Boxing News Roundup (June 27, 2019): Pacquiao-Thurman, Commey-Beltran, Amir Khan, more

Miss anything the past couple days? Catch up!

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Keith Thurman is stressing that there will be “no excuses” for his July 20 fight with Manny Pacquiao, and trainer Dan Birmingham is confident of not just a victory, but an impressive one.

Canelo Alvarez has been named something the WBC is calling the “franchise champion” at 160. This shit is just completely moronic. A Canelo fight with Callum Smith is possibly on the table for December, but not September.

Neeraj Goyat, who was to face Amir Khan on July 12 in Saudi Arabia for some horseshit the WBC is calling the “pearl title,” is out of the fight after a car accident. Real bummer. Billy Dib stepping in! Real bummer.

It looks like Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Luke Campbell is set for Aug. 31 in the United Kingdom. That was expected, but there was some recent question about it possibly going to purse bid.

We took a look at Friday’s Richard Commey vs Ray Beltran main event on ESPN.

Quick Hits

• Tuesday’s rankings update saw some movement at 108 thanks to Elwin Soto’s upset of Angel Acosta.
• Lewis Watson looked at trainer Ben Davison, the young coach who’s had real success already with Tyson Fury and Billy Joe Saunders.
• Juan Francisco Estrada will return Aug. 24 in Mexico for a super flyweight title defense, with heavyweight prospect Filip Hrgovic on the undercard.
• Speaking of super flyweight titles, WBA titleholder Kal Yafai returns Saturday in Providence, and with a win is hoping to land a big fight.
• Speaking of the Providence show, middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade is looking to shine at home.
• Rising star Vergil Ortiz Jr will face Antonio Orozco on Aug. 10 in a DAZN fight in Texas.
• With Brian Castano vacating the WBA “world” 154-pound title, Michel Soro will now face Magomed Kurbanov for the belt on July 20 in France. The winner will be expected to face Erislandy Lara next.
• Carl Frampton and Jessie Magdaleno will fight on Aug. 10 in Philadelphia, though not against each other.
• With Hairon Socarras out, Shakur Stevenson will now face Franklin Manzailla on July 13. It’s about as good a fight, which is to say it’s not good.
• Young 140-pound prospect Omar Juarez returns to Texas on Saturday, part of the Charlo-Adams card.