"When [former featherweight champion] Heather Hardy retired, it was not because she wished to rest on her laurels, nor, for that matter, because she wanted to retire at all. In early 2024, she was training for a bare-knuckle boxing bout when she suddenly lost her vision. When it didn’t return for several days, she saw an ophthalmologist, who informed her that the problem was not just with her eyes, it was with her brain. She then dropped out of the fight, she announced, because she 'had too much brain damage.' Media outlets reported her permanent retirement shortly after that. Today, Heather lives with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and frontal lobe damage. She has daily seizures, convulsions, and muscle spasms. Her vision is impaired, she cannot sleep, she cannot read maps, and she frequently cannot distinguish right from left. She suffers from debilitating anxiety, for which she takes medication. She is 43. Heather supports herself at a subsistence level by coaching other boxers—at least for a couple of hours a day, before her brain damage symptoms become incapacitating—at the very Brooklyn gym that was her own professional haven for many years. Yet, in perhaps the cruelest development among many, and despite being a former world champion boxer, she cannot afford the kind of private health insurance that would give her even a minimally appropriate level of treatment. Instead, she relies on Medicaid for whatever minimal treatment it provides for her physical, neurological, and psychological symptoms."

Gabe Rosado W8 Vaughn Alexander... In Swift Promotions' undercard action from Brooklyn, New York, popular “King” Gabriel Rosado (28-17-1, 16 KOs) took home a unanimous decision triumph over fellow veteran Vaughn Alexander (19-17-2, 12 KOs) by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice after eight rounds of super middleweight action. Rosado, a 39 year-old warrior from Philadelphia, has now won two straight after a two-year hiatus.

In Swift Promotions' undercard action from Brooklyn, New York, popular “King” Gabriel Rosado (28-17-1, 16 KOs) took home a unanimous decision triumph over fellow veteran Vaughn Alexander (19-17-2, 12 KOs) by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice after eight rounds of super middleweight action. Rosado, a 39 year-old warrior from Philadelphia, has now won two straight after a two-year hiatus.

Damian Knyba TKO7 Joey Dawejko... Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba (17-0, 11 KOs) showed his mettle with a seventh-round TKO of Joey Dawejko (28-14-4, 16 KOs) in Brooklyn, New York last night. Fighting on the Danny Garcia undercard, Knyba closed the fight 2:25 into the round. Fighting behind his jab through most of the action, Knyba broke through with a series of power shots that hurt Dawejko, before eventually forcing his opponent to the mat with a blistering left hook that ended the bout.

Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza (pictured) will defend his WBO featherweight title against Arnold Khegai on Saturday, Nov. 15th, at Arena Potosí in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The Guadalajara native will risk his crown on Mexican soil for the first time, while Khegai receives his long-awaited shot at a world title. The twelve-round junior welterweight co-feature, an all-Mexican affair, sees the undefeated Lindolfo Delgado battle Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela in an IBF eliminator. The undercard will showcase U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. in a ten-round heavyweight contest against Czech veteran Tomas Salek (23-7), while junior welterweight Emiliano Fernando Vargas competes in his first scheduled ten-rounder versus Jonathan Montrel. Seventeen year-old junior lightweight Julian “El Natural” Montalvo (4-0, 3 KOs), who hails from Las Vegas, aims for his third triumph of the year in a six-rounder.

“Rafael Espinoza is a unique talent, a 6-foot-1 featherweight with devastating knockout power in either hand. He is a dominant force, but I expect Arnold Khegai to be a formidable test,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “San Luis Potosí is a great fight town, and I’m thrilled that the Mexican fans will have an opportunity to see several future world champions in action on the undercard.”

Espinoza (27-0, 23 KOs) captured the WBO featherweight title in December 2023 with a majority decision over two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez. In what an upset at the time,  Espinoza rose from the canvas in the fifth before returning the favor in the climactic twelfth stanza to clinch the decision. Since then, he has made three defenses, stopping Sergio Chirino in four rounds in June 2024, halting Ramirez in six in their rematch that December, and battering Edward Vazquez in May in Las Vegas.

Espinoza said, “I’m happy and anxious to get back into the ring because it will be in my country, with my people. I want to display new tools from my arsenal. I know Arnold Khegai is strong, but that’s motivating me to keep demonstrating that I am ready for big things. I can’t wait for the support from the Mexican fans.”

Khegai (23-2-1, 14 KOs), who is of Korean descent, took up combat sports in his teens to help support his family. A two-time world champion in Thai boxing and a Ukrainian national amateur champion, he turned professional in 2015 before making his debut stateside in 2018 with a decision victory over Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez. Khegai is 7-1 since moving up to featherweight, with his only blemish coming via split decision to division mainstay Joet Gonzalez in March. Khegai returned to winning ways with an eight-round decision over Liborio Solis in September.

“When my team mentioned Rafael Espinoza as an opponent, I told them to do whatever it takes to make the fight,” Khegai said. “I’ve had a long journey in boxing, and this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I am coming to Mexico to ruin his homecoming.”

Delgado (23-0, 16 KOs) emerged as a contender in August 2022 with a unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Mexican Omar Aguilar. He has since turned back several other of his countrymen, a run that includes a knockout of Luis Hernandez and a seventh-round stoppage of Carlos Sanchez. Delgado earned this title eliminator opportunity in April against Elvis Rodriguez, sweeping the tenth and final round on all three judges’ cards to win a majority decision.

Valenzuela (31-4-1, 17 KOs) is a 30-year old from Guadalajara who broke onto the scene in 2021 by edging British veteran Robbie Davies Jr. in London. He followed up with two stoppage wins on home soil before making his second international trip, dropping a decision to then-unbeaten Montana Love in Las Vegas in May 2022. He returned the following February and blitzed Yves Ulysse Jr. in one round and compiled four more wins before March’s stoppage loss to former champion Subriel Matias. Valenzuela bounced back with a decision over Manuel Medina Barrera in May.

Torrez (13-0, 11 KOs) turned pro in March 2022 and has surged through the ranks with a high-pressure southpaw style. He handed Brandon Moore his first pro loss via fifth-round stoppage in May 2024, won by disqualification against Joey Dawejko that September, and ended the year with a third-round TKO over Issac Muñoz. Torrez made his headlining debut in Las Vegas in April, vanquishing Italian Olympian Guido Vianello by unanimous decision.

Salek (23-7, 14 KOs) is an eight-year pro coming off a second-round TKO over countryman Daniel Kubelka in June.

Vargas (15-0, 13 KOs), the streaking second-generation phenom, is the youngest son of former world champion Fernando Vargas. The 21-year-old turned pro in 2022 and went 4-0 with three knockouts in 2024. This year, he’s looked even sharper, stopping every opponent within two rounds: Giovannie Gonzalez in March, Juan Leon in May, and Alexander Espinoza in 42 seconds of round one in his New York City debut in July.

New Orleans native Montrel (19-3, 13 KOs) has won four consecutive bouts since a pair of 2023 decision defeats.

Brazilian MMA legend Anderson “The Spider” Silva (3-2 with 2 KOs in boxing, 34-11 with 22 KOs in MMA), will return to combat sports on November 14th to face his biggest foe, American MMA veteran and former champion Chris “The All-American” Weidman (pro debut in boxing, 16-8 with 6 KOs in MMA) in a six-round heavyweight fight contested at 205 pounds. The fight will be part of the big Netflix broadcast headlined by an exhibition fight between Jake Paul and Gervonta "Tank" Davis in Miami. Silva and Weidman fought twice in MMA in 2013, with Weidman winning both bouts. Their first fight at UFC 162 ended with Weidman knocking out Silva to win the UFC middleweight championship. Their second fight at UFC 168 ended when Silva suffered a severe leg break from a checked kick from Weidman, resulting in a TKO victory for Weidman. 

Former two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia held a media workout at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday ahead of his show this Saturday, October 18th at Barclays Center as he takes on Queen-native Danny “El Gallo” Gonzalez in the main event of Swift Promotions' big show. The media workout also featured a slew of undercard fighters including undefeated Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba, who takes on Joey Dawejko in an eight-round matchup, Brooklyn’s own Chris “Primetime” Colbert, who faces Blas Ezequiel Caro in an eight-round attraction, and Philly action fighter Gabriel Rosado, who takes on veteran Vaughn Alexander in a super middleweight bout. The workout also featured Brooklyn’s Cristian Cangelosi, who faces Victoriano Antonio Santillan. Tickets for the live event are available through Ticketmaster.com. The show will be available on a pay-per-view basis exclusively through Millions.co beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with twelve scheduled attractions featured with purchase of the event. Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from world famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn:

DANNY GARCIA

“Camp has been great. I feel ready. There were no shortcuts. I treated this like a world title fight. I’ve done everything right.

“I got here because of everything I went through as a kid. I came from nothing and that’s why I have the grit that I’ve shown in fight after fight.

“I just want to be remembered as someone who fought everyone and never backed down.

“Danny Gonzalez is someone who’s been under the radar and deserves a shot. Some guys never get the opportunity and I thought he earned it.

“It makes me really happy to give young guys opportunities like this. To a lot of guys fighting at Barclays Center is a dream come true. That means everything to me.”

DANNY GONZALEZ

“I’m just excited to go. I’m calm. On Saturday the talking is done. We’re going in there to hurt each other, and I’m gonna hurt him.

“I don’t think it matters what his mentality is. When he loses, he’s gonna realize it’s time to spend time with his family.

“This is everything. This proves that hard work and consistency pays off. I’ve been grinding for 20 years and now I’m here on the big stage.

“I’m in phenomenal shape for this. He’s gonna be shocked with what he’s in there with. Speed, strength, size, power, it’s gonna be everything.

“I know what I can do and I know that I can beat him.”

DAMIAN KNYBA

“I’m really excited to be fighting in front of the Polish fans at Barclays Center. There have been a lot of great heavyweights like Adam Kownacki who have fought there and I look forward to keeping that tradition going.

“I’m extremely motivated. I’ve fought in big arenas before, so this is nothing new to me. I’m coming in here mentally strong and ready to do what I have to do.

“I’m very motivated to show everyone that I’m the best. The Polish fans mean the world to me. I want to be at my best and make my country proud.”

CHRIS COLBERT

“I’m feeling great. I’m blessed to be here on the big stage again and on Saturday night I just have to do what I do best.

“I’m gonna go back down to super featherweight to get back to the top. I’m actually hungrier now than I was for my last few fights. Right now I’m starving. I have no choice but to go in there and wipe out the 130-pound division.

“I know there’s a lot more that I’m leaving on the table as far as my career, and I can’t leave it there.

“I just want to win. I’m not worried about making a statement.

GABRIEL ROSADO

“I feel good to be here in Brooklyn. This is actually my favorite city to fight in. The atmosphere is amazing and it’s close to Philly.

“We’re doing everything right, that’s why my energy is really good. We’ve had a great training camp in Puerto Rico. It was hot as hell and it was what we needed.

“The heart has to still be in it to fight. That’s one thing about me, I can always count on my heart and my will. Nobody is gonna take that away from me. There was actually a point in my career where I counted too much on my will and slacked on my fundamentals. It’s those little things that make a big difference.”

CRISTIAN CANGELOSI

“I’m looking to put on a good show for all my Italians here in Brooklyn. I’m feeling good and ready to deliver a knockout.

“I have a great team that’s really got me ready to go. We’ve had a great training camp with really strong sparring. I’m gonna be at my best on Saturday night.

“I want to be great and show that I’m a future world champion.”

On Saturday, ring official Joe Cusano will be inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2025. The induction ceremony will take place at the Mohegan Sun Casino. Kirk Lang interviewed Cusano about his career and the honor of being enshrined in his home state's hall of fame. Part two of that interview can be viewed here. Cusano spent more than three decades officiating both amateur and professional bouts, serving as chief of officials for Connecticut USA Boxing. His expertise even extended to the silver screen, where he had the distinct honor of officiating a boxing match in "The Featherweight," a 2024 film celebrating his childhood hero, Willie Pep. Cusano also memorialized his own life in "Uppercuts," a memoir about his experiences in the exhilarating and often brutal world of boxing.  Watch part one of the interview here.

On Friday (October 17th), Juan Javier Carrasco (20-2, 12 KOs) takes on Fernando José Sánchez (9-1, 3 KOs) in a lightweight bout. The fight will headline the card at the Polideportivo Vicente Polimeni in Las Heras, Argentina. Carrasco, age 33, a native of Mendoza, is coming off a setback against Zaur Abdullaev. He is known for his technical skills, ring IQ and patient counterpunching. Across the ring stands Sánchez, age 26, from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, riding a four-fight winning streak. A pressure fighter with a high punch output and excellent stamina, Sánchez’s aggressive style makes him a dangerous opponent for any contender.

The WBA, through its Championships Committee, has ordered a mandatory heavyweight title bout between regular champion Kubrat Pulev and WBA #1 contender Moses Itauma. [Oleksandr Usyk, the true world heavyweight champion, is recognized as the WBA super champion]. The WBA a formal communication to both Pu;ev's and Itauma's camps on Tuesday, October 14th, granting them a thirty-day negotiation period, which will conclude on November 14th. The decision follows a series of procedural events related to the previous award of promotional rights for a bout between Pulev and Michael Hunter, initially granted to Don King Productions on May 27, 2025.

Pulev later filed a Request for Reconsideration in accordance with WBA regulations, which was denied on June 23rd. His team then submitted an appeal on June 30th, but it was dismissed on July 23rd for being filed outside the regulatory deadline. Subsequently, Pulev elevated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), filing an official appeal on August 1st. During the CAS process, Hunter informed the WBA that he had reached an agreement to face Jarrell Miller in September, making him unavailable for the mandated fight against Pulev.

On August 19th, the WBA and Pulev’s representatives reached an amicable settlement, and the CAS proceedings were formally closed on August 22nd at the request of both parties. As part of that settlement, the WBA released Pulev from his previous obligation to face Hunter and canceled the associated purse bid. The organization also allowed Pulev to make a voluntary defense against any available contender within a reasonable timeframe. However, since no such defense was arranged or announced, the Championships Committee has now issued a new mandatory ruling.

Therefore, the WBA has ordered Pulev to make a mandatory title defense against Itauma, and if no agreement is reached by the Nov. 14th deadline, the Championships Committee reserves the right to call a purse bid in accordance with the organization’s established rules.

Agron Smakici TKO6 Artem Suslenkov... The city of Grozny, Russia hosted boxing last weekend. Croatian heavyweight Agron Smakici (22-2, 20 KOs) stopped Russia's Artem Suslenkov (14-2 including the World Series of Boxing and IBA pro fights) in the sixth round. Suslenkov's claim to fame is that he defeated Michael Hunter but Boxrec refuses to recognize the fight on either man's record. From the opening bell, Smakici imposed his physical strength and superior experience, landing heavy shots that began to wear Suslenkov down. The Russian tried to keep distance behind his jab, but the Croatian’s steady pressure and power proved too much. The end came in round six, when Smakici turned up the intensity and unleashed a combination that left Suslenkov unable to respond, forcing his corner to withdraw him from the fight

Umar Salamov TKO2 Yury Kashinsky... On the same show, Russian-based Umar Salamov emerged victorious in a bridgerweight bout, stopping Yury Kashinsky (22-4, 20 KOs) in the second round respectively, with dominant performances. Salamov (32-2, 22 KOs), a former 175-pound world title challenger, has made a seamless transition to the 224-pound division, blending speed, accuracy, and power. Kashinsky tried to close the distance early, but was met by a sharper and faster Salamov. In the second round, a flurry of clean shots to the head and body left Kashinsky defenseless, prompting the referee to step in and wave it off.

The WBO has ordered a purse bid for a WBO middleweight elimination bout between Denzel Bentley and Endry Saavedra. Bentley is from England and holds the British and European titles. At 21-3, he's won three straight since a 2023 loss to Nathan Heaney. Bentley also has a loss against reigning WBO / IBF champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly. The little-known Saveedra is from Venezuela and boasts a 17-1-1 pro record that includes wins over Isaac Hardman and Mikkel Nielsen and a draw with unbeaten Cesar Mateo Tapia.

Bentley vs. Saveedra has a bit of recent history. On July 14th, the WBO ordered the commencement of negotiations for them to fight. The two eventually agreed to terms and the bout was scheduled to be held on October 25th in the United Kingdom. However, Matt Rose, on behalf of Team Saavedra, communicated to the WBO that promoter Queensberry needed to reschedule the bout due to logistical considerations. Somehow, things went further south from there and on October 7th, Rose formally requested that purse bid proceedings be called. The WBO has now scheduled a bid for Monday, October 27th.

Former two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia will step into the ring for the final time at Barclays Center this Saturday, nearly thirteen years to the day after he headlined the first-ever main event at the venue, as he takes on Danny Gonzalez on a Swift Promotions card. Tickets for the live event are available through Ticketmaster.com. With fight night nearly here, Garcia reflected on how he felt before stepping into the ring for that first main event in 2012, as he defended his championship against Mexican legend Erik Morales. “When they first called to say I was gonna be main event at Barclays, I was excited,” said Garcia, who has far and away the most appearances in the ring at Barclays amongst all fighters in the venue’s history. “It was something new, so I didn’t know what to expect. When it was sold out, that was it, it was history. I was a little nervous walking to the ring, but I felt good. I felt strong and I felt like nothing could stop me.”

Throughout a career that’s seen him amass a 7-2 record at Barclays Center, Garcia singled out three specific fights that stand out above the rest. “My favorite fight at Barclays Center was probably Erik Morales, because I knocked him out,” said Garcia. “Also the Zab Judah fight. That was a hell of a rivalry. The Keith Thurman fight too because it was unification and a huge fight.”

Garcia’s fight against Thurman was not only an extremely rare championship unification clash between undefeated welterweight champions, but it was a box office smash as it set a record at the time for the highest grossing non-Nets sporting event and most attended boxing match in Barclays Center history.

His rivalry with Judah was also led to not only one of Barclay’s biggest boxing nights, but one of the most remembered promotions in recent boxing history (relive the rivalry HERE via All The Smoke Fight). Due to the extreme animosity that led up to fight night, Danny’s father and trainer, the always outspoken Angel Garcia, believes that was his best performance in Brooklyn.

“The Zab Judah performance was your best performance because of everything that happened leading up to the fight,” said Angel. “We went back and forth at the press conference, I told him to ‘take off that Janet Jackson’ hat. It kicked everything off, they tried to pop up on us at the Modell’s. They wanted to kick my ass. Everywhere we went, they popped up. Danny took care of it in the ring though.”

In addition to those three fights, Garcia’s Barclays Center history includes three consecutive fights that took place at the arena between 2014 and 2015, all three victories for Garcia. After blasting out Rod Salka in August 2014, he bested Lamont Peterson in an April 2015 battle of champions, before taking down another Brooklyn native, as he stopped Paulie Malignaggi in the ninth-round in August 2015.

His next two contests at Barclays Center saw Danny drop a pair of narrow decisions, in fights that were true toss ups, first to Thurman in March 2017, followed by a Shawn Porter bout in September 2018. Garcia got back to his winning ways in the county of Kings however, dispatching of Ivan Redkach in January 2020 before his most recent Brooklyn triumph, a July 2022 victory over Jose Benavidez Jr.

Now, as he looks to close his tenth and final Barclays Center fight in style, Garcia has promised the fans that have supported him for years one last memorable night. “My favorite thing about the fans is the atmosphere and the love,” said Garcia. “I appreciate all the years that the fans have supported me. Come out on Saturday night one last time, I’m gonna give you a hell of a show.”

The financial bloodbath continues for apparent deadbeat promoter Fanmio, Inc. Earlier this week, Jorge Masvidal obtained a final default judgment against Fanmio in the principal amount of $5,315,268.64, plus post-judgment interest. The judgment was issued by a state court in Florida's Miami-Dade County. Fanmio promoted-- and still sells on-demand broadcasts on its website-- a July 2024 boxing match between MMA stars Masvidal and Nate Diaz. The fight was a majority decision victory for Diaz, but based on the multiple lawsuits, both fighters lost when it came to getting paid their agreed-upon purses. Diaz is pursuing a separate lawsuit against Fanmio and Fanmio's owner, Solomon Engel, which is in its final stages. An arbitrator recently awarded Diaz $6 million from Fanmio and $500,000 against Engel personally, plus an additional $348,000 in attorneys fees. Diaz is waiting for a federal court to confirm the arbitration award. 

PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE

AUG. 23, 2024: A Florida federal court has referred the $9 million dispute between boxer / mixed martial artist Nate Diaz and his promoter to arbitration. This means the dispute over how much Diaz is entitled to be paid for his recent win over Jorge Masvidal will be decided behind closed doors.

AUG. 14, 2024: Mixed martial artist turned boxer Nate Diaz filed a lawsuit in in Florida federal court last month, claiming boxing promoter Solomon Engel and his company Fanmio stiffed him out of $9 million after Diaz fought Jorge Masvidal on July 6th. Diaz, who won the boxing match by majority decision, alleges he was guaranteed $10 million but received only a $1 million advance prior to the fight but nothing more after the fight took place. As a result, Diaz is suing both Fanmio and Engel personally for fraud, breach of contract and deceptive and unfair trade practices. The lawsuit seeks a total of $20 million, which includes a claim for punitive damages. Diaz’s attorneys, Ronnie Bitman and Jeremiah Reynolds wrote, “There is nothing lower or more despicable in the world of boxing than a boxing promoter who allows a fighter to put their health and safety on the line in boxing event so that the promoter has the chance to make tremendous profits, only to later renege on paying the boxer following the event.”

In response, Fanmio and Engel's first court filing seeks to remove the case from federal court behind cosed doors to private arbitration. But the request also offers the following glimpse into their defense to the $9 million claim. The defendants told the court, "In connection with a July 6th boxing match between Diaz and, Fanmio and Diaz entered several agreements, whereby Fanmio agreed to promote the Bout, and Diaz agreed (i) to participate in the boxing match, and (ii) to provide marketing services related to the Bout. Diaz repeatedly defaulted under the relevant agreements and failed to provide the marketing services as required. Thus, Diaz is not owed any additional compensation for marketing services, beyond what he was already paid for his in-ring services. However, all claims relating to the agreements—including Diaz’s alleged defaults and all of Plaintiff’s claims in this lawsuit—should be decided by an arbitrator, rather than this Court… On July 29th, Fanmio sent Diaz a demand to arbitrate all claims of this lawsuit, as well as Diaz’s alleged defaults under the agreements, as required under the parties’ binding agreement to arbitrate. To date, Plaintiff has not voluntarily submitted to arbitration."

JULY 16, 2024: Wthin a few hours after the lawsuit was made public, Fanmio issued the following statement: “Nate Diaz has filed a frivolous lawsuit against Fanmio which claims that fraud and breach of contract were committed by Fanmio, yet neither has taken place. In fact, Diaz has already been paid seven figures in connection with the fight. I look forward to resolving this dispute through the appropriate process and am confident that justice will prevail. Making salacious and defamatory statements to the media in order to harm my family and I has only strengthened my resolve to ensure that the truth will triumph.”

Here are the key allegations in the lawsuit, lightly edited to remove repetition and some legal terms. Remember, these are allegations that still must be proven by Diaz:

"This case involves an outright fraud committed by Fanmio, Inc. and its president and owner, Solmon Engel, upon famed mixed martial artist and boxer, Nathan Diaz. Fanmio describes itself as an entertainment company that provides online access to entertainment events, films, and celebrity experiences. In 2023, Fanmio and Engel approached Diaz and his representatives, about a boxing match between Diaz and retired MMA fighter, Jorge Masvidal. Diaz and his representatives were skeptical that Fanmio and Engel had the financial resources to fund the payments, but they were assured repeatedly that Fanmio and Engel had the financial resources to pay Diaz and that any payments owed to Diaz for participating in the boxing event would be fully guaranteed.

"Engel and Fanmio repeatedly promised and contractually guaranteed in writing they would pay the sum of $10 million to Diaz for helping to promote the fight and boxing Masvidal, with $1 million paid upfront and $9 million paid after the event. The boxing event between Diaz and Masvidal took place on July 6, 2024 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. From all appearances, the event was a smashing success. The entire 18,000+ seat Honda Center sold-out, and the fight between Masvidal and Diaz was action packed, going the ten-round distance, with Diaz ultimately prevailing in a majority decision over Masvidal.

"[According to Diaz], Fanmio and Engel are now reneging on their written and oral promises and guarantees to pay $9 million owing to Diaz because they claim they are going to lose money on the event. In a flurry of desperate calls to Diaz’s representatives following the event, Engel despondently groveled that he was going to lose more money than he had anticipated on the event if he paid Diaz what he had promised and that his wife might divorce him because of the financial losses. Engel went so far as to threaten he might have to declare bankruptcy to avoid paying Diaz what he owed.

"Engel knew that Diaz and his representatives were concerned about this exact situation of Engel reneging on payment if the event was not a financial success. In the months and weeks leading up to the event, Fanmio, Engel, and their representatives intentionally lied to Diaz’s representatives about having set aside the money to make the payments and the payments being guaranteed, going so far as to have their lawyer inform Diaz’s representatives in writing that the money to pay Diaz was being held in an independent collection account. Unfortunately, Diaz has been given no choice but to now sue Fanmio and Engel to address their blatant breach of contract and fraud, and recover the money Diaz is indisputably owed.

"In May 2024, Fanmio and Engel assured Diaz’s representatives both orally and in writing that Diaz’s payments were guaranteed and not dependent on the event’s financial success. In addition, Fanmio, Engel and their representatives expressly represented that the money to pay Diaz had already been deposited in an independent third party collection account managed by [a company named] Salford Corporate Services Inc. On May 2nd, Engel told Diaz’s representatives that he had already deposited all of the funds in the collection account held by his lawyer, Yosef Shwedel, that were necessary to pay for the event and stated the funds are with Shwedel already. Engel said the guaranteed amounts would be paid out first, as he had done in past fights, and by no later than five business days following the event.

"On May 12th, Shwedel, who is also an officer and owner of Salford, sent an email to Diaz’s attorney, Sam Awad, copying Engel and Rosenfield, stating that “regarding your inquiries relating to funds, please be informed that as a matter of course our firm does not furnish letters concerning our client's funds to external parties unless they are required under agreements governing the relationship between our client and such third party. However, our firm can confirm that either directly or through Salford Corporate Services Inc, it has received from and for Fanmio amounts in excess of $8,500,000 for the Fanmio bouts.”

"Diaz would have never participated in the event if his representatives had not received the foregoing assurances from Fanmio and Engel via their attorney. On May 13th, Rosenfield and Engel spoke about concerns about Fanmio and Engel paying Diaz. Engel told Rosenfield that “You have nothing to worry about. Nate is getting paid.” Rosenfield replied, stating “we just want to make sure you are not counting on event proceeds as the only way to get it since I am projecting us to come in low.” Engel responded, stating “don’t worry. Nate is going to be fine. I have said that to you that from the start.”

"In the weeks leading up to the event, Diaz’s representatives were concerned about Fanmio and Engel’s efforts to generate pay-per-view sales, including failing to contract with the key players in the pay-per-view market. On June 21st, Rosenfield pressed Engel on what his plan was if the PPV underperformed going so far as to say “you do realize no matter what, you owe Nate $9 million on the Friday after the fight.” Engel again assured Rosenfield that Fanmio and Engel had no concerns about the financial performance of the event. Engel told Rosenfield that “Don’t worry. I pay everybody. Nate will be paid. I don’t have the contract in front of me, but yes.” Engel told Rosenfield during the call that he had a net worth of $80 million in an apparent effort to further comfort Rosenfield that Diaz would be fully paid.

"On May 14th, Fanmio sent a letter complaining that Diaz had failed to perform certain promotional obligations in connection with the event. On June 14th, Diaz’s lawyer, Jeremiah Reynolds, responded, denying that Diaz had failed to perform any promotional obligations. On June 23rd, Rosenfield again demanded assurances from Engel that Diaz would be fully paid if he complied with the promotional obligations during fight week. Engel said that Rosenfield was being ridiculous and “I am not going to stiff Nate Diaz. But Nate has to understand how vital fight week promotion is.” Rosenfield assured Engel that throughout Diaz’s career he has always been fully compliant with media activities during fight week and this would be no different.

"On June 27th, Shwedel again assured Reynolds that Fanmio intended to fully pay Diaz and had no intention of deducting any amounts from payments guaranteed to Diaz. Following the call, Reynolds sent an email stating, “thanks very much for the call today. I understand that the intention from Fanmio in sending your letter is to document past alleged failures to promote but there is no intention of making deductions to my client’s payments as a result of the allegations in your letter. My client intends to perform all agreed promotional obligations but it is critical that Fanmio be clear about its expectations for fight week and the parties agree on a promotional schedule. I am hopeful everyone can work cooperatively towards a very successful event.”

"Diaz participated in an unprecedented amount of media promotion for the fight, including six press conferences, four times the amount of social media posts he has ever done for any previous fight, plus he agreed to media availability, podcast interviews, and granted permission to Fanmio to utilize his YouTube channel as a distribution platform for fight-related promotional content. In the week leading up to the event, Diaz did everything requested of him to promote the success of the event, including doing podcast interviews, participating in press conferences, and posting on social media. Diaz did everything and more to attempt to make the fight a success. The value of Diaz’s services for marketing and participating in the event well exceeds $20 million.

"Following the event, Diaz looked forward to being paid what he had rightly earned and what had been repeatedly promised and guaranteed. Diaz was provided a check by a Eric Bottjer (a matchmaker hired by Fanmio) for Diaz’s disclosed purse of $500,000, which had been disclosed to the California State Athletic Commission. However, later than night, Bottjer asked for Diaz to return the check, stating that Fanmio preferred to just pay Diaz the entire guaranteed sum of $9 million by wire at one time. Diaz in good faith complied expecting that Fanmio and Engel would make good on their promises guaranteeing his payment of $9 million, but remarkably, Fanmio and Engel have even reneged on paying Diaz the disclosed purse that was listed on a contract provided by the California State Athletic Commission. Diaz is informed and believes that Fanmio’s and Engel’s request to return the $500,000 disclosed purse was part of the fraud committed by Engel and Fanmio who had already decided that very night to renege on the payments owed to Diaz.

"Instead, Engel and Fanmio have now told Diaz’s representatives that they are not satisfied with the financial performance of the event on pay-per-view and are unwilling to pay Diaz the full $9 million he is owed. Fanmio and Engel have even gone so far as to despicably threaten to declare bankruptcy to avoid payment to Diaz. Diaz has been given no choice but to sue for what he is owed."  

The 2025 Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place this Saturday, October 18th at 6pm EDT at the Mohegan Sun Casino. One of the inductees will be ring official Joe Cusano. Kirk Lang spoke to Cusano about his career and the honor of being recognized in his home state's hall of fame, an interview that can be seen here. Cusano spent more than three decades officiating both amateur and professional bouts, serving as chief of officials for Connecticut USA Boxing.  Cusano’s expertise even extended to the silver screen, where he had the distinct honor of officiating a boxing match in "The Featherweight," a 2024 film celebrating his childhood hero, Willie Pep.  Cusano also memorialized his own life in "Uppercuts," a memoir about his experiences in the exhilarating and often brutal world of boxing. 

Philly boxing great and former two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia held a media workout in his hometown before leaving for New York for his Swift Promotions’ “Farewell To Brooklyn” event on Saturday, October 18th. Garcia will headline his own show as he takes on Queens-native Danny Gonzalez at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. October 18th will celebrate the fans and arena that have supported Garcia throughout a career full of delivering memorable moments. Tickets for the live event are available now through Ticketmaster.com.

Here is what Garcia had to say Friday from the DSG Boxing Gym:

“One week out and I feel ready to go. It’s the real Danny versus the fake Danny. He’s Dookie Gonzalez.

“This feels like the ending of my movie. We’ve got to end it with a win.

“I feel rejuvenated. This feels more like it’s my first fight than my last. I’m ready to go in there and do my thing.

“Gonzalez is hungry. He’s got everything to gain and I’ve got everything to lose. I have to train myself like I’m fighting for a world title. That’s how I always train. I’m sparring the young hungry lions who are trying to beat me up.

“I had to keep feeding my fans in Brooklyn. They made me who I am today, so it was a perfect place for this fight.

“I fought everybody. I never ducked anyone. I fought whoever they put in front of me and that’s why fans love me. I’m proud of everything I’ve been through inside and outside of the ring. And I’m still here.

“I’ve been doing my own shows in Philly and I wanted to keep making Swift Promotions bigger and this was the best way to do it.

“Being a part of Philly boxing legacy is incredible. It’s legendary. It really shows that if you put in the hard work, you can really be somebody. To be mentioned with the other Philly boxing greats is a testimony to the hard work and everything we’ve been through.

“I don’t regret anything that’s happened in my career. The wins, the losses, it all made me Danny Garcia. So we’re gonna go out there on October 18th and show the world one last time that I belong in that Hall of Fame.”

Yoenli Hernandez TKO1 Ramon Delacruz Sena... Middleweight Yoenli Hernandez (9-0, 8 KOs) made quick work of a late substitute opponent, Argentina's Ramon Delacruz Sena (24-41-3, 14 KOs). Hernandez knocked Sena down at the end of round one on The Heavyweight Factory’s Hollywood, Florida event on Sunday night. Looking huge for a middleweight, Hernandez, originally from Camaguey, Cuba, did what a top-ranked fighter should do to a late sub , toying with Sena before clubbing him to the floor with a left-right to the body in round one. Although Sena rose from the knockdown, he opted not to come out for round two, having felt enough of the Cuban’s formidable power. “I feel very happy,” said Hernandez, post-fight. “I want to continue fighting here and thank you for all the love from the crowd and my people in Cuba. I trained hard for this fight and just waited for an opportunity to take advantage. I want (WBC middleweight champion) Carlos Adames next!”

Armando Martinez Rabi W10 Willmank Canonico Brito... In undercard action from last weekend's show at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, lightweight Armando Martinez Rabi (17-0, 15 KOs) of Havana saw his nine-fight knockout streak come to an end, as he was forced to settle for a unanimous decision over crafty southpaw Willmank Canonico Brito (13-9-2, 11 KOs), who is originally from Venezuela. Considerably better than his journeyman record, Canonico Brito showed up looking to pull off an upset over Martinez Rabi and was succeded to the extent that he was able to frustrate his Cuban foe and stifle his punching power while frequently landing his own lefts for much of the ten tough-to-score rounds. Although Canonico Brito threw more punches, Martinez Rabi landed the stronger and more meaningful punches throughout the technical duel. After counterpunching for much of the first half of the fight, Martinez Rabi stepped up his attack in the later rounds and finally broke through in round eight, stunning Canonico Brito with a series of strong punches while trapping him in the corner for much of the round. The judges scores scores were 100-90, 98-92 and 99-91.

ADDITIONAL RESULTS

In a heavyweight attraction, Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo (9-0, 8 KOs) picked up a third-round knockout of Juan Camilo Novoa (35-14-1, 32 KOs) of Coral Gables, Florida via Colombia. Bigger and better, the 6’ 4” and 238-pound Cuban teed off to the head and body of Novoa from the opening seconds. Novoa went down from a right uppercut and then again from a two-punch combination. Trujillo finished the job just twenty seconds into round three with a left hook to the liver that crumbled Novoa. Referee Tyrone Parker reached the ten count to end the fight.

In a minor upset, Jardae Anderson (10-1, 8 KOS) of Davenport, Iowa, knocked out formerly undefeated local heavyweight Lorenzo “Giant Killer” Medina (13-1, 11 KOS) in round two. The 20 year-old Medina came out confidently and dropped Anderson with a half hook/half overhand right hand around the glove of Anderson within the first 45 seconds of the fight. Anderson, however,  kept his composure enough to survive the aggressive finishing efforts of the hard-punching Medina. Looking to continue where he left off, the aggressive Medina came out firing early in the second round, only to run into a fight-ending left hook by Anderson, who was fighting with his back against the ropes. Medina went down hard and midway through her count, Referee Alicia Collins waved the fight over at 33 seconds. Anderson was taking a huge leap in competition against Medina, as Anderson's previous opponent was 0-2.

 In 2023, Amanda Serrano and Erika Cruz went to war with nearly 2,000 punches thrown, twelve minutes of pure heart, and the night Serrano became Puerto Rico’s first-ever four-belt, undisputed champion. On January 3, 2026, Serrano returns home to San Juan for a rematch that will see her defend her world featherweight championship in a bout set for ten three-minute rounds. Cruz, a former champion, comes seeking revenge, redemption, and legacy…ready to rewrite history in enemy territory. The fight will take place in the Coliseo Roberto Clemente live on DAZN.

The WBA Championships Committee has ordered its welterweight champion, Rolando Romero to face mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov next. Romero is rumored to be in the running for a fight vs. boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Giyasov (18-3 including the World Series of Boxing), last fought in April, knocking out Franco Ocampo in round four. The WBA Committee gave Romero and Giyasov the standard thirty-day negotiation period, starting on October 13th and concluding on November 13th. If no deal is reached, there typically is a purse bid ordered. Romero captured the title on May 2nd by defeating Ryan García even though neither boxer was previously a welterweight. 

Olympic silver medalist Ben Whittaker (9-0-1, 6 KOs) will be officially unveiled by Matchroom Sport at a press conference this Friday to announce that Birmingham, England's’s National Exhibition Centre (The NEC) will host Whittaker in a light heavyweight bout against Germany’s hard-hitting Benjamin Gavazi (19-1, 13 KOs). The show's chief support will see bitter rivals Cameron Vuong and Gavin Gwynne return to the scene of their controversial first fight in a long-awaited rematch. Vuong is now under the tutelage of trainer Ben Davison and was victorious against Gwynne last year in a hotly contested unanimous points win. On the same night in Birmingham, former MMA superstar Molly McCann is back out too for her second pro bout – plus Coventry’s Aaron Bowen looks to continue his run of form in front of his local fans when he battles Tom Cowling for the vacant Midlands Area mIddleweight title.

Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn said: “Ben Whittaker is the greatest signing any promoter in the world could have made. And he levels up from the get-go in front of his home fans in Birmingham on what is another unmissable card, stacked with huge fights. Vuong-Gwynne II has been a year in the making – and on November 29, Cameron Vuong will be hungry to dispel any doubts over their first fight and set himself up for a busy year ahead. Molly McCann enjoyed a brilliant debut in Belfast. She has a huge future ahead of her too and this will be another important step-up in what is only her second professional fight. And Aaron Bowen has a great opportunity to kick on in the Middleweight division when he fights for the Midlands Area title. It will be a cracking night with more top fights still to be announced.”

DAZN VP, Alfie Sharman, added: “The Matchroom Boxing debut of Ben Whittaker will be a massive moment for the sport. And it is all live, all exclusive worldwide, only on DAZN.”

Jacob  Marrero KO2 Emiliano Garcia ... Bridgeport, Connecticut's Jacob “Lefty” Marrero (11-0, 8 KOs) capped off a CES Boxing card on Saturday by stopping grizzled Argentine veteran Emiliano “Pac Man” Garcia (19-12-1, 13 KOs) in round two of a scheduled six-round junior welterweight contest. The action took place inside a sold-out Great Cedar Showroom at Foxwoods Resort Casino and marked the first-ever live boxing broadcast on Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s TMT Digital Network. Marrero, who signed an exclusive deal with CES Boxing earlier this year, scored a knockdown in round one and closed the show in round two with a punishing left hook to the head followed by a right to the body. Garcia failed to beat the count, with the official time 2:42.

Daniel Augare TKO3 John Gotti III ... Daniel “The Eagle Catcher” Augare (3-4) scored an upset in the co-feature, stopping John Gotti III (2-1) with a left hook in the third round of their six-round scheduled light heavyweight contest. Augere, a member of the Blackfoot Nation, was offered the bout on late notice after original opponent James Hagler Jr. withdrew due to injury—and he made the most of his opportunity. Gotti, who had spent his entire training camp preparing for a southpaw, was forced to adjust to Augere’s orthodox style at the last minute. To make matters worse, the Oyster Bay, NY native battled through a stomach bug during fight week but insisted on going forward with the bout. The grandson of an organized crime legend, Gotti was in control early on, snapping Augere’s head back with left hooks in the opening round and landing right hand counters in round two. The 31-year-old looked poised to close the show in round three, dropping Augere with a perfectly timed right hand. But the Montana brawler showed grit, beating the count and firing back under pressure. As Gotti pressed for the finish, Augere unleashed a series of left hooks—one of which landed flush on Gotti's chin, sending him crashing to the canvas. Gotti beat the count but was unable to continue, as referee Eddie Claudio waved off the contest at 1:37 of round three, sealing Augere’s shocking victory.

ADDITIONAL RESULTS

Columbia, CT native Stevie Jane Coleman (7-1, 2 KOs) delivered the most complete performance of her young career, earning a shutout six-round decision over tough Canadian Bonnie Hunter (6-6, 3 KOs). The 24-year-old junior welterweight dictated the pace behind a sharp jab and steadily added layers to her attack, mixing in overhand rights in round two and thudding hooks in round three. A hook to the body, hook to the head combination in round four had the crowd cheering. Hunter tried her best to turn the tide in round six, but Coleman was too sharp on the night, cruising to a shutout victory. Scores were 60-54 across the board.

Waterbury, Coonecticut's “King” Kevante Wineglass (2-0, 1 KO) made a statement in his welterweight bout, blasting out Yeison Berdugo (0-3) in under a round. After nearly sending Berdugo through the ropes with a vicious flurry that prompted an eight count, Wineglass closed the show moments later with a huge right hand at 2:41 of round one.

2021 U.S. Olympic alternate Amelia Moore (3-0, 1 KO) remained unbeaten with a dominant six-round decision over UFC veteran Victoria “The Fury” Mason (1-1, 1 KO). Moore controlled every frame with superior movement and output, scoring a knockdown in round five when a right hand forced Mason’s glove to touch the canvas. Judges had it 60-53 (twice) and 59-54 for the Colorado Springs resident.

In a wild one-round firefight, Anthony “The Enforcer” Nieves (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Guilherme Da Silva (0-5) in what may go down as Round of the Year. Both men traded bombs from the opening bell, but Nieves’ right hook proved decisive, dropping Da Silva before a final barrage forced the referee’s intervention at 1:14.

The card opened with Jonathan Figueroa (7-2, 6 KOs) continuing his winning streak, stopping Deshaun Johns (4-8, 3 KOs) in the final round of their six-round super lightweight bout. The Hartford native closed a competitive fight emphatically, landing a right hand that sent Johns face-first to the canvas for a frightening knockout at 2:16 of the sixth. Thankfully, Johns recovered after a few tense moments. Figueroa has now won five straight by knockout since returning to the ring earlier this year.

Boxing commentator, producer and director at ABC Sports and former president Alex Wallau has died at the ageo of 80. Wallau appeared on-camera alongside legends Jim Lampley, Howard Cosell and Al Michaels after beginning his career in 1976 as a temporary staffer at ABC. He worked his way up to become one of the leaders of ABC's sports division. Lampley issued this tribute to his former broadcast partner: "As much as any boxer I covered via the vast foundation of knowledge with which he and he alone first blessed me, Alex Wallau was a fighter.  His survival in a gruesome battle with throat cancer in the early 1990s was beyond courageous. The simple fact he endured for another thirty years is an example of epic courage. He taught me how to see and call boxing matches, and through that the eventual emblem of my entire fifty-year career was a gift from him.  I'm devastated that he is gone, but eternally grateful he was here.  All his friends and familial survivors have my deepest and most heartfelt sympathy.  Thank you forever, Alex."

How difficult was Wallau's battle with cancer? Here is how the LA Times reported it:

On the morning of Sept. 27, 1987, ABC boxing commentator Alex Wallau was washing his face when he felt a lump in his neck. A week later, he was told he had throat cancer. Because Wallau felt no discomfort, the cancer grew to Stage 4 before detection.

Boxingtalk sends its deepest sympathies to the firends and family of Alex Wallau