Top Rank has promoted only two shows on DAZN since announcing its new broadcast agreement five months ago, but several of its fighters have stayed active on cards run by other promoters. That offers an early look at how Top Rank can operate within a platform already carrying much of boxing’s promotional talent. Darshan Desai of Uncrowned highlighted the unusual arrangement Wednesday while examining DAZN’s schedule. Raymond Muratalla fought Robson Conceição on a Golden Boy card earlier this month, Top Rank fighters Albert Gonzalez and Samuel Contreras competed on a Matchroom show in July, and Giovani Santillan takes another route…
Ryan Garcia slammed Brian “BoMac” McIntyre after the trainer predicted Conor Benn will stop him, targeting McIntyre’s diet and questioning his judgment. McIntyre argued that Garcia declined following his 2023 loss to Gervonta Davis, backing Benn to land a stoppage when they fight September 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “Ryan is burnt. He hasn’t been the same since his first fight with Tank. He got popped. He never got back into his type,” McIntyre said to Brian Custer on his channel. “I’ve seen Benn firsthand. Man, he’s going to hurt that dude.” The Ring amplified the knockout pick…
The network reported that Zepeda-Roach pulled in 748,000 viewers, while the IBF lightweight title fight between Raymond Muratalla and Robson Conceição generated 738,000. The telecast peaked at 786,000 during the championship portion of the card. Those numbers are encouraging for Zepeda because he was not relying on a major mainstream attraction on the other side of the ring. Roach had gained attention from his controversial draw against Gervonta Davis, but neither fighter has been established as a major television draw. The entire August 1 telecast registered an average of 598,000 viewers. More importantly, the final two hours averaged 694,000, a…
Jaron “Boots” Ennis wants to collect the junior middleweight titles, and Josh Kelly may offer him the quickest route to owning three of the four. Ennis holds the WBA and WBO belts in the division, while Kelly owns the IBF title. Both fight under the Matchroom banner, removing many of the promotional complications that can stall unification fights. Eddie Hearn mentioned matching them prior to Kelly’s July 25 defense against Caoimhin Agyarko. His comments came last month, rather than being a new development surrounding the fight. “There’s a very good chance that Josh Kelly will fight Boots in November,” Hearn…
Frank ‘The Ghost’ Martin is open to facing Raymond Muratalla at light welterweight after trainer Robert Garcia named him as an option for Muratalla following his move to the division. Muratalla is leaving lightweight after defeating Robson Conceicao by unanimous decision on August 1. Garcia made it clear afterward that he wants strong opposition at 140 and specifically named Martin as an option. Martin heard the comments and welcomed the matchup. “They mentioned my name first. He coming up to 140 or whatever, so I think they got their eyes on me or a fight with me. I’m really with…
Paulie Malignaggi believes Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren helped create their own competition by embracing Saudi investment in boxing. He argues that Hearn and Warren understood the risk but accepted the money anyway. Zuffa Boxing has since become another major player with substantial financial backing. “I think that the entrance of Turki Alalshikh and the promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren that worked with them and then got kicked in their ass afterwards, I think it shows you that there’s a Trojan horse element to that other side trying to walk in,” Malignaggi told Andrew McCart at iFL TV. “I…
“I don’t care what he’s doing. Like it makes no difference. He can carry on doing what he’s doing,” said Benn to Ring about Ryan. “It don’t concern me at all. All I know is I’m working extremely hard to come out victorious. No doubt I’ll be looking for the stoppage myself. I think I’ll stop him. Yeah, I do.” The weight cut figures to be one of Benn’s biggest hurdles before he even steps into the ring. He looked visibly drained on the scales before his 150-pound catchweight bout against Regis Prograis last April, making his condition at the…
Teofimo Lopez already has a long-term target in mind beyond his August 22 challenge for Rolando Romero’s WBA welterweight title. The former two-division champion revealed he recently spoke with Devin Haney and believes the pair are on separate courses toward an eventual fight for the undisputed welterweight championship. “I told Devin Haney about this,” Teofimo said to Sean Zittel. “I told Devin Haney, ‘Me and you, we’re going to go two different sides, but we’re going to meet at the end for undisputed at once.’ He said, ‘All right, those are your words.’ I said, ‘I’m keeping them. Let’s get…
George Foreman proved he belonged among boxing’s rising elite on August 4, 1970, battering George Chuvalo into a third-round stoppage before 12,526 fans at Madison Square Garden in New York. Referee Arthur Mercante halted the bout at 1:41 of the third round, giving the 21-year-old Olympic gold medalist the biggest victory of his young professional career. The matchup paired one of boxing’s most feared young heavyweights with one of the division’s toughest veterans. Chuvalo had shared the ring with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson and many other top figures without ever suffering a knockdown. Foreman, meanwhile, carried…
Ryan Garcia’s combination of popularity, marketability, and drawing power has elevated him above every other American boxer in the eyes of veteran broadcaster Gareth A. Davies, who believes no fighter in the United States can currently match his reach inside or outside the ring. Garcia’s appeal stretches well beyond his WBC welterweight title. Few American fighters can realistically be linked to potential bouts against Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson, Teofimo Lopez, and Conor Benn while generating massive public interest for every potential matchup. That broad appeal is why Davies believes Ryan sits above every other American boxer. “Ryan Garcia is the…