Notebook: Alalshikh finalizes undercard for Canelo-Scull

Fundora interview; Navarrete defense details; new Kambosos foe; 'Venado' comeback update; Japan world title card set; Ohtani/Inoue night; Quick hits; Show and tell

Dan Rafael

Mar 18, 2025

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Heavyweights Efe Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs), 30, a 2016 Nigerian Olympian fighting out of Stafford, Texas, and Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs), 33, a Congo native based in Scotland, will also fight on the card. However, it will not be an IBF title eliminator as initially planned for Alalshikh’s Ring magazine-branded card May 3 in New York’s Times Square.

That is because when Bakole took a fight with WBO interim titlist Joseph Parker on three days’ notice and got knocked out in the second round in the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol II co-feature on Feb. 22 in Riyadh, Bakole lost his position in the IBF rankings and it would obviously no longer sanction it as an eliminator.

In a second world title bout on the show, WBC cruiserweight titleholder Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs), 41, a Sweden native based in Dubai, will make his first defense against mandatory challenger Ryan Rozicki (20-1-1, 19 KOs), 30, of Canada.

Rozicki promoter Three Lions Promotions won a purse bid to gain control of the bout and planned to stage it April 26 in Rozicki’s hometown Sydney, Nova Scotia, but the company reached an agreement with Alalshikh to shift the date and site.

Jack, who has also won titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight, has been idle since a 12th-round KO of Ilunga Makabu to win the belt in February 2023. He hoped to fight for the WBC bridgerweight title and was placed “in recess” but when the fight did not materialize he returned to cruiserweight and was reinstated at titleholder in December.

Heralded Marco Verde, 23, who claimed the welterweight silver medal for Mexico in the 2024 Paris Olympics, will make his pro debut against countryman Michel Polina (4-5-3, 2 KOs), 33, in a middleweight bout.

Reynoso, who is Verde’s manager but not trainer, told Fight Freaks Unite the fight is schedule for six rounds and referred to Verde as “the best Mexican prospect.”

Verde, who was a gold medalist at the 2023 Pan American Games, made it to the Olympic final but fell by decision to Uzbekistan’s Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev.

Also, the Reynoso-trained light heavyweight Brayan Leon (6-0, 6 KOs), 22, a Las Vegas-based Cuba native, who has sparred with Alvarez, will face Aaron Guerrero (11-3-1, 7 KOs), 29, of Mexico, in a six-rounder.

Sebastian Fundora interview

We didn’t have a full recap show on Sunday because TJ was calling college basketball in Philadelphia and then had massive flight delays there and in Atlanta combined with other obligations on Monday. So the show was only my interview with WBC/WBO junior middleweight titleholder Sebastian Fundora, who will end a one-year layoff to make his first defense against Chordale Booker in the main event of a PBC on Prime Video tripleheader on Saturday (8 p.m. ET) at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Check out the interview here. Also give it a review and subscribe to get an alert when the next episode is available. New shows every Thursday and Sunday night (barring travel chaos)!

Navarrete-Suarez on tap

WBO junior lightweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete will make his fourth defense against Charly Suarez on a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN world title doubleheader on May 10 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, sources with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite.

Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs), 30, of Mexico, will fight in the arena for the fourth time, although in his previous bout there last May he lost a split decision to Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight title when he moved up to in weight seeking a title in a fourth weight class.

Navarrete returned to junior lightweight and stopped Oscar Valdez in the sixth round of their rematch in December.

Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs), 36, of the Philippines, will be taking a big step up in opposition in his fourth consecutive fight in the United States.

The card will also include Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs), 28, of Fontana, California, against Zaur Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs), 30, of Russia, for the vacant IBF interim lightweight title, which has not been formally announced but was confirmed to Fight Freaks Unite by Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti last month.

The interim belt is available because titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko is sidelined for several months while recovering from a back injury.

New Kambosos opponent

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Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr., who is moving up to junior welterweight, has a new opponent in Jake Wyllie for his 12-round main event on Saturday (DAZN, 4 a.m. ET) at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, Kambosos’ hometown.

Wyllie (16-1, 15 KOs), 24, of Australia, took the fight on short notice when veteran Daud Yordan was “ruled out on medical grounds following a visit to a hospital in his homeland of Indonesia,” Matchroom Boxing announced on Monday.

“This is what dreams are made of,” Wyllie said. “I’d already arranged tickets to come watch on Saturday and now I’m fighting in the main event. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m ready to take it with both hands. George has boxed at the highest level in the sport but I’m young, ambitious, and ready to put it all on the line.”

Kambosos (21-3, 10 KOs), 31, who will be in his first bout of a co-promotional deal made in November between longtime promoter Lou DiBella and Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, has a title shot riding on a win. If Kambosos takes care of business he will be the next challenger for IBF 140-pound titlist Richardson Hitchins this summer.

“I am ready to showcase all the hard work I have been putting in over the last three months no matter who the opponent is,” Kambosos said. “Boxing is unpredictable and it is very unfortunate to have Daud Yordan medically pull out five days before the event, but the ‘Ferocious’ show goes on because there is no show without me.

“Victory is the only thing on my mind, no matter what, and it sets up my 140-pound world title shot next. I want to give a good local Aussie kid a shot. Jake Wyllie stands out. He is the current Australian 140 national champion, the only one that hasn't been disrespectful for a payday, and I like how he has gone about his business in the boxing world. So, I'm giving Jake the ‘Rocky’ shot, the opportunity — but that’s where it ends. This is not a Rocky movie, don't get it twisted. There is no happy ending. A ‘Ferocious’ statement is what you’ll see.”

Since Kambosos’ monumental upset of Teofimo Lopez to win the unified lightweight title in November 2021, he is 1-3, having been dominated twice by Devin Haney in lopsided decisions in undisputed title fights in Australia in 2022, winning a controversial majority decision over Maxi Hughes in 2023, and getting knocked out in the 11th round, also in Australia, by Vasiliy Lomachenko for the vacant IBF lightweight title last May.

‘Venado’ Lopez comeback

Former IBF featherweight titlist Luis Alberto Lopez will fight Eduardo Montoya in a 10-round junior lightweight bout on March 29 at the Palenque Del Fex in his hometown of Mexicali, Mexico, Lopez announced on his social media.

“The return is near after a long wait,” Lopez posted. “We’re coming home. Aim to get my belt back.”

“Venado” will be in his first fight in seven months since he suffered what co-manager Hector Fernandez termed at the time as a “small brain bleed” as a result of a gargantuan 10th-round knockout loss that cost him his world title against Angelo Leo in their Top Rank Boxing on ESPN main event on Aug. 10 at Tingley Coliseum in Leo’s hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Lopez (30-3, 17 KOs), 30, of Mexico, who was making his fourth title defense, and Leo were locked in a tight fight — 86-85 for Leo on two scorecards and 86-85 on one card for Lopez — going into the 10th round. But Leo landed a massive left hook on the chin that heavily knocked Lopez out in the KO of the year contender.

Montoya (21-7-1, 14 KOs), 31, of Mexico, is 2-2 in his last four fights with both defeats by knockout, including by former world title challenger Miguel Marriaga in 2016. Montoya did not fight for nearly five years between early 2020 and the end of 2024.

Japanese world title card

Ohashi Promotions announced a world title doubleheader set for May 28 in Yokohama, Japan, with Yoshiki Takei defending the WBO bantamweight title against Yuttapong Tongdee in the main event.

Takei (10-0, 8 KOs), 28, a Japanese southpaw, was due to make his second defense against Tongdee (15-0, 9 KOs), 31, of Thailand, on Dec. 24 in Tokyo as the co-feature for undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue’s defense against Sam Goodman but the card was moved to Jan. 24 when Goodman suffered a cut (and ultimately replaced by Ye Joon Kim). Then Takei suffered a shoulder injury and his fight was further postponed.

In the co-feature, Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez (28-1, 28 KOs), 27, of Mexico, will square off with Masanori Rikiishi (16-1, 11 KOs), 30, a Japanese southpaw, for the vacant IBF junior lightweight title.

Anthony Cacace vacated the 130-pound title on Jan. 31, electing to take a higher-profile money fight with former featherweight titlist Leigh Wood rather than face Nunez, who was his mandatory challenger.

Ohtani/Inoue doubleheader

ESPN will feature the most popular active athletes from Japan in back-to-back events on May 4.

When Top Rank announced last week that undisputed junior featherweight champion and Japanese mega star Naoya Inoue would next defend against Ramon Cardenas on May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, it was not determined if the card, which will also include WBO featherweight titlist Rafael Espinoza defending against Edward Vazquez in the co-feature, would air on ESPN in addition to streaming on ESPN+.

On Monday, Top Rank announced it will also air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET — immediately following the “Sunday Night Baseball” game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, who boast the only active Japanese athlete more famous than Inoue in Shohei Ohtani.

“This is a tremendous platform for Inoue to perform, as he and the incomparable Ohtani are two of Japan’s most decorated athletes,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said.

Walsh ices Sutherland

Junior middleweight up-and-comer Callum Walsh (13-0, 11 KOs), 23, who is from Ireland and based in Southern California, where he is trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, scored a devastating first-round knockout of fellow southpaw Dean Sutherland on Sunday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the fight headlined 360 Promotions’ heavily Irish card on St. Patrick’s Day eve.

Walsh, one of the boxing’s top prospects in the 2024 Fight Freaks Unite annual rankings, caught Sutherland (19-2, 7 KOs), 26, of Scotland, with a straight left followed a right hook that knocked him out in the center of the ring with 15 seconds left in the round.

“I know at this weight every opponent is going to be tough and I keep getting stronger and better,” Walsh said. “I am destined to be one of the best fighters in the world. I could fight again tonight. I could fight next week. Where’s Dana White? Nobody beats the Irish, especially on St. Paddy’s Day!”

White, the UFC president and CEO — and now heading up parent company TKO’s move into boxing promotion — was ringside. He has long been a Walsh supporter and streams his events on UFC Fight Pass.

Quick hits

Kameda Promotions on Monday made official at a news conference that the long-expected fight between IBF featherweight titlist Angelo Leo and mandatory challenger Tomoki Kameda will take place on May 24 at the International Exhibition Center in Osaka, Japan, Kameda’s hometown. Leo (25-1, 12 KOs), 30, a former WBO junior featherweight titlist, scored a massive one-punch, left-hook KO of Luis Alberto Lopez in the 10th round to win the featherweight belt on Aug. 10 in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. On Aug. 24 in Osaka, Kameda (42-4, 23 KOs), 33, a former bantamweight titlist, scored a fifth-round knockdown and won a split decision to avenge a split decision loss to South Africa’s Lerato Dlamini in their rematch/IBF title eliminator to become Leo’s mandatory challenger.

The WBC has notified Tom Brown of TGB Promotions on behalf of Mark Magsayo and Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing on behalf of Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez to commence negotiations for a junior lightweight final title eliminator for the right to challenge 130-pound titlist O’Shaquie Foster. If no agreement is reached the WBC will hold a purse bid on April 6. Former WBC featherweight titlist Magsayo (27-2, 18 KOs), 29, of the Philippines, has won three fights in a row since moving up to junior lightweight. Hernandez (37-2, 32 KOs), 27, of Mexico, has won three in a row since Foster stopped him in the 12th round of a dramatic comeback to retain the title in a mandatory defense in October 2023.

With the sides so far unable to make a deal, the WBC has scheduled a purse bid for a fight between interim flyweight titlist Galal Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs), 32, a 2020 British Olympic gold medalist, and No. 1-ranked and former unified strawweight titlist Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (39-6-1, 27 KOs), 32, of Mexico, for March 25 at 12 p.m. at the WBC offices in Mexico City. Yafai is coming off his biggest win, a sixth-round knockout of former titlist Sunny Edwards in November that sent Edwards into retirement. With full titleholder Kenshiro Teraji having unified belts last week and planning on moving up in weight the Yafai-Rodriguez winner is poised to become the full titleholder.

Late 1980s and ‘90s action star Iran Barley, 64, of New York, who won world titles at middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight, and twice defeated legend Thomas Hearns in middleweight and light heavyweight title bouts, suffered a minor stroke last week and is recovering. “I spoke with him and he’s in good spirits,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said. “The prayers of the global boxing family will be greatly appreciated and helpful. He has been a dear friend for many years.” Barkley (43-19-1, 27 KOs) boxed from1982 to 1999. Besides Hearns, “The Blade” faced opponents such as Roberto Duran, losing the WBC middleweight title to him in the 1989 fight of the year, James Toney, Nigel Benn, Henry Maske, Michael Nunn and Sumbu Kalambay.

ProBox made official that the IBF junior middleweight final eliminator between Orlando, Florida’s Erickson Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs), 29, and fellow southpaw Ardreal Holmes Jr. (17-0, 6 KOs), 30, of Flint, Michigan, will take place May 10 (ProBox TV) at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. The winner will be mandatory for titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs). Also announced for the card: WBA women’s junior featherweight titlist Nazarena Romero (14-0-2, 8 KOs), 30, of Argentina, defending against Mayelli Flores Rosquero (12-1-1, 4 KOs), 32, of Mexico, in the co-feature. Light heavyweight Najee Lopez (13-0, 10 KOs) and junior middleweight Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) will face foes to be named in 10-rounders.

Show and tell

If the fight happened today it would undoubtedly be an $80 pay-per-view, but when Julio Cesar Chavez, 68-0 at the time, and Meldrick Taylor, who was 24-0-1, met to unify junior welterweight titles at the Las Vegas Hilton they were live on HBO in a hugely anticipated fight that matched the straight ahead banger in Chavez against the dazzling and insanely fast Taylor, who was a great boxer but loved to fight. It was a dream match and it became an instant classic. It was the fight of the year and picked as The Ring magazine fight of the decade. It is one of the most memorable fights ever. It also is notorious for having the single most controversial stoppage in boxing history.

There was tons of back-and-forth action but Taylor was clearly winning round after round and on his way to a decision win. But Chavez’s thudding punches were taking an enormous toll. Taylor’s face was swelling and he was fading in the late rounds. Finally, Chavez nailed him with a right hand and he went down in a neutral corner with 15 seconds left in the 12th round. He beat the count, but did not respond the way referee Richard Steele wanted and he waved off the fight with two seconds left. From Taylor’s perspective, he was deprived of a historic victory. From Chavez’s perspective, it was one of the greatest, most dramatic comebacks of all time. Fight fans still argue about the stoppage. The unforgettable fight took place on March 17, 1990 — 35 years ago on Monday.

Here are three items from the legendary fight in my collection. First up is a program, which is very tough to find, especially in nice condition because the black cover so easily shows wear and blemishes. I searched for one for many years and finally found a copy that is as nice as probably exists. Second is a press kit, which is much scarcer than the program. It’s a fight-branded four-pocket folder filled with original news releases and information on the card and fighters. It also contains glossy photos of the participants. Third, is a postcard produced by the Hilton advertising ticket sales that has on it the same art as the poster, which remains on my want list — so if you have one in nice shape and want to sell or trade hit me up!