Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson | ESPN - October 23, 2021

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jamel Herring, Shakur Stevenson in advanced talks for 130-pound title fight

Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson are in advanced talks for a 130-pound title fight that would be staged in the fourth quarter of 2021 on ESPN/ESPN+, both boxers told ESPN.

Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) successfully defended his 130-pound title for a third time in April with a career-best performance, a sixth-round TKO of Carl Frampton in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Stevenson, a former 126-pound titleholder now campaigning at 130 pounds, outpointed Jeremiah Nakathila last month in Las Vegas.

One possible location for the bout is Atlanta, where Gervonta Davis has proved to be a box-office draw.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promotes both boxers, declined to comment.

You can hear it in my voice, I'm not really stressing about this fight," Herring, 35, told ESPN. "I know people said I would avoid the fight because I wanted to fight Oscar Valdez. I just felt in my heart a fight with Oscar Valdez is bigger for my career.

"It would have been a unification and for the lineal title, so why would I not push for that fight? If I have to go through Shakur to get this fight, so be it. He's a superb boxer, but I've been through worse."

The U.S. Marine was deployed for two tours in Iraq before embarking on a boxing career, competing as a 135-pounder. He suffered two losses before linking up with Top Rank, where he was rebuilt and went on to defeat Masayuki Ito for a 130-pound title. The southpaw scored victories over Lamont Roach and Jonathan Oquendo before knocking out Frampton for the biggest win of his career.

Stevenson, though, would present a far different challenge. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist, also a southpaw, is a tricky boxer with excellent movement and defensive skills. He's among the hardest fighters to hit, per CompuBox, but that style has also led to plenty of criticism from media and fans alike.

Although he has proved to be on a different level than every opponent he has faced, Stevenson's opposition hasn't been formidable. Since he stopped Joet Gonzalez for a 126-pound title in October 2019, he has defeated three consecutive opponents outside ESPN's top-10 rankings at 130 pounds, including a unanimous-decision win over Nakathila on June 12.

Herring is rated No. 3 by ESPN, while Stevenson is No. 4.

"We got awkward opponents with real good punching power; it's not always easy to shine," Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) told ESPN. "I ain't the only one that went through this. I go back and look at old Floyd Mayweather fights. ... [HBO commentators] Emanuel Steward and Larry Merchant, they're saying Floyd Mayweather, 'He's not that good. He's a very, very boring fighter.'

"I go fight Jamel Herring next and go beat him and then go beat Oscar Valdez. They'll be saying I'm the best young fighter and put me on the pound-for-pound list."

Stevenson acknowledges he "could have done more and better" in his fight against Nakathila, but said, "It's about adjustments. We still got the win, we won every round."

Against Stevenson, Herring would again be viewed as the underdog. He's nine years older than Stevenson and doesn't possess his probable future foe's amateur credentials.

What Herring does boast is experience against better opposition.

"I told him that when I saw him in Colorado, that when the fight happens, I know it will be his toughest fight," Herring said. "I said it to his face: 'I'm going to be your biggest fight, your biggest test.'

"I've been in there with better guys than he's fought by far."

There's one more advantage Herring believes he owns.

"I don't know what they were thinking when [Stevenson] went to train with my team and they didn't think my team would pick things from their training camp and not use it against him," Herring said.

Stevenson held his last camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with Herring's trainer, Brian McIntyre, assisting Shakur's grandfather and lead trainer Wali Moses.

"You would never see me go to Houston and go train at [Stevenson's manager] James Prince's camp," Herring said. "I love [Stevenson assistant trainer] Kay [Karoma] and them, but if I know I'm on the road path and [Stevenson is] possibly next, why would I work out where you're picking up my traits and habits?"

[margaret thatcher]

shak didnt stop joet gonzales, writer needs to check da facts

shak would win this

[Ruthless-RKO]

shak didnt stop joet gonzales, writer needs to check da facts

shak would win this

Mike C is a damn good writer, but yeh, he slipped up there.

[bobcatbox]

I like to think that Shakur will step his game up after that last performance and take a decision win over Herring. JH will bring a game fight.

Shakur outmaneuvers him and proves too frustrating for Herring. He is a technically superior boxer in every facet.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jamel Herring: I know I’ll be the underdog against Shakur Stevenson, that motivates me

The WBO 130 lb titleholder does expect to face Stevenson this year.

You’ll recall that WBO 130 lb titlist Jamel Herring looked like a peak version of his fighting self when he handled Carl Frampton on April 3 in Dubai. We’ve heard the chatter, that the 35-year-old Herring (23-2, 11 KO) will put his crown up against younger gun Shakur Stevenson, the 24-year-old lefty with a 16-0 (8 KO) mark.

I reached out to Herring to ask for an update, and to see if there’s any progress on that tango, or whatever is being planned for what would be the fourth defense of his crown.

“I was supposed to have an answer two weeks ago,” Herring told me. “Hopefully we’ll get more concrete news this week. That’s why I’ve been so quiet on things. I can’t really say what’s going on at this point. They wanted to make it happen in October but due to everything getting pushed back it may happen by the second week of November, but I really haven’t heard much other than that.”

The “everything” referenced above relates to the fluidity — OK, that’s a euphemism, it’s more like “the minor chaos” that we’ve seen play out in a busy (not in a good way) couple of months — of the schedule that reminded us to use pencil when filling in the fight calendar.

In early May, we started hearing that Triller would probably blink, and cede the weekend of June 5-6 to allow the spotlight to focus fully on the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul exhibition in Miami. And indeed, Triller shifted the Lopez event to June 19, and it looked like they’d need a heckuva walkup to get the gate to where they hoped it would be. But that became immaterial when four days before the show it was announced that Teofimo had COVID and the fight card was off. It’s still up in the air as to when and if Lopez and Kambosos will do their fight.

It’s by no means just Triller having a choppy ride during these uncertain times. Top Rank, who promote Herring and Stevenson, has been on a bumpy flight for the past couple months. The company earned the dismay of no small segment of boxing fans when the planned Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua battle got smashed into aerosol. That would have been forgiven if not forgotten had the July 24 Fury-Deontay Wilder trilogy contest come off on that date.

But on July 8, word dropped that Fury-Wilder 3 would have to be postponed, because COVID infected the Tyson Fury camp. One can only imagine the blowup that Bob Arum had when told that Fury was COVID positive.

All that is to say that boxing has been in a weird place the last couple of months, more so than usual, and that lots of business has been affected by all the unsettled affairs not being solidified. To be fair, I’ll not even imply that Top Rank effed up grandly with the Fury positive — that was on him alone, really. But it only makes sense that the staff over there has been consumed a bit by all the churn.

Herring agrees that all the weirdness — and also again-rising COVID numbers — is probably impacting the specifics for his next, saying, “That’s why I’m looking at November.”

“At this point I don’t even care about the mental energy, I’m just excited for the competitive nature of the fight,” he added. “I know I’ll pretty much be the underdog but that’s what motivates me and takes pressure off of my shoulders. Plus at this point, it’s a familiar role I’m accustomed to, even as the champion. I just want the win, they can speak all they want, I just want the win.”

Let’s presume Herring will face Shakur come fall. How hard a hill to climb is Shakur? He’s done plenty of rounds with him, right, enough to have ample ideas on how to proceed?

“Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t really bank on old sparring sessions from the past so much either,” he said. “I sparred with Lamont Roach before we fought, and he showed up as a different fighter. Not to mention I haven’t sparred Shakur since 2017.

“Also I can’t sit and say how hard of a hill it’ll be, because I go off what’s in front of me in the fight. But I train like it’ll be the fight of my life. People counted me out heavily coming into the Frampton fight, but I used that as fuel to train my heart out, and we saw the outcome. I’ll also do the same here in this one as well. I don’t have any fear, I don’t have any doubt, because I’ve beaten the odds more than once, and I’m set out to continue molding my legacy. That’s what keeps me going.

“I was expected to move up after my last outing, but there’s so many good challenges at junior lightweight, and I want to be a part of those big fights. I’m still fighting for credibility, though some would even say out of all the current champions in the division, I have the strongest resume. But I’d rather be underrated than overrated any day, and I’m at peace with the way things have turned out for my career, because I earned everything given to me.”

Herring was also kind enough to indulge me when I asked a hypothetical: What would a Jamel Herring 2017 vs Jamel Herring 2021 fight look like, anyway?

“For starters, 2021 ‘Mel has a whole different team from 2017,” he told me. “I’m far more confident. Older, yes, but I’ve always taken care of myself pretty well throughout the years, and gotten better with time. I just need to continue following my team’s instructions, guidance, and be smart. I don’t like to look ahead too far, which is why I always say focus on winning one round at a time. I know I’ll be in top shape and more prepared than when I was fighting back in 2016 and 2017, plus ‘BoMac’ (trainer Brian McIntyre) and the gang haven’t let me down once. So I’m fully OK following their lead into battle!”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jamel Herring: Stevenson Talks Ongoing, Might Happen In November

Jamel Herring is just biding his time.

The WBO junior lightweight titleholder has been reported to be in serious negotiations to face fellow Top Rank stablemate and former 126-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson later on this year.

The all-southpaw clash would pit two of the purest boxers in the junior lightweight division.

Herring, 35, seems to think the fight will take place by mid-November.

“I was supposed to have an answer two weeks ago,” Herring told Michael Woods. “Hopefully we’ll get more concrete news this week. That’s why I’ve been so quiet on things. I can’t really say what’s going on at this point. They wanted to make it happen in October but due to everything getting pushed back it may happen by the second week of November, but I really haven’t heard much other than that.”

What got “pushed back,” of course, was the third fight between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, after Fury tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month. Top Rank, who promotes Herring, is the promoter of Fury. That fight has been rescheduled for Oct. 9, which, just as in the second rematch, is expected to be produced as a joint pay-per-view between ESPN and Fox.

Meanwhile, Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) is more than ready to defend his WBO 130-pound title against the 24-year-old Stevenson – as an underdog, no less. Herring was a slight underdog going into his last fight against Carl Frampton, whom he stopped inside six rounds.

“I know I’ll pretty much be the underdog but that’s what motivates me and takes pressure off of my shoulders,” Herring said. “Plus at this point, it’s a familiar role I’m accustomed to, even as the champion. I just want the win, they can speak all they want, I just want the win.”

With all the talent at 130 pounds, including titleholder and stablemate Oscar Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs), Herring is thinking about making a stand at the weight class a bit longer.

“I was expected to move up after my last outing, but there’s so many good challenges at junior lightweight, and I want to be a part of those big fights,” said Herring. “I’m still fighting for credibility, though some would even say out of all the current champions in the division, I have the strongest resume. But I’d rather be underrated than overrated any day, and I’m at peace with the way things have turned out for my career, because I earned everything given to me.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Herring-Stevenson: WBO Orders August 9 Purse Bid Hearing, Split To Land In Stevenson's Favor

Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson have spent nearly a year trying to figure out the best laid plan to meet in the ring.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has decided that more than enough time has passed by for the two sides to reach a deal on their own.

A purse bid hearing has been scheduled for August 9 to determine the promotional rights for the WBO junior lightweight title consolidation clash between Herring and Stevenson. The bout was officially ordered shortly after Stevenson’s most recent win this past June, only for talks to linger to the point of now serving at the mercy of the next-highest bidder. Top Rank—who promotes both boxers—was informed of the development on Monday.

“[P]lease be advised that a Purse Bid will be held at 1:00 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST) on Monday, August 9, 2021, at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) headquarter offices in San Juan, Puerto Rico,” Luis Batista-Salas, chairman of the WBO Championship Committee declared in a published notification addressed to Top Rank founder and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “Please be advised that the minimum acceptable bid for the WBO Jr. Lightweight Division is $150,000.00 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars).”

Herring enters the bout as the reigning WBO World champion, having held the belt for more than two years. Stevenson—a 2016 Olympic Silver medalist and former WBO featherweight titlist—earned the WBO interim junior lightweight title following a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Jeremia Nakathila this past June 12 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Normally, Herring would be entitled to a larger split as the defending titlist, Section 14 (e) (1) of WBO Rules covering purse bid hearings.

However, a clause in the WBO by-laws that takes into consideration the fighters’ most recent purses has resulted in a ruling that will land heavily in Stevenson’s favor should there be at least one accepted bid during the assigned hearing next Monday.

“The division shall not be greater than 80/20 in any case and shall be calculated by the Championship Committee using a ratio based upon the average purse of each fighter’s last three (3) fights,” noted Batista-Salas. “The WBO may rely upon the purses reported to the WBO on the WBO Participant’s Promoter’s receipts for the fights that are used to calculate the Purse Division for this purpose. By way of example, if contestant A has had his last 3 purses of $1,000,000, $500,000, and $400,000 (a total of $1,900,000) and contestant B has had his last 3 purses of 1,000,000, $2,000,000, and $2,500,000 (a total of $5,500,000), the purse division would be $1,900,000/$7,400,000 or 25.68% for contestant A and$5,500,000/$7,400.00 or 74.32% for contestant B.

“Wherefore, having this Committee confirmed each fighter’s last three reported purses, and having the WBO World Championship Committee the power and authority conferred by its governing rules to establish purse split ratios per the applicable provision, it is hereby determined as follows: the applicable “Purse Split” shall be 63% in favor of Mr. Stevenson and the remaining 37% in favor of Mr. Herring.”

The two sides can still negotiate terms up to the moments leading into a scheduled purse bid hearing and can call for the session to be canceled in the event a deal is reached during that time.

Furthermore, an extension may be granted if mutually agreed by both sides that the granted extra time will result in all parties coming to terms and thus avoiding a purse bid. This is subject to WBO approval, though there is precedence for such course of action.

Stevenson has served as the mandatory challenger to Herring’s title since moving up from featherweight last summer. The Newark, New Jersey native had to threaten to sue in order to receive his title shot, with his team of the belief that it should have come earlier in the year.

Herring was granted two optional defenses in large part due to the pandemic ruining plans for a showdown with former two-division champ Carl Frampton to have taken place last June. Herring was permitted to face Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo, against whom he won by eighth round disqualification last September in a bout that was twice postponed due to Herring twice testing positive for COVID.

Revisited plans to face Frampton extended well into 2021, by which point Stevenson’s legal team appealed to the WBO to either force Herring to honor his mandatory or vacate his title should he pursue the fight with Herring. The matter was settled, with Herring permitted to face Frampton—whom he knocked out in the sixth round of their April 3 title fight in Dubai—while a planned stay-busy fight between Stevenson and Nakathila was approved for the WBO interim title to be at stake.

Following Stevenson’s win, the two sides were expected to immediately enter talks for a head-on collision. Several dates were suggested, including a potential fall showdown in Atlanta. However, a deal was never reached nor terms agreed upon to the point where the WBO was convinced that the fight was able to move forward without their intervention.

The August 9 purse bid hearing is open to all WBO-registered promoters, providing they meet the minimum purse bid requirements of an approved bid that includes a 10% deposit along with a confirmed date and location for the event.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO by-laws.

I guess this was what Usyk's team were on about when they were being mandated to fight Usyk for an eliminator.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson agree to terms, no purse bid

You can forget about the purse bid scheduled for Aug. 9 and various ways that could have gone, as ESPN now reports that WBO junior lightweight titleholder Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson have agreed to terms for a bout this fall.

Stevenson manager James Prince told Mike Coppinger that the sides are “in agreement on everything,” and called it “a done deal.”

Top Rank are currently trying to figure out their fall schedule. Promoter Bob Arum recently said Herring-Stevenson could happen on Nov. 13, but that’s not set, and neither is any other fight just yet, at least not officially. Top Rank also have Joe Smith Jr vs Umar Salamov for Smith’s WBO light heavyweight title, Vasiliy Lomachenko’s likely return on Dec. 11 — which could be against Richard Commey, but that’s not concrete — Josh Taylor against Jack Catterall in Scotland, and the possible Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter fight to work on.

Stevenson (16-0, 8 KO) most recently fought on June 12, easily beating Jeremiah Nakathila over 12 rounds. He’s a former 126 lb titlist, winning that belt against Joet Gonzalez in 2019 and then never defending it, moving up in weight last year.

Herring (23-2, 11 KO) retired Carl Frampton with a stoppage win on Apr. 3 in Dubai, and the 35-year-old southpaw has weighed his options, settling here, it seems, on Stevenson being the biggest fight he’s going to get, which was never an unlikely outcome.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[ironbeard]

Good, legit fight. SS should get the DW relatively easily. Hopefully JH can make it interesting, or at least not a snore fest.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Good, legit fight. SS should get the DW relatively easily. Hopefully JH can make it interesting, or at least not a snore fest.

What’s DW?

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sources: Jamel Herring to fight Shakur Stevenson on Oct. 23 in Atlanta

Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson will clash Oct. 23 at Atlanta's State Farm Arena after both boxers signed contracts for the 130-pound title fight, sources told ESPN on Thursday.

Herring and Stevenson both will earn at least $1.5 million -- career-high paydays -- for a bout that will headline Top Rank Boxing on ESPN/ESPN+, sources said. ESPN reported last week that the deal was agreed to, avoiding a purse bid.

"I told [Stevenson] ... that when the fight happens, I know it will be his toughest fight," Herring told ESPN last month. "I said it to his face: \'I'm going to be your biggest fight, your biggest test.' "I've been in there with better guys than he's fought by far."

Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) won the title with a decision victory over Masayuki Ito in December 2018, and has made three successful defenses. The 35-year-old's best performance came in his most recent outing, a sixth-round TKO of former champion Carl Frampton in Dubai.

Herring, ESPN's No. 4-rated junior lightweight, will now face by far the toughest challenge of his career. The same also could be said for Stevenson.

The 24-year-old, an Olympic silver medalist and former 126-pound champion, hasn't faced a wily veteran quite like Herring. In fact, his last three opponents sat far outside ESPN's top 10. But with his blend of defensive skills, ring awareness and footwork, the southpaw Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) will be favored to become a two-division champion.

The Newark, New Jersey, native is coming off a lackluster performance in June, a unanimous decision victory over Jeremiah Nakathila. Stevenson, ESPN's No. 3 130-pounder, was in control through all 12 rounds but never threatened to put the lightly regarded fighter away, leading to criticism from fans.

Against limited opposition, the defensive-minded Stevenson hasn't always thrilled, but faced with a determined champion like Herring, this matchup could be different.

"We got awkward opponents with real good punching power; it's not always easy to shine," Stevenson told ESPN last month. "I ain't the only one that went through this. I go back and look at old Floyd Mayweather fights. ... [HBO commentators] Emanuel Steward and Larry Merchant, they're saying Floyd Mayweather, 'He's not that good. He's a very, very boring fighter.'

"I go fight Jamel Herring next and go beat him and then go beat Oscar Valdez. They'll be saying I'm the best young fighter and put me on the pound-for-pound list."

If this next bout brings Stevenson a chance at redemption, it also offers Herring an opportunity at vindication. A late bloomer in boxing who served two tours in Iraq as a Marine, Herring reinvented himself after signing with Top Rank in 2018. The Long Island native's April victory showed that, perhaps, he's still being overlooked.

Against Frampton, Herring used his superior height and reach to walk the Irishman into crisp combinations. He also showed off another underrated tool: power.

With his confidence now brimming heading into the biggest fight of his life, Herring is hoping to upset the odds once again and move on to a title unification with Valdez. Stevenson, meanwhile, is looking to use Herring as a steppingstone to stardom.

[Ruthless-RKO]

How do ESPN have Stevenson above Herring in their divisional rankings?

[margaret thatcher]

not on resume obviously, i guess they perceive him to be better, which he is

[ironbeard]

Good, legit fight. SS should get the DW relatively easily. Hopefully JH can make it interesting, or at least not a snore fest.

What’s DW?

Sorry, decision win.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Nico Ali Walsh and Duke Ragan will be on the card

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring and Shakur Stevenson have exchanged verbal volleys in person and on social media. They’ll settle the score in the Throwdown in A-Town.

Herring will defend his WBO junior lightweight world title against former featherweight world champion Stevenson on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event promoted by Top Rank.

Nico Ali Walsh (1-0, 1 KO), grandson of “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, looks to make it 2 for 2 against an opponent to be named in a four-round middleweight special attraction.

Herring-Stevenson, Ali Walsh’s bout, and a co-feature will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — will see the professional comeback of U.S. Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan (4-0, 1 KO) in a six-round featherweight bout, Ragan’s Olympic teammate Troy Isley (2-0, 1 KO) in a six-rounder at middleweight, Georgia native Haven Brady Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) in a four-round featherweight tilt, and the A-Town debut of junior middleweight prospect Evan “Yung Holy” Holyfield (7-0, 5 KOs), an Atlanta native and the son of heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield.

Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

“We are thrilled to be back in Atlanta with a spectacular card headlined by a junior lightweight championship grudge match between a veteran champion and one of the sport’s supreme young talents,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “And with names like Ali Walsh, Ragan and Isley on the undercard, Atlanta’s great fight fans will see many of the sport's most promising up-and-comers.”

Herring (23-2, 11 KOs), a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who captained the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team, has made three defenses of the world title he won via decision over Masayuki Ito in May 2019. After a challenging 2020 campaign that included a bout with COVID-19 and a disqualification victory over Jonathan Oquendo, Herring punched his passport in April and knocked out former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton in Dubai. He now steps up against pound-for-pound talent and 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs), a former WBO featherweight world champion who vacated the title last year to move up to junior lightweight. Stevenson is 3-0 at junior lightweight, most recently picking up the interim WBO junior lightweight world title in June with a shutout decision over Namibia’s Jeremiah Nakathila. Stevenson has lost only a handful of rounds since turning pro in April 2017, a dominant run that’s included victories over the likes of Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz and Joet Gonzalez.

“2021 has been good to me so far. I started the year with a big fight and a major win over Frampton,” Herring said. “I look forward to finishing out the year the same way I started it, not only with another huge victory, but as a world champion. I have nothing else to say. I’m focused on October 23 and the fourth title defense of my WBO belt.”

Stevenson said, “Jamel had to fight me, or he would’ve been stripped of his world title. I boxed him into a corner, and I am going to take his world title in devastating fashion on October 23. I can’t wait to fight in front of the amazing fans in Atlanta. Trust me, you are going to see a show, and I will become a two-weight world champion.”

Ali Walsh’s Aug. 14 professional debut drew international media attention, and he knocked out Jordan Weeks in the opening round while wearing a pair of his grandfather’s old trunks. He’ll make his ring return in a city that hosted two of Muhammad Ali’s most memorable moments. State Farm Arena sits less than two miles from the Atlanta Olympic Cauldron Tower, where Ali lit the Olympic flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In October 1970, Ali fought Jerry Quarry at City Auditorium, his first fight in more than three years after being banned from the ring for refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Ali Walsh’s second pro fight will come three days shy of the 51st anniversary of the Quarry fight, which Ali won by third-round knockout.

Ali Walsh said, “Atlanta welcomed my grandfather with open arms, and I am honored to fight there on a major world championship card. When Top Rank said I’d be fighting in Atlanta, I thought of my grandfather lighting the Olympic torch and his bout against Jerry Quarry. This will be a special evening for my entire family. The legend lives on.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

shak''s really good, but he's got one of those punchable smirking faces

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

shak just moved to 130 yet not even looking the smaller guy

[DrDuke]

Stevenson is a favorite for sure, but hopefully Herring somehow upsets the punk.