42117valdez00t

Photos: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Oscar Valdez 125.6 vs. Miguel Marriaga 125.4
(WBO featherweight title)

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez 167.8 vs. Max Bursak 167.4
(WBO super middleweight title)

Jessie Magdaleno 121.8 vs. Adeilson Dos Santos 121.2
(WBO junior featherweight title)

Shakur Stevenson 124.8 vs. Edgar Brito 125
Fazlidden Gaibnazarov 138 vs. Victor Vazquez 137.4
Alexander Besputin 147.2 vs. Breides Prescott 147.4
Mahonri Montes 149 vs. Francisco Santana 148
Maxim Dadashev 143.2 vs. Bilal Mahasin 143.6

Venue: StubHub Center, Carson, California
Promoter: Top Rank
TV: PPV

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62316ramirez016 Photos: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

By Bill Dwyre –

As of mid-afternoon Tuesday, Oscar Valdez knew he was fighting Saturday night in the co-main event of the Terence Crawford-Viktor Postol boxing card. What he didn’t know was exactly what he was fighting for, other than a nice paycheck and another step forward in his career.

His was the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight (126 pounds) title fight that maybe wasn’t going to be a title fight. And maybe it was. With three days to go before the event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, there was a hint of Abbott and Costello and “Who’s on First.”

Valdez will fight Matias “La Cobrita” Rueda immediately before Crawford and Postol vie for the 140-pound WBO and World Boxing Council (WBC) title unification belts, and advance publicity material had listed the Valdez-Rueda bout as a title fight. Except one thing stood in the way.

Vasyl Lomachenko.

Lomachenko has quickly become the Manny Pacquiao of the 126 and 130-pound divisions. When he knocked out Roman “Rocky” Martinez June 11, he became the WBO junior lightweight (130 pounds) champion. That was in his seventh professional fight. He was already the WBO’s 126-pound champion. So, with a record of 6-1, the Ukrainian had become the fastest ever to win two world titles. His success was no surprise, just the speed of it. As an amateur, he had won World Championships in 2009 and 2011 and Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012.

His victory over Martinez presented him with a dilemma. Would he stay at 126 pounds or vacate that title and keep the 130 pound belt?

His Lithuanian manager, Egis Klimas, was at Top Rank Promotion’s gym Tuesday afternoon, watching another of his fighters. He said Lomachenko was undecided, but had been given 60 days before announcing what he would do with his 126-pound title. That would take decision time into early August, and leave the Valdez-Rueda fight as a match made in Limbo.

“I don’t know what will happen,” Klimas said, “but I think we will likely go to the 130-pound division. More big names there.”

That was just before 2 p.m.

Shortly after, Valdez was interviewed and had no idea himself. He was asked if it wasn’t a tough dilemma, going into a fight not knowing exactly what was at stake.

“Not at all,” he said. “I’m here to fight. I take it all very seriously. I expect a war every time I go out there. That’s all I’m thinking about. I’ve heard a lot of things about how this will surely be a title fight, but a lot of that comes from people who really don’t know.

“I just want to fight. That’s all that’s on my mind.”

Of course, a few minutes later in the interview, Valdez said, “My dream is to become a champion.”

So, Lomachenko’s manager didn’t know. Valdez didn’t know. Presumably Rueda, himself in line to win a title by beating Valdez, didn’t know.

But somebody in a high place did.

At 3:30, Bob Arum, Top Rank’s chief executive, in response to a phone call, said, “It’s a title fight. All set. Lomachenko is vacating to 130 pounds.”

There was no desire to hear of the politics and arm-twisting that achieved that. Watch the Netflix series “House of Cards” and you’ll get the picture. This is boxing. Knowing too many details means somebody might have to kill you.

The good news is that, at least by Wednesday’s final press conference, Valdez, Rueda and even Lomachenko’s manager, Klimas, will know, and the world of boxing, like the soap opera, will keep turning.

The best part of that is that Valdez, an unbeaten 25-year-old with a 19-0 record that includes 17 knockouts, will be in a spotlight he deserves.

Like Lomachenko, he is a two-time Olympian and as popular in Mexico as he is fast-rising in his division. When he lost to Lomachenko in the semifinals of 2009 World Championships in Milan, Italy, it got him a bronze medal and made him the first from his country to get a medal in that event. When he lost to Irishman Johnny Joe Nevin in the London Olympics, in a match that would have achieved at least a bronze medal with a victory, he wanted that so badly for his country that he was devastated.

“My world fell on me that day,” Valdez said. “I thought I had won. When the fight ended, I went to my corner and looked at my trainer. He is an honest guy. He tells me when he thinks I have lost. I could see it in his face. He thought we won a bronze medal.”

Valdez had missed the opening ceremonies because he had to fight the next day. He missed the closing ceremonies “because I was too sad.” He also missed both in Beijing, for similar reasons.

“I regret that now,” he said. “You cannot be a sore loser.

He said two things really picked him up in the aftermath of that near miss at an Olympic medal in London.

“When we got back to Mexico City,” he said, “the people just lifted me. Mexicans can be tough critics, but they seemed to understand that I had done my best and they treated me so well.”

The reaction of his opponent, Nevin, after that bronze-medal match, also helped.

“He sent out a tweet,” Valdez said, “that said: ‘It is an honor to win over a future pro world champ.’ ”

Valdez said he will watch the Rio Olympics with great interest, “because I have friends on the boxing team who wanted to make it in 2012 and now are there.”

But first things first. He has a big fight Saturday night. It will be on the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast. A victory will mean an impressive 20-0 start as a pro.

And, oh yes. How could we forget? It is for a world title.

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/oscar-valdezs-title-search-347818

la-sp-sn-boxing-vasyl-lomachenko-pacquiao-2014-001Vasyl Lomachenko has his hand raised after his victory over Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo in their WBO featherweight title fight Nov. 23 in Macao.

Credit:  Xaume Olleros / AFP / Getty Images –

Moments ago at the Cotai Arena in Macau, China, Vasyl Lomachenko successfully defended his WBO featherweight title, dominating Cholatarn Piriyapinyo en route to an easy unanimous decision. Lomachenko got off to a fast start, peppering Piriyapinyo with quick jabs and right hands. Despite suffering a hand injury that forced him to fight nearly half of the match with just one hand, Lomachenko easily cruised to victory. Relive all the action in FightHype’s round-by-round results!

ROUND 1
Loma [Lomachenko] comes out firing his jab. HARD left to the body lands for Loma. Right hook lands for Loma. Another. Stiff jab lands for Loma. Piri [Piriyapinyo] digs a left to the body. Loma firing his jab. They trade body shots. Loma landing the more telling shots. Loma digs a shot that’s low. Uppercut ladns for Loma. Loma digs to the body. Piri not offering up much in return. Nice three-punch combo lands for Loma. Easy round for Loma.

Lomachenko 10 Piriyapinyo 9

ROUND 2
Jab lands for Loma. Hard left lands for Loma. Right hook lands for Loma. Piri gets in a right. Right lands for Loma. Loma digs to the body. Another right hook lands for Loma. Piri gets in a hook. Straight left lands for Loma. HARD 1-2 lands for Loma. Loma just picking him apart with combinations. Short hook lands for Loma. Piri just following him around. Hard right hook lands for Loma. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 20 Piriyapinyo 18

ROUND 3
Right hook lands for Loma. Piri lands a low blow. Loma circling and flicking his jab. HARD right hook lands for Loma. HARD left to the body ladns for Loma. Piri looks hurt. Loma has him pinned to the ropes. Loma letting his hands go and landing a lot. Stiff jab lands for Loma. Quick combo lands for Loma. Piri fires to the body. 1-2 lands for Loma. Another HARD 1-2 lands for Loma. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 30 Piriyapinyo 27

ROUND 4
HARD left to the body lands for Loma. Right and another left lands for Loma. Piri missing with all of his shots. Loma dancing circles around him. A ton of jabs from Loma followed by a hard left to the body that backs Piri up. Loma raining down shots on him against the ropes. Stiff jab lands for Loma. Blistering uppercut lands for Loma. Another HARD left from Loma puts Piri down. He’s up and takes the count. Loma jumps on him and fires shots. End of round.

Lomachenko 40 Piriyapinyo 35

ROUND 5
Chopping right lands for Loma. Piri misses with some wild shots. Loma digs to the body. Left and a right lands for Loma. Again. Some quick lefts land for Loma. Hard uppercut lands for Loma. Piri lands a left to the body. Loma lands a left upstairs. 1-2 lands for Loma. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 50 Piriyapinyo 44

ROUND 6
Short right hook lands for Loma. Loma circles the ring. 1-2 lands for Loma. Piri fires a shot down the middle, but it’s blocked. Jab lands for Loma. Again. HARD left lands for Loma. Piri digs a left to the body. HARD left to the body lands for Loma. Loma peppers him with some shots. 1-2 lands for Loma. HARD left from Loma snaps the head back of Piri. Some hard hook s from Loma have Piri in trouble against the ropes. They trade a few more shots before the bell. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 60 Piriyapinyo 53

ROUND 7
HARD uppercut lands for Loma. Jab lands for Loma. Again. All Loma right now as he dances around the ring and just jabs Piri’s head. Piri digs a shot to the body. Right hook lands for Loma. Right hand lands for Loma. Loma appears to have hurt his left as he didn’t throw one at all that round. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 70 Piriyapinyo 62

ROUND 8
Loma lands a couple of jabs. Piri bulls forward. Loma doing a lot of movement right now as he’s a one-handed fighter. Stiff jab lands for Loma. Piri digs a left to the body. Right lands for Loma. HARD uppercut lands for Loma. Piri digs to the body. They trade on the inside. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 80 Piriyapinyo 71

ROUND 9
Piri digs to the body. Loma jabs and dances away. Quick right cross lands for Loma. Piri gets a warning for a low blow. They trade jabs. Jab lands for Loma. Piri gets in a right. Loma peppers him with some rights. Right hook lands for Loma. Again. Piri digs some left hooks to the body. Overhand right lands for Loma. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 90 Piriyapinyo 80

ROUND 10
Jab, jab, right hand lands for Loma. Piri digs to the body. Loma lands a left hook. Loma lands a couple of right hooks to the body. Loma peppers him with some shots. Uppercut lands for Loma. Loma continues to pepper him with shots. Piri digs a left to the body. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 100 Piriyapinyo 89

ROUND 11
Uppercut lands for Loma. They trade some shots. Piri digs a left to the body. Loma lands another uppercut. Again. Loma digs a right to the body. Right upstairs lands for Loma. Loma continues to pepper him with fast shots. Loma lands a left to the body. Uppercut lands for Loma. All Loma right now; Piri looks content to survive. HARD uppercut lands for Loma. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 110 Piriyapinyo 98

ROUND 12
Piri digs a left to the body. Loma peppers him with some rights. They trade some shots. Loma backs him up to the ropes. Another combination lands for Loma. Left to the body lands for Loma. Another. Left to the body and a right upstairs lands for Loma. Nice uppercut followed by a straight left lands for Loma. Piri lands a jab. HARD body shots followed by a right upstairs lands for Loma. More rights land for Loma. Round to Loma.

Lomachenko 120 Piriyapinyo 107

box_a_piriyapinyo_lomachenko_b2_576x324Credit:  AP Photo/KinCheung –

Official judges scorecards: 120-107, 120-107, 120-107

THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION…VASYL LOMACHENKO

http://www.fighthype.com/news/article18559.html

Date:  Saturday, November 22, 2014

WBO  FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort, Macao, Macao S.A.R., China

Promoter:   Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:   Luis A. Perez

Referee:    Luis Pabon

Judges:  Michael Pernick (120-107) \ Patrick Morley (120-107) \ Salven Lugumbay (120-107)

Results:   The Champion Vasyl Lomachenko retained the WBO Featherweight Title by Unanimous Decision against Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo.

TV:   Hungary Sport 1   USA HBO PPV   New Zealand Sky Arena

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Vasyl Lomachenko has beaten Gary Russell by majority decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title in Carson City, California in just his third professional fight, equalling the record set by Saensak Muangsurin.

The Ukrainian dropped a split decision to Orlando Salido in March but, after the Mexican fighter was stripped of his belt for failing to make the weight, Lomachenko was handed a second chance against Washington DC’s Russell.

While the American did manage to hit his opponent with quick combos in the early rounds on Saturday night, Lomachenko grew into the bout and scored a left uppercut to the chin before stunning Russell right at the final bell.

The judges’ scorecards read 14-114, 116-112 and 116-112, with double Olympic and triple world amateur champion Lomachenko telling ESPN: “I’m very happy and excited to be a world champion.

“I just worked by the plan built by our team. I was just working hard.”

Russell added: “It’s definitely a little disappointing. But it’s all good – we are gladiators, we are warriors.

“We need to go back to the drawing board. He had good movement and I take my hat off to him.”

http://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2014/0622/625653-lomachenko-claims-world-title-in-third-pro-fight/

Date:  Saturday, June 21, 2014

Vacant WBO Featherweight Championship Title

Location:  StubHub Center, Carson, California, USA

Promoter:  Golden Boy Promotions

Supervisor:   Richard De Cuir

Referee:   Jack Reiss

Judges:   Patt Russell (116-112),  Lisa Giampa (114-114), Max DeLuca (116-112)

Results:   Vasyl Lomachenko won the WBO Featherweight Title on majority decision over Gary Russell Jr.

TV:  USA Showtime

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Photos by:  Chris Farina/Top Rank –

SAN ANTONIO — Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and 2013 Prospect of the Year VASYL LOMACHENKO (1-0, 1 KO), is in a hurry to make his mark, and in only his second professional fight, he will be challenging three-time world featherweight champion ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO for Salido’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title.  The Salido-Lomachenko world championship fight will be televised live from the Alamodome, Saturday, March 1, on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.  The telecast will also feature the eagerly-anticipated 12-round rematch between former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. and Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA.

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“It has been a long, hard ride to get to this world title fight,” said Lomachenko.  “I may have only one professional fight on my resume but I have been boxing all my life,  dreaming that one day I would be fighting the best fighters. And now I am fighting a world champion who is one of the best in featherweight division. Salido is a very good veteran fighter and he has been in the ring with toughest opponents.  He puts a lot of pressure on you inside the ring and he comes to fight.  Defeating this kind of fighter would mean a lot to me. It would also add my name to boxing history and get me one step closer to joining the sport’s all-time best. Thank you to Top Rank and a special thank you to Bob Arum for making this fight happen — for making my dream come true. Tune into HBO World Championship Boxing on March 1st.  You will remember the Alamodome that night.”

Lomachenko workout_140211_001a

Salido (40-12-2, 28 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México, completed a hat trick last year by winning a world featherweight  title for the third time.  He captured the vacant WBO featherweight title by knocking out No. 1 contender Orlando Cruz in the seventh round of their September 12, 2013 fight.  Salido captured his first world title in his third attempt.  After a No Decision to Robert Guerrero in 2006 and a split decision loss to Cristobal Cruz in 2008, Salido finally captured the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title in 2010, avenging his loss to Cruz by winning a split decision.  His title reign was short-lived, losing a unification fight to World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa later that same year.  Salido bounced back in a big way, stopping undefeated WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez in the eighth round in 2011 to capture his second world championship crown.  Salido successfully defended that title twice, knocking out Kenichi Yamaguchi and Lopez in a rematch during his two-year reign, before losing it to Mikey Garcia last January. He enters this title defense having won six of his last seven fights by knockout.

Lomachenko workout_140211_002a

Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko jumped into the deep end of boxing’s international-sized swimming pool when he made his professional debut in a 10-round featherweight bout against the WBO’s No. 7-rated  featherweight contender Jose Luis Ramirez last September 12.  It didn’t take Lomachenko long to take to the water.  He knocked out Ramirez (24-2-2, 15 KOs) in the fourth round to become the new WBO International featherweight champion.  He ended the year as the WBO’s No. 5 world-rated featherweight contender as well as being proclaimed the 2013 “Prospect of the Year” by the majority of the major boxing media.  Lomachenko first gained international renown by winning gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Games as a featherweight and a lightweight, respectively.  Known for his all-out aggressive style of boxing, Lomachenko is equally aggressive in plotting his professional boxing plan to a world title where he insisted on making his pro debut in a 10-round bout against a seasoned Top-10 rated contender where a victory could propel him to a world title shot in his next fight.

Lomachenko workout_140211_003a

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Lomachenko workout_140211_004a

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-lomachenko-putting-work-salido-shot–74604

Salido_Garcia

By Ryan Burton –

BoxingScene.com recently spoke to former featherweight champion Orlando “Siri” Salido.  The Sonora, Mexico native is just days away from facing Orlando Cruz for the vacant WBO featherweight title.  Salido said that he had a great camp and is looking forward to returning to the ring.

“We had a great training camp.  I had to really work on my legs in camp.  I am not getting any younger and I have been through some difficult fights so I wanted to make sure I was ready.  My legs are ready to go and I feel great,” Salido explained.

Salido last fought in January when he lost a technical decision to Mikey Garcia. Salido was knocked down four times but was having his best round when the fight was stopped when Garcia’s nose was broken by an accidental headbutt.  After the fight Salido said that he planned on testing the waters at 130 pounds but said that this opportunity was too good to pass up.

“I wanted to move up to 130 but when this opportunity to fight for another title at 126 came up it was just to good to pass up.  If everything goes well we will move up after this fight,” Salido said.

The 32-year-old Salido feels like he has unfinished business with Garcia and would like to face him again in the future.  Garcia will make his debut in the super featherweight division when he faces Rocky Martinez for his WBO title on November 9th.

“I definitely want a rematch.  It has been on my mind.  Things like that (headbutts) happen in fights.  They are accidents.  I would definitely like to face him again at 130 pounds,” Salido told BoxingScene.com.

http://www.boxingscene.com/orlando-salido-wants-rematch-with-mikey-garcia-130–70424

orlando cruz (1)

New York, NY, USA —  No. 1 Featherweight contender Orlando Cruz of Puerto Rico works out during media day ahead of his bout against WBO featherweight champion Orlando Salido.  The two will meet on the undercard of the Timothy Bradley vs. Juan Manuel Marquez bout on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas for the vacant WBO featherweight title.  Cruz is boxing’s first openly gay fighter.

orlando cruz (15)

Orlando Cruz vs. Salido

orlando cruz (16)

orlando cruz (14)

orlando cruz (12)

orlando cruz (5)

orlando cruz (7)

It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®,
Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zanfer Promotions, All Star Boxing, Wynn Las Vegas, Márquez Boxing, and Tecate, remaining tickets to the Bradley vs. Márquez welterweight championship event, priced at $800, $600, $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at UNLVtickets.com, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas Concierge, or by calling 702-739-FANS (3267).

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-orlando-cruz-training-during-media-day–69933

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LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 17, 2013) — It’s just 25 days until undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY, JR. and four-division world champion and Méxican icon JUAN MANUEL “Dinamita” MÁRQUEZ, both coming off Fight of the Year performances, collide in a battle for Bradley’s world title. The only two fighters to have defeated Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao in the past seven years, Bradley vs. Márquez will take place Saturday, October 12, at the Thomas & Mack Center, on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zanfer Promotions, All Star Boxing,Wynn Las Vegas, Márquez Boxing, and Tecate, the Bradley vs. Márquez pay-per-view undercard is just as steeped in excitement and historical significance as the main event.

No. 1 contender ORLANDO CRUZ, boxing’s first openly gay fighter, will clash with former two-time featherweight champion ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO for the vacant WBO featherweight title. For Cruz (20-2-1, 10 KOs), of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a member of Puerto Rico’s 2000 Olympic team, this will be his first world title shot. Half of Cruz’s professional victories have been by knockout, including three of his last four fights — all for the WBO Latino featherweight belt — propelling him to the top of the WBO ratings. He enters this title tilt riding a two-year winning streak, highlighted by a first-round knockout of previously undefeated Michael Franco. Salido (39-12-2, 27 KOs), of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México, will be looking to complete a hat trick in regaining the title he previously held for nearly two years. He captured his first world title in his third attempt. After a No Decision to Robert Guerrero in 2006 and a split decision loss to Cristobal Cruz in 2008, Salido finally captured the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title in 2010, avenging his loss to Cruz by winning a split decision. His title reign was short-lived, losing a unification fight to World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa later that same year. Salido bounced back in a big way, stopping undefeated WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez in the eighth round in 2011 to capture his second world championship crown. Salido enters this fight having won five of his last six fights by knockout, including title defenses against Kenichi Yamaguchi in 2011 and a rematch with Lopez in 2012. He lost the title in January, by decision, to Mikey Garcia. He is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBO.

Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist VASYL “The Great” LOMACHENKO will jump into the deep end of boxing’s international-sized swimming pool when he makes his professional debut in a 10-round featherweight bout against top-10 contender JOSE LUIS RAMIREZ. Lomachenko first gained international renown by winning gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Games as a featherweight and lightweight, respectively. Known for his all-out aggressive style of boxing, Lomachenko is equally aggressive in plotting his professional boxing plan to a world title where he insisted on making his pro debut in a 10-round bout against a seasoned veteran where a victory could propel him to a Top-10 world rating. He certainly has that in Ramirez (24-2-2, 15 KOs), of Méxicali, Baja California,México, who has won six of his last seven fights. Ramirez enters this fight fresh from a career-best victory, a 12-round decision over Rey Bautista (34-2, 25 KOs), in April. for the WBO International featherweight title, ending the No. 4-rated contender’s four-year winning streak. Ramirez is currently word-rated No. 7 by the WBO.

Undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) Americas light heavyweight champion “Irish” SEANIE MONAGHAN, one of the top boxing gate attractions in his native New York, will open up the live telecast in his pay-per-view debut. He captured the title on June 14, 2012, via an eighth-round TKO of Romaro Johnson and successfully defended it last October 24, winning a unanimous decision over Rayco Sanders. Known for his aggressive style and good punching power, especially to the body, Monaghan, 31, is currently world-rated No. 10 by the WBA. In last his fight, on April 13, he scored a first-round knockout of Dion Stanley on the undercard of the Nonito Donaire – Guillermo Rigondeaux world junior featherweight championship at Radio City Music Hall. Venturing outside the New York / New Jersey area for the first time, Monaghan (18-0, 11 KOs), of Long Beach, NY, will risk his title, undefeated record and top-10 rating against ANTHONY CAPUTO-SMITH. Smith (14-1, 10 KOs), of Kenneth Square, Pa., captured the Pennsylvania State light heavyweight title on April 19, winning a gritty majority decision over Dhafir Smith.

Remaining tickets to the Bradley vs. Márquez welterweight championship event, priced at $800, $600, $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at UNLVtickets.com, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas Concierge, or by calling 702-739-FANS (3267).

http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/tss-press-releases/17242-just-25-days-til-marquez-bradley-bout

orlando-salido (4)

By Salvador Rodriguez

Former champion Olando Salido (39-12-2, 27KOs) is confident his big fight experience will be more than enough to overcome his next opponent, Orlando Cruz (20-2-1, 10KOs). Salido and Cruz will battle for the vacant WBO featherweight title on October 12th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The main event that night will feature a welterweight fight between Juan Manuel Marquez and WBO champion Timothy Bradley.

“It’s a tough fight, very important, but we believe in our experience, our strength, our journey in boxing and especially attacking to the body because Cruz is a very elusive fighter,” Salido said.

“It’s a good showcase to prove that we can still do it. We lost our footing with [the loss to Mikey] Garcia, but we have everything to take back what is ours, that title. We’re staying near the weight. We should have no problems making 126 pounds and that will enable us to make a good fight.”

“I think he’s a good fighter, he moves well the ring. I’ve been practicing with sparring southpaws. I do not want any surprises. We will lower our legs and hit the body and use our boxing to return to being a world champion.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/orlando-salido-plans-punish-orlando-cruzs-body–69232

Boxing: Miguel Angel Garcia vs. Orlando Salido

By:  Scott Christ –

Mikey Garcia will defend his WBO featherweight title against Juan Manuel Lopez in Dallas.

According to Mikey Garcia via Twitter, with a photograph of the contract dated May 1, Garcia will defend his WBO featherweight title on June 15 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, against Juan Manuel Lopez.

Garcia vs Lopez has been discussed plenty since Mikey’s January win over Orlando Salido, but there was always the belief that the fight would take place at a 128-pound catchweight. The contract clearly states it will be a title fight, with the max weight the divisional limit of 126 pounds.

Garcia (31-0, 26 KO) has thus far been terrific as a pro, and his win over Salido — though cut short due to injury — was a pretty thorough clinic for the majority of the eight rounds it lasted, with Salido down four times and just totally outboxed by the younger man.

Lopez (33-2, 30 KO) is an extremely entertaining fighter, though not the elite talent he was hyped as being during his younger days. Now 29 (and turning 30 on June 30th), Lopez is a known quantity. He’s strong, he’s all-action, and he’s got enormous defensive flaws. Both of his losses came in brutal slugfests against Salido, who stopped him in both 2011 and 2012.

Since the second loss to Salido, Lopez has won two straight, scoring easy wins over Aldimar Silva Santos and Eugenio Lopez.

http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/5/1/4292122/mikey-garcia-vs-juan-manuel-lopez-reportedly-done-june-15-2013-hbo-boxing-news