‘Preview’

© Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

Can 34 year old former three weight world champion Erick Morales compete against one of today's top light welterweights? The Mexican legend will answer that question tonight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV as he faces Marcos Maidana for the Interim WBA title.

From 1997 to 2004 Morales, 51-6 (35), terrorized the super bantam, feather and super featherweight divisions, winning WBC, WBO and IBF titles and only coming up short against Marco Antonio Barrera in bouts two and three of their exciting trilogy.

His masterful 2005 defeat of Manny Pacquiao was the last great win, to date, of his career as he then consecutively lost to Zahir Raheem, Manny Pacquiao on two occasions and then to David Diaz at lightweight before hanging up the gloves in 2007. More...

WBO super middle champ Robert Stieglitz defends against challenger Khoren Gevor this evening at Bordelandhalle in Magdeburg, Germany.

Stieglitz, 39-2 (23), has won eight straight appearances since losing an IBF title eliminator to Librado Andrade in 2008, but this could be the Russian's hardest defense yet as the 29 year old has thus far retained on three occasions against opponents Enrique Ornelas, Eduard Gutknecht and Ruben Eduardo Acosta since winning the belt against Karoly Balszay in August, 2009.

Gevor, 31-5 (16), will be making his fourth run at world honors after getting stopped by IBF middleweight king Arthur Abraham in 2007, nearly dethroning WBA middleweight champ Felix Sturm in 2009 and most recently suffering a points loss to WBA super middle boss Dimitri Sartison in last July. More...

Big heavyweight action hits Germany once again tonight as WBC champion Vitali Klitschko makes a defense against mandatory challenger Odlanier Solis at Lanxess Arena in Cologne.

This bout has been a long time coming, or at least Team Solis has been calling long and loud for it in their seemingly unending press campaign to get the older Klitschko brother in the ring.

And that has been a bit of a trend for most of Klitschko's title fights since returning from a four year exile and without fail, all of those bouts were very one-sided affairs with the champion just outfighting the competition.

However, Klitschko is nearing 40 years of age and logically it has to be assumed that the calendar will catch up with the Ukrainian giant at some point, but will that take place this evening?

Former Cuban amateur star Solis definitely thinks that will be the case but will he be able to succeed in an endeavor that has been past every opponent save Lennox Lewis over the last eight years?

Solis could be the best boxer that Klitschko has faced since the Lewis bout but it is hard to tell. The 30 year old challenger hasn't tangled with anyone truly dangerous over the course of his four year pro career as the recent lineup of Ray Austin, Carl Davis Drummond and Monte Barrett stand as the height of Solis' pro opposition to date. More...

One of the world's top super middleweights is in action on Saturday in his adopted hometown of Montreal, as Lucian Bute puts his IBF crown on the block against Irishman Brian Magee at the Bell Centre.

Bute, 27-0 (22), has held the title for over three years since stopping Alejandro Berrio in 2007 and then holding onto it by mere seconds against Librado Andrade a year later.

The 31 year old native Romanian then tted himself by stopping Andrade in their rematch in 2009 and spent 2010 halting Edison Miranda and most recently, Jessie Brinkley this past October.

But Bute has never really mixed with genuine top tier opposition and that trend continues with the selection of opponent Magee.

Magee, 34-3-1 (21), is certainly a solid operator and the former IBO and current European champion will no doubt come to fight in his only major world title shot to date, but the 35 year old is without question the underdog here.

In this battle of southpaws, Bute will have almost all the advantages; height, youth, quickness, skill and punching power but Magee has definitely faced some experienced opponents and his challenge does present a tough test for the champion. More...

The world's top middleweight is an action tonight as Sergio Martinez faces WBO light middle titlist Serhiy Dzinziruk at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT with the vacant WBC Diamond belt at stake in an all-southpaw battle.

36 year old native Argentine Martinez, 46-2-2 (25), labored in the shadows for a very long time until his big break came in the form of an Interim WBC light middle title clash against Alex Bunema in 2008. Martinez made the best of this opportunity, winning every round until Bunema didn't answer the bell for the ninth.

Martinez then kept onto the title via majority draw in 2009 against ex-IBF welter beltholder Kermit Cintron before moving up to middleweight and losing a controversial majority draw to ex-WBO welter ruler Paul Williams, in which both combatants were canvassed in a withering first round.

2010 was the best year for Martinez as the California resident pulled off a shocking upset of WBC/WBO middleweight king Kelly Pavlik before producing an equally stunning one punch second round KO of Williams in a hotly anticipated rematch.

In particular it was the second Williams result which has catapulted Martinez into the top ten pound for pound standings but will he suffer a letdown in tonight's contest against Dzinziruk? More...

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Tonight at The Honda Center in Anaheim, California, ‘Magic’ Matthew Hatton 41-4-2 26 KO’s, takes on Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 35-0-1 26 KO’s, for the vacant WBC light middleweight belt.

This will be the first world title shot for both fighters, and probably Hatton’s last. Hatton has had a hard career, with his fair share of ups and downs, and the high point, so far, being his European title victory beating of Gianluca Branco in early 2010.

Alvarez, on the other hand, has had things pretty much his way. His only blemish on record is a draw very early in his career, and last year he was wobbled against tough contender Jose Miguel Cotto, albeit having regained composure, Alvarez put Cotto down in the second, and finished him in the ninth.

Hatton has often been overlooked as nothing more than an opponent with a famous brother and a famous last name. The truth of the matter is Hatton may not be the most beautifully gifted boxer in the world, nor is he a knockout artist, but he makes up for that with work-rate, determination, steely resolve and a good chin.

For someone who is perhaps not the most talented fighter, he has accomplished a great deal with the tools he does have at his disposal.

With some early hiccups on the record, his 14th and 16th fights he lost, the former on points, the latter by TKO. He continued to climb the domestic ladder whilst big brother Ricky shot off into big money fights and world title shots.

After a while, Matthew got his shot at an eliminator for the British title against Alan Bosworth. Hatton was disqualified in the tenth round for repeated low blows. More...

Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ sees a clash between Zab Judah and Kaiser Mabuza for the vacant IBF light welter crown.

For Judah, 40-6 (27), this bout is the culmination of his return to the 140 pound division, where he held the IBF belt from 2000-2001 and the WBO strap in 2003 before going on to greater glory as a welter, winning the WBC, WBA and IBF titles in 2005.

The New York southpaw hit upon hard times at the starting in 2006, losing the WBC bauble at the hands of Carlos Baldomir before dropping world title contests to Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey over the next two years.

Starting in 2010, Judah returned to light welter, halting former WBC interim lightweight ruler Jose Armando Santa Cruz in three before climbing off the canvas to post a very close split decision over the previously unbeaten Lucas Matthysse to capture the NABO trophy and also the number two spot in the IBF and WBO rankings.

Facing Judah in Newark tomorrow night is South Africa's Mabuza, 23-6-3 (14), who brings an eight contest winning streak to the table.

Mabuza had a tough start in the fight game in 2000, losing his maiden voyage to fellow debutante and future IBF welter titlist Issac Hlatshwayo, who also turned back Mabuza in 2003 for the South African lightweight trophy. More...

The Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV sees WBA lightweight titlist Miguel Acosta face challenger Brando Rios this evening in a hotly anticipated 135 pound showdown.

For Colombia's Acosta, 28-3-2 (22), this is a chance to prove that his only two world level contests, stoppages of Urbano Antillon and Paulus Moses, in which Acosta won the WBA belt last May, were no fluke.

At age 24, California based Rios, 26-0-1 (19), will have the youth advantage over the 33 year old champion but has even less high level experience than Acosta, having defeated Anthony Peterson and Jose Luis Teran in 2010 as the only opponents of note on his resume.

Rios also hasn't gone past seven rounds since 2008 when he was held to a draw by scrappy Manuel Perez, which Rios amended with a stoppage victory a year later.

Acosta also doesn't have a lot of late round experience but then again with the punching power possessed by both fighters, this contest won't likely go the limit anyway.

The undercard tonight sees young undefeated featherweight Robert Marroquin, 18-0 (14), going up against durable Mexican Gilberto Sanchez Leon, 30-7-2 (10), in a scheduled eight rounder.

The towering Leon is just one bout removed from a majority decision loss to Eloy Perez for the NABO super feather title and the campaigner from Mexicali could give Dallas based Marroquin a lot of trouble in this one.

A hotly anticipated clash at bantamweight takes place tonight as WBC/WBO champ Fernando Montiel puts his belts at risk against top flyweight Nonito Donaire this evening at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Casino.

Despite the general idea that this is a 50-50 fight or possibly that Donaire is the favorite, Montiel, 44-2-2 (34), has an enormous edge in title experience.

The 31 year old Mexican held the WBO flyweight, WBO super fly, WBO and WBC bantam belts over the course of 19 contests, going 17-2 (13), in those bouts, losing only to Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson by majority decision in 2003 and Jhonny Gonzalez by split decision in 2006.

Donaire, 25-1 (17), leaped into world class attention when he came down as NABF super fly champ to shockingly halt previously undefeated IBF/IBO flyweight champ Vic Darchinyan in 2007.

The 28 year old Filipino kept those belts over three defenses before capturing the Interim WBA super fly strap in 2009, retaining that once before moving to bantam in his most recent outing, a fourth round KO of iron-chinned former WBA 118 pound boss Volodymyr Sydorenko in December for the vacant WBC Continental Americas trophy. More...

In a fascinating trade fight tonight, two 140 pound champions, Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley and Devon Alexander, come face to face in a unification bout at the Silverdome in Detroit.

Amir Khan aside, this is a fight between the top 2 in the division. With Khan as a possible future opponent this is definitely a chance for bragging rights for the two unbeaten Americans.

British fight fans will of course know these men from their wins over former champion Junior Witter in world title fights. In May, 2008 as underdog, Bradley travelled to Nottingham, England to outpoint an at the time a red hot Witter over 12 hard fought rounds.

Since then Bradley has defended five times. The biggest win since winning the title was a unification victory over Kendall Holt in Montreal in 2009.

For Alexander, he picked up the vacant WBC title in August 2009 with a seventh round injury victory over former champion Junior Witter. Although a hand injury prevented Witter from going on, Alexander was well in control. Respected names such as Juan Urango and Andriy Kotelnik have since been defeated in defences.

So what happens tonight? Rumour has it that ticket sales are low for this one which surprises me considering its an unification fight between two respected unbeaten fighters. That being said we should see some good action whether there's one person or a million. More...

McDonnell, 15-2-1 7 KO’s, makes his second defense of his European Bantamweight title, in Doncaster, England tonight against Belgian Stephane Jamoye 19-1-0 9 KO’s.

McDonnell had a good 2010, beating Ian Napa at the beginning of the year. He followed that up by travelling over to France to challenge for the European title held by Jerome Arnould, who he knocked out in 10, and rounded it all up by stopping Italian prospect Rodrigo Bracco in three rounds.

Jamoye is a good fighter; a swarming opponent and will probably play the part of the aggressor against McDonnell. He carries a little pop in his punch, no more than McDonnell, and has a great engine and a solid chin, much like McDonnell.

In fact they have similar qualities as fighters. Both have shown us grit and determination, they have both shown that they have no problem going over to another fighter’s backyard and doing the business.

The sole loss on Jamoye’s record is to undefeated Tomoki Kameda in a split decision battle, and notably one of the three times he has fought abroad.

Jamoye’s last fight was a cracker, against Giovanni Jaramillo, who was going into that fight undefeated, a real slugfest of a fight that ended in Jamoye stopping Spaniard Jaramillo in the 11th round, in Spain.

Where he may appear crude at times, it is in the trenches where Jamoye is happiest. McDonnell can sometimes be drawn into a slugfest, he is not afraid to stand and trade, although this would probably not be the best gameplan.

Jamoye is the kind of fighter that will wear opponents down, McDonnell needs to stick and move, fight off the back foot use his movement and accuracy to pick his shots and move off. More...

Thursday night at the Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan sees WBA super flyweight champion Hugo Fidel Cazares put his belt at risk against local hero Hiroyuki Hisataka.

Cazares, 33-6-2 (24), has defended the WBA crown on two occasions since winning it from Nobuo Nashiro, ironically in the same venue as Thursday's bout will take place, this past May.

The 32 year old puncher from Los Mochis, Mexico previously held the WBO light fly strap from 2005-2007 and will be the more experienced man on Thursday, having participated in 12 world title bouts.

His opponent, 25 year old Osaka man Hisataka, 19-8-1 (8), is coming off a rematch victory over previously unbeaten Panomroonglek Kaiyarn-Hadaogym for the WBC international silver fly title and twice mounted failed bids for the WBA flyweight trophy over the past two years.

But Hisataka has never tested the waters at super fly, putting him at a distinct disadvantage against Cazares, who has competed at 115 pounds over his last six contests.

Hisataka will have to maximize his advantages in youth and the local venue if he is to walk out of Osaka with the WBA belt and he can best do that by attempting to outwork Cazares. More...

© Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

Tonight, Great Britain takes on the world as James De Gale, Nathan Cleverly, Amir Khan, Matthew Macklin, Frankie Gavin, Tony Bellew and Kell Brook are all fighting…not each other, in a massive royal rumble type of affair…individually of course.

Amir Khan is topping the bill and leading the charge as he defends his world light welterweight title against Argentine danger man Marcos Maidana. Nathan Cleverly looks to secure his own title shot, in an eliminator for the WBO light heavyweight crown against Alejandro Lakatos.

James De Gale looks to end his year in style by fighting Paul Smith for his British title and on paper it’s a massive step up for De Gale, but it should be just the test he is looking for.

European light middleweight champion Matthew Macklin fights Ruben Varon whilst Kell Brook fights unknown African Philip Kotey.

Tony Bellew fights Ovill Mckenzie and Frankie Gavin fights Dean Harrison for the vacant WBO inter-continental light-welter weight title.

Let us begin with James De Gale, who has a hard night’s work ahead of him. Paul Smith, 29-1, 15 KO’s, is a seasoned operator. Smith has been performing at domestic level for a good few years now and feels that perhaps it is his time to move on to world honours. More...

Tonight, the bantamweight division gets it's own tournament at Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington as Yhonny Perez rematches Joseph Agbeko and Vic Darchinyan squares off with Abner Mares.

Perez, 20-0-1 (14), won the IBF title from Agbeko, 27-2 (22), when the pair initially fought a year ago as Colombian native Perez simply outboxed the tough Ghanaian, securing a points verdict after 12 rounds, dropping Agbeko in the tenth frame.

Agbeko has vowed to produce a performance equal to his IBF title winning upset of Darchinyan 15 months ago but he'll likely have to catch the quicker Perez and at least floor the champion if he is to regian his old belt.

Perez, who was held to a draw against Mares in May, can't afford a similar lapse in focus and must avoid the kind of slugfest that Agbeko will try to force.

In the second bout, Darchinyan, 35-2-1 (27), should have his hands full against Mares, 20-0-1 (13), who at 25 is nine years younger than the Australian based southpaw, in their clash for the IBO belt and WBC silver crown. More...

WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto headlines a big fight card tonight from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, putting his belt at risk against contender Urbano Antillon.

Soto has reigned for two defense following a three defense run as WBC super feather kingpin but the 30 year old from Tijuana was given a stiff test last time out as unheralded challenger Fidel Monterrosa Munoz mounted the fight of his career during a unanimous decision loss.

Tonight, Soto, 53-7-2 (32), will look to stifle the ambition of 28 year old Los Angeles area resident Antillon, 28-1 (20).

Antillon has won two in a row since his KO loss to Miguel Acosta last year in a bout for the Interim WBA lightweight title, including a WBA title eliminator last time out in which the Californian won nearly every round against Rene Gonzalez this past May.

If Soto, who has only lost to Kevin Kelly, Joan Guzman and Francisco Lorenzo during the last ten years, is up for this one, it will be difficult for Antillon to win the bout.

Also on the bill, ex-world flyweight and super fly champion Nonito Donaire, 24-1 (16), meets former WBA bantamweight titlist Volodymyr Sydorenko, 22-2 (7), over 12 rounds at bantam.

Undefeated featherweight Miguel Angel Garcia, 23-0 (19), takes on Canadian prospect Olivier Lontchi, 18-1-2 (8), over ten frames.