Notebook: No big fight for Teofimo, but expects big effort from Claggett
Ramirez aims to punch way into Espinoza rematch; WBC orders Peullo mandatory; Jake Paul PPV undercard set; Sims return penciled in; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Lineal/WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez said he would have preferred a major fight, ideally a title unification match, but none was available:
Then-WBC titlist Devin Haney was set for a major fight with Ryan Garcia on April 20 and wound up vacating while the overweight Garcia’s decision win was changed to a no contest due to his failed drug tests, resulting in a year suspension.
Then-IBF titlist Subriel Matias was scheduled to defend against Liam Paro and lost the title to him by upset decision two weeks ago.
Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz knocked out Rolando Romero to win the WBA title on March 30 and is set for his first defense against Jose Valenzuela on Aug. 3.
Lopez also said he would have loved to move up to welterweight to challenge unified champion Terence Crawford, but that was unrealistic, mainly because Crawford is moving up to fight for a junior middleweight title in the Aug. 3 headliner.
That left Lopez to mark time with a stay-busy fight against Steve Claggett, a 16-year-year pro with a resume devoid of a significant win and losses whenever he has stepped up in class.
Nonetheless, Lopez will make his second 140-pound title defense against Claggett in the main event of a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET) at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, only about a half hour from Davie, Florida, where the Brooklyn, New York-born Lopez grew up and learned to box.
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Despite Claggett’s lack of credentials Lopez said he would not take him lightly, figuring Claggett will be highly motivated for the biggest moment of his career.
“This guy is no slouch. He has waited 15 years for this opportunity,” Lopez said this week. “And now he has it. This is the most important moment of his career. I just need to stick to my game plan and listen to my team. This is going to be a good slugfest. This is going to be a good fight.”
One of the reasons Claggett (38-7-2, 26 KOs), 35, of Calgary, Canada, was picked as the opponent is because his style is to stand and fight rather than stick and move and try to frustrate opponents like Jamaine Ortiz did in a disputed decision loss to Lopez in a very ugly fight in February.
Top Rank and Lopez’s team hope Claggett will be the kind of opponent Lopez can look good against as he tries to regain the moment he had after a brilliant display in a decision win over former undisputed champion Josh Taylor, to take his remaining WBO belt and the lineal title in last June.
“We know how to get the job done. We know how to get the win. We’re not a two-time lineal champion for no reason,” Lopez said, referring to his time as the lineal and unified lightweight champion. “I know Steve Claggett is going to come forward and bring it, but this is just a different level. It’s nothing personal. I look forward to seeing what he brings to the table, and we’ll dissect him from there. This fight means everything to me. I’m hungry, I’m starving at this point, and I’ve got the eye of the tiger. I know he’s ready, and I am too — more than ready.”
Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs), 26, has never fought in his home region before, which is another reason he said he is looking forward to the bout.
“This event is long overdue,” Lopez said. “Miami has been great. I did my training camp here preparing for Josh Taylor, and we just thought that we needed to revisit this. I’m in great spirits. So I look forward to it.
“I’m grateful for all of this. It’s great to be back to where I started in boxing. This is it right here. This (homecoming) was supposed to happen in 2021 (for his oft-delayed lightweight defense versus George Kambosos). It’s happening now for a good reason. This is a homecoming for me. And this is what we needed to do. We needed to go back to my roots. We fought nine times at Madison Square Garden (in New York), and now we’re here. The feeling has been fun. The energy has been great. And we’re focused.”
It is unclear where Lopez would go next for a major fight with a victory but his goal besides having a memorable homecoming is to look good, certainly a lot better than last time out against Ortiz.
“I look forward to making a statement,” Lopez said. “I have everything that is needed to win as a true champion. It doesn’t matter who they put in front of me. We’re always going to get the job done. However, we needed a good dance partner, and on Saturday night, we’re going to have a tough, rugged fighter in Steve Claggett. This is a guy who has been a professional for many years and who knows how to slow the pace of his opponents and make them fight his style.”
Claggett has won nine fights in a row since 10-round split decision loss to Mathieu Germain in 2021.
“This is something I’ve worked my whole life for,” Claggett said. “I feel like I have great momentum right now. I don’t really care about what other people say. You can only control your perspective, so I do what I know is right and prepare like I best know. I sacrificed and put in the work. I’ve made consistent improvements and stayed dedicated. I’ve been getting better every fight. I feel like I’m progressing more than ever now. It’s a nice time for me.”
Ramirez eyes title rematch
Former WBO featherweight titlist Robeisy Ramirez calls it his “mission” to reclaim his old belt.
He can earn the opportunity with a win over Brandon Leon Benitez in their 10-rounder, which is the co-feature of Lopez-Claggett.
Ramirez, a two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist now based in South Florida, lost his title by majority decision before his Cuban fans in Pembroke Pines, Florida, in a huge upset to previously unknown Rafael Espinoza in December.
It was a dramatic fight of the year contender in which Espinoza closed the show by dropping Ramirez in the 12th round.
Ramirez did not get the immediate rematch he wanted because Mexico’s Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs), 30, wanted an interim defense first and he got it last week in a fourth-round knockout of Sergio Chirino.
So, if Ramirez defeats Benitez, Top Rank’s plan is to put on the rematch before the end of the year.
“Getting my world title back is my mission right now,” Ramirez said through an interpreter. “Throughout my life and boxing career, I have always used setbacks as motivation. This time is no different.”
Ramirez (13-2, 8 KOs), 30, a southpaw, shockingly lost his pro debut but bounced back to eventually avenge the defeat, win a world title and successfully defend it once before Espinoza’s upset.
“I have approached this training camp with a renewed sense of responsibility, seriousness, and great mental focus,” Ramirez said. “I’ve incorporated a wide range of agility, speed, and strength training routines that have challenged me more than ever before.
“I just want my loyal fans to know that this journey is far from over. I will be world champion before the end of the year, and this comeback will be legendary.”
Benitez (21-2, 9 KOs), 26, of Mexico, has won seven fights in a row, including a 10-round split decision against former WBA “regular” featherweight titlist Xu Can in October 2022.
“I’ve looked for a big fight like this for a while,” Benitez said. “Now that I have the opportunity, I am going to take advantage of it. So, I am here to win.”
In the six-round opener of the main card, middleweight Nico Ali Walsh (10-1, 5 KOs), 23, of Las Vegas, who is the grandson of Muhammad Ali, will seek to avenge his lone loss in a six-rounder against Sona Akale (9-1, 4 KOs), 36, of St. Paul, Minnesota, who beat him via six-round majority decision last August.
Title Sports Network show
In our latest show on Title Sports Network, Michelle Phelps and I discussed various topics related to the Juan Francisco Estrada-Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Teofimo Lopez-Steve Claggett cards on Saturday; Oleksandr Usyk vacating the IBF heavyweight title; the announcement of the big Anthony Joshua-Daniel Dubois card; and more. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel and also check out the video here:
WBC orders Puello-Martin
In the wake of Devin Haney vacating the WBC junior welterweight title and being granted his request to be re-classified as its “champion in recess” while he takes a break, the WBC elevated Alberto Puello from interim titleholder to full titlist.
At the same time, the WBC said that Puello would take over Haney’s obligation to face mandatory challenger Sandor Martin and that fight was officially ordered this week. The WBC sent a letter to both camps notifying them that they should commence negotiations and giving them about a month to make a deal.
If no deal is made the WBC will conduct a purse bid July 23. If there is a purse bid the split will be 50-50 with the WBC holding 10 percent of the winning offer to go to the winner of the bout as a bonus.
Martin co-promoter Top Rank won the purse bid for Haney-Martin as the only bidder at $2,420,000, but that bid is erased now that the bout won’t take place.
Puello (23-0, 10 KOs), 29, of the Dominican Republic, won the vacant WBC interim title via split decision in an upset of Gary Antuanne Russell on June 15 on the undercard of the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin PBC on Prime PPV event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and quickly found himself unexpectedly elevated to full titleholder.
Besides being upgraded to full titlist, Puello has also agreed to a contract extension with Premier Boxing Champions, a source with knowledge of the deal told Fight Freaks Unite.
Martin (42-3, 15 KOs), 30, a southpaw from Spain, scored his biggest win in 2021 when he outpointed Mikey Garcia in a major upset and sent him into retirement. Two fights later, he lost a disputed 10-round split decision to Teofimo Lopez, whom he dropped in the second round, in December 2022 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Martin has won both of his fights since.
The winner of Puello-Martin is obligated to face Russell, who was installed as the mandatory when Haney vacated and Puello was elevated.
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 and picked three of Saturday’s fights: Teofimo Lopez’s lineal/WBO junior welterweight title defense against Steve Claggett, lineal/WBC junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada’s defense against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and former flyweight titlist Sunny Edwards against former junior flyweight titlist Adrian Curiel in the co-feature. We also took viewer questions and comments and discussed the latest boxing news! Please check out the show here:
Podcast
If you missed my interview with two-division titleholder Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez on our recent full podcast episode we have broken it out as a stand-alone segment you can listen to right here ahead of his challenge of lineal/WBC junior bantamweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada on Saturday in the Matchroom Boxing main event on DAZN. Give it a listen, a review, and also subscribe to get an alert when the next episode is available. New shows every Thursday and Sunday night.
Quick hits
Weights from Phoenix for the Matchroom Boxing card on Saturday (DAZN, 9:30 p.m. ET): Juan Francisco Estrada 115 pounds, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez 115 (for Estrada’s lineal/WBC junior bantamweight title); Sunny Edwards 112, Adrian Curiel 112; Yamileth Mercado 121, Ramla Ali 122 (for Mercado’s WBC women’s junior featherweight title); Arturo Cardenas 121, Danny Barrios 121.2; Gabriel Muratalla 117.6, Carlos Fontes 117; Fabian Rojo 146.4, Daniel Gonzalez 146.2; Leonardo Rubalcava 139, William Flenoy 136.2.
Weights from Miami for the Top Rank card on Saturday (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET): Teofimo Lopez 139.4 pounds, Steve Claggett 139.5 (for Lopez’s lineal/WBO junior welterweight title); Robeisy Ramirez 124.8, Brandon Leon Benitez 127.1 (Benitez was 1.1 pounds overweight, fight goes on); Nico Ali Walsh 156.9, Sona Akale 156.3; Emiliano Vargas 139.8, Jose Zaragoza 139.1; Elvis Rodriguez 141.6, Jino Rodrigo 141.2; Lorenzo Medina 235.6, Detrailous Webster 247.7; Rohan Polanco 142.4, Luis Hernandez 143; Yan Santana 127, Brandon Valdes 127; Euri Cedeno 161.4, Dormedes Potes 161.7.
When David Benavidez moved up in weight and outpointed Oleksandr Gvozdyk to win the vacant WBC interim light heavyweight title in the co-feature of the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin card on June 15 it left him with a decision to make. He would have to notify the WBC whether he planned to keep the interim title at light heavyweight or the interim title he also holds at super middleweight. On Friday, the WBC announced that Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs), 27, of Phoenix, asked for a two-week extension to decide and it was granted.
Junior welterweight contender Kenneth Sims Jr., who split from PBC in late March and signed with Golden Boy in May, is penciled in to have his first fight of he deal on Aug. 10 (DAZN) likely in Las Vegas, against an opponent to be determined, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite. The card is due to be headlined by junior middleweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr., who likely will challenge WBC interim titlist Serhii Bohachuk, as previously reported by FFU. Sims (20-2-1, 7 KOs), 30, of Chicago, has not fought since last May, when in his only fight of 2023, he scored his biggest win, a hard-fought majority decision over Batyr Akhmedov in a WBA title eliminator that was a ferocious fight of the year contender on Showtime.
Most Valuable Promotions rounded out the undercard for its July 20 DAZN PPV card headlined by Jake Paul-Mike Perry at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, including two bouts that will be part of the broadcast. Added to the PPV were lightweight prospect Ashton Sylve (11-0, 9 KOs), 20, of Long Beach, California, and cruiserweight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (53-6-1, 34 KOs), 38, of Mexico. Sylve will face Lucas Bahdi (16-0, 14 KOs), 30, of Canada, in a 10-rounder and former middleweight titlist Chavez Jr. will face former UFC fighter Uriah Hall (1-0, 0 KOs), 39, of Jamaica, in a six-rounder. Sylve and Chavez were initially set to fight other opponents on July 20 on the Tyson-Paul undercard before Tyson’s ulcer flare up forced the Netflix event to be postponed to Nov. 15. Paul made the fight with Perry to stay active and shifted the card from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to Tampa.
Super middleweight prospect Darius Fulghum (12-0 10 KOs), 27, of Katy, Texas, routed replacement foe Vaughn Alexander (18-12-1, 11 KOs), 38, of St. Louis, in the main event of the “Golden Boy Fight Night” card on DAZN on Thursday at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Fulghum, who was set to face Ronald Ellis before he dropped out days before the bout, won 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92. “It was a great experience going the distance against Vaughn. Anyone that knows him, knows he is a really tough guy,” Fulghum said. “I hurt my hand during the fight so we were working with what we had and we are so happy we were able to secure the victory.”
Show and tell
After Evander Holyfield got knocked out by Riddick Bowe in their third brutal battle and then looked very bad beating Bobby Czyz most thought Holyfield was done, a shot fighter. At that point promoter Don King finally matched him with then-WBA heavyweight titlist Mike Tyson in a showdown fans had anticipated for years. Tyson was the huge favorite but Holyfield took it to him in the mega pay-per-view fight and stopped him in the 10th round of a massive upset to claim the title. An immediate rematch took place seven months later. Titles “The Sound and The Fury,” Tyson was again a hefty favorite but was frustrated by Holyfield, who rocked him with a right hand in the first round and then opened a cut over his right eye with what referee Mills Lane ruled an accidental head butt in the second round. But Tyson was infuriated and complained that Holyfield was butting him intentionally.
Then things turned wild in the third round when Tyson resorted to dirty tactics by infamously twice biting Holyfield’s ears, including taking a chunk out of his right ear. Lane nearly stopped the fight after the first bite but eventually penalized Tyson two points for the intentional foul. But when Tyson bit Holyfield again, this time on the left ear, in what most believe was his way to get out of the fight, Lane disqualified him at the end of the third round. It was a shocking scene that caused Tyson to be vilified around the world. The Nevada commission fined Tyson $3 million (the maximum 10 percent of his $30 million purse) and revoked his license. The SET PPV fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas was the biggest money fight in history at the time and it took place on June 28, 1997 — 27 years ago on Friday. Here is a full ticket, a site poster and a program in my collection.
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Photos: Lopez-Claggett and Ramirez: Mikey Williams/Top Rank; Puello: Esther Lin/PBC; Estrada-Rodriguez: Melina Pizano/Matchroom Boxing
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Dan, you forgot that Teo also wanted to fight Tyson Fury, but Fury lost to Usyk, and he wanted fight Beterbiev, but he is injured. Boxers traffic in hyperbole, but I don't know if I believe the words that come out of any boxer's mouth less than I believe Teofimo. He's a flat out delusional windbag, and his revisionist history of all the fights we would have taken is laughable. Aside from timing not being at all realistic for those fight, he looked like ass last time out and isn't marketable, which is why he has to fight a fringe guy like Clagget in near anonymity (most boxing sites and ESPN aren't giving two shits about this one). The Takeover needs a Makeover