Notebook: Lomachenko, Kambosos relish latest title opportunity
Jake Paul to face experienced boxer; Stephen A. Smith Show appearance; Top Rank makes Valdez-Wilson card official; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr., both former unified lightweight champions, have to go through each other to achieve their goal of winning the vacant IBF lightweight title.
Despite the looming combat, they showed tremendous respect for each other when they met at a news conference to announce the bout on Tuesday, although they were separated by thousands of miles.
Australia’s Kambosos was on site with his father/manager Jim Kambosos in Perth, Australia, where the fight will take place on May 12 in the afternoon (May 11 in the evening in the United States for the live Top Rank Boxing on ESPN broadcast at 10 p.m. ET) at RAC Arena, and Lomachenko, manager Egis Klimas and promoters Bob Arum of Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment’s Lou DiBella participated via satellite from a Los Angeles studio.
“I never step away from a challenge. I always want to fight the best and Vasiliy Lomachenko is a guy we have looked at for a very long time,” Kambosos said. “This guy is a legend. The respect we have for him is huge. So, to have this official now is extraordinary. I’m very motivated for this fight. I’m very excited, and I can’t wait.”
Said Lomachenko: “I respect George Kambosos because he never gives up during a fight. It will be a very interesting fight because we have two different styles, and styles make fights.”
Kambosos and Lomachenko will meet for one of the 135-pound belts Devin Haney vacated when he gave up the undisputed title and moved up to junior welterweight in December.
Haney looms large in the careers of Lomachenko and Kambosos.
Lomachenko was supposed to challenge then-unified champion Kambosos in June 2022 in Melbourne, Australia, but withdrew to remain at home in Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Haney, then the WBC titleholder, stepped in and outpointed Kambosos to become the undisputed champion and then handily outpointed him again in an immediate rematch in October 2022.
Kambosos won his only fight since, a disputed majority decision over Maxi Hughes in July in an IBF title eliminator.
When Lomachenko returned to the ring he outpointed Jamaine Ortiz in October 2022, which set him up for a shot at Haney for the undisputed title last May. Haney won a close, highly competitive and disputed decision.
“Our fights with Devin Haney were two different fights,” Lomachenko said. “There were two different styles. If we talk about my fight with Haney, I didn’t lose that fight, in my opinion. If we talk about Haney-Kambosos, Kambosos had two chances and he lost.”
Kambosos was in no mood to rehash his forgettable performances against Haney.
“Yes, I lost to Devin Haney, but you had your chance with Teofimo Lopez and you (lost),” said Kambosos, who upset Lopez to win the belts he had taken from Lomachenko.
Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs), 30, views the fight with Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs), 35, a southpaw and two-time Olympic gold medalist, as a chance for “redemption” following the Haney defeats.
“This fight rejuvenates my career. This gives me my redemption,” said Kambosos, who will have his first fight with new trainer Anton Kadushin after splitting with Javiel Centeno. “Yes, I’ve won the big fights and I’ve lost the big fights. But for me, this fight is about legacy. Two warriors coming together for a big fight. Our careers are on the line here. Legacy is on the line here. And I believe this is my destiny.”
For three-division champion and former pound-for-pound king Lomachenko, the fight is a chance to add yet another title to his Hall of Fame resume.
“This is the right fight because it’s a chance to be a world champion again,” Lomachenko said. “And I’ve never been to Australia. I’ve always wanted to go, and it’s a good opportunity. Right now, my goal is to become a world champion again. After that, I can start thinking about becoming undisputed.”
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Jake Paul opponent set
True to his word about dispensing with fights against name MMA fighters crossing over to boxing and instead aiming to develop his boxing skills against boxers, Jake Paul will face that kind of foe for the second fight in a row.
Paul, who has been set to fight on his Most Valuable Promotions card on March 2 (DAZN) at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, will face the far more experienced Ryan Bourland in an eight-round cruiserweight bout. In the previously announced main event unified women’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) will have a Puerto Rico homecoming against IBF mandatory challenger Nina Meinke (18-3, 4 KOs).
In December, Paul (8-1, 5 KOs), 27, of Cleveland, the social media influencer and YouTuber turned boxer, took on Andre August, who was a top amateur and had a 10-1-1 record, and knocked him out spectacularly in the first round.
In Bourland (17-2, 6 KOs), 35, a Martinez, California, native, Paul will have another developmental fight against another opponent with an amateur background and a good record, even if it is one fashioned against lesser opposition.
“I’ve always said my goal is to become a world champion. I beat a pro boxer in December in the first round, someone who’s been boxing their entire life, and what did I do next? I went straight back to camp to get ready to face my next opponent, a professional boxer who has twice as many professional fights under his belt than I do,” Paul said. “It’s a new year, it’s an even better me, and I’m facing an even more experienced, seasoned boxer. I’m fighting for experience, not for the money, and to show my love for this beautiful island (of Puerto Rico) I’ll be donating my entire fight purse from this event to my nonprofit Boxing Bullies to help renovate gyms across Puerto Rico.”
Bourland has won three fights in a row — a pair of bouts in 2018 and another in September 2022.
“Jake Paul steps into the ring with his social media clout, but let's not mistake followers for experience or skill,” Bourland said. “While he’s been busy chasing likes, I’ve been honing my craft for years, stepping into the ring and beating real boxers. I will shock the world and put an end to Jake Paul’s boxing career.”
If you missed the latest podcast episode it was my interview with Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom, one of the major U.K. promoters, who now has an American partner in NBC’s streaming service Peacock. We covered many topics, including the Peacock deal, his Saturday card topped by the Joshua Buatsi-Dan Azeez WBA light heavyweight title eliminator and much more. Give it a listen, review, and subscribe to get an alert when the next episode is available. New shows every Thursday and Sunday night (and special episodes like this one now and then).
Stephen A. Smith Show
I joined my pal and former longtime ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith on his show on Tuesday to discuss a few boxing topics. Mainly Stephen A. wanted to talk about the future for undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and the rampant speculation that he will next face Jermall Charlo in May instead of any of the various other more worthy and interesting opponents, such as David Benavidez and Jaime Munguia. We also discussed the possibility of a Canelo-Terence Crawford fight and who else could be out there for Crawford, and the future for Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Check out our segment from the show here:
Valdez-Wilson card official
Top Rank on Tuesday made official the expected card for March 29 (ESPN+) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, where Oscar Valdez and Liam Wilson will meet in the 10-round junior lightweight main event and WBC/WBA women’s strawweight titlist Seniesa Estrada and WBO/IBF titleholder Yokasta Valle will fight to determine the undisputed champion.
“Oscar Valdez is the consummate Mexican fighter, and he is facing a skilled, all-action Aussie in Liam Wilson,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “The undisputed title fight featuring two of the sport’s most skilled women is main event-worthy as well. There is no love lost between Seniesa and Yokasta, a long-standing rivalry that promises to deliver in the ring.”
Former junior lightweight and featherweight titlist Valdez and Wilson both lost rousing battles in WBO title bouts to Emanuel Navarrete in 2023 and will return to the same arena where those memorable fights took place.
Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), 33, who grew up in Tucson, Arizona, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Navarrete in a title challenge in an all-action fight of the year candidate in August.
“This fight against Liam Wilson means everything to me. It’s every boxer’s dream to become a world champion, so I have to get past this challenge so I can fight for a world title again,” Valdez said. “I respect Liam Wilson, but in the ring, I’m going to do everything possible to walk away victorious.”
Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs), 27, has won two fights in a row in Australia since he was a replacement for the injured Valdez last February and gave Navarrete all he could handle, including knocking him down in the fourth round, in a ninth-round knockout loss in a fight of the year contender for the vacant WBO 130-pound belt.
“Valdez is exactly the fight I wanted and deserve after what I went through against Navarrete,” Wilson said. “The history books show that he beat both of us last year, but this time around we won’t need the officials. Valdez is a good fighter, a tough man, but after what I’ve been through already and what I plan on bringing, I believe he’s going to regret taking this fight.”
Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs), 31, of Los Angeles, retained her belts by decision against Leonela Yudica in July 28 but aggravated a ligament in her right hand and underwent surgery in September.
“Yokasta is not on my level and undeservingly carried those belts for too long,” Estrada said. “Yokasta, her promoter, and her trainer have had a lot to say. On March 29, I’m going to shut them all up. I’m leaving Arizona with all the belts and will continue to prove why I’m a pound-for-pound champion.”
Valle (30-2, 9 KOs), 31, of Costa Rica, cruised to a decision over Anabel Ortiz in November in Costa Rica to retain her belts and afterward called out Estrada.
“I am over the moon that Seniesa finally said yes to this big fight,” Valle said. “In reality, she had no other option because we chased after her so much. She had no alternative but to face me because the great fans of this sport demanded this fight. I am going to give the performance of a lifetime.”
Top Rank also announced the preliminary bouts;
Lightweight Raymond Muratalla (19-0, 16 KOs), 27, of Fontana, California, will fight Argentina’s Agustin Ezequiel Quintana (19-2-1, 13 KOs), 27, in a 10-rounder.
Heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr. (8-0, 8 KOs), 24, a southpaw and 2020 U.S. Olympic silver medalist from Tulare, California, will face Don Haynesworth (18-8-1, 16 KOs), 41, of New Rochelle, New York, in eight-rounder.
Las Vegas lightweight Emiliano Vargas (8-0, 7 KOs), 19, the youngest son of former junior middleweight titlist Fernando Vargas, will fight Nelson Hampton (10-8, 6 KOs), 30, of McAllen, Texas, in a six-rounder.
Middleweight Sergio Rodriguez (10-0-1, 8 KOs), 28, of Phoenix, takes on Sanny Duversonne (12-6-2, 9 KOs), 33, of Avon Park, Florida, in a six.
Junior welterweight Ricardo Ruvalcaba (11-0-1, 9 KOs), 23, of Ventura, California, will face a foe to be named in a six.
Quick hits
Golden Boy is attempting to finalize a fight between WBA cruiserweight titlist Arsen Goulamirian (27-0, 18 KOs), 36, of France, and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs), 32, a southpaw from Mexico, to top a DAZN card on March 30 at a site to be determined, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite. It’s been in the works since before FFU reported two weeks ago that Ramirez declined to move forward with a purse bid for a mandatory fight with lineal/IBF champion Jai Opetaia. But there have been issues closing the deal because of a dispute between Goulamirian, who wants the fight, and his French promoter over whether he is still under contract. On the undercard, the source said, Golden Boy is looking to bring back welterweight Alexis Rocha (23-2, 15 KOs), 26, a southpaw from Sana Ana, California, who suffered a rough sixth-round upset knockout loss to Giovani Santillan in October.
Japan’s Kameda Promotions bid $300,010 at Tuesdays’ IBF purse bid to win rights to the fight between bantamweight titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez and mandatory challenger Ryosuke Nishida. The bid topped an offer of $250,000 from Fresh Promotions. Kameda Promotions has 90 days to stage the bout. Rodriguez gets 65 percent of the winning bid ($195,006.50) and Nishida gets 35 percent ($105,003.50). Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs), 31, of Puerto Rico, will make the first defense of his second reign. He won the vacant belt in August via shutout of Melvin Lopez, who he dropped three times in the 12th round of a Showtime headliner. Nishida (8-0, 1 KO), 27, a Japanese southpaw, will have the home advantage in Japan, where he has had all of his fights other than his pro debut, which was in Thailand.
Show and tell
Roy Jones Jr. handily outpointed Bernard Hopkins in 1993 to win the vacant IBF middleweight title but by the early 2000s that was ancient history. Jones was the dominating pound-for-pound king and the undisputed light heavyweight champion and Hopkins was the undisputed middleweight champion and also one of the top fighters pound-for-pound. A rematch was one of the most in-demand fights in boxing and HBO, which worked with both of them, did everything it could to facilitate it. At one point, believing it would get done, HBO programmed a Jones title defense against Glen Kelly and a Hopkins defense against Carl Daniels on a split-site telecast.
In the first fight of the broadcast, Hopkins dominated and knocked out Daniels in the 10th round at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, in a fight I was ringside to cover for USA Today. In the second fight, Jones destroyed Glen Kelly via one-sided seventh-round knockout in Miami, where he famously put his hands behind his back and bobbed side to side like a chicken before launching the final punch from behind his back for what I picked as the KO of the year.
The real fireworks took place in between bouts when Jones and Hopkins joined the great Larry Merchant for a joint interview, Merchant in the ring with Hopkins and Jones via satellite. They proceeded to argue about deal points for the possible rematch, including the purse split. Hopkins demanded 50-50 and Jones concluded the segment with his memorable rant of “60-40 and I’ll kick your ass” before going out and drilling Kelly. Ultimately, they were both too stubborn to figure out how to split the money when they were still at their best, and the rematch didn’t happen until 2010, way past its sell-by date as Hopkins was in decline and Jones was completely shot. But their doubleheader with the promise of the eventual showdown and the memorable between-fights joint interview took place on Feb. 2, 2002 — 22 years ago on Friday. Here is the HBO poster and a rare Hopkins-Daniels program in my collection.
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That’s a interesting matchup nando that could work later in the year
That melt down that Shakur Stevenson had recently has me thinking thinking thinking. Maybe Top Rank plans on matching Loma/Kambo winner vs Navarette/Berinchyk winner. That's a very entertaining little tournament. Why would any honest fighter want to waste their time and effort with Shakur? Heck, you can even mix in the winner of Zepeda/Hughes.The lightweight division could be lit in 2024. As long as Shakur isn't around to ruin the fun. Grandpa Bob and Crazy Uncle Oscar ain't in the Track Meet Business.