Notebook: Here we go again: WBA orders mandatory Santa Cruz-Wood fight

Edwards to defend flyweight title vs. Alvarado; BetUS show; Jarrell Miller card canceled; junior welterweight Quinones dies from fight injuries; Love-Spark undercard set; Quick hits; Show and tell

Oct 01, 2022

Leigh Wood must face Leo Santa Cruz upon return from injury

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The WBA is back to square one at featherweight.

In the organization’s attempt to reduce the number of world titles it sanctions — in other words, to get down to one titleholder per division as it’s supposed to be — the WBA has steadily been ordering its “super” titleholders to face the “regular” titleholders in mandatory fights.

Earlier this year, it finally ordered featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz, who has not defended the belt since February 2019 while fighting three times as a junior lightweight, to face “regular” titleholder Leigh Wood. But it was never as easy as that.

Eventually, contrary to its previous order, the WBA changed its decision in August and agreed to sanction a unification fight between Santa Cruz and WBC titlist Rey Vargas — date to be determined — while also agreeing to sanction Wood in a “regular” defense against Mauricio Lara. When Wood-Lara was approved, Lara was unranked by the WBA, which is against the rules, but then found himself in the new set of rankings soon after despite having not fought.

But then Wood suffered a biceps injury two weeks before they were to meet on Sept. 24, forcing the fight be canceled.

With that fight off and nothing new on a Santa Cruz-Vargas date, the WBA issued a resolution on Friday in which it rescinded its approval of Santa Cruz (38-2-1, 19 KOs), 34, of Rosemead, California, and Wood (26-2, 16 KOs), 34, of England, having interim bouts and once again ordered them to face each other as it seeks to speed up the process of getting down to one titleholder per weight class.

The WBA resolution, copy of which was obtained by Fight Freaks Unite, went through the whole saga before making the order.

As the resolution explained, the WBA first ordered Santa Cruz-Wood on April 6, but on July 11 TGB Promotions, Santa Cruz’s promoter, requested a special permit to sanction a unification bout between Santa Cruz and Vargas.

The WBA denied the request on July 15 and ordered a purse bid for Santa Cruz-Wood at a 75-25 split in favor of Santa Cruz. On Aug. 12, TGB Promotions and Matchroom Boxing, Wood’s promoter, informed the WBA that they had made a deal and the purse bid was canceled.

Ten days later, according to the WBA, TGB and Matchroom told the WBA that they had agreed that Santa Cruz would face Vargas and Wood would defend against Lara with the winners agreeing to fight each other no later than 120 days after the Santa Cruz-Vargas fight. (There is no evidence that Vargas or Lara agreed to those terms.)

On Aug. 24, the WBA approved the interim fights despite having previously ordered Santa Cruz-Wood. Then Wood suffered the biceps tear and fight with Lara was called off in mid-September. WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told Fight Freaks Unite that the WBA never received any medical documentation of Wood’s injury, which the WBA viewed as an issue.

In the decision the WBA included in Friday’s resolution, it said, “Wood and his team must advise the WBA immediately of his medical condition and any injury, to be evaluated by the WBA Medical Committee, which will advise the Championships Committee on a time frame for his return” and that upon Wood’s return he must face Santa Cruz. Further, if the sides don’t make a deal the purse bid split remains 75-25 in Santa Cruz’s favor.

“No other permit will be granted until a single champion in the featherweight division is determined,” the resolution concluded.

Edwards defends vs. Alvarado

Sunny Edwards will make a mandatory defense of the IBF flyweight title against Felix Alvarado on Nov. 11 at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England, Probellum announced.

Edwards (18-0, 4 KOs), 26, of England, will be making his third defense when he meets Alvarado (38-2, 33 KOs), 33, of Nicaragua, the former IBF junior flyweight titleholder.

“I have become one of the most avoided fighters in world boxing, but Felix Alvarado has the courage to face me on Nov. 11, and that makes him an extremely dangerous opponent,” Edwards said. “I have grand plans to become the undisputed flyweight world champion, and then move through the weights, and I am totally confident that will happen. But there is no room for error against a fighter of Alvarado’s caliber, that’s for sure.”

Alvarado vacated his 108-pound title last year and has won two fights in a row, including his first bout at 112 pounds in May

“I am ready for this fight against Sunny Edwards, and I want to thank God for allowing me the opportunity to achieve my dream of becoming a two-weight world champion,” Alvarado said.

The fight was ordered in early September and they were able to make a deal without the need for a purse bid.

“Pound-for-pound, Sunny Edwards is one of the most skilled fighters on the planet and on Nov. 11, you will get to see ‘Showtime’ perform at his very best,” said Probellum president Richard Schaefer. “Sunny also has the type of personality and charisma that makes him a must-see attraction in boxing and Probellum is thrilled to be able to deliver this world title defense, and special fight card, to his adopted hometown of Sheffield.”

BetUS Boxing Show

If you missed the BetUS Boxing Show live at 1 p.m. ET on Friday on YouTube, please check out the replay (and also subscribe to the YouTube channel). We previewed the one fight of note this weekend, former two-division titlist Luis Nery against David Carmona as Nery looks to set up another possible title shot. We also did an early look at odds and discussed the return of former heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder against Robert Helenius, which headlines a Fox Sports PBC card on pay-per-view Oct. 15. And, of course, we took a number of questions and comments from the viewers. Fun show for a slow weekend! Check it out here:

Jarrell Miller fight off

The card in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Sunday that was to be headlined by a 10-rounder between heavyweight Jarrell Miller and Ghana’s Ebenezer Tetteh (20-1, 17 KOs) has been canceled.

The promoter was forced to call it off because there were several Russian fighters scheduled on the card who were unable to leave Russia due to Vladimir Putin ordering a mobilization of men for military service in its war against Ukraine.

Miller had been training in Romania and remains there, his promoter, Greg Cohen, told Fight Freaks Unite. Cohen said Miller (24-0-1, 20 KOs), 34, of Brooklyn, New York, will instead likely fight on Oct. 19 in Romania as he aims for a third win in a row since a 3½-year layoff caused by multiple positive tests for banned substances and a lengthy suspension.

According to Cohen, after Miller fights next month, the plan is still for him to face Lucas Browne (31-3, 27 KOs), 43, of Australia, by the end of the year. Cohen and promoter Lou DiBella, who holds an option on Browne’s next fight based on his first-round knockout of Junior Fa in June, made a deal in August.

Quinones dies after fight

Junior welterweight Luis Quinones died on Thursday at a hospital in Barranquilla, Colombia as a result of a brain injury suffered in a fight on Sept 24. He was 25.

Quinones (10-1, 6 KOs), who lived in Barranquilla, suffered an eight-round knockout loss in a scheduled eighth-rounder against Jose Munoz (9-0. 7 KOs), 21, a Venezuela native based in Colombia, at the Coliseo Elias Chegwin.

Quinones’ death was announced by his brother, Leonardo, on social media.

“You went ahead of us my loving brother,” he wrote. “Now you are with your heavenly father, whom you adored and served, I love you my brother Luis Quinones, forever and ever in our hearts.”

Luis Quinones, who turned pro in February 2021 and had all of his bouts in Colombia, got knocked down in the eighth round and was taken from the ring by stretcher and to General del Norte Hospital, where he had surgery for a subdural hematoma. He had been in a coma since. After being declared brain dead he was removed from life support.

“Cuadrilatero Boxing is deeply saddened by the death of Luis Quinones, an exceptional and disciplined human being, who always showed the greatest commitment to this sport,” Cuadrilatero Boxing, which promoted the fight, said in a statement posted on social media. “Luis was passionate about boxing, so much so that he left his hometown of Barrancabermeja to continue his career in Barranquilla and become a national athlete. His idol was Julio Cesar Chavez.”

Love-Spark undercard

Matchroom Boxing this week announced three 10-round undercard fights, all for regional belts, in support of the junior welterweight main event between Montana Love and Stevie Spark on Nov. 12 (DAZN) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Love’s hometown of Cleveland.

Junior welterweight prospect Richardson Hitchins (14-0, 6 KOs), 25, a New York native, who represented Haiti in the 2016 Olympics, and whose signing with Matchroom Boxing was announced on Wednesday, will face Yomar Alamo (20-1-1, 12 KOs), 27, of Puerto Rico, in the co-feature.

“Nov. 12, my time to shine,” Hitchins said. “Eddie (Hearn) promised me big fights, big opportunities, and most importantly, activity. This is the beginning of all that, the beginning of this new journey in my career and I couldn’t be more excited.

“Alamo is a very tough opponent, and I know he’s coming to win, but he’s simply a roadblock towards achieving my championship goals. As I’ve said before, I believe I’m the best 140 pounder in the world, and he’s going to find that out as soon as the bell rings. I plan on stealing the show.”

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Also, featherweight Raymond Ford (12-0-1, 6 KOs), 23, a southpaw from Camden, New Jersey, will face Sakaria Lukas (25-1-1, 17 KOs), 38, of Namibia.

“I'm stepping up again,” Ford said. “I don’t duck any challenge. Lukas has only lost once in 27 fights. I see myself hurting him and being the first person to stop him.”

Junior lightweight Christian Tapia (15-0, 12 KOs), 28, of Puerto Rico, will face Cleveland’s Thomas Mattice (19-3-1, 15 KOs), 32, who has won two fights in a row.

“I’m going showcase my skills, showing the 130-pound division, showing the people watching and most of all show my opponent why I am the best kept secret in boxing,” Tapia said.

Quick hits

The highly anticipated rubber match between lineal junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs), 32, of Mexico, and Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (51-3, 41 KOs), 35, the legendary four-division champion from Nicaragua and the former pound-for-pound king, which has been set for Dec. 3 (DAZN) in the main event of a Matchroom Boxing card since being announced in the ring after Estrada’s decision over Argi Cortes on Sept. 3, now has a location. The fight, initially targeted for San Antonio, will take place at the Desert Diamond Arena (previously the Gila River Arena) in Glendale, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix. Matchroom hasn’t yet formally announced the site but Ticketmaster lists the fight at the arena on its schedule with tickets going on sale Tuesday.

As it continues the process of reducing the number of world titles it sanctions, the WBA on Friday finally ordered the mandatory between strawweight titlist Knockout CP Freshmart (24-0, 9 KOs), 32, of Thailand, and “regular” titlist Erick Rosa (5-0, 1 KO), 22, a southpaw from the Dominican Republic. It sent their representatives a letter notifying them that they should begin negotiating the bout. They were given 30 days (until Oct. 28) to make a deal or a purse bid will be scheduled.

Ebanie Bridges will defend the IBF women’s bantamweight title for the first time when he fights fellow Australian Shannon O'Connell on Dec. 10 (DAZN) on the undercard of Josh Warrington’s mandatory IBF featherweight title defense against Luis Alberto at First Direct Arena in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England, Matchroom Boxing and Bridges announced Friday on social media. Bridges (8-1, 3 KOs), 36, won the belt by lopsided unanimous decision from Maria Cecilia Roman on March 26 on the Warrington-Kiko Martinez undercard, also in Leeds. O’Connell (23-6-1, 11 KO), 39, has won eight fights in a row since back-to-back defeats in 2017. O’Connell has previously lost world title fights at junior featherweight, featherweight and lightweight.

Events DC announced that the “Beltway Battles” card headlined by an eight-round cruiserweight bout between Dusty Harrison-Hernandez and James Ballard scheduled for Saturday night in Harrison’s hometown of Washington, D.C., has been postponed to a date to be determined due to the death this past Saturday of Buddy Harrison, Dusty’s father, who was well known in the Washington boxing community. “The decision was made after much consideration and out of respect for the Harrison and Hernandez families, as well as the DC boxing community,” DC Events said.

Show and tell

The late legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier are tied together for eternity because of their epic trilogy, by far the most famous series of fights in boxing history. In 1971, Frazier won the first fight, arguably the most anticipated sports event ever. In a battle of undefeated men each with a claim to the heavyweight title — Frazier had the belt but Ali had the lineage despite having been stripped of the belt for refusing induction into the U.S. Army — Frazier dropped Ali in the 15th round and won a unanimous decision. They met again in 1974 in a regional title bout and Ali avenged the loss by 12-round unanimous decision in the least memorable of their bouts.

Then they met again for a third time as Ali, champion again, defended the title against Frazier in the famed “Thrilla in Manila,” a savage fight that many regard the greatest heavyweight title fight of all time. It was a bruising battle in which both men took severe punishment until Eddie Futch, Frazier’s Hall of Fame trainer, stopped it after the 14th round. The fight was on Oct. 1, 1975 — 47 years ago on Saturday. Here is a rare mint sticker from the 1973 Panini VIP OK set from Italy in my collection that depicts the rivals in cartoon-like fashion and, unfortunately, still refers to Ali as Cassius Clay despite having changed his name years earlier. PSA has graded a total of 47 examples of the sticker of which mine is one of seven at the 9 level; there is one at the gem mint 10 level.