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Catch up on anything you missed on Thursday!
Top Stories
Canelo Alvarez is reportedly focused on a fight with Sergey Kovalev on Sept. 14. There’s a lot potentially in the way there — Kovalev has a WBO mandatory defense against Anthony Yarde due, and he’s an ESPN/Top Rank fighter — but those are things that can be stepped around with the right money spent. Don’t count it out, is all I’m saying.
Ray Beltran missed weight for Friday night’s ESPN main event, and cannot win the IBF lightweight title even if he beats Richard Commey. It’s not surprising. Beltran is 38 and had moved up in weight already, intending to stay at 140, but got an offer he couldn’t turn down. The staff made their picks for Commey-Beltran, too.
Quick Hits
- Keith Thurman is looking to stand his ground with Manny Pacquiao next month.
- Sadly, the WBC does not recognize Amir Khan vs Billy Dib as the tremendous and great fight that Amir Khan vs Neeraj Goyat would have been, so the “pearl title” is not at stake.
- Jermall Charlo and Brandon Adams are set for Saturday’s Showtime fight. Well, they have to make weight, but you know.
- Caleb Plant isn’t intent on letting Mike Lee go the distance when they meet on July 20.
- Vladimir Nikitin is injured and out of his Aug. 3 fight in Belfast with Michael Conlan.
- Prospect Saul “Neno” Rodriguez spoke about staying busy and trying to work his way up in the sport.
- Brandon Figueroa will return Aug. 24 against Javier Chacon in an FS1 main event.
- Joseph Parker is back on the hunt for a world title, and says he wasn’t surprised that Andy Ruiz Jr beat Anthony Joshua.