Notebook: Home, sweet home for Rodriguez, who goes for 2nd title
Amir Khan banned for failed drug test; Okolie to defend against pal Billam-Smith; Quick hits; Show and tell
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
Home is where Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s heart is. It is also where he made his first world title defense and where and aims to win his second belt.
Rodriguez will square off with Cristian Gonzalez for the vacant WBO flyweight title in the main event of the Matchroom Boxing card on Saturday (DAZN, 8 p.m. ET) at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, Rodriguez’s hometown.
The 23-year-old southpaw wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Fights in San Antonio are just different for me,” Rodriguez said this week.
Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs) had a breakout 2022 in which he was a strong fighter of the year candidate because, at age 22, he became the youngest active world titleholder when he handily outpointed former titlist Carlos Cuadras on six days’ notice.
Rodriguez moved up two weight class — he had been scheduled on the undercard — and won the vacant WBC junior bantamweight title as a replacement for the ill Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
The title victory was in Phoenix, but promoter Eddie Hearn brought him home for his first defense and he thrilled the fans by knocking out former two-time champion Sor Rungvisai in the eighth round and making it look rather easy.
“The Rungvisai night was amazing,” Rodriguez said. “There was a lot of talk that I was going to get knocked out, that Rungvisai was too much for me, so when I stopped him, it was a moment I will never forget. The emotions were so high, that’s why I just fell to the floor. It was an amazing feeling.”
After winning his second defense by unanimous decision over Israel Gonzalez in September in Las Vegas in the Canelo Alvarez-Gennadiy Golovkin III co-feature, Rodriguez vacated the title to move down in weight to face Cristian Gonzalez for the 112-pound title vacated by Japan’s Junto Nakatani, who moved up in weight. And now he is home again looking to replicate the lights-out performance he turned in against Sor Rungvisai.
“The last one against Rungvisai in San Antonio was electric and exciting, so to get another opportunity to fight for another world title in front of my fans is amazing,” said Rodriguez, who will be fighting at home for the fourth time overall in his pro career. “San Antonio means everything to me. It’s where I was born and raised, my family and my people are there and whenever I step in the ring, they are with me.
“I represent San Antonio when I step in the ring, and I am doing this for my city.”
Gonzalez (15-1, 5 KOs), 23, of Mexico, has won nine fights in a row since a six-round decision loss in 2019 and is taking a big step up in competition.
“Gonzalez is ranked No. 2 (by the WBO at flyweight),” said Rodriguez, who is trained by Robert Garcia. “He’s tall, he’s lengthy and he likes to move a lot. So, we’ve been working on how I will close the distance and cut off the ring.
“I’ve been sparring taller guys so there’s not going to be a problem for me to go in there and show what we’ve been working on.”
Among other fights on the card:
Unified junior featherweight titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs), 28, a southpaw from Uzbekistan, will make his fourth defense against mandatory challenger former bantamweight titlist Marlon Tapales (36-3, 19 KOs), 31, of the Philippines, in the co-feature.
Featherweight up-and-comer Raymond Ford (13-0-1, 7 KOs), 24, a southpaw from Camden, New Jersey, will defend his regional belt against former junior featherweight world titlist Jessie Magdaleno (29-1, 18 KOs), 31, a southpaw from Las Vegas.
Khan given drug ban
UK Anti-Doping announced Tuesday that former unified junior welterweight titlist and longtime welterweight contender Amir Khan “has been banned from all sport for two years” for a failed drug test related to his one-sided sixth-round knockout loss to former welterweight titlist Kell Brook in their long-awaited — and overcooked — all-British grudge match in February 2022 in Manchester, England.
Khan (34-6, 21 KOs), 36, and Brook both retired after the fight. However, if Khan, whose suspension is backdated to April 6, 2022, the date of his provisional suspension, decided to return he wouldn’t be able to compete until April 5, 2024.
UKAD said in its announcement that on Feb. 19, 2022 it collected an in-competition sample from Khan following the loss to Brook and it came back positive for ostarine, which is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and prohibited at all times.
UKAD said it notified Khan of the adverse finding on April 6, 2022 and provisionally suspended him.
According to UKAD, Khan accepted the violation charge but said he did not knowingly take a banned substance at which point the case was sent to an independent tribunal. The case was heard Jan. 24 and in a written decision issued Feb. 21 the panel concluded that Khan established his ingestion of the substance was not intentional but imposed the two-year ban under the concept of “strict liability” — meaning the athlete is responsible for what is in his body regardless of how or why it was there.
“This case serves as a reminder that UKAD will diligently pursue anti-doping rule violations in order to protect clean sport,” UKAD chief executive Jane Rumble said in a statement. “Strict liability means athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest and for the presence of any prohibited substances in a sample. It is important that all athletes and their support personnel, whatever level they are competing at, take their anti-doping responsibilities seriously. Not doing so risks damaging not only an athlete’s career, but also undermining public confidence in clean sport.”
Boxxer, which promoted Brook-Khan, issued its own statement upon learning of Khan’s ban.
“Boxxer is disappointed to only learn via social media (Tuesday) morning that Amir Khan has been suspended from all sports following UK Anti-Doping rule violations,” the statement said. “Boxxer is vehemently against any use of any illegal or performance enhancing substances taken by athletes and condemns such unsporting behavior. It goes against the very core of our company’s values.”
Khan, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist, maintained his innocence in an interview with Sky News on Tuesday, saying “I’ve never cheated in my life. You can see by my performance against Kell Brook. I lost the fight. If I went in there and knocked Kell Brook out it’s different."
Okolie defends vs. Billam-Smith
WBO cruiserweight titlist Lawrence Okolie will make his fourth defense against British countryman and pal Chris Billam-Smith on May 27 at Vitality Stadium in Billam-Smith’s hometown of Bournemouth, England, Boxxer announced on Tuesday.
The fight between friends, who have sparred some 300 rounds together by Billam-Smith’s estimate, will headline a card on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Okolie (19-0, 14 KOs), 30, will be his second fight with Boxxer since splitting from Matchroom Boxing and returning in short order. Following a 13-month layoff while in a dispute with Matchroom, Okolie, in his first fight with trainer SugarHill Steward, easily outpointed mandatory challenger David Light on March 25 in Manchester.
“I’m pumped, I'm ready to go,” Okolie said at their news conference Tuesday in London. “I’ve just come off a successful defense against an unknown but tough competitor, a national champion in his homeland (of New Zealand). Now, weeks later, I am going in against a known tough boxer, the highly-ranked former European champion and current Commonwealth champion Chris Billam-Smith.
“Not many fighters make back to back defenses in such a short space of time. Not many pick the hardest fights available to them, but that’s what I’m about. Chris, I love you, but I have to get the KO in this one.”
Billam-Smith (17-1, 12 KOs), 32, who recently vacated the European title, has won eight fights in a row.
“Fighting someone I know well for a world title is a very exciting opportunity,” said Billam-Smith, who is trained by Shane McGuigan, said. “I’m elated to be fighting at the home of my beloved AFC Bournemouth (soccer team) in front of my phenomenal fans and on May 27th I will repay them by winning a world title.”
Quick hits
Before two-time unified heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua outpointed Jermaine Franklin on Saturday, he prominently mentioned WBO interim titlist and British countryman Joe Joyce as somebody he’d like to fight. Joyce, who is preparing for his first defense against Zhang Zhilei on April 15, was surprised, but pleased. “It’s good that Joshua’s finally mentioning my name now. The winner fights Tyson Fury,” said Joyce, adding that he’d love to fight Joshua this summer, when Joshua plans to fight next. “But I’m just not sure he really wants it. British boxing needs these kinds of fights. No more messing around. So, I’m up for it, no problem, but I expect them to find an excuse.”
Panya Pradabsri has been hospitalized with a fever and strep throat, forcing him to withdraw from his WBC strawweight title defense against Japanese southpaw Yudai Shigeok, the WBC announced. Pradabsri (39-1, 23 KOs), 32, of Thailand, was scheduled to make his fourth defense against Shigeok (6-0, 4 KOs), 25, on April 16 at the Yoyogi Second National Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Unable to reach a deal by the deadline, the IBF on Tuesday scheduled a purse bid for April 18 at its offices in Springfield, New Jersey, to determine the promotional rights for its vacant bantamweight title between Melvin Lopez (29-1, 19 KOs), 25, of Nicaragua, and former titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs), 30, of Puerto Rico. The fighters will split the winning bid 50-50 and the winner will claim the 118-pound title that became vacant when undisputed champion Naoya Inoue relinquished all four major belts in January.
Show and tell
When Sugar Ray Leonard came out of a three-year retirement (after having fought just once in the previous five years) to challenge long-reigning middleweight champion and big favorite Marvelous Marvin Hagler in a showdown that had been talked about for years, it was one of the biggest fights in boxing history. It was a true mega event and it lived up to the gargantuan hype as the all-time greats put on a memorable show. In the end, Leonard won by split decision in a huge upset to claim the title at the famed outdoor arena at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The mere mention of the fight to boxing fans probably will cause a debate over the scoring with many adamantly believing Hagler was robbed and just as many believing Leonard deserved the victory. I thought Leonard won despite my great love for Hagler (and, to be fair, I am also a tremendous Leonard fan). I’ve watched the fight countless times and always score it the same: 115-113 for Leonard. I gave the first four rounds to Leonard and they were easy to score because Hagler did almost nothing. He gave them away. I scored the fifth for Hagler; the sixth for Leonard; the seventh, eighth and ninth for Hagler; the 10th for Leonard (very close); the 11th for Hagler; and the 12th for Leonard.
The legendary fight was on April 6, 1987 — 36 years ago on Thursday. Here is a Budweiser sponsor poster from the fight in my collection.
A note to subscribers
I sincerely appreciate your readership. If you’re reading, it means you love boxing just like I do. If you’ve been reading you also know the quality and quantity of what I produce. It’s one-stop shopping. Read the newsletters and there is no need to search multiple websites or click a multitude of links to get the latest news, opinion and detailed fight schedule. Everything you need is in one spot and delivered directly to your inbox (or via phone alert if you download for free the superb Substack app). You don’t have to hunt for the news; it comes to you.
I believe that is worth something, so while I will continue providing stories, notes and the schedule for free, I encourage you to upgrade to a paid subscription for the most content. A paid subscription is your way of keeping this reader-supported newsletter going and supporting independent journalism. I am beholden to no network, promoter, manager, sanctioning body or fighter. If you have read my work at all during the past 23 years I’ve covered professional boxing you know that I keep it real and that will not change.
To upgrade your subscription please go here:
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Photos: Rodriguez-Gonzalez: Melina Pizano/Matchroom Boxing; Khan and Okolie-Billam Smith: Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
i have heard a rumor that shakur is dealing with an illness have you heard anything or is it just a rumor i have bet alot of money on shakur and would apreciate any info thanks stevee32@cox.net
It seems so strange that it took 9 months for UKAD to hear the case - and weirder still to announce the suspension a year after the initial findings. I don't think that gives the kind of confidence in the organization that they're hoping for by cracking down hard on a retired fighter.