Jul 24, 2020 Steve KimESPN I have covered hundreds of boxing events in my life, but none quite like Tuesday’s Top Rank card at the MGM Grand Convention Center. I hadn’t seen a live fight since late February, when I went to Frisco, Texas, for the Mikey Garcia-Jessie Vargas card, and I was anxious to
Boxing
8:18 PM ET Steve KimESPN The anticipated bantamweight unification fight between Naoya “Monster” Inoue and John Riel Casimero might not happen if Casimero doesn’t take a reduction of his original purse, according to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. Inoue and Casimero were scheduled to meet April 25, but the fight was canceled because of the
5:10 AM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Callum Smith is the leading contender to face Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on Sep.12, according to promoter Eddie Hearn. Smith’s fellow English boxer John Ryder,
9:18 AM ET Associated Press LONDON — British boxer Billy Joe Saunders had his suspension lifted but was fined 15,000 pounds ($19,000) for appearing to condone domestic violence. Saunders posted on social media in March a video of himself using a punching bag to advise men how to hit their female partners if they argue
2:43 PM ET Associated Press Boxing and mixed martial arts competition may resume in California after the state athletic commission approved new safety regulations for the coronavirus pandemic. The commission will require a “quarantine bubble” around participants in every event, including referees and judges. The events also must be held without fans. Golden Boy Promotions
12:42 PM ET Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced a stacked schedule on Wednesday with nine cards that will run from August through December. The slate will feature two pay-per-view cards. The first will feature a Charlo brothers doubleheader on Sept. 26: Jermall Charlo will face Sergiy Derevyanchenko for the WBC middleweight title, and WBC
8:00 AM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn wants to stage the UK’s first professional boxing show with fans for six months on Sept. 12. Hearn is planning
10:09 PM ET Steve KimESPN As the first set of fight cards concluded Tuesday night inside the bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the next round of Top Rank bouts inside that venue were announced for late August. On Aug. 22, there will be a WBO light heavyweight title eliminator bout between Joe
5:51 PM ET Steve KimESPN Former WBO featherweight world titleholder Oscar Valdez returns to the ring for the first time since November to face Jayson Velez in the main event of a Top Rank card Tuesday at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). Valdez (27-0, 21 KOs) won the
8:52 AM ET Steve KimESPN The initial run of shows inside of Top Rank’s “bubble” inside of the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas culminates Tuesday with two former world titleholders returning to the ring as headliners. Former featherweight titlist Oscar Valdez will face Jayson Velez in a 10-round junior featherweight main event, and