Here are the most eye-catching stories from this week’s/weekend’s boxing news and ring action:
– On Thursday, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez released a video on his verified social media feed, announcing a “done deal” that would see him teaming up with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). In a subsequent Tweet by ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, it was announced that the Mexican superstar and current unified super middleweight champion had signed on for a three-fight deal. Alvarez is reportedly set to face WBC middleweight champ Jermall Charlo first, in a bout slated for September 16.
– In weekend ring action:
Carlos Adames defended his interim WBC middleweight title Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota, atop a Showtime/PBC card, via ninth round TKO over Julian “J-Rock” Williams.
Williams’ trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards complained bitterly after the bout, claiming the stoppage was premature and that his fighter deserved a chance to see the bout through to the very end.
On the Adames-Williams undercard, Erickson Lubin stopped Luis Arias in the fifth round of a scheduled 10-round contest. Also, Fernando Martinez defended his IBF super flyweight title via eleventh round TKO against Jade Bornea.
At Madison Square Theater in New York, atop a DAZN/Matchroom card, Edgar Berlanga bested Jason Quigley via unanimous 12-round decision by scores of 118-106 and 116-108 (twice), scoring four knockdowns along the way.
Also on the Berlanga-Quigley card, Joe Cusumano stopped former heavyweight title contender Adam Kownacki via eighth round TKO in a scheduled 10-round contest.
In Tokyo, Kazuto Ioka decisioned Joshua Franco to win the WBA junior bantamweight title by scores of 115-113 and 116-112 (twice). Franco, who was coming into this contest as the defending champ, had lost the title on the scales prior to the bout and was ineligible to win the belt.
– The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted to issue Alberto Puello a six-month suspension for testing positive for the banned substance Clomiphene prior to the first defense of his WBA junior welterweight title against Rolando “Rolly” Romero in May. The suspension will be carried out, starting from the April 5 date he first tested positive, and run its course through October 5. The now-former champ, however, avoided a fine and other disciplinary action.
– Former IBF heavyweight champ Charles Martin has stepped in to face rising star Jared Anderson July 1 in Anderson’s first headlining spot, atop a card in the young heavyweight’s hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Martin replaces original Anderson opponent Zhan Kossobutskiy, who reportedly had visa issues coming from his home country of Kazakhstan.
– WBA “regular” super middleweight champ David Morrell has been extra aggressive in pursuing a bout with former two-time 168 lb. champ David Benavidez. In two separate press releases, following Benavidez squashing rumors that he’d be facing Morrell next, the Cuban lashed out at David Benavidez and his family.
In the second of the two press releases, Morrell claimed Benavidez’s nickname of “Monster” as his own and closed the message out with the following:
“My message to Benavidez is…I’m ready for all those bi**hes. Grow some b**ls, and let’s give the fans the fight they want to see. Your family name is a disgrace.”
– The undercard for the highly-anticipated July 29 welterweight unification bout between Errol Spence and Terence Crawford has been announced.
In the co-main event, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz will face unbeaten Giovanni Cabrera in a 12-round WBC and WBA lightweight title eliminator.
Also on the card, Jesus “Mono” Ramos battles Spanish contender Sergio Garcia in a 12-round WBC super welterweight title eliminator. In the pay-per-view opener, unbeaten rising heavyweight Gurgen Hovhannisyan takes on Viktor Faust in a 10-round contest.
