1,759 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Steve Kim byline.
Every story follows our editorial policy. To report a mistake, use our corrections form; for anything else, contact us.
Sources have advised Boxingscene.com that heavyweight hopeful Jarrell 'Big Baby' Miller (15-0-1, 13 KO's) will be facing Donovan Dennis (12-2, 10 KO's) on January 22nd on the initial ShoBox telecast of 2016. After notching five victories in 2015, Miller is looking to move up the heavyweight rankings this upcoming year.
Back in January of 2011, Mauricio Herrera handed Ruslan Provodnikov his first professional loss in what was a close and competitive affair in Las Vegas. Fast forward to the upcoming new year and we could be seeing this pairing again in the spring.
Lightweight contender Jose Felix Jr. is looking for bigger and better things in 2016. He will kick off the next year on January 30th. "That's the date of our next fight. Top Rank just let us know,"said Oscar Valdez, who advises the 23-year old from Los Mochis, Mexico, who has a record of 32-1-1(25 KO's)."We don't have an opponent, yet, but we'll be ready regardless. I think the fight will be somewhere in the Los Angeles area."
Young junior middleweight contender Julian 'J-Rock' Williams still needs an opponent as he looks to be involved in an IBF elimination bout. Originally it was hoped that third ranked Michel Soro would face Williams (who is ranked sixth but Soro bypassed on the opportunity. The focus recently turned to Vanes Martirosyan, who is ranked seventh by the organization.
Tonight from the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, undefeated Joseph Diaz(18-0, 10 KO's) faces Hugo Partida for the vacant NABF featherweight title. It's been a productive 2015 for the 2012 U.S. Olympian who in his last two outings has gone the ten round distance against veterans Ruben Tamayo and Rene Alvarado.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum was in attendance in Tuscon, Arizona this past weekend as his featherweight prospect, Oscar Valdez, improved to 18-0 (16 KO's) by stopping veteran Ernie Sanchez with an explosive left-hook in the third round. "He looked extraordinarily good and I wouldn't hesitate to put him in with any featherweight in the world with the exception of my Ukranian beast," said the veteran promoter, referring to WBO titlist Vasyl Lomachenko.
Golden Boy Promotions is planning the 2016 debut of Frankie Gomez (19-0, 13KOs) on February 5th at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. And they have a fight in mind for 'the Pitbull' - veteran Hank Lundy. Robert Diaz, matchmaker for GBP explained to BoxingScene.com - "With Frankie the talent is there, we believe in Frankie. The fight with Humberto Soto was going to be a very tough test, obviously for the reasons we all know it didn't happen, but we can't sit back and wait."
Golden Boy Promotions has heard the clamor and they're all aboard with a welterweight slugfest involving Jesus Soto-Karass (28-10-3, 18KOs) and Yoshihiro Kamegai (26-3-1, 23KOs) in 2016.
Nonito Donaire captured the vacant WBO 122-pound title this past Friday night in San Juan, Puerto Rico as he got past the game Cesar Juarez in what ended up becoming one of the better bouts of 2015. An interested observer was undefeated Jessie Magdaleno, who is now the highest ranked contender in the WBO.
Last Friday, Manny Pacquiao was scheduled to announce his next opponent in what could be his swan song from the ring, but he informed Bob Arum on Thursday that he would be holding off on naming his next opponent. The delay by Pacquiao surprised his promoter.