Frank “The Ghost” Martin Wants To Scare Michel Rivera And The 135-pound Division Into Submission
“The Ghost” won the 2016 Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions at 141 pounds, flooring Vergil Ortiz in their title bout. “I just dropped him one time in the fight,” said Martin of Ortiz, who is currently 19-0 (19 KOs) as a professional welterweight. Unbeaten 135-pound southpaw contender Frank Martin (center) shares trainer Derrick James (left) with undefeated southpaw IBF/WBA/WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence. He’s in a 135-pound clash with Dominican Republican Michel Rivera (24-0, 14 KOs) on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Unbeaten 135-pound contender Frank Martin (left) scored July’s two-knockdown, 10th-round TKO of Jackson Marinez (right) and pursues his third straight stoppage victory in Saturday’s 135-pound clash with undefeated Michel Rivera.
thewestsidegazette.comSpence adds 3rd title belt with TKO over WBA champ Ugás
Errol Spence Jr. became a three-belt welterweight champion by defending his WBC and IBF titles in a unification bout in front of a home crowd when his bout against Yordenis Ugás was stopped in the 10th round because of the WBA champ’s right eye that was almost completely swollen shut.
Boxer Yordenis Ugas Aims To Take Down Another Southpaw
By Lem SatterfieldYordenis Ugas wants to add Errol Spence to his impressive list of vanquished southpaw champions. In August, Ugas retired left-handed eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision in Las Vegas, improving his professional record against southpaws to 6-1 (3 KOs). Now Ugas is ready for Spence, who returns for the first time since vanquishing two-division champion Danny Garcia (December 2020) by unanimous decision. Ugas accepted the Pacquiao fight on 11 days’ notice, replacing Spence after the latter suffered a torn retina in his right eye which required surgery to repair. Ugas was 11-0 (5 KOs) before suffering his first loss by eight-round unanimous decision to then-undefeated Johnny Garcia in March 2012.
thewestsidegazette.comTogether Again: Derrick James Will Be In Errol Spence’s Corner For Title Bout
Trainer Derrick James (right) “is a big brother” and “a teacher,” said Errol Spence (left), who will defend his IBF and WBC titles against WBA counterpart Yordenis Ugas on April 16. “Back in 2020, Errol was coming off a car accident, and I was going through that pulled hernia tear even through the Jermell Charlo camp. “Errol performed a miracle, but there was never a point where I doubted him,” James said. Derrick James overcame a hernia while training Jermell Charlo (left) to retain his WBC junior middleweight title and dethrone hard-punching IBF/WBA titleholder Jeison Rosario (right) via a three-knockdown, sixth-round stoppage in September 2020. In the end, I see both Jermell and Errol winning impressively because I’m ready to help Errol Spence and Jermell Charlo to get ready for the performance of their lives.”Edited by Matthew B.
thewestsidegazette.comShawn Porter: I Do Feel That I’m The No. 1 Welterweight In The World
Shawn Porter just might be the last man standing in the welterweight division. “The best thing about me is I’m constantly fighting and beating the top guys in the division,” said Porter, 33. “My mindset is to stay healthy, continue getting into the ring with the best guys in the world and putting on the best performances. 1 guy,” said two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter (left), who earned a split-decision victory over current WBA champion Yordenis Ugas in 2019. Pacquiao lost last month’s unanimous decision to Ugas, a late replacement for Spence, who suffered an eye injury.
thewestsidegazette.comSpence beats Garcia, keeps titles in 1st fight since crash
Errol Spence Jr., poses by trainer Derrick James after defeating Danny Garcia for the WBC IBF welterweight championships in a boxing bout in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)ARLINGTON, Texas – Errol Spence Jr. skipped a tune-up in his first fight since a car crash that almost derailed his promising career. Garcia tried to surge late, landing a right near the end of the 11th round that sent Spence looking for his corner just as the bell sounded with Garcia closing in for more. Spence pinned Garcia on the ropes with a series of blows before Garcia escaped and steadied himself before the end of the round. Spence landed 187 punches, or 26%, to 117 and 17% for Garcia, and had a huge edge on jabs.
Crawford returns to ring in title defense against Brook
What Crawford is still waiting on is the one signature fight that will put an end to all those arguments. Crawford won’t get that Saturday night when he defends his piece of the welterweight title against England’s Kell Brooks. “I’m optimistic that if Terence wins, we can put the fight on and if Terrence doesn’t win and Kell Brook wins, maybe I’ll make Kell Brook with Manny,’’ Arum said. Crawford is a huge favorite in Las Vegas sports books to beat Brook, who is coming down from his recent weight of 154 pounds to challenge Crawford. ``I think Terence knows I’m not an easy fight,’’ Brook said.