Dishonorable cheque scandal by promoters of Rochester anti violence boxing event.

On Saturday April 25 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York, a professional Boxing show unfolded into shameless robbery when the events Promoter Derick Gramling and reputed associate Clay Harris bounced a series of checks to the unknowing fighters that were appearing that evening, to the tune of $80,000, in truth, all of the paychecks assigned to the respective fighters were bad. As it appeared, the event failed to be financially productive with ticket sales crashing with an estimated 1,800 tickets sold in a 10,000-seat venue. The disastrous ticket sales left the promoters with over $100.000 of debt. It was later revealed that payments and commission checks to fighters and officials bounced had bounced in bad faith.The headline on the show was  Syracuse's Bryce Mills v Florida based Julio Rosa. Mills, managed by the esteemed Hall of Famer Russell Peltz. Both headline fighters were manipulated out of $45,000 between them.  

The bond, posted by the promoter was the bare minimum allowed under the regulations of the New York State Athletic Commission at $20,000.

The Monroe County District Attorney's office is presently doing their pre-indictment due diligence to charge at least Derick Gamling, & possibly Clay Harris with serious felony criminal charges.

In a shameless twist to this, Gamling & Harris started a public GoFundMe account, released across social media and in the local Rochester tabloids suggesting to the Rochester locals that the blame lay with local people of the area for not supporting the show.

This situation is still ongoing as of May 18, 23 days after the show. 

Zak Chelli springs huge upset over David Morrell in Manchester.

Completely overlooked and unranked Zak Chelli wasn't expected to offer much resistance for the former two-time champ David Morrell, stepping in as a late replacement for original opponent Callum Smith but caused a sensational final round upset, stopping Morrell despite trailing significantly on the scorecards. Morrell dictated the majority of the fight behind his jab, setting up strategic traps. Despite the class  differential Chelli persisted to stubbornly hang around, using unorthodox movement, looking for opportunistic right hands. Opportunity finally arose in the ninth, Chelli hurt Morrell with that very punch, but Morrell managed to get out of the round. Morrell came out cautiously behind the jab in the tenth, leading handily on the scores, looking to grab an uninspiring yet lobsided points win. with 40 seconds left in the round, Chelli landed an optimistic right hand, visibly hurting Morrell followed by another which landed clean. Seizing the rare opportunity Chelli followed up with a barrage of shots trapping Morrell on the ropes, the final right hand causing Morrell to sag lifelessly forcing referee Darren Sarginson to step in and stop the action at 2:24 of the final round. Chelli, a rank outsider raised his record to 17-3-1, 9 KOs. Morrell loses for the second time, falling to 12-2, 9 KOs. Following the victory Chelli made it clear that he was prepared to meet anyone on the world scene inclusive Morrells original opponent Callum Smith in a logical all British battle.

    

Dubois overcomes early crisis to overpower Wardley to regain a portion of the heavyweight crown.

In a battle of epic proportions, Daniel Dubois overcame an early scare and two knockdowns to outlast and batter WBO champion Fabio Wardley into submission in the 11th round of a highly entertaining and brutal war on Saturday night in Manchester.  Dubois was stunned in the opening seconds and forced to climb off the canvas following a wild right hand and had to do the same in the third. To his credit Daniel recomposed himself and settled behind the jab to work his way back into the fight. By round 6 the scars of battle were evident on the face of the champion as Daniel rallied himself into a dominant position leaving Wardley swinging for the fences. As the rounds passed Fabio appeared far more desperate in his attempt to regain a foothold but found himself too easy to hit and despite his resilience was mere target practice from round 7 onwards. Dubois showed great persistance throughout and by round 10 there was a strong case for stopping the action to prevent the relentless punishment that yhe champion was absorbing in an attempt to save his title. Dubois landed a series of right hands early in the 11th leaving referee Howard Foster no option but to save Wardley from himself and award Dubois a famous and well deserved victory..  Dubois has now held both the WBA regular title, along with the IBF and currently WBO titles. its testament to his mental strength following 3 psychologically crushing defeats to return and regain such a valuable portion of the heavyweight championship despite recent critical opinions of the press and public. Dubois improves to 23-3 with 22 KOs, while Wardley suffers the first loss of his career, falling to 20-1-1 with 19 KOs.

Bakhodir Jalolov remains undefeated with stoppage over game Agron Smakici in Manchester.

Undefeated double Olympic Gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov 17-0 (15 Ko's) scored a 7th round retirement victory tonight at the Co-op live arena in Manchester over the spirited and game Agron Smakici 21-4 (19 Ko's) of Zagreb Croatia. The US based Uzbek boxed superbly, controlling the fight from long range behind the jab, forcing the smaller Smakici to take risks and put himself in the danger zone. Smakici rolled the dice and attempted to force the safety first Jalalov to trade in the 7th, causing the huge Usbek to look a little uncomfortable. Jalolov obliged towards the conclusion of the session and opened up with what appeared to be the start of his offensive repertoire.  The bout looked to be catching fire when the Smakici corner alerted referee Darren Sarginson to call the action off at the conclusion of the 7th. Smakici seemed to be out of ideas whilst the huge Jalolov started to come out if his amateur shell and show some authority. if I've any criticism of Jalolov, he appears too comfortable to coast in fights where hes technically dominant and doesn't present himself as the most entertaining heavyweight despite his obvious potential. Smakici who was previously stopped by Agit Kabayel showed huge heart, leaving onlookers rather puzzled at his premature exit in a fight that he was competitive in. Jalolov has showed interest in shooting for a third Olympic medal in the coming games and remains largely a hybrid heavyweight contender. 

Mike Perez returns with an uninspiring points win over Franklin Arinze in Manchester.

Former Cruiserweight world title challenger Mike Perez 32-3-1 (22 ko's) returned to action tonight after 9 months out with a tepid 8 round points win over the undefeated Nigerian Franklin Arinze 10-0 (7 Ko's) on the Wardley v Dubois show at the Co-op live in Manchester.  Perez started slow and took 2 sessions to find his range against the limited Arinze, controlling the majority of the action in quick flurries. Through the middle rounds inactivity appeared to hamper Perez with his timing being noticably off, allowing Arinze back into the fight. The closing rounds were an untidy affair with very few significant attacks from either side. Darren Sarginson scored the underwhelming affair 78-74 in a fight that struggled to catch fire. it was the 40 year old Perez first fight since last August when he had to settle for a No contest in another scrappy affair against Christian Fabian Luis. Unfortunately it seems that the once World class cruiserweight and heavyweight is nearing the end if the line.

Wardley v Dubois Weigh in Results from Manchester.

Fabio Wardley 242lbs v Daniel Dubois 251lbs
WBO Heavyweight Championship.

Jack Rafferty 146lbs v Ekow Essuman 146lbs
Welterweights.

David Morrell 176lbs v Zak Chelli 177lbs
light heavyweights.

Bakhodir Jalolov 254lbs v Agron Smakici 241lbs.
Heavyweights.

Brad Rea 173lbs v Liam Cameron 174lbs
Light Heavyweights.

Khaleel Majid 139lbs v Gavin Gwynne 139lbs.
Super Lightweights.

Main Card, Promoted by Frank Warren in association with Queensbury Boxing.

Hosted by The Co-op Live Arena in Manchester England.

Broadcast Exclusively by DAZN.

Wardley v Dubois show in Manchester features show stealing undercard.

 

Frank Warrens Queensbury boxing parents a fantastic show on Saturday night at the Co-op live arena in Manchester, featuring WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley 20-0-1 (19 Ko’s) making the first defence of the title that was graced to him following former champion Oleksandr Usyk opting to vacate. Wardleys challenger is the former WBA regular and IBF champion Daniel Dubois 22-3 (21 Ko’s) it was may prove to be an epic scrap. Both fighters possess great one punch power with Wardley garnering one of the highest percentage rates in boxing today. Daniel however may have more on the line in this one having suffered 2 consequent defeats by stoppage in championship challenges along with a damaging early career loss to Joe Joyce. Both defeats to Usyk are by no means a disgrace for the Londoner and May prove a catalyst to him becoming a more hardened professional this time around. Fabio turned pro largely under the radar, from a lightly regarded white collar fighter he chose to take a huge leap of faith under the tutelage of Dillian Whyte and along the way has always found a way to win, often against the odds or in fights where he appeared to be trailing on the scorecards. Most recently Fabio has scored damaging knockouts over Frazer Clarke (after a draw) which is the only blemish on his record, a stoppage of Joseph Parker, in a fight that was drifting away from him and a one punch howitzer that stopped Justis Huni in a fight where Wardley was trailing noticeably on points. Dubois has more versatility and proven pedigree from the amateurs, but Wardley appears more battle hardened and willing to take risks. The factor that is repeatedly raised coming into this fight is the nature of a couple of Daniels losses, where sceptics feel that he quit when the going got hot (with Joyce and Usyk) Regardless of opinions, it’s a fantastic heavyweight match that won’t disappoint. 

The show is propped up with some tasty undercard bouts including a light heavyweight feature between former 2 weight champion David Morrell 12-1 (9 Ko’s) who was recently due to meet Callum Smith before Smith suffered an unfortunate injury. Morrell meets tough Zak Chelli 16-3-1 (8 Ko’s) in a light heavyweight 10 rounder.  Former heavyweight contender and Cruiserweight world title challenger Mike Perez 31-3-1 (22 Ko’s) of Ireland via cuba meets undefeated Nigerian Franklin Arinze 10-0 (7 Ko’s) Arinze in untested as of yet and Perez hasn’t tasted defeat since his challenge for Mairis Breidis’s title in the super series 9 years ago. 

Liam Cameron 24-7-1 (10 Ko’s) returns at light heavyweight to meet tough Brad Rea 21-2 (10 Ko’s) in a very spicy match, Rea coming off a closely contested decision loss to Lyndon Arthur and Cameron having only boxed once since his 2 highly publicised fights with the promising Ben Whittaker.

Jack Rafferty 26-0-1 (17 Ko’s) meets the always entertaining Ekow Essuman at welterweights. Essuman last appeared in a losing effort against Jack Catterall, having previously ending the career of Josh Taylor. The undefeated Rafferty coming off a disappointing draw with Mark Chaimberlain last august for the British and commonwealth super lightweight belts. 

Also featuring is undefeated American based Usbek heavyweights Bakhodir Jalolov 16-0 (14 Ko’s) Jalolov meets the underwhelming Agron Smakici 21-3 (19 Ko’s). Jalolov turned pro in 2018, but made the peculiar decision after 6 pro starts, to return to the amateurs and win the 2020 Olympic gold medal at super heavyweight in Tokyo then returned to his professional career, racking up several wins before taking a year off in 2024 to feature in the Paris Olympics, winning yet another super heavyweight gold medal. 

The fights are promoted solely by Frank Warrens Queensbury promotions and will be broadcast globally via DAZN PPV. 

David Benavidez stops Zurdo Ramirez to grab titles up at Cruiserweight.

David Benavidez delivered a shining performance last night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, moving up in weight to arrest the WBA and WBO cruiserweight championships from fellow Mexican Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez. With the victory, Benavidez claimed titles in a third division and solidified his status as one of boxing’s elite.  From the opener, the size difference between the two became evident, Benavidez spent the majority of the round gauging distance and made the initial breakthrough with a crisp combination towards the closing seconds. Ramirez responded in the second by pressing forward and trying to work on the inside, but Benavidez maintained control, creating space and finishing strong once again.Ramirez continued applying pressure in the third and found some success at close range, yet Benavidez consistently had the final say, unleashing quick combinations late in the round. The fourth proved pivotal, as Benavidez’s accuracy and volume began to take a toll. In the closing second, he dropped Ramirez, whose face was already showing signs of damage. Although Ramirez came out aggressively in the fifth, staying close and attempting to disrupt Benavidez’s rhythm, the challenger’s output and precision proved too much. By the sixth round, swelling around Ramirez’s eye had worsened. Benavidez capitalized, landing another decisive combination that sent the champion to the canvas for a second time. Referee Thomas Taylor completed the count at 2:59 of the round, bringing the bout to an end. With the win, Benavidez improves to 32-0 with 26 knockouts and adds another chapter to his unbeaten run. Ramirez, now 48-2 with 30 KOs put up a brave showing but was no match for the self proclaimed Mexican monster but was in no way disgraced in defeat. 

Undefeated Teremoana Teremoana, racks up his 11th stoppage win over overmatched Tupoe in Flemington.

Friday night at the Melbourne Pavillion in Flemington Australia, undefeated heavyweight prospect Teremoana Teremoana 10-0 (10 Ko’s) dispatched tough but faded former contender Bowie Tupoe 29-7 (20 Ko’s) in the opener of a scheduled 8 rounder. Tupoe hasn’t had a significant win in 7 years since he stopped Roger Izonritei in 2019, despite having faced quality opposition like Joseph Parker, Bryant Jennings and Malik Scott over a decade ago. Teremoana found his range early, finding the 287 pound Tupoe a stationary target. Half was into the session Tupoe was stunned by a quick right hand, as he backed into the ropes Teremoana landed a lethal uppercut followed by a straight right that left the 43 year old Tupoe sagging to the canvas. Referee Ignatius Missailidis called a halt immediately at 1:14 of the round, giving Teremoana his 9th first round knockout in 11 starts. The height and dimensions of the mammoth Teremoana, paired with the speed and killer instinct will make him hard to subdue until he stepped into higher level competition. This fight was a chief support to the Skye Nicholson v Mariah Turner show, promoted by Eddie Hearns Matchroomin association with Sam Labrunas SLB Fight night Promotions, broadcast exclusively on DAZN Globally. 

Ramirez and Benavidez make weight in Las Vegas.

Gilberto Ramirez 200lbs vs David Benavidez 196.8lbs
WBO and WBA Cruiserweight World Championships.

Armando Resendiz 167lbs vs Jaime Munguia 167.4lbs

WBA World Super Middleweight Championship 

Oscar Duarte 139.8lbs vs Angel Fierro 143.4lbs
WBC Silver and NABO Super Lightweight Championships.

Jorge Chavez 122lbs vs Jose Tito Sanchez 121.2lbs
WBA Continental Super Bantamweight Championship 

Isaac Lucero 155.6lbs vs Ismael Flores 155.2lbs
Daniel Blancas 166.8lbs vs Raul Salomon 167.4lbs

Juan Carrillo 177.4lbs  vs Juan Delgado 177.6lbs

Dylan Capetillo 136.2lbs vs James Pierce 134.8lbs

The Event is hosted by The  T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Under the auspices of the Nevada Athletic Commission
The Event is Promoted by Tom Brown (TGB Promotions)

Oscar De La Hoya (Golden Boy Promotions)

Sampson Lewkowicz (Sampson Boxing)

The evenings bouts were arranged by Matchmakers, Tom Brown, Whitfield Haydon, Javier Razo and Joseph Rotonda

Broadcast by Amazon Prime Video and DAZN PPV Globally.

Mighty Moses continues on the winning track.

In the latest instalment of the rapid rise of heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma 14-0 (12 Ko’s) saw the Chatham based 21 year old stop the durable and well travelled Jermaine Franklin Jr 24-3 (15 Ko’s) in the 5th round at the Co-op live arena in Manchester Uk. Itauma started fast, pushing the experienced Franklin back with steady pressure, feints and well mounted two phased assaults. Moses made a breakthrough in the third, with 20 seconds left in the round, showing a slick feint before landing a rapid left hook right hand that would leave the American face down. Franklin survived the patient assault with now in complete control. Moses set traps throughout the fourth and appeared to be finding Jermaine’s measure. 

Exactly half way through the fifth, Itauma created a gap to throw a quick left uppercut, the shot stunned Franklin, who slumped forward only to catch a token right hand on his way to the canvas. Referee Steve Grey called off the action at 1.33 of the round. It’s blatantly evident now that Itauma is proving himself as the real deal, revealing an impressive and creative armoury each time out. Franklin was provided to offer tough rounds, yet suffered the same fate of Whyte, Mckean and all else who fell in front of the tenacious young prospect. Itauma is showing the patience and maturity that could cause trouble for anyone in the division, inclusive of Usyk, Fury, Wardley, Joshua. It’s likely that Moses will face WBA regular champion Murat Gassiev next, a victory would put him in immediate line for a shot at the WBA super title, held by Oleksandr Usyk. 

Undercard and cheif support results from Manchester.

Well-travelled Willy Hutchinson delivered a composed and dominant performance to outwork and outclass the previously unbeaten Ezra Taylor over ten rounds, claiming both the WBO Global and WBA Continental light heavyweight titles. Taylor struggled to implement the guidance of trainer Malik Scott, as Hutchinson consistently had the answers, neutralising his opponent’s attacks throughout. The judges scored it 99–91 and 98–92 twice in Hutchinson’s favour, improving his record to 20–2 (14 KOs), while Taylor suffers his first defeat, dropping to 13–1 (9 KOs).

In the co-main event of Itauma vs Franklin Jr., unheralded Gerome Warburton produced a standout upset against Nathan Heaney to capture the WBA Continental middleweight title. After a cautious opening, Warburton found his rhythm, using sharp movement and combination punching to keep Heaney at bay. Heaney was unable to close the distance as Warburton pulled away convincingly, earning scores of 98–92 and 97–93 twice. Warburton advances to 17–2–2 (2 KOs), while Heaney falls to 19–2–1 (6 KOs).

Brad Pauls entered his bout with undefeated Shakiel Thompson as the clear underdog for the IBF International middleweight title—but tore up the script in dramatic fashion. Trailing on the scorecards, Pauls landed a thunderous right hand in the ninth round that badly hurt the taller Thompson. A follow-up attack sent Thompson to the canvas, and although he beat the count, he was unsteady. Pauls surged forward with another barrage, forcing referee Howard Foster to stop the contest at 1:30 of round nine. Pauls claims the title and improves to 21–2–1 (12 KOs), while Thompson suffers his first loss, dropping to 15–1 (11 KOs).

Liam Davies delivered a clinical performance to break down Francesco Grandelli and claim the Italian’s WBO InterContinental featherweight title, along with the vacant European belt. A sharp right-left combination floored Grandelli in the fourth, and after enduring sustained punishment and cuts, he elected not to continue following the sixth round. Davies moves to 18–1 (9 KOs), while Grandelli falls to 21–5–2 (6 KOs).

In a brief but explosive contest, Josh Holmes overcame early trouble to stop Alex Murphy in the opening round. After nearly being dropped himself, Holmes rallied to score two knockdowns in the final 20 seconds. Murphy bravely rose each time, but referee Howard Foster waved it off at 3:09 of round one. Holmes captures the Commonwealth Silver lightweight title and improves to 18–0 (7 KOs), while Murphy drops to 14–3.

Jared Anderson signs Co-promo deal with Queensbury boxing.

The one time highly touted heavyweight Jared Anderson 18-1 (15 Knockouts) has signed a Co-promotional contract with Frank Warrens, Queensbury boxing in association with Bob Arums Top Rank Inc, with his future fights featuring on DAZN and largely on Queensbury’s Uk shows. Anderson gained momentum since turning pro in 2019, but ran into Martin Bakole in 2024, suffering his first and only loss. Since his return he has boxed only once, a unanimous points win over the underwhelming Marios Kollias over a year ago. 

The 26 year old is due to return on British shores when he faces 10-1 Solomon Dacres on the Wardley v Dubois show on May 9th in Manchester. If Anderson is serious about returning to the top level of the division he needs to remain consistent, boxing with the frequency of his early career. Dacres is a credible opponent for his first appearance on Uk soil and a solid showing should make him popular with British fans opening the doors for potential future bouts with guys like David Adeleye, Frazer Clarke and Richard Riakporhe. 

Carlos Adames dominates Ammo Williams, succesfully defends his WBC middleweight crown in Florida.

Austin Ammo Williams finally got his rescheduled shot at WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames on Saturday night at the lavish Caribe Royale in Orlando Florida after the champion withdrew on the eve of their originally arranged January 31st date due to severe hydration. On this occasion the champion comfortably made the weight and brought his A-game. Adames showed his hand as early as the second by dropping Williams towards the end of the round.  Adames continued to control the bout despite some unnecessary toe to toe exchanges in the late rounds. Visibly hurt on a number of occasions, Williams hung in there and fought gamely, exchanging with Adames despite being outclassed and even coming out blazing in the final session, emptying the tank in a last ditch effort to turn the fight around. Adames was deducted a point for a low blow late in the bout but successfully retained with a convincing unanimous verdict.  Ringside judges scored the fight: 118-108 and 117-109.

The very capable Adames moves to 25-1-1 (18 KOs) whilst the gritty and game Williams moves to 20-2 (13 KOs)

Teremoana stuns Harper in Orlando.

In the chief support to Adames v Williams in Orlando Fl, Australian based heavyweight knockout artist Teremoana Teremoana continued his remarkable knockout run by dispatching of the usually durable Curtis Harper at the conclusion of the opening session. Harper made a vain attempt at starting fast but soon found himself fending off the dominant Teremoana. Just as the commentary suggested that Harper might extend Teremoana into the second stanza, the giant Aussie landed a picture perfect right hand that stretched out Harper for the count. Teremoana moves on with a promising 10-0 (10 Ko’s) record whilst the well travelled Harper drops to 19-13 (13 Ko’s) 

Mirageboxing is listed in top 60 boxing blogs 2026 by Feedspot.com.

This week Anuj Agarwal of Feedspot.com alerted us that we featured in the top 60 of the current boxing blogs in their 2026 list, something which I consider an honour as I have ran Mirageboxing myself since 2009. I’d like to thank everyone who supports us and reads our features and will do my best to keep the blog current and informative. Thankyou to Anuj and his people at Feedspot for offering us something to aspire to.. 

Arnold Barbosa defeats tough Kenneth Sims in Anaheim.

In a crucial fight which had both combatants looking to rebound from a loss, Arnold Barboza Jr. faced Kenneth Sims Jr. for the WBO Global title in the main event of a Golden Boy card at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Sims opened the fight fighting southpaw before switching to an orthodox stance midway through the first round. The bout marked Barboza’s first appearance at welterweight. Though an inch shorter than Sims, Barboza held the reach advantage and made good use of it, landing sharp jabs and hooks.

Stylistically, the two fighters mirrored each other, frequently throwing the same punches at the same time. The key difference was Sims’ reluctance to close the distance, which allowed Barboza to consistently beat him to the punch.

By the second half of the contest, Barboza’s jab had produced visible swelling beneath Sims’ right eye. Sims, meanwhile, struggled to adjust and appeared stuck in neutral, showing little urgency as the rounds slipped away.

In the eleventh round, both fighters leaned in to throw right hands and collided heads, leaving each man cut. Barboza suffered the worse of it, bleeding heavily from a gash along his hairline, while Sims sustained a smaller cut near his right eye.

The cuts had little impact on the twelfth and final round. Barboza fought with growing confidence, even dropping his hands at times. He did walk into a big right hand from Sims but quickly shook it off. Moments later, Barboza began talking to his opponent, telling him, “I told you there were levels to this.”

The judges scored the fight 117–111, 118–110, and 120–108, all in favor of Barboza. The victory improves his record to 33-1 with 11 knockouts, while Sims falls to 22-4-1 with 8 KOs.

Najee Lopez stops Manuel Gallegos to grab WBA Continental Americas light heavyweight title in Florida.

In a classic light heavyweight war, WBA #7, IBF #13, and WBC #15 contender Najee Lopez stopped the relentless Manuel Gallegos in eight brutal rounds to capture the WBA Continental Americas and WBO Latino Light Heavyweight titles at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.  Headlining the 10-round main event on ProBoxTV, Lopez (16-0, 13 KOs) of Ellenwood, Georgia, and Gallegos (22-4-1, 19 KOs) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, engaged in a ferocious back-and-forth battle that delivered nonstop action.  The intensity of the fight was extraordinary, reaching a level rarely seen even in memorable matchups. Despite being knocked down during a wild seventh round, Lopez quickly recovered. Relying on superior conditioning and determination, he mounted a final surge that forced the referee to halt the contest at 2:41 of the eighth round, ending Gallegos’ courageous effort.

“That just shows I’m a true champion and I’m here to stay,” said Lopez afterward. “I’m willing to prove it every time I step in the ring. He was the best version of himself tonight. I fought a true champion. The ring was small and he’s a big guy—I felt his shots and his presence. He came to win, but I showed I was there to win too. It came down to nutrition and willpower. We both had game plans, but I had more will.”

“That’s a tough man right there,” Lopez added. “Once I had him hurt, I wasn’t letting him off the hook. That was a real test, and I feel like I passed it.”

In the co-feature, unbeaten Dominic Valle (13-0, 7 KOs) of Lutz, Florida, earned a controversial unanimous decision over Mexico’s Eduardo “Zurdito” Ramirez (29-6-3, 14 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight bout.

Ramirez, the more seasoned fighter, controlled the first four rounds by crowding Valle, limiting his space, and landing heavy shots with both hands. In round five, Ramirez staggered Valle with a hook, but the younger fighter responded with his own offense to avoid a stoppage. Later in the round, Valle rocked Ramirez with an uppercut and continued the attack into the sixth.

Valle’s right eye began swelling badly, prompting ringside officials to examine it before round seven, but the fight continued. Valle responded by attacking the body and edging rounds seven and eight. After a close ninth round, Ramirez finished strong in the tenth, unleashing two-handed combinations to the head and body.

Despite the competitive nature of the fight, the judges scored it unanimously for Valle: 96-94 and two wide cards of 98-92.

Earlier in the night, Cleveland’s unbeaten light heavyweight Dante Benjamin (14-0-1, 9 KOs) earned an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Angel Lozano (8-1, 6 KOs) of Pomona, California.

After three competitive rounds, Benjamin took control in the fourth with sharp long-range shots that began to break down Lozano. Benjamin’s jab dominated round five, though Lozano rallied in round six with combinations behind an active jab. Benjamin closed strongly over the final two rounds to secure the decision by scores of 80-72, 77-75, and 78-74.

In an entertaining slugfest between two knockout artists, Delvin McKinley (14-5-1, 13 KOs) of New Orleans scored an upset majority decision over Christian “Il Bambino” Chessa (6-1, 6 KOs) of Lombardia, Italy, over six rounds.

After an even opening round, McKinley hurt Chessa with an uppercut in the second, swelling his left eye and drawing blood from his nose. Chessa boxed well in the third to neutralize McKinley’s power and continued landing sharp counters and body shots in the fourth. However, McKinley surged late, landing eye-catching combinations in rounds five and six as Chessa’s left eye nearly closed.

McKinley ultimately secured the upset with scores of 57-57 and two cards of 58-56.

Opening the broadcast, Lutz, Florida’s Kenyan Valle (3-0, 1 KO) earned a hard-fought six-round unanimous decision over Anel Dudo (4-7-1, 1 KO) of Aurora, Colorado.

Dudo appeared to control the first round with his experience, but Valle found his rhythm in round two, landing combinations upstairs and to the body. Dudo increased the pressure in the third and stunned Valle with an uppercut in a strong fourth round.

Although Dudo remained active in round five, Valle’s accuracy helped neutralize the pressure. Dudo pushed hard in the final round but ran into several clean liver shots from Valle, who finished strong.

The judges scored the bout 59-55, 59-55, and 60-54 for Valle, keeping the young prospect undefeated while giving him valuable ring experience.

Cacace dethrones Dickens, WBA Jr Lightweight Title in Dublin.

James “Jazza” Dickens entered the bout aiming to defend his WBA junior lightweight title against former IBF champion Anthony Cacace of Belfast, while also looking to spoil the St. Patrick’s weekend festivities in Dublin, where the fight took place.

The opening four rounds were closely contested, with momentum shifting back and forth as each man appeared to edge alternate frames. Cacace looked somewhat hesitant early on, often pulling his punches and failing to fully commit. In the fifth round, however, he began to find his rhythm, landing a sharp left hand that knocked Dickens off balance. A follow-up flurry helped Cacace secure the round convincingly.

Cacace experimented with switching stances against the southpaw Dickens, producing mixed results. Still, over the following rounds he seemed to take control, with his height and reach starting to make a noticeable difference. Dickens appeared to take the ninth round after an accidental clash of heads left Cacace visibly frustrated while energizing Dickens, who capitalized by landing several clean shots. Cacace’s usual accuracy and output dipped in the tenth as Dickens pushed for a late surge.

Cacace seemed to edge the eleventh, and Dickens came out with urgency in the final round, pressing forward in desperation. But Cacace managed to neutralize each attack and hold his ground. When the scorecards were read, the judges awarded the hard-fought, technically sharp contest to the new champion, Anthony Cacace, by scores of 115–113, 116–112, and 116–113. Cacace improved to 25–1 with 9 KOs, while Dickens dropped to 36–6 with 15 knockouts.

Top Rank join broadcasting alliance with DAZN.

Following most of the last 8 months in the wilderness without a prominent broadcast partner, Top Rank Boxing—led by promoter Bob Arum—is reportedly close to securing a new platform. Multiple reports say the promotion has finalized a multi-year broadcasting deal with DAZN, ending its brief period without a rights partner following the split with ESPN.

Published details indicate the agreement will include eight to ten live fight cards each year. Top Rank is expected to receive license fees of roughly $1 million to $1.25 million per event, placing the overall value of the deal at around $10 million annually. DAZN will serve as the exclusive global streaming home for the fights included in the package.

While outlets such as The Ring have already reported the basic terms, an official announcement from both sides is anticipated later this week.

The agreement concludes a transitional period that began when Top Rank’s eight-year partnership with ESPN expired in July 2025. In the meantime, the promotion kept its fighters active by staging select events on a free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channel, but the absence of a major broadcast partner left the company searching for a long-term distribution home.

The new arrangement with DAZN represents a smaller package than Top Rank’s previous deal with ESPN, which reportedly paid between $80 million and $90 million per year while featuring more than 30 events annually.

For DAZN, the addition further bolsters its position in the boxing market. The streaming service already partners with several major promotional companies, including Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, and Queensberry Promotions.

Fury v Joshua.. a done deal?

Rumours are circulating that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed certain terms in steps to make the all British superfight happen in the very near future. Fury is scheduled to return on April 11th against huge Russian Arslan Makhmudov, a fight due to be broadcast exclusively on Netflix, whilst Joshua, coming off a loss to Dubois in 2025 and a token victory over media star Jake Paul in December is muted to be returning within the next 8 weeks and is likely to face former amateur and pro rival Dillian Whyte, before cementing the deal to bring the Fury fight to fruition. Joshua has been sidelined since the tragic car accident in Nigeria where two of his closest team mates lost their lives. 

Sportswriter Gareth A Davies claims that Fury and Joshua have agreed to fight each other in what would be a huge event for British boxing.  Davies told Adam Catterall and Spencer Oliver that the fight is a ‘done deal’ claiming the bout was already signed, stating that he has the background information on good authority. 

Unfortunately, the fight, despite its public popularity is several years behind its sell by date, with both fighters being considered damaged goods since height profile losses to Dubois and Usyk. If Joshua beats Whyte or whoever materialises and Fury moves past Makhmudov it seems that it could be a profitable exercise for all concerned. With the Uk sporting a number of relevant heavyweights, including current WBO champion Fabio Wardley along with former champions Daniel Dubois and Lawrence  it seems that Joshua v Fury may be reduced to a highly publicised Circus act. Wardley meets Dubois in several weeks whilst the current undefeated heir apparent Moses Itauma meets American Jermaine Franklin in 2 weeks. 

Time capsule comparisons.. Proper Heavyweight development..

Every several years a heavyweight comes along that captures the imagination, and it’s interesting to compare the learning curves, timescales of progression and ultimately that moment of truth where they were asked to meet a crisis head on. 

Going back 25 plus years we had the 6 ft 7 adonis, Michael Grant.  Grant turned pro at 22 in 1994 after a very brief run in the amateurs. By 1999 Michael looked like the next big thing, trained by Don Turner, Michael had bagged a deal with HBO network and was 31-0 with 22 knockouts. 

The First time Michael was taken the distance was by 55 fight veteran Danny Wofford in fight  number 9 over 8 rounds, Grant would be forced over the line several times more in the second half of his career so far, more justifiably by capable guys, Jeff Wooden, Ray Anis, Ross Purity and Lou Savarese.  The first prominent name that Grant faced was Mike Dixon in his 14th outing. Mike began to prove himself as a noted puncher, and got rid of some top drawer heavyweights of the period including Corey Sanders, Alfred Cole, Jorge Gonzalez, David Izon, Obed Sullivan and Ahmad Abdin..  in 1994 Michael made 10 ring appearances and in 1996 made 8, quite impressive activity. The first sign of cracks in Michael’s game came in his 31st fight, headlining against the very dangerous Andrew Golota who had twice quit in fights that he appeared to be winning against Riddick Bowe 3 years prior..

Entering the fight Michael was 27 and had never been under any significant pressure..  in round 1 Grant was dropped and forced to climb off the floor twice to avert an imminent crisis. After maintaining some composure Michael steadily pressured Golota and stood his ground in a competitive contest. In round 10 Grant dropped Golota heavily, as the Polish heavyweight climbed to his feet, he turned away from the referee displaying his nature and a frontrunner, handing victory to the surprised Grant. 

What the Golota fight showed us was that Michael had minerals..  but it also exposed some evident flaws especially early in the fight..  

5 months later Michael would challenge for Lennox Lewis's unified titles (2 relevant belts) a fight where he would once again run into hot water early, displaying his lack of fundamentals at the highest level. Michael was dropped 3 times by Lewis in the opener then knocked unconscious in round 2, in an event that appeared far too big for him considering his limited time in the sport. 

Toledo Ohio’s Jared Anderson appeared the 2024 heavyweight in waiting, he turned pro in 2019, aged 19 and by 2024 marked up an impressive run of 17-0 with 14 knockouts. Jared was pushed over the distance on 2 occasions against former IBF champion Charles Martin in his 15th fight and by durable Ryad Merhy in fight 17, the Martin fight being the first real fighter of note that Anderson had faced. In fight number 18 Jared would run into his first crisis, where he was dropped 3 times by the heavy handed Martin Bakole and stopped in round 5. Anderson has since only returned to the ring once to face token opposition. Anderson was averaging between 3 to 4 fights per year until 2024.

The UK’s Moses Itauma appears the current heavyweight of the hour, he turned pro at 18 and at the present time has an impressive record of 13-0 with 11 kos. Despite earning a reputation as a noted world class puncher, Moses was twice forced the 6 round distance as early as his third and fourth fights. Since bout 4, Itauma has got rid of every man he’s faced in double quick fashion, the first notable name being former world title challenger Mariusz Wach who he stopped in 2 rounds in his 10th outing. Since then he dispatched 2 durable once beaten opponents in Dempsey Mckean in 1 and Mike Balogun in 2, before his most significant step up last year when he knocked out the world ranked Dillian Whyte in a single round. As far as activity goes, in his brief 3 and a half years as a pro he boxed 7 times in 2023, 4 times in 2024 and twice last year. Moses is due to take on the durable and tested Jermaine Franklin in a few weeks, in a bout designed to gauge where he is on the large scale. So far Itauma hasn’t encountered anything even close to a crisis situation. 

 

It’s tough between the three comparisons, Jared and Moses moved towards the top of the division in different ways, with Grant boxing far more frequently in comparison to today and against more varied and proven guys. Itauma may prove to be the real thing as his career progresses but it shows that there is indeed a fine line when it comes to the progression and correct development of a young heavyweight prospect, it’s almost a work or art and as we’ve seen in two of these instances, poor timing and bad matchmaking can signal curtains for costly and time consuming exercise. Boxing is a game where the snakes are long and the ladders are extremely short.