At the tender age of 26, super middleweight James McGirt Jr. already finds himself at the crossroads of his professional boxing career.

But the boxer is still prepared to make a strong run at becoming the first son of a world champion father/head trainer, James “Buddy” McGirt, to also capture a major world title. More...

2008 Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada, women’s boxing trailblazer Christy “The Coalminer’s Daughter” Martin and super middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. were all impressive winners last night at the “Fight Night At The Fair”.

The show was presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), in association with the New York State Fair and International Boxing Hall of Fame (IHOF), at the Mohegan Sun Grandstand in Syracuse, N.Y. More...

The Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN saw Irish middleweight star Andy Lee, 18-1 (13), return to an American ring for the first time in over a year following his shocking loss to Brian Vera.

The lanky southpaw came into his bout with Anthony Shuler, 20-7-1 (14), as a super middle and stopped the Indianapolis man at 2:05 of the eighth in a scheduled ten rounder.

Steel-chinned former IBF light middleweight title challenger Angel "Toro" Hernandez, 30-7 (17), followed up his defeat of prospect James McGirt Jr in January with a sixth round referee stoppage of ex-two weight world title challenger Antwun Echols, 31-12-4 (27), who hasn't won a fight since 2004.

Heavyweight Owen Beck, 29-3 (20), two years removed from his unsuccessful bid at the WBA crown, posted an eight round unanimous decision over granite-jawed former NABO cruiserweight beltholder Jermell Barnes, 18-22-2 (4), who has gone 2-18-2 since January, 2004, by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 77-75. More...

Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES) president Jimmy Burchfield and his staff are busy all over the world making fights, promoting shows and signing prospects.

“We have ‘Awesome’ Aaron Williams in the biggest fight of his life tomorrow in Germany,” Burchfield explained. “Our world-rated light heavyweight Joey ‘KO Kid’ Spina headlines a show May 22nd at Twin River, featuring the CES debut of James McGirt, Jr., along with some of the best young fighters in New England. More...

The beginning of a new Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. professional boxing series kicks-off May 22 as world rated light heavyweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina headlines “Rage At The River” at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

“Rage At The River,” presented by CES in association with Twin River, launches a New England-based series at Twin River and Memorial Hall in Plymouth. More...

Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES) announced today that it has signed super middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. to an exclusive, multi-year promotional contract.

The 26-year-old McGirt, 19-2-1 (9), born in Brentwood, New York and now fighting out of Vero Beach ,FL) is scheduled to make his CES debut on “River Rage” on May 22 at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island. James is trained by his father, James “Buddy” McGirt, two-time world champion and former Trainer of the Year. More...

Angel Hernandez held the NABF Light Middleweight title in 2002 and mounted an unsuccessful bid to unseat IBF Champion Winky Wright in 2003 but the 33 year old Chicago resident has been struggling to regain his foothold in the upper classes of the American boxing scene until upsetting middleweight prospect James McGirt Jr last night at Mallory Square in Key West, FL.

Hernandez was coming off a one-sided loss to light middle contender Vanes Martirosian in June and was to be a step in the rebuilding program of southpaw McGirt Jr, who was coming off a draw against the unheralded Marcus Upshaw in November.

But "El Toro" refused to be a stepping stone and came forward for all ten rounds against McGirt, outworking the 26 year old son of famed trainer and ex-world champion boxer "Buddy" McGirt, in what was a close contest.

Hernandez convinced the judges by marks of 96-94 twice and 96-95 to improve to 29-7 (16) while McGirt has now won just one of his last four outings to drop to 19-2-1 (9).

On the undercard, light middle Ermosele Albert, 22-2-1 (1), posted a ten round UD against Germaine Sanders, 27-7 (17), while welter Damian Frias, 16-1 (7), pulled off a ten round points verdict against Edwin Algarin, 10-6-1 (6).

Heavyweight Darrel Madison, 13-1 (3), defeated Domonic Jenkins, 13-11-1 (6), after six rounds on points.

The new-look middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr., 19-1-1 (9), has developed an invaluable relationship, like a younger brother, with former world light heavyweight and current title challenger Glen Johnson as they’ve sparred together for their upcoming fights. More...

Team McGirt has reevaluated middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr., 19-1-1 (9), and, after considerable soul searching, has collectively decided that the 26 year old southpaw will return to old-school training and incorporate a more aggressive attack in order to take better advantage of his hand speed, as well as to avoid his frustrating “fight to the level of his opponent” pattern.

McGirt’s somewhat up-and-down career, at least of late, found him losing for the first time on April 11 to a fighter he had out on his feet, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon, rebounding from that with an impressive performance on ESPN to defeat former IBO and WBU middleweight champion Raymond “Hallelujah” Joval by 10-round decision last July, which moved McGirt up as high as No. 8 in The Ring’s ratings, but then fighting a disappointing 10-round draw with novice Marcus Upshaw in his last contest this past November. More...

How a pro boxer responds to adversity usually separates contenders from pretenders. Highly-regarded world middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr.,19-1 (9), coming off of his first career loss, passed his first major test June 25 on national television, winning a unanimous 10 round decision against former IBO and WBU Middleweight champion Raymond “Hallelujah” Joval, 37-5 (16). More...

It's a trio of excellence; a former world champion, a top contender, and a star on the rise. On Tuesday, November 11, these three boxing stalwarts – Glen Johnson, Edison Miranda, and James McGirt Jr. – will step into the ring at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida to show the world once again what happens when the bad boys of boxing put the gloves on. More...

Leading up to tonight's big showdown between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, there were a few good cards across the states last night and we start this report with the amazing comeback of Antonio Diaz, 43-5-1 (29), who came off a three year hiatus to overcome Felix Flores, 22-7 (16), by majority decision to annex the vacant WBO Latino Light Middleweight title at the Civic Centre in Kissimmee, Florida.

33 year old Diaz challenged unsuccessfully for two world titles at welterweight, losing to Shane Mosley and Margarito, but held wins over Corey Spinks, Mickey Ward, Emmanuel Augustus, Omar Weis and Ivan Robinson among others by the time of his most recent bout, a fifth round TKO over welterweight Roberto Ortega in August, 2005.

32 year old Flores, who also bid twice unsuccessfully for world titles, losing to DeMarcus Corley and Sharmba Mitchell, was coming off consecutive competitive losses to contenders Joshua Clottey and Cosme Rivera.

Against Flores last night, Californian Diaz gritted out a tough win over his Puerto Rican opponent, perhaps being the fresher man after such a long time out of the ring, and finds himself with exciting new career possibilities in the light middleweight division.

City Center in Saratoga Springs, New York was the site of middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr, 19-1 (9), winning the biggest fight of his career, a ten round decision over contender Raymond Joval, 37-5 (16).

Those in attendance at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas witnessed Jesus Soto Karass, 21-3-3 (15), winning the vacant NABF Welterweight crown by stopping Chicago hard man David Estrada, 22-5 (13), in the eighth frame. More...

Don’t expect to see middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr, 18-1 (9), betting horses at The Spa, the beautiful Saratoga Race Track, at least not until Saturday despite his spending several days this week in Saratoga Springs.

McGirt, coming off his first pro loss in April to Carlos DeLeon, Jr., broke camp Wednesday in Vero Beach, FL and headed north to upstate New York strictly on a business trip to get his career back on the right track. More...

Coming off of his first pro loss, James McGirt, Jr., 18-1 (9), very well could have settled on his next opponent being a confidence builder. However, instead of fighting somebody brought in to lose and make James look good, Team McGirt jumped at the opportunity to fight former IBO and WBU Middleweight Champion Raymond “Hallelujah” Joval, 37-4 (16), in the 10 round main event on the July 25 ESPN Friday Night Fights show at Saratoga Springs, New York. More...

Former IBO Middleweight Champion of the world Raymond Joval, 37-4 (16), will face off against rising prospect James "Buddy" McGirt Jr., 18-1 (9), on July 25 at the City Center in Saratoga Springs, NY in the 10-round main event.

The fight which will be aired on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights," will also mark the opening week of the 2008 Saratoga Race Track Season. This will be the fourth annual, "Night of Future Champions," card held in Saratoga Springs. More...

There’s nothing more devastating in boxing that than a hot prospect’s first pro loss, especially for someone such as James McGirt, Jr., 18-1 (9), whose last name alone makes opponents perform better. McGirt suffered his first set-back April 11 when another son of a former world champion, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon, Jr, 20-2-2 (12), stopped James in the seventh round of their ShoBox co-feature. More...

Click for larger image © Javiel Centeno for Fight Wire Images

One night before the light heavyweight world championship doubleheader in on Showtime Championship Boxing, ShoBox: The New Generation showcased four legitimate prospects in two close and thrilling match-ups.

In the main event, a determined Edgar Santana escaped with a close majority decision over fellow hard-hitting prospect Josesito Lopez in a 10-round junior welterweight bout scored 94-94, 95-93 twice. More...

© Joe Esquivel

Josesito Lopez and Edgar Santana tipped the scales at 140 pounds during Thursday’s weigh-in at the Miccosukee Casino in Miami, FL. James McGirt, Jr. weighed in at 166 ½ pounds while Carlos De Leon, Jr. measured 167 pounds. More...

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Friday night at the Miccosukee Resort in Miami, Florida, undefeated Super Middleweight James McGirt Jr 18-0 (9) will face Carlos De Leon Jr 19-2-2 (12) in his first scheduled ten round bout live on Showtime’s Shobox, the New Generation.

No pun intended but the “new generation” is just what James McGirt Jr has become. He is the son of former World Champion James “Buddy” McGirt and has already made his own claim rising up the ranks of the heavily talented Super Middleweight division.

Only in the professional ranks for the past four years McGirt Jr fought in both the Middleweight and Super Middleweight divisions deciding to compete specifically at the 168 pound weight class last year. He has been very active in his career fighting five times in 2007 and looking to stay just as busy in 2008.

Saddoboxing had the pleasure of speaking with McGirt Jr at his father’s gym in Florida in an exclusive phone interview as he wrapped up his training camp. More...

The marketing of unbeaten super middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. (18-0, 9 KOs) spikes Friday night when the son of former world champion James “Buddy” McGirt fights in his first scheduled 10-round bout against the offspring another ex-world title holder, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon, Jr. (19-2-2, 12 KOs), in the 10-round co-feature on ShoBox, airing live from Miccosukee Resort in Miami. More...