Friday, April 26, 2024  |

News

Aficianado

Lem’s latest: Tony Weeks to referee Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Marcos Maidana

Fighters Network
24
Apr

Las Vegas-based referee Tony Weeks and judges Dave Moretti, of Las Vegas, Burt Clements, of Reno, Nev., and Michael Pernick, of Florida, have been named to officiate the May 3 clash between RING and WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WBA counterpart Marcos Maidana, according to an administrative assistant with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Weeks' past two fights was Canelo Alvarez's 10th-round TKO of Alfredo Angulo last month, and Jessie Vargas' 12-round unanimous decision over Russia Khabib Allakhverdiev on April 12.

"I think that it's great that they chose me," Weeks told RingTV.com. "First of all, it shows the confidence and belief that the commission has in me."

Weeks said he will be officiating his third Mayweather fight, as well as his second bout involving Maidana. Weeks was in the ring for Mayweather's unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto in May 2012, and for Mayweather's unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009. Weeks said that he worked Maidana's majority decision over Erik Morales in April 2011.



Moretti, Clements and Pernick will be involved in their eighth, third and first bouts with Mayweather, respectively. Clements will be in his second fight with Maidana, while Moretti and Pernick will be judging their first Maidana fight.

For the welterweight undercard clash of former titleholders between Amir Khan and Luis Collazo, the referee will be Nevada's Vic Drakulich with Las Vegas-based judges Adalaide Byrd and Jerry Roth to go with North Carolina's Cathy Leonard.

Administrative assistant Barbara Barrios said she expected the remaining officials to be named later today or tomorrow, given that three-division titlewinner Adrien Broner is matched with Carlos Molina, and unbeaten middleweight J'Leon Love takes on Marco Antonio Periban.

 

NIKOLA SJEKLOCA CLAIMS HEIGHT, SPEED SKILLS AND HISTORY ARE ON HIS SIDE VS. ARTHUR ABRAHAM

Nikola Sjekloca claims to "have never lost to an Armenian-born boxer," and that his height and speed will be the difference in a victory over WBO super middleweight titleholder Arthur Abraham on May 3 at the Velodrom in Berlin, accoring to a release by Sauerland Events.

"I am taller and my hand speed is better than his is," said Sjekloca. "On top of all this, my ring skills are just superior to Abraham's."

The 34-year-old Abraham (39-4, 28 knockouts) was last in the ring on March 1 for a split-decision victory over rival Robert Stieglitz, earning the belt from the man who dethroned him by fourth-round knockout on March 23, 2013. The win over Stieglitz was the third straight for Abraham since falling to his nemesis, against whom Abraham had won a unanimous decision in August 2012.

The 35-year-old Sjekloca (26-1, 8 KOs), of Montenegro, has mostly fought in his home country and neighboring Serbia, his most recent trip abroad being a unanimous-decision loss to Sakio Bika last February in Atlantic City.

"That was a great experience. Because of this fight, I know that I am able to beat Abraham come May 3. Until having fought Bika, I did not know what I am capable of, and this lack of knowledge cost me the win back then," said Sjekloca.

"Now I am pretty sure. I have the potential to be a world champion. I have never lost to an Armenian-born boxer. I knocked out two of them while being an amateur. In 2011, I fought in Germany for the first time and beat former world title challenger Khoren Gevor decisively on points. Abraham will be number four on my list. My dream will come true."

 

ROWLAND BRYANT 178, RAYCO SAUNDERS 177 FOR MIKE TYSON CARD

Florida light heavyweight Rowland Bryant (17-3, 12 KOs) weighed 178 pounds compared to 177 for Pittsburgh's Rayco Saunders (23-22-2, 10 KOs) in advance of their eight-round main event on Thursday at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pa. on a card promoted by Mike Tyson's Iron Mike Productions.

For another bout, Philadelphia bantamweight Miguel Cartagena (12-0, 5 KOs) weighed 117.5 to 117 for Kyrgyzstan's Timur Shailezov (16-7, 3 KOs).

 

ISHE SMITH FIGHTS RYAN DAVIS ON MAY 2 ON GOLDEN BOY LIVE!

Former IBF junior middleweight titleholder Ishe Smith (25-6, 11 KOs) will face Ryan Davis (24-13-3, 9 KOs) on the May 2 main event at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on a Golden Boy Live! show on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes, the night before Floyd Mayweather Jr. defends his RING and WBC welterweight championships against WBA counterpart Marcos Maidana at the MGM Grand on Showtime Pay Per View.

Davis has replaced southpaw Erislandy Lara, who pulled out of the bout to fight Canelo Alvarez on July 12 at the MGM Grand.

The broadcast will also include lightweight star Mickey Bey against Mexican veteran Alan Herrera, as well as Jesus Cuellar opposite former titleholder Rico Ramos.

 


MICHAEL PEREZ-JORGE ROMERO, MCJOE ARROYO-DAVID QUIJANO ON APRIL 28 GOLDEN BOY LIVE! 
 
Junior welterweight Michael Perez will face Jorge Romero, and bantamweight McJoe Arroyo takes on fellow Puerto Rican David Quijano in an April 28 version of Golden Boy Live! from the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes.

Opening the televised portion of the card will be welterweight John Karl Sosa in a bout opposite Victor Perez, with a non-televised undercard matchups featuring featherweight Puerto Rican power hitters Jayson Velez and junior middleweight Prichard Colon in separate fights. Velez will face Miguel Soto, and Colon, Javier Garcia

 

ANDY LEE-JOHN JACKSON ON SERGIO MARTINEZ-MIGUEL COTTO CARD

Southpaw middleweight Andy Lee (32-2, 22 KOs) will face John Jackson (18-1, 15 KOs), son of former titleholder John David Jackson, in junior middleweight bout on the June 7 undercard of the HBO Pay Per View fight between three-division titlewinner Miguel Cotto and RING and WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez at New York's Madison Square Garden.

 

AMIR IMAM-YORDENIS UGAS ADDED TO BERMANE STIVERNE-CHRIS ARREOLA CARD

A junior middleweight bout between Amir Imam and Yordenis Ugas has been added to the May 10 undercard of a main event featuring heavyweights Bermane Stiverne and Chris Arreola for the WBC's vacant heavyweight title, Goossen Tutor announced on Thursday.

 

SIGN UP TO GET RING NEWS ALERTS