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A source has told BoxingScene.com that a bout between WBA super featherweight titlist, Javier Fortuna and Yuriorkis Gamboa is being discussed. It would be part of a two-fight deal that would see the two square off in the early summer.
On February 27th at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, undefeated lightweight Felix Verdejo will be co-headlining an HBO card with WBO super lightweight belt-holder, Terence Crawford. 2016 will be a pivotal year for Verdejo who will transition from being a prospect to a bona-fide young contender.
Sources have informed BoxingScene.com that a welterweight bout between Sadam Ali (22-0, 13KOs) and Jessie Vargas (26-1, 9KOs) is in the final stages of negotiations and being planned for March. It's still not clear if the WBO title will be at stake.
Earlier BoxingScene.com reported that there were preliminary discussions involving a fight between WBC super featherweight titlist, Francisco Vargas and #7 ranked Jhonny Gonzalez. But Golden Boy Promotions, who handle Vargas, is vehemently denying any such talks have taken place.
While the record books say that Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley - who fight once again on April 9th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas - have split their prior two meetings, most observers believed that Pacquiao should have gotten his hands raised in victory when they first clashed in June of 2012. Pacquiao was ruled the winner in their rematch in April of 2014.
There are reports that the welterweight showdown between WBA welterweight belt-holder Keith 'One Time' Thurman and former IBF beltholder 'Showtime' Shawn Porter will land on March 5th in Las Vegas. But Kenny Porter, the father/trainer/manager of 'Showtime' Porter told BoxingScene.com on Friday - "This is news to me. As of this point in time we don't have a date, time or place."
As the calendar has turned to the new year, it's clear that junior welterweight contender Mauricio Herrera (22-5, 7KOs) has a myriad of options awaiting him for 2016. "They've mentioned to me a couple of names," Herrera told BoxingScene.com on New Years Day. "Ruslan (Provodnikov) is a good name and (Lucas)Matthysse at 147, (Terence) Crawford was in February. I reviewed everything and Ruslan for me makes more sense, overall. I had a talk with Robert Diaz and Golden Boy and they agreed, they were leaning towards Provodnikov."
Unbeaten Jessie Magdaleno (22-0, 16KOs) is angling for a shot at current WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire in 2016. Before that happens the brass at Top Rank wants concrete evidence that Magdaleno - who has had problems with weight in the past - can make the 122-pound limit.
There have been published reports stating that representatives of WBA/IBF/IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (34-0, 31KOs) have offered a fight to the newly crowned WBO belt-holder Billy Joe Saunders (23-0, 12KOs), who defeated Andy Lee for this title on December 19th.
Main Events has a huge 2016 planned for light heavyweight stalwart, Sergey Kovalev. There is a planned showdown with Andre Ward for the fall. And Kathy Duva says she is still working on a bout between 'the Krusher' and Adonis Stevenson (who has the last remaining belt in the division not held by Kovalev).