By: William Holmes
The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of October 14th to October 21st, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.
Amir Khan Set to Face Devon Alexander, Thurman and Andrade on Same Card
It has just been announced that Amir Khan will take on Devon Alexander in a welterweight bout at the Mandalay Bay Centre on December 13th. A potential matchup between the two was discussed last year, but Khan passed on the fight with hopes of landing a bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr. That bout obviously never materialized.
Undefeated welterweight Keith Thurman is also rumored to be on the card, as well as WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Demetrius Andrade. Andrade will defend his belt against undefeated Jermell Charlo. Thurman’s most likely opponent looks to be Leonard Bundu of Italy.
Bradley vs. Chaves and Herrera vs. Benavidez Tickets to Go on Sale
The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas Nevada will host an HBO World Championship Boxing Card on Saturday, December 13th at 10:00 p.m. EST/PST. The main event will be the return of Timothy Bradley Jr. as he takes on Diego Chaves in a welterweight bout. The main supporting fight will be a WBA Interim Super Lightweight World Title Bout between Mauricio Herrera and undefeated contender Jose Benavidez Jr.
This card is co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank and tickets will go on sale on Friday, October 24th at 10:00 a.m. PDT.
“I’m excited to get back into the ring and showcase myself,” Bradley told ESPN.com. “Chaves is not that well known but the boxing fans know him. The boxing fans know that this guy can fight and that it won’t be a walk in the park for me. I think it’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait.”
Undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas to Face Jose Medina
Undefeated middleweight prospect Antoine Douglas (14-0-1) will take on the tough veteran Jose Medina (18-15-1) in an eight round bout at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Somerset, NJ. Douglas is coming off of a majority draw against former world title challenger Michel Soro on July 25th.
“Medina is an experienced guy,” Douglas states.
“He had his fair share of fights and he definitely comes to fight.” He went on to state, “After this, I expect more televisions fights, more air time and I will continue to move forward.”
Douglas was recently in camp with sparring with former IBF Middleweight Champion Sam Soliman, which he described as “a great experience.”
“He is a cool guy and great to work with,” said Douglas. It doesn’t get better then to spar with a world champion.”
Goossen Promotions Revives “Live at the Lodge” to Honor Dan Goossen
World Class Professional Boxing will return to the legendary Sportsmen’s Lodge in honor of Dan Goossen on Thursday, November 20th. Advance tickets can be obtained by contacted the Goossen Promotions’ Office at 818-817-8001.
Craig Goossen, son of Dan, stated, “My Dad was the ultimate San Fernando Valley guy and the continuation of this series is the perfect way to honor his devotion to the sport and passion for the Valley. Live at the Lodge will be a key ingredient to his legacy.”
Tom Brown, Dan’s brother in law and longtime matchmaker said, “Dan loved promoting high quality shows in his hometown. He’s been a staple in Southern California boxing community going all the way back to the Reseda Country Club, where his first made his mark, up to major championship bouts at Staples Center.”
Lydell “Hackman” Rhodes (22-0) will headline the card. World ranked welterweight Wale Omotoso (24-1) will also be fighting on the card.
Greg Cohen Boxing Announces Long Island Boxing Event for November 13th
On Thursday, November 13th, 2014 at 7:00 pm, Greg Cohen Promotions will present a night of boxing at The Space in Westbury, New York.
The event will feature Plainview, New York’s Tommy “The Razor” Rainone (21-5-1) in a ten-round bout for the WBC Fecarbox Welterweight Championship. The undercard will feature Ireland’s Hurricane Dennis Hogan (19-0-1), WBO World Female Lightweight Champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (21-1-1), and undefeated heavyweight Jarrell Miller (9-0-1).
More information can be found at thespacewestbury.com.
32nd Annual Battle of the Badges Announced for November 22nd
The FDNY Bravest Boxing team will take on the NYPD Fighting Finest Boxing team at The Battle of the Badges at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 22nd, at 8:00 p.m. The night will feature 12 three-round matches between FDNY members and NYPD members with New York City bragging rights on the line. The 32-year battle is tied up, with fifteen victories for each team and one draw.
Proceeds from the event will assist a returning veteran who suffered debilitating injuries in combat. This year, the team will raise money for United States Army Corporal Jesse Murphee. He lost both his legs above the knee and suffered a traumatic brain injury when his Humvee was blown up by an anti-tank mine in Afghanistan in 2007. Funds raised will support the construction of a new, mortgage-free, handicap-accessible home for Corporal Murphee and his family.
Tickets will be available online at www.TheGarden.com
Pat Lynch Signs Welterweight Clarence Booth
Former Boxing Manager of the Year Pat Lynch has announced the signing of welterweight prospect Clarence Booth to an exclusive managerial contract. Lynch was the former manager of Hall of Famer Arturo Gatti, and currently manages junior middleweight Glen Tapia as well as undefeated junior welterweight prospect Julian Rodriguez.
“I am extremely happy to have signed Clarence. I have been very impressed from what I have seen of him and I look forward to working with him as I see he has a very bright future,” said Lynch.
Booth has a record of 8-1 with five knockouts. Booth stumbled upon boxing by accident but deep down he knew that this could be his calling.
“I was just trying to find myself and I knew I was gifted at street fighting. I got in some trouble and would up in a detention center where one of the people who worked there was female boxing champion Laura Ramsey. I went to her gym and the rest is history.”
Ronald Cruz and Amir Mansour Announced for November 8th
On November 8th, Amir Mansour and Ronald Cruz will return to action on November 8th at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The event will be co-promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing, and Bam Promotions. Amir Mansour is scheduled to take on Fred Kassi in a heavyweight bout. Ronald Cruz will take on Dmitry Mikhaylenko in a welterweight bout. The undercard will feature Arturo Trujillo, Anthony Caramanno, Vasily Lepikhin, and Sultahn Station.
Tickets will be available online at peltzboxing.com and ticketmaster.com.
