All articles tagged with #wbo
The WBO has ordered undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to negotiate a fight with mandatory challenger Joseph Parker, following Parker's recent victory and Usyk's unification win. Both parties have 30 days to agree or face purse bid proceedings. Parker, a former WBO champion, has been a strong contender, and this match could be a significant next step in the heavyweight division.
Teofimo Lopez defends his WBO 140 lb title against Jamaine Ortiz in a pre-Super Bowl Thursday night main event on ESPN, with live coverage starting at 10:30 pm ET. The main card also features a lightweight bout between Keyshawn Davis and Jose Pedraza, with round-by-round coverage available.
Tim Tszyu knocked out Carlos Ocampo in just 77 seconds to defend his WBO interim super-welterweight title and set up a potential fight against Jermell Charlo for the undisputed light middleweight championship. Tszyu landed 10 of 20 power punches and knocked Ocampo down twice before the referee ended the fight. Tszyu's promoter revealed discussions for the upcoming fight with Charlo's camp are already underway, and the fight is expected to take place in Las Vegas by no later than Sep. 30 this year.
Teofimo Lopez defeated Josh Taylor to take the WBO 140 lb title in New York. Boxing pros praised Lopez's performance, with some taking digs at his behavior. Lopez's old rival George Kambosos Jr congratulated him but also took a little dig at him. Former fighter turned pundit Matthew Macklin said Lopez is a fighter who will be at his best against the best opponents. Promoter Lou DiBella praised Lopez's team for knowing who was winning the fight.
WBO junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor faces Teofimo Lopez Jr. in a highly anticipated boxing match at Madison Square Garden. Taylor, a natural 140-pound fighter, has beaten Regis Prograis, Jose Ramirez, and Ivan Baranchyk. Lopez, a former unified lightweight champ, is fighting in the division for only the third time. Both fighters have expressed genuine dislike for each other and have engaged in social media banter leading up to the fight. The match can be watched on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.
Chris Billam-Smith wins the WBO cruiserweight title after scoring three knockdowns against Lawrence Okolie, who was deducted two points for constant holding. The fight was physical and close, with Okolie being aggressive in the early rounds but Billam-Smith coming back strong in the later rounds. The final scores were a draw and two in favor of Billam-Smith.
Canelo Alvarez defends his undisputed super middleweight championship against John Ryder in front of an expected crowd of 50,000 at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Ryder earned the title shot by defeating Zach Parker to become the WBO super middleweight interim titlist. In the co-main event, Julio Cesar Martinez defends his WBC flyweight world title against Ronal Batista.
Zhilei Zhang defeated Joe Joyce with a sixth-round technical knockout win, putting him in line for a shot at Oleksandr Usyk's WBO world heavyweight titles. Zhang's potential for huge interest and revenue from China makes him an attractive fight for any champion, contender, promoter, or broadcaster. Meanwhile, lightweight Mikaela Mayer earned the WBC interim lightweight title, moving her closer to a shot at undisputed world lightweight champion Katie Taylor.
Robeisy Ramirez and Isaac Dogboe will fight for the vacant WBO featherweight title at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. Ramirez has been undefeated since his pro debut loss, while Dogboe has won four straight fights after back-to-back title fight defeats.