By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones & Justin Jones – As the world celebrates the New Year, we reflect on the sweet science in 2016 by unveiling our yearly boxing awards:
Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton
Honorable Mention
By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones| Photo © Mikey Williams, Top Rank
OnJune 11, 2016, Junior Welterweight prospect Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed (19-0, 11 KOs)earned one of the biggest wins of his career by dispatching of Abraham Cordero (13-3, 7 KOs) by technical knockout after beating the game Mexican fighter over 6 lopsided rounds at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York.
The bout, showcased onthe Martinez vs. Lomachenko undercard, was a statement fight for Reed, who downed Cordero in the first round before stopping his foefive rounds later. The knockout loss was the first of Cordero’s pro career.
By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones & Justin Jones |Photo © Showtime
July 30, 2016 marks the return of former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia(34-0, 28 KOs) after a 2 ½ year layoff due, in large part, to a contractual dispute with his former promoter, Top Rank.
Garcia puts his undefeated record on the line against former Featherweight titlist Elio “The Kid” Rojas(24-2, 14 KOs) in a 10-round Super Lightweight bout televised on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
By Paul “Paparazzi“ Jones | Photo © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones/ESB
Washington, DC — Twenty-one year old prospect Dusty Hernández-Harrison(29-0-1, 16 KOs) and Mike “The Silent Assassin” Dallas Jr. (21-3-2, 10 KOs), 29, headlined ROC Nation Sports’ Throne Boxing card on Friday night, squaring off in a 10-round welterweight bout at the DC Armory in Washington, DC.
By Justin Jones – Washington, DC — Current Super Middleweight titleholders James DeGale, IBF Champ,(23-1, 14 KOs)and Badou Jack, WBC Champ,(20-1-2, 12 KOs)can now shift their focus on each other –late summer or early fall showdown – after neither fighter relinquished their belts last night at the DC Armory.
DeGale and Jack were the favorites going into their semifinal matchups of the Showtime-proclaimed 4-man 168-pound tournament, but neither fighter had an easy go at it. DeGale earned the unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 115-113)over a very game Rogelio Medina (36-7, 30 KOs), who pushed DeGale to the limit. Some ringside and many of the 4,135 people in attendance (booing loudly) thought the score of 115-113 was a more just score and more aligned with how the fight actually played out. Even DeGale was critical of his performance post-fight.
By Justin Jones & Paul “Paparazzi” Jones – Photos © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones — Washington, DC — Adrien “The Problem” Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) is accustomed to making headlines inside and out of the ring. Last night, he did both in a matter of hours.
More specifically, Broner “kept his promise” to the public with a controversial stoppage of Ashley Theophane in the 9th round of the Premier Boxing Champions’ (PBC) main event at the DC Armory in Washington, DC. But stopping a game Theophane wasn’t enough to send shockwaves through the packed house.
By Justin Jones and Paul “Paparazzi” Jones – Whenever WBA (Super) champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (31-2-0, 1 NC, 23 KOs) is involved with a boxing promotion you can always expect a little more theatre than usual, today’s weigh-in was no different.
Already dealing with legal issues – stemming from media reports of an alleged January, 2016 altercation involving Broner and arrest warrants issued thereafter – Broner added yet another distraction to the mix by weighing in above the Junior Welterweight limit of 140 lbs today in anticipation of his title defense tomorrow night against British contender Ashley “Treasure” Theophane (39-6-1, 11 KOs) in the main event of the Premier Boxing Champions card at the DC Armory (Washington, DC) on Spike TV.
By Paul “Paparazzi“ Jones l Photo © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones/ESB
Baltimore, MD — Unbeaten super featherweight prospect Gervonta “Tank” Davis (14-0, 13 KOs) held a public workout on Wednesday at the Upton Boxing Center in Baltimore in preparation for his April 1 bout at the D.C. Armory against Guillermo “El Borrego” Avila (16-5, 13 KOs). Although the 21-year-old Davis is eager to test his skills against Avila, the Baltimore native admits that he doesn’t know a lot about his impending foe. “I just know he’s a strong, step-up opponent,” said Davis. “I just hope he’s ready because I’ll be ready on April 1st.”
By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones | Photos © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones – On November 14, WBC World Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) takes on former Colombian Olympian Óscar Escandón (24-2, 16 KO) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout, which headlines a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® card, marks the inaugural defense of Russell Jr.’s belt and what he hopes will be a precursor to unifying multiple titles in the 126-pound division.
With preparations for Escandón winding down, East Side Boxing’s Paul “Paparazzi” Jones sat down with Gary Russell Jr. for an exclusive interview during Tuesday’s media workout. Here is what Russell Jr. had to say about his upcoming opponent, the importance of family, and possible match-ups:
By Paul “Paparazzi” Jones and Justin Jones | Photo © Paul “Paparazzi” Jones
WASHINGTON, DC — On October 17, former IBF Jr. Welterweight Champ Lamont “Havoc” Peterson (33-3-1, 17 KOs) and unbeaten Felix Díaz Jr. (17-0, 8 KOs) headline the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC telecast in a 12-round bout from the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. A Peterson victory would not only put his winning percentage above .500 in his past five bouts, but it could also clear the way to several attractive match-ups against top-tier opposition from 140-147 pounds.