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Ryan Garcia: ‘I want to become a world champion’
Ryan Garcia returned to the ring, and it was a success. Garcia stopped Oscar Duarte in the eighth round at the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday night.
The fight was contested at a catch-weight of 143 pounds.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) stunned Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) with a left hook in the eighth and would drop Duarte, who did get up at 10 seconds, but the referee waived it off, and Garcia got a much-needed win.
“King Ry” was not always at his best in this fight under his new trainer, Derrick James, and Duarte had his moments, especially in Rounds five and six, where he landed 33 power shots; Garcia’s chin stood up to those big shots, and he finally put Duarte away in the eighth.
Photos: Golden Boy Promotions
After the win, Garcia, who openly feuded with Golden Boy Promotions heads Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins during fight week, called out WBA 140-pound champion Rollie Romero.
“I want to become a world champion. I want Rollies next,” Garcia said. “Everyone kept asking me why Oscar Duarte – he was so tough! I thought I would get him out in the second or third, but he was like a rock. I felt like me and Derrick have a lot to build on after this fight.”
This was a nice comeback win for Garcia following his first career loss to Gervonta Davis last April. Many fighters would want to get in the ring with Garcia because of his popularity and vulnerability, so he should have no issues getting a big fight down the line.
Schofield Shines:
In a spectacular co-main event, it only took WBA Lightweight International Champion Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield (16-0, 12 KOs) 1:51 in the first round to successfully defend his title against Tijuana, Mexico’s Ricardo “Explosivo” Torres (17-8-3, 12 KOs) in a fight presented in association with Davies Entertainment. Scheduled for 10-rounds, Austin’s Schofield sent Torres to the mat three times in a row, the referee stopping the fight after the third time he was knocked down.
Mosley Mows Down Conley:
Shane Mosley Jr. (21-5, 12 KOs) became the new WBA Continental Americas Middleweight Titleholder with a TKO victory against San Bernardino’s Joshua Conley (17-6-1, 11 KOs) in a fight scheduled for 10-rounds. Mosley Jr. took his time, ultimately forcing Conley to retire in his corner at the beginning of the seventh round.
Magsayo: ‘My last three fights were all at the world class level’
Former WBC featherweight world champion, Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (24-2, 16, KOs), returns to the ring on CBN Promotions’ “New Blood” card scheduled for December 9, 2023, at Infinite Reality Studios in Long Beach, California, formerly known as Thunder Studios. Magsayo, hailing from Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines, will face Isacc Avelar (17-6, 10 KOs) form Aguascalientes, Mexico in an eight-round junior lightweight bout.
Here is what Magsayo had to say about his recent training camp, his upcoming matchup with Isacc Avelar, what a win will do for his career, and more.
On his recent training camp:
“Coach Marvin (Somodio) and I have been working on numerous parts of my game. For instance, we are starting to pace ourselves better. I feel I’ll be stronger going into the later rounds with all the specialized conditioning we’ve been doing. Moving up to junior lightweight will make a big difference making weight, I’ll be a lot stronger in this division. It’s been a great training camp and I can’t wait to get back in the ring.”
On his matchup with Isaac Avelar:
“Avelar is a tough fighter and he’s been in the ring with some good fighters. He’s got a lot of heart and I know I’ll have to be at my best to come out on top. I have full confidence in my ability to win this fight. The plan will be to end the fight early, but I’m prepared to go the distance if need be.”
On what a win does for his career:
“I’m coming into this fight having fought some of the best fighters in boxing. My last three fights were all at the world class level. A victory will get me notoriety at 130 pounds, where I feel I can become a two-division world champion. So this fight is very important to my career and I’m going to come out victorious.”
On fighting for his people back in the Philippines:
“I’m very happy that this fight will be available for all my people back home to see live. At the end of the day, I’m a proud Filipino fighter who will always be looking to bring home a victory for my countrymen. It’s very important that I follow instructions and that I win this fight.”
Photo: Lucas Noonan
Irving struggles, Mavs fall to Grizzlies
The Dallas Mavericks*11-7) were shorthanded against the visiting shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies(5-13) on Friday. They were without Luka Doncic, who celebrated the birth of his daughter, Tim Hardaway Jr.(back), and Maxi Kleber(toe), and it showed.
Dallas trailed by as many as 21 points to Memphis and fell to the Grizzlies 108-94.
With the win, Memphis gets its first two-game winning streak of the season.
The Mavericks’ second-best player, Kyrie Irving, struggled with his shot on Friday night; he was 3/15 from the floor and finished with only 10 points. Irving was 0/7 in the first half.
Memphis did a good job of trying to keep the ball out of Irving’s hands, which Mavs coach Jason Kidd believes frustrated the eight-time All-Star.
“I think just understanding he might have gotten a little frustrated with being face-guarded,” Kidd said. “We’ve got to do a better job of getting him the ball and knowing how to play when something like that’s happening. I’ll take the blame for that in the sense that we didn’t put him in a good situation to be successful.”
Irving said he hurt his foot in the first quarter, which he believes limited his performance against Memphis.
“I had a bit of a tweak to my foot at the end of the first quarter,” Irving said. “So, [I was] just trying to get my balance underneath me. It was hard to settle back in when you feel a tweak like that, especially in my feet. So, I am just doing my best to stay mentally prepared for anything that could happen out there. The competitive side of me says no excuses, just fight through it and be in the right positions offensively and defensively.
“I just think as a team we weren’t doing that, including myself. Just not picking up the ball as much and as often, and just missing some plays that gave them that lead and confidence going into halftime. We knew that we had the talent tonight to be able to perform well and beat this team, but we just didn’t do that, and it starts with me as one of the leaders on the team. [I] just [did] not play my ultimate best, and not bringing the energy that my team needs. Definitely one of those games I look back on, and there’s a level of frustration. But we have another one in the next 24 hours.”
The Mavericks will now battle the Thunder on Saturday night in Dallas, and they probably won’t be without Doncic, and they may not have Irving’s services, making winning that game very difficult. Irving discussed what OKC brings to the table.
“They’re a good team, they’re showing it night in and night out,” Irving said about OKC. “Their record is what it is, but they’re going to be a team that’s going to be reckoned with in the Western conference. [I’m] just looking forward to seeing them up close, not only Chet [Holmgren] but also SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander). A few of those guys played in the summertime in the FIBA world games. They’re in great shape, they’ve got a great camaraderie around them, they play defense really hard. Offensively, you can tell they’re a juggernaut, so we’ll have our hands full tomorrow.”
Notes:
Memphis’ Desmond Bane had a game-high 30 points.
Derrick Jones Jr. tied for a team-high 16 points (6-14 FG, 4-7 3FG) as well as adding four rebounds, one assist and one steal. His 16 points marked the first time he has led the Mavericks in scoring in a single game, the fourth time in his career leading a team-high for any team
Grant Williams tied for a team-high 16 points (4-12 FG, 3-9 3FG, 5-6 FT) while adding a team-high eight rebounds, three assists, one block and a steal tonight. His eight rebounds is a season-high and ties for the eighth-most rebounds he has recorded in a game in his career.
Week 15: Eagles-Seahawks flexed to MNF
On Thursday, the NFL announced that the Week 15 Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks game will move to Monday Night Football on ESPN while the Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots matchup will be played at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
Week 15 will also feature an NFL Network tripleheader on Saturday, Dec. 16.
The final Week 15 schedule (all times ET):
|
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders |
8:15p |
Prime Video |
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023
Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals |
1:00p |
NFLN |
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts |
4:30p |
NFLN |
Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions |
8:15p |
NFLN |
Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers |
1:00p |
FOX |
Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns |
1:00p |
FOX |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers |
1:00p |
CBS |
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins |
1:00p |
CBS |
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots |
1:00p |
FOX |
New York Giants at New Orleans Saints |
1:00p |
FOX |
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans |
1:00p |
CBS |
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals |
4:05p |
CBS |
Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Rams |
4:05p |
CBS |
Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills |
4:25p |
FOX |
Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars |
8:20p |
NBC |
Monday, Dec. 18, 2023
Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks |
8:15p |
ESPN/ABC |
Eagles’ Sirianni talks relationship with Shaq Leonard
Free agent LB Darius Shaquille Leonard was in Philadelphia visiting the Eagles on Wednesday. The three-time Pro Bowler, who the Colts released in early November, also visited the Cowboys earlier this week.
The 28-year-old is coming off back surgery last season, which caused him to miss 14 games in 2022. This season, Leonard played in nine games with the Colts.
Leonard has a history with Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. Leonard was with Sirianni in Indianapolis when Sirianni was the offensive coordinator with the Colts from 2018-2020, and the two have a close relationship, which he discussed on Wednesday.
“I was close with him when we were in Indy,” Sirianni said about his relationship with Leonard. “I just thought you can learn so much from good players. Just think about how he went about how he attacked the day, and also how he saw the game as an offensive coach. That was always a good perspective talking to him and I just had so much respect for him.
“It was good to be able to catch up with him and relive some memories, but also talk a little bit about what this building is like.”
Sirianni was asked what his pitch was to Leonard, and according to him, he will be honest about why he believes Philly is good for Leonard.
“All I’ll ever do is just be honest with him and tell him what the situation is here, what the situation is in this building,” Sirianni said.
“I think the pitch is just the guys that we have in this building, and some of them he has a prior relationship, too. I want Shaq to make the decision that’s best for him. Because, again, when there is that prior relationship you want to make sure — and that’s what I said to him, ‘I just want you to make the best decision for you. Take all the information from both places and do what’s best for you.’
“So, I’ve called him a bunch the last couple days, and, shoot, he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. I’m confident in that. He’s a good person.”
With Zach Cunningham(hamstring) possibly out for a few weeks, the Eagles need linebacker help, and Leonard would help. If it’s down to the Eagles and Cowboys, Leonard could make his debut when the two teams collide in Week 14. The only question is what color jersey he will be wearing that day.
Mielnicki Jr. returns December 29 in Newark
Rising junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. will look to thrill his hometown crowd on Friday, December 29TH, as it was announced today that he has been added to the BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. GH3 Promotions and Prudential Center have partnered to launch a multi event boxing series, BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, slated to continue in 2024. The launch of this exciting boxing series will present an evening filled with the best “the sweet science” has to offer.
Mielnicki of Roseland, New Jersey has a record of 16-1 with 11 knockouts, most recently he knocked out Alexis Salazar just 2:27 into their scheduled 10-round junior middleweight match on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade undercard. Mielnicki will take on Salim Larbi in a 10-round bout for the debut of BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS on December 29th.
“I am so excited to be fighting at Prudential Center on December 29th for the launch of BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS. I would like to thank Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions for allowing me to fight in front of my hometown fans. It is always special to have my friends and family at my fights, and December 29th will be no different,” said Mielnicki.
An accomplished amateur, Mielnicki turned professional at the age of 17 and now the WBA Continental Americas Super Welterweight Champion and WBC World Youth champion is currently ranked eight by the WBA. Mielnicki has won his first eight fights and is currently riding an eight-fight winning streak that is highlighted by wins over Nicholas DeLomba (16-3), Omar Rosales (9-1-1), Jose Sanchez Charles (20-3-1) and a one-round destruction over tough Alexis Salazar (25-5) this past Saturday night at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Larbi of Cambrai, France is 22-12-3 with eight knockouts. The 36-year-old Larbi has wins over Mohamad El Maghnouji (2-0), Davit Makaradze (16-4), Patrice Sou Toke (17-2). In his last bout, Larbi went 10-rounds with world ranked middleweight Thomas LaManna before dropping a decision on March 11 in Orlando, Florida.
Other action:
Scheduled to appear in a ten-round bout will be Newark’s own Michael Anderson. Anderson (23-3-1, 17 KOs) has wins over Dashon Johnson (11-2-3), DeMarcus Rogers (14-3-1) and a third-round stoppage over Marklin Bailey. Anderson will take on Eudy Bernardo (25-6, 18 KOs) of Elias Pina, Dominican Republic.
Seeing action in a ten-round bout will be former world title challenger and current WBA number-three ranked middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna taking on Nicolas Hernandez (27-7-3, 12 KOs) of Reading, PA.
LaManna (36-5-1, 15 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey will take part in a 10-round bout. The 31-year-old LaManna has quality wins over Kendal Mena (20-3), Matthew Strode (25-6), Michael Marcano (25-5-1) and his bout when LaManna stopped Juan Manuel Witt (33-1-2) in the third round to retain his WBA Fedelatin Middleweight crown on July 22 in Atlantic City.
Fighting in an eight-round bout will be popular Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (14-1, 14 KOs) taking on Ahmed Hefney (13-3, 5 KOs) of Alexandria, Egypt.
Appearing in six-round bouts will be:
Joseph Adorno (18-3, 15 KOs) of Allentown, PA battling Barulio Rodriguez (20-8, 17 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a super lightweight bout.
Mike Lee (10-2, 5 KOs) of Orange, NJ fighting Rickey Edwards (13-5, 3 KOs) of Paterson, NJ in a welterweight contest.
Paul Kroll (10-0-2, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia collides with Weah Archibald ((10-15, 5 KOs) of Mount Vernon, NY in a welterweight fight.
In Four-Round Bouts:
Dwyke Flemmings Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) of Paterson, NJ squares off with Luis Briceno Roman (3-4, 3 KOs) of Houston in a junior middleweight bout.
Malik Nelson (4-0, 3 KOs) of Avenel, NJ fights Romel Tasanimp (2-1) of Baltimore in a Featherweight bout.
Anthony Johns (6-1, 5 KOs) of Newark, NJ takes on an opponent to be named in a flyweight bout.
Kasir Goldston (5-0-1, 2 KOs) of Albany, NY will fight George Gethers (0-5) of Jersey City in a super lightweight tussle.
John Vallejo (4-0, 2 KOs) of New York scraps with Nelson Morales (4-11, 1 KO) of Scranton, PA in a junior middleweight affair.
Keon Ivory (2-2, 1 KO) of Lodi, NJ will take on Orland Ortiz (1-1, 1 KO) of New York in a super middleweight fight.
Photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC
DeSean Jackson announces retirement from NFL
On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced that DeSean Jackson will officially retire as a member of the team on Friday, December 1.
The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, who played eight of 15 NFL seasons with the Eagles, will be recognized as the honorary captain for the team’s big showdown against the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
Originally a second-round draft pick (49th overall) of the Eagles in the 2008 NFL Draft, Jackson spent eight of his 15 seasons in Philadelphia, where he garnered three Pro Bowl nods (2009, 2010, 2013) as a dual-threat on offense and special teams. In 95 career games with the Eagles, he ranks third all-time in receiving yards (6,512), sixth in receptions (379), and ninth in receiving touchdowns (35). As a punt returner, he finished second in punt returns (132), third in punt return yards (1,296), and is the team’s all-time leader in punt return touchdowns (tied Darren Sproles with four).
Jackson’s most decorated season came in 2013 when he set career highs in receptions (82), receiving yards (1,332), touchdown catches (nine), and 100-yard games (five) en route to his third Pro Bowl selection. It was his third season with 1,000-plus receiving yards, which tied the franchise mark set by Harold Carmichael and Mike Quick. His 82 catches that season were the fourth-most in team history and third-most by a wide receiver.
After the 2013 season, Jackson was released by Chip Kelly and the Eagles and signed with the then-Washington Redskins; he would return to Philly in 2019 and would spend two seasons with the Eagles.
“DeSean Jackson was a dynamic playmaker who captivated Eagles fans with his game-breaking speed, unique skill set, and explosive play,” said Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles Chairman and CEO, in a press release. “What made DeSean truly stand out during his accomplished 15-year career was his ability to make miraculous plays look routine.”
Here are some highlights of Jackson’s career:
-Became the first player in NFL history to earn Pro Bowl honors at two positions – kick returner and wide receiver.
-Tied the NFL record with eight touchdowns of 50-plus yards in a single season.
-His 52.8 yards per score average during the 2009 season was the highest in NFL history among players with at least 10 touchdowns in a season.
-Became the second player in NFL history to score touchdowns via receiving, rushing, and punt return during each of his first three seasons.
-Became the fifth player in NFL history to have eclipsed 900-or-more receiving yards in each of his first four seasons.
Jackson’s most memorable play came on December 19, 2010, when the Eagles faced off against the division-rival New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Down 31-10 in the fourth quarter, the Eagles remarkably went on to score 21 unanswered points to tie the game, 31-31. With 12 seconds remaining, the Giants were forced to punt from their own 35-yard line. Jackson, the return man, secured the football off the turf and raced 65 yards to the end zone as time expired, which marked the first time in NFL history that a game had ended on a walk-off punt return.
A native of Los Angeles, CA, Jackson played collegiately at the University of California (Berkeley) and played 15 NFL seasons for the Eagles, Washington, Tampa Bay, Rams, Raiders, and Ravens.
Zayas: ‘I can’t wait for the bell to ring on December 9’
Puerto Rican junior middleweight contender Xander Zayas hopes to close the year on an emphatic note.
Zayas will take on Spain’s Jorge Fortea in a 10-round battle on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Zayas-Fortea will serve as the co-feature to the WBO featherweight world title showdown between reigning champ Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez and unbeaten Mexican contender Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza.
Ramirez-Espinoza and Zayas-Fortea will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Zayas (17-0, 11 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 and has been on the path to superstardom ever since his pro debut in October 2019. In his fifth year as a pro, he is already inching closer to a title shot in the competitive 154-pound division. He notched an eight-round unanimous decision over Ronald Cruz during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend in June and a fifth-round TKO against the hard-hitting Roberto Valenzuela Jr. in September. Fortea (24-3-1, 9 KOs), a 13-year pro from Spain, is riding a three-bout winning streak.
Following a recent training session, this is what Zayas had to say:
“We are counting down the days to fight night! I can’t wait for the bell to ring on December 9 in South Florida. I dedicate this fight all my Boricuas from the ‘Island of Enchantment’ and the ‘Puerto Rican Diaspora’ who I know will tune in to my fight that night on ESPN.”
“I am determined to close the year with a bang and to continue positioning myself as one of the main contenders at junior middleweight. In the new year, I’m aiming to continuing my climb up the ranks step by step. That is why I push myself to give my all every day in the gym. You will see a better version of me every time I fight.”
“I am grateful for the support of the fans. I am also very happy to share the card with a great friend whom I respect a lot like “El Tren” from Cuba, Robeisy Ramírez. We are already close to a sold out venue, and we are ready to bring joy to our people. We’re coming to put on a great Latin party between Cubans and Puerto Ricans.”
