Latest news with #Featherweight
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
5 things to watch in boxing: Albert Ramirez's light heavyweight push, latest on Eubank-Benn 2, Junto Nakatani and more
Yikes, talk about a sparse schedule. Boxing appears to be taking its traditional summer break very seriously this year, and who could blame it? But for those on the outskirts of the boxing circus looking in, this weekend could prove the perfect opportunity to put themselves in the shop window for future opportunities. Let's set the table for some of the biggest things to look out for across one of boxing's quietest weekends: Mirco Cuello and Sergio Rios try to 'KO a las Drogas' in Libya The interim WBA featherweight title is on the line in Benghazi, Libya, as part of the WBA's ongoing mission to "KO Drugs" — something that has managed to pass me by despite celebrating its — checks notes — 30th anniversary this year. Mirco Cuello and Sergio Rios put their unbeaten records on the line in what has to be regarded as the fight of the weekend in an Argentinean-Mexican scrap at 126 pounds. Cuello comes into this fight as a huge betting favorite (-2500 at BetMGM) following an impressive final-round TKO of Christian Olivio in February, notching his 12th stoppage victory in just 15 contests, whereas Rios fights outside of Mexico for the first time as a pro, and, most remarkably, for only the third time in 20 outings against a fighter with a winning record. Nick Ball — who defends his WBA title at featherweight against Sam Goodman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next weekend — will be in line for the winner of Friday night's headline attraction, as the only current male world champion hailing from the United Kingdom. Junto Nakatani looks to move to super bantamweight — is an opponent on the horizon? In what could be the first significant move toward an all-Japanese superfight with Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs), Junto Nakatani (31-0, 24 KOs) has signaled his intention to leave the bantamweight division behind. The unified champion at 118 pounds is a world champion in three different weight classes and an inclusion within a majority of pound-for-pound top 10 lists, but what awaits the 27-year-old is one of the biggest fights the sport could wish for against the 'Monster.' 'We are currently adjusting to move up to the super bantamweight division for the next match. I think I will relinquish the bantamweight title soon,' Nakatani said, as reported by Yahoo Japan. So, keep your eye on Nakatani making this news official by dropping the IBF and WBC titles, and plotting his path toward Inoue in the first half of 2026. Murodjon Akhmadaliev is next up for Inoue, so Nakatani will need to choose his first opponent at 122 pounds carefully in preparation for his superstar countryman. Albert Ramirez moves closer to light heavyweight title shot Don't worry — if Cuello and Rios don't "KO Drugs," then Albert Ramirez has another chance to deliver a vicious left hook to narcotics on the Cuello vs. Rios undercard. The Venezuelan southpaw has moved to 21-0 (18 KOs) having fought twice in 2025 already, and now challenges London-born Jerome Pampellone in the peculiar setting of the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benghazi, Libya. Ramirez is close to a title shot in the light heavyweight division, aiming to bag the WBA's interim title this Friday against the 19-2 (12 KOs) Auckland resident. Will the titlists at 175 pounds, David Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol, be watching? Maybe. Ramirez is a hard-hitting lefty who is moving through the levels quickly, but his ceiling is still a bit of a mystery having competed across seven countries as somewhat of a professional nomad. Vartan Arutyunyan continues heavyweight climb Unbeaten southpaw Vartan Arutyunyan could prove to be one of the hidden gems of the heavyweight division. The 25-year-old has built a 10-0 (7 KOs) record under the radar since turning over in 2019 and heads back to Yekaterinburg, Russia, this Saturday night for an eight-rounder against compatriot Vitaly Kudukhov (7-2, 3 KOs). The 6-foot-2 heavyweight sparred with Anthony Joshua in the run up to the Briton's first encounter with Oleksandr Usyk and was described as a 'little Mike Tyson' and a 'powerhouse' by Joshua's team. It's still early, but in an aging heavyweight division there is plenty of room for some young(er) blood. Will Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn 2 fall through, again? Ok, sorry for trying to squeeze the jam out of your doughnut (is that still a saying?), but just because Turki Alalshikh's Ring Magazine has posted Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn 2 is happening on Nov. 15., doesn't mean it's gospel. We've been here before. An original date of Sept. 20 was declared in early July without any knowledge from either Eubank's or Benn's teams, only for the former IBO middleweight champion to refuse acknowledgement of the proposed date. Alalshikh, Riyadh Season and Sela then distanced themselves with any involvement of trying to make the rematch, claiming they weren't a 'charity' and taking aim at Eubank in the process. But as if by magic, it appears we've gone full circle. Bridges have been mended and 60,000 expected fans are preparing for a cold November night inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. We are still awaiting official confirmation on any possible stipulations that this rematch will include, including what weight Eubank and Benn will be required to make. The rematch is probably more on than off, but would anyone be surprised if there's another big stumbling block on the road to Nov. 15?
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Fight Night 259: Noche UFC poster released for Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva
The UFC is set for its third event that celebrates Mexican Independence Day. The promotion heads to San Antonio for UFC Fight Night 259: Noche UFC, which features an important featherweight matchup between former title challenger Diego Lopes and Jean Silva. The event takes place at Frost Bank Center. The event was initially planned to take place in Guadalajara, Mexico, but was shifted to Texas due to construction delays. Lopes (26-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will look to bounce back from his title opporunity loss against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314, while Silva (16-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will aim to remain undefeated in the promotion as he hunts for his own title shot. The promotion has released an official poster for the event, which highlights the main event matchup with a faceoff between Lopes and Silva with vibrant colors inspired by the Mexican flag and the coat of arms. Check out the poster below, as well as the latest UFC Fight Night 259 lineup (via X): Current Noche UFC lineup Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva Amanda Lemos vs. Tatiana Suarez Norma Dumont vs. opponent TBA Claudio Puelles vs. Joaquim Silva Edgar Chairez vs. Alessandro Costa Rafa Garcia vs. Jared Gordon Jose Medina vs. Dusko Todorovic Jesus Aguilar vs. Luis Gurule Alice Pereira vs. Montserrat Rendon David Martinez vs. Carlos Vera This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Noche UFC poster relased for Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Exit ‘Fire,' Enter ‘Angel'
UFC Vegas 108 continues to undergo last-second changes. A planned Featherweight clash between blue chip prospect Austin Bashi and Contenders Series veteran Francis Marshall has been scratched after 'Fire' Marshall withdrew. Filling in for Marshall will be John Yannis (9-2), Featherweight champion of the Fury FC promotion. Yannis has won three straight fights all via knockout ahead of his UFC debut. Odds are against the Texan, however, as Bashi is widely regarded as a top-notch prospect at 23 years of age. A slick wrestler and grappler, Bashi will be looking to rebound from the first loss of his professional career opposite noted prospect hunter Christian Rodriguez. It's a tall task on short-notice, but hopefully we'll learn something about 'Angel' in the process. Scheduled for this weekend (Sat., Aug. 2, 2025), UFC Vegas 108 already lost its main event on Monday morning when Amir Albazi was forced to withdraw from his scheduled clash opposite Tatsuro Taira. Fortunately, a replacement was found Just a few hours later in undefeated Hyun Sung Park, a promising striker who was pulled from a later match up opposite Steve Erceg. Just a few hours after the revised main event was announced, vicious Middleweight knockout artist Azamat Bekoev was bumped off the card entirely. Despite all the last-second changes, the event is still scheduled to have 12 bouts, though fight fans may notice a distinct lack in star power. Such is life in the UFC Apex. For the complete UFC Vegas 108 card, click here. More from Miocic Responds To Pressure From White And Cormier White On 'Possibly' Stripping Miocic UFC 249 Embedded: Rousey Nearly Knocked Out Cruz? Midnight Mania! Sterling Vs. Sandhagen Possible June 6 Headliner UFC 249 Odds, Under Dogs And Best Bets! Khabib Plans July Return, Vows To 'Smash Them All' Video! Jacare Breaks Social Distancing Rules Prior To UFC 249 Removal
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Midnight Mania: ‘Sex Is Better After A War'
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Welcome to Midnight Mania! Let's start the night off by taking look back over the three biggest stories of Thursday, June 5, 2025. Free UFC 316 PPV? 'It's so easy to stream it,' says Sean O'Malley, 'You just enter the link; boom, it's right there': Sean O'Malley is correct, of course, but this is just generally true of the modern internet: most copyrighted content can be found so easily. I had to learn how to torrent files as a teen! Alexander Volkanovski shares next title defense update: 'The rumors are true': Yair Rodriguez receiving the next Featherweight shot would truly be all-time bad matchmaking. Send Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby to the Hague! Ex-NFL star and UFC outcast Greg Hardy arrested for allegedly assaulting a family member: Shocking that getting knocked out a few times didn't quell Hardy's alleged violent tendencies. Insomnia Listen to the audio closely here for a sample of 'Big Mouth' at his finest. 'Sex is better after a war,' Kevin Holland tells Vicente Luque. 'You don't think so? Or you don't have sex?' Advertisement I genuinely didn't remember Kamaru Usman's undefeated streak going THAT long, and I was watching/writing about the whole thing! Arman Tsarukyan lives a bougie lifestyle outside of fighting. Chase Hooper vs. Alexander Hernandez at UFC 319 ... from the horse's mouth! I like Hooper to lose the first and win the next two rounds or possibly force a late finish. Patchy Mix is talking really big game ahead of UFC 316, putting himself in a win-or-be-embarrassed position. Exciting! I recommend treating this line of thinking with some random pro Flyweight. Visualization is a powerful tool! It's hard to favor anyone's chances against Merab right now, but Sean O'Malley has a reasonable shot at catching anyone on the Bantamweight roster. Slips, rips, and KO clips Very few boxers have entered the matrix quite like Vasiliy Lomachenko. Enjoy retirement, champ! Incredible crowd atmosphere on this KO: Advertisement Same side head kicks following a straight are always dangerous, but the half-a-beat pause on this one is SLICK stuff. Random Land Frightening explosions in Kyiv. Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 2001 Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way. More from
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Erne Boxing Club host memorable night of international boxing
Last Friday, a packed crowd at the Westville Hotel in Enniskillen enjoyed a thrilling and unforgettable evening of international boxing. The event, hosted by Erne Boxing Club in collaboration with the IABA (Irish Athletic Boxing Association) High-Performance Unit, saw Ireland's Elite Boxing Team face off against a visiting team from Austria. Despite some last minute withdrawals due to injuries and travel issues there were ten highly entertaining contests that included seven international contests and three supporting contests featuring Erne boxers. The night's action got underway with Erne's Ben Millar taking on Jack Willis (Gateway Sligo BC) in a 50kg Youth Contest. Millar made a fast start peppering his opponent with hard jabs to take control of the contest. After landing with unanswered combinations on several occasions he forced his brave opponent to take two stsnding counts and the referee to halt the contest in round two, handing Millar an RSC victory. Next up saw home favourite Cameron Suttle against the heavy-punching Alex McAleer (Ballyshannon BC) in a 67kg Senior Welterweight contest. Suttle established control of the contest working away behind the jab and held a solid guard to defend against his opponent's soild counter attacks. The good jab work from Suttle bloodied his opponent's nose and a good volley of punches forced his opponent to take a standing count. McAleer fought back gamely and had a good spell on top but Suttle rallied again forcing further nose damage and his opponent to take another standing count. The contest was subsequently called off afterwards handing Suttle an RSC win in round three. In the final supporting contest, Erne's Anthony Malanaphy took on Naoise McManus (Dumsna BC) in another 67kg Welterweight contest. McManus had beaten Anthony's clubmate Cameron Suttle earlier in the season and so he was on something of a revenge mission. For two rounds Malanaphy showed his subline skillset peppering McManus with his eye-catching long-range punches and his trademark uppercuts when in close. However, in round three Malanaphy opted to stand and trade with McManus who got inspired by his success and it resulted in an uncomfortable last round for the home favourite. However, Malanaphy dug deep and deservedly collected a unaminous 5-0 points win. This contest was followed by some traditional Irish Dancing from talented dancing sisters Chloe and Charley Gilmurray who entertained the visitors and large crowd. Following the parade of the two international teams, rising country singing star Cara McGillion sang great renditions of Danny Boy and Amhrán na bhFiann. Ireland's Gavin Ryan beat Michel Marinkovic (Austria) in the opening international contest at Bantamweight and Lee McEvoy followed that with a victory over Eric Banas at Featherweight. Next up was the main attraction Rhys Owens v Mery Ayan (Austria) in a Lightweight contest. Owens received a rapturous applause on his way to the ring and started the contest a bit nervously. Ayan took advantage and got the better of the early exchanges. However, Owens warmed into the contest and once he found his range he started to land with hurtful body shots. The opening round was very close but some sharp three-punch eye-catching combinations from Owens would have seen him edge the first session. In round two, Owens was buoyant and was now relishing the occasion. He applied constant pressure and although his Austrian opponent fought back gamely he was simply being outgunned and overwhelmed by the Erne starlet. Quality Owens combinations that mixed shots from body to head force Ayan to take a standing count and on resumption there was no let up. Owens knew he had his man going and continued to apply pressure and after landing with another hurtful combination the contest was called off handing him an RSC victory in round two. The large crowd raised the roof as Owens hand was officially raised in victory. There were a further two wins and two reverses for team Ireland in the final four team contests as the hosts romp to a 5-2 victory in the team match. Luke Hall (Ireland) beat Alfred Nana (Austria) by unanimous decision at Welterweight. Matthew McCole beat Rahman Altamirov (Austria) by RSC in round three at Light- Middleweight. Jason Clancy (Ireland) lost to Lucky Aimufa (Austria) by Split Decision 3-2 at Light-Heavyweight. Brian Kennedy (Ireland) lost to Micael Derouchie (Austria) by Unanimous Decision 5-0. Event organiser and Erne Boxing Club Head Coach Sean Crowley said: "It was a fantastic night for the club and a great night for Fermanagh. We have so many people and businesses that supported us to thank that we don't know where to start. "Our four boxers that competed tonight boxed absolutely brilliantly and impressed in front of the National coaches. "To get four wins out of four and especially to see Rhys win in an international vest in front of the home fans made all the stress and many tireless hours of unpaid work worthwhile for me, the club coaches and all the volunteers that made this event possible. "We did a great job of showcasing the beautiful county of Fermanagh and with further support could bring a major international competition like a European Championship in the future- that would be a great way to relaunch the new Lakeland forum when it reopens. "I just want to finish on behalf of the club by thanking all those key people that helped out, we are indebted to you."
