Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from your friends at The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast!

TWI Staff

Dustin's Corner: Gegard Mousasi Gets All He Can Handle in Bellator Debut

Finally! The People’s Red Head has returned to The Weigh-In!

Gegard Mousasi, who was on a five-fight win streak in the UFC, defected to Bellator after being continuously overlooked for title opportunities in the UFC. Many expected Mousasi to immediately establish dominance in Bellator. However, Alexander Shlemenko had other plans for Mousasi at Bellator 185.

Mousasi is known as a grappling specialist. He had to call upon these skills early in his Bellator debut. Mousasi showed some rust, which was to be expected. This was his first fight since April of this year.  In round one, an overhand left from Shlemenko swelled Mousasi’s eye badly. Mousasi then went to his knees faster than my high school prom date. However, Mousasi was attempting a take down, not anything high school prom related.

In round two, Mousasi took the back of Shlemenko and ended the round there. In true form, Mousasi showed why he is so feared, as Shlemenko could not shake him. Round two was huge because in round three, Shlemenko was connecting with punches. However, Mousasi was ultimately able to out point Shlemenko to his first Bellator victory.

It was not the dominant performance that the MMA world expected. However, Shlemenko showed why he is a former champion. No matter what the critics think, Bellator is closing the talent gap on the UFC. Mousasi was victorious, but now understands he is not going to have his way with opponents in Bellator. Everyone in Bellator is prepared to fight. We will look forward to seeing what is next for Mousasi.

People’s Red Head Out!

Special thanks to:
MMA fighting.com
Barstool Sports
Steve “Bro” Ward
Ronald McDonald for slanging endless Happy Meals

- Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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Top 5: Pride FC MMA Freakshow Fights!

Pride Fighting Championships was the the "Wild West of Combat Sports"... If you need a reminder, please check out this series of fight highlights... You're welcome in advance!

Love,

TWI Staff

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Adam Scherzer Interview

Boxing scribe, Luis Cortes, caught up with boxing prospect, Damon Allen Jr.'s adviser, Adam Scherzer, Allen's 2nd Annual Food Drive in West Philadelphia. Luis interviewed Scherzer about the food drive and his relationship with Damon Allen Jr. (13-0-1, 5 KOs).

Check out their Bonus Round interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Adam Scherzer Interview with Luis Cortes on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Adam Scherzer Interview with Luis Cortes on iTunes

For more information on Adam Scherzer, please visit his Twitter - @AdamScherzer.

Check out Luis' recent interview with Damon Allen Jr. for more information on the fighter:

Damon Allen Jr. Interview

- Luis A. Cortes III

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Heather "The Heat" Hardy's First Loss

Heather "The Heat" Hardy, an undefeated professional boxer (20-0) who recently made her transition to professional MMA, suffered the first defeat of her fighting career on Friday night. Hardy was defeated by Kristina Williams, who made her professional debut, at Bellator 185 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

The end came at the two minute mark of the second round, after Williams, who had been dominating the fight, landed a kick to the face of Hardy. Blood immediately began to pour from the nose of Hardy. Although Hardy appeared to still have the will to fight, the cage-side doctor called an end to the action after examining Hardy's severely damaged nose.

This leads this boxing writer to wonder if Hardy, who won her pro debut in MMA, will return to the world of boxing after this devastating defeat at the hands of Kristina Williams?

(Photo - Boxing Scene.com)

MW

Damon Allen Jr. Interview

Boxing scribe, Luis Cortes, caught up with Philadelphia lightweight boxing prospect, Damon "No Smilin" Allen Jr. (13-0-1, 5 KOs), at his 2nd Annual Food Drive in West Philadelphia. Damon is signed to Golden Boy Promotions. Luis interviewed Damon about his boxing career and charity causes.

Check out their Bonus Round interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Boxing Prospect Damon Allen Jr. Interview with Luis Cortes on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Boxing Prospect Damon Allen Jr. Interview with Luis Cortes on iTunes

For more information on Damon Allen Jr., please visit the following websites:

Damon Allen Jr.'s Official Website

Damon Allen Jr.'s BoxRec Page

Damon Allen Jr.'s Facebook Page

Damon Allen Jr.'s Instagram

Twitter - @Damon_AllenJr

- Luis A. Cortes III

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Billy Joe Saunders vs. David Lemieux

WBO Orders Billy Joe Saunders to Defend his Title Against David Lemieux

This just in... WBO World Middleweight Champion, Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs), is scheduled to defend his title against David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs) on December 16, 2017 at the Place Bell in Laval, Québec. This will be the first boxing card at the multi-purpose arena that opened earlier this year. It is interesting to see the British champion travel to Lemieux's native province for the fight.

 



MW

 

Dustin's Corner: UFC 217 Bisping vs. St-Pierre Preview

Do you hear me knocking? Well, let me in! Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to the Weigh-In!

November 4, 2017 is a huge night for the world of MMA. Not only will it be the second time Madison Square Garden hosts a UFC event, but the entire lineup is full of title fights. In fact, it could be argued that this much talent has not been under the same roof since the last time Matt, Luis, and myself had a slumber party (welcome to the team, Luis!). This is to be debated in the weeks to follow.

UFC 217 promises to be a night of fire works. Here at the Weigh-In, we are going to breakdown the card. We are going to proceed by breaking down this card the same way I undress my ladies, we start at the top and go down.

Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre (GSP)
This is the fight fans have been waiting for. Since shocking the world and upsetting Luke Rockhold, Bisping has yet to defend the title. Who better to make his first defense against than Georges St-Pierre? For those readers living under a rock, St-Pierre retired as the former UFC Welterweight Champion back in 2013. Bisping has already spent press time trash talking GSP about fighting versus wrestling, which obviously benefits Bisping. This fight will come down to belief. Is GSP still the dominant force he was when he left the UFC, or is Bisping an example of how the sport has not passed GSP? Stay tuned as these questions will be answered at UFC 217.

Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw
We are now in the Cody Garbrandt era. He successfully defeated Dominick Cruz who T.J. could not overcome. However, T.J. believes he is the best bantamweight in the world, but Cody has proven to be more than most are prepared to handle. Which fighter will impose their will? This fight has all the makings of an instant classic. Everyone knows Dillashaw parted ways with Team Alpha Male and no love was lost. This fight has everything fight fans crave. It is packed with a backstory and loaded with drama. The fight reminds me of when Dillon dumped Brenda for Kelly. For those of you who did not watch "90210", shame on you. Either way, mark your calendars kids, this is one you are not going to want to miss.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk v. Rose Namajunas
The champion, Jedzrejczyk, defends her title against Namajunas at what we here at the Weigh-In are calling, the say my name three times fast battle. We all know Jedzrejczyk has dominated the division and seems to be getting better each time she steps into the octagon. Namajunas is a fan favorite with a solid ground game. Can she challenge the champ? I for one am terrified of both these ladies, so I will be watching from the comfort of my couch, with blanket and sippy cup in tow.

Stephen Thompson vs. Jorge Masvidal
Wonderboy, fresh off two straight losses to the current champion, Woodley, is back in action against Masvidal. Masvidal is a well-rounded veteran and king of trash talk. Can he hand Wonderboy his third straight loss or will Wonderboy get back on track and make it back for a third attempt to challenge Woodley? This fight has serious consequences to the loser. Each man is coming off a loss and needs a win. It will be amazing to watch what desperation will do to these two competitors.

Johny Hendricks vs. Pablo Henrique Costa
The veteran Hendricks is coming off a loss to Tim Boetsch. Henrique Costa remains undefeated at a perfect 10–0. Hendricks will be his biggest test, but does he have what it takes to pad his resume and show the world he belongs at the top of the rankings? Will Hendricks foil his plans and reestablish his own dominance in the welterweight division?

Other Notable fights on the UFC 217 card

Aiemann Zahabi vs. Ricardo Lucas Ramos
This is a battle of two young undefeated competitors. Someone will no longer be perfect after UFC 217.

Alexey Oleinik vs. Curtis Blaydes
Two wily veterans duke it out on what is sure to be an exciting match.

Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Ion Cutelaba
Antigulov is 2–0 in the octagon. If he wants to remain perfect, he will have to get by Cutelaba.

Corey Anderson vs. Patrick Cummins
This is considered to be a superfight among some. Do not sleep on this fight. Both fighters have explosive power.

Mickey Gall vs. Randy Brown
Gall, who is coming off the win against Northcutt, attempts to add another victim to his run. Another fight not to sleep on. Gall is exciting and climbing his way into contention.

James Vick vs. Joseph Duffy
Two work horses that do not like to lose. This fight promises to be not only entertaining, but competitive. Fans are spoiled with this fight on the card. There could be firework potential here.

Overall UFC 217
As long as everyone remains healthy, UFC 217 is currently set to be the card of the year. I have not felt this much anticipation for something since losing my V-card on prom night. Madison Square Garden sets the stage for their second UFC event. Do not sleep on this event. There will be more action on display than witnessed in a Chuck Norris Total Gym commercial. UFC 217 may be the card of the year!

People Red Head Out!

Special Thanks
MMA.com for the card information
Dr. Steve Sheldon for being our spine expert
Crabfeast for entertainment, fuck the crabfeast

- Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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Dustin's Corner: Leo Santa Cruz Victory over Chris Avalos

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

Santa Cruz (34-1-1, 19 KOs) is celebrating what Johnny Drama refers to as “Victory,” after his domination of Avalos (27-6, 20 KOs) Saturday night in Los Angeles. Santa Cruz is now poised for a re-match with Abner Mares (31-2-1, 15 KOs).

As Matt, Luis, and myself sipped hot cocoa in our onesies, we could not help but admire Santa Cruz’s body of work. Santa Cruz established his jab early and compubox showed him landing over 50% of his power shots. In addition, Santa Cruz committed to bodywork, which paid dividends as the fight progressed.

Santa Cruz landed a big left hook in round four that made Avalos contemplate a career change. However, Avalos showed tremendous heart in the ring. He was outmatched, but earned the respect of all. Santa Cruz earned a stoppage in round eight, setting him up for another battle with Mares.

While Avalos put forth a valiant effort, he was outclassed. Santa Cruz believes he is a different fighter now that he is working with Robert Garcia, and his performances have me agreeing with him. It will be interesting to see where Avalos goes from here. In the meantime, I cannot wait for Santa Cruz and Mares to go at it again. I believe it is the fight everyone wants to see.

Special Thanks to:
Compubox
Matt Ward
The homeless guy at the end of my street

- Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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WBO Orders Billy Joe Saunders to Defend his Title Against David Lemieux

WBO World Middleweight Champion, Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs), has been ordered by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to defend his title against David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs). The WBO has set November 11th as the deadline for the two fighters to strike a deal for the title matchup. Saunders had hoped to fight either Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) or Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) in his next professional bout.

Great Britain's Saunders captured his title on December 19, 2015 with a majority decision victory over Andy Lee (35-3-1, 24 KOs). This will be the southpaw's third title defense. He previously defended his title against Artur Akavov (17-2, 7 KOs) and Willie Monroe Jr. (21-3, 6 KOs). His successful title against Monroe, a unanimous decision victory, came on September 16th of this year at the Copper Box Arena in Great Britain.

Lemieux, a tough French Canadian middleweight, is looking for his fifth straight victory. Most recently, he defeated Marcos Reyes (35-5, 26 KOs) by unanimous decision on May 6th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a fight that was part of the Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-3-1, 32 KOs) undercard.

Stay tuned to The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast for more information on this middleweight title fight.

MW

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Catchweight???!!!

Every now and then your pals at The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast stumble across something from the world of combat sports that brings a smile to our faces.

Footage from a June 24, 1998 "MMA style fight" between Emanuel Yarbrough (Sumo) and Daiju Takase  (MMA) was one of those moments that left us speechless. This fighting gem was part of Pride Fighting Championships 3 from The Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.

The team and I compiled our top three broadcaster quotes from the "bout":

1 - "Ohhh. Body shot..." 

2 - "I'm glad they don't have a fire drill." 

3 - "He's running for his life."  

Enjoy!

RIP Emmanuel "Manny" Yarbrough (1964-2015)

TWI Staff

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Will the Real Boxing Fans Please Stand Up

"As fans, the situation could be worse." So says everyone that has to deal with the business aspect of boxing. I believe that if you really do care and are a fan of boxing, you are able to read in-between the lines. During the days when boxing only had baseball and horse racing as its rivals, sports fans understood the world of boxing and even excused how the business was handled. As times change, so does the thought process of the ultimate arbitrator, the fan.  

My introduction to this website dealt with the way responsibilities were handled within the world of boxing. The responsibilities I'm speaking of are the finger pointing that everyone does to avoid their part for the overall unfavorable way the public views boxing. If you have a misunderstanding of my initial contention please follow this link and listen (it may be a long diatribe, but I guarantee you will understand the rest of where I'm going a tad better).  

As I left the 2300 Arena following my interview with Matt Ward, and since that time, I wondered just what role or responsibility towards the determent of the sport, if any, do the fans play? Are they part of the problem by not truly supporting the sport? Yet they are willing to give their negative opinions on social media platforms whenever a negative element regarding the sport is in the forefront of the sporting news world. Are fans too quick to write off the sport and kick it when it’s on the canvas (admittedly boxing knocks itself down plenty of times)? With this on my mind, I came to the following conclusion regarding both the fans and the sport. 

Fans of boxing are already in the midst of this so called “mortuary-state” that the overall sports world and public claim boxing has sunk into. Nothing will be or can be done to repeat the days of years past when boxing results were on the front cover of newspapers, or for that matter, even covered in most major newspapers. As time passed, one thing in my daily life is a constant - Boxing is always present or is just around the corner in terms of the conversations I have with others. And, no, it's not just because I cover the sport or am considered an insider. Every time I open a social media platform, there are some deals being made between promoters and sports networks starving for more boxing content. Boxing is back in the daily discussion of the overall sports world, or at least, it is part of the weekly conversation.  

I'll admit I'm lucky to cover the sport in a city steeped in tradition, where a credible boxing gym is a stones throw away. Here, there are at least two or three major boxing cards in the city per month (That's not including cards in the New York or South Jersey areas). So it does make boxing as a constant in my life a bit easier.  However, places like Philadelphia and surrounding metro areas owe their flourishing boxing scenes to faithful fans. I'm honestly amazed at how many daily posts and conversations take place that are either sparked or driven by the thirst for information from boxing fans. Nothing is off limits from boxing fans, and the interaction between fans and boxing insiders (media, promotions, trainers, fighters, etc.) is something that has never been seen before in other professional sports.  

This is something that is a major difference from the "golden age" of boxing.  It's also something this scribe believes the sport needs more of.  Obviously, because it is good for the sport, but mainly because it's the open flow of dialogue that will keep the sport as honest as it has ever been.  If the fans have unprecedented access, their responsibility is to express their educated honesty about what they witness unfold in the business handling of the sport and the actual fights.

“Educated” being the ideal word in that last statement. We all are aware that along with the type of access I'm writing about, comes the opportunity for “trolls” or overall negative opinions to try and reign supreme in the boxing dialog. True educated fans can be the police that tell these no good "haters" what to do with their feedback that is not constructive to the overall dialog. Believe me fans, the boxing world takes notice and is grateful to those of you who already participate in this fashion.   

Every time I enter an arena where professional bouts are about to take place, fans are there ready to stake there claim as the loudest supporters of the fighters they are there to support. It is within these instances that my loathing for days gone by is excommunicated from my present state of mind. These are the same fans who are part of the daily dialog of the sport. It is always refreshing to witness fighters in victory or defeat addressing the fans who spend their hard earned money in order to support their dreams of glory.    

As I take my time and walk through any given “house” that holds a fight card, I realize to myself that certain fans have an unrelenting passion for the sport. For example, Jeff Rutizer is the epitome of a passion filled fan. Fighters, promoters, managers, and the media all know Jeff. He is a true fan that has traveled the area and built relationships with the aforementioned members of the boxing world. At times, Jeff can have more access than some media types, and rightfully so. He genuinely cares for the sport.

Fans, like Greg Bickel, also care about the sport. He had the pleasure of taking his young son to his first fight card at the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. While they may have been there to support Greg’s pal, heavyweight Joey Dawejko in his successful return to Philadelphia, his son was able to meet and take pictures with current lightweight champion Mikey Garcia. Greg’s son was treated to a great first experience at the fights, and will likely be a fan for years to come. Greg is also known to take trips to fights in New York and Atlantic City. Like Jeff Rutizer, he is an educated fan whose opinion is valued.  

This world of boxing access and knowledge is there for everyone to reach out and grab. If you are reading this, it's probably because you are already one of these fans, in which case for the entire world of boxing, I say thank you.   

If not, take the dive! Follow fighters based off of their style, swagger, or whatever it may be online.  Trust me, they will be happy to see you show up in times when a fans support is needed. Boxing is not dead, it will never die. What will keep it going is you, the fan. So get out there and support local shows. Don't be the fan on the sofa after a horrendous decision in a high profile fight, blasting on your social media that you hate boxing. Use it as the opportunity to separate yourself from the politics and let your educated voice be heard, by showing your support through the fighter, and ultimately for the sport. 

As a writer, I will commit my time to call out the unjust of what you get in the sport, to help you, the fan, with policing up the malarkey we experience as fans.  Maybe, just maybe, you should take time and invest in the sport.  If you truly love boxing, stick with a fighter; you'll know which one you support (sometimes it happens naturally). Start there and make sure you let those fighters know that you do support them. Trust me they will; win, lose, or draw they will appreciate your support.   

Support your local shows! If you don't know how to find local shows, go to Boxrec.com and search for your location. In this day and age, it isn’t that hard to find a local boxing show, especially if you live in California near the StubHub Center. 

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) is actually hosting an upcoming fan fest at the StubHub Center. Check it out! Fighters like Mikey Garcia, Victor Ortiz, and Robert Guerrero will be on hand to sign autographs starting at 1:00 PM this Saturday, in support of the PBC boxing double header featuring Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares. Tickets for that show start at just $30.   

By all means if you live in the Philadelphia area, come by the press row and say hello to the media as well. If you think this article was full of “bologna”, please let me know, and I will be happy to hear your educated opinions as to why you believe so. 

Once again, if my examples remind you of yourself and the way you care for the sport, thank you, and...       

Till next time... FIGHTS, FIGHTS, AND MORE FIGHTS!!!

- Luis A. Cortes III

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Gabriel Rosado vs. Glen Tapia on 10/19

On October 19th, Philadelphia's Gabriel Rosado (23-11, 13 KOs) will fight Passaic, New Jersey's Glen Tapia (23-4, 15 KOs) in a ten round, middleweight bout at the Park Theater at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Rosado, who is popular among boxing fans for his brawler style in the ring, is coming off of a controversial majority decision loss to Martin Murray (36-4-1, 17 KOs) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England. His opponent, the "Jersey Boy" Glen Tapia, looks to rebound from three straight losses to Michel Soro (30-2-1, 20 KOs), David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs), and Jason Quigley (13-0, 10 KOs). Tapia lost by technical knockout to Soro (2015) and Lemieux (2016).

This segment of Golden Boy Promotions Boxing on ESPN will also feature a ten round, welterweight contest between Alejandro Barrera (19-3, 18 KOs) and Keandre Gibson (17-1-1, 7 KOs). Mexico's Barrera looks to win his second straight bout, after defeating Eddie Gomez (20-3, 11 KOs) in Tucson, AZ in July. Gibson is also coming off of a summer victory. He defeated Dennis Dauti (14-3, 7 KOs) by unanimous decision at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA.

I'm personally very excited for the Rosado vs. Tapia main event this month. I only wish that the promoters could have found a way to schedule this fight in the greater Philadelphia area or greater New York City area. Both men are capable of getting into a classic, middleweight brawl worthy of a venue in this area. I probably sound like a "homer," but mark my words, this will be a fight worth seeing live!

MW

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Michelle Rosado and Marko Bailey Interview

My latest Bonus Round interview is with promoter, Michelle Rosado, and lightweight boxing prospect, Marko Bailey. Michelle, Marko, and I discussed the upcoming Thursday Night Fights at the Armory show on October 19th in Durham, NC. The show is promoted by Michelle's company Raging Babe, and features Marko Bailey (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Stevie Massey (4-1, 4 KOs) in the six round, main event. Bailey and Massey will fight for the vacant North Carolina Lightweight Title.

Check out our Bonus Round interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Promoter Michelle Rosado and Boxer Marko Bailey Discuss the 10/19 Raging Babe Show on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Promoter Michelle Rosado and Boxer Marko Bailey Discuss the 10/19 Raging Babe Show on iTunes

For more information on Michelle Rosado, Marko Bailey, and Raging Babe, check out the following links:

Raging Babe Official Website

Raging Babe Facebook Page

Raging Babe Instagram Page

Raging Babe Twitter - @RagingBabe

Marko Bailey's BoxRec Page

Marko Bailey's Facebook Page

Marko Bailey's Instagram

Marko Bailey's Twitter - @bullcity_bully

The October 19th Thursday Night Fights at the Armory card also features the following bouts:

Joseph Jackson (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Monreco Goldston (5-0-1, 3 KOs), six rounds, junior middleweights

Donnie Marshall (5-0, 4 KOs) vs. Marcos Primera (20-35-3, 13 KOs), six rounds, middleweights

Blake Mansfield (4-1-1, 2 KOs) vs. Courtney McCleave (2-7, 1 KO), six rounds, super middleweights

Hasim Rahman Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Joe Coats (Debut), four rounds, heavyweights

Landry Kore (6-0, 2 KOs) vs. TBA, six rounds, super middleweights

Carlos Olmeda (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Vinnie Denierio (2-2, 1 KO), four rounds, junior lightweights

Darmani Rock (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Juan Goode (8-6, 6 KOs), six rounds, heavyweights

Fanlong Meng (11-0, 7 KOs) vs. Quinton Rankin (12-4-2, 9 KOs), eight rounds, light heavyweights

Wellington Romero (12-0-1, 6 KOs) vs. Mike Fowler (6-10, 2 KOs), six rounds, welterweights

MW

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October 14th = A Big Day for Boxing!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Saturday, October 14th is going to be a BIG DAY for professional boxing! There are three solid boxing cards scheduled in Brooklyn, Carson, and London.

The show from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY is being billed as a "World Championship Triple-Header" in the junior middleweight division. This installment of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) will air on Showtime. The action-packed card features the following title fights:

Erislandy Lara (24-2-2, 14 KOs) vs. Terrell Gausha (20-0, 9 KOs), 12 rounds, for Lara's WBA Junior Middleweight Title

Jermell Charlo (29-0, 14 KOs) vs. Erickson Lubin (18-0, 13 KOs), 12 rounds, for Charlo's WBC Junior Middleweight Title

Jarrett Hurd (20-0, 14 KOs) vs. Austin Trout (30-3, 17 KOs), 12 rounds, for Hurd's IBF Junior Middleweight Title

The PBC show from the StubHub Center in Carson, CA will air on Fox/Fox Deportes, and features two WBA title bouts in the featherweight division. Abner Mares (30-2-1, 15 KOs) will defend his WBA "Regular" Featherweight Title against Andres Gutierrez (35-1-1, 25 KOs) in a 12 round contest. The second televised bout features a 12 round main event between Leo Santa Cruz (33-1-1, 18 KOs) and Chris Avalos (27-5, 20 KOs), for Santa Cruz's WBA "Super" Featherweight Title. 

Across the pond in London, George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) is scheduled to defend his WBA Super Middleweight Title against Jamie Cox (24-0, 13 KOs) in the World Boxing Super Series quarterfinals at Wembley. If Groves can get by his English countryman in this 12 round matchup, he will face Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1, 20 KOs) at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea Football Club, in the semi-final of the tournament. This fight is available on AUDIENCE Network to select American cable providers. 

(Photo - Sky Sports)

MW

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Miguel Cotto's Final Opponent...

The Miguel Cotto Camp recently announced their fighter's final opponent. On December 2nd, Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs) will fight Sadam Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) in a twelve round bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. Cotto, who recently captured the WBO Super Welterweight Title, openly discussed the possibility of fighting the winner of the GGG vs. Canelo fight but instead decided to fight Brooklyn's Ali.

Cotto is coming off of a unanimous decision victory over Yoshihiro Kamegai (27-3-2, 24 KOs) at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA. Ali last fought Johan Perez (22-4-2, 15 KOs) on July 29th in Tucson, AZ, where he walked away the winner via unanimous decision. Ali also captured the vacant WBA International Welterweight Title in this contest. Ali's only career blemish came at the hands of Jesse Vargas (27-2, 10 KOs) in March of 2016.

The Cotto vs. Ali bout will be televised by HBO and promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

Stay tuned to The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast for more information on the fight and undercard.

MW

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RIP Terry Downes

Former World Middleweight Champion, Terry Downes, died on Friday, October 6th in London, England. Britain's oldest living world champion was 81 years old and died peacefully in his sleep. Downes, who was known as the "Paddington Express", was born in Paddington, London on May 9, 1936.

Downes fought the top middleweights of his day including Dick Tiger (1957), John McCormack (1959), Joey Giardello (1960), Paul Pender (1961 x2, 1962), and Sugar Ray Robinson (1962). He captured the World Middleweight Title on July 11, 1961 with a victory over Paul Pender at Wembley in London. Downes retired from boxing following his November 30, 1964 defeat to Willie Pastrano.

Following his retirement from boxing, Downes acted in several films between 1965 and 1990. His biggest role was in Roman Polanski's 1967 film, The Fearless Vampire Killers.

RIP Terry Downes. 

Terry Downes' BoxRec Page 

MW

A New Division in Boxing?

Miguel Rivera of BoxingScene.com reported this morning that the WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman is exploring the idea of creating a new and 18th boxing division, by splitting the current heavyweight division into a heavyweight and super heavyweight division. This is the latest in a series of announcements that have come out of the sanctioning body's 55th annual convention (9/28-10/7) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Rivera wrote in his article:

Sulaiman explained that the new weight class would be created above the cruiserweight limit of 200-pounds, but where it would end and where the super heavyweight limit would begin is still very far away from being determined.

What do YOU think about the possibility of a new division in boxing? Will a new super heavyweight division open the door for some of the "bigger boys" of boxing to capture glory in a division where smaller heavyweights have found much success? Share your thoughts with us on the blog and Facebook!

On a side note, as I wrote this post, all I could think about was Eric "Butterbean" Esch (77-10-4, 58 KOs) knocking out Johnny Knoxville (0-1... J/K!) in the first Jackass movie...

MW

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Retired Professional Boxer Escapes Drowning Thanks to Good Samaritan

Former professional boxer, Dustin "The White Tiger" Fleischer, recently avoided a watery death off of Long Branch, NJ thanks to the actions of a good Samaritan.

The Asbury Park Press, a Jersey Shore based newspaper, reported that the retired, undefeated junior welterweight was body surfing on Friday, September 22nd when he found himself about 30 yards out from shore and caught in a rip current. The exhausted 28-year-old, who was swimming near Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, attempted to swim parallel with the shore for 15 minutes. His efforts to get back to shore began to become futile just before he was rescued by an unidentified man. Fleischer hopes to track the man down to formally offer his thanks for saving his life.

Fleischer, a Monmouth Beach native, was a talented amateur boxer, who fought professionally from 2015 to 2016. Over the course of his professional career, he compiled an impressive record of six wins and zero defeats, with five of these wins coming by way of knockout. His final fight was a unanimous decision victory over Lionel Jimenez (3-19-1, 3 KOs) on January 16, 2016. I had the opportunity to watch Fleischer knockout Ira Frank (2-1, 2 KOs) at Veteran's Memorial Park in Beach Haven, NJ on September 26, 2015. Fleischer officially announced his retirement from boxing in May of this year on his Facebook fan page.

For more information on Fleischer and the good Samaritan, please check out the recent Asbury Park Press article.

MW

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Wilder vs. Stiverne II

A replacement opponent for Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) has been announced by Showtime... Haitian Canadian boxer, Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs), will challenge Wilder for his WBC World Heavyweight Title on November 4th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Stiverne replaces Cuban heavyweight, Luis Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs), who recently failed his third drug test. This will be the second time that Wilder and Stiverne meet in the ring as professionals. The first matchup took place on January 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, a bout that Wilder won by unanimous decision. Stiverne was Wilder's first opponent to date who he was unable to defeat by knockout.

Stay tuned to The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast for more information on this world heavyweight title fight!

MW

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WBC Orders Mikey Garcia vs. Jorge Linares Title Fight

The WBC has been busy at their annual conference in Baku, Azerbaijan!

The sanctioning body recently ordered Mikey Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs) to defend his WBC World Lightweight Title against Jorge Linares (43-3, 27 KOs), who currently holds the WBC Diamond Lightweight Champion. Garcia most recently defeated Adrien Broner (33-3, 24 KOs) by unanimous decision in Brooklyn in July. Linares is coming off of a September 23rd split decision victory over Luke Campbell (17-2, 14 KOs) for the WBA World Lightweight Title in Inglewood, CA.

The two men will meet in the ring in a yet to be determined date in 2018.

Stay tuned to The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast for more information on this lightweight title fight!

MW

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WBC Orders GGG vs. Canelo Rematch

The WBC ordered a Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs), the WBC World Middleweight Champion, and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) rematch on Monday. This announcement was made during the sanctioning body's 55th annual convention (9/28-10/7) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The announcement came within weeks after the two men fought to a controversial split decision draw at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 16th. Prior to the WBC's recent announcement, both camps had already been in discussion for a rematch of the "Fight of the Year" candidate matchup. Both camps are considering a potential Cinco de Mayo rematch in 2018, a fight that seems bound to be part two of a trilogy between the two middleweights.

Stay tuned to The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast for more information on this mega-fight rematch.

MW

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