Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Boxing Junkie’s updated boxing schedule for next several months.
Boxing Junkie maintains an updated boxing schedule, focusing on fights available to fans on TV or streaming.
The Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury pay-per-view fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 highlights the upcoming slate of bouts but a number of other elite boxers are set to enter the ring.
You can check out the schedule here. And please come back often.
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Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?
Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.
The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.
Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?
Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.
Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.
Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.
Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.
Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).
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Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?
Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.
The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.
Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?
Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.
Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.
Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.
Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.
Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).
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A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER George Kambosos Jr. Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one …
Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one more big fight. Many will say he didn’t earn it, however. Hughes, a relative unknown from England, befuddled the former 135-pound champion with his clever counterpunching and footwork for most of the fight, which evidently led many to believe he had done enough to score an upset. That’s why the announcement of the decision was greeted with boos by an incredulous crowd and derision around the world. Nevertheless, Kambosos, who was coming off back-to-back losses to undisputed champ Devin Haney, is in position to fight for a vacant title assuming Haney moves up to 140 pounds. He said he’d like to fight another former beltholder, Vasiliy Lomachenko. That would be his last hurrah. We must give Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) credit for his upset of Teofimo Lopez in 2021 even though Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. However, in three fights after that, he has proved to be ordinary fighter. He can’t beat Lomachenko let alone the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis. The disparity in skill would be too vast. The guess here is that Kambosos will be remembered as a one-hit wonder.
You have to feel for Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs). The 33-year-old southpaw received the opportunity of lifetime when he was selected to fight Kambosos and then did enough in the ring to have his hand raised. Alas, the judges stole what would’ve been a life-changing victory. That’s why he was so crestfallen after the fact. He’s a good fighter. My hope is that he made a strong enough impression to get another, even more lucrative opportunity. He earned it. … I have no idea what Kambosos-Hughes judge Josef Mason was watching. He had Kambosos winning 117-111, nine rounds to three. That simply didn’t reflect what happened in the ring. I won’t call for his head but he needs to go back to judging school before he works another important fight. … Rising young fighters generally accomplish one of two things in their fights: They make a statement or they have a valuable learning experience. Keyshawn Davis had the latter in his near-shutout decision over Francesco Patera on the Kambosos-Hughes card. Davis wasn’t spectacular but he dominated a good, durable opponent and was never in any kind of trouble. In fact, Patera could barely touch him. In the end, the fight was forgettable but Davis will be a better boxer because of it. …
ESPN reported that Haney plans to give up his undisputed 135-pound championship and move up to 140, at which he would face WBC beltholder Regis Prograis. Then, if emerges victorious in that fight, he would target Lopez, the new WBO champ, in what could amount to a super fight. I have no idea whether Haney’s plan will come to fruition but it certainly sounds intriguing. I would rather he fight Stevenson and/or Davis before he moves up in weight but it’s not as if he would be pursuing pushover opponents. Plus, the scramble to fill four titles at 135 would be a lot of fun given the talent at the top of the division. … Junior lightweight Edy Valencia Mercado of Mexico reportedly is in critical condition after his loss to George Acosta on Friday in Ontario, California. Our thoughts are with Mercado and those close to him.
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A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER George Kambosos Jr. Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one …
Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one more big fight. Many will say he didn’t earn it, however. Hughes, a relative unknown from England, befuddled the former 135-pound champion with his clever counterpunching and footwork for most of the fight, which evidently led many to believe he had done enough to score an upset. That’s why the announcement of the decision was greeted with boos by an incredulous crowd and derision around the world. Nevertheless, Kambosos, who was coming off back-to-back losses to undisputed champ Devin Haney, is in position to fight for a vacant title assuming Haney moves up to 140 pounds. He said he’d like to fight another former beltholder, Vasiliy Lomachenko. That would be his last hurrah. We must give Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) credit for his upset of Teofimo Lopez in 2021 even though Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. However, in three fights after that, he has proved to be ordinary fighter. He can’t beat Lomachenko let alone the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis. The disparity in skill would be too vast. The guess here is that Kambosos will be remembered as a one-hit wonder.
You have to feel for Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs). The 33-year-old southpaw received the opportunity of lifetime when he was selected to fight Kambosos and then did enough in the ring to have his hand raised. Alas, the judges stole what would’ve been a life-changing victory. That’s why he was so crestfallen after the fact. He’s a good fighter. My hope is that he made a strong enough impression to get another, even more lucrative opportunity. He earned it. … I have no idea what Kambosos-Hughes judge Josef Mason was watching. He had Kambosos winning 117-111, nine rounds to three. That simply didn’t reflect what happened in the ring. I won’t call for his head but he needs to go back to judging school before he works another important fight. … Rising young fighters generally accomplish one of two things in their fights: They make a statement or they have a valuable learning experience. Keyshawn Davis had the latter in his near-shutout decision over Francesco Patera on the Kambosos-Hughes card. Davis wasn’t spectacular but he dominated a good, durable opponent and was never in any kind of trouble. In fact, Patera could barely touch him. In the end, the fight was forgettable but Davis will be a better boxer because of it. …
ESPN reported that Haney plans to give up his undisputed 135-pound championship and move up to 140, at which he would face WBC beltholder Regis Prograis. Then, if emerges victorious in that fight, he would target Lopez, the new WBO champ, in what could amount to a super fight. I have no idea whether Haney’s plan will come to fruition but it certainly sounds intriguing. I would rather he fight Stevenson and/or Davis before he moves up in weight but it’s not as if he would be pursuing pushover opponents. Plus, the scramble to fill four titles at 135 would be a lot of fun given the talent at the top of the division. … Junior lightweight Edy Valencia Mercado of Mexico reportedly is in critical condition after his loss to George Acosta on Friday in Ontario, California. Our thoughts are with Mercado and those close to him.
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George Kambosos Jr. won dubious majority decision against Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
George Kambosos Jr. could’ve been looking at the end of his career as an elite boxer.
The former lightweight champion emerged with a majority decision over Maxi Hughes in a 12-pound title eliminator on Saturday night in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but you can bet that not many are convinced he earned it.
Those at Firelake Arena certainly didn’t think so. They booed the decision passionately when it was announced.
That’s because Hughes seemed to outbox Kambosos, who was coming off back-to-back one-sided losses to undisputed 135-pound champ Devin Haney.
The slick, experienced Englishman controlled much of the fight by waiting for Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) to commit himself, making him miss, landing many counter punches and then moving out away before Kambosos could respond.
The simple, but effective formula frustrated Kambosos from beginning to end and impressed those watching.
Kambosos did win some rounds by keeping the pressure on Hughes, who couldn’t avoid everything the Aussie threw his way.
However, when the fight ended, it seemed that Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) had done enough to claim what would’ve been the biggest victory in the 33-year-old’s long career.
The judges saw it differently. The official scores were 117-111, 115-113 and 114-114. Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Hughes, seven rounds to five.
The 117-111 (nine rounds-to-three) scorecard of Josef Mason, a judge from Denver, will go down as one of the worst in recent memory.
Kambosos seemed as relieved as he was happy after he learned he had won but he insisted in his post-fight interview that he had done more than enough to earn the nod.
“We won the fight by many rounds,” he said. “That’s not to discredit Maxi Hughes. He had a couple of good rounds. But a couple of rounds doesn’t win you a fight. We won a majority of the rounds.
“That’s the reason we chose him. He was a hard test. A lot of guys coming off losses wouldn’t want to take a test like him. This was a hard challenge,”
One could tell by Hughes’ expression the moment he realized he had lost the fight that he was crestfallen.
The spectators in Shawnee gave him a hearty ovation as the television interviewer was approaching the loser after his interview with Kambosos moments earlier.
“They know, they know,” Hughes said. “… I’m absolutely devastated. Nobody knew who I was. I wasn’t supposed to be in George’s league. Tonight, I came and I showed that I should have had my hand raised.
“I don’t want to take George’s moment but I’m gutted here.”
Kambosos took a step forward even if he didn’t deserve it by getting back into the win column for the first time since he upset Teofimo Lopez in 2021.
Haney reportedly plans to move up to 140 pounds, where he wants to challenge titleholder Regis Prograis. If that happens, a number of big-name 135-pounders will be in position to fight for a share of championship. And Kambosos will be among them.
He evidently is targeting a specific lightweight for his next fight.
“I’m happy to get this great win tonight, happy to pick up this new [secondary] title to add to my collection,” he said. “Now we’ll sit back with the team. They’re all great fighters.
“Shakur Stevenson is a great fighter [but] Vasiliy Lomachenko … I believe that’s the next fight to be done.”
George Kambosos Jr. won dubious majority decision against Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
George Kambosos Jr. could’ve been looking at the end of his career as an elite boxer.
The former lightweight champion emerged with a majority decision over Maxi Hughes in a 12-pound title eliminator on Saturday night in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but you can bet that not many are convinced he earned it.
Those at Firelake Arena certainly didn’t think so. They booed the decision passionately when it was announced.
That’s because Hughes seemed to outbox Kambosos, who was coming off back-to-back one-sided losses to undisputed 135-pound champ Devin Haney.
The slick, experienced Englishman controlled much of the fight by waiting for Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) to commit himself, making him miss, landing many counter punches and then moving out away before Kambosos could respond.
The simple, but effective formula frustrated Kambosos from beginning to end and impressed those watching.
Kambosos did win some rounds by keeping the pressure on Hughes, who couldn’t avoid everything the Aussie threw his way.
However, when the fight ended, it seemed that Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) had done enough to claim what would’ve been the biggest victory in the 33-year-old’s long career.
The judges saw it differently. The official scores were 117-111, 115-113 and 114-114. Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Hughes, seven rounds to five.
The 117-111 (nine rounds-to-three) scorecard of Josef Mason, a judge from Denver, will go down as one of the worst in recent memory.
Kambosos seemed as relieved as he was happy after he learned he had won but he insisted in his post-fight interview that he had done more than enough to earn the nod.
“We won the fight by many rounds,” he said. “That’s not to discredit Maxi Hughes. He had a couple of good rounds. But a couple of rounds doesn’t win you a fight. We won a majority of the rounds.
“That’s the reason we chose him. He was a hard test. A lot of guys coming off losses wouldn’t want to take a test like him. This was a hard challenge,”
One could tell by Hughes’ expression the moment he realized he had lost the fight that he was crestfallen.
The spectators in Shawnee gave him a hearty ovation as the television interviewer was approaching the loser after his interview with Kambosos moments earlier.
“They know, they know,” Hughes said. “… I’m absolutely devastated. Nobody knew who I was. I wasn’t supposed to be in George’s league. Tonight, I came and I showed that I should have had my hand raised.
“I don’t want to take George’s moment but I’m gutted here.”
Kambosos took a step forward even if he didn’t deserve it by getting back into the win column for the first time since he upset Teofimo Lopez in 2021.
Haney reportedly plans to move up to 140 pounds, where he wants to challenge titleholder Regis Prograis. If that happens, a number of big-name 135-pounders will be in position to fight for a share of championship. And Kambosos will be among them.
He evidently is targeting a specific lightweight for his next fight.
“I’m happy to get this great win tonight, happy to pick up this new [secondary] title to add to my collection,” he said. “Now we’ll sit back with the team. They’re all great fighters.
“Shakur Stevenson is a great fighter [but] Vasiliy Lomachenko … I believe that’s the next fight to be done.”
Lightweight contender Frank Martin is laser focused on one thing: “I want to get the belts.”
If Frank Martin had stubborn doubters before his fight against Michel Rivera in December, they probably came around afterward.
The 135-pound contender not only defeated previously unbeaten Michel Rivera, he outclassed him, pitching a shutout on one card and getting one-sided nods on the other two to claim the most significant victory of his career.
In fact, he made it look so effortless that viewers might not fully appreciate what he accomplished that night.
“I made it look easier than it was,” said Martin, who faces Artem Harutyunyan on Saturday in Las Vegas (Showtime). “Not to discredit his skills or his talent. I was just 100 percent ready and prepared for everything he had. …
“Some guys might not have given him the problems I gave him in that fight. … It was a great fight for me, to get that experience against that caliber fighter on my resume.”
Fans and pundits alike appreciated his performance enough to acknowledge that he’s gaining on the top lightweights, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Martin seems to have everything required to have great success. Natural gifts. He’s quick and athletic. The skill set. He was a top amateur and only getting better. Good power. A great trainer in Derrick James. And, by all accounts, discipline.
All that seemed obvious in the victory over the talented Michel, which took him a step closer to a showdown with one of the stars in the division.
“Yes, people actually got to see some of my skills,” Martin said. “I went into the fight, if I’m not mistaken, as the underdog. People who didn’t know me, it woke them up. And it prepared me for the bigger fights I’m wanting down the line.
“It’s definitely all coming together. … [People] used to tell me that it was all going to come fast. It’s come super, super quick.”
Now, like so many top fighters yearning for big opportunities, Martin, who is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, must continue to win and continue to wait.
He respects Harutyunyan (12-0, 7 KOs), who capped a successful amateur career by winning a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics for his home country of Germany.
Martin insists he’s taking Harutyunyan as seriously as he would take a fight with one of the big four in the division. He might not pose a similar threat. At the same, he can’t risk an upset, which would spoil all the work that has led him to this point.
“I gotta stay grounded, gotta stay focused,” he said. “That’s really the hardest part about it, staying focused once you get success, keeping that determined mindset. You can’t get comfortable [because] it’s easy to get off track.
“This is one of those fights that will get me closer to being the mandatory,” he went on. “… This gets me closer to those belts. I have to make sure to go in there and get the job done against him before I can look at the bigger names.”
Martin is young by common standards, 28. However, he’s at an age when most talented fighters have already made big moves in his career.
Does he feel added pressure in that regard? Does he feel the clock ticking?
“Yeah, but I don’t feel it’s an age thing,” he said in response to those questions. “I feel that because I feel I’m ready, ready for the opportunity to get my belts. I want to get the belts. I’ve put in a lot of hard work, staying in the gym day in and day out.
“I’m ready for the opportunities to present themselves so I can show the world.”
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Lightweight contender Frank Martin is laser focused on one thing: “I want to get the belts.”
If Frank Martin had stubborn doubters before his fight against Michel Rivera in December, they probably came around afterward.
The 135-pound contender not only defeated previously unbeaten Michel Rivera, he outclassed him, pitching a shutout on one card and getting one-sided nods on the other two to claim the most significant victory of his career.
In fact, he made it look so effortless that viewers might not fully appreciate what he accomplished that night.
“I made it look easier than it was,” said Martin, who faces Artem Harutyunyan on Saturday in Las Vegas (Showtime). “Not to discredit his skills or his talent. I was just 100 percent ready and prepared for everything he had. …
“Some guys might not have given him the problems I gave him in that fight. … It was a great fight for me, to get that experience against that caliber fighter on my resume.”
Fans and pundits alike appreciated his performance enough to acknowledge that he’s gaining on the top lightweights, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Martin seems to have everything required to have great success. Natural gifts. He’s quick and athletic. The skill set. He was a top amateur and only getting better. Good power. A great trainer in Derrick James. And, by all accounts, discipline.
All that seemed obvious in the victory over the talented Michel, which took him a step closer to a showdown with one of the stars in the division.
“Yes, people actually got to see some of my skills,” Martin said. “I went into the fight, if I’m not mistaken, as the underdog. People who didn’t know me, it woke them up. And it prepared me for the bigger fights I’m wanting down the line.
“It’s definitely all coming together. … [People] used to tell me that it was all going to come fast. It’s come super, super quick.”
Now, like so many top fighters yearning for big opportunities, Martin, who is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, must continue to win and continue to wait.
He respects Harutyunyan (12-0, 7 KOs), who capped a successful amateur career by winning a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics for his home country of Germany.
Martin insists he’s taking Harutyunyan as seriously as he would take a fight with one of the big four in the division. He might not pose a similar threat. At the same, he can’t risk an upset, which would spoil all the work that has led him to this point.
“I gotta stay grounded, gotta stay focused,” he said. “That’s really the hardest part about it, staying focused once you get success, keeping that determined mindset. You can’t get comfortable [because] it’s easy to get off track.
“This is one of those fights that will get me closer to being the mandatory,” he went on. “… This gets me closer to those belts. I have to make sure to go in there and get the job done against him before I can look at the bigger names.”
Martin is young by common standards, 28. However, he’s at an age when most talented fighters have already made big moves in his career.
Does he feel added pressure in that regard? Does he feel the clock ticking?
“Yeah, but I don’t feel it’s an age thing,” he said in response to those questions. “I feel that because I feel I’m ready, ready for the opportunity to get my belts. I want to get the belts. I’ve put in a lot of hard work, staying in the gym day in and day out.
“I’m ready for the opportunities to present themselves so I can show the world.”
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Pound-for-pound: Kazuto Ioka proved again by beating Joshua Franco that he belongs on Boxing Junkie’s list.
Kazuto Ioka’s unanimous-decision victory over an overweight Joshua Franco to regain a 115-pound title on Saturday wasn’t enough to lift him from Honorable Mention into the Top 15 here.
However, it underscores the Japanese fighter’s staying power.
Ioka won his first world title as a 108-pounder in 2011 and has worn one belt or another almost continuously since then, making him one of the most consistent boxers in the world.
Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KOs) is undefeated (6-0-1) since he lost a split decision to Donnie Nietes in 2018, a setback he avenged last year.
And, even at 35, there is more to come. The victory over Franco, who came in six-plus pounds over the limit, sets up potential fights with fellow titleholders Juan Francisco Estrada, Fernando Martinez and Junto Nakatani or several other big-name junior bantamweights.
The resident of Tokyo might be the underdog against some of the top 115-pounders but don’t be surprised if he ends up with his hand raised. If he’s anything, he’s a winner.
And that could mean he would crack the Top 15 at an age when many fighters are finished.
Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 2 Naoya Inoue will challenge 122-pound titleholder and Honorable Mention Stephen Fulton Jr. on July 25 in Japan.
Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:
BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND
Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (reportedly in talks to face David Morrell in October but no deal is in place); Jermall Charlo (reportedly in talks to challenge 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 16 but no deal has been reached); Stephen Fulton Jr. (scheduled to defend his 122-pound title against No. 2 Naoya Inoue on July 25 in Tokyo); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout in December).
