On Wednesday, Sampson Boxing announced the signing of top middleweight Noe Gonzalez Alcoba (23-1, 15KOs). Alcoba is regarded as the best fighter coming out of Uruguay. He only has one loss on his record, which came by way of decision to current WBA champion Felix Sturm of Germany. Alcoba, known as "El Carbonero," is looking to become Uruguay's first world champion.
Alcoba will work with experienced trainer Pablo Sarmiento, who is leaving Spain to help train other top fighters who are under the banner of Sampson Boxing. Sarmiento will head to Oxnard, California to help train several Sampson Boxing fighters, including 154-pound champion Sergio Martinez and undefeated Victor Cayo. Martinez will challenge WBC/WBO Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik on April 17, and Cayo takes on Marcos Maidana for the WBA's interim-junior welterweight title on March 27.