The lowest-profile bout on this Saturday's Showtime quadruple-header features one of the evening's brightest young stars as 24-year-old IBF bantamweight champion, Leo Santa Cruz (20-0-1, 11KOs) makes the first defense of his title against veteran former flyweight world champ, Eric Morel (46-3, 23 KOs). This will also be Santa Cruz's first fight under his new management deal … [Read more...]
Vic Darchinyan to Challenge for WBC Bantamweight Title
Former flyweight and super flyweight world champion, Vic Darchinyan (37-4-1, 27 KOs) will get another shot at bantamweight gold when he takes on Shinsuke Yamanaka (15-0-2, 11 KOs) of Japan on April 1. No venue has been booked as of today, but the fight will likely take place in Tokyo, ESPN’s Dan Rafael reported. Darchinyan last fought in December, losing a lopsided unanimous … [Read more...]
Jorge Arce vs. Angky Angkotta in Bantamweight Title bout, Saturday November 26th
Jorge “Travieso” Arce (58-6-2, 45KOs) vacated his WBO Super Bantamweight Championship to face Angky “Time Bomb” Angkotta (25-5, 14KOs) and attempt to claim the vacant WBO Bantamweight title. If successful, Arce will become the first Mexican fighter with titles in five different weight classes. These fighters previously met in January 2010 in the super flyweight division. … [Read more...]
Agbeko vs. Mares: Winner Takes All?
by Tim Harrison Showtime’s Super Six World Boxing Classic showcased six of the top super middleweights in the world, with the exception of Lucian Bute. Showtime’s bantamweight tournament featured 4 of the top fighters at 118 pounds: Joseph Agbeko, Abner Mares, Vic Darchinyan, and Yonnhy Perez. Absent from the bantamweight tournament were stalwarts Nonito Donaire and Fernando … [Read more...]
Agbeko and Mares to Meet in Bantamweight Tournament Final, Saturday August 13 (w/ promo video)
IBF Bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) and Abner Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs) will meet in the final round of Showtime’s four-man bantamweight tournament, Saturday August 13. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds and will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout was originally scheduled for April 23, but a back injury forced Agbeko to … [Read more...]