Boxing

8:01 PM ET Mike CoppingerESPN Canelo Alvarez could chase a title in a fifth weight class. At the WBC Convention on Wednesday in Mexico City, the organization approved the request of Canelo’s trainer and manager, Eddy Reynoso, to have Alvarez challenge Illunga Junior Makabu for the cruiserweight championship. Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer, became

8:28 PM ET SYDNEY, Australia — There was no verbal jousting nor any fabricated push and shove for the dozens of cameras gathered around them. But after Tim Tszyu had stood face-to-face with Takeshi Inoue, a cheeky half smile crept across his face. It was as if he already knew the outcome of Wednesday night’s

2:43 PM ET Mike CoppingerESPN Luis Ortiz and Charles Martin have agreed to meet in a heavyweight fight on Jan. 1 at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, multiple sources have told ESPN. The New Year’s Day clash presented by PBC pits Ortiz, ESPN’s No. 8 heavyweight, against Martin, a former heavyweight titleholder who sits

7:58 AM ET Mike Coppinger Ben Baby Close ESPN Staff Writer ESPN Staff Writer Previously a college football writer for The Dallas Morning News University of North Texas graduate Terence Crawford defends his WBO welterweight championship against Shawn Porter on Saturday (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET), and Crawford, ESPN’s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, has a

1:37 AM ET The punch that could ruin everything for Jaime Munguia always seemed to be lurking around the corner. From tight angles or a fleeting blind spot, veteran Gabriel Rosado was looking to throw the big, thudding punch that could upend a rising prospect’s career. On Saturday night, Munguia didn’t just escape unharmed. The

12:49 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN David Benavidez is one step closer to a shot at Canelo Alvarez. The former 168-pound champion handled Kyrone Davis in punishing fashion on Saturday in Phoenix with a seventh-round TKO victory in the Showtime main event. Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) battered Davis, a late replacement, round after round. He pressed

7:09 PM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Kid Galahad and Terri Harper surrendered their world titles in big upset losses on the same card Saturday in England. Veteran Kiko Martinez became

7:56 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN The most-avoided-fighter-in-boxing label is not just a badge of honor, it’s also an unfathomable test of patience for the person who bears it. That status is earned, if you truly can earn something you don’t want, by virtue of a few different attributes. The fighter has to be immensely talented

2:16 PM ET Undisputed junior middleweight and IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight champion Claressa Shields has signed a multifight deal worth seven figures with European broadcast company Sky Sports and the BOXXER promotion company. The deal for up to three fights will pay Shields an undisclosed seven-figure sum over the length of the contract. That

5:47 AM ET Tyson Fury was “badly injured” before his action-packed victory over Deontay Wilder last month and has since had a six-hour surgery to correct the problem, his father, John, has said. Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) retained his WBC heavyweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas when he scored a highlight-reel knockout

7:50 AM ET Katie Taylor, Claressa Shields and Amanda Serrano continue to lead the way in the ESPN women’s pound-for-pound rankings. But Mikaela Mayer gained some ground and solidified her spot in the top 5 with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Maiva Hamadouche to unify the WBO and IBF junior lightweight world titles. In

1:03 PM ET Former NBA point guard Deron Williams will fight ex-NFL running back Frank Gore in a boxing match on the Jake Paul-Tommy Fury undercard on Dec. 18 in Tampa, Florida, it was announced Tuesday. Williams and Gore will be making their pro boxing debuts. The bout is contracted for 215 pounds and four

8:37 AM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Kid Galahad is looking forward to making a first world title defence in front of his home city fans in Sheffield, England, on Saturday,

7:58 AM ET It was an eventful week in the world of boxing. Canelo Alvarez claimed the vast majority of headlines as he became the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world by knocking out Caleb Plant on Saturday. So naturally, attention immediately turned toward what’s next for boxing’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter. In the

7:51 AM ET The final two months of 2021 offer a range of big fights for women: Claressa Shields returns to the ring. Katie Taylor fights again. Mikaela Mayer and Maiva Hamadouche fight on Friday night (8 p.m. on ESPN+) to start to unify the junior lightweight division and a week later, Dina Thorslund and

12:42 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez entered the ring as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and the sport’s biggest attraction. But now, for the first time in his career, he can call himself something else: undisputed champion. Alvarez promised to punish Caleb Plant, and on Saturday he did just

1:20 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez was, at one point in his career, reserved and respectful ahead of his massive showcase fights — a departure from the traditional fighter archetype. Despite his calm demeanor, Canelo was still the biggest attraction in boxing due to his incredible fighting prowess and his legion

7:48 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN On Saturday, we’re set to see arguably the biggest fight night of the year. Canelo Alvarez, the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, looks to become an undisputed world champion for the first time in his career as he faces Caleb Plant in a super middleweight unification fight at