Pacquiao’s Ring Magazine titles. Ramos, a 38-year-old Brazilian, is coming off a break-through split decision victory over Brenda Karen Carbajal in August, which earned her a shot at Serrano.
JONATHAN GONZALEZ (27-3-1, 14 KOs)
VS. GERARDO ZAPATA (14-1-1, 5 KOs)
Date: Friday, Oct. 27
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Also on the card: Rene Santiago vs. Kevin Vivas, junior flyweights
Prediction: Gonzalez UD
Background: Gonzalez will be making the third defense of the 108-pound title he won by outpointing Elwin Soto in October 2021. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican subsequently decisioned Mark Anthony Barriga in Florida and Shokichi Iwata in Japan. The latter fight took place in November, almost a year ago. Gonzalez has won five consecutive fights since he was stopped by then 112-pound titleholder Kosei Tanaka in seven rounds in 2019. Zapata is a 29-year-old who will be fighting for a major title for the first time. And he’ll be doing it in his home country. He failed to win his last two fights, a disqualification loss against Rene Santiago last December and a split draw against Azael Villar in August. Gonzalez had been scheduled to face Leyman Benavidez but Benavidez pulled out because of illness a month ago. Zapata, scheduled to fight on the undercard, happily stepped in.
TYSON FURY (30-0-1, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-0, 0 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Catterall 10-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: Fury No. 5
Also on the card: Fabio Wardley vs. David Adeleye, heavyweights; Joseph Parker vs. Simon Kean, heavyweights; Carlos Takam vs Martin Bakole, heavyweights; Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Junior Anthony Wright, heavyweights
Prediction: Fury KO 6
Background: Fury is already committed to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship this winter but must deal with Ngannou first. The MMA star is making his boxing debut against the most accomplished heavyweight in the world, meaning this matchup is nothing more than a glorified sparring session for Fury that will earn both men a lot of money. Fury last fought in December, when he stopped Derek Chisora in 10 rounds. The 35-year-old from Manchester, England, will have been out of the ring for almost 11 months. Ngannou last fought in UFC 270 in January of last year, 21 months ago. The 37-year-old native of Cameroon outpointed Ciryl Gane in that bout.
Odds: Foster 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Justis Huni vs. Andrew Tabiti, heavyweights; Eduardo Nunez vs. Oscar Escandon, junior lightweights; Cristopher Lopez Rodriguez vs. Aaron Alameda, junior featherweights
Prediction: Foster UD
Background: Foster is coming off a sensational unanimous decision victory over Rey Vargas to win his first major belt this past February. The 30-year-old from Houston, a one-time amateur star, has won 10 consecutive fights since he lost for the second time in 2016. Hernandez is a 25-year-old banger from Mexico. He has a knockout percentage of 91, with 31 KOs in 35 fights. No one has gone the distance with him since 2014, although he was stopped in one round by Roger Gutierrez in 2019. He has won six fights since the setback. The native of Mexico City will have the advantage of fighting in front of his home country fans.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
Jordan Panthen vs. Alejandro Ibarra, junior middleweights, Costa Mesa, California (FITE)
Fight Week: Tyson Fury is scheduled to “fight” Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
FIGHT WEEK
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is scheduled to face MMA star and boxing newbie Francis Ngannou on Saturday in Saudi Arabia. Also, Amanda Serrano will take part in a fight with three-minute rounds.
Odds: Serrano 11-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Damian Lescaille vs. Ray Barlow, welterweights; Antonio Vargas vs. Hernan Marquez, bantamweights
Prediction: Serrano UD
Background: Serrano’s fight with Ramos fight will be contested under men’s rules, 12 three-minute rounds. The longtime 126-pound queen will be making her third defense this year and fourth in 13 months. She last fought in August, when she nearly shutout Heather Hardy in their rematch in Dallas. The 35-year-old Puerto Rican has won three consecutive fights since losing a decision to 135-pound champ Katie Taylor in April of last year. Serrano has held major titles in a record seven divisions if you don’t count Manny Pacquiao’s Ring Magazine titles. Ramos, a 38-year-old Brazilian, is coming off a break-through split decision victory over Brenda Karen Carbajal in August, which earned her a shot at Serrano.
JONATHAN GONZALEZ (27-3-1, 14 KOs)
VS. GERARDO ZAPATA (14-1-1, 5 KOs)
Date: Friday, Oct. 27
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Also on the card: Rene Santiago vs. Kevin Vivas, junior flyweights
Prediction: Gonzalez UD
Background: Gonzalez will be making the third defense of the 108-pound title he won by outpointing Elwin Soto in October 2021. The 32-year-old Puerto Rican subsequently decisioned Mark Anthony Barriga in Florida and Shokichi Iwata in Japan. The latter fight took place in November, almost a year ago. Gonzalez has won five consecutive fights since he was stopped by then 112-pound titleholder Kosei Tanaka in seven rounds in 2019. Zapata is a 29-year-old who will be fighting for a major title for the first time. And he’ll be doing it in his home country. He failed to win his last two fights, a disqualification loss against Rene Santiago last December and a split draw against Azael Villar in August. Gonzalez had been scheduled to face Leyman Benavidez but Benavidez pulled out because of illness a month ago. Zapata, scheduled to fight on the undercard, happily stepped in.
TYSON FURY (30-0-1, 24 KOs)
VS. FRANCIS NGANNOU (0-0, 0 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
At stake: No major title
Odds: Catterall 10-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: Fury No. 5
Also on the card: Fabio Wardley vs. David Adeleye, heavyweights; Joseph Parker vs. Simon Kean, heavyweights; Carlos Takam vs Martin Bakole, heavyweights; Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Junior Anthony Wright, heavyweights
Prediction: Fury KO 6
Background: Fury is already committed to face fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship this winter but must deal with Ngannou first. The MMA star is making his boxing debut against the most accomplished heavyweight in the world, meaning this matchup is nothing more than a glorified sparring session for Fury that will earn both men a lot of money. Fury last fought in December, when he stopped Derek Chisora in 10 rounds. The 35-year-old from Manchester, England, will have been out of the ring for almost 11 months. Ngannou last fought in UFC 270 in January of last year, 21 months ago. The 37-year-old native of Cameroon outpointed Ciryl Gane in that bout.
Odds: Foster 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Pound-for-pound: None
Also on the card: Justis Huni vs. Andrew Tabiti, heavyweights; Eduardo Nunez vs. Oscar Escandon, junior lightweights; Cristopher Lopez Rodriguez vs. Aaron Alameda, junior featherweights
Prediction: Foster UD
Background: Foster is coming off a sensational unanimous decision victory over Rey Vargas to win his first major belt this past February. The 30-year-old from Houston, a one-time amateur star, has won 10 consecutive fights since he lost for the second time in 2016. Hernandez is a 25-year-old banger from Mexico. He has a knockout percentage of 91, with 31 KOs in 35 fights. No one has gone the distance with him since 2014, although he was stopped in one round by Roger Gutierrez in 2019. He has won six fights since the setback. The native of Mexico City will have the advantage of fighting in front of his home country fans.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
Jordan Panthen vs. Alejandro Ibarra, junior middleweights, Costa Mesa, California (FITE)
Sandor Martin stunned the boxing world by outpointing Mikey Garcia on Saturday in Fresno.
Say hello to Sandor Martin. He might be around for a while.
The obscure Spaniard turned in the performance of his life Saturday in Fresno, Calif., outboxing and ultimately defeated former four-division titleholder Mikey Garcia by a majority decision in a 10-round welterweight fight.
And it wasn’t controversial. Martin won by scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 95-95, the last of which is disputable. Boxing Junkie also has Martin winning 97-93, seven rounds to three.
Martin’s victory is one of the biggest upsets in recent years. And it was historic from the underdog’s perspective.
“I know myself, my capabilities. I’ve been doing this since I was 5 years old,” Martin said through a translator. “I said I would go and out do this, go out and beat the best fighters in the world. And that’s what I’ve done.
“… I’m very happy for what I’ve done. I’ve done something nobody has ever done from my country, to defeat someone who was a four-division world champion like Mikey Garcia.”
Garcia (40-2, 30 KOs) hadn’t fought since he outpointed Jessie Vargas in February of last year, almost 20 months ago.
Still, one of most accomplished boxers in the world wasn’t expected to have a hard time against a relative unknown who had never faced anyone near Garcia’s ability and was fighting outside Europe for the first time.
Surprise, surprise.
Garcia stalked Martin (39-2, 13 KOs) from the beginning but was never able to land punches consistently, as his slick, athletic opponent spun out of dangerous situations or clinched when Garcia got too close. At the same time, Martin countered beautifully or caught Garcia coming in before slithering away.
The American had his moments, including a handful of flurries with Martin’s back against the ropes. However, it wasn’t enough to sway two of the three judges.
Garcia thought he, as the aggressor, did enough to earn the victory.
“I was looking for the fight,” he said. “He was running around a lot. He was able to counter a few times but I was the one actively looking for the fight. I thought I was ahead on the cards.
“It is what it is. That’s why they have judges. They decided he was the one winning the fight.”
The stunning victory was a gigantic step in the career of the 28-year-old from Barcelona, who presumably will get more important opportunities. Could the first be a rematch with Garcia?
Martin said he’s willing to give Garcia a second chance but expects to conduct business at a more natural 140 pounds, not 147, going forward. He and Garcia fought at a catch weight of 145 pounds.
“He gave me this opportunity,” Martin said. “Perhaps I can give him an opportunity. What I really want to do is go back down to 140 and fight the best fighters, fight for titles.”
Meanwhile, Garcia’s plans were blown up in central California. He had hoped to face Regis Prograis and then possibly challenge undisputed 140-pound champ Josh Taylor. Now, after Saturday night, he’ll have to take a step back.
He likes the idea of a second fight with Martin.
“I can definitely consider a rematch,” he said. “I think two more rounds would be beneficial. I thought I was coming on better in the later rounds. But no excuses. That’s the way it is.”
Also on the card, Jonathan Gonzalez (25-3-1, 14 KOs) defeated Elwin Soto (19-2, 13 KOs) by a split decision to take Soto’s WBO 108-pound title.
Sandor Martin stunned the boxing world by outpointing Mikey Garcia on Saturday in Fresno.
Say hello to Sandor Martin. He might be around for a while.
The obscure Spaniard turned in the performance of his life Saturday in Fresno, Calif., outboxing and ultimately defeated former four-division titleholder Mikey Garcia by a majority decision in a 10-round welterweight fight.
And it wasn’t controversial. Martin won by scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 95-95, the last of which is disputable. Boxing Junkie also has Martin winning 97-93, seven rounds to three.
Martin’s victory is one of the biggest upsets in recent years. And it was historic from the underdog’s perspective.
“I know myself, my capabilities. I’ve been doing this since I was 5 years old,” Martin said through a translator. “I said I would go and out do this, go out and beat the best fighters in the world. And that’s what I’ve done.
“… I’m very happy for what I’ve done. I’ve done something nobody has ever done from my country, to defeat someone who was a four-division world champion like Mikey Garcia.”
Garcia (40-2, 30 KOs) hadn’t fought since he outpointed Jessie Vargas in February of last year, almost 20 months ago.
Still, one of most accomplished boxers in the world wasn’t expected to have a hard time against a relative unknown who had never faced anyone near Garcia’s ability and was fighting outside Europe for the first time.
Surprise, surprise.
Garcia stalked Martin (39-2, 13 KOs) from the beginning but was never able to land punches consistently, as his slick, athletic opponent spun out of dangerous situations or clinched when Garcia got too close. At the same time, Martin countered beautifully or caught Garcia coming in before slithering away.
The American had his moments, including a handful of flurries with Martin’s back against the ropes. However, it wasn’t enough to sway two of the three judges.
Garcia thought he, as the aggressor, did enough to earn the victory.
“I was looking for the fight,” he said. “He was running around a lot. He was able to counter a few times but I was the one actively looking for the fight. I thought I was ahead on the cards.
“It is what it is. That’s why they have judges. They decided he was the one winning the fight.”
The stunning victory was a gigantic step in the career of the 28-year-old from Barcelona, who presumably will get more important opportunities. Could the first be a rematch with Garcia?
Martin said he’s willing to give Garcia a second chance but expects to conduct business at a more natural 140 pounds, not 147, going forward. He and Garcia fought at a catch weight of 145 pounds.
“He gave me this opportunity,” Martin said. “Perhaps I can give him an opportunity. What I really want to do is go back down to 140 and fight the best fighters, fight for titles.”
Meanwhile, Garcia’s plans were blown up in central California. He had hoped to face Regis Prograis and then possibly challenge undisputed 140-pound champ Josh Taylor. Now, after Saturday night, he’ll have to take a step back.
He likes the idea of a second fight with Martin.
“I can definitely consider a rematch,” he said. “I think two more rounds would be beneficial. I thought I was coming on better in the later rounds. But no excuses. That’s the way it is.”
Also on the card, Jonathan Gonzalez (25-3-1, 14 KOs) defeated Elwin Soto (19-2, 13 KOs) by a split decision to take Soto’s WBO 108-pound title.
