Heavyweight prospect Efe Ajagba, a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, is due to face an opponent to be determined in the PBC on Fox co-featue on March 7, a source with knowledge of the plans told ESPN. The card, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. N.Y., is due to be headlined by Brooklyn-based Polish heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki against Robert Helenius.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Super middleweight Steve Rolls, coming off a third-round KO loss to Gennadiy Golovkin June 8, returns to top promoter Lou DiBella's first "Broadway Boxing" card in Canada on Jan. 28 (UFC Fight Pass) at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. Toronto's Rolls (19-1, 10 KOs), 35, will face Shady Gamhour (12-0, 9 KOs), 29, of Pensacola, Florida, in a 10-rounder for two vacant regional belts. "Hot Rod" Radivoje Kalajdzic (24-2, 17 KOs), 28, of St. Petersburg, Florida, is on the undercard in his first fight since getting stopped in five rounds challenging light heavyweight titlist Artur Beterbiev in May. He meets Mexico's Juan Carlos Raygosa (15-16-3, 6 KOs), 29, in an eight-round cruiserweight bout.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

When Chinese promoter Longjoy Sports recently defaulted on its $1.9 million purse bid that won promotional rights to the fight between light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and Meng Fanlong, it put up a non-fundable $190,000, as required by the IBF. Then it defaulted by failing to make another payment for $190,000 five days later. The fight rights fell to the other bidder, Top Rank, which offered $1.315 million and plans to stage the bout March 28 on ESPN. But what of the $190,000 in the IBF's hands from Longjoy? Per IBF rules, that money goes to the fighters. Beterbiev gets 75% ($142,500) and Meng gets 25% ($47,500).

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Former junior featherweight titlist Scott Quigg and former junior lightweight title challenger Jono Carroll will square off in an England vs. Ireland showdown March 7 (DAZN) at Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, Matchroom Boxing announced Friday. Quigg (35-2-2, 26 KOs) will be fighting for the first time since October 2018, a layoff caused by an arm injury. Carroll (17-1-1, 3 KOs) lost a decision challenging world titlist Tevin Farmer last March but rebounded for a win in August.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr., 21, the undefeated 2019 prospect of the year, who is coming off a fifth-round destruction of Brad Solomon on Dec. 13, will make his 2020 debut in March, Golden Boy president Eric Gomez told ESPN. “We’re trying to nail down the date. DAZN threw a couple of dates at us and we’re trying to see what works,” said Gomez, adding that Ortiz could fight as many as four times this year.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago

A Premier Boxing Champions fight multiple sources have told me is in the discussion stage is a junior welterweight match between former lightweight world titlist Robert Easter Jr. and former junior welterweight world titlist Chris Algieri. Easter moved up to 140 pound for his most recent fight and outpointed Adrian Granados in October. Algieri has won three fights in a row since losing to Errol Spence Jr. at welterweight in 2016 and taking off 2½ years.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer3d ago

Promoters Lou DiBella and Dino Duva are in talks to make a spring fight between former junior welterweight world titleholders Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker, both of whom lost their belts in all-action unification bouts, Hooker to Jose Ramirez, and Prograis to Josh Taylor in the World Boxing Super Series final. DiBella, who represents Prograis, told ESPN that he and Hooker co-promoter Duva have talked to Eddie Hearn, Hooker's co-promoter, and DAZN about the fight and said "they like it. What boxing fan wouldn't love that fight? Anyone who knows boxing knows it's a can't-miss fight."

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago

Middleweight contender Matt Korobov, who has a torn left rotator cuff, has opted for rehabilitation over surgery after getting three medical opinions over the past month, adviser Mike Borao told ESPN. Korobov suffered the tear in the second round of an interim title fight vs. Chris Eubank Jr. on Dec. 7 and couldn't continue. Borao said the first doctor recommended arthroscopic surgery that would require 12 weeks of healing followed by five months of therapy. The second recommenced no surgery but four weeks of passive therapy then three months of aggressive rehab. The third doctor also said rehab was the way to go and that because of the location of the tear it would heal well but Korobov would still be out at least four months. Borao said Korobov can begin rehab in about two weeks.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago

Tim VanNewhouse of Split-T Management has signed Plainfield, New Jersey's Kahshad Elliott, 19, a standout amateur, who recently competed at 165 pounds in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials but plans to fight at 154 pounds as a pro. Boxing since he was 6, Elliott, who switches between righty and left stances, won a variety of national tournaments. His pro debut has not been set and he has not signed with a promoter. He owns two wins over top prospect Diego Pacheco, who is also with Split-T Management.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer5d ago