Boxing

Aug 21, 2020 Steve KimESPN Joe Smith took a significant step towards a light heavyweight title shot by stopping former titleholder Eleider Alvarez by ninth-round TKO Saturday night in the main event of a Top Rank card at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. After chopping away for eight rounds, it was a

12:40 AM ET A busy Saturday of boxing all over the world didn’t go according to expectations, at least when it involved the heavyweight division. Alexander Povetkin recovered enough from a two-knockdown round to knock Dillian Whyte out cold a few minutes later. Shawn Porter took care of business and lined himself up for another

Aug 21, 2020 Steve KimESPN Former light heavyweight titleholder Eleider Alvarez (25-1, 13 KOs) faces Joe Smith Jr. (25-3, 20 KOs) Saturday night in a WBO eliminator in the main event of a Top Rank card at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET). The winner will face the winner

5:10 PM ET Steve KimESPN Jessie Magdaleno has declined to face Emanuel Navarrete for the vacant WBO featherweight title, leaving undefeated Ruben Villa as next in line to vie for the title. Magdaleno did not agree to his portion of the purse after Top Rank won the bid for the fight with an offer of

8:21 PM ET Steve KimESPN Sergio Martinez (52-3-2, 29 KOs) made a successful return to the ring by stopping Jose Miguel Fandino (15-7, 8 KOs) in Round 7 on Friday night in Spain in his first bout in over six years. The previous time Martinez boxed was in June 2014, when he came into the

11:12 AM ET Steve KimESPN Like many athletes around the world, former welterweight titlist Shawn Porter’s career was sidelined when the coronavirus pandemic closed his regular training facilities this spring. But as May rolled around, Porter and his father/trainer, Kenny Porter, began preparations for a possible late-summer fight. As they started to get back into

10:18 PM ET Steve KimESPN As we approach the end of summer, the boxing schedule continues to heat up. This weekend’s boxing action includes a pivotal heavyweight clash at “Fight Camp,” a high-stakes light heavyweight title eliminator inside Top Rank’s bubble in Las Vegas and the return of a former two-time welterweight champion. A weekend

Aug 19, 2020 Steve KimESPN The promoters for Luke Campbell and Ryan Garcia reached an agreement Wednesday for a WBC interim lightweight title fight to take place in November. Matchroom Sports, which promotes Campbell, and Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Garcia, made the announcement Wednesday, just minutes before a WBC purse bid was to be

7:00 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 Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon have both said they have points to prove in Saturday’s rematch to decide the undisputed world lightweight champion of

7:01 AM ET Claressa Shields calls herself the boxing GWOAT (Greatest Woman Of All Time), and it’s hard to argue against her. Shields has won world titles in three different divisions and is the current undisputed middleweight world champion. She also has won two Olympic gold medals and is unbeaten as a professional. Her closest

5:47 PM ET Steve KimESPN Oscar De La Hoya told ESPN on Wednesday that he will return to the ring at the age of 47. Twelve years after his last fight, the 11-time titlist confirmed he’s ready to end his retirement. “The rumors are true, and I’m going to start sparring in the next few

7:10 PM ET Oscar De la Hoya announced the end of his retirement Wednesday to return to competitive boxing at the age of 47, and the first question that comes to mind is: Why? De La Hoya is an accomplished fighter, won titles in six different weight classes, captured a gold medal in the 1992

8:52 AM ET Steve Kim 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 Three big fights are taking place Saturday, with each having title implications. Former light heavyweight champion Eleider Alvarez faces Joe Smith Jr.

4:03 PM ET The World Boxing Council has ordered a fight between Canelo Alvarez and Avni Yildirim for its vacant super middleweight belt. The WBC decision leaves WBA super middleweight titlist Callum Smith, who was hoping to fight for the vacant belt, without an immediate shot for the time being. The title was left vacant

7:00 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 Dillian Whyte has said it has been a “frustrating time” waiting over 1,000 days for his shot at the WBC world heavyweight title as

3:55 PM ET Steve KimESPN Reigning WBO bantamweight titlist John Riel Casimero will face Duke Micah on Sept. 26 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Casimero had been scheduled to face unified WBA “super” and IBF champion Naoya Inoue on April 25 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in a highly anticipated

Aug 15, 2020 William Weinbaum Celia Williamson told ESPN Saturday she has seen thousands of diplomas, but none quite like the one she picked up Friday on behalf of her late father, Carmen. “It represents generations coming together in one moment, people who have struggled even before my father and his family before him, it’s

Aug 15, 2020 Steve KimESPN Showtime announced on Saturday the full pay-per-view fight card for their Sept. 26 show at Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, and it includes five title fights. The show will be divided in two segments separated by a 30-minute intermission and headlined by two fights involving the Charlo