Inside the Ringside with Frank Bartolini - Hulu Theater at MSG

By Frank Bartolini

Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City:  Matchroom Boxing delivered another superb night of boxing to New York. On top of the card, popular super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga, Brooklyn, NY, faced Jason Quigley, Ireland. Berlanga garnered an undefeated record as part of Top Rank’s stable. Earlier this year, Top Rank and Berlanga parted ways. Both Golden Boy and PBC showed interest in signing Berlanga, but he chose Eddie Hearn. 

Irishman Jason Quigley, 167.5 lbs., was brought in as the opponent to showcase Berlanga's,167.75 lbs., skills. A big draw in the Big Apple, Berlanga had a house full of cheering fans. 

Anxious to end a four-bout drought without scoring a knockout, Berlanga went straight to work from the opening bell. In round three, Quigley hit the deck after absorbing a Berlanga right to the side of the head. During the fifth stanza, Berlanga scored a questionable knockdown after hurting Quigley with a left hook to the chin. To his credit, Quigley kept himself in the fight with some slick boxing while getting in his licks when he had his chances. As the clock ran out in the final heat, Berlanga got through with a left hook followed by a straight right to his foe’s cranium that resulted in Quigley eating rosin dust. Going for the kill, Berlanga dropped Quigley again with a barrage of punches.

The sold-out crowd roared in approval with the decision when ring Announcer Dave Diamante read the scores 116-108 twice and 118-106, all for Berlanga who’s record is now 21-0, 16 KOs. Quigley gave an admirable effort as his record dips to 20-3, 14 KOs. 

A former junior middleweight champ Jamie Munguia and future Hall of Famer Gennady Golovkin are a couple of names that have come up as potential future adversaries for Berlanga. After scoring sixteen first round knockouts in first sixteen fights as a professional, Berlanga has become a "bombs away" headhunter at times, shots that negate his body attacks. During his streak of kayoes, Berlanga's mid-section assault was a precursor to him tagging his opponents with crushing shots to the head. Berlanga will have to revisit those techniques if he is going to compete against the elite of the super middleweight ranks. 

Bombs away! Nothing better than watching two heavyweights with limited defensive ability take turns clocking one another. Thirteen-year veteran heavyweight Joe Cusumano, Danville, VA, scored the biggest win of an up until now ordinary career. Sadly, Cusumano crushed the hopes of one-time heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki, Brooklyn, NY, resurrecting his livelihood. A Cusumano, 238.25 lbs., right to Kownacki’s face dropped the Polish hammer in round one. Kownacki, 251.75 lbs., found his way back to his corner and continued his losing struggle until he was brutally finished at the two-minute mark of round eight. With the win, a big payday awaits Cusumano, 22-4 20 KOs. Falling to 20-4, 15 KOs, Kownacki has lost his last four fights, three of those by ugly knockouts. Popular consensus agrees Kownacki should never again step foot in a boxing ring.

Oscar Valdez-Shakur Stevenson Tickets at MGM Grand Garden Arena On Sale Thursday, March 10!!!!!

Press Release 

Unbeaten Champions Clash: Oscar Valdez-Shakur Stevenson Tickets at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas On Sale Thursday, March 10

Tickets for the April 30 junior lightweight title unification tilt — starting at $79 — can be purchased by visiting AXS.com

LAS VEGAS (March 9, 2022) — The battle for junior lightweight supremacy is on deck. WBC champion Oscar Valdez will meet WBO king Shakur Stevenson in a title unification showdown between undefeated fighters Saturday, April 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $79 go on sale Thursday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased by visiting AXS.com.

“This is a fight between two fighters in their physical primes, the best fighting the best,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oscar and Shakur deserve the biggest stage, and it doesn’t get much bigger than ESPN and the MGM Grand Garden Arena. On April 30, a superstar will be born.”

Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs), the fighting pride of Nogales, Mexico, is a two-weight world champion entering his 10th world title fight. He authored the 2021 Knockout of the Year with his title-winning effort over longtime champion Miguel Berchelt. Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs), the rising pound-for-pound star from Newark, New Jersey, is coming off last October’s one-sided knockout over then-champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring.

Valdez-Stevenson and additional fight action will be televised live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

MEDIA CONTACTS 

TOP RANK

Evan Korn: 516-510-6014 / ekorn@toprank.com

Gardy Lopez: 787-246-3668 / glopez@toprank.com 

ESPN

Santa Brito: 646-547-5602 / santa.brito@espn.com

Ardi Dwornik: 646-547-5612 / ardi.r.dwornik@espn.com

MGM Resorts International

Katharine Sherrer / ksherrer@mgmresorts.com

Media Credential Application: MagnaMedia.com

Sonny Conto Post-Fight Press Conference

By Luis A. Cortes III, Ringside

Check out audio from Sonny Conto's post-fight press conference. Conto defeated Jimmie Levins by first round TKO on Thursday night at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philadelphia. He improved his record to eight wins, seven by knockout, and zero defeats. 

The Weigh-In: Your Home for Combat Sports · Sonny Conto Post-Fight Press Conference

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Frank's Take on Smith vs. Hart

By Frank Bartolini

When a professional athlete looks at the horizon sometimes he can see the end of the road. How he reacts could sometimes define his career. Long Island blue collar hero Joe Smith Jr drove through that road and continues to roll on after trouncing Jesse Hart of Philadelphia, PA over ten rounds. A loss by Smith would have regulated him to an “opponent,” a status no boxer craves. Inside the ring at the Mark G Etess Arena in Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino bouncing on his toes was Smith before the opening bell. Across the way, Jesse Hart of Philadelphia, PA must have seen Smith’s determined stare.

Both approached the center of the squared circle as referee Harvey Dock blah, blah, blah gave rules of engagement before the ritualistic tapping of the gloves between the parties, before returning to their corners. Once the ding to commensurate the action sounded, Smith methodical walked right at Hart, 175 lbs, swinging wildly. He went on to never stop swinging haymakers over the course of the next thirty minutes. Dancing on his toes, Hart’s efforts to create space were fruitless.

Both camps had brought many followers to the “City by the Sea”. A nearly sold out arena roared with their approval for every punch thrown.

Taking no aim firing his bombs, Smith, 174.6 lbs., unloaded his cannon in the general vicinity of Hart. Giving away too much strength, Hart could not fend off Smith. Moving straight forward, Smith had Hart backing up and fighting on his heels all night. Back peddling, Hart clinched when Smith drew near. This tactic did not prevent Smith from hurting Hart to the body in round two. Matters had gotten worse during the session when he was staggered by Smith chopping blows to the head.

During the first four rounds, all Hart could do was clinch and run to avoid a thrashing. During those first twelve minutes, Smith repeatedly buzzed Hart, scoring power punches to the top of the head.

Obvious to all by round five, this was a fight and boxing was not about to change the outcome. Hart began to better his position and stood his ground scoring solidly for the first time. Lacking the pop to fend off his foe, Hart still resorted to grabbing and holding.

Then the inevitable happened in round seven when Hart uncorked an overhand right that hit Hart on the chin. After absorbing the shot, Hart hit the deck. Getting to his feet Hart was still hurting when the session ended.

Smith never relented down the stretch. Both combatants were in tip top shape, slugging it out until the end. A headbutt in round nine spewed blood from Hart’s left eye.

No one doubted that Smith won except for inept Judge James Kinney, who scored it 95-94 for Hart, depriving Smith of the unanimous decision he earned. Joe Pasquale scored it 98-91 and Eugene Grant scored it 97-92 for Smith.

Hart’s record falls to 26-3 (21 ko’s). A win or two down the road and he will be back on track. Smith had more to lose going into the match. A loss would have sent Smith back to his day job as a union laborer with a fading dream of pugilistic glory. Instead of being a one hit wonder or the lottery winner who defeated a faded Bernard Hopkins, Smith is now 25-3 (20 Ko’s) and a world ranked light heavyweight.

                           

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Berchelt-Sosa: Many reasons why this should be a classic

By Luis A. Cortes III

While the bright lights of the strip in Sin City may be the focal point for most of the boxing world tonight, 275 miles southwest of the strip (about a 4-hour drive), a battle will take place that has all boxing fans salivating.  Jason Sosa (23-3-4) (16 KO’s) a former WBA super featherweight champion of the world reaches for a type of glory that has seemed to slip away from him in recent years, against Mexico’s Miguel Berchelt (36-1) (32 KO’s).  These two warriors are set to go to war over the WBC super featherweight title at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (live on ESPN at 10pm ET), a site that over the past generation of championship boxers has become synonyms with some of the most memorable fights.

Future Hall of Famers over the past generation have left ounces of both blood and sweat on the canvas inside of the ring in that stadium. In some cases, like in the first and third fight of the brutal classic four fight series between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, fighters have left pieces of their souls.  Timothy Bradley, who will be calling the fight as part of the ESPN broadcast team had one of his most memorable victories of his future Hall of Fame career against Ruslan Provodnikov at that venue.  A fight in which, Bradley the more superior athlete and boxer, elected to trade power punches with the heavy fisted Russian.  The result proved to be Bradley suffering concussions during the fight in such a brutal manner that he admitted that there are portions of that fight he doesn’t remember.

Fighters with the type of temperament of a Sosa or Berchelt are aware of the venue and the recent history that has been made there.  Venues like this with the type of history that it has created, at times, inspire fighters making their first venture into its confines to reach deep within themselves to allow for their names to create new history.  Fight fans are hoping that’s what takes place tonight between Sosa and Berchelt, and it seems as though both fighters are in the perfect position in their careers when they are finally meeting not to disappoint.

Yes, the venue does inspire and can bring out a vicious competitive streak from the fighters calling it their office on any given fight night.  However, what does get overlooked at times is the reason why the fighters give fans so many classic performances.  When Bradly faced Provodnikov, he had just defeated Manny Pacquaio in a fight that most had felt he lost.  It was a disputed decision that left a bad taste in the mouth and mind of the prideful champion.

After suffering from depression and even contemplating suicide, he took on the tough Russian in his next fight.  Bradley gave the many of the undeserving fight fans who were critical of his previous victory a classic performance by risking his life, and by going toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with the stronger challenger that night.  He did it in many ways because maybe he needed to prove to himself that he was the warrior and champion who he thought he was.  Or maybe it was his way of showing the world what he already had no doubt of.  Either way, his legacy was cemented on that night.

In the case of Sosa and Berchelt, both men, regardless of challenger or champion status see this as the type of fight that with a victory can position their career for a different level of financial possibilities.  As the WBC champion, Berchelt is on the cusp of getting bigger pay days against some of the other champions in the loaded super featherweight division.  One of those other champions is the IBF titlist, whom also happens to be a stablemate of Sosa, Philadelphia’s Tevin Farmer.  Fights with the other champions such as Jamel Herring, should he retain his title, and Andrew Cancio, should not be difficult to make.  For Berchelt, should he get by Sosa, the road for the Mexican champion,who is in his physical prime, to becoming undisputed champion at super featherweight is open.  There is also the chance for him to move up in weight into the talent rich lightweight division and try his luck at wining a world title in another weight class, which also has the types of names that would equal life changing money if he were to fight them.

As for the challenger Jason Sosa, unlike his younger opponent, at the age of 31, he is coming to the point in his career where the well of opportunities for that life altering money may be starting to run dry.  One thing can never be said about Sosa and his career, and that is that anything was handed to him.  Everything that he has earned has been through a determination level that few fighters possess.  Unfortunately, the success that he has gained inside of the ring, which offered him new financial opportunities, didn’t translate into business ventures away from the sport.  Part of it was due to the devastating path of destruction laid out across his native Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria.  Other personal reasons have also played their role in him finding himself back in the position he was before he won his first world championship.

Both fighters have the incentive of an even bigger set of brass rings available to them if they come out victorious tonight.  Add the extra spice to this fight that both fighters represent one side of one of the best and most historic ethnic rivalries in the history of boxing.  Mexico vs. Puerto Rico.  All these reasons: financial reward, glory, and national pride, are just added gas to the fire that burns internally of both fighters.  Again, Berchelt and Sosa are two fighters that always come to fight no matter what.  With those added pieces, fight fans should have felt no shame for having to wipe the dribble off their chin when this fight was signed.

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Two Nights in Philly

By Frank Bartolini

Philadelphia will be hosting two straight nights of fight action starting this Friday. Both shows are scheduled on North Broad street, showing their commitment to bringing world class boxing to Philadelphia. Bob Arum’s Top Rank is staging a Light Heavyweight Unification bout  between Oleksander Gvozdyk and Artur Beterbiev at The Liacouras Center to kick things off Friday night. This matchup between the WBC Champion Gvozdyk and IBF King Beterbiev could have headlined in any city, and the fact Arum chose Philly shows his dedication to the vibrant fight scene. 

The fight itself pairs boxers from dueling countries. There is no love lost between Gvozdyk of Ukraine and the Russian Beterbiev. All the ingredients are in place for this to be a fight of the year candidate when the final bell chimes. A wild card for the winner is a possible mega pay day versus whoever comes out on top between Canelo vs. Kovalev. 

A couple blocks down North Broad Street, Hard Hitting Promotions brings boxing back to The Metropolitan Opera for their third engagement this year. A card full of tumblers will be facing popular local ticket sellers. Not one matchup appears to be a fair fight. 

Headlining the night, heavyweight Darmani Rock faces Maurenzo Smith, slated for eight stanzas. Since turning professional three years ago, Rock has not dedicated himself to the preparations needed to be a successful pro boxer. Gaining forty three pounds since his pro debut, Rock tipped the scales at 289 pounds his last outing. There are also three fighters trying to bounce back from losses verses non-descript opposition on the card. Super middleweight Derrick Webster will fight in a scheduled eight rounder, while, attempting to get back on the winning track after suffering the first losses of their careers, super lightweight Jeremy Cuevas and super featherweight Gadwin Rosa engage in six rounders.

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A RUSSIA-UKRAINE STORY TEN YEARS IN THE MAKING

While Russia Battles Ukraine on the World Stage, Two Boxers Fight Not for Country, But for Legacy Oct. 18 in Philadelphia.

By Emily Pandelakis

PHILADELPHIA -- As Russia and Ukraine dominate the news, both countries have become inextricably linked to the current impeachment inquiry in Washington DC.  Up the road in Philadelphia, two world champion boxers--one Russian, one Ukrainian--are preparing to meet in a light-heavyweight unification bout.

As their home countries wage war against each other, their thoughts are 5,000 miles away, focused not on the opponent’s country, but on the man he will meet in the center of the ring at Temple University’s Liacouras Center on Oct. 18.  The winner will leave the ring as WBC/ IBF Light-Heavyweight Champion of the world.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk (17-0, 14 KOs) is the current WBC Light- Heavyweight Champion, having defeated Adonis Stevenson via knockout in the 11th round of their Dec., 2018, bout in Quebec, Canada. The knockout would end Stevenson’s boxing career.

IBF Light-Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev (14-0, 14 KOs) defeated Gvozdyk when the two met as amateurs--Beterbiev representing Russia, Gvozdyk representing Ukraine.

Ukraine Arrives on the American Stage

In recent weeks, calls for President Donald Trump’s impeachment became deafening after Ukraine released the transcript of a phone call between its President, former comedian Volodymir Zelensky, and Trump, which included an exchange about former Vice President and Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden’s son Hunter.  Trump urged the newly elected leader to investigate the younger Biden.

The impeachment inquiry will examine whether Trump held up $400M in aid to Ukraine with the intention of releasing it when the country began an investigation of Hunter Biden, and one into Ukraine’s role in the 2016 US Presidential election--a conspiracy theory, which Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Guiliani, have repeatedly pushed publicly.  The premise is that Crowdstrike, a California-based company that was brought in to investigate the Russian hack of the Democratic party’s servers that election year, is owned by a Ukrainian.

Zelensky, who played the President of Ukraine in a television show called Servant of the People for four years, was elected in a landslide victory in April and began his term as Ukraine’s sixth president in May. He’s an unwitting participant in American politics, which was made clear during a 10-hour, informal question-and-answer session last week with reporters in Ukraine.   He spoke dismissively about the potential that Ukraine interfered with the 2016 election, saying he would have to be shown a reason to proceed with any joint “theoretical” investigation.

Like the boxers training in Philadelphia, who are focused on their fight and not on war and politics, his mind is elsewhere - working to end the conflict with Russia on Ukraine’s Eastern border.

His constituents, the people of Ukraine, are not focused on American politics and elections.  “The Trump phone call is being covered right now in Ukraine,” said Petro Shugurov, former Ring Magazine Ukraine Writer and Contributing Editor who lives in the country.  “Mostly just that Zelensky was involved. The Ukrainian people have enough to worry about with our own politics.”

The American and the Canadian

While the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has a complicated and lengthy history, the roads that led Beterbiev and Gvozdyk to Philadelphia are well-traveled.

“The Boxing Federations of Russia and Ukraine are very similar,” said Shugurov.  “They still operate like they did during the days of the USSR. The Russian Federation is like God Almighty to boxers in Russia--there are a lot of programs to support them and they receive stipends.”

Both boxers were decorated amateurs.  Beterbiev had over 300 amateur fights and won gold and silver in world-level contests in Milan and Chicago.  Gvozdyk had over 250 amateur bouts and won a bronze medal for Ukraine in the 2012 Olympics in London.

Gvozdyk is followed closely by those in his home country of Ukraine and Ukrainians stateside, despite moving to California five years ago to focus on his career:  “One month ago, we went to the Ukrainian Festival. There were a lot of Ukrainian people there and I was surprised that a lot of them knew me. We spent a couple hours there, signing autographs and taking photos.”

Gvozdyk, whose father had a brief career as an amateur boxer in Ukraine, is living out his dream in California. “When I asked my wife to come to California with me, to leave her home, she said the most important thing is that I’m going to go with you,” Gvozdyk said of his wife, Daria.  He acknowledges that it can sometimes be difficult to be away from family as the two raise a family, but the kids--two boys and one girl, ages 3-10--have traveled the world with their parents. “Our kids are the most quiet kids on the plane when they travel. They don’t cry. They know it’s pointless.”  Gvozdyk lost his mother in 2014.

Politics is not a topic that Gvozdyk is anxious to discuss, going so far as to say he doesn’t know what’s happening.  “It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I’m just an athlete. I don’t want to make any parallels to the fight. I am living in California, he is living in Montreal. I just don’t know anything about it.”

“Teddy Atlas, Gvozdyk’s trainer, runs a tight ship,” said J Russell Peltz, who is co-promoting the championship fight with Top Rank. “It doesn’t surprise me that he’s not focused on what’s happening on the other side of the world.”

His opponent, Beterbiev, shared the sentiment. “Any war is bad for people, but I really don’t want to talk about it,” said the Russian, who relocated to Montreal six years ago to further his career.  “It’s far from me in Canada.”

Shugurov hints at other motives at why the boxers don’t want to talk about life in the former Soviet bloc:  “They are high-profile athletes and they don’t want to upset anyone. They don’t want to have problems like those that have happened with other boxers.

“Ukrainians and Russians are everywhere and they are like a network.  Fighters as a whole don’t want to get involved. They want to make money and not have problems.  Beterbiev, he’s Canadian now. Gvozdyk is American.”

Beterbiev’s family life nearly mirrors that of his opponent.  Married with four children ages 2-8, Beterbiev lost his father to an accident when he was only sixteen. His father was just starting to enjoy his son’s career.  “A couple days before he died, I won a bronze medal in a tournament. He said to me: ‘You won this fight. Now go go go. I believe in you.’”

Raising a family away from home hasn’t been easy for Beterbiev and his wife, Medena, though Beterbiev’s mother has traveled to Canada to help.

Much Can Change in Ten Years

Ten years ago, Ukraine was led by Viktor Yushchenko, who had survived an assassination attempt by poison five years prior.  There was political chaos and a gas dispute with Russia. Putin was not yet President of Russia, but it was understood that he was in charge of the country. There was tension between the two countries, but nothing that matched the war and hostility they are facing today.

“We had beat Germany together,” said Shugurov. “We fought Nazis together. A whole lot of people believed we should be one country.  While Ukraine had a Western-friendly leader, there was a brotherhood between the people of the countries.”

The US had a different president, one not embroiled in an impeachment inquiry permeated by Russian and Ukrainian ties.

Ten years ago, two fighters, one from Ukraine, one from Russia, met in a boxing ring with the Russian besting the Ukrainian.  The two fighters, now husbands and fathers, undefeated world champion professionals, living away from home and seeking the glory that comes with unifying world titles, will meet in the most pivotal fight of their respective careers.  It’s a fight that transcends politics and war, whose winner, at least in the boxing world, will be declared Unified Champion of the World.

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Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.

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After Saturday the Lightweight picture gets clearer

By Luis A. Cortes III

Heading into this Saturday afternoon’s (ESPN+ 4 p.m. ET) lightweight unification fight, there are many sub plots that accompany this major fight.  WBA/WBO unified champion and top ranked pound for pound fighter in the world, Vasyl Lomachenko (13-1)(10 KO’s) defends his two portions of the lightweight crown against fellow 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, and England native Luke Campbell (20-2)(16 KO’s).  One of these sub plots is the fact that not only will the winner of this fight stake their claim as the best lightweight in the world with the two previously mentioned titles, the vacant WBC world lightweight title is also up for grabs.  This means that Lomachenko can add a third title to his ever-growing collection of championships.  While for Campbell, with one huge upset victory, he can go from top contender to owner of three of the four major titles in the division. 

While we will take a closer look at the type of fight that Lomachenko-Campbell could shape up to be once the first bell rings out from the O2 Arena in London, what is intriguing is just what this fight means to the lightweight division once the dust settles and a winner is announced.  Earlier this summer the lightweight division and the path towards crowning an undisputed champion was covered prior to the title defense of IBF champion, Richard Commey ("The Road to Undisputed Lightweight King Begins"). 

With Commey successfully defending his version of the title against Beltran, and Teofimo Lopez winning his fight to secure the spot as the IBF number one contender, all signs point to the two men meeting in a championship fight in December at Madison Square Garden.  The victor of this Saturday’s fight in London will be waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the proposed Commey-Lopez fight.  For Top Rank Promotions, the ideal situation would be for Lomachenko to continue to impress the world by proving with a victory over Campbell that he is the best fighter in the world.  It also would make a potential fight next year with the winner of Commey-Lopez much easier to make since both of those fighters also ply their trade under the Top Rank banner. 

As mentioned in the article earlier this summer.  Luke Campbell has attached himself to this scenario as the absolute wild card.  Campbell, unlike the other three fighters mentioned, is not signed to Top Rank and is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.  However, something tells me that if he can accomplish the upset by beating Lomachenko, which not many boxing observers or fans on social media seem to give him a valid chance in doing, Team Campbell may in fact be demanding that they as well look no further then December’s fight for their next opponent. 

All of this means that Saturday will go a long way into making the path and picture of crowning an undisputed lightweight champion much clearer.  As for the fight itself, this event does say a lot about the reigning champion.  With the fight taking place in London, it’s not often that in today’s day and age of champions demanding to be considered the “A” side of a promotion that the hometown fighter is the challenger.  Lomachenko is proving that he is anything but a regular champion.  He sees this as an opportunity to display his skills on a large scale in front of an audience that hasn’t seen him compete live since his days in the World Boxing Series prior to turning professional, or since the 2012 Olympic Games (held in London).  One thing is for certain, while Campbell will most likely have most of his native land’s support, with over 18,000 tickets sold and a sellout expected, Lomachenko has been attending fight week events that have been packed with his supporters. 

Already an international star, an impressive victory over Campbell would just add the rest of England to Lomachenko’s growing list of supporters.  Although its rare to see the champion or pound for pound best willing to travel to the native land of the challenger, to his credit Lomachenko had this to say about the task at hand on Saturday.  “Maybe it will be a harder fight, but I can’t answer that until after the fight.  Luke Campbell is not an easy fighter.  He’s a top fighter.  He’s a smart fighter.  He’s a technical fighter, so it will be an interesting and technical fight.” 

What Lomachenko is referring, to aside from showing respect to his challenger and fellow Olympic champion, is the only thing that boxing observers have pointed to that favors Campbell going into this fight, his size and reach advantage over the smaller champion.  Campbell is a very tall lightweight with solid fundamentals and a tough southpaw style.  He also has good professional experience, only losing twice by split decision, one of those fights being a 2017 loss to then WBA champion Jorge Linares.  Although most people thought Linares was the rightful winner of the fight, Campbell showed grit and determination after being dropped in the second round by rising to his feet and adjusting in order to make the fight a close one.  Linares was also the fighter that wound up dropping Lomachenko during their heated fight last year when Lomachenko moved up in weight to capture the WBA title. ("Top Rank Boxing Presents Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Jorge Linares Recap")

“I’ve been through a lot having the experience of the London Olympics, the crowds, the pressure of going out there, getting a medal and winning.  My professional career, coming to America to fight Linares for a world title.  I’ve learned from my experiences, and boy, do I love a challenge.  I’ve said for years being in boxing, to be the best, you have to beat the best,” stated Campbell. 

So, while his amateur pedigree and his professional experiences, coupled with his physical traits have many feeling that Campbell will make this a competitive fight, mostly everyone winds up saying that in the end Lomachenko will find a way to figure out the right plan of attack during the fight and make the adjustments needed to chop down his worthy challenger.  What will be interesting to see is if Campbell will also be able to adjust to the champion’s adjustments in order to try and take control of the fight as the challenger, and clearly come out as the winner of the fight. 

A couple things are for sure, whichever way this fight winds up playing out, fight fans will continue to reap the benefits of cross promotion as the best fight the best.  Also, one fighter will walk out of the ring with three of the four major belts, thus taking us closer to an undisputed champion.  Lastly, even if the fight does wind up turning into a technical fight between the two fighters as they jockey for advantages, it will be an intriguing high tense chess match.  If this is the case, pay close attention to the subtle boxing moves done with both the fighter’s hands and feet as they probe for the right plan of attack to be successful.  Enjoy, and let the lightweight picture get that much clearer! 

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Sosa Impressive; Adan Gonzales Spoils Cuban Prospect Ramirez's Debut

By Matt Ward, Ringside

Top Rank professional boxing on ESPN+ returned to the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University in North Philadelphia on Saturday night. The main event of this action-packed card pitted super featherweights Jason Sosa (23-3-4, 16 KOs) and Lydell Rhodes (27-4-1, 13 KOs) against one another in a ten round contest. Sosa, a former WBA Super Featherweight World Champion, made a big step on the trail to reclaim a world title by stopping tough veteran Rhodes at the 1:08 mark of the seventh round.

The two gladiators fought a close fight through the opening two frames. In the third round, Sosa opened up on Rhodes with a barrage of effective punches to the head and body. This offensive onslaught was highlighted by hard upper cuts that made Rhodes cringe under the pressure. Sosa again went on the attack in the fourth round when he connected with a left hand to the face of Rhodes. Rhodes rallied at the end of the round, landing a multi-punch combo that let Sosa know he was still in the fight.

In the fifth round, Sosa sent Rhodes crashing to the canvas with a left hook to the head. Rhodes managed to pull himself up from the mat, and fight on until the final 30 seconds of the round when Rhodes was punished with a series of Sosa punches to the head that again sent him down to the canvas. An accidental headbutt in the sixth round opened up a cut near Sosa's left eye. Fortunately, the location of this wound had little impact on the Camden native's fight plan and momentum going forward.

The third and final knockdown came in the seventh round when a well-placed Sosa right hand to Rhodes' head sent him crashing to the canvas. Rhodes recovered from the knockdown, but his corner had seen enough of the beat down, and threw in the towel. Referee Benjy Esteves honored the request by waiving off the fight. 

Gonzales Spoils Olympian's Debut

Denver's Adan Gonzales (5-2-2, 2 KOs) spoiled the long anticipated professional debut of Cuban Olympian Robeisy Ramirez (0-1) in a four round featherweight bout. Gonzales, fighting like a man looking for the upset, introduced Ramirez to a pro boxing canvas in the first round with a hard right hand to the head. Ramirez appeared to struggle with Gonzales in the second round, as he continued to apply pressure to the highly successful former amateur fighter. Ramirez, hoping to salvage his night, unloaded on Gonzales at the end of the third round, having to be pulled off of Gonzales after the bell rang. Ramirez fought hard in the fourth and final round, but it was not enough to salvage a win or draw. The judges scored the bout 39-36 for Gonzales, 38-37 for Ramirez, and 40-35 for the winner by split decision, Adan Gonzales. 

Berlanga Extends Kayo Streak to 12

"Knockout Artist" Edgar Berlanga (12-0, 12 KOs) won his twelfth straight fight by way of knockout over Gregory Trenel (11-5-2, 3 KOs) in the first round of a middleweight contest scheduled for eight. Berlanga answered the bell by landing crushing shots on his French opponent. Trenel hit the canvas after Berlanga, a native of New York, connected with a left hook to the head. Trenel hesitantly pulled himself up from the canvas only to be beaten into submission seconds later. Berlanga landed numerous left hands, at will, on the defenseless Trenel. Referee Benjy Esteves saw enough of the massacre at the 2:24 mark of the opening frame.

Philadelphia's Kroll Wins by UD 

Undefeated welterweights Paul Kroll (5-0, 4 KOs) and Shinard Bunch (2-1, 2 KOs) battled through a six round bout. The two men put on a display of speed throughout the opening frame of the contest in front of a crowd that roared with approval. As the first round ended, the referee had to pull Kroll away from the dogfight that was highlighted by great exchanges of multi-punch combos. In the second round, the two men slowed down the pace of the bout.

Bunch unloaded a three punch combo on Kroll in the third. The fourth round kicked off with a exchange of big shots near the center of the ring. Later in this round, Kroll put the pedal to the metal as he aggressively nailed Bunch with a series of multi-punch combos to the head and body, shots that made Bunch slump into the ropes. At this point of the fight, the advantage was seized by Kroll who landed big shots that were responded to by Bunch clinches and wrap-ups. This was especially the case in the fifth round when Kroll connected with a right hook to Bunch's head. Seconds later, Kroll tee'd off on Bunch with a series of shots, but Bunch managed to dance out of the trap on shaky legs. 

In the sixth round, Kroll went into knockout mode chasing Bunch around the ring and swinging wildly at his opponent, missing more than connecting. To the crowd's dismay, Bunch, clearly beat up from rounds of taking damage, managed to stay on his feet. Referee Gary Rosato had to pull Kroll off of Bunch as the bell marking the end of the round rang. The judges scored the bout 58-56 twice and 59-55 for Kroll. 

Conto Sweeps "Game" Del Rio 

Philadelphia's Sonny Conto (4-0, 3 KOs) defeated a tough opponent in Mexico's Guillermo Del Rio (2-3-1, 2 KOs) to the hometown crowd's delight on Saturday night. Conto went on the attack early in the first of this four rounder as he punished Del Rio with straight left and right hands to the head and body. Del Rio was rocked with a big overhand right to the head in the final 30 seconds of the first round, but showed his grit by staying on his feet and surviving the opening the frame. Conto had to deal with Del Rio's clinching and wrapping throughout the second round. As the round neared its end, this strategy turned into wild swinging at Conto that failed to hit its mark. A Conto left hook made Del Rio drop into the ropes, but the Mexican heavyweight again made it to the end of the round.

Sonny landed shots at will on Del Rio in the third which appeared to have a damaging effect on him. Again, to the frustration of Conto and the audience, Del Rio's body did not hit the canvas. The crowd roared "Sonny! Sonny!" in the final round as the Philly heavyweight clubbed Del Rio. Del Rio deaf to the chants of the Liacouras Center, valiantly fought on. As the round neared its end, Conto finally sent Del Rio crashing to the canvas with a left hand to the head. Del Rio, on wobbly legs, pulled himself up for the unanimous decision defeat. All three judges scored the bout 40-35 for the heavyweight prospect Conto.

Smith Dominates Abdullah in Six 

Philly's Donald Smith (10-0, 6 KOs) won his tenth fight as a professional over Colorado's Raheem Abdullah (3-3). Smith controlled the momentum of the featherweight contest throughout the bout, and answered all of Abdullah's attacks with effective multi-punch combos of his own. Smith closed out his dominant performance by hammering Abdullah with right hands to the body as the fight came to a conclusion. The judges scored the fight 59-53 twice and 60-52 for Smith.

Adorno Wins by Kayo

Jeremy Adorno (2-0, 1 KO) defeated Fernando Robles (2-2) by knockout victory in a super bantamweight bout that was scheduled for four rounds. The knockout shot came at the 2:01 mark of the third round when Adorno dropped Robles with a right hook to the body.

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The New Jersey Boxing Scene

By Frank Bartolini

New Jersey fight fans will not have to travel far to watch their home grown pugilists this summer as three scheduled fight cards in “The Garden State” will feature homegrown talent.  Leading the parade, 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist Shakur Stevenson headlined a well-attended Top Rank promoted show at the Prudential Center in Newark.

The city of Newark has nothing but love for Stevenson and loudly cheered the 2016 Olympic silver medalist's entrance into the arena. Pumped up for his homecoming celebration, Stevenson,126 lbs, punched the air out of Alberto Guervara, 125.4 lbs of Mazatlan, Mexico, stopping him at 2:37 of the third round. Excited about his homecoming celebration,  southpaw Stevenson started fast dropping Guervar twice during the second before ending it in the next stanza with a double right hook and straight left to Guervara's head.  Stevenson, 12-0 (7 Ko’s), called for a fight with IBF Featherweight champ Josh Warrington afterwards. Guervara returns south of the border with a 27-4 (12 Ko’s) record. 

A bunch of North Jersey ticket sellers were on the undercard . Most prominently seventeen-year-old welterweight Vito Mielnicki, 146 lbs., of Roseland, NJ made his pro debut dispatching Tamarcus Smith, 139 lbs, of Meridian, MS in the first round. Mielnicki has a powerful build for a boxer his age and very quick hands. Press agent Marc Abrams indicated the very popular Mielncki sold over a thousand tickets. Mielnicki starts his senior year at West Essex High School this fall. Smith is now 2-3 (2 Ko’s).

Entering his third year as a professional, John Bauza, North Bergen, NJ, continued to pad his record against inferior competition. The formerly Roc Nation promoted southpaw, Bauza, won a boring eight round decision over Angel Sarinana Gomez, Palacio, MX, in a junior welterweight contest. Bauza is now 13-0 (5 Ko’s). Gomez hovers above .500 at 10-9-2 (4 Ko’s).

Atlantic City boxing savior LaManna Family’s Rising Star Promotions are staging two shows two weeks apart at The Showboat Hotel. On Saturday July 20th, world rated Thomas LaManna headlines the night in a ten rounder. Two other local fan favorites, super welterweight Isiah Seldon and super middleweight Gabriel Pham support the card. LaManna was in negotiations to face former welterweight king Kell Brook on the undercard of Joshua vs Ruiz at Madison Square Garden in June, but Brook would not accept him as an opponent. A rumor circulated that LaManna was in line to challenge WBO Super Welterweight Champ Jamis Munguia for his crown.

On August 3, Rising Star Promotions returns to the ShowBoat Hotel to host the return of the South Jersey bantamweight prospect  Christain Carto. Carto was considered the areas hottest prospect and promoters from around the globe wanted to ink him. Carto won his first seventeen fights, eleven by kayo. One punch from Mexican journeyman Victor Ruiz changed that. Ruiz caught Carto with a shot to the chin that had him knocked out cold before he hit the canvas. The effect of the blow left Carto motionless on the canvas until he was placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. An opponent has yet to be named for Carto. In the co-feature, super middleweight Derrick Webster, will make his come back from a one sided loss in Lennox Allen.

LaManna, Carto, and Webster are big draws and both of these shows will undoubtedly sell out.

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