8:53 AM ET Jesse Hart remembers the night of Dec. 17, 2016, well. Hart watched on television that evening as the great former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion Bernard Hopkins — Hart’s mentor, close family friend and inspiration for becoming a boxer — had his legendary 28-year career come crashing to an end in

9:04 AM ET Steve KimESPN Jesse Hart and Joe Smith Jr. meet on Saturday in a pivotal light heavyweight matchup. The winner will take an important step toward earning a title shot against world titleholders Artur Beterbiev (WBC and IBF) and Dmitry Bivol (WBA). The fight at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in

6:09 AM ET After being bogged down by sanctioning body issues that delayed the second-season final of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament for months, the fight has been scheduled. Yunier Dorticos will defend his 200-pound world title against former two-time world titlist Mairis Briedis on March 21 (DAZN), with the Muhammad Ali Trophy

3:39 PM ET Chinese promoter Longjoy Sports on Thursday defaulted on its winning purse to gain promotional rights to the fight between unified light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev and mandatory challenger Meng Fanlong — meaning Top Rank, the only other bidder in last month’s auction, will now control the bout. Top Rank vice president

3:07 PM ET Top Rank on Thursday announced the signing of unified junior welterweight world titlist Josh Taylor to a multiyear promotional agreement that will have his fights televised on ESPN platforms in the United States. Here’s what you need to know: Who is Josh Taylor? What’s his background/fight history? Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) is

11:28 AM ET Unified junior welterweight world titlist Josh Taylor, coming off winning the World Boxing Super Series tournament in October and one of boxing’s hottest fighters, has signed a multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank, the company announced on Thursday. Terms of the deal, which will see Taylor’s future bouts broadcast on ESPN platforms,

8:59 AM ET There are thousands of professional boxers in the world. Some are internationally known and heralded while others are just getting their first professional bouts under their belts. The very best stand out among the weight classes and hold their titles high, and the elite of the elite are given pound-for-pound status. Who

8:17 AM ET Steve KimESPN There are thousands of professional boxers in the world. Some are internationally known and heralded while others are just getting their first professional bouts under their belts. The very best stand out among the weight classes and hold their titles high, and the elite of the elite are given pound-for-pound

11:56 PM ET Three months ago undisputed women’s middleweight world champion Claressa Shields was scheduled to drop down to the junior middleweight division and fight Ivana Habazin for two vacant world titles in an effort to win a title in a third weight class. Shields and Habazin had arrived at the weigh-in on Oct. 4,