This Week In Boxing: January 23-25
Thursday January 23, 2020
From Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California
Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
TV: DAZN/Facebook Watch on the Golden Boy Fight Night page
Jason Quigley 17–1 (13 KOs) vs. Oscar Cortes 16–4–3 (12 KOs)
10 rounds
middleweight division
Quigley hoped to rally the Irish fan-base behind him. A shocking defeat to Tureano Johnson halted his momentum. Jason’s gone back to his roots and enlisted compatriot Andy Lee to train him. Here’s a chance for Quigley to show people he’s still one to watch.
Ferdinand Kerobyan 13–1 (8 KOs) vs. Azael Cosio 21–8–2 (18 KOs)
8 rounds
junior middleweight division
In the opening seconds of Kerobyan’s sole loss, he suffered a cut from an accidental head-butt. It later required 16 stitches. At just 22, he’ll be facing a more experienced opponent in hopes of proving that he’s better than that fateful night showed.
Mihai Nistor 1–0 (1 KO) vs. Jaime Solorio 12–3–2 (9 KOs)
8 rounds
heavyweight division
It has been many years since Nistor knocked out Anthony Joshua. But an accredited amateur (138–19 record) selling himself on that may sneak his way into a fight with someone credible. But for an amateur to be transitioning so close to his 30’s, is he destined to disappoint? The uncertainty will make Nistor’s next few bouts interesting.
Gregory Morales 10–0 (6 KOs) vs. Juan Kantun 21–9–3 (15 KOs)
6 rounds
junior featherweight division
At 19 years old, Goyo Morales is already ranked 45 out of 1,221 registered super bantamweights. Here’s his chance to show whether or not that’s deserved against a guy who beat Cesar Juarez a few years back.
Saturday January 25, 2020
From Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Caleb Truax 30–4–2 (19 KOs) vs David Basajjamivule 16–4–1 (11 KOs)
10 rounds
super middleweight division
Caleb Truax has been on the shelf for nearly a year. The last time we saw Truax in the ring he had his head split open after a nasty head clash with Peter Quillin. A rematch was scheduled for August, but that ultimately fell through after Truax tore his achilles.
Truax has continued to be a name discussed for some of the names at 168 in the PBC stable. Alfredo Angulo remains an intriguing matchup, but before we start fantasy booking Truax’s next fight one question needs to be answered. Is he still going to be able to compete at the highest level?
A torn achilles is no joke and if Truax can’t pivot or move laterally, he’s going to be a sitting duck for most of the guys PBC might throw at him.
This fight won’t be televised, but a win for Truax will put him in position to have his next fight televised and quite possibly main event an FS1 card.
From Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Main Card: 6:00 PM PT, 9:00 PM ET, 2:00 AM GMT
TV: Showtime (US), BoxNation (UK)
Danny Garcia 35–2 (21 KOs) vs Ivan Redkach 23–4–1 (18 KOs)
12 rounds
welterweight division
He’s been counted out many times before, but Danny Garcia’s on the cusp of a hall-of-fame worthy career. He’s looked uninspiring at times against the likes of Herrera and Guerrero before coming up clutch in most of his biggest tests. A pay-per-view showdown with Manny Pacquiao or Errol Spence Jr looms.
Now he’s going against career journeyman Ivan Redkach. But the Ukrainian southpaw believes something has changed. A welterweight move and a turn to Shane Mosley as a coach. He claimed his former trainer (Leo Santa Cruz’s father) didn’t ever have the time to devote to him that Mosley has. Redkach was brought in as a huge underdog to former unified 2-division champion Devon Alexander, but shockingly pulled out a KO.
But with Shane Mosley injured, Redkach will now rely on Jack Mosley (Shane’s father and coach) to finish what he started and catch another unsuspecting guy with his eyes set on future mega-fights. While Danny Garcia prepares for the type of viral highlight reel knockout that can add to his value in negotiations.
Jarrett Hurd 23–1 (16 KOs) vs Francisco Santana 25–7–1 (12 KOs)
10 rounds
super welterweight division
There’s a lot of unseen intrigue here at first glance. Jarrett Hurd’s openly said he’s here to improve and if he’s serious, we should see something new here. There are questions over whether Hurd’s no longer being able to safely make 154. And Santana actually stained the perfect record of the man who took Hurd’s. He believes this is his moment to break through.
And in a division of guys fulfilling comeback stories, it’s ironic how many have already dismissed Hurd’s. He believes his loss can fuel his growth just as it did to his rivals.
Everyone has a loss and having one loss is like being undefeated, so it’s still an even playing field. You can’t say who’s #1 until we face each other and see who is the last man standing.
⭐️FIGHT OF THE WEEK⭐️ Stephen Fulton 17–0 (8 KOs) vs Arnold Khegai 16–0–1 (10 KOs)
12 rounds
super bantamweight division
Someone’s 0 has got to go and to the winner goes a WBO title shot at Emanuel Navarrete (who has been seen by many as a beatable champion). Fulton’s skill and movement serve a perfect foil to Khegai’s pressure and inside work. This is the exact kind of fight sportswriters always say we need more of, but its been criminally under-covered.
This will be Fulton’s 7th bout against an undefeated fighter. He believes his experience as a sparring partner to Carl Frampton will pay off here as he continues aiming to put some respect on the name of his IBO belt. Fulton grew up in the violence and poverty surrounding the “Bottom” of Philadelphia and he took boxing as his way out. After all that he’s gone through, he believes he’s ready for anything.
The Korean-American Khegai also had to learn to be tough growing up without a father (who died in a car crash while Arnold was just 3). Boxing was his own way out of a life of destitution and gang violence. To support his family and protect himself. He’s come overseas to chase the American dream. Quit Muay Thai for boxing. He’s proud of being able to take one to give one and the explosiveness he brings to the ring. He idolizes Mike Tyson. Coming off a dominant win over an accredited Russian amateur, Khegai feels ready for this moment.
Follow me, and I hope in a short time, I will be the world champion, I want to win the American public!
