James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) defeated Andre Dirrell (24-2, 16 KOs) by unanimous decision on Saturday to win the vacant IBF super middleweight title at the Agganis Arena in Boston, Massachusetts.
The British 2008 Olympic gold medallist scored two crucial knockdowns in the second round on the way to winning by a verdict of 114-112 twice and 117-109.
It was 12 close, gruelling rounds that saw the two southpaws box, attack and counter in equal measures.
DeGale started the fight as the aggressor and…
Povetkin halts Perez in one and sets up WBC title shot
Former world heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21 KOs) scored a spectacular first round knockout over Mike Perez (21-2, 13 KOs) in a WBC eliminator on Friday night at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow, Russia.
The 2004 super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist hurt Perez with a right to the head and the Cuban southpaw never really recovered.
Moments later, the Russian dropped Perez with a crushing right hand from in close. Perez got back to his feet but was done. However, referee Massimo…
Keith Thurman to defend against Luis Collazo on July 11
WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman (25-0, 21 KOs) will fight former champion Luis Collazo (36-6, 19 KOs) on July 11 in Tampa, Florida.
Thurman, 26, defeated former two-division world champion Robert Guerrero by a one-sided decision in March in his last outing and was seeking fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. But for now he will have to settle for 34-year-old southpaw Collazo.
This has got to be seen as a step down for the champion because Collazo hasn’t done much in…
Terry Flanagan to fight Jose Zepeda for world title on July 11
British contender Terry Flanagan (27-0, 10 KOs) will fight Jose Zepeda (23-0, 20 KOs) for the vacant WBO lightweight title on July 11 in front of his home fans at the Velodrome in Manchester.
In a battle of the unbeatens, the Manchester man takes on the American visitor for the 135-pound title recently vacated by Terence Crawford, who moved up in weight and stopped Thomas Dulorme to claim the vacant WBO light welterweight belt in April.
Promoter Frank Warren said: “I’ve delivered Terry his…
Golovkin outguns Monroe, Gonzalez hammers Sosa
Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs) stopped Willie Monroe Jr. (19-2, 6 KOs) in the 6th round to retain his WBA and WBC interim middleweight titles on Saturday night at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
The Kazakh puncher dropped the American challenger three times on the way to scoring his 20th straight stoppage, which is the highest knockout percentage in middleweight title history.
Golovkin came out strong in the first round, landing some hard shots, backing Monroe up, and then, midway through…
Adrien Broner vs Shawn Porter set for June 20
Former world champions Adrien Broner (30-1, 22 KOs) and Shawn Porter (25-1-1, 16 KOs) will battle it out on June 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The scheduled 12-round bout will be contested at a catchweight of 144 pounds.
Broner, who has won world titles at super featherweight, lightweight and welterweight, has won three fights in a row since losing his WBA welterweight belt to Marcos Maidana by decision in an upset in December 2013. After the points defeat he dropped down to…
Anthony Crolla to challenge WBA champion Darleys Perez on July 18
Britain’s Anthony Crolla (29-4-2, 11 KOs) will challenge WBA lightweight champion Darleys Perez (32-1, 20 KOs) on July 18 at the Manchester Arena.
Crolla landed a world title shot after wins against domestic foes Gavin Rees, Stephen Foster Jr. and John Murray. But he suffered a fractured skull and broken ankle in an attack while confronting intruders at his neighbours’ house, and was forced to pull out of a scheduled bout with then champion Richar Abril in January.
But now he returns to the…
Kid Galahad to appeal against two-year ban
British super bantamweight contender Kid Galahad (18-0, 9 KOs) has been handed a two-year ban for a failed UK Anti-Doping test, but he is appealing against it.
Galahad, 25, claims that his brother Mageed, currently in prison for other offences, spiked a protein shake after an argument, which led to a failed urine sample for the banned steroid Stanolozol, given in September last year.
His brother has since signed a sworn affidavit to the UK Anti-Doping Panel admitting he did spike the former…
Nicholas Walters set to meet Miguel Marriaga on June 13
WBA featherweight champion Nicholas Walters will fight unbeaten challenger Miguel Marriaga (20-0, 18 KOs) on June 13 at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York.
Walters, 29, known as “The Axe Man, is regarded by many as the elite featherweight in the world after crushing knockout wins over Vic Darchinyan and Nonito Donaire. Next the Jamaican puncher will defend his WBA title against Colombian Marriaga, who has already defeated him. He owns an amateur victory against Walters in a 2008 Olympic…
Scott Quigg to defend WBA title against Kiko Martinez on July 18
Britain’s Scott Quigg (30-0-2, 22 KOs) will defend his WBA super bantamweight title against former IBF titlist Kiko Martinez (32-5, 24 KOs) on July 18 at the Manchester Arena.
Quigg has not fought since his points victory over Japan’s Hidenori Otake in November because of hand surgery, but he will be back on home turf against tough Spaniard Martinez, whose only two defeats in more than five years have come against Quigg’s rival Carl Frampton.
“I was very busy and the break has done me good – I…