Notebook: Paul, Woodley shake on it: Loser must tattoo winner's name on himself
Lara-Warrington II set; Castano on edge of history; much more
Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley met face to face at their kickoff news conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday and in addition to trading the expected trash talk they also made a bet with each other that will assure that the loser won’t soon forget the winner.
Paul, the popular social media personality and novice cruiserweight, and former UFC champion Woodley will meet in an eight-round cruiserweight boxing match that will headline a Showtime PPV card Aug. 29 (8 p.m. ET) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, Paul’s home region.
At one point during the news conference, with both men seated near each other on the stage, the 24-year-old Paul (3-0, 3 KOs) offered a bet to Woodley, 39, of St. Louis, who will be making his professional boxing debut.
“If I beat you, you have to get ‘I love Jake Paul’ tattooed on you, but if you beat me I get ‘I love Tyron Woodley’ tattooed on me, and you have to post it on your Instagram feed,” Paul proposed to him. “Deal or no deal? Are you confident or not?”
Woodley took a moment, asked the media members in attendance what they thought and then told Paul he had a deal and they shook on it.
“I saw fear in his eyes,” Paul said of Woodley. “I saw a man who accepted a fight for a paycheck. He doesn’t really have any fight left in him. He’s been defeated multiple times now and he will be sent into retirement by a Disney/YouTube/professional boxer in myself.”
Paul has yet to face a boxer in his brief career. His debut was against retired NBA player Nate Robinson. His second fight was against another UFC fighter, Ben Askren, who is a friend of Woodley’s. Still, Woodley figures to be far better than they were.
“This is my toughest fight by far and that’s exactly what I want,” Paul said. “I want to increase the skill level of my opposition and challenge myself. He was a legitimate knockout artist (in UFC). But on Aug. 29, in my hometown, you will see a boxing clinic. He’s not going more than three rounds. This is my make or break fight. The MMA community is counting on Tyron. They want to see me fall, but he’s not going to be able to get the job done.
“I haven’t been hit in three fights. That’s a fact. I just want to add some experience (under) my belt. I want to fight Canelo Alvarez in three years. I want to be a world champion. Tyron is the perfect person to maybe get me to the third round.”
Woodley, who held a UFC title from 2016 to 2019, will face Paul at a contract weight of 190 pounds, answered Paul’s smack talk with his own.
“So many people come up to me on a daily basis and say you have to knock this guy out,” Woodley said. “It was a good opportunity working out with Floyd Mayweather. He showed me some of the things it takes to be a world class boxer. In MMA sometimes we waste energy and use movement without purpose. Everything I do and everything I throw is going to hurt him. My feints are going to hurt him. It’s going to make his body shake.
“I’m from the ‘Show Me’ state and you have to show me. I’ve been on the big stage. This is nothing new to me. You just talk about money and talk about clout. Because when we talk about fighting, you shouldn’t even be in the same sentence as me. He’s talking about Disney because it’s an excuse for when I wax him in the ring.”
In the co-feature, unified women’s featherweight titlist Amanda Serrano (40-1-1, 30 KOs), 32, a Puerto Rico native fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, will defend her belts against junior featherweight titlist Yamileth Mercado (18-2, 5 KOs), 23, of Mexico.
And although it has not been announced, junior middleweight up-and-comer and 2016 U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell (15-0, 11 KOs), 23, who is from Cleveland, is slated to also appear on the card, sources told Fight Freaks Unite.
Warrington gets Lara rematch
Former featherweight world titlist Josh Warrington’s crushing ninth-round knockout loss to Mauricio Lara on Feb. 13 in London is one of the year’s most shocking upsets, but Warrington will now have a chance to avenge the defeat and to do so in front of a crowd.
As expected, they will meet again on Sept. 4 in the main event of a DAZN card at Emerald Headingley Stadium in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced on Wednesday.
“What better way to celebrate the return to normality for boxing than 20,000 passionate Leeds fans at Headingley Stadium,” Hearn said. “This is the biggest fight of Josh Warrington’s career and this time he has his city behind him in a must win fight that can only be a thriller.”
Undisputed women’s lightweight world champion Katie Taylor will face IBF mandatory challenger Jennifer Han in the co-feature.
Lara (22-2, 15 KOs), 23, of Mexico, dropped Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs), 30, in the fourth and ninth rounds before finishing him in an absolute stunner.
Warrington, who had vacated his world title rather than make a mandatory defense in a rematch with Kid Galahad, was expected to easily beat the unknown Lara and move on to fight for another organization’s belt. But he lost his perfect record and came away with shoulder and jaw injuries.
“It’s been an up and down period, time for reflection and to reassess myself,” Warrington said. “I’ve watched the first fight a dozen times. I’m mentally and physically prepared for Mauricio. It won’t be the same result. I want revenge. It’s going to be a huge event in Leeds. I can’t wait to get back in there and rewrite the script. It’s nothing personal, just business. Sept. 4th we get back on track to the top.”
Lara, who took a big step up in competition against Warrington and fought outside of Mexico for just the second time, has no problem returning to Warrington’s turf for the rematch.
“I’ve never been much of a talker. I’d rather do my talking in the ring,” Lara said. “I'm going for a repeat performance on Sept. 4. Hit once, hit twice. Warrington should know that I am coming for him. This is all about pride. This is for Mexico.”
Taylor (18-0, 6 KOs), 35, of Ireland, will be making her 11th title defense when he she takes on Han (18-3-1, 1 KO), 38, of El Paso, Texas.
“I'm really excited to defend my titles in front of a live crowd again and especially in Leeds,” Taylor said. “I grew up as a Leeds United fan so it's fantastic to see them back in the Premier League and doing so well again.
“My last few fights have effectively been behind closed door and it's definitely a strange experience so I think to have crowds back again and outdoors in Leeds will make for a very special atmosphere. I'm back in the U.S. in training camp, working hard and focused on putting in another big performance against a tough and experienced opponent.”
Han is a former featherweight titlist, having won a vacant belt in 2015 followed by four defenses.
“I want to thank Katie for this opportunity,” Han said. “Enjoy your belts while you still have them. I will see you in September.”
Also on the undercard, Jovanni Straffon (24-3-1, 17 KOs), 27, of Mexico, will face Maxi Hughes (23-5-2, 5 KOs), 31, of England, in a 12-rounder.
Castano goes for history
Nearly a decade after Brian Castano turned pro in his home country of Argentina, fought his way up the ranks and claimed a junior middleweight world title, he stands of the precipice of entering the rare air in boxing that he has dreamed about since he was a little boy.
He will square off with Jermell Charlo for the undisputed junior middleweight championship in the main event of a Showtime-televised tripleheader on Saturday (9 p.m. ET) at the AT&T Center in San Antonio that will crown the winner as the first undisputed 154-pound champion of the four-belt era.
“This is my opportunity. This is the fight of my life,” Castano, who holds the WBO title, said through a translator. “I’m a world champion and Charlo is a world champion. It’s the chance to become undisputed and I can’t wait. This is my era; this is my time. This fight is so important for my life. I hope to become undisputed for my country and for my Latin supporters.”
I spoke with Castano about his background, his start in boxing, his long road to get to this point and what a victory would mean to him. Please read the story I wrote on The Ring magazine website here: https://www.ringtv.com/624263-brian-castano-jermell-charlo-has-never-seen-anybody-with-my-fighting-style/
PBC welterweight night
It will be a night of welterweights on the Premier Boxing Champions card on Aug. 7 (Fox and Fox Deportes, 8 p.m. ET) at The Armory in Minneapolis, PBC announced on Wednesday.
In the main event of the tripleheader, Canadian Cody Crowley and two-time Venezuelan Olympian Gabriel Maestre will meet for the WBA’s vacant interim welterweight belt.
In the two 10-rounders scheduled for the main card, up-and-coming welterweight Eimantas Stanionis will face former welterweight world titlist Luis Collazo in the co-feature and former welterweight and junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander will fight Lucas Santamaria in the opening bout.
“The main event will see two unbeaten fighters in Cody Crowley and Gabriel Maestre look to announce their presence in the division with a statement win in a toss-up fight,” TGB Promotions president Tom Brown said.
Crowley (19-0, 9 KOs), a 28-year-old southpaw, will fight for the first time in 11 months since a 10-round decision over Josh Torres on a PBC undercard.
"The world will discover a new welterweight force in the division in Cody Crowley,” Crowley said. “I know that they call Gabriel Maestre the ‘Venezuelan Lomachenko,’ but after I beat him for the crown, he will return to Venezuela known as the man who put me in position for my first world championship.”
Maestre (3-0, 3 KOs), 34, had an extensive amateur career before turning pro last July. As an amateur he beat Brian Castano, Carlos Adames, Alexander Besputin, Oscar Molina and Brian Ceballo. His first three pro bouts were in Venezuela.
“I am very happy to make my U.S. debut on Aug. 7,” Maestre said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for me. I have the chance to show the whole world what class I’m in and that I’m a great boxer. I’m excited to begin this journey in the U.S. on my way to becoming a world champion.”
Stanionis (13-0, 9 KOs), 26, a 2016 Lithuanian Olympian fighting out of Oxnard, California, notched his biggest win in April when he outpointed former world title challenger Thomas Dulorme.
“I want to prove that I’m going to be the next great welterweight champion, so I know that I have to look impressive and come out victorious against Luis Collazo,” Stanionis said. “Collazo has faced the best of the best, so this will be a great chance for me to show where I stack up.”
Collazo (39-8, 20 KOs), 40, of Brooklyn, New York, is near the end of his career and coming off a one-sided 10-round technical decision to Kudratillo Abdukakhorov in October 2019, but he has faced numerous top opponents and will be the biggest name on Stanionis’ resume.
“As a fighter, we wait for that call letting you know when you’re fighting and I can’t wait for this one,” Collazo said. “I believe this will be my last outing, so I am going to bring everything I’ve got.”
Alexander (27-6-1, 14 KOs), 34, of St. Louis, is returning from a 25-month layoff to face Santamaria (11-2-1, 7 KOs), 23, of Garden Grove, California. Alexander, a southpaw, was initially slotted to fight Santamaria on the undercard of the July 31 PBC on Fox card in Newark, New Jersey, before the fight was shifted.
Alexander aims to bounce back from two losses in a row, a 12-round split decision to former welterweight titlist Andre Berto in August 2018 and a sixth-round knockout to Ivan Redkach in June 2019.
“I’m very excited and anxious to get back in there after some time off,” Alexander said. “This fight means everything to me, so I’m going into this fight with my back against the wall. I’m treating this like a world title fight. I have a chip on my shoulder because I know for a fact a lot of people are writing me off. They are about to be in for a big surprise. I can’t wait to regain my footing back in boxing as one of the best in the division. It’s been way too long. Plus, August 7 is my mom’s birthday, so that gives me even extra motivation to get her a win on her birthday.”
Quick hits
The California State Athletic Commission has ruled on the arbitration between Joseph Diaz Jr. and manager Moses Heredia. Diaz was seeking to end their contract. While the commission agreed to cancel the remainder of the contract, which was signed in 2017 and set to expire in February 2022, and also declined to force Diaz to repay $46,000 in advances or loans to Heredia, the manager was awarded $162,000 that Diaz must pay him. That is Heredia’s 18 percent cut of Diaz’s purses that were owed to him from fights Diaz had on Feb. 13 and July 9 and entered into without Heredia’s permission, which was a breach of their management agreement.
Triller Fight Club formally announced the kickoff card of its monthly Tuesday night series of cards at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on Wednesday. The first card, which is Aug. 3 and available via FITE or on the Tiller app, is headlined by a 10-round heavyweight bout between contender Michael Hunter (19-1-1, 13 KOs), 32, of Las Vegas, and Mike Wilson (21-1, 10 KOs), 38, of Medford, Oregon. It will be the first boxing event in New York with spectators since the pandemic shut things down in March 2020. Former junior welterweight titlist Chris Algieri (24-3, 9 KOs), 37, a popular draw from Huntington, New York, had his opponent announced as well, former junior welterweight title challenger Mikkel LesPierre (22-2-1, 10 KOs), 36, of Brooklyn, who is coming off a 10-round decision loss to former two-division titlist Jose Pedraza in last July.
The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame has postponed the 2020 and 2021 induction weekend until the summer/fall 2022, the second straight year the event has been delayed due to the pandemic. “We waited as long as possible before making this difficult final decision,” Hall president and CEO Michelle Corrales-Lewis said. “Our induction weekend features numerous events that require close proximity of our devoted boxing fans with honorees. Hundreds of fans mix with our inductees, champions and celebrities where hand-shaking, hugging, picture-taking, autograph-signing, and close-in dining are all part of the experience. We do not want to reduce the quality and emotion of the weekend for our inductees, and certainly do not want to put anyone’s health in jeopardy.” Even though Las Vegas has reopened the lack of lead time to obtain sponsorships and to host fundraisers to help cover the event expenses was also a factor. The 2021 class hasn’t been announced. The 2020 class is headlined by Andre Ward, Miguel Cotto, Fernando Vargas, Clarence “Bones” Adams, Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, Azumah Nelson and Julian Jackson.
Show and tell
In 1994 Lennox Lewis lost his heavyweight world title by massive upset second-round knockout to Oliver McCall in front of a hometown crowd in London. Lewis would eventually regain the title by stopping McCall in the fifth round when McCall had a mental breakdown in the ring. Later, Lewis would become the undisputed champion and, finally, after six years of not fighting in England, it was time for him to have a homecoming fight in London as the undisputed champion. The appointed opponent was veteran Francois Botha, whose only losses going into the fight had come by stoppage against Mike Tyson and Michael Moorer. Lewis was, of course, the heavy favorite, and this time lived up to that billing by drilling Botha in the second round with one of the fiercest combinations he ever threw in his career. It was a sensational knockout that I picked as 2000 the knockout of the year when I was working at USA Today. On the undercard, Wladimir Klitschko dropped Monte Barrett five times en route to a seventh-round stoppage in the bout before winning his first heavyweight world title. The card was on July 15, 2000 — 21 years ago on Thursday. Here is the site poster in my collection.
Paul-Woodley photo: Esther Lin/Showtime; Castano photo: Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions