7:29 PM ET Heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder’s one-punch seventh-round knockout of Luis “King Kong” Ortiz in their rematch on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas officially set up perhaps the biggest fight in boxing. The rematch between Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury was signed months ago but with two interim
Boxing
5:42 PM ET Three days after Andrew Cancio lost his junior lightweight world title, Golden Boy Promotions, whom he had publicly voiced displeasure with going into the fight, released him from his contract on Tuesday. “I’m not happy with what has transpired but my goal is to become a world champion again and work with
11:51 AM ET Former featherweight world titleholders Oscar Valdez and Carl Frampton move up in weight to the 130-pound division to face Andres Gutierrez and Tyler McCreary, respectively, in a Top Rank boxing card at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Saturday (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Earlier in the day, Zolani Tete defends his WBO
5:44 PM ET William Weinbaum GREENWICH, Conn. — A week before Thanksgiving, disabled former boxer Magomed Abdusalamov calmly showed what doctors said could be impossible for him after a catastrophic injury in the ring six years ago. Emotion. Expression. Engagement. Capacities most of us take for granted disappeared for Abdusalamov in the hours after he
2:06 PM ET LAS VEGAS — After Deontay Wilder retained his heavyweight world title by a crushing one-punch, seventh-round knockout of fellow big banger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz in their rematch Saturday night, the chatter only intensified along press row. Is Wilder one of the best punchers, if not the best, in boxing history? Many
2:19 AM ET Dan Rafael Close ESPN Senior Writer 2013 BWAA Nat Fleischer Award winner for excellence in boxing journalism ESPN.com boxing writer since 2005 Five years at USA Today Steve Kim LAS VEGAS — Deontay Wilder spent the better part of seven rounds searching for an opening, giving Luis Ortiz a big head start
12:10 AM ET LAS VEGAS — When Leo Santa Cruz began as a professional boxer, his goal was to win a world title. But once he accomplished that, he wanted to win one in another division. And when he accomplished that, he went for one in a third weight class. When the opportunity to win
1:23 AM ET Deontay Wilder nearly lost his heavyweight title to veteran Luis Ortiz last March, and in Saturday night’s rematch, he wasn’t exactly wowing anyone during the first half of the fight. But in Round 7, Wilder showed that all he needs is one opening to close the show, delivering a straight right to
Nov 24, 2019 LAS VEGAS — Heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder said over and over that his rematch with Luis “King Kong” Ortiz would end in a knockout. He promised one and advised all who would be watching not to go to the bathroom or to get a snack or to check their cellphones because
10:31 PM ET LAS VEGAS — A few minutes after heavyweight world titlist Deontay Wilder weighed in Friday for his rematch with Luis “King Kong” Ortiz and finished an interview with the United Kingdom’s Sky Sports, he wandered toward the stands to mingle with the fans inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Wilder laughed and