May 12, 2023, 08:41 AM ET The next few weeks will set the table nicely in the boxing world. As an expected big-fight summer approaches, the middleweights and featherweights will take center stage and feature a number of competitive bouts that feature some of the quickest and most powerful fighters in the world. Up first

Mike Coppinger, ESPNMay 11, 2023, 05:50 PM ET Vergil Ortiz Jr. will return July 8 vs. Eimantas Stanionis now that he’s recovered from rhabdomyolysis and discovered it was caused by long COVID, Ortiz told ESPN on Thursday. The 147-pound contest — Ortiz’s fourth consecutive in his native Texas — pits top-10 welterweights with plenty of

Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff WriterMay 11, 2023, 08:07 AM ET Close Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Ramla Ali’s life story is being made into a movie, and one of Hollywood’s biggest actresses has been cast to play the Somali British boxer. Letitia

Mike Coppinger Ben Baby Close Ben Baby ESPN Staff Writer ESPN Staff Writer Previously a college football writer for The Dallas Morning News University of North Texas graduate May 11, 2023, 07:49 AM ET Canelo Alvarez’s homecoming went according to plan on Saturday night. In front of more than 50,000 raucous fans at Akron Stadium

Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff WriterMay 10, 2023, 06:39 PM ET Close Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Former IBF junior lightweight champion Maiva Hamadouche, ESPN’s No. 2 junior lightweight, announced her retirement Wednesday in an Instagram post. Hamadouche, 33, wrote in French that

Mike Coppinger, ESPNMay 10, 2023, 12:06 PM ET Rolly Romero and Ismael Barroso will vie for the WBA’s vacant junior welterweight title Saturday in Las Vegas, the organization announced Wednesday, after Alberto Puello was made champion in recess due to the adverse finding in his A-sample for the banned substance clomiphene. Puello (21-0, 10 KOs)

Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff WriterMay 10, 2023, 10:01 AM ET Close Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Ramla Ali’s next fight will be in the United States in June. A source told ESPN the junior featherweight will be on the Regis Prograis-Liam Paro

Jake Michaels, ESPN Senior WriterMay 9, 2023, 08:00 PM ET Close Jake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer who covers everything from Aussie Rules to Formula One, basketball to boxing. He has been with ESPN for 10 years and works as a Senior Writer, covering sport in Australia and around the world. Tim Tszyu is

Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff WriterMay 8, 2023, 07:49 PM ET Close Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Seniesa Estrada’s next fight will have to wait — for a week. Multiple sources told ESPN that Estrada’s return to the ring has been moved back

Mike Coppinger, ESPNMay 8, 2023, 04:32 PM ET Joe Joyce has exercised the rematch clause for a return bout with Zhilei Zhang, Joyce’s manager, Adam Morallee, told ESPN on Monday. The 40-year-old Zhang scored a massive upset when he stopped Joyce in the sixth round of their heavyweight bout last month in London. Zhang, an