Tag: unification

Teofimo Lopez to prospective foe Vasiliy Lomachenko: ‘You ain’t no god’

Teofimo Lopez doesn’t much like Vasiliy Lomachenko’s character, the boxer said on a recent radio show…

Teofimo Lopez doesn’t like arrogant people. And he feels Vasiliy Lomachenko, a potential opponent, is one of them.

“People praise this guy (Lomachenko) like he’s a god, and that’s one thing I hate,” Lopez said during a recent appearance on the SiriusXM Boxing show. “You ain’t no god, you ain’t no god. There’s only one God, you know what I mean? That’s how I live by. You know, you could call yourself a king, by all means, be the pound-for-pound king, but man, this guy really thinks ….”

The newly-minted lightweight titleholder is expected to face Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) in a highly anticipated unification bout on May 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York, but contracts apparently have yet to be signed. Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank has insisted that the fight will be announced soon.

“Hopefully, it does happen,” said Lopez, who won a piece of the 135-pound crown last December against Richard Commey. “Yeah, it should happen. Obviously, it should. I don’t see no way around it. The only way it doesn’t happen is if it’s on [Lomachenko’s] side.”

It’s not just Lomachenko’s alleged self-importance than grates on the 22-year-old Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs). It’s the way the Ukrainian supposedly breaks the golden rule.

“Little by little, you know, fighting on his cards and s— like that, and I just started realizing stuff,” he said. “And then I started seeing how he treated some of the people in Top Rank, [commentator and host] Crystina Poncher, stuff like that. I didn’t like that very much, when we did the press conference and all that stuff.”

It’s just more grist for Lopez, who plans to prove his doubters wrong once more.

“A lot of people thought I wasn’t ready for Commey or I wasn’t ready for these types of fighters,” Lopez said. “Obviously, I just go out there and I show right there. Then I talk my s—, but I backed it up, you know? Same thing is going to go for the Loma fight.

“I’m just getting started. You know, [Lomachenko’s] on his way out. I’m on my way in. That’s how I look at it. You know what I mean?”

Coronavirus no threat to Beterbiev-Meng bout on March 28

Artur Beterbiev doesn’t have to worry about the coronavirus when he takes on Chinese contender Fanlong Meng on March 28 in Montreal.

The fists of light heavyweight titleholder Artur Beterbiev knock out opponents inside the ring but are useless against the deadly coronavirus that has killed more than 400 people and infected 20,000 others worldwide.

There were concerns in some corners that the novel virus, which originated in the city of Wuhan, China, would lead to the cancellation of Beterbiev’s projected defense of his two titles against Chinese challenger Fanlong Meng on March 28 in Quebec City. A formal announcement of the bout is pending. 

Yvon Michel, who is working with Beterbiev promoter Top Rank to stage the fight, told The Montreal Journal that Meng’s promoter Dino Duva assured him that his charge has had virtually no chance of contracting the virus. 

“I contacted Meng’s promoter (Dino Duva) when the very first cases of death from the coronavirus had been announced,” Michel told the newspaper. “He quickly assured me that his boxer had been living in New Jersey for the past few years and that he had not returned to China for some time.”

Most of the coronavirus cases have occurred in China. The infectious disease has spread to at least 23 countries, according to multiple reports.

“Our lawyers are already working to obtain a visa for Meng,” Michel added. “We would love to have him be present for our press conference launching the fight.”

Top Rank canceled its Feb. 1 card in Haikou, China featuring a junior welterweight title fight between Jose Ramirez and Viktor Postol out of concern for the virus outbreak.

Beterbiev-Meng was supposed to take place in China after Chinese promoter LoveJoy Sports turned in the winning bid to the IBF. But after failing to make timely payments to the sanctioning body, the rights to the bout reverted to the second highest bidder, Top Rank. There were also concerns that Beterbiev, who is Muslim, would boycott the fight if it took place in China because of that country’s appalling treatment of Uighur, an ethnically Turkic Muslim minority group living in the westernmost province of Xinjiang.

Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) unified the WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles when he stopped then titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the 10th round last October.

Meng (16-0, 10 KOs), who represented China at the 2012 London Olympics, fought twice in 2019, picking up wins over Gilberto Rubio and Adam Deines.

Artur Beterbiev to fight in Quebec City instead of China on March 28

Artur Beterbiev won’t have to worry about compromising his religious beliefs, after it was announced that his next bout won’t be in China.

Artur Beterbiev won’t have to compromise his personal convictions for his next fight, it turns out. 

Originally, it appeared the two-belt light heavyweight titleholder and devout Muslim would have to travel to China to face his IBF mandatory Meng Fanlong after Fanlong’s Chinese promoter Lovejoy Sports won the Dec. 30 purse bid for the bout. But Lovejoy Sports, which co-promotes Fanlong with the American outfit Roc Nation, failed to meet the deadline for a scheduled payment. Per IBF rules, that meant rights to the fight would default to the next highest bidder, Beterbiev’s promoter, Top Rank.

Top Rank is planning to stage the bout in Quebec City on March 28, according to ESPN.com. It is a homecoming of sorts for Beterbiev, a Chechen Russian who has been living and training in the Montreal area for most of his professional career. Beterbiev unified the WBC and IBF belts on Oct. 18, when he stopped then-undefeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk by a 10th-round stoppage.

In light of the news, Beterbiev (15-0, 15 knockouts) can let out a sigh of relief.

The 34-year-old bruiser was reportedly dead set against fighting Fanlong (16-0, 10 KOs) in China, presumably because Beterbiev takes issue with China’s treatment of its Uighur, an ethnically Turkic Muslim minority group living in the westernmost province of Xinjiang. In an effort to crack down on any hint of dissent, the Chinese government has been forcing the Uighur to turn their backs on their religion and traditions, including banning the naming of any of their sons “Muhammad.” It is thought that at least a million Uighurs are being detained in re-education centers.

Rumors suggested Beterbiev was willing to vacate his IBF title rather than fight in China.

Fanlong’s promoter, Dino Duva of Roc Nation, expressed his dismay with his Chinese partners.

“(I’m) very disappointed that Longjoy Sports defaulted,” Duva told Boxing Junkie. “It would have been great for Fanlong, and an historic event for boxing and China. However, I’m confident it will be a great fight in Canada and that Fanlong can beat him anywhere.”

Duva said he doesn’t know why Longjoy Sports failed to make the payment but noted that it was not out of negligence, adding that “they didn’t forget, they knew the rules and obligations.”

Longjoy Sports initially won the rights to the Beterbiev-Menlong bout on Dec. 30 with a bid of $1.9 million, which beat out the $1.35 million offer from Top Rank.

Jose Ramirez’s manager explains why next defense is in China

Jose Ramirez will be fighting in Hainan, China for his next junior welterweight title defense against Viktor Postol. The question is why?

Jose Ramirez, a proven ticket seller in California’s Central Valley, will be defending his two junior welterweight titles against Viktor Postol on a Chinese resort island called Hainan on Feb. 1.

All good. The question is why?

Increased exposure, says Ramirez’s longtime manager Rick Mirigian.

“There was a possibility that the fight did end up in Central Califronia and we made a case for it,” Mirigian told Boxing Junkie. “Looking at the bigger scope of things, we know that if we want to make him a bigger superstar, we have to get him worldwide exposure. We’ve got to get him to places like China. As a team, we talked and it was OK with us.”

It’s not just about introducing the Mexican-American slugger to a country with about 1.4 billion people. In a somewhat roundabout way, it’s also about exposing Ramirez to a greater swath of the American public. The fight is scheduled to air on ESPN the day before the Super Bowl, the most watched sporting event in America, giving it incomparable exposure. The fight could have taken place in Tasmania and it wouldn’t have mattered.

“(The Super Bowl date) was the prime factor for the doing the deal,” Mirigian said. “It was a huge negotiating point. I know how valuable that date is. To me it is more important than any date in the year just because of the eyeballs (in the U.S.). That ESPN channel is on around the spectrum. That’s a heaven-sent date.”

Should Ramirez defeat Postol, Mirigian will work to showcase Ramirez later in the year in front of his hometown fans, hopefully against Scotland’s Josh Taylor for a full unification bout of the junior welterweight titles. Mirigian expects Ramirez to fight twice in 2020.

“I’m looking at a football stadium,” Mirigian said. “Fresno State University holds 40,000 people. The next time he comes back home I’ll probably target that arena. I think a Josh Taylor fight could produce that.”

Jose Ramirez vs. Viktor Postol set for Feb. 1 in China

Junior welterweight titleholder Jose Ramirez will take on Viktor Postol in the main event of a boxing card to take place in Hainan, China.

The pride of California’s Central Valley is taking his high-octane act to China.

Junior welterweight titleholder Jose Ramirez will defend his belts against mandatory challenger Viktor Postol on Feb. 1 at the Mission Hills Haikou in the port city of Haikou, Hainan, Top Rank announced earlier this week. The fight will be broadcast live on ESPN.

Ramirez (25-0, 17 knockouts) is coming off a career-best win over Maurice Hooker to unify two of the four major belts in the division. He had surgery on his left hand following the fight. Ramirez, of Avenal, won his first title against Amir Imam at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in 2018.

“I am excited to defend my belts against Viktor Postol to kick off my 2020 schedule,” Ramirez said. “I am a world champion, so it is my honor to defend my titles in front of the great fans in China. It is going to be a great experience, and I am glad that my fans back home will be able to watch me live on ESPN. As a unified champion, I am hungrier than ever.”

A former titleholder, Postol (31-2, 12 KOs) emerged on the world scene in 2015 when he knocked out Lucas Matthysse in the 10th round to win a vacant title. He lost it to Terence Crawford the following year and later came up short against Josh Taylor, the division’s other partially unified champion, in the World Boxing Super Series. Postol became the mandatory challenger for Ramirez’s WBC belt after his points win over Mohamed Mimoune in April.

“It’s a big opportunity for me and a big honor to share the ring with one of the best fighters in my division,” Postol said. “I know Ramirez, as we sparred together in the past. I’m looking forward to a great fight in China.”

Top Rank has staged fights in China in the past, most notably with Zou Shiming and Manny Pacquiao in the Chinese outpost of Macau.

Josh Warrington: ‘Negotiations have started’ for Shakur Stevenson fight

Josh Warrington, IBF featherweight titleholder, has confirmed that talks have begun for a unification with WBO titlist Shakur Stevenson.

The boxing world could benefit from more title-unification fights and a highly attractive one might be in the works for 2020.

Josh Warrington said that talks have begun for a unification fight with fellow featherweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson.

“I know that negotiations have started,” Warrington said in an interview with BoxingScene.com.

The 29-year-old Warrington, a big draw in his native Leeds, won a portion of the featherweight crown by outpointing Lee Selby in May of last year. He has successfully defended his belt three times, against Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and most recently Sofiane Takoucht, whom he knocked out in two rounds.

Stevenson, 22, picked up another 126-pound title last month in a dominating points victory over Joet Gonzalez. That title had been vacated by Oscar Valdez.

“He’s a young lad,” Warrington (30-0, 7 knockouts) said of Newark’s Stevenson. “He has a lot of people around him who are going to build his confidence up. I did say to him, ‘Win a title and we’ll talk,’ so he has won a title and we’ll see what happens.”

For his part, Stevenson has been actively campaigning for a fight with Warrington on social media.

The fight would be a classic example of the bull vs. the matador, with Warrington applying his customary torrid pressure and Stevenson (13-0, 7 KOs) working clinically behind his jab and sharp counters.

Both Stevenson and Warrington are promoted by Top Rank (Warrington is co-promoted by Frank Warren), so there are none of the typical promotional or network impediments standing in the way.