Zelfa Barrett will face Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for the vacant IBF Super-Featherweight World Title on a huge night of World Championship boxing at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Saturday November 5, live to subscribers worldwide on DAZN (excluding South Korea and MENA).

Joe Cordina was set to make the first defence of his IBF World Title on the stacked undercard of Dmitry Bivol’s WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title clash with Mexico’s Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez, but the Welshman suffered a hand injury that required surgery and was subsequently stripped of his title by the IBF.

Manchester’s Barrett (28-1, 16 KOs) is ranked at No.2 with the IBF and is next in line to fight for the famous red and gold belt against the IBF’s No.1 ranked Super-Featherweight Rakhimov (16-0-1, 13 KOs) – who gets a second opportunity to fight for the 130lbs crown following his draw with an overweight Joseph Diaz last year.

‘Brown Flash’ lands his dream World Title shot after a string of impressive wins that have pushed the 29-year-old up the world rankings, including a shutout points win over South Africa’s Bruno Tarimo in their World Title eliminator bout last December and another wide points win over Faroukh Kourbanov to claim the European Title at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena in June.

Olympic gold medal star Galal Yafai (2-0, 2 KOs) will defend his WBC International Flyweight Title against Mexico’s Gohan Rodriguez Garcia (12-1-1, 1 KO). The pair were originally slated to meet on the now postponed Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn undercard in London but will lock horns a month later on the historic ‘Champion Series’ event.

Kal Yafai (26-1, 15 KOs), older brother of Galal, fights for the first time since losing his WBA Super-Flyweight World Title to modern great Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez at The Ford Center at The Star, Frisco back in February 2020.

Hyde Lightweight prospect Campbell Hatton (8-0, 2 KOs), son of British boxing legend Ricky, goes for his fourth win of 2022 after notching wins over Joe Ducker at The O2 in February, Ezequiel Gregores at Manchester Arena in April and most recently Michal Dufek at Sheffield Arena in August.

Oldham Super-Featherweight Aqib Fiaz (9-0) fights outside of the UK for the first time as a pro when he meets Spain’s Diego Valtierra (6-5-2, 2 KOs) over 8 rounds, plus there’s action for Dubai Super-Featherweight Fahad Al Bloushi (10-1, 2 KOs), Dubai Lightweight Majid Al Naqbi (7-0, 4 KOs) and undefeated UAE Super-Flyweight Sultan Al Nuaimi (8-0).

“It’s amazing to be fighting for the IBF Super-Featherweight World Title in Abu Dhabi on a big show,” said Barrett. “I feel like it’s deserved. I had a World Title Eliminator last year and I’m ranked No.2 in the world with the IBF. I’ve been in the gym and I’ve always said I’m two fights away from being a World Champion. I beat Bruno Tarimo and then I beat Faroukh Kourbanov. So now I’m here and it’s my time to shine. 

“Rakhimov is a very good fighter. He comes forward, he’s aggressive and he’s got a good boxing brain. I’m expecting a tough fight and a tough 12 rounds. We’re going to have to work every second of every minute of every round. I’m preparing for that and I’m going to leave no stone unturned. We’re putting everything into this opportunity. 

“Of course you’d like more notice but I’ve been in the gym training and working hard anyway. When we got the call, we were ready. No doubt. Anyone would like more time to prepare but this is what makes me different to the other fighters. Some fighters get 12 weeks, some fighters get 10 weeks, I’ll do it in 6 and look good doing it too.”

“Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov against Zelfa Barrett for the vacant IBF Super-Featherweight World Title is another 50-50 fight for Abu Dhabi’s new ‘Champion Series’,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Rakhimov is a very good fighter. He’s a former IBO World Champion and has already fought for the IBF World Title. Zelfa is a guy who’s earned his shot. He fought an IBF Eliminator Tarimo and he’s ready to go. This is a massive opportunity for him in neutral territory on a huge show to go and change his life.

“Zelfa Barrett as World Champion against Joe Cordina coming back to try and regain his World Championship is a massive fight for British boxing. Joe will be really down and frustrated at the moment, but he will get that World Title shot as soon as he resumes his career – hopefully that will be against Zelfa Barrett and we’ll get a massive all-British fight. Three World Title fights and a stacked undercard featuring Olympic Champions, former World Champions and some of the best up and coming prospects from around the world – we can’t wait for November 5!”

Tickets for the World Title triple-header Dh 100, with limited VIP packages including ringside seats. All tickets are on sale at www.etihadarena.ae.

Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez defends his WBA World Super-Flyweight title against Israel Gonzalez tonight at TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City, Mexico live on DAZN – and says his win over former champion Kal Yafai is one of the proudest of his glittering career.

Chocolatito (49-2 41 KOs) handed Yafai a first career defeat with a dominant performance in Dallas in February with a ninth round KO to return to World champion status for the first time since losing his WBC strap to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in March 2017.

The Nicaraguan is heading for a rematch with WBC ruler Juan Francisco Estrada should he beat Gonzalez and ‘El Gallo’ gain a second win over Carlos Cuadras, and the 33 year old is proud of his performance against Yafai for setting up the possibility of a blockbuster second clash with the Mexican in 2021.

“I’m really proud because I’ve had the strength and blessings to win a World title again,” said Chocolatito. “After so many fights, the one against Kal Yafai and being crowned World champion again, it was one of the most satisfying victories of my life. 

“I did great work in training camp with my team, you’ve already seen the results and we’re doing the same and persevering through this time, so we are prepared to come out with our hand raised again.

“It’s a hard fight with Israel. You cannot look past anyone. He has to watch out, and so do I. We’re going to have a great fight, I always hope everything turns out well in the end. He’s coming in good shape and so am I, so we move forward.

“We are focused on Friday tonight, I think it’s going to be a difficult fight, like every fight is. The most important thing is coming in there in good shape, mentally and physically and coming out with my hand raised. After that, we can discuss many important things and we’ll see about the fight with Estrada.

“Thank God, I had that last opportunity i had in the fight with Yafai. We had that fight and then the pandemic happened. I went to my family. There were a lot of important things that I couldn’t do. 

“But God has his plans, it’s been hard these three months that I haven’t been home. I’ve missed my family, but I’ve been careful during the pandemic. And we’re still here, thank God. I know we’re all going to get through this, it’s been hard but we’re still here fighting.”

Chocolatito’s clash with Gonzalez is part of a huge fight night in Mexico City, topped by a triple header of mouthwatering World title action.

Juan Francisco Estrada (40-3 27 KOs) defends his WBC World Super-Flyweight title in a rematch with Carlos Cuadras (39-3-1 27 KOs) – with Estrada and Chocolatito on a collision course for a rematch should they both emerge victorious – and Julio Cesar Martinez (16-1 12 KOs) will now defend his WBC World Flyweight title against Moises Calleros (33-9-1 17 KOs).

Three of Eddie Hearn’s young tyros make their return to action on the bill, with Diego Pacheco (9-0 7 KOs) boxing for the tenth time in the paid ranks, Austin Williams (5-0 4 KOs) making a second foray outside the States in his sixth pro fight and Otha Jones III (5-0 2 KOs) also boxing for the sixth time as a pro.

By Bart Barry-

Editor’s note: Chocolatito City
was a five-part series written in the doldrums of 2016.

*

Saturday in Frisco, Texas, Nicaraguan Roman
“Chocolatito” Gonzalez defeated Birmingham’s Khalid Yafai by ninthround
knockout to snatch Yafai’s WBA super flyweight title surely as he snatched
Yafai’s consciousness with a gorgeous 1-2 that might’ve been a 3-2, aiming as
Chocolatito did for Yafai’s lead hand much as his head, then putting his cross,
the 2, square on Yafai’s open chin.  If
it was the last great fight legend tells us remains within every great fighter,
well, it was just that.

Evidently the reports of Chocolatito’s demise have
been greatly exaggerated – even by sources
esteemed as this one.  Perhaps it was
a misplaced desire to put a neat bookend on an era or to justify not-traveling
a comparatively small distance to see a legend win another title fight,
especially after traveling a lot farther to see him washed and folded in
Carson, Calif.

Whatever it was it didn’t work, and worse yet, it
caused a tempering of joy for what did work. 
While picking against Tyson Fury a couple weeks ago did nothing to detract
from the emotion of watching him denude Deontay “Wardrobe Malfunction” Wilder,
oddly writing disparagingly of Chocolatito’s comeback detracted from the
experience of his prevailing in Frisco.  As
an underdog.

Somewhere it already must be written or said a
reliable mark of greatness is winning a match as a betting underdog.  The bookmakers know what they’re doing
because all they’re doing is balancing a ledger, and selforganization of those
who suspect themselves experts enough to wager zealously on a prizefight dictates
their balanced ledger comprises wisdom. 
The chalk, as it’s known, is right far more often than boxing
experts.  And the chalk had Yafai a
slight favorite.

The usefulness of the chalk in evaluating
greatness is how infrequently the chalk gets fooled by prefight gimmickry;
where socialmedia posts cost a few seconds and seek to game imagined popularity
metrics a man who places a wager with a bookmaker has a financial incentive to
ignore what promotional noise the rest of us feed on.  Some of us bet $20 to enjoy a fight more,
surely, but those sorts of bets don’t move the chalk.

Let’s treat Big Drama Show for a moment, here, as
his case is proper illustrative.  During
his “historic” reign as middleweight champion, how often did Gennady Golovkin beat
men favored to beat him?

Well, never, because, duh, everyone in the world
was afraid of him so he had no choice but to fight little guys whom bookmakers
knew had no chance of beating him!

What might’ve happened had he plied his wares against
men who weighed 168 pounds rather than 148? 
The chalk would’ve reflected that, making Andre Ward, for instance, a
comfortable favorite and likely making both BJ Saunders and Callum Smith narrow
favorites, because the chalk knew Golovkin’s power wouldn’t travel, whatever
the HBO hype machine screamed at us. 
Thus, had Golovkin dared to be great and challenged a super middleweight
titlist during his prime and beaten someone oddsmakers favored over him, his
legacy would be different from what it will be, no matter the outcomes of his subsequent
matches with Canelo – whom historians will place 50 or so spots above him.

Did Chocolatito deserve to be an underdog
Saturday?  Yes.  He got stopped right brutally 2 1/2 years ago
by someone, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, whom aficionados regard as excellent more
than unbeatable.  As Gallo Estrada showed
us a year ago, a prime Chocolatito should not be iced by any version of Sor
Rungvisai – hence the version of Chocolatito who did get stretched was not
prime.

If at age 32 Chocolatito is not quite ancient for a
former world minimumweight champion he is close, and he’s also matching
himself, at 115 pounds, with men who absorb punches multiples better than 105-pounders
do because, as we know, fighters gain weight on their chins more than their
fists.  Some of what happened Saturday, too,
was about styles.

Power punchers like Sor Rungvisai, who get foiled
often by defensive specialists, treat volume guys like Chocolatito much as a
threshing machine treats dry husks, while volume guys like Chocolatito tend to
overwhelm stylists like Yafai – which is why Sor Rungvisai’s decision to box
with a stylist like Estrada wasn’t wrongheaded as reported and neither was Yafai’s
decision to switch from cutiepie to enforcer when matched with a
volume-punching genius (whom he was never going to dissuade with defensive
precision).

Wait, but BK and Latin Snake told us a hundred
times each . . . Yes, yes, I know – Yafai is a former Olympian who foolishly abandoned
the strategy they scripted for him.  Well,
guess what, guys, if Gallo Estrada couldn’t foil Chocolatito with a jab,
there’s no chance in this iteration of the universe or the next Yafai could,
and to Yafai’s credit, he got that almost instantly and did what he calculated,
as a former Olympian, gave him the best chance.

Because it didn’t work doesn’t mean it was wrong; Chocolatito
in his prime, at, say, 108 pounds, cut guys like Yafai in half in five rounds;
seven pounds and seven years beyond his prime, it turns out, Chocolatito still
has enough to raze guys like Yafai in nine rounds.  Yafai might have boxed his way to a dull and
lopsided-decision loss to Chocolatito. 
Instead he made an entertaining gamble on his own size and
strength.  He lost his title but gave us
an unforgettable experience.

I’ll take more of that, please.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Mikey Garcia returned from his 1st professional loss by winning a 12-round unanimous decision over Jessie Vargas at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

After winning the first four rounds, Vargas was caught by a big right that wobbled him. Garcia followed up with another booming right that put Vargas down in the corner.

Garcia took over and won the next several rounds and gained control of the fight. Vargas tried to make a last stand and landed a couple decent shots in the closing rounds, but was wobbled again in round’s 10 and 12.

Garcia, 145.8 lbs of Oxnard, CA won by scores of 116-111 twice and 114-113 and is now 40-1. Vargas, 147 lbs of Las Vegas is 29-3-2.

Former Pound for Pound King Roman Gonzalez won the WBA Super Flyweight title with a 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated former champion Kal Yafai.

Gonzalez beat up and wore down Yafai and in round eight dropped Yafai with a combination. Gonzalez ended things with a perfect right to the jaw that plummeted Yafai to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 29 seconds of round nine.

Gonzalez, 114 lbs of Managua, NIC is 49-2 with 41 knockouts. Yafai, 114.8 lbs of Birmingham, UK is 26-1.

Julio Cesar Martinez retained the WBC Flyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Jay Harris.

It was a close fight that saw both men have their way during the encounter.

In round five, Harris started to bleed around his left eye.

In round ten, Martinez dropped Harris with a hard body shot.

Martinez, 111.4 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 118-109, 116-111 and 115-112 and is now 16-1. Harris, 111.6 lbs of Wales is 17-1.

Former heavyweight titlist, Joseph Parker stopped Shawndell Winters in round five of a scheduled 10-round bout.

In round three, Parker dropped Winters with a hard right. In round four, Parker was cut under the right eye. In round five, Parker landed a ripping three punch combination to the head that sent Winters to the canvas. The fight was stopped at 2:40

Parker, 245.4 lbs of New Zealand is 27-2 with 21 knockouts. Winter, 208 lbs of Illinois is 13-3.

Israil Madrimov stopped Charlie Navarro in round six of a scheduled 10-round junior middleweight elimination bout.

Madrimov dominated the action and dropped Navarro twice in round six. The first was a hard left to the body. Navarro looked done, and he was seconds later as Madrimov landed a hard right to the body that sent Navarro down again and the fight was stopped at 2:24

Madrimov, 153.2 lbs of Uzbekistan is 5-0 with five knockouuts. Navarro, 153.2 lbs of Panama is 29-10.

Good looking super middleweight prospect Diego Pacheco won an easy six-round unanimous decision over Oscar Riojas.

Pacheco was dominant with right hand and staggered Riojas in the final moment of the fight.

Pacheco, 167.4 lbs of Los Angeles won by scores of 60-54 and is now 9-0. Riojas, 167.4 lbs of Mexico is 21-13-1.

Alexis Espino won a six-round unanimous decision over Delvecchio Savage in a super middleweight bout.

Savage began to bleed from the nose in the 5th round.

Espino, 165 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice and is now 6-0. Savage, 163.6 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is 3-6-1.

By Bart Barry-

Three Saturdays from now a comain at the Dallas
Cowboys’ practice facility will feature Nicaragua’s Roman “Chocolatito”
Gonzalez, the once king of our beloved sport. 
Chocolatito will challenge Birmingham’s Khalid Yafai for Yafai’s WBA
super flyweight world title.  It will be
the third time Chocolatito fights since what Srisaket Sor Rungvisai did to him
in 2017.  It likely won’t go well for
Chocolatito.

It’s the sort of return that appears to be financial-advisor-mandated
more than love-o’-the-game compelled.

How dare I? 
Well it’s the weight mostly.  In
some longlost video or other familiars of Chocolatito’s crowed after his second
and brutalest loss he’d been manipulated somehow or other to make fights at super
flyweight.

Now he’s back at that weight in a tilt with a
legitimate titlist who knows how to punch and be punched at 115 pounds, and
more troublesome still: Yafai made his prizefighting debut at 122 3/4
pounds.  Chocolatito’s own debut, 15
years ago, happened at 108.  No need to
bore you with the maths, dear reader, but 14 pounds on a man who weighs not
much more than 100 is an appreciable bit, and more appreciable still on a man
who invites contact the way Chocolatito does. 

If there’s a lasting strike against Chocolatito as
a stylist it lies in how much he allows and always has allowed opponents’
gloves touch him.  Chocolatito is a
proper prizefighter and showman, mentored by a modern master of the craft, the
late Alexis Arguello, and the craft until recently required a man be punched to
achieve celebrity and wealth.  That is
how Chocolatito learned to fight, then, before men learned to extend their
careers by specializing in defense and mic skills, igniting in ticketbuyers a frothing
lust to see them slept, and pundits adapted themselves to modern metrics, going
along with a charade the best fighter is he who fights least.

If Chocolatito, pre-Rat King at least, did not
often catch punches flush on his chin he nevertheless caught plenty on his
shoulders and wrists.  Even a novel
dissuasion technique of his – hanging the hook between an opponent’s right shoulder
and ear such that the opponent’s cross necessarily drove Chocolatito’s left
knuckles into the side of his aggressor’s head – required an opponent’s right
wrist at least to crash against Chocolatito’s upper left arm or shoulder.

Which wasn’t any problem when Chocolatito was
young and nimble and big as those who challenged him.  That stopped quite abruptly in 2016, when Chocolatito
made a successful if illadvised challenge for Carlos Cuadras’ super flyweight
title.  Chocolatito did what he’d always
done and well as he’d always done it but the effect it took on Cuadras was disproportionately
less than anticipated.  And that
anticipated what’d come next even while few of us did.

Srisaket Sor Rungvisai is an excellent and
bruising prizefighter but hardly the man we expected to unseat the world’s
best.  Sor Rungvisai did so with quite a
bit of skill but even more physicality. 
Just that suddenly the headbutts and whatnots that favored Chocolatito,
always, favored his opponent moreso.  If
Chocolatito looked a man threadbaring himself in his first match of 2017 he
looked worn and desperate by September of that year, when Sor Rungvisai’s
misses moved him round the canvas.  Sor
Rungvisai was happy to trade with Chocolatito, and a few minutes into their
rematch it was a mismatch.

Not since Roy Jones Jr.’s collapse did a man
considered invincible look so immediately vincible.  Since then Chocolatito has been semiretired,
fighting twice in 29 months against men with a cumulative 10 losses and four
draws on their dossiers, sparring partners honored to share a mat with
him.  Even so.

A couple months ago in Tokyo against Diomel Diocos,
a man of impeccable courtesy and a chin that floats, Chocolatito looked
initially dull, needing a round and a half too long to victimize a designated
victim.  Because at 115 pounds his
punches no longer pack, Chocolatito exerts more throwing them, both tiring and disbalancing
himself; even the feckless Diocos managed to get an uppercut in position for
Chocolatito to impale himself.  Luckily
for Chocolatito, of course, Diocos, in the homestretch of a 1-4 year and seven
fights since his last knockout, hadn’t a prayer of hurting Chocolatito, who
looked more sheepish than vicious in finishing him.

Unluckily for Chocolatito, the whole thing now
looks a setup, doesn’t it?  In Frisco,
Chocolatito will fight under a British promotional banner a man the BBC calls Britain’s
longest reigning world champion.  What do
you think that portends?

Hint: “A chance to justify a rubber match with Sor
Rungvisai!” mightn’t be the answer.

No, the purpose of Yafai-Gonzalez is to get the
Brummie a hall-of-fame scalp en route to a higherpaying affair with higherweighing
men.  Fair is fair, right, and it’s all
in the game, yes, but one hates to see it in realtime, a man once an example of
boxing’s best qualities made an example of a different sort altogether.

A couple hours ago, when I set about this column,
I believe I planned to name it “Why I’ll be in Frisco” – and now I realize why I
won’t be.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Kal Yafai will defend his WBA World Super-Flyweight title against Norbelto Jimenez on Saturday June 29 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
**TICKETS FOR ANDRADE VS. SULECKI ARE ON SALE NOW – CLICK HERE**
Yafai (25-0 15 KOs) puts his title on the line for the fifth time and the Birmingham star returns to action following a points win over Israel Gonzalez in Monte Carlo in November. The unbeaten champion makes his second appearance on American soil after forcing David Carmona to retire after dominating the Mexican over seven rounds.

Yafai’s next obstacle in the way of the unification bouts he desires comes in the shape of mandatory challenger Jimenez (29-8-4 16 KOs), the Dominican man is unbeaten in 30 fights after turning his career around from early defeats, and the 28 year old will fight for the WBA belt for the second time having drawn against previous champion Kohei Kono back in 2014.

“I’m very excited to be back in action,” said Kal Yafai, who turns 30 today. “After my last fight I’ve got to go out there and win and look good doing so.

“He’s obviously going to be a good fighter because he’s my mandatory. I know he boxed for the World title nearly four and a half years ago against Kono and he drew in Japan. Since then he hasn’t really boxed fighters of a high calibre. It’s a long time to box guys at that level and then step up and fight someone like me. I’m looking to show everyone that I’m one of the finest World champions out there and make my mark in America.

“I fought in America last year and we all thought we were going to fight Jerwin Ancajas afterwards, the IBF Champion, but they didn’t seem to be up for it at all. It’s been a bit frustrating at times, and I had a hand injury earlier this year. After my last fight, and especially the performance, it’s given me that hunger to want it even more, to stay at the top and get those big fights. I think at times I’ve got a bit complacent, before my last fight, and that’s completely changed for this one so I’ll be at my game 100 per cent.

“It was a disappointing night for me in Monte Carlo. I didn’t perform how I’d normally like to perform. Everyone can see that that wasn’t myself in there that night but like I said on the night, I don’t like to make excuses. I get in the ring and I fight, and when I get in the ring to fight I should beat them up, at my best, and if I’m not at my best I shouldn’t be in the ring fighting. There’s a few things that I could have done better, but I’ve rectified all of my issues that I had going into that fight and hopefully I can show that it was just an off night in my last fight.”

“I want to say thank you for the opportunity to Team Yafai because they waited until the WBA ordered the fight and I became a mandatory challenger,” said Norbelto Jimenez. “I feel like they are underestimating me, and that make me happy because it motivates me every day much more. I thank Bélgica Peña of Shuan Boxing for the great support of many years, and also thanks to Golden Boy who is allowing me to be part of their family.

“It has been a long wait after fighting to a draw in Japan in my first world title opportunity. And now I just want to say that on June 29, the Dominican Republic will have a new world champion, and his name is Norbelto “Meneito” Jiménez.”

“This is a big fight for Kal, especially in light of what lays ahead,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “If he can beat Jimenez on June 29, it’s very likely his next fight will be a unification with pound for pound star Juan Estrada, so he must get the job done in Providence. It’s amazing that he now stands as Britain’s longest reigning World champion and we are expecting a top class display on a huge night of boxing.

Yafai’s clash with Jimenez is part of a blockbuster night of action in Providence as hometown hero Demetrius Andrade defends his WBO World Middleweight title against Poland’s Maciej Sulecki, while former Heavyweight world ruler Joseph Parker fights for the first time under his new deal with Matchroom Boxing USA.

Tickets are on sale NOW – with tickets starting at just $28 (including fees) from https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/010056AAED7788D1?brand=dunkindonuts&camefrom=cfc_dd_center_boxing19_web

Charlie Edwards says a domestic blockbuster with British rival Kal Yafai is “on the radar”, but he must first have to overcome former sparring partner Angel Moreno when he defends his WBC Flyweight World title for the first time at the Copper Box Arena this Saturday, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

The 25-year-old stepped down a division to claim the WBC crown with a classy points win over Cristofer Rosales at The O2 in December and has already expressed his desire to become an “all-time British great” by winning World titles in multiple weight divisions.

Edwards remains willing to settle his long-standing feud with 25-0 Yafai, who holds the WBA Super-Flyweight World title, although he has questioned whether the Birmingham man is willing to accept the fight.

“He’s on the radar, 100 per cent,” said Edwards. “It could be next, because I would have it next, but I know he won’t, so it probably won’t be next. I don’t think he wants to entertain me at all. He made that pretty clear during the year when I was trying to call for the fight.
“I’m focusing on my own path. These big fights will come now I have a World title and when they do I’ll be ready. I’m ready now to fight anyone and everyone. I’m ready to build a legacy, and have proper fights. To become a British great I’ll have to win World titles at multiple weights, and that’s exactly what I’ll do.

“When I moved down to Flyweight, I stated to Eddie, I’m ready for anyone and everyone, and that’s why he gave me the No 1 Flyweight in the division, and I went and did the performance that I did, and now I’m the No 1. I know I possess the self-belief and skill to become a World Champion in the Super-Flyweight division.”

Edwards vs. Moreno tops a huge night of action at the Copper Box Arena.

Rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi takes on former English Champion Liam Conroy for the vacant British title in his tenth fight.

London Cruiserweight rivals Lawrence Okolie and Wadi Camacho collide with the British and Cruiserweight titles on the line.

Geordie ace Lewis Ritson makes his debut at 140lbs as he takes on Argentina’s German Argentino Benitez for the WBA Inter-Continental title.

Undefeated Irish Middleweight talent Jason Quigley fights for the first time as a pro in the UK, Watford Bantamweight talent Shannon Courtenay makes her highly-anticipated professional debut and Newport Bantamweight talent Sean McGoldrick fights for the first time under new trainer Jamie Moore.

WBA 115 lb. world champion Kal Yafai will defend his title against Norbelto Jimenez, possibly on the Anthony Joshua – Jarrell Miller card on June 1st at Madison Square Garden, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Michael Hunter stopped Alexander Ustinov in round nine of their scheduled 12-round heavyweight bout.

In round eight, Hunter, who had been breaking down the 6’9″ Ustinov landed a big right hand to the head that sent Ustinov down. Ustinov got to his feet, bleeding from his forehead and wobbly. In the next frame, Hunter landed a series of punches that sent Ustinov down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:52.

Hunter, 213.8 lbs is now 16-1 with 11 knockouts. Ustinov, 278.8 lbs of Russia is 34-3.

Kal Yafai was fortunate to retain his WBA Super flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Israel Gonzalez.

Gonzalez seemed to have gotten the better of the action as he landed the combinations to Yafai’s one punch at a time. It would not have been an argument if Gonzalez would have received the nod by three or four points, but Yafai won by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 twice.

Yafai, 114.9 lbs of Birmingham, UK is 25-0, Gonzalez, 115 lbs of Mexico is 23-3.

2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner Daniyat Yeleussinov stopped Marco Mojica in round three of their scheduled eight-round welterweight fight.

In round two, Yeleussinov pelted Mojica with left hands until one put him on the canvas. Yeleussinov dropped Mojica to begin round three. Mojica seemed like he did not want to continue, but he stood in there and took a few more vicious shots until he ate a hrd uppercut and the bout was stopped at 1:10.

Yeleussinov, 147.7 lbs of Kazakhstan is 5-0 with three knockouts. Mojica, 145.9 lbs of Managua, NIC is 16-3-2.

Fanlong Meng remained undefeated with a 5th round stoppage over Frank Buglioni due to a cut.

In round five, Buglioni was cut around the right eye. It was a bad cut, and the bout was stopped at 1:58.

Meng, 174.1 lbs of China is 14-0 with nine knockouts. Buglioni, 174 lbs of England is 22-4-1.

Kal Yafai is targeting unification fights with the Super-Flyweight division’s other World Champions in 2019 should he get past Mexico’s Israel Gonzalez this Saturday at the Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco.

The unbeaten Birmingham star puts his WBA crown on the line for the fourth time against former World title challenger Gonzalez, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US, and is planning on delivering an explosive performance to end the year with a bang.

“The most important thing is winning and looking good in doing so,” said Yafai. “There’s some huge fights to be made in 2019 so I just need to get in there and do what I do best and impress. I’ll be looking to put on an explosive performance to end the year in style.

“Gonzalez looks like a tough fighter and he looks dangerous on the counter. From his record you can tell that he’s durable, so I’ve got to be on it. I’ll need to put in a solid performance to deal with him.

“I expect him to be looking to counter early on but then as the first three or four rounds go by, if it goes that far, he’ll realise that he can’t outbox me or counter me. He’ll have to resort to coming forward and applying pressure which won’t work out for him very well.”

Yafai emphatically announced himself in the US when he stopped David Carmona in seven rounds on his American debut at the Save Mart Arena in California earlier this year and is keen to fight in the States again next year.

“I really enjoyed my American debut. It was an exciting fight to be involved in and entertaining for the fans. Hopefully on Saturday I’ll do a good job on this guy, look good, and then head back over to America next year and get some big fights.

“I love the States and I love being over there. I’m looking forward to going back over there and impressing once again. I need to get the job done on Saturday and then we can look forward to an exciting 2019.”

Saturday will be the second World title attempt for Gonzalez (23-2, 10 KO’s) after he was stopped in ten rounds by IBF kingpin Jerwin Ancajas Bank of America Center in Texas. The feisty Filipino southpaw is no stranger to these shores having wiped out Jamie Conlan in 2017 and Yafai is eager for a blockbuster showdown with the Manny Pacquiao-promoted fighter.

“Jerwin Ancajas and Sor Rungvisai are obviously the two names that stick out,” added Yafai. “They hold the IBF and WBC belts so I’d like a crack at either of them next year. Donnie Nietes and Kazuto Ioka are fighting for the Vacant WBO title on New Year’s Eve so the winner of that is another option.

“Roman Gonzalez is still a massive name in the division and that would be a huge fight for me that would bring a lot of money to the table. It’s an exciting time to be fighting at 115lbs and I just need to make sure that I shine on Saturday.”

Yafai’s clash with Gonzalez is part of a huge night of action in Monaco.

Main event sees dangerous Russian Denis Lebedev defend his WBA Cruiserweight World title against undefeated American Mike Wilson.

Former World title challenger Frank Buglioni takes on undefeated Chinese amateur star Fanlong Meng for the IBF Inter-Continental Light-Heavyweight title.

Fresh from a shock win over highly-touted Heavyweight prospect Martin Bakole, America’s Michael Hunter steps in to face Russia’s Alexander Ustinov and Kazakhstan’s Rio Olympic gold medallist Daniyar Yeleussinov faces Marcos Mojica in his fifth professional contest.

Cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev and Super Flyweight beltholder Kal Yafai will defend their titles on on November 24th in Monte Carlo, and streamed on DAZN, according to Dan rafael of espn.com.

Headlining the card, which will stream live on DAZN in the United States, will be cruiserweight Denis Lebedev, a longtime titlist who had been named “champion in recess” during a 14-month layoff but is back for his second fight since returning. Lebedev (31-2, 23 KOs), 39, of Russia, will defend his version of the title against 35-year-old American Mike Wilson (19-0, 8 KOs), who will be taking a monumental step up in the level of his opposition.

In another world title bout on the card, junior bantamweight Khalid Yafai (24-0, 15 KOs), 29, of England, will defend his belt for the fourth time when he takes on Israel Gonzalez (23-2, 10 KOs), who has won two bouts in a row since losing a world title fight to Jerwin Ancajas by 10th-round knockout in February.

Heavyweight Zhang Zhilei (20-0, 16 KOs), 35, a two-time Chinese Olympian, who claimed a super heavyweight silver medal in 2008 and lost to reigning unified titleholder Anthony Joshua in the 2012 Games, will square off with Alexander Ustinov (34-2, 25 KOs), 41, a Belarus native, in a scheduled 12-round fight. In facing Ustinov, Zhang will be taking a big step up in opposition after facing a series of journeymen thus far.

In a 10-round bout on the card, light heavyweight Frank Buglioni (22-3-1, 16 KOs), 29, a former super middleweight world title challenger from of England, will fight Fanlong Meng (13-0, 8 KOs), 30, of China. Welterweight Daniyar Yeleussinov (3-0, 1 KO), 27, a southpaw who won a 2016 Olympic gold medal for Kazakhstan, will face an opponent to be determined in a six-round fight.

“I’m delighted to be back in Monaco for the third time for another fantastic night of world championship boxing,” Hearn said. “It’s always special to return to the Casino de Monte-Carlo. It’s a stunning setting that’s unique within boxing and will be broadcast and enjoyed by fight fans throughout the world.”