Fightful Boxing Newsletter (11/30): Miguel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali Preview, A Look At Cotto’s Career, Kovalev Wins WBO Title

Miguel Cotto’s career will come to an end on December 2 when he faces Sadam Ali at Madison Square Garden. It is the end of a career that lasted 17 years and saw numerous world titles in an era dominated by Canelo Alvarez, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

It is the second straight weekend the venue has held a major boxing event, with Sergey Kovalev coming back to form and winning the vacant WBO light heavyweight title on HBO. The fight headlined a tripleheader that has many in the boxing world talking, but not necessarily for the best of reasons.

On this issue, we’ll take a look at Cotto’s upcoming fight against Ali, his lasting legacy in the sport and the case for and against him ultimately ending up in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Fightful Boxing Newsletter (11/30) Table of Contents:

1. Miguel Cotto’s Boxing Legacy (Page 2)
2. The case for and against Miguel Cotto being a Hall of Famer (Page 3)
3. Miguel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali Preview, Full Card, Where to Watch (Page 4)
4. Latest On Tyson Fury’s Potential Return To The Ring (Page 5)
5. Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy Review, Results (Page 6)
6. Results From The World Of Boxing (Page 7)
7. Fightful Boxing Rankings (Page 8-9)
8. News And Notes From The World Of Boxing (Page 10)
9. Timeline of Miguel Cotto’s Career (Page 11)

Miguel Cotto’s Boxing Legacy:

In 2017, there is a clear distinction as to who are the most popular boxers in the world. The list is mainly comprised of Floyd Mayweather, Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Anthony Joshua (for the most part) and Manny Pacquiao, but always lurking about is a superstar that is about to end his career very soon: Miguel Cotto.

On December 2, Cotto will have his farewell fight at his home away from home: Madison Square Garden. His opponent is Sadam Ali, a relative unknown getting a shot at the WBO junior middleweight title that Cotto won in his last fight against Yoshihiro Kamegai in August.

During my senior year at Rider University, I was classmates with Khalil Thomas, the school’s starting power forward on the basketball team and current pro basketball player in France (as far as I know). One cold March night after class, we were walking to the nearest building where we can get food and the topic of my boxing journalism came up. The following exchanged happen.

“Oh cool, I’m actually a big boxing fan too,” Thomas said.

“Wow that’s really surprising,” I said with a shockingly high amount of intrigue. “Who’s your favorite boxer? Floyd, GGG?”

“Ah man, I love Miguel Cotto,” Thomas said.

That answer stopped me in my tracks, forgetting the fact that I was in about 40-degree weather with not much cold protection. I looked at Thomas, a Division 1 basketball player (and a good one at that) from Florida playing in New Jersey, with a look that teetered around a kid getting a Super Nintendo for Christmas and this reaction.

To many Puerto Rican boxing fans, Cotto was the defining star in a generation the country yearned for a star since the great Felix “Tito” Trinidad retired in 2008 and had his last world title fight in 2001. To me, Cotto meant what Trinidad and Hector Camacho meant to my father from the mid-1980s to late-1990s and what Wilfredo Gomez and Wilfredo Benitez meant to my grandfather in the 1970s.

Starting with Sixto Escobar in the 1930s, every generation of Puerto Rican boxing fans had a star that they would turn to for the biggest of fights and would add on to the legendary legacy and boxing reputation the country has spent nearly a century creating. Cotto was the first true superstar the country had in the 21st century, thriving as a mainstream star where other modern day boxers such as Carlos Quintana, Juan Manuel Lopez, Kermit Cintron achieved world title success, but didn’t quite reach the level of stardom Cotto did. Perhaps the closest we have gotten to have a Cotto-level of star was Ivan Calderon, who could be voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame later this year.

But it isn’t the respect and adoration from just Puerto Ricans Cotto has won throughout his career. Past opponents such as Mayweather and Sergio Martinez have had nothing but respect for Cotto, calling him a future Hall of Famer and a legend in the sport.

Some may argue that Cotto fighting Ali is an extremely anti-climactic finish to one of the greatest boxers of the 21st century, but the simple matter of the fact is that Cotto’s opponent was never going to be the attraction. It was going to be Miguel Cotto and the ending to a legendary career that saw him win world titles in four different weight classes.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Miguel Cotto’s career to some is whether or not Cotto should be considered a Hall of Famer. The majority of the boxing community seems to think he is, but some skeptics argue that his career on paper is far more glamorous than what it truly was.

Below are the arguments in favor and against Cotto being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame:

Pro: The obvious thing in Cotto’s Hall of Fame resume is the sheer number of top-caliber opponents he has faced throughout his career that has lasted nearly two decades. In 21 fights against former, current and future world champions, Cotto has an extremely impressive 16-5 record and sports an even better 19-5 record in world title fights. The list of opponents Cotto has faced is absolutely staggering. To name a few, here are some of the opponents Cotto has faced.

• Floyd Mayweather Jr.
• Canelo Alvarez
• Manny Pacquiao
• Austin Trout
• Paulie Malignaggi
• Shane Mosley
• Joshua Clottey
• Antonio Margarito
• Sergio Martinez
• Ricardo Mayorga
• Zab Judah

That kind of list and record against the caliber of opponents should be proof that Cotto deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. There’s also the matter of Cotto’s actual accomplishments.

Having that kind of record would net him many world titles and in that category, Cotto certainly has checked off that list a Hall of Famer usually does. In the country’s rich history in the sport, no Puerto Rican man has ever won a pro boxing world title in four different weight classes.

No one, except Cotto.

Cotto won world titles as a junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight, with the last weight class coming via one of Cotto’s greatest performances — a clobbering TKO win over Martinez that saw Cotto knockdown Martinez three times in the first round. But Cotto’s resume and performances aren’t the only things going for him.

Very few boxers in the world have achieved the level of success Cotto has achieved while at the same time garner near-universal acclaim from fans, media and boxers alike. All it takes is one look at the buildup to Cotto’s 2012 fight against Mayweather and you’ll see how well-respected he is. Mayweather barely trash talked at Cotto during a time where Mayweather was beyond arrogant and constantly bad-mouthed his opponents (i.e. his entire career). Plus, the impact Cotto has left on the island of Puerto Rico is immeasurable.

Cotto has been the top Puerto Rican star since Felix “Tito” Trinidad and has followed in the footsteps of other major Puerto Rican stars, stars who are sitting happily in the Hall of Fame. Cotto has been a proven box office draw and television ratings mover for HBO. On the night Cotto fought Yoshihiro Kamegai, Mayweather was fighting Conor McGregor on pay-per-view. More than 600,000 people still tuned into HBO to watch Cotto in what should have been a telecast that would have drawn maybe 350,000 or 400,000 at best.

Boxing will always have its stars, but only a few in the sport can be considered superstars. Cotto is a superstar and the type that usually end up in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Con: Of course, no career is perfect and Cotto’s career has had some lows that some believe will keep him from entering the Hall of Fame. The two biggest knocks on his resume are his losses and the career point of some Cotto’s most noteworthy opponents. Firstly, let’s take a look at Cotto’s five career losses: Antonio Margarito, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Austin Trout and Canelo Alvarez.

Cotto’s first fight against Margarito has been marred in controversy for years with evidence seemingly pointing to Margarito using illegally loaded hand wraps. This is a major talking point in the buildup to their rematch to this day when talking about Margarito’s still active career. It still doesn’t ignore the fact that Margarito beat Cotto in the first fight and Margarito was then utterly beaten by an old Shane Mosley, 14 months after Mosley lost to Cotto. The loss to Trout was simply a bad one as Trout, a world champion by the time Cotto fought him, still wasn’t a boxer that can be defined as being a true, elite top 10 pound-for-pound boxer and he has never been since beating Cotto.

In regards to the losses to Pacquiao, Mayweather and Canelo, it’s hard to hold any boxer back because the three will go down as all-time greats, but the fact that Cotto wasn’t able to get over the hump and beat three of the four biggest names in Cotto’s career still doesn’t help him. It paints a picture of Cotto being a great boxer, but shouldn’t be considered an all-time great if he didn’t beat other all-time greats when he had the chance. The only one that Cotto has beaten and can be considered an all-time great was a 36-year-old Shane Mosley who was already past his prime at that point.

Secondly, some of his greatest wins carry a hidden asterisk that skeptics will gladly point out when examining Cotto’s career. As previously mentioned, the win over Mosley in 2007 was terrific on paper and would easily be the signature win on any boxer’s career, but remember, Mosley was 37 years old and was nowhere near the same boxer he was when he beat Oscar De La Hoya twice, John John Molina and Fernando Vargas. In addition, Cotto’s win over Ricardo Mayorga was during the twilight years of his career as Mayorga kept alternating wins and losses for eight years.

Also some of Cotto’s other wins, namely Margarito in their rematch and Sergio Martinez, came at a point in their careers where their physical condition had been less than stellar and some were questioning whether those fighters were even in good enough condition to fight Cotto. The rematch against Margarito came after Margarito’s eye had been brutally ravaged by both Mosley and Pacquiao prior.

The eye was damaged so badly in those fights that the New York State Athletic Commission considered canceling the fight with only days remaining. The rematch even ended when ringside doctors believed Margarito’s eye was hurt by Cotto to the point that Margarito’s permanent vision was in dire danger had the fight gotten to the 11th and 12th rounds. The win against Martinez ended up being Martinez’s last fight after Martinez’s right leg was in pretty bad shape even coming into the fight against Cotto.

Take those wins out of Cotto’s resume and the top wins in Cotto’s career are against Zab Judah in 2007, Paulie Malignaggi in 2006 and Joshua Clottey in 2009, to name a few. That’s not a terrible list by any means and any boxer with those wins should feel more than proud about their careers, but it’s nothing earth-shattering.

Final Verdict: Cotto’s resume speaks for itself. His accomplishments, impact on the sport and wars supersede any complaints of his opponents not being in their prime at the time of fighting Cotto. Cotto didn’t just win world titles in four weight classes. He won world titles in arguably the four most talent-driven divisions, collectively, in boxing in the 21st century.

Miguel Cotto vs. Sadam Ali Preview, Full Card, Where to Watch:

In a year filled to the brim with retirements from great boxers all year long, perhaps none will be more emotional than Miguel Cotto’s. Cotto has said all year long that 2017 will be his final year as a boxer and his fight against Sadam Ali will be the final fight of his career. Taking place at Madison Square Garden, Cotto vs. Ali will headline an HBO-televised card with Cotto’s WBO junior middleweight title on the line.

For Cotto, it is the sendoff that many wished never happened. For more than a decade, Cotto has provided fans with many great moments and fights to talk about for years to come. He has been one of the top stars in the sport for years. Madison Square Garden, Cotto’s home away from home, will be the perfect sendoff to a legendary career.

On the flipside, Ali is an up-and-coming contender looking to get a world title. Ali is a former Olympic boxer who lost his only other world title match last year against Jessie Vargas. It has been Ali’s mission to not only get back into title contention, but also get a signature win. Defeating Cotto at Madison Square Garden is the perfect opportunity for Ali to show that he should be considered a top-flight boxer and among the elite at 154 pounds.

Ali is coming into this fight with a massive chip on his shoulder, with many in the boxing community believing he doesn’t deserve a fight against Cotto, especially as Cotto’s final opponent. Ali is now out to prove he is the next big star in boxing.

Tale of the tape:

Miguel Cotto:

Record: 41-5 (33 KO)

Height: 5’7”

Reach: 67”

Titles Won: WBO Junior Middleweight, WBC Middleweight, WBA “Super” Junior Middleweight, WBO Welterweight, WBA Welterweight, WBO Junior Welterweight, WBA Fedelatin Junior Welterweight, WBO-NABO Junior Welterweight WBC International Junior Welterweight

Notable Fights: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao, Austin Trout, Paulie Malignaggi, Shane Mosley, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Sergio Martinez, Ricardo Mayorga, Zab Judah

Sadam Ali:

Record: 25-1 (14 KO)

Height: 5’9”

Reach: 73”

Titles Won: WBA International Junior Middleweight, WBA International Welterweight, WBO Intercontinental Welterweight, Interim WBO-NABO Welterweight

Notable Fights: Johan Perez, Jessie Vargas, Luis Carlos Abregu, Francisco Santana

Full Card and Where to Watch:

All three world title fights on the card will be a part of HBO’s Championship Boxing telecast that will go live from Madison Square Garden. It is the second weekend in a row that HBO does an event live from “The World’s Most Famous Arena” after broadcasting Sergey Kovalev’s WBO light heavyweight title win over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy main evented last week’s card.

For those that have Hulu or Amazon Prime, you can watch the fights online live on the HBO channels for both.

Below is the full card thus far, but it is always subject to change:

• Miguel Cotto (c) vs. Sadam Ali: WBO Junior Middleweight Championship
• Rey Vargas (c) vs. Oscar Negrete: WBC Junior Featherweight Championship
• Angel Acosta vs. Juan Alejo: Vacant Interim WBO Junior Flyweight Championship
• Ronny Rios vs. Deivis Julio
• Aaron McKenna vs. TBA
• Zachary Ochoa vs. Erik Martinez

Prediction: Given how good Cotto looked in his last fight against a game Yoshihiro Kamegai, Cotto should have the edge in this fight. Ali may be the bigger fighter, but this isn’t the first time Cotto faced off against similarly-sized competition. Ali isn’t exactly a boxer who is hyper-aggressive, which only benefits Cotto more. As evidenced in the fights against Kamegai and Martinez, Cotto thrives when given even just a little bit of space to work the left hand.

Ali’s lone loss was a TKO loss to Vargas last year, and the Cotto we’re seeing is better than Vargas at that time. No doubt Cotto doesn’t possess the same killer power he had in his prime, but if his fight against Kamegai is any indication, then Cotto still has enough stamina to go the distance and barely lose a step.

The only way Ali stands a chance is if he’s able to apply pressure to Cotto and avoid giving him any space whatsoever to throw any punch. Kamegai was able to land some good shots in whenever he took the fight to Cotto up close and a similar thing can happen if Ali does the same. The issue is that Ali’s size advantage would be negated if the fight gets close and very few can beat Cotto in a straight slugfest.

The combination of Cotto’s lethal left hook, experience, energy and boxing IQ will be too much for Ali to handle. It will be a decently competitive fight until Cotto dominates the later rounds and picks up his final win in the scorecards.

Latest On Tyson Fury’s Potential Return To The Ring:

Tyson Fury’s return to the ring rests solely on a meeting with the British Boxing Board of Control and there is now a date set for the two sides to meet.

In a recent interview, BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith told Sky Sports the hearing will take place in December and said he hopes the meeting can resolve the issue regarding Fury’s suspension.

“December, that’s true. The reason why this has taken so long, so I have been led to believe, is because Mr. Fury’s legal team could not agree a date for the recommencement of the hearing. They obviously now have, and the hearing will recommence,” Smith said.

Even though a meeting will take place, it does not guarantee Fury will be cleared to return to the ring next year. A longstanding issue with Fury since his initial retirement last year is his weight issues, even ballooning all the way to more than 300 pounds. Smith said the BBBofC will look at Fury’s well-being and have that be a factor in the final ruling.

“It is publicly known that Mr. Fury has a number of health issues and we would have to look at that,” Smith said.

But it isn’t Fury’s physical well-being that will be checked. If anything, Fury’s mental and emotional well-being will be looked at even more closely. Fury’s behavior on social media has been erratic, but in his defense, that seems to be his default. It has been reported in the past that his mental condition was compromised at the time of Fury’s positive test for cocaine in 2016, so the BBBofC as well as the U.K. Anti-Doping Agency will do a complete evaluation before Fury gets his license back.

There has also been the issue of the governing bodies giving Fury a free pass to come back, much less give him a world title fight. On paper, Fury does deserve a world title shot given how he technically never lost the unified titles. They were either vacated or outright stripped from Fury. The issue is that the governing bodies will likely want Fury to show some commitment to remaining drug free for a time and will likely be given regional title opportunities more than world title opportunities from the start.

This means that if Fury is cleared and good to go in 2018, his first fight could be for something like the WBA International or WBO Intercontinental titles or even the European and British titles.

Fury has been extremely vocal about wanting to return to the ring and fight unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, recently said he would be willing to help out Fury and ensure he returns to the ring. As much as the boxing community would like to see Joshua vs. Fury take place down the road in 2018, at this point, it still seems unlikely to happen, especially given how Fury is still suspended.

Joshua and Hearn are also looking at a fight against WBC champion Deontay Wilder in 2018 and that appears to be of higher priority than a potential fight against Fury. Fury’s road back to contention could take all of 2018, leaving Fury to fight Joshua as early as the first half of 2019. Both Joshua and Fury have not even turned 30 years old as of yet, which means there is plenty of time to make this fight a reality.

That hasn’t stopped Fury from talking about Joshua and what he could do against Joshua. In fact, in a recent interview with Talk Sport, the former unified champion talked about Joshua’s weaknesses and how he could exploit them in a fight.

“He [Anthony Joshua] doesn’t have great footwork or upper body movement, and he doesn’t move too good on angles. To meet a fighter like myself who does have good footwork, does have good lateral movement, and can move on angles, that equals disaster. With me being knowledgeable about boxing and heavyweight boxing – I study it and I have done for many, many years – I understand how I have to beat these guys. To beat someone with those attributes it would be hard but someone of my ability can move, box, and twist, and all I would have to do is make him miss a bit. As we saw against Wladimir [Klitschko], he blew a gasket trying to land his punches.”

In another move that does seem to bode well for the former champion’s chances of returning to the ring, Fury also signed a deal with MTK Global over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, as reported by ESPN. MTK Global is a growing management firm that founded by Matthew Macklin which now represents a number of British boxing stars — including Carl Frampton, Billy Joe Saunders, and prospect Michael Conlan.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign an advisory deal with MTK Global,” Fury said. “It is unbelievable how fast they have grown and what they have achieved in the past few years. I spoke to my mate (and middleweight world titleholder) Billy Joe Saunders and he only had good things to say about MTK so it was an easy decision to go with them.”

Fury shocked the boxing world by defeating Wladimir Klitschko to win the unified WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles in November 2015. The two were set to have a rematch in 2016, but injuries from both sides delayed the fight. The fight was officially off when Fury failed a U.K. Anti-Doping Agency drug test, eventually getting his boxing license revoked.

Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy Review, Results:

Sergey Kovalev defeated Vyacheslav Shabranskyy via TKO, round 2, 2:36 to win the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight Title: Kovalev scored three knockdowns en route to the quick victory. Kovalev repeatedly attacked with the right jab and right hook, exploiting Shabranskyy non-existent defense. On paper, this was the perfect opponent for Kovalev. Kovalev proved that he’s still the top light heavyweight in the world by dismantling Shabranskyy and getting some much-needed momentum. Had Shabranskyy won, then Kovalev’s career would be nearing its end. This fight showed Kovalev is just as dangerous as he was before his two fights against Ward. With a new-look division, there are a lot of fresh, new matchups for Kovalev to have moving forward.

Sullivan Barrera defeats Felix Valera via unanimous decision (98-88, 97-90, 97-89): Light Heavyweight Bout: This fight was the best on the tripleheader, but not without its own issues. Just like the first one was marred by the bad scoring and constant holding, this fight dealt with constant low blows first committed by Valera, followed at the end by Barrera. Valera managed to keep landing his shots, but Barrera kept dominating the fight. It was competitive at times and Valera, who was fighting in the United States for the first time, did impress people enough to eventually give him another television fight. Barrera now is knocking on the door for a world title opportunity, likely against either new WBA champion Dmitry Bivol or Kovalev, the new WBO champion.

Yuriorkis Gamboa defeated Jason Sosa via majority decision (94-94, 95-93, 96-92): Junior Lightweight Bout: This fight opened the HBO portion of the MSG card, but the crowd was extremely silent. They did not care for this fight at all. Gamboa spent most of the fight holding Sosa, angering the referee numerous times. Sosa and Gamboa did provide some quality fight moments, but the dead crowd brought down the usually lively crowd. Gamboa got knocked down and even lost a point for constantly holding Sosa. Despite this, Gamboa ended up winning via majority decision, drawing a large amount of boos from the crowd. I had Gamboa winning three rounds, which is what most people also believed. The fact that one judge only gave two rounds to Sosa is another case of incompetent judging ruining fights in the sport.

Results From The World Of Boxing:

November 28: Sala Polivalenta, Bucharest, Romania

• Mugurel Sebe defeated Mustafa Bilghin Nagy via SD
• Robert Gusti defeated Marius Razvan Gheorghe : TKO, Round 2
• Gabriel Stan defeated Gheorge Mehedinteanu: TKO, Round 2
• Romeo Paun defeated Andrei Falfan via PTS

November 27: Luzhniki, Moscow, Russia

• Sergey Kuzmin defeated Amir Mansour fight to a technical draw. Vacant WBC International Heavyweight Title bout: Title remains vacant
• Eduard Troyanovsky defeated Carlos Manuel Portillo: KO, Round 1
• Aleksei Papin defeated Ismayl Sillah: KO, Round 1
• Georgi Chelokhsaev defeated Evgeny Pavko to retain the Russia Super Lightweight Title: TKO, Round 10
• Alexey Egorov defeated Andrei Kniazev to retain the Russia Cruiserweight Title: TKO, Round 4
• Evgeny Smirnov defeated Jhon Gemino via UD
• Svetlana Kulakova defeated Judy Waguthii to retain the International Boxing Organization World Female Super Lightweight Title via SD
• Arnold Khegai defeated Valery Tretyakov: KO, Round 10
• Sergey Lubkovich defeated Viktor Plotnikov: RTD, Round 8
• Andrey Afonin defeated Viktar Chvarkou via UD

November 27: Grange St Paul’s Hotel, Godliman Street, City of London, London, United Kingdom

• Sunny Edwards defeated Ross Murray to win the vacant WBO European Super Flyweight Title: TKO, Round 4
• Lerrone Richards defeated Rhys Pagan to win the vacant WBO European Super Middleweight Title via UD

November 26: CCDC Gym, Barangay Poblacion, La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines

• Jules Victoriano defeated Juanito Paredes via UD
• KJ Natuplag defeated Danilo Pena to win the vacant Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) Featherweight Title: TKO, Round 7
• Brian Lobetania defeated Jayson Nicart: TKO, Round 4

November 25: Club Atlético y Biblioteca River Plate, Bell Ville, Cordoba, Argentina

• Alan Isaias Luques Castillo defeated Gaston Dario Bustamante to retain the South American Featherweight Title: DQ, Round 8
• Mariano Angel Gudino defeated Daniel Alejandro Sanabria: TD, Round 9
• Carlos Jorge Luis Sardinez defeated Alfredo Hugo Petkus via UD
• Juan Manuel Taborda defeated Javier Ernesto Rodriguez: TKO, Round 4
• Hector Andres Sosa defeated Alejandro Leonel Gutierrez: TKO, Round 2
• Martin Orlando Rocha defeated Maximiliano Marcos Alegre: KO, Round 3

November 25: Olimpico Football Club, Villa Gobernador Galvez, Santa Fe, Argentina

• Andrea Soledad Sanchez defeated Nancy Franco to win the vacant IBF Intercontinental Female Light Flyweight Title via UD
• Miguel German Acosta defeated Juan Javier Carrasco: TKO, Round 7
• Diego Ramirez defeated Jonathan Joel Casafu: KO, Round 1
• Evelyn Nazarena Bermudez defeated Laura Rosa Salazar: TKO, Round 6

November 25: Estadio Parque Central, Neuquen, Neuquen, Argentina

• Mauro Maximiliano Godoy defeated Jose Agustin Feria: KO, Round 4
• Billi Facundo Godoy defeated Devis Caceres via UD

November 25: Nova Arena, Wiener Neustadt, Austria

• Bernardin Jakaj defeated Ondrej Schwarz: TKO, Round 3

November 25: Salle Omnisport M.Audain, Frameries, Hainaut, Belgium

• Tahar Achour defeated Jean Claude Bikoi: TKO, Round 2

November 25: SaskTel Center, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

• Gary Kopas defeated Saidou Sall: TKO, Round 7
• Wayne Smith and Jorge Castro fought to a majority draw
• Rawleigh Clements defeated Markhaile Wedderburn: TKO, Round 2
• Cesar Cardena defeated Ian Abbott via UD

November 25: SaskTel Center, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

• Gary Kopas defeated Saidou Sall: TKO, Round 7
• Wayne Smith and Jorge Castro fought to a majority draw
• Rawleigh Clements defeated Markhaile Wedderburn: TKO, Round 2
• Cesar Cardenas defeated Ian Abbott via UD

November 25: Barrio La Magdalena, Barranquilla, Colombia

• Jenifer Rodriguez defeated Geraldine Perez: KO, Round 2

November 25: Prosper Golf Resort , Celadna, Czech Republic

• Miroslav Serban defeated Bryan Boussis to win the vacant Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) International Super Lightweight Title via UD
• Arthif Daniel defeated Pavel Herman: TKO, Round 3
• Michal Plesnik defeated Jan Hrebik: TKO, Round 2
• Elvio Antonietti defeated Milan Ruso: TKO, Round 2
• David Bauza defeated Bronislav Kubin via UD
• Mario Zabojnik defeated Franciszek Mysliwiec via UD

November 25: Kuopio, Finland

• Tuomo Eronen defeated Dmytro Kostenko via PTS
• Pjotr Filatov defeated Jarmo Malinen: RTD, Round 3

November 25: Salle Michel Jazy, Cugnaux, Haute-Garonne, France

• Anthony Riviere defeated Ismael Meskoukouh: RTD, Round 7

November 25: Salle de la Foret, Auray, Morbihan, France

• Terry Le Couviour defeated Daniel Martins via UD

November 25: Argenteuil, Val-d\Oise, France

• Tarek Derfoufi defeated Giorgi Bliadze via UD
• Anthony Carpin defeated Tamaz Zadishvili via UD
• Abdelhafid Benaicha defeated Edgari Sarkisiani via UD
• Ralid Kerbachi defeated Gocha Kvirikashvili via UD

November 25: Gymnase Leclerc, Schiltigheim, Bas-Rhin, France

• Gary Moussa and Mevludin Sulejmani fought to a draw on PTS

November 25: Salle municipale, Saint-Péray, Ardèche, France

• Jaber Zayani defeated Nikoloz Berkatsashvili: KO, Round 1
• Jorick Luisetto defeated Levent Kechasson via PS

November 25:Salle Landry, Royan, Charente-Maritime, France

• David Lecor defeated Mickael Weus via PTS

November 25: Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France

• Izrail Kholoukhoev defeated Andrei Nurchynski via UD

November 25: Salle du Marche Couvert, Saint-Dizier, Haute-Marne, France

• Ibrahim Traore defeated Milos Pavicevic via PTS
• SidiAhmed Tourki defeated Milos Jankovic via PTS

November 25: Oberhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

• Manuel Charr defeated Alexander Ustinov to win the vacant WBA “Regular” Heavyweight Title via UD
• Marek Jedrzejewski defeated Karoly Gallovich: KO, Round 1
• Mohammed Bekdash defeated Istvan Zeller via UD
• Sam Maxwell defeated Oszkar Fiko: TKO, Round 3
• Ryan Hatton defeated Attila Orsos: KO, Round 1

November 25: Unterschleißheim, Bayern, Germany

• James Chereji defeated Cosmas Cheka via PTS
• Xenia Jorneac defeated Amra Okugic via PTS
• Granit Shala defeated Dorde Tomic via PTS
• Arton Berisha defeated Miroslav Cembic via PTS
• Rustam Shamilov defeated Aleksandar Tojic: KO, Round 1

November 25: Titanic Chaussee Berlin Hotel, Mitte, Berlin, Germany

• Rodi Kasem and Giorgi Beroshvili fought to a draw on PTS
• Mike Jaede defeated Dogan Kurnaz: RTD, Round 3
• Rico Mueller defeated Sabri Ulas Goecmen: RTD, Round 2
• Ibrahim Ayada defeated Beka Aduashvili: TKO, Round 6
• Maher Ayada defeated Giorgi Gviniashvili: RTD, Round 1
• Aleksi Hristov defeated Ion Barsan: RTD, Round 5
• Mucahit Oezcan defeated Rojhat Bilgetekin: TKO, Round 1
• Taycan Yildirim defeated Dejan Dragosavac: RTD, Round 1
• Khodor Sleiman defeated Ahmed Akit Beide: RTD, Round 2
• Nasif Jihad defeated Abied Hajizadeh: KO, Round 1
• Anton Dobrov defeated Ganiyou Idriss: TKO, Round 3
• Hamude Ayoub and Michael Klempert fight to a draw on PTS

November 25: Work Your Champ Arena, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

• Artem Harutyunyan defeated Avelino Vazquez via PTS
• Robert Harutyunyan defeated Mark Szoros: KO, Round 3
• Mert Yildirim defeated Mazen Girke via PTS

November 25: Maritim Hotel, Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Bayern, Germany

• Soner Inan defeated Ivan Zucco defeated Rodolfo Benini: RTD, Round 1

November 25: Palasport Salvador Allende, Cinisello Balsamo, Lombardia, Italy

• Donatello Perrulli defeated Lorenzo Cali via PTS
• Samuel Nmomah defeated Mladen Jovanovic: KO, Round 1
• Vadim Gurau defeated Jean Marc Yao Assouman via PTS

November 25: Vulcano Gym, Marino, Lazio, Italy

• Domenico Spada defeated Diego Shamatava via PTS
• Massimiliano Cogliano and Lazar Stojanovic fought to a draw on PTS

November 25: Palalavinum, Pomezia, Lazio, Italy

• Francesco Lomasto defeated Giorgi Gotchoshvili via PTS
• Mirko Marchetti defeated Mirko Di Carlantonio via PTS
• Fateh Benko defeated Marco Delmestro: DQ, Round 4
• Christopher Mondongo defeated Sergo Boianjiani: TKO, Round 3

November 25: Asti, Piemonte, Italy

• Nourdine Hassan defeated Antonino Sponziello: KO, Round 2
• Francesco Tartaro defeated Pavel Zgurean via PTS
• Erik Lazzarato defeated Gabriele Gitto via PTS

November 25: San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche, Italy

• Jonny Cocci defeated Jozsef Racz via UD

November 25: Lastra a Signa, Toscana, Italy

• Catalin Ionut Ionescu defeated Juan Tomas Santos: KO, Round 1

November 25: Palasport Benedetti, Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

• Michele Broili and Yuri Sampirisi fight to a draw on PTS
• Francesco Zilli defeated Antonio Gualtieri via PTS

November 25: Shinil Highschool, Seoul, South Korea

• Heuk San Lee defeated Kazuhiro Baba: KO, Round 3
• Hyun Je Shin defeated Daniel Ferreras: TKO, Round 6
• Boo Hyun Baek and Gi Won Shin to a majority draw
• In Sung Oh defeated Seung Dae Kook via UD
• Shoichiro Osada defeated Seung Joon Lee via UD
• Dong Joon Son defeated Jae Min Kim via MD
• Dong Hwan Kim defeated Woo Jin Kim via UD
• Ro Joon Suh defeated Sung Hwan Yuh via MD
• Kyung Jong Yuh and Kyoo Hyun Lee fought to a majority draw

November 25: Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija, Riga, Latvia

• Aleksejs Palcuns defeated Aleksejs Grustans via MD

November 25: Palenque de Deportes, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

• Julio Ceja defeated Breilor Teran to retain the WBC Silver Super Bantamweight Title via UD

November 25: Domo Sindicato de Trabajadores IMSS, Tlalpan, Distrito Federal, Mexico

• Alessandro Riguccini defeated Edgar Puerta: KO, Round 2
• Anabel Ortiz defeated Esmeralda Torres via UD
• Hector Reyes defeated Felipe De la Paz Teniente: TKO, Round 1
• Jared Villanueva defeated Ivan Ochoa Sanchez via SD
• Mauricio Lara defeated Luis Gerardo Perez Salas: KO, Round 1
• Alan Salazar defeated Erick Andres Cruz via SD
• Alberto Martinez Perez defeated Luis Alberto Escobedo Garcia via UD

November 25: Agadir, Morocco

• Ayoub M’rabti defeated Marian Cazacu via PTS
• Rachid Choklati defeated Nemanja Sabljov via PTS

November 25: Energy Events Centre, Rotorua, New Zealand

• Tyrone Warren defeated Ratu Dawai to win the vacant New Zealand National Boxing Federation (NZNBF) Light Heavyweight Title via UD

November 25: Nuevo Gimnasio Nicarao, Managua, Nicaragua

• Alexander Espinoza defeated Aron Juarez to retain the WBA Fedelatin Bantamweight Title via SD
• Cristian Narvaez defeated Jordan Escobar to win the vacant WBA Fedecentro Flyweight Title via UD
• Robin Zamora defeated Jose Perez to win the vacant WBA Fedecentro Featherweight Title via UD
• Martin Diaz defeated Ricardo Blandon to win the WBA Fedecentro Bantamweight Title via SD
• Edwin Tercero defeated Eligio Palacios via SD
• Bryan Perez and Brayan Mairena fight to a majority draw

November 25: Bohol Wisdom School Gym, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines

• Mark Magsayo defeated Shota Hayashi to retain the WBO International Featherweight Title via UD
• Virgel Vitor defeated John Ray Logatiman via UD
• Albert Pagara defeated Mohammed Kambuluta: KO, Round 2
• Jeo Santisima defeated Kichang Kim: KO, Round 1
• Melvin Jerusalem defeated Jestoni Racoma via UD
• Christian Bacolod defeated Ryan Makiputin: TKO, Round 2
• Rocky Fuentes defeated Ryan Tampus via UD
• Roli Gasca defeated Jason Tinampay: TKO, Round 1
• Esneth Domingo defeated Lowell Saguisa via UD

November 25: University of Mindanao Gymnasium, Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Philippines

• Glenn Porras defeated Noldi Manakane to win the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Super Bantamweight Title: KO, Round 1
• Rosekie Cristobal defeated Romeo Jakosalem to win the vacant Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) Super Lightweight Title: TKO, Round 3
• Michael Bravo defeated Lyster Jun Pronco to win the vacant Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) Light Flyweight Title: KO, Round 5
• Ken Jordan defeated Jestine Tesoro via SD
• Alvin Makiling defeated Jovany Rota to win the vacant Philippines Mindanao Professional Boxing Federation (MinProBA) Lightweight Title via UD
• Jegear Bereno defeated Ramel Antaran via UD
• Rocky Sardido defeated Reymark Alicaba: TKO, Round 3

November 25: Sao Domingos de Rana, Portugal

• Goncalo Pimenta defeated Israel Munoz via PTS

November 25: Trui Teatre, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, Spain

• Pablo Sosa defeated Fernando Heredia via UD
• Jon Martinez and Lorenzo Rayo fight to a draw PTS
• Kelvin Dotel defeated Cristian Lopez via PTS
• Farah El Bousairi defeated Eloisa Rodriguez via PTS

November 25: Pabellón Rafael Machado Villar, Armilla, Andalucía, Spain

• John Carter and Ion Costin fight to a draw on PTS

November 25: Pabellón Pablos Abril, Taco, Islas Canarias, Spain

• Adan Silvera defeated Jose Antonio Martin Reis via PTS
• Aaron Rodriguez defeated Marcos Figueras via PTS
• Jacob Barreto defeated Stefan Nicolae via PTS

November 25: Centro Deportivo La Cogullada, Tarrasa, Cataluña, Spain

• Mustafa Chadlioui defeated Aleksandar Chukaleyski: TKO, Round 2
• Emmanuel Feuzeu defeated Mihai Macovei: RTD, Round 2
• Ivan Ruiz Garrido defeated Elemir Rafael: TKO, Round 2
• Cristobal Lorente defeated Patrik Kovac: TKO, Round 1
• Irakli Kurasbediani defeated Petr Gina: TKO, Round 1
• Alejandro Moya defeated Jan Pasajev: KO, Round 2

November 25: Llanes, Principado de Asturias, Spain

• Eduardo Cobos defeated Adrian Martinez: DQ, Round 4

November 25: Poliesportu Insular Bianca Donna, Eivissa, Islas Baleares, Spain

• Daniel Robles defeated Diego Torrente via PTS

November 25: Tegelbruket, Orebro, Sweden

• Patricia Berghult defeated Sylwia Maksym via UD
• Gabriele Guainella defeated Marcus Alberts via MD
• Pezhman Seifkhani defeated Paolo Iannucci via UD
• Johnny Iwersen defeated Georgi Prodanov: KO, Round 3
• Johannes Vinasco defeated Anatoli Lyubenov: TKO, Round 2
• Marko Calic defeated Yevheniy Chumachenko via UD
• Israrullah Yaqobzai defeated Djiby Diagne via MD

November 25: Athletik Zentrum , St. Gallen, Switzerland

• Zino Meuli defeated Achilles Szabo via UD
• Sandra Atanassow defeated Olena Medvedenko via UD

November 25: Uhuru Stadium, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania

• Ibrahim Class defeated Koos Sibiya to win the vacant Global Boxing Council Super Featherweight Title via UD
• Ibrahim Maokola defeated Ibrahim Tamba via UD
• Haidari Mchanjo defeated Bakari Magona: KO, Round 6
• Lulu Kayage defeated Mwanne Haji via MD
• Feriche Mashauri defeated Happy Daudi via UD
• Adam Yahaya and Shafii Ramadhani fought to a majority draw

November 25: Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

• Chayaphon Moonsri defeated Tatsuya Fukuhara to retain the WBC World Minimumweight Title via UD
• Tassana Sanpattan defeated Samson Elnino: TKO, Round 3
• Noknoi Sitthiprasert defeated Jemmy Gobel: TKO, Round 5

November 25: Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom

• Michael McKinson defeated Colin Lynes to win the vacant WBC International Silver Welterweight Title: TKO, Round 6
• Paul Kamanga defeated Christopher Sebire to win the vacant WBC International Super Lightweight Title via UD

November 25: Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

• Joe Ducker defeated Leo D’Erlanger: TKO, Round 7
• Conar Blackshaw defeated Gary Reeve via PTS
• Leigh Wood defeated Reynaldo Mora via PTS
• Jake Sharp and Kamil Al Temimi fought to a draw on PTS
• Sajid Abid defeated Jack Green via PTS
• Connor Ireson defeated Kristian Laight via PTS

November 25: Imperial Banqueting Suite, Bilston, West Midlands, United Kingdom

• Ricky Summers defeated Gonzalo Romero via PTS
• Jason Welborn defeated Christian Hoskin Gomez via PTS
• James Beech Jr. defeated Elvis Guillen via PTS
• Dmitrij Kalinovskij defeated Anthony Woollery via PTS
• Nathan Heaney defeated Darryl Sharp via PTS

November 25: Double Tree by Hilton Aberdeen Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom

• Billy Stuart defeated Ricky Leach: TKO, Round 1
• Chris Ryder defeated Myles Vale via PTS
• Liall Mackenzie defeated William Warburton via PTS

November 25: Madison Square Garden Theater, New York, New York, USA

• Sergey Kovalev defeated Vyacheslav Shabranskyy to win the vacant International Boxing Association Light Heavyweight and vacant WBO World Light Heavyweight Titles: TKO, Round 2
• Yuriorkis Gamboa defeated Jason Sosa via MD
• Sullivan Barrera defeated Felix Valera via UD
• Bakhram Murtazaliev defeated Carlos Galvan: TKO, Round 5
• Frank Galarza defeated Jaime Herrera via UD
• LeShawn Rodriquez defeated Alex Sandro Duarte: TKO, Round 3
• Meiirim Nursultanov defeated Eric Moon: TKO, Round 2
• Enriko Gogokhia defeated Jose Antonio Abreu via UD
• Ismael Villarreal defeated Race Sawyer via UD

November 25: Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut, USA

• Constantin Bejenaru defeated Thabiso Mchunu to retain the WBC Continental Americas and WBC International Cruiserweight Titles via UD
• Danny O’Connor defeated Daniel Gonzalez to win the vacant WBC International Silver Super Lightweight Title: TKO, Round 3
• Kali Reis defeated Tiffany Woodard via UD
• Anthony Laureano defeated John Hernandez via MD
• Charles Foster defeated Quinton Rankin: TKO, Round 5
• Wendy Toussaint defeated Daniel Castro: TKO, Round 2
• Saquan Felton defeated Carlos Marrero via UD
• Dan Murray defeated Valerio Nocera via SD

November 25: Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles, California, USA

• Jonathan Esquivel defeated Estevan Payan: KO, Round 3
• Ruben Martinez and Joseph Lopez fight to a majority draw
• Adelaida Ruiz defeated Dalia Gomez via UD
• Misael Alejandro Elias defeated Hector Torres via MD
• Daniel Constantino and Larry Kloak fought to a majority draw
• Markus Jones defeated Alan Moreno via UD
• Vlad Panin defeated Pedro Miguel Meza: KO, Round 3
• Angel Ruiz defeated Edgar Ivan Garcia via UD

November 24: Estadio Olímpico, Palpalá, Jujuy, Argentina

• Juan Jose Velasco defeated Carlos Andres Chaparro via UD

November 24: Club Calaveras, Pehuajo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Ramon Sebastian Munoz defeated Mario Julio Ruben Martinez via MD

November 24: Centro de Convenciones del Gran Boulevard, Barranquilla, Colombia

• Robert Barrera defeated Dionis Martinez via UD
• Tony Gomez defeated Andres Garcia via UD
• Yeison Vargas defeated Sander Diaz via UD
• Hugo Berrio defeated Jelier Pacheco: KO, Round 3
• Hermes Soto defeated Javier Mendoza: KO, Round 1
• Wilber Blanco defeated Fabio Perez: KO, Round 3
• Andres Pineda defeated Julio Gomez: KO, Round 1
• Alexis Rivera defeated Antonio Antequera: KO, Round 1

November 24: Hornslet Idraets & Kulturcenter, Hornslet, Denmark

• Johnny Reiffenstein defeated Dino Sabanovic: TKO, Round 5

November 24: Salle Bellegrave, Pessac, Gironde, France

• Francis Tchoffo defeated Borislav Zankov: KO, Round 3

November 24: Gymnase JP et F Lemouton, Chaumont, Haute-Marne, France

• Berlin Arthur M’Benguia Makassi defeated Milan Savic via PTS

Fightful Boxing Rankings:

Pound-for-pound

1. Terence Crawford
2. Gennady Golovkin
3. Canelo Alvarez
4. Vasyl Lomachenko
5. Mikey Garcia
6. Keith Thurman
7. Guillermo Rigondeaux
8. Anthony Joshua
9. Naoya Inoue
10. Oleksandr Usyk

Heavyweight

1. Anthony Joshua
2. Deontay Wilder
3. Joseph Parker
4. Luis Ortiz
5. Dillian Whyte
6. Kubrat Pulev
7. Andy Ruiz Jr.
8. Dominic Breazeale
9. Charles Martin
10. Jarrell Miller

Cruiserweight

1. Oleksandr Usyk
2. Murat Gassiev
3. Krzysztof Glowacki
4. Mairis Briedis
5. Marco Huck
6. Yunier Dorticos
7. Firat Arslan
8. Tony Bellew
9. Denis Lebediev
10. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk

Light heavyweight

1. Sergey Kovalev
2. Badou Jack
3. Adonis Stevenson
4. Dmitry Bivol
5. Oleksandr Gvozdyk
6. Sullivan Barrera
7. Artur Beterbiev
8. Eleider Alvarez
9. Juergen Braehmer
10. Joe Smith Jr.

Super middleweight

1. James DeGale
2. Gilberto Ramirez
3. George Groves
4. Anthony Dirrell
5. Andre Dirrell
6. Chris Eubank Jr.
7. David Benavidez
8. Jose Uzcategui
9. Tyron Zeuge
10. Callum Smith

Middleweight

1. Gennady Golovkin
2. Canelo Alvarez
3. Daniel Jacobs
4. Jermall Charlo
5. David Lemieux
6. Ryota Murata
7. Billy Joe Saunders
8. Andy Lee
9. Sergiy Derevyanchenko

Light middleweight

1. Erislandy Lara
2. Jermell Charlo
3. Jarrett Hurd
4. Miguel Cotto
5. Demetrius Andrade
6. Julian Williams
7. Austin Trout
8. Liam Smith
9. Maciej Sulecky
10. Erickson Lubin

Welterweight

1. Keith Thurman
2. Errol Spence Jr.
3. Terence Crawford
4. Danny Garcia
5. Shawn Porter
6. Manny Pacquiao
7. Jeff Horn
8. Kell Brook
9. Jessie Vargas
10. Lamont Peterson

The rest of the rankings are in the next page.

Light welterweight

1. Julius Indongo
2. Viktor Postol
3. Antonio Orozco
4. Terry Flanagan
5. Eduard Troyanovski
6. Rances Barthelemy
7. Sergey Lipinets
8. Regis Prograis
9. Rances Barthelemy
10. Amir Imam

Lightweight

1. Jorge Linares
2. Mikey Garcia
3. Robert Easter Jr.
4. Anthony Crolla
5. Luke Campbell
6. Dejan Zlaticanin
7. Raymundo Beltran
8. Denis Shafikov
9. Ricky Burns
10. Richard Commey

Junior lightweight

1. Vasyl Lomachenko
2. Miguel Berchelt
3. Francisco Vargas
4. Jezreel Corrales
5. Alberto Machado
6. Orlando Salido
7. Robinson Castellanos
8. Jhonny Gonzalez
9. Jason Sosa
10. Masayuki Ito

Featherweight

1. Leo Santa Cruz
2. Gary Russell Jr.
3. Abner Mares
4. Lee Selby
5. Oscar Valdez
6. Carl Frampton
7. Scott Quigg
8. Jesus Cuellar
9. Joseph Diaz
10. Claudio Marrero

Light featherweight

1. Guillermo Rigondeaux
2. Jessie Magdaleno
3. Nonito Donaire
4. Moises Flores
5. Daniel Roman
6. Hugo Ruiz
7. Rey Vargas
8. Marlon Tapales
9. Julio Ceja
10. Yukinori Oguni

Bantamweight

1. Jamie McDonnell
2. Luis Nery
3. Ryan Burnett
4. Juan Carlos Payano
5. Shinsuke Yamanaka
6. Zolani Tete
7. Lee Haskins
8. Zhanat Zhakiyanov
9. Takoma Inoue
10. Liborio Solis

Light bantamweight

1. Naoya Inoue
2. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
3. Jerwin Ancajas
4. Khalid Yafai
5. Juan Francisco Estrada
6. Carlos Cuadras
7. Roman Gonzalez
8. John Riel Casimero
9. Rau’shee Warren
10. Luis Concepcion

Flyweight

1. Kazuto Ioka
2. Donnie Nietes
3. Daigo Higa
4. Juan Carlos Reveco
5. Sho Kimura
6. Moruti Mthalane
7. McWilliams Arroyo
8. Francisco Rodriguez Jr.
9. Zou Shiming
10. Komgrich Nantapech

Light flyweight/Strawweight

1. Milan Melindo
2. Kosei Tanaka
3. Knockout CP Freshmart
4. Jose Argumedo
5. Ken Shiro
6. Wanheng Menayothin
7. Ryoichi Taguchi
8. Tatsuya Fukuhara
9. Hekkie Budler
10. Pedro Guevara

News And Notes From The World Of Boxing:

USA:

1. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Nico Hernandez suffered an injury during training camp, forcing the December 2 “KO Night Boxing: Gold & Glory” card, presented by KO Night Boxing LLC, has been postponed until February 10, at the same venue, Hartman Arena in Park City, Kansas. Hernandez was scheduled to face Jozsef Ajtai in the eight-round main event for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) Americas flyweight championship.

2. The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) has announced its 25 member 2018 Induction Class. The event will take place at The Claridge, a Radisson Hotel located at Park Place & Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey on June 1-3, 2018. The headliners for the Hall of Fame class are former world champion Evander Holyfield, promoter Bob Arum, trainer Dan Duva and current United States President Donald Trump.

3. The December 9 IBF lightweight world title eliminator between Richard Commey and Roman Andreev to produce the mandatory challenger for champion Robert Easter Jr. has been canceled. The fight was made official after Commey’s promoter Lou DiBella and Andreev’s promoter Vlad Hrunov made a deal and avoided a purse bid. However, Hrunov failed to put into escrow the $55,000 he had contractually agreed to pay DiBella as a provision of services for Commey’s participation in the bout by the November 10 deadline they agreed to, so DiBella terminated the agreement. Andreev will be dropped from his position and the IBF will soon order Commey to fight somebody else in the eliminator.

4. It will only take five weeks before rising prospect Cletus Seldin makes his return to the ring. Seldin will fight Yves Ulesse Jr. on the December 16 HBO Championship Boxing telecast. Seldin vs. Ulysse will open the telecast, headlined by the WBO middleweight world title fight between Billy Joe Saunders and David Lemieux. Seldin last fought on November 11, scoring a third-round TKO victory over Roberto Ortiz and it will be the third fight Seldin has in four months.

5. 2016 Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson has been added to the Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux ESPN television card on December 9. Stevenson will fight 4-2 boxer Oscar Mendoza and that fight will be the opening fight on the television card. Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux for Lomachenko’s 130-pound world title will take place at Madison Square Garden.

Latin America:

1. The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee in Panama City, Panama ordered a junior middleweight elimination bout between Kanat Islam and John Vera. Both men are currently sitting as the top two boxers in the WBA rankings at 154 pounds. The resolution was sent to the parties on November 21, 2017, and they have 30 days to agree on the date of the fight. If there is no agreement, the fight will be called to a purse bid. Erislandy Lara is currently the WBA champion.

2. Mexican stars Julio Ceja and WBC Female minimumweight champion Anabel Ortiz picked up wins on separate cards in Mexico, with Ceja retaining his WBC Silver super flyweight title. Both boxers won via unanimous decision, but Ortiz’s title was not on the line in her fight.

3. Super featherweight contender Jose “Wonder Boy” Lopez of Puerto Rico will now take on Avery Sparrow in the new co-main event of the November 30 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland. Lopez was originally scheduled to fight against Miguel Gonzalez, but Gonzalez was forced to pull out due to an injury suffered in his left arm when sparring. The main event of the ESPN card has Lamont Roach, Jr. defending his WBC Youth super featherweight title against Rey Perez in the 10-round main event.

4. In the wake of Cesar Diaz’s tragic death during Thanksgiving weekend, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman announced the WBC will honor Diaz’s memory and name him an Honorary WBC Champion. Diaz was an unbeaten prospect signed to Golden Boy Promotions and died in a single-car crash.

Europe:

1. In what is certainly a unique interview, global soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo talked with former British soccer star Rio Ferdinand, who announced earlier this year he would be transitioning to being a pro boxer. Ferdinand said he would make his pro boxing debut in February and that he would be fighting a second time next summer, likely in June or July. No formal announcement has been made regarding Ferdinand’s debut or who his opponent could be.

2. Barry Hearn, father of Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, recently said two possible dates for the heavyweight superfight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder could take place either next summer or in November/December 2018. Obviously, these dates should not be taken as pure facts, but it does give fans an indication of when to possible expect the fight, if it happens, which would be the second half of 2018.

3. Stevenson won’t be the only prospect from the 2016 Olympics to fight on the Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux ESPN card on December 9. Michael Conlan will face 7-3-1 boxer Luis Fernando Molina on the televised portion of the card live from Madison Square Garden.

Japan:

1. Newly-crowned WBA “regular” middleweight champion Ryota Murata is back in the gym in Japan, preparing for his first title defense. The current plan is for Murata to defend his title in April 2018, but no opponent has been named. One possible name is unbeaten Esquiva Falcao, who is currently unranked, but is a former amateur rival of Murata.

2. Japanese Bantamweight champion Ryo Akaho will be returning to action on January 20 to make his second defense, on a “Dynamic Glove” show at Korakuen Hall.​ Akaho will be taking on mandatory challenger Yusuke Suzuki, who secured his shot earlier this year with a win over Eita Kikuchi in an eliminator.

World Boxing Super Series:

1. In a sign of how much hype is surrounding the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight semifinal fight between George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr., the February 17 fight set to take place at the Manchester Arena has been sold out. The Manchester Arena has a max capacity of 21,000, but what’s even more impressive is that the fight was sold out in just seven minutes, per tournament organizers. The fight will be broadcasted in the U.K. on ITV Box Office pay-per-view and is expected to have a high buyrate. The fight is a WBA “super” and IBO super middleweight title unification bout.

2. Richard Schaeffer, who is helping organize the grand tournament, recently said he is shocked that there is still no television deal for the United States. Schaeffer said he still hopes to get a deal going, but from the looks of it, it doesn’t look like HBO and Showtime are going to be a part of it, with both networks starting to release their 2018 fight schedule with no hints that the World Boxing Super Series will be a part of either network’s broadcasting future.

Timeline of Miguel Cotto’s Career:

February 23, 2000: Cotto makes his professional debut in Austin, Texas, needing only 132 seconds to defeat Jason Doucet, the first of 32 straight wins that includes a lengthy reign as the WBO junior welterweight champion.

September 11, 2004: The first signature win of Cotto’s career. Cotto had spent more than a year as the WBC International junior welterweight title and is now getting a shot at the WBO junior welterweight title that was vacated by Zab Judah as part of his move to the welterweight division. In front of a large and raucous crowd at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan Puerto Rico, Cotto fought Brazilian Olympic boxer Kelson Pinto and defeated him via sixth-round TKO. It was at this moment Cotto emerged as the next big superstar in Puerto Rico boxing.

June 10, 2006: Cotto’s first pay-per-view fight was a success in the ring, defeating Paulie Malignaggi via unanimous decision. It ended up being Cotto’s final fight at junior welterweight, but the Top Rank pay-per-view only did about 60,000 buys, a failure in today’s pay-per-view market, but not indicative of Cotto’s eventual status as a pay-per-view main event star.

December 2, 2006: After six successful title defenses which included wins over Malignaggi and DeMarcus Corley, Cotto makes the move to welterweight to challenge for the vacant WBA welterweight title. Cotto ended up fighting fellow Puerto Rican Carlos Quintana in a battle of Puerto Rican stars with the winner getting top billing as the country’s best boxer. Cotto beat Quintana inside five rounds to capture the title.

June 9, 2007: Cotto returned to pay-per-view, fighting Judah at Madison Square Garden. Cotto got his first true signature win over a true elite boxer such as Judah, winning via 11th round TKO. The pay-per-view, the first of four straight Cotto pay-per-views handled by HBO, did about 225,000 buys, which would end up being a fraction of what Cotto would eventually be able to draw.

November 10, 2007: Capitalizing on the momentum gained from beating Judah, Cotto got another signature victory at Madison Square Garden by scoring a unanimous decision victory over future Hall of Famer Shane Mosley, retaining his WBA welterweight title. That fight, also a pay-per-view headliner, drew 400,000 buys, further solidifying Cotto is a boxing superstar.

July 26, 2008: Perhaps one of the most famous fights of Cotto’s career and a somewhat tainted chapter in the storied boxing rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico, Cotto suffered his first loss as a pro against Antonio Margarito. Margarito would end up being Cotto’s signature rivalry, with Margarito scoring the first win in the two fights both had against each other. Despite Cotto doing everything in his power to knock out Margarito, the Mexican’s legendary chin proved too tough for the Puerto Rican. That fight did about 450,000 pay-per-view buys, but the fight had come under fire due to Margarito allegedly cheating. That would end up being a big sticking point during the buildup to their 2011 rematch.

November 14, 2009: After wins over Michael Jennings and Joshua Clottey, Cotto is now the WBO welterweight champion. His next major test came in the form of Manny Pacquiao. The fight, billed as “Firepower,” the fight proved to be a commercial and critical success, drawing 1.25 million buys on pay-per-view. Unfortunately for Cotto, he wasn’t able to stop Pacquiao and instead, suffered his second pro loss, another low in Cotto’s career.

December 3, 2011: After Cotto lost to Pacquiao, a change of scenery was needed for Cotto. Cotto hired Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward and for the time, the union was a success. Cotto won a junior middleweight world title, setting up a rematch against Margarito. Two months before the rematch, Cotto fired Steward and hired Pedro Luis Diaz as his new trainer. The change didn’t stop Cotto’s momentum for the time being. Cotto got his much-needed revenge, beating Margarito to the point that he had to step away from the sport for five years.

May 5, 2012: After losing to Pacquiao and Margarito, Cotto needed to beat a boxing megastar to re-cement himself as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Cotto fought none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather broke character and actually showed a ton of respect for Cotto. The fight ended up being very competitive with Mayweather picking up the win. The fight, which drew 1.5 million buys on pay-per-view, was a sign of things to come for Cotto as he would later on suffer his first losing streak as a professional boxer.

December 1, 2012: Cotto’s fourth career loss ended up being his worst loss, a unanimous decision defeat to Austin Trout. The fight was for the WBA “regular” junior middleweight title, but Cotto was unable to capture the title. Cotto’s trainer carousel continues with Cotto announcing he would no longer be trained by Diaz. Cotto announced his new trainer would be former trainer of the year Freddie Roach. The partnership with Roach perhaps was Cotto’s best decision as a boxer as Cotto reestablished the left body hook as one of the deadliest punches in the sport, beating Delvin Rodriguez on October 5, 2013.

June 7, 2014: In perhaps Cotto’s finest performance, Cotto made history as the first male boxer in Puerto Rico’s history to capture a world title in four different weight classes, defeating Sergio Martinez to win the WBC and lineal middleweight titles. Cotto knocked down Martinez three times in the first round, eventually winning the fight via ninth-round TKO.

November 21, 2015: Cotto’s last superfight saw him take on Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. Already in the twilight of his career, Cotto was out to prove that he still has what it takes to fight and beat the best boxers in the world. The fight went the distance, but Cotto wasn’t able to do enough in the judges’ eyes to get the win, dropping his record to 40-5 at the time. Cotto took a break from the sport for a bit, eventually scheduling himself for a fight on February 2017 against James Kirkland, but an injury to Kirkland canceled the fight.

August 26, 2017: Under a new two-fight partnership with Golden Boy Promotions, Cotto returned to form against Yoshihiro Kamegai, winning the vacant WBO junior middleweight title via unanimous decision. Despite Cotto wanting to fight the winner of the Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin fight, Cotto would eventually settle for a fight against up-and-coming contender Sadam Ali.

December 2, 2017: In front of a lively, pro-Cotto crowd at Madison Square Garden, Cotto will fight Ali in what he has repeatedly said will be his last boxing fight.