Vergil Ortiz Jr. to Fight Erickson Lubin in Defense of His WBC Interim Junior Middleweight Title

Vergil Ortiz Jr. is going on the defensive…

The 27-year-old Mexican American boxer (23-0, 21 KOs) will return to the ring on November 8 when he faces Erickson Lubin in defense of his WBC interim junior middleweight title at Dickies Center in Fort Worth, TX, Golden Boy Promotions announced Thursday.

Vergil Ortiz Jr.The fight will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.

It’ll be a home game for the hard-hitting Ortiz, who is coming off of an impressive decision win over in February.

“I’m always happy to be a part of the fights that fans want to see,” said Ortiz in a statement.

However, it may not have been the fight Ortiz originally wanted.

Ortiz had been targeting a fight with WBO champion Xander Zayas and the two exchanged barbs over social media. An offer was made to Zayas promoter, Top Rank, with a deadline of last Friday to accept. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement and Ortiz’s management quickly moved to secure a fight with Lubin.

There were also rumors that a fight between Ortiz and Jaron “Boots” Ennis would take place in 2026. ESPN reached out to Ortiz’s representation, who denied that any agreement was in place for that fight to happen.

“Golden Boy literally tried every single major opponent out there for us and no one would fight Vergil,” said Ortiz’s manager, Rick Mirigan, to ESPN. “Even His Excellency (Turki Alalshikh) tried by offering ‘Boots’ life changing money and he said no for a tune up fight. Vergil Ortiz is the most feared man in boxing. Credit to Lubin for doing what no one else would.”

Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) is currently the IBF No. 1 ranked fighter at junior middleweight. He has won three consecutive fights after losing a barnburner against current WBC champion Sebastian Fundora in April 2022. Lubin, 29, has wins over Jeison Rosario and Jesus Ramos, with his only other loss coming against Jermell Charlo in a WBC junior middleweight title fight in 2017, which resulted in a devastating first-round knockout.

Lubin will look to pull off the upset and earn the biggest win of his career as he continues his pursuit to become a world champion.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, said Lubin. “This fight is about redemption; I’m back for everything.”

Xander Zayas Claims Vacant WBO Junior Middleweight with Decision Win Over Jorge Garcia Perez

Xander Zayas has earned his place in boxing history…

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer has become the youngest current world champion after capturing the vacant WBO junior middleweight title with a dominant decision win over Jorge Garcia Perez at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Xander ZayasFighting at the Garden for the eighth time in his career, Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) was in control from the opening bell, using elusive footwork and counterpunching to quell Garcia Perez’s awkward but powerful offense.

As Zayas picked up on his opponent’s timing, he maintained distance — even when Garcia Perez, standing in a corner after absorbing a combination, tried to bring in Zayas.

When Garcia Perez closed the distance, Zayas tied him up.

All three judges awarded the fight to Zayas (116-112, 118-110, 119-109). Garcia Perez, a 28-year-old from Mexico, saw his eight-fight winning streak end.

In the final 30 seconds of Round 6, Zayas punctuated an exchange with a right hand that sent Garcia Perez (33-4, 26 KOs) stumbling into the ropes. Garcia Perez regained his footing, but Zayas continued to pick him apart.

Garcia Perez appeared to be fading, but he had a strong eighth round, throwing more combinations. But in the ninth, Zayas avoided damage and answered with combinations. He was in control the rest of the way, landing at a high percentage and making Garcia Perez miss.

According to CompuBox, Zayas landed 50 more jabs and 19 more power punches than Garcia Perez despite throwing 81 fewer punches. Garcia Perez connected on 22% of his total punches and 24% of his power punches, while Zayas connected on 38% of his total punches and 45% of his power punches. Zayas also held a 59-31 edge in body shots landed.

“It’s amazing. It’s amazing to represent Puerto Rico at the highest level and to just put the pride of my island where it belongs — at the top,” said Zayas, who is the most recent fighter from Puerto Rico to win the junior middleweight world championship.

Zayas, who is No. 8 in the ESPN junior middleweight rankings, is 22 years, 324 days old. The next-youngest champ is welterweight Brian Norman Jr. at 24 years, 245 days.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez Defeats Phumelela Cafu by TKO in Junior Bantamweight Title Unification Bout

Make that another belt for Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

The 25-year-old Mexican American professional boxer, an unbeaten two-division champion, added a second belt to his 115-pound collection after defeating Phumelela Cafu by 10th-round TKO on Saturday night in their junior bantamweight title unification bout.

Jesse "Bam" RodriguezRodriguez, who entered as the WBC titleholder, added Cafu’s WBO belt.

He staggered Cafu with a vicious flurry in the 10th, forcing the previously unbeaten Cafu’s corner to throw in the towel at 2 minutes, 7 seconds.

Rodriguez outlanded Cafu 218-144 in total punches.

Rodriguez (22-0) was making the second defense of his WBC title, which he won in a thrilling knockout victory over Juan Francisco Estrada in June 2024. He now is in line to face Fernando Martinez for the WBA title.

Cafu (11-1-3), who fought in the U.S. for the first time, won the WBO belt last time out in an October 2024 victory over Kosei Tanaka in Japan.

Teofimo Lopez Cruises to Unanimous Decision Win Over Arnold Barboza Jr. to Retain WBO Junior Welterweight Championship

Teofimo Lopez cruises to victory…

The 27-year-old Honduran American professional boxer, a two-division world champion, cruised to a unanimous decision to retain his WBO junior welterweight championship on Friday in Times Square against previously unbeaten Arnold Barboza Jr.

Teofimo LopezLopez (22-1, 13 KOs) routinely beat Barboza to the punch, easily evaded his opponent’s offense and was too skilled. The judges scored the bout 116-112, 116-112 and 118-110 for Lopez.

Lopez, fighting out of Las Vegas, was coming off a unanimous decision win over Steve Claggett. But Lopez faced questions about reaching his full potential over his past few fights.

He put those concerns to rest with a dominant performance against a slick boxer who had been undefeated.

Barboza (32-1) entered the fight after an impressive split decision victory over Jack Catterall in February. After wanting to fight Lopez for years, Barboza finally got that opportunity, but quickly realized he wasn’t ready for the challenge against “The Takeover.”

Lopez’s physical advantages were on display early as he was elusive, slipping punches and frequently landing counters. Barboza worked hard to jab his way inside but couldn’t keep pace with the supremely talented Lopez.

As the rounds continued, Lopez found a rhythm, mixing some showboating with his pinpoint accuracy, while Barboza struggled to find his mark.

With an accurate jab, a powerful counter right hand and sharp reflexes, Lopez was too much for his rival. By the late rounds, it was evident Barboza needed a knockout, but the California fighter’s lack of power made that outcome highly unlikely.

Lopez outworked Barboza, landing 127 of 574 punches. Barboza couldn’t keep pace, with only 71 punches landed of 426 thrown.

With the win, Lopez is looking for bigger obstacles and called out undefeated unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

“You know me guys, I go after the tough challenges,” Lopez said. “I want to see Boots. I’m Dora the Explorer and I’m looking for Boots.”

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez to Fight Phumelela Cafu in Junior Bantamweight Unification Bout This Summer

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is returning to the ring this summer.

The 25-year-old Mexican American professional boxer (21-0, 14 KOs) will face South Africa’s Phumelela Cafu (11-0-3, 8 KOs) in a junior bantamweight unification bout on July 19 at The Star‘s Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.

Jesse "Bam" RodriguezRodriguez currently holds the WBC title while Cafu is the WBO 115-pound titleholder.

Fighting out of San Antonio, Rodriguez is a two-division world champion who has actively sought a fight against another champion in the junior bantamweight division.

He captured the WBC title with a 7th-round stoppage of Juan Francisco Estrada last June and had a successful title defense in November when he scored a 3rd-round TKO against Pedro Guevara. “Bam” is ranked No. 7 on ESPN‘s pound-for-pound list and owns wins over Sunny Edwards, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras.

He’ll stand opposite of Cafu, who captured the WBO title by upsetting Kosei Tanaka with a split decision last October in Tokyo.

Cafu, 30, was previously linked to a potential showdown with Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzales for his first title defense, but those plans fell through.

Now he will get the opportunity to unify the titles against one of the best fighters in the sport.

The co-main-event on July 19 is a super middleweight showdown between Diego Pacheco (23-0, 18 KOs) and Trevor McCumby (28-1, 21 KOs).

Pacheco, 24, is coming off of a unanimous decision win over Steve Nelson in January. He is ESPN‘s No. 4 super middleweight.

McCumby, 32, hopes to bounce back after suffering the first defeat of his career against Caleb Plant last September.

The fight will be streamed on DAZN.

Gabriela Fundora Remains Undisputed Flyweight Champion with TKO Victory Over Marilyn Badillo

Gabriela Fundora is keeping her titles…

In a flawless performance, the 23-year-old Mexican American professional boxer retained her undisputed flyweight championship with a seventh-round TKO victory over Marilyn Badillo on Saturday at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California.

Gabriela Fundora, Fighting for the first time in 2025, Fundora, a southpaw who had a six-inch height advantage and a four-inch reach advantage, had no problem landing her lead jab and lead hook against the shorter Badillo, who employed feints to get inside but couldn’t find the way to shorten the distance.

Badillo had a good Round 4, landing a left uppercut on Fundora and going low to try to get inside, but most of the time, Fundora’s straight left found Badillo’s chin, stopping her attacks. By the end of the round, Badillo had redness under her right eye and a big hematoma on her forehead due to an unintentional headbutt.

After the fight, Fundora said she found her rhythm during the first round. She said she saw Badillo was “doing her ducking thing, but [she was] still always there.”

In the seventh round, Fundora overwhelmed Badillo with a flurry of punches, accentuated by a powerful straight left that forced Badillo to take a knee. Referee Rudy Barragan gave her the count, but Badillo didn’t want to continue.

According to CompuBox, Fundora landed 99 of her power punches compared with only 21 for Badillo.

“I think I’m maturing,” Fundora, from Coachella, California, said of her performance. “I knew the stoppage was going to come. It just again, how I wanted to place it, and I think with this one it was more of a relaxed kind of tempo.”

Fundora (16-0, 8 KOs) came into the bout as ESPN‘s No. 1-ranked flyweight, while Badillo (19-1-1, 3 KOs) was ranked No. 3.

Fundora made history in November by knocking out Gabriela Celeste Alaniz in Round 7 to become boxing’s youngest undisputed champion ever at 22. In that fight, Fundora added the WBO, WBC and WBA women’s flyweight titles to the IBF title she already owned.

Badillo, whose 19-fight winning streak was snapped, had never fought outside of Mexico. This was just her fourth bout at 10 rounds and her first title fight.

Emanuel Navarrete to Defend WBO Junior Lightweight Title vs. Charly Suarez in May

Emanuel Navarrete is going on the defensive…

The 30-year-old Mexican professional boxer will defend his WBO junior lightweight title vs. Charly Suarez on May 10 in San Diego in an ESPN main event, per an ESPN source.

Emanuel NavarreteNavarrete, ESPN’s No. 1 lightweight, will put his 130-pound title on the line for the fourth time.

He scored a sixth-round KO of Oscar Valdez in a December rematch in his return to 130 pounds.

Previously, Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) was outpointed at 135 pounds by Denys Berinchyk in May as he attempted to become a four-division champion.

Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) is the WBO‘s top-rated contender, so this will fulfill a mandatory obligation for Navarrete. At 36, the Filipino will challenge for his first world title. And it will be Suarez’s first time fighting on the world-class level.

Zaur Abdullaev will fight Raymond Muratalla on the undercard for the IBF interim lightweight title.

Vasily Lomachenko, who holds the IBF title, would next have to face the winner or be stripped. Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) is unrated by ESPN while Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) is No. 10.

Fight Freaks United was first to report the Navarrete-Suarez bout.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez Defeats Chris Billam-Smith to Become Unified World Cruiserweight Champion

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez has captured another belt…

The 33-year-old Mexican professional boxer, a two division world champion southpaw, cruised to a comfortable, unanimous decision over Chris Billam-Smith  on Saturday to become the unified world cruiserweight champion.

Gilberto "Zurdo" RamirezRamirez, a former world super middleweight champion, had boxed only twice before at 200 pounds, but he was technically too good for Billam-Smith at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ramirez earned scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 116-113 in a first defense of his WBA title while also capturing Billam-Smith’s WBO belt in a Riyadh Season “Latino Night” card.

Others will have viewed Ramirez a winner by a wider margin as Billam-Smith never looked like he’d ruin the promotion’s aim to be a celebration of Latino boxing talent.

Ramirez was too accurate and his movement too slick for Billam-Smith to get a foothold in the fight.

Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs), from Sinaloa, Mexico, made history by becoming Mexico’s first world champion at cruiserweight and his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy, has more ambitious plans for him.

Another unification is possible for Ramirez in 2025 against Australia’s IBF titleholder Jai Opetaia, who is No. 1 at cruiserweight in the latest ESPN’s rankings.

De La Hoya has talked about Ramirez becoming an undisputed champion, holding all four titles, and taking on reigning WBC-WBA-WBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk if the Ukrainian returns to cruiserweight next year.

“Of course, I want to unify all the belts and that’s a big goal for me,” Ramirez said.

Billam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs), 34, from Bournemouth, England, suffered his second career defeat after showing immense courage to come firing back in the later rounds.

He made a sharp start to his third defense of the WBO belt as Ramirez briefly struggled with the Englishman’s intensity. Ramirez improved in Round 2, and he finished Round 3 with a decent left hook as he then took control of the fight.

The Mexican’s blows began to flow more freely and in Round 4 Ramirez landed his best punch yet, a right hand that briefly unsettled Billam-Smith and opened a cut on his left eyelid.

Ramirez, who won the WBA belt by unanimous decision versus Arsen Goulamirian in his previous fight in March, was also effective when the fight was at close range, and he threaded some punches through Billam-Smith’s guard in Round 6.

The ringside doctor was called to look at Billam-Smith’s cut before the start of Round 7. Billam-Smith was looking a sorry figure as Ramirez continued to land solid blows.

Billam-Smith rallied in Rounds 9 and 10, but he was caught by some stinging shots in the last two rounds as Ramirez left the Briton’s face covered in blood.

“Consistency was what won it for Zurdo tonight,” Billam-Smith said.

“He throws three or four shots and then moves. He’s consistent.”

Arnold Barboza Moves Closer to Title Shot with Win Over California Rival Jose Ramirez

Arnold Barboza has boosted his hopes of a title shot…

The 32-year-old Mexican American boxer unanimously outpointed Californian rival Jose Ramirez in a 10-round junior welterweight clash on Saturday at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Arnold BarbozaBarboza, from Los Angeles, was the busier fighter and, despite Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) stepping up the pressure in the later rounds, took a close decision by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 96-94.

Barboza was much improved from his split decision win over Sean McComb in April, and afterward called for a shot at WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez.

“I was close to hanging the gloves up a few years ago,” said Barboza, who is the WBO No. 1 challenger.

“I got a fresh start, and this was the fight I have been wanting. I hope the WBO forgive me for not paying the sanctioning fee [to make the fight versus Ramirez a title eliminator] and keep me No. 1.”

Former junior welterweight champion Ramirez, 32, from Avenal, California, suffered a second career defeat, ending a three-fight winning streak since he lost an undisputed title showdown on points to Josh Taylor in May 2021.

Oscar Collazo Notches Unification Win Over Thammanoon “Freshsmart” Niyomtrong

Oscar Collazo is a unified champion.

The 27-year-old Puerto Rican boxer defeated Thammanoon “Freshsmart” Niyomtrong on Saturday at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in a seventh-round stoppage to unify two minimumweight world titles.

Oscar CollazoCollazo (11-0, 8 KOs) added the WBA belt to his WBO title after ending the eight-year reign of Niyomtrong (25-1, 9 KOs) and handing the Thai boxer his first professional defeat.

Collazo dropped Niyomtrong in Round 6, then again with a right hook in the seventh before finishing the fight moments later with stunning left uppercut.