Boxing

7:48 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 After the multiple disappointments of fights failing to materialize last year, 2023 is already shaping up to be an improvement for boxing, with some

Feb 9, 2023 Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk urged the International Olympic Committee to ban Russia from the Olympic Games, saying any medals it wins in Paris next year would be tainted by the blood of his countrymen who have died in Russia’s war with his country. Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Games over the

2:52 PM ET Mike CoppingerESPN Gennadiy Golovkin informed the IBF on Monday that he has relinquished the organization’s middleweight title, according to an email obtained by ESPN. Golovkin, 40, moved up to 168 pounds for an undisputed super middleweight championship bout against Canelo Alvarez but was defeated in the trilogy via unanimous decision. However, Golovkin

4:21 PM ET Mike CoppingerESPN Rolando Romero will challenge Alberto Puello for the WBA junior lightweight title in the spring in a PBC bout, sources told ESPN. Romero (14-1, 12 KOs) will move up to 140 pounds for his first career title shot. In his most recent fight, Romero was stopped by Gervonta Davis in

7:47 AM ET After another impressive victory to become the undisputed featherweight champion, Amanda Serrano, who has won titles in seven different weight classes, solidified her No. 3 ranking behind Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor in ESPN’s latest pound-for-pound rankings. The victory also sets up the much-anticipated rematch between Serrano and Taylor that will take

5:57 PM ET Mike CoppingerESPN The deal for the planned April 15 superfight between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia hasn’t yet been completed because of a dispute over the rematch clause, Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, told ESPN on Monday. De La Hoya received the contract two weeks ago and said every other issue

3:23 PM ET Jorge Masvidal, one of the UFC’s biggest stars, has put together a boxing card with some legendary combat sports names. Boxing icon Roy Jones Jr. and former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will compete in a pro boxing match April 1 in Pettis’ hometown of Milwaukee, Masvidal confirmed Monday with ESPN. The

12:27 PM ET Associated Press Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will launch his comeback with a fight against American boxer Jermaine Franklin in London on April 1. Last month, sources told ESPN’s Mike Coppinger that both boxers were in the process of finalizing a deal for the bout. Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) hasn’t fought since

Feb 4, 2023 NEW YORK — Alycia Baumgardner was throwing slower punches toward the end, looking like she’d thrown every punch she had. And in some ways, perhaps she had. The three-belt junior lightweight titlist already had knocked down Elhem Mekhaled two times and come close to a third, and now, all Baumgardner needed to

2:25 AM ET Michael Rothstein Close Michael Rothstein ESPN Staff Writer Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Mike Coppinger NEW YORK — Amanda Serrano could only enjoy her decision victory over Erika Cruz for the undisputed featherweight title for about 30 seconds on