Boxing News

Edgar Sosa's 25 bout win streak was snapped last night by Filipino Rodel Mayol, who stopped the Mexico City man in two to annex the WBC light flyweight title at Palenque de la Feria in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico.

Sosa won the WBC strap in April, 2007 against Brian Viloria and had successfully retained the title 10 times. By contrast, Mayol had been unable to win a world title in four previous attempts including two against WBO light flyweight kingpin Ivan Calderon earlier this year when Calderon was cut and could not continue.

Once the bell rang, Sosa and Mayol went at it but things went ary in the second when the champion was forced to take a knee after a clash of heads. More...

It was a big Saturday night in The Land of Silver with two good fight cards, one of which featured a world title bout.

That took place at Club Deportivo Libertad in Sunchales as one of the top light welters on the planet, Marcos Rene Maidana, was on his trademark brutal form.

The 26 year old retained his Interim WBA crown with a crushing rub-out of experienced Panamanian William Gonzalez, 22-6-1 (7), at 2:20 of the third round.

Maidana improves to 27-1 (26) and could meet the winner of the upcoming Amir Khan vs. Dmitriy Salita WBA title clash next month.

There was another devastating KO on the undercard as big punching lightweight Daniel Alberto Dorrego, 28-2 (20), gunned down previously undefeated Daniel Eduardo Brizuela, 17-1-1 (6), in the very first round. More...

There are two good bills tonight south of the border with shows taking place in Veracruz and Tijuana.

At the Arena in Tijuana, IBF featherweight kingpin Cristobal Cruz, 39-11-1 (23), puts his title at risk against veteran Ricardo Castillo, 38-7 (25).

After an up and down career, Cruz has hit his stride over the past 18 months, winning the IBF and IBO crowns during a five bout win streak.

The 32 year old local man won the IBF trophy with a split decision against the very tough Orlando Salido a year ago and has since defended it in difficult defenses against Cyril Thomas and Jorge Solis.

Cruz's opponent tonight, Mexicali based Castillo, currently holds the NABF and Mexican titles on the strength of three victories this year and has two failed world title bids at super bantam under his belt. More...

The main event at El Palenque de la Feria in Tepic, Mexico featured a highly competitive WBO minimumweight title defense by Donnie Nietes.

The Filipino visitor was given all he could handle by Interim WBO titlist Manuel Vargas but after twelve difficult rounds were completed, wildly diverged scores were announced.

Vargas won one of the cards 116-112 while Nietes took the others 118-110 and 116-110 to win the split decision. Nietes improves to 25-1-3 (14), while Vargas goes to 26-4-1 (11).

Light middle Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 40-0-1 (30), annihilated American Jason LeHoullier, 21-2-1 (8), in the first round to keep the WBO Latino belt. More...

Sometimes lightning does strike twice as WBO light flyweight champ Ivan Calderon had his rematch with Rodel Mayol at Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico end early for the same reason as their first pairing in June: a head clash.

One again Calderon was cut badly after a difficult test against the Filipino hard man but this time instead of the technical draw in June, the Guaynabo southpaw came away with a technical decision, winning two scorecards 68-65 while Mayol was awarded the third by the same margin.

Could a third clash between these two be on offer? Calderon has now seen his last three contests end early for the same reason.

Calderon retains the WBO belt for the fifth time and keeps an undefeated career mark of 33-0-1 (6), while Mayol drops to 25-4-1 (19). More...

Two good fight cards tonight south of the border and we kick off this look with a big show at El Palenque de la Feria in Tepic.

Headlining is WBO minimumweight champ Donnie Nietes, 24-1-3 (14), who puts his belt at risk for the third time by facing Manuel Vargas, 26-3-1 (11).

Light middle prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 39-0-1 (29), is back in action, facing Jason LeHoullier, 28-1-1 (8), for the WBO Latino strap.

Bantamweight Z Gorres, 29-2-2 (16), tangles with ex-WBO bantam king Cruz Carbajal, 29-16-2 (25), while longtime former WBO super flyweight champ Fernando Montiel, 39-2-1 (29), meets Alejandro Valdez, 21-3-2 (15), at bantam with both contests scheduled to go ten rounds. More...

Big card last night at Arena Roberto Duran in Panama City, Panama with a few big names in action.

Local flyweight Luis Concepcion, 18-1 (13), won his 15th straight contest, picking up the Interim WBA crown in the process, by dramatically stopping Mexico's Omar Salado, 21-2-2 (12), at 0:39 of the 12th round.

With the victory, Concepcion is now firmly entrenched in the top five of the division and could meet the winner of the upcoming Denkaosan Kaovichit vs. Daiki Kameda WBA title contest.

Hard punching ex-WBO super bantam champ Daniel Ponce de Leon, 37-2 (31), was the highlight of the support bill, defeating hard-nosed former world title challenger Roinet Caballero, 27-9-1 (19), by wide margins after 12 rounds to win a WBA featherweight title eliminator. More...

At The Arena in Mexicali, Mexico last night, Celestino Caballero took out local borderlands man Francisco Leal in the eighth round of their IBF/WBA super bantam title fight.

Mexicali grafter Leal was the very picture of a Cinderella story going into his first title challenge as the four year pro hadn't come anywhere close to world class prior to this surprising opportunity.

Still, Leal had proven his meddle on the highly competitive Mexican scene since a young age and could count on the Mexicali crowd to cheer him on once the bell rang.

That certainly did happen and the vociferous audience support probably helped Leal survive as long as he did against towering 5'11 tall double champion Caballero. More...

One of boxing's top super bantams, Celestino Caballero, sees action tonight at The Arena in Mexicali, Mexico, facing local man Francisco Leal.

WBA and IBF champion Caballero, 32-2 (22), rides a five year win streak into Mexicali but is coming off a narrow split decision victory over motivated South African challenger Jeffrey Mathebula in April.

The bout tonight against Leal. 14-4-2 (9), who has never been anywhere near world class competition, is likely a tuneup bout for Caballero before the Panamanian heads off for more high profile matchups once again.

On the undercard is a WBC Female super flyweight title bout between champion Ana Maria Torres, 18-3-2 (11), and challenger Ava Knight, 5-0-2 (2).

Also featured is a featherweight bout between Carlos Yanez, 17-2 (14), and Gilberto Sanchez Leon, 19-6-2 (7).

The question of just who is the best light heavyweight in Florida was answered last night at the Gulf Coast Arena in Biloxi, MS as Roy Jones Jr and Jeff Lacy headlined the heavily-hyped "Hook City" fight card.

In a sharp display of one-way traffic, Jones controlled the pace of the bout the entire duration, beating ex-IBF super middle titlist Jeff Lacy to the punch time after time.

Despite turning 40 in January, Jones had little difficulty with his 32 year old adversary, convincing Lacy's corner to pull their man out before the advent of the 11th round.

Former multi-weight world champion Jones improves to 54-5 (40), while Lacy falls to 27-3 (17), after losing twice over his last three appearances. More...

The upstart hero of Chimkent came up empty handed last night as would-be super prospect Beibut Shumenov failed to unseat reigning WBA light heavyweight champ Gabriel Campillo at the Daulet Sports Compex in Astana, Kazahkstan.

But it wasn't for a lack of effort or skill as 25 year old local man Shumenov had plenty of bright spots and even had Campillo canvassed and hurt in the ninth frame.

It really came down to experience. Campillo had it and Shumenov didn't, providing the Spaniard with the margin of victory after he dropped the challenger in the 12th round.

Shumenov hit the gas early, looking to use his strength advantage and steamroll Campillo but "Chico Guapo" knew to maintain distance and pick off the younger man on the way in with sizzling counters.

The southpaw also took some flush shots from Shumenov but Campillo's wiser pacing let him largely dictate the action during the first half of the bout. More...

The big action last night in The Land of Silver took place Polideportivo Carlos Cerutti in Cordoba, Argentina as former WBO super feather champ Jorge Barrios made the jump to the lightweight division with great success.

"La Hiena" tangled with experienced Panamanian Moises Castro over 12 scheduled rounds for the vacant Interim WBO Latino belt in front of a pro-Barrios crowd of over 3,000.

Castro proved difficult to land flush against as "La Cobrita" went defensive and gave tough angles from a southpaw stance, frustrating Barrios for rounds at a time.

But the world class experience of Barrios shone through as the 33 year old from Tigre controlled the pace of the bout and simply outworked Castro enroute to posting a 120-110, 119-108 and 119-112 unanimous decision victory. More...

Last night at Auditorio Benito Juarez in Zapopan, Mexico, teenage welterweight sensation Saul Alvarez, 28-0-1 (21), annexed the vacant WBC Youth title with a riveting performance.

Russian import Marat Khuzeev, 18-5-1 (7), found his long amateur experience to be of no value whatsoever against 19 year old Alvarez, who simply hit the gas in the second round to KO Khuzeev at 2:33 of the frame.

Alvarez, who has been boxing professionally since the age of 15, has now won 24 straight since a draw in 2006 and has stopped his last six opponents, capturing the NABF, WBA Fedecentro, WBO Latino and now the WBC Youth titles in the process.

On the undercard in Zapopan, super flyweight Juan Jose Montes, 14-1 (10), defeated Francisco Reyes, 4-10-2 (3), for the second time over the past year to retain the WBC Continental Americas crown via 12 round UD. More...

Ex-WBO super feather champion Jorge Rodrigo Barrios makes the move up to lightweight tonight when he faces Moises Castro for the Interim WBO crown at Polideportivo Carlos Cerutti in Cordoba, Argentina.

Barrios, 47-4-1 (34), fought everyone at super feather and now wants the world's hardest puncher at any weight, WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero, but first, "La Hiena" has to take care of Panamanian foe Castro, 27-11-4 (13).

The Tigre based Argentine hero has only lost in hard fought affairs to Acelino Freitas, Joan Guzman and Rocky Juarez over the last 12 years and the 33 year old has definitely traded in much more experienced company than has Castro.

11 year pro Castro started at super flyweight and came up the hard way in Managua, battling it out up through successive divisions in relative obscurity but the tall southpaw is coming off a good performance during a 10 round loss to former WBA lightweight champ Jose Alfaro and "La Cobrita" could definitely make things difficult for Barrios or even cause an upset.

The undercard sees lightweight Israel Hector Enrique Perez, 22-2 (13), square off with Alberto Leopoldo Santillan, 15-2 (4), over ten rounds. More...

Last night at the Grand Mayan in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, Giovanni Segura and Miguel Acosta won WBA title contests by stopping their opponents within the distance.

Segura, 21-1-1 (17), retained his WBA light flyweight strap for the first time by finishing off seasoned Filipino southpaw Juanito Rubillar, 46-13-7 (22), in the sixth round.

Rubillar, who took the bout on less than two day's notice, bravely endured a raft of punishment from the younger, quicker Segura until his corner stopped the one-sided fight at 2:04 of the sixth.

Venezulan banger Miguel Acosta, 26-3-2 (20), sparked out previously undefeated American contender Urbano Antillon, 26-1 (19), in the ninth round to win the Interim WBA lightweight crown. More...

Huge boxing gala tonight at the Grand Mayan in Nuevo Vallarta with the WBA light flyweight and Interim WBA lightweight titles on offer.

California's big punching Giovanni Segura, 20-1-1 (16), won the Interim WBA light fly belt in March by stopping Cesar Canchilla in a rematch and will meet Filipino campaigner and three-time world title challenger Juanito Rubillar, 46-12-7 (22), for the full WBA crown.

Another California, undefeated Urbano Antillion, 26-0 (19), is in action as he gets to grips with Venezuela's Miguel Acosta, 25-3-2 (19), for the Interim WBA lightweight trophy.

Former WBC heavyweight champion Sam Peter, 30-3 (23), comes back from two straight losses to take on 38 year old journeyman Marcus McGee, 22-16 (11), in an eight rounder.

IBF featherweight titlist Cristobal Cruz squares off with challenger Jorge Solis tonight at Palenque de Gallos in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.

The resurgent Cruz, 38-11-1 (23), has won four straight since losing to Zahir Raheem two years ago and during that time picked up the IBF crown against Orlando Salido as well as defending the strap against Cyril Thomas in France this past February.

But Solis, 37-1-2 (27), already holds a victory over Cruz in 2003 and is likely the best opponent that the IBF titlist has ever fought.

Sharpshooter Solis has only come up short against the great Filipino Manny Pacquiao and since his KO loss to Pac Man in 2007 has won four straight including title eliminators for the IBF featherweight and WBA super feather belts.

Also at stake tonight is bragging rights to the featherweight division in Mexico and that alone should make for one magnificent clash when these two veterans go at it tonight in Chiapas.

Last night at Plaza de Toros in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Jorge Linares kept busy with a WBA super feather title defense against challenger Josafat Perez.

Southpaw Perez was coming down from lightweight, where he holds the Mexican title, but had never before traded in anything approaching world class.

That gulf in experience was evident as the 25 year old from Monclava was outboxed from the first bell.

Tokyo based Venezuelan Linares put on a clinical display of the skill that won him WBA crowns at feather and super feather, impressively airing out his arsenal against a clearly overmatched challenger. More...

Argentina's top boxer was in action last evening as Omar Andres Narvaez retained his WBO flyweight title for the 16th consecutive time by crushing opponent Omar Soto in the 11th round at Buenos Aires' famed Luna Park Stadium.

Mexico City man Soto had come into the bout riding a three fight win streak and the former Mexican minimumweight titlist was confident of his chances of ending the seven year reign of Narvaez but reality proved to be something much different.

It was the razor-sharp skills of "El Huracan" that separated the boxers from the first bell as the Cordoba southpaw worked like an effiecient machine behind a piston-like jab that tore big holes through the defense of Mexican visitor Soto. More...

Saturday night's alright for fightin' this evening south of the border as there are two WBA title clashes taking place.

WBA super feather champ Jorge Linares is in action at the Plaza de Toros in Nuevo Laredo, meeting the challenge of unheralded opponent Josafat Perez.

Linares, 26-0 (17), a former WBC featherweight titlist from Venezuela, will be making the first defense of the crown he won last November with a stoppage of Whyber Garcia in the fifth.

The lanky 23 year old will be making just his second appearance in Mexico, having fought most of his contests in his adopted homeland of Japan. More...