Notebook: Matchroom planning Whyte fight in U.S. and Estrada-Chocolatito 3
Donaire cancels Casimero fight; Conlan return set; more
Following the Devin Haney-Jorge Linares card on May 29 in Las Vegas, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is on a brief break from putting on events in the United States but there are Matchroom Boxing USA events in the works for DAZN.
One show in is penciled in for Aug. 28 — a Sunday — at a site to be determined and would include WBC interim heavyweight titlist Dillian Whyte on the card, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite.
Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs), 33, of England, is coming off a one-sided fourth-round knockout of Alexander Povetkin on March 27 in Gibraltar to regain the interim belt and avenge a knockout loss to him in his previous bout.
The fight would be the second of Whyte’s career in the United States. In his other American appearance, Whyte knocked out Malcolm Tann in the third round in August 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he fought on the undercard of when Terence Crawford knocked out Julius Indongo to become the undisputed junior welterweight champion.
Another Matchroom USA card is being planned for Oct. 16, probably in Southern California, and would be headlined by the highly anticipated rubber match between unified junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada and former four-division world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, according to the source.
Estrada (42-3, 28 KOs), 31, of Mexico, and Gonzalez (50-3, 41 KOs), 34, of Nicaragua, met in a long-awaited rematch on March 13 in Dallas, where Estrada eked out a controversial split decision to unify to 115-pound world titles in an action-packed fight of the year contender. Estrada won by scores of 117-111 and 115-113 while Gonzalez, the rightful winner to many, won 115-113 on the third scorecard.
In 2012, Gonzalez retained his junior flyweight world title by unanimous decision over Estrada in another action-packed battle.
Both cards would also be seen on DAZN in the United Kingdom now that Matchroom Boxing, after decades with Sky Sports as its U.K. broadcast partner, recently saw that deal expire and make a deal with DAZN to carry all of its events in the U.K. and Ireland.
Donaire cancels Casimero unification
Nonito Donaire, long an advocate of strict random drug testing and known for his professionalism, has called off his bantamweight world title unification fight with John Riel Casimero citing issues related to both.
Donaire and Filipino countryman Casimero were due to meet in the main event of a Showtime-televised card on Aug. 14 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, but Donaire canceled the fight because of what he termed Casimero’s “unprofessional behavior” as well as with issues Donaire had with Casimero’s enrollment in a random Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency testing program Donaire had agreed to pay for.
You can read all the details about why Donaire called off the fight in the story I wrote for World Boxing News here: https://www.worldboxingnews.net/2021/06/30/nonito-donarie-john-riel-casimero-scrap/
Balderas signs with Top Rank
Top Rank announced that it has signed 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas to a multi-fight promotional contract.
The 25-year-old Balderas (9-1, 8 KOs), of Santa Maria, California, has mostly fought as a lightweight but now will campaign at junior lightweight with a new team behind him in trainer Buddy McGirt and manager Sam Katkovski of Churchill Management.
Balderas, who had been with Richard Schaefer’s Ringstar Sports, will make his Top Rank debut against an opponent to be determined in a six-round bout on Aug. 14.
“Karlos Balderas was one of the most talented fighters coming out of the 2016 Rio Olympics, and I strongly believe he still has what it takes to become a world champion,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Buddy McGirt is a fantastic trainer who I’m confident will tap into Karlos’ boundless potential.”
Balderas advanced to the quarterfinals of the lightweight bracket at the Rio Olympics and was 175-9 as an amateur. He has not fought since suffering an upset sixth-round knockout loss to Rene Tellez Giron on the undercard of the Jermell Charlo-Tony Harrison rematch in December 2019 in Ontario, California.
“When I first turned pro, deep down inside, I knew Top Rank was the way to go,” Balderas said. “With the talent and excitement I bring to the table, they’re going to promote the hell out of me. Thank you to Sam Katkovski, Bob Arum, and everyone at Top Rank. I always come back better and stronger. Don’t believe me? Just watch!”
Triller at MSG
Triller Fight Club is making plans to put on the first in a series of monthly cards at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug 3, which will be streamed via its app and FITE.
The first card will be headlined by heavyweight contender Michael Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs), 32, of Las Vegas, against Mike Wilson (21-1, 10 KOs), 38, of Medford, Oregon, in a WBA title eliminator.
The card is also due to include former junior welterweight titlist Chris Algieri (24-3, 9 KOs), 37, a popular draw from Huntington, New York, on the card against an opponent to be determined. Hunter told Fight Freaks Unite he is working with Triller on a multi-fight deal and will fight Wilson on Aug. 3. Triller owes Algieri a summer fight.
Hunter-Wilson was originally scheduled to take place on the undercard of the Teofimo Lopez-George Kambosos Jr. pay-per-view card on June 19, but the entire show was postponed when Lopez came down with Covid-19 less than a week before the fight.
The card at the Theater would be the first boxing event in New York with fans since the coronavirus pandemic began and will include live musical performances that are part of the “TrillerVerz” music battles.
Conlan homecoming
Michael Conlan, the WBO’s No. 1 junior featherweight contender, will face former junior featherweight titlist TJ Doheny in an all-Irish 10-rounder on Aug. 6 in Falls Park in Conlan’s hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland as part of the annual Féile an Phobail festival in Belfast, Top Rank announced.
The card will stream on ESPN+ in the United States beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
“This is a big test for Mick, as Doheny is a formidable foe who won’t be intimidated fighting in front of the partisan Belfast crowd,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “He wanted a Belfast fight, and I am thrilled that his loyal fans will get to see him in person once again.”
Conlan (15-0, 8 KOs), 21, last fought in Belfast, also in a fight that was part of the festival in 2019, when he knocked out Diego Alberto Ruiz in the ninth round at Falls Park.
“I’m excited to be back fighting in my city,” Conlan said. “It was special in 2019, but I believe this year it will be even better as we haven’t had live events due to the pandemic. On Aug. 6, we will show Belfast is back!
“It will be an honor to share the ring with TJ. I have a lot of respect for him and his achievements. I believe it’s my toughest fight to date, and with that, I will make my biggest statement in my quest to become a world champion.”
Doheny (22-2, 16 KOs), 34, a southpaw, is from Ireland but fights out of Australia. In 2019, he lost his 122-pound world title by majority decision to Daniel Roman in an action-packed title unification fight at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Since then, Doheny is 1-1 and coming off an eight-round decision loss in March 2020 to Ionut Baluta, who Conlan defeated by majority decision in his most recent bout on April 30.
“This will be my first time fighting on Irish soil, and I can’t think of a better homecoming,” Doheny said. “It doesn’t get much bigger than this for an all-Irish clash, and the fans are in for a real treat. This is the kind of fight that I have been craving since my close majority decision loss to Daniel Roman. Top opposition is what motivates me and helps me raise my game. I cannot wait for this.”
Quick hits
Warriors Boxing announced it has signed three Cuban prospects — Yoelvis Gomez, Geovany Bruzon, and Lenier Pero — co-promoted by Aldo Mir’s Major League Boxing and advised by Jesse Rodriguez Management. “The plan is to move them swiftly, against top contenders, like we are doing with David Morrell,” Warriors Boxing’s Leon Margules said, referring to the 4-0 Morrell, also a Cuban and holder of a secondary super middleweight belt. Gomez (4-0, 4 KOs), 23, is a middleweight but plans to move down to junior middleweight. He is the son of Jose Gomez Mustelier, a 1980 Cuban Olympic gold medalist. Bruzon (6-0, 5 KOs), 23, is 6-foot-4 heavyweight, who will be trained by Joe Goossen. Pero (5-0, 3 KOs), 28, is a 6-3½ southpaw heavyweight.
Interim junior welterweight titlist Alberto Puello (18-0, 10 KOs), 26, of the Dominican Republic, will make his second defense against former lightweight and junior lightweight titlist Rances Barthelemy (28-1-1, 14 KOs), 35, a Cuban defector fighting out of Las Vegas, in a preliminary bout on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III card on July 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The commission has the selection of officials for the bout, and other bouts on the card, on the agenda for its monthly meeting on Wednesday. Puello-Barthelemy has been postponed multiple times due to the pandemic.
Secondary cruiserweight titlist Ryad Merhy (29-1, 24 KOs), 28, of Belgium, will face short-notice challenger Zhaoxin Zhang (10-1-1, 6 KOs), 25, of China, on July 17 in Brussels. Merhy was due to face South African contender Kevin Lerena (26-1, 13 KOs), 29, but Lerena suffered a hand injury and was forced to withdraw on June 23. Organizers were able to line up Zhang and get his visa paperwork squared away for what will be his first bout outside of China.
Junior middleweight contender Tim Tszyu (18-0, 14 KOs), 26, the son of Hall of Fame former undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, will face late replacement and Australian countryman Steve Spark (12-1, 11 KOs), 24, on July 7 in Newcastle, Australia. On week’s notice, Spark replaced Michael Zerafa, who pulled out due to concerns about Covid-19 and traveling from his home area of Victoria, Australia, to the fight location in New South Wales, where the fight would take place.
Show and tell
Mike Tyson was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old when he became the youngest fighter in history to win a heavyweight world title in 1986. On Wednesday, the former undisputed champion and onetime baddest man on the planet turned 55. In honor of Tyson’s birthday, here is one of the most iconic boxing cards ever made. It’s Tyson’s rookie card — a sticker, actually — from the 1986 Italian Panini Supersport multi-sport set. PSA has graded 95 examples of the sticker with just three achieving a perfect 10 grade. The one I own, pictured here, is one of 17 graded at the 9 level. I bought mine ungraded and later had PSA grade it on site in Baltimore several years ago at the National Sports Collectors Convention.
Whyte photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Casimero appeared to have no intention of signing until Donaire pulled out and his eventual signature seems to have been to save face once his intention not to sign became public.
In addition Casimero's behaviour was childish and totally disrespectful to Donaire and his wife.
That said, those who know about PEDs realise that pre-fight VADA testing, even 8 - 10 weeks worth, in no way guarantees that a fighter isn't getting a certain amount of benefit from some PED. Even Eddie Hearn was aware of this 3 years ago (see link).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5nfESk7emg&t=104s
As for the WBC CBP it appears from Thomas Hauser's investigations that it has been under-funded from the very beginning, which has meant not all fighters who have signed up have been tested.
There are also questions over why certain fighters with powerful "promoters" like Al Haymon have been allowed to get away with not being tested at certain times.
In summary - all of the current drug testing protocols have little chance of catching those boxers, or advisers to those boxers, who actually know what they're doing when it comes to PEDs - the only fighters being caught at the moment are those who don't really know what they're doing with these pharmaceuticals (eg: Miller, Kovalev & Pascal).
The minimal drug testing protocol required in boxing is for the top 10 (or 15) in each division to be on a 24/7/365 random testing protocol.
Despite professional boxing needing such a protocol very badly and being able to afford it, those with the power to introduce such a protocol clearly haven't got the integrity that's needed for its introduction.
Until this situation changes pro boxing will continue to deserve its reputation as the dirtiest sport on the planet.