Tag: GABE ROSADO
Gilberto Ramirez-Gabe Rosado set for March 18
Former world champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez (44-1, 30 KOs) of Mazatlán, Mexico and Philadelphia’s former world title contender Gabriel “King” Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs) will battle in a tough, Mexico vs. Puerto Rico 12-round light heavyweight matchup.
The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 18 and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST/ 8:00 p.m. EST.
Zurdo Ramirez is returning to the ring hungrier than ever after his valiant effort against Dmitry Bivol last November 2022.
“I’m glad to be back. I had a lot of time to reflect since my last fight and am looking forward to putting on a show against a very-game veteran like Gabe Rosado,” said Zurdo Ramirez. “Just like everyone else, I have goals, dreams and aspirations to be on top and I feel more motivated today than ever. We may get knocked off our path, but my quest for greatness will never stop. I appreciate all the love from my fans and supporters and I promise to be back with vengeance. See you guys March 18th!”
Gabriel Rosado is a dream-spoiler who has dismantled the championship aspirations of a number of elite fighters, most recently a third-round knockout of hot prospect Bektemir Melikuziev. He will be going up a division to face Ramirez.
“I’m excited to start the year off with a bang! I have a great deal of respect for Zurdo Ramírez. We’re friends, But come March 18, it’s all business,” said Gabriel Rosado. “This is the kind of fight Gabriel Rosado shows up for! I will not let myself or the fans down. Thank you to Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN for the opportunity.”
“This is a dangerous crossroads fight featuring the explosive Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “Zurdo will attempt to make a comeback statement against the certified dream-spoiler Gabe Rosado who has derailed the careers of various top fighters.”
Information on the venue and undercard will be shared soon.
Munguia-Rosado set for November 13
A new chapter will be added to the classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry on Saturday, November 13, as Jaime Munguia (37-0, 30 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, will put his undefeated record and WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title on the line when he faces off against the Borinquen warrior “King” Gabriel Rosado (26-13-1, 15 KOs) of Philadelphia, Penn. Fight fans, clamoring for an all-out war between two of the most exciting warriors in the division, will get to see a 12-round ‘Fight of the Year’ contender, live exclusively on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico.
Additional information on the event will be announced.
“This fight will be full of non-stop action. It will be a war that fight fans will enjoy and a new exciting chapter in the classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rico boxing rivalry,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman, and CEO of Golden Boy. “Both fighters are coming off of spectacular performances and knock-out victories that showed their power, speed, and resilience. Jaime Munguia is a super-star; he has all the elements that make a fighter great. He’s already conquered the junior middleweight division and is on his way to conquer the middleweight division. But this is going to be a big test for him because Gabriel Rosado is a dangerous fighter, he has never backed down from a challenge. He has faced and gone the distance with some of the toughest fighters in the middleweight division. This is truly a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender, a fight that fans will remember for years to come.”
“Rosado is a dangerous fighter with a lot of experience,” said Munguia. “He is a formidable rival that we have to prepare to be stronger and more intelligent in the ring. He has had the opportunity to fight with great fighters, the best in the middleweight division. I am going to give this fight 100% and as always, give a great fight for fans on November 13.”
“I’m excited about this fight. It’s a fight in high demand,” said Rosado. “I respect Munguia as a fighter and I will bring my best and I am confident I will be victorious. My last fight I think will end up being ‘Knock-out of the Year,’ and I plan on making this upcoming bout ‘The Fight of the Year.’ Time to make history. Team KGR!!”
Ranked as one of the top middleweights in the world, Jaime Munguia will have a big challenge in facing “King” Gabriel Rosado. One of the most exciting fighters to come out of Tijuana, Mexico, Munguia is a rising boxing super-star in the middleweight division. He has already conquered the junior middleweight division with a former world title and five defenses against Liam “Beefy” Smith, Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook, Takeshi Inoue, Dennis Hogan, and Patrick Allotey. Now, Munguia hopes to continue his undefeated streak as he trains under the tutelage of Hall of Famer Erik “El Terrible” Morales as he continues to climb the ranks and prove he is the best at 160lbs.
“King” Gabriel Rosado (26-13-1, 15 KOs) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is coming off of a sensational knock-out victory over the former undefeated fighter Bektemir “Bully” Melikuziev. The Philadelphia fighter of Puerto Rican descent has never backed down from a fight and has delivered some of the most memorable battles in the sport, facing some of the toughest fighters in the division. His experience has prepared him for the upcoming test, as he takes on Munguia on November 13 and hopefully claim the WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title.
Jacobs: ‘I would love to KO Gabe Rosado’
Daniel Jacobs has vowed to make Gabe Rosado eat his words when they settle their grudge in a Super-Middleweight showdown tonight at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN at 8pm ET.
Jacobs (36-3 30 KOs) is plotting a route to landing World honors at 168lbs to become a two-weight World ruler, but tonight, his mission is not just to send a warning to the Super-Middleweight division, but to silence Rosado (25-12-1 14 KOs).
The ‘Miracle Man’ is a two-time king at 160lbs but dipped his toe into the Super-Middleweight pond when he forced Julio Cesar Chavez Jr to quit on his stool after five rounds in December. His second bout at the new weight pits the Brooklyn ace against Philly’s Rosado, and Jacobs says ‘King’ Gabe will pay for years of disrespect and trash talk.
“This is more personal than the other fights I’ve had,” said Jacobs. “I’ve boxed when me and the other guy don’t see eye to eye, but that wasn’t a personal thing; this is a personal thing. This guy has come out in public and said some really nasty stuff about me, this is settling a debt.
“Gabe is one of those guys that’s got under my skin with some of the things he’s said. He’s gone public and said I am a fake person when I was broadcasting, I am a fake Andre Ward, and I don’t deserve to be where I am at. I know that it’s sheer hard work and sacrifice to get to where I am, and I am still putting in that work to be one of the best in the world.
“His career didn’t pan out the way I think he wanted it to, and with me being his peer and coming up in the amateurs and then professionally together, it hurts him. So, him wanting to steal the shine and kind of, say things to get under my skin so he can be in these kinds of fights, it worked. He’s getting what he wants, but I don’t think he understands what he’s in for.
“He says all these crazy things, I’m on a high-horse, but I’ve earned this. I’ve put in the work – from a 15 year old kid to a 33 year old man, I’ve done everything necessary to put myself in this position.
“He has a good ‘Rocky’ story to him, and I respect it, I don’t understand why he doesn’t respect where I come, because I come from the realest of the real, Brownsville, New York – never ran, never will. So, for me to not be respected, with all I’ve gone through to be where I am at, it’s time to show you, and you are going to be forced to respect me.
“In the perfect scenario, I would love to KO Gabe Rosado. I don’t want to do it in a brutal way where he gets hurt, I want us both to continue to have good careers, prizefight, make the most money for our families and ride off into the sunset. But as a competitor, I want to be able to create as much damage as I can, so he knows his words, he’s eating them – period.”
Jacobs and Rosado clash on a big night of action in Florida, where Kazakh Olympic gold medal man Daniyar Yeleussinov (9-0 5 KOs) steps up in class for his first title fight against former unified World Super-Lightweight champion Julius Indongo (23-2 12 KOs) with the vacant IBF Intercontinental Welterweight strap on the line.
Nikita Ababiy (9-0 6 KOs) fights for the tenth time in the paid ranks against Brandon Maddox (7-3-1 5 KOs), three-time World amateur king Mahammadrasul Majidov aims for a third KO win in the paid ranks against unbeaten Puerto Rican Sahret Delgado (8-0 7 KOs) and the night kicks off at 8pm ET with Lightweight contender Emmanuel Tagoe (31-1 15 KOs) takes on Mason Menard (36-4 25 KOs).
Haney-Gamboa, Jacobs-Rosado announced for November
Devin Haney will defend his WBC World Lightweight title against Yuriorkis Gamboa on Saturday, Nov. 7 and Daniel Jacobs will clash with Gabriel Rosado on Friday, Nov. 27, both behind closed doors and subject to strict COVID-19 protocols at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida, live on DAZN.
Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) is back in action for the first time since November 2019 after injuring his right shoulder in seeing off Alfredo Santiago in the first defense of his belt in LA. The 21-year-old sensation had successful surgery on the injury and is now ready to resume his quest to dominate a 135-lbs. scene that’s littered with big names.
First on his hit list is Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs), the former unified World Featherweight king and Cuban hero, following his Olympic gold medal. Gamboa is aiming to become a two-weight World ruler at the third attempt having challenged Terence Crawford and Gervonta Davis for their titles, but Haney is confident he will reignite his reign in style.
“Yuriokis Gamboa is a dangerous and experienced fighter,” said Haney. “He’s a former unified world champion, and he has been in the ring with some of the best. He hurt Terence Crawford with a big shot, so his power is not to be ignored. He beat Orlando Salido who beat Vasiliy Lomachenko. Less than a year ago he took Gervonta Davis into the 12th round, something no one has ever been able to do. Gamboa is a true warrior and I’m not taking him lightly. I’ve called out all the top names, and I finally got someone who will challenge me for my title. I intend on making a statement in this fight. My hunger is on another level. It’s time to show the world who the best fighter in boxing is and that’s me!”
“I’m extremely thankful to God for allowing this fight to happen and for the miracle of healing my Achilles,” said Gamboa. “I’ve been dreaming and wishing of fighting for the WBC Green Belt ever since I was an amateur in Cuba. I’m ready and determined to win this title for my fans and to prove those who wrote me off as a washed up fighter wrong. I came up short against Davis because of my Achilles in the second round, but I fought the rest of the fight on one foot, hurting him in the middle rounds. You are going to see a healthy Gamboa fight with both of my legs, fists and warrior heart of mine. With God’s blessings I will come out victorious Nov. 7.”
Jacobs and Rosado have built up a rivalry over the last year and now that comes to a head three weeks after Haney vs. Gamboa.
Jacobs (36-3, 30 KOs) made the first steps on his target of becoming a two-weight World champion with victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Phoenix, Arizona in December. That was the “Miracle Man’s” first foray into the 168-lbs. scene after the two-time World Middleweight king moved up from 160 lbs. after his unification clash with Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas in May 2019.
Rosado (25-12-1, 14 KOs) appeared on the undercard in Phoenix and clashed with Jacobs ahead of the weigh-in. The Philly ace recorded a ten round points win that night to return to winning ways following his thrilling back-and-forth battle with Maciej Sulecki on home turf in March 2019, and the 34-year-old will be out to fire himself into contention for the World title clash that Jacobs seeks.
“Gabe talked his way into this fight and now it’s time to see if he can back it up,” said Jacobs. “He’s got a big mouth and he’s been bringing up my name constantly for over a year – but on Nov. 27 the talking stops and I can’t wait to shut him up. My aim is to become a two-weight division World champion in 2021 and that starts with a big win in Florida. After that, I’m ready to step up and fight one of the World champions at 168 pounds.”
“I’m really excited for the fight,” said Rosado. “There’s been a lot of back and forth between me and Jacobs, and for the fight to finally happen, I’m more than ready. I’ve started training camp with Freddie Roach in LA at Wild Card Boxing, and I’m just looking to put on one hell of a show for the fans. I’m definitely going to bring the fight to Danny and it’s going to be great.”
Both events have stacked undercards in support of the main event. There’s a Heavyweight flavor to the Haney card with Croatian talent Filip Hrgovic (11-0, 9 KOs) facing American Rydell Booker (26-3, 13 KOs) and Chinese star Zhilei Zhang (21-0, 18 KOs) meeting another American in Devin Vargas (22-6, 9 KOs). Three young stars continue their pro journeys on the bill as Reshat Mati (7-0, 5 KOs), Raymond Ford (6-0, 2 KOs) and Arthur Biyarslanov (6-0, 5 KOs) are in action on the show – and Matchroom are delighted to announce the signing of French star Souleymane Cissokho (11-0 7 KOs) to a multi-fight deal and he’ll box on the bill, and more details on the deal for the Anthony Joshua managed Super-Welterweight will come on Monday.
Marc Castro will make his pro debut on the undercard of Jacobs vs. Rosado. The Fresno talent was slated to make his bow in the paid ranks in Tulsa, Oklahoma in August, but he tested positive for COVID-19. Now the amateur sensation finally laces them up and is joined on the undercard by fellow amateur rulers in Olympic gold medalist Daniyar Yeleussinov (9-0, 5 KOs), three-time World amateur champion Magomedrasul Majidov (2-0, 2 KOs), and young talents Nikita Ababiy (9-0, 6 KOs) and Alexis Espino (6-0, 4 KOs).
“I can’t wait for our U.S. return in Florida – two stacked cards with plenty riding on them,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “The Lightweight division is on fire and there’s no better time for Devin to return to action and make a big statement at the Hard Rock. Although Devin may well be the next big thing, when you look at his CV, Yuriorkis is by far his toughest test to date. A few weeks later, the bad blood between Daniel and Gabe will come to a head as they clash, and the winner of that fight will find themselves in a great position for a World title shot at 168 lbs. in 2021.”
“There’s so many interesting plotlines on both undercards. The Heavyweights are in the spotlight on Nov. 7, with Filip and Zhilei, two World-class fighters that are looking to stake their claims for massive fights next year, as will Magomedrasul who fights on Nov. 27.”
“Marc was devastated that his debut was postponed but the Fresno sensation has re-focused and it’s not a bad thing to have to learn to cope with a setback like that – he’s been working so hard in training, and I think we’re going to see a spectacular debut.”
“We’re lining up a big test for Daniyar, and so many of the young stars on the cards are beginning to get to the stages in their career where they move to the next level so I am expecting two exciting nights of action in the Sunshine State.”
Hard Rock Live and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Florida have a rich history of hosting world-class boxing in addition to globally recognized entertainment acts like Jerry Seinfeld, Alicia Keys and Aerosmith. The venue is excited to play host to two huge nights of action in November.
Jacobs on Rosado: ‘He is just a hater who wants my position’
Daniel Jacobs is targeting Super-Middleweight champions Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders as he told the latest episode of Matchroom Boxing’s Podcast ‘The Lockdown Tapes’ the steps he needs to take to reach the hall of fame.
‘THE LOCKDOWN TAPES’ PODCAST WITH DANIEL JACOBS IS ALSO ON MATCHROOM BOXING’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW!
Jacobs (36-3 30 KOs) took his first step on the path to two-weight World glory in December when he defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on a wild night in Phoenix, Arizona, with Jacobs marking his arrival at 168lbs by forcing Chavez Jr to retire on his stool after five rounds.
The ‘Miracle Man’ held the WBA Middleweight strap in 2014-16 before a close unification battle with Gennady Golovkin and then regained his World championship status in 2018 landing the IBF strap and putting that on the line in a Cinco de Mayo showdown in Las Vegas last year, with that clash with the Mexican megastar the final night at Middleweight for Jacobs.
Liverpool man Smith is regarded as the top dog in the Super-Middleweight division, holding the WBA and Ring Magazine belts while Saunders picked up the WBO crown having made his own move up from 160lbs. All three fighters are promoted by Eddie Hearn, and Jacobs hopes that a World title bout with either champion can be made so he can stake his claim for the hall of fame – but before he gets to them, he has an itch he wants to scratch first, in the shape of Gabriel Rosado, the brash Philadelphian that has been poking at Jacobs for a showdown.
“I want to be a Hall of Famer one day and winning a belt in this weight division is what I need to do to achieve that,” said Jacobs. “You are going to see the best version of Daniel Jacobs now and I’m looking at the likes of Callum and Billy Joe, both of those fights make sense.
“Looking at my track record I have really fought some good guys in the last two years. I have been able to face the best in the division in my era and that’s what makes me most happy.
“It only makes sense for me coming into this division to fight the very best,” said Jacobs. “I want to be able to prove that I am the best. As well as wanting the big fights, there is also the fights where you want to settle the debt which is what I have always said about that little nag Gabe Rosado. If we were to fight in New York or Philadelphia then great, it’s onwards from there. He is just a hater who wants my position.”
Jacobs’ position is a healthy one, with lofty rankings across the board putting him in prime shape for a World title crack when boxing returns. The 32 year old recognizes that return is up in the air and says he’s open to the prospect of fighting behind closed doors while sport takes a back seat to the ongoing health crisis – with Jacobs happy to put his trust in promoter Eddie Hearn, with whom he signed his deal with back in September 2017 to become the Essex-based promoter’s first American signing and the catalyst for the Matchroom Boxing USA expansion, to guide him through the latest chapter of his remarkable career.
“I would like to fight this year, but we don’t know at this time,” said Jacobs. “We don’t know how long this process is going to take. Fighting behind closed doors would be a strange experience but if I felt that the fans wanted to see me fight then I would make that sacrifice for them, it would be cool.
“It was Eddie’s slick hair and nice suits that drew me here! I loved the appeal of how Eddie looked after his fighters and it was a great opportunity to be the first signee of Matchroom Boxing USA, I couldn’t ask for a better situation, being a part of this has been epic.
“I will always have my involvement in the sport, whether that’s commentating or having my own fighters and I will know when it is my time to explore those new things in my life. Firstly, I’ll be giving it a good go in the Super-Middleweight division.”
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Gabe Rosado: DAZN is heaven for the middleweights
Gabriel Rosado is gunning for a meeting with WBO World champion Demetrius Andrade as he prepares to face Maciej Sulecki on Friday night (March 15) at the Liacouras Center, Philadelphia live on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports in the UK.
Rosado (24-11-1 14 KOs) is back in action following his closely fought draw with Luis Arias in Mulvane, Kansas in November – another contentious fight for the Philly favorite who will now be chasing a third World title shot in his first fight on home turf in seven years.
Sulecki (27-1 11 KOs) is hunting a first World title shot having returned to winning ways in November with a second round stoppage of Jean Michel Hamilcaro in his native Poland. The 29 year old gave Daniel Jacobs a stern test in April before the Brooklyn man moved on to become a two-weight World ruler, and Sulecki will believe that experience will serve him against Rosado.
WBO ruler Andrade defended his title live on DAZN in January against Artur Akavov at Madison Square Garden in New York and will be ringside tomorrow night, and the streaming giants rubber-stamped their status as the home of the elite Middleweights by adding Kazakh star Gennady Golovkin to the phenomenal roster of middleweights, with Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs clashing in a unification blockbuster on DAZN on May 4 in Las Vegas.
“DAZN is the place to be as a Middleweight – it’s nuts,” said Rosado. “It’s a fun time to be at 160-pound and DAZN where its at. It’s taken a UK promoter to come to Philadelphia and make this happen, but it’s dope. I dig what Eddie Hearn is doing. He’s young, he understands the business, how things work and it’s fun fighting on Eddie’s cards.
“I’m in a great situation with this fight. Everyone had me winning the fight with Arias, that’s why Eddie Hearn gave me this shot against Maciej. He’s a World class fighter, he comes to fight with a high volume of punches, I thought he gave Jacobs a great fight, I scored it 7-5 and it was close. His style of fighting and competitive nature is going to bring the best out of me, there’s going to come a time in the fight where it’s going to be a battle of wills – and he’s not going to out-will me in my backyard, in front of my family – that’s not happening.
“This card is lit and this is a really good fight. It’s my first time in seven years that I am fighting in Philly so I am really excited about that, when I fight in my home town, I turn up. Going into the Arias fight I had been off for a year and only had a five week camp. I did what I did from just being a vet. But now I am coming in off the fight in November, we have a flow going, the camp started right away and everything has been smooth. I am capable of putting my foot on the gas and sitting on my shots in this fight.”
Rosado’s clash with Sulecki is part of a huge night of action in Philadelphia on St Patrick’s weekend topped by a World title double-header as Philly’s Tevin Farmer (28-4-1 6 KOs) comes home to defend his IBF Super-Featherweight title against Ireland’s Jono Carroll (16-0-1 3 KOs), and Irish sensation Katie Taylor (12-0 5 KOs) looks to unify the Lightweight division once again, putting her IBF and WBA straps on the line against Brazil’s WBO champion Rose Volante (14-0 8 KOs).
Philly Lightweight’s Hank Lundy (29-7-1 14 KOs) and Avery Sparrow (9-1 3 KOs) battle for local pride, Olympic gold medal pair Luke Campbell MBE (19-2 15 KOs) and Daniyar Yeleussinov (5-0 3 KOs) and silver medalist John Joe Nevin (11-0 4 KOs) taste their first action of 2019, unbeaten Super-Middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (19-0 12 KOs) faces Victor Fonseca (17-9-1 14 KOs) while exciting New Jersey amateur star Raymond Ford makes his pro debut.
Farmer-Carroll, Rosado-Sulecki set for March 15 in Philadelphia
Tevin Farmer will defend his IBF World Super-Featherweight title against Jono Carroll at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Friday March 15, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Farmer (28-4-1 6KOs) makes the third defense of his crown in his first fight on home turf as a World champion, following a wide points win over Francisco Fonseca in New York in December, a win that followed a dominant fifth round stoppage over Northern Irishman James Tennyson in his first defense in Boston in October.
The 28 year old returns to the Temple University venue having boxed there in April 2017 against Arturo Reyes – the fight before his first World title showdown with Kenichi Ogawa in Las Vegas in December, where his controversial split decision loss was turned into a no-contest after the Japanese failed a drug test. Farmer would claim the vacant IBF title in August in Australia with a comprehensive points win over seasoned Aussie Billy Dib.
Unbeaten Dubliner Carroll (16-0-1 3KOs) fights for his first World title on St Patrick’s weekend against Farmer, with his shot at the title following a closely fought split draw in a final eliminator with Guillaume Frenois in Sheffield, England in December.
Farmer and Carroll have been involved in bitter social media spats and will finally come face-to-face for the first time at a press conference to launch the fight in Philly next Tuesday, and both fighters believe the fight will be as fiery as the build-up.
“He’s got a World title shot on St Patrick’s weekend, he should be thanking me,” said Farmer. “He’s trying to get under my skin but it’s impossible to get under my skin. He’s making himself look bad and he’s stepping up to a whole different level with me. I’m A-level and he’s going to pay.
“He says we both come from tough backgrounds, the hood, that boy hasn’t come from any struggle, no hood. I’m going to show him when he comes to Philly, he’s going to eat his words. He’s trying to get his buzz up but there’s certain things that you don’t say. He’s made this personal and you don’t want to get personal with a Philly guy like me.
“This is big for me, fighting as a World champion in Philly. When does Philly hold big World championship shows? This is big – it’s a boxing town but this is as big a show as there’s been here for a long time. I have to thank Eddie, Lou and DAZN for making this a reality, because often World champions don’t always get the chance to fight in their home city. It doesn’t happen, but it’s happening for me and that shows the level of respect that Eddie, Lou and I have for each other. It’s going to be a great night.
“I don’t care about these other champions. You never know what is going to happen with politics and people making excuses, but I’m here, I defended the title twice in three months last year and I’m headlining at home. If people really want to fight, it’s simple to do – sign the contract and turn up and fight.
“The only thing I care about is my career, keep lining them up and I’m going to keep smoking them and keep getting paid. With or without them, my career will be the best of all those guys. I’m on a high right now. Everything is good right now, I’m doing everything I’ve dreamed of.”
“I’ll do what I want with Tevin, he’s a tiny little child and I’m not afraid of him,” said Carroll. “When we meet, if he’s respectful of me, I’ll be respectful back as that’s how I’ve been brought up – but if comes talking rubbish then I’ll put him in his place.
“I see a fakeness in him when I see him interviewed, I see a fake person. My thoughts on him are that he wants to be liked, but he’s not. I reckon he’s arrogant, that’s the man I think he is and I know he’s that sort of flashy person saying stupid things on Twitter.
“Tevin is a man that wants to be liked but he plays like he’s Floyd Mayweather, but he’s not half as good as him. He has serious holes in his armory, and I am going to poke every single one of them, I’ll break him up and stop him.
“He’s never met a man like me in his life. He came from a rough background yes, but so did I. We’re both from crazy places but we’re in the limelight now, so we have to be grown-up and responsible as we’re going to have cameras around us.”
Irish sensation Katie Taylor can take a giant step towards her goal of becoming the undisputed World Lightweight champion when she aims to unify her WBA and IBF titles against WBO ruler Rose Volante.
Taylor (12-0 5KOs) added the IBF strap to her WBA title in April against Victoria Bustos in Brooklyn, New York, and has since defended the titles three times, stopping Kimberly Connor in three rounds in London in July before shutouts against Cindy Serrano in Boston in October and ending a stunning 2018 by beating Eva Wahlstrom in New York in December.
Volante (14-0 8KOs) has defended her WBO crown twice since winning the vacant title in December 2017 and the Argentine won both her defenses in Brazil 2018 by the halfway point, with Lourdes Borbua retiring after five rounds in April and Yolis Marrugo Franco stopped in three in September.
The champions put titles and unbeaten records on the line in Philadelphia, and the winner will target Belgian WBC ruler Delfine Persoon for all the belts later in the year.
“Ever since I won my first World title as a pro my goal has been to unify the Lightweight titles so this is obviously a massive step towards that,” said Taylor. “Volante is unbeaten so I’m expecting a tough fight but that’s exactly the kind of challenge I want. I think the better the opponent and the bigger the challenge the better I will perform.
“It’s a great card to be on especially with so many Irish fighters on the bill on St. Patrick’s weekend in Philadelphia so I’m sure it will be a special occasion.
“For now my focus is on Volante but of course after that fight I would love to have all the belts as soon as possible. Hopefully the Persoon fight can finally be made for the summer and then there are some other huge fights out there as well for the rest of the year.”
A stacked card in support of the two World title blockbusters is led by a crunch Middleweight clash between Philadelphia’s Gabriel Rosado and Pole Maciej Sulecki and an all-Philadelphia Lightweight clash between Hank Lundy and Avery Sparrow.
Rosado (24-11-1 14KOs) is back in action after a controversial all-action fight in Kansas with Luis Arias in November, the former World title challenger drawing with the Milwaukee man. The 33 year old will be desperate to get his name back into contention for major honors with the 160lbs division red hot right now, but Sulecki (27-1 11KOs) will have the same designs on those title shots having bounced back from a loss against Daniel Jacobs in April with a second round KO win in Poland in November.
“I’m excited to start the year back home in Philly,” said Rosado. “This is the second half of my career and the goal is to win a World title. It’s only right that it starts here in Philly.”
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Arias on Jacobs’ fight: ‘I was able to get out of that fight against a 190-pound guy with just a scratch’
Middleweight contender Luis Arias is back in action on Saturday when he battles Gabe Rosado at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, KS, live on DAZN.
Arias is back in action for the first time since losing out on points to Daniel Jacobs in New York last November, citing a huge blister as the cause of him having to adopt a defensive approach against the now-IBF World champion who handed him a first career loss in his 19th fight.
“That’s his(Rosado) only stab at me to say that I ran like a bit** against Jacobs,” said Arias. “But I didn’t get KO’d. He’s had two feet against plenty of guys and got KO’d, beaten up badly. I had a little scratch on my face after the Jacobs fight.
“I was physically and mentally ready for the fight and I believed I would win. I made a rookie mistake with my footwear and I learned a lesson the hard way.
“The fact that I was able to get out of that fight against a 190-pound guy with just a scratch, it shows I can compete with the best and it’s time to get my things in order and really prove that I can hang with all the top guys.”
Arias believes the fight against Jacobs has helped him grow as a fighter, which he believes will benefit him against Rosado.
“I left a sour taste in the mouths of the fans in the Jacobs fight but I am a better and more mature fighter now, I’ve learned from it and I think that this is the fight that changes my career,” Arias said. “I’m a warrior, he’s a warrior – it’s going to be bloody but the blood is not going to be mine.
“He’s got a lot of miles on the clock but he’s durable. If I’d had this fight before the Jacobs fight then I would have been readier for that stage, but it didn’t work out that way. I get a fresh chance and a do-over now, and I’m going to do this right this time.”
Arias’ clash with Rosado is part of a huge night of action in Kansas in association with KO Night Boxing with a host of stars and local talents in action.
Brooklyn’s Heavyweight star Jarrell Miller meets fellow unbeaten big-hitter Bogdan Dinu in a crunch clash at the top level of the division, while chief-support provided by the brilliant two-weight World ruler Claressa Shields who looks to add the WBC Middleweight strap to her WBA and IBF crowns against tough Scottish challenger Hannah Rankin.
There’s an all-Mexican clash and a homecoming for Brandon Rios against Ramon Alvarez, brother of ‘Canelo’’, as both men look to make a splash at Welterweight.