Fight-Size Boxing Update: Canelo-Smith Undercard News, Frampton Gets Recognition, Gold Medalist Signs With Promoter
Your Fight-size Boxing Update for August 3!
– After his very impressive win over Leo Santa Cruz, new WBA Featherweight champion Carl Frampton (23-0, 14 KO) now moves on up to #1 on ESPN’s Dan Rafael’s divisional rankings. The rest of the rankings can be seen here.
– While the boxing world will be focused on the Canelo Alvarez-Liam Smith HBO pay-per-view fight on September 17, Golden Boy Promotions and British promoter Frank Warren are trying to fill a card around that fight. They are working on a deal that would have WBO Middleweight titlist Billy Joe Saunders (23-0, 12 KO) defend his belt against an opponent to be determined.
– On the subject of undercard fights, one that won’t be on the Alvarez-Smith HBO PPV card is WBA interim Heavyweight titleholder Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (25-0, 2 NC, 22 KO) against Alexander Ustinov (33-1, 24 KO), Golden Boy Promotions vice president Eric Gomez told ESPN.com. The reason for the fight to be cancelled is that Ortiz is asking for more money and the two sides could not reach an agreement.
– Welterweight contender Felix Diaz (18-1, 8 KO), two weeks after from his latest victory against then-unbeaten boxer Sammy Vasquez, signed a multiyear promotional contract with Lou DiBella on Tuesday. Diaz previously won an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and is the only boxing gold medalist in Dominican Republic history.
