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Broner-Maidana highlights big two months for Golden Boy

Fighters Network
12
Oct

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Golden Boy Promotions has officially announced the welterweight bout between Brooklyn-born former titleholders Paulie Malignaggi and Zab Judah at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Dec. 7 on Showtime, and will have a press conference on Tuesday at Barclays Center for that bout.

Malignaggi (32-5, 7 knockouts) was last in the ring for a split-decision loss to Adrien “The Problem” Broner, who dethroned Malignaggi as WBA welterweight beltholder in June. Judah (42-8, 29 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision loss in April to RING, WBA and WBC junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia.

But Judah-Malignaggi is just one highlight of a blistering lineup of fights over the next two months detailed by Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, according to ESPN.com.



A Showtime Pay Per View-televised welterweight battle featuring Broner (27-0, 22 knockouts) in the  first defense of his WBA belt against Marcos Maidana (34-3, 31 KOs) has been made for Dec. 14 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Schaefer informed ESPN.com.

RingTV.com also confirmed the names of Broner and Maidana with Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director, Keith Kizer.

Also part of the Broner-Maidana card, which could be a quadrupleheader, could be hard-hitting unbeaten welterweight Keith Thurman opposite Jesus Soto-Karass and Mexican junior middleweight Alfredo Angulo against Jorge Melendez, who is promoted by Miguel Cotto.

In his last fight in June, Angulo scored knockdowns in the fourth and ninth rounds before being stopped in the 10th by Erislandy Lara.

“We’ve got to be able to beat somebody like this in order to take the next step,” said Angulo’s manager, Michael Miller. “So we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Expected to return from an 18-month ring absence to the Broner-Maidana card is former WBC 147-pound beltholder Victor Ortiz, who will make his 154-pound debut against newly-crowned IBF titleholder Carlos Molina.

Soto-Karass was last in the ring for a 12-round knockout of former two-time 147-pound titleholder Andre Berto. Thurman scored a 10th-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Diego Chaves on the same card.

“I feel good about the fight. He’s a true warrior, and he had a great performance against Andre Berto,” said Thurman. “I just feel that, once again, it’s just a great opportunity to show my skills and talent on Showtime.”

The Judah-Malignaggi card is also expected to feature a junior middleweight clash of southpaws between Lara and Austin Trout, who is coming off a unanimous decision loss to former RING champion Canelo Alvarez in April.

Schaefer told ESPN.com that WBC super middleweight beltholder Sakio Bika could make his first defense against Anthony Dirrell on the Malignaggi-Judah undercard. The Bika-Dirrell deal still is being completed.

On Nov. 30, at the Freeman Colesium in San Antonio, IBF welterweight titleholder Devon Alexander and WBC junior featherweight beltholder Leo Santa Cruz are expected to make defenses of their belts, according to ESPN.com.

Alexander will make his second defense against unbeaten prospect Shawn Porter and Santa Cruz will make his first defense against Cesar Ceda.

“Done deal. Nov. 30. San Antonio,” said Alexander’s trainer and manager, Kevin Cunningham. “Shawn Porter is going to get punished.”

 

 

Photo by Naoki Fukuda

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]

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