10:21 AM ET England’s Anthony Yarde (18-1, 17 KOs), 28, had never faced a serious opponent in his four-year pro career, which followed a very brief 12-fight amateur stint, but he left it all in the ring Saturday in a valiant effort against light heavyweight world titleholder Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs). Kovalev’s vast experience
Boxing
11:47 PM ET Junior bantamweight world champion Juan Francisco Estrada knocked out Dewayne Beamon in the ninth round in a homecoming fight on Saturday night at the Centro de Usos Multiples in Hermosillo, Mexico. Estrada had not boxed in his hometown since winning a nontitle fight there in 2014, and his fans filled the arena
3:53 PM ET Is Canelo Alvarez next for light heavyweight world titlist Sergey Kovalev? He just might be. Kovalev retained his 175-pound belt for the first time in a homecoming fight by knocking out Anthony Yarde with one shot in the 11th round on Saturday on ESPN+ at the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
4:22 PM 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 Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s
12:56 PM ET Former middleweight world titlist “Kid Chocolate” Peter Quillin wasn’t without a fight for long. He will face brawler Alfredo Angulo in a 12-round super middleweight bout that will headline a Premier Boxing Champions card on Sept. 21 (Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes, 10:30 p.m. ET) at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California,
6:46 AM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Vasiliy Lomachenko will try to add a third world lightweight title to his collection when he faces Luke Campbell at the O2 Arena in
3:48 PM ET After Sergey Kovalev lost his light heavyweight world title by seventh-round knockout to Eleider “Storm” Alvarez last August, many thought it was the end of the “Krusher” as a top-flight fighter. Then Kovalev exercised his right to an immediate rematch with Alvarez and changed trainers, linking up with Buddy McGirt. Skeptics remained
7:00 AM ET Nick Parkinson Close •Reports on boxing for ESPN.co.uk, as well as several national newspapers•Has been reporting on British boxing for over 15 years•Appears on BoxNation’s Boxing Matters show Luke Campbell says he will become as well-known as Anthony Joshua if he defeats Vasiliy Lomachenko at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday
6:13 PM 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 Andy Ruiz Jr, the first Mexican-American heavyweight world titleholder will face Anthony Joshua for the second time on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia.
7:25 PM ET Unified heavyweight world titleholder Andy Ruiz Jr. has agreed to go to Saudi Arabia to face Anthony Joshua in their much-anticipated rematch, a source with direct knowledge of the discussions confirmed to ESPN on Thursday. Ruiz and his team on Wednesday night agreed to terms that will have him face Joshua again