Raymundo Beltran: record, next fight and profile →
MGM Grand, Las Vegas - WBO lightweight champion Terence Crawford (23-0, 16KOs) will make the first defense of his title on a date in the summer, according to Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum. The fight would likely land at venue in Council Bluffs, Iowa - which is nearby Crawford's hometown of Omaha. Crawford captured the title in March with a dominating decision win over Ricky Burns.
Afghani-Canadian super featherweight contender Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) will step into the highest-profile fight of his life on short notice and face WBO #1 ranked Raymundo Beltran (28-6-1, 17 KOs) for the WBO NABO Lightweight title this Saturday, April 12, in the co-main event of the HBO Pay-Per-View card featuring the Timothy Bradley vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
There were rumors of this for weeks, but it now appears Roman "Rocky" Martinez is officially removed, although no reason has been provided as of yet, from next Saturday's HBO Pay-Per-View fight against Raymundo Beltran. The fight was booked to be a part of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Martinez is now likely going to be replaced by Canadian boxer Arash Usmanee, according to Carlos Narvaez.
Santa Monica,Ca. --- Ray Beltran of Mexico works out at the Wild Card West Boxing Club for his upcoming 12-round feature fight against Rocky Martinez of Puerto Rico on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley 2. Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with MP Promotions and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 will take place, Saturday, April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. --- Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank.
Former champion Roman "Rocky" Martinez (27-2-2, 16KOs) is putting on more size and muscle for the fight with Raymundo Beltran, for the vacant NABO lightweight title, as part of the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley undercard on April 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It will be Martinez's first fight since lost his WBO super featherweight crown to Mikey Garcia last November. He struggled to make the weight, but managed to drop Garcia in the second before losing by knockout in the eight.
Roman 'Rocky' Martinez, the former WBO junior lightweight champion, who on April 12th will be measured in a title eliminator against Raymundo Beltran at 135 pounds, is planning to directly target the winner of Saturday's title fight between WBO champion Ricky Burns (36-2-1, 11 KO's) and mandatory challenger Terrence Crawford (22-0, 16 KO's).
Justice for Ray Beltran will have to wait. His next opportunity will not. Beltran came up short in a title shot this past September against lightweight Ricky Burns. Their fight ended as a split draw in a bout that many observers felt should’ve ended with Beltran’s hands raised in the air. He won’t be getting an immediate rematch, though. Burns, in his first bout back since suffering a broken jaw against Beltran, will face off against his mandatory challenger, Terence Crawford. Burns-Crawford is scheduled to take place March 1 at the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow and will be broadcast in the United States on AWE (formerly WealthTV).
BoxingScene.com has been advised that the HBO pay-per-view undercard of the April 12th rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Tim Bradley has been finalized. Ray Beltran (28-6-1, 17KOs) of Sinaloa, Mexico will face Rocky Martinez (27-2-2, 16KOs) of Puerto Rico in a lightweight bout that should be a war as neither fighter takes a step back when they are in the ring. Blue chip prospect Jose Felix Jr. (26-0-1, 21KOs) will take a step up in class when he faces interim WBA super featherweight champ Bryan Vasquez (32-1, 17KOs) to round out the pay-per-view portion of the card.
WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns is still not happy about facing Terence Crawford in his next fight. Burns was hoping to face Raymundo Beltran in a rematch, but the WBO ordered Burns to make his mandatory defense against Crawford, which is going to happen on March 1 in Scotland. A few months ago, Burns went to a controversial draw with Beltran, and even the press in the UK were crying foul over the outcome, with nearly all of them scoring the fight in favor of the challenger.
By Cliff Rold - As celebrating families across the globe recover from eggnog hangovers… …as millions embrace the season by getting up in the middle of the night to endure more consumerism by way of day after the holiday sales… …what better way to kick off the awards season here at BoxingScene then by starting with the worst of 2013? In a year that exceeded all expectations, these were the angry relatives, the Debbie Downers, the reminders that no matter how good it gets, well, it’s still boxing. When boxing shows its bad side, it leaves some of the most Earth-shattering, environment contaminating, air-supply suffocating coal in a stocking Santa could ever concoct.