Fight-size Boxing Update: Canelo Alvarez, Saunders vs. Murray, Tom Loeffler, Bernard Hopkins
Your fight-size boxing update:
– The latest WBC rankings were recently released and one notable absence is Canelo Alvarez. The reason for Alvarez being taken out of the rankings is that he has not signed up for the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program, which is mandatory for all boxers who are going to be ranked in the top 15.
– Boxing fans in the United States will be able to watch the WBO middleweight title fight between Billy Joe Saunders and Martin Murray on the ESPN+ streaming service. The fight will take place at the O2 Arena in London on June 23.
– An IBF super middleweight title eliminator between Rocky Fielding and Caleb Plant has been agreed upon. The fight is expected to take place on July 28 in Los Angeles on the undercard of Mikey Garcia vs. Robert Easter Jr. which has yet to be formally announced. The winner of the eliminator will be the mandatory challenger to James DeGale‘s IBF title.
– Hughie Fury vs. Sam Sexton for the British heavyweight title on May 12 was a massive ratings success in the United Kingdom. The fight reached a total of 2.9 million viewers across the night on Channel 5 and 5Spike in the U.K.
– Tom Loeffler announced the second edition of his “Hollywood Fights Nights” series. The card, which will take place June 6 at the famed Avalon in Hollywood, California, will be headlined by former world title challenger Denis Shafikov. Shafikov will face off against an opponent to be named later.
– Bernard Hopkins’ Real Deal Boxing will have a special boxing card in Atlantic City as part of the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend. The card, headlined by Toka Kahn Clary vs. Emmanuel Dominguez for the NABA featherweight title, will take place at the Adrian Phillips Theater inside Boardwalk Hall on June 2.
