8:00 AM ET HE IS A quiet man, content to observe, and his manner gives him the air of the mystic. As everything around Manny Pacquiao moves — quickly, and solely for his benefit — he remains fixed, a stone in the center of a stream. In the backyard of his luxurious and incredibly occupied
Boxing
3:37 PM ET Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. underwent successful surgery on his right knee on Tuesday in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and he’s scheduled to return to the ring in December, his team told ESPN Knockout. Ruiz (34-2, 22 KOs), 31, was hoping to face Charles Martin in October, but he finally made the
8:30 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN YORDENIS UGAS WAS silent. He was happy, soaking in the moment. The 35-year-old had just received an unexpected call, offering him an opportunity he’d long dreamed of. The answer about whether or not he’d take a fight against boxing’s only eight-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, was never in doubt. Of course
8:03 AM ET It seemed that the welterweight division was finally going to succeed in delivering a fight between two of the top boxers that’s been starved for big bouts. Everything was looking good in the lead-up until an eye injury for Errol Spence Jr. scuttled his fight against Manny Pacquiao. Because another big welterweight
7:24 PM ET Mike CoppingerESPN Charles Conwell, who represented USA Boxing at the 2016 Olympics, told ESPN he faked a hand injury on the advice of his manager, David McWater, in order to withdraw from an April 8 fight that was slated to headline an NBCSN show. The junior middleweight contender was set to fight
Aug 15, 2021 Saturday was a boxing fan’s dream, as long as they had enough screens to watch it all. Vergil Ortiz Jr. survived an early scare from Egidijus Kavaliauskas and pushed his record to 18-0 with 18 knockouts, putting himself directly into the welterweight world title conversation. And after a second fight between Joshua
Aug 14, 2021 TULSA, Oklahoma — Joshua Franco settled the score on Saturday, capping a rivalry that climaxed with a controversial finish in November and ended at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with a decisive victory over Andrew Moloney in the ESPN main event. “The Professor” retained his secondary WBA title at 115 pounds
Aug 14, 2021 Mike CoppingerESPN TULSA, Okla. — Wearing a pair of white-and-black trunks his grandfather gifted to him, Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico Ali Walsh made his pro boxing debut Saturday night with a first-round TKO of Jordan Weeks. Ali Walsh, 21, displayed the kind of flair for the dramatic Ali would surely be proud
Aug 15, 2021 Mike CoppingerESPN TULSA, Okla. — Joshua Franco settled the score with Andrew Moloney on Saturday, capping a rivalry that climaxed with a controversial finish in November and ended at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with a decisive victory in the ESPN main event. Franco, nicknamed “The Professor,” retained his secondary WBA
Aug 15, 2021 The older man kept moving. To his left, back along the ropes, circling to his right. Guillermo Rigondeaux, even at the age of 40, shuffled around the ring an infuriating amount of time as John Riel Casimero looked for any punch that might touch the former champion. It was vintage Rigondeaux. On