Malik Willis ran for a touchdown in his first start for the Dolphins.

Pressure Point: Rebuilding Dolphins stumble in opener, face rough road to respectability

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This Miami Dolphins season of low expectations, which began with a 27-13 defeat Sunday at Las Vegas, is somewhat of a misnomer.

Certainly, it applies to matters of wins and any talk of playoff potential. Neither on the radar.

But there is every reason to begin looking for indications this woebegone franchise may have finally gotten it right with the latest general manager, coach and quarterback after so many swings and misses.

Sunday provided the first real opportunity to assess the approach of GM Jon-Erik Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley for turning this mess around. Specifically, regarding initial decisions on quarterback and the draft.

To seize on a positive, third-round wide receiver Caleb Douglas impressed the most with five catches for 94 yards. He had receptions of 25 and 30 yards to set up two field goals in the first half.

On defense, inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez led the team with 14 tackles, five solo including an emphatic rodeo-style takedown.

Malik Willis’ debut brings mixed results

In his first start, Malik Willis showed mobility that has been lacking in Dolphins quarterbacks on a 14-yard touchdown scramble that cut the deficit to 17-13 early in the third quarter.

As a passer, Willis was pedestrian: 15 of 27 for 220 yards and a 66.9 passer rating. He was sacked five times, some of them due to inability to find an open receiver.

Willis’ touchdown run cashed in a turnover after rookie safety Michael Taaffe intercepted Kirk Cousins on the first possession of the second half.

It took only five plays following a 50-yard kickoff return for the Raiders to respond and push the lead to 24-13.

Willis was then intercepted on an overthrow, and hope for a competitive second half quickly vanished.

That sequence showcased major shortcomings of the NFL’s youngest team, which has 13 rookies.

Most concerning was abysmal run defense and the absence of a pass rush. Raiders backs were getting to the second level untouched. The recurring image was white Dolphins jerseys being pushed backward.

Las Vegas had an advantage in rushing yards of 130 to 74. Ashton Jeanty had 102 yards for Las Vegas.

The physicality that coach Jeff Hafley has stressed was conspicuously lacking.

Top pass-rusher Chop Robinson was a nonfactor as Miami failed to record a sack.

In addition, Miami’s kick coverage was awful, repeatedly giving the Raiders favorable field position to begin possessions.

Dolphins dominated at line of scrimmage

The Raiders’ dominance in every phase of the game was stunning, considering the Raiders are another rebuilding team with a new coach that is coming off a league-worst 3-14 season.

This was one of very few apparently winnable games for a young, rebuilding Miami team saddled with the second-toughest schedule based on last year’s records.

The road ahead is inhabited by far scarier beasts. The young Dolphins made the Raiders look like Super Bowl contenders.

Miami’s veterans didn’t distinguish themselves either. The three most experienced offensive linemen, Aaron Brewer, Austin Jackson and Patrick Paul, were each flagged for a major penalty.

Jaylen Wright provided a bright moment for Dolphins special teams with a 79-yard kickoff return. Hope for a rally vanished quickly in discouraging fashion. De’Von Achane was held to two short gains, Willis took a sack, and Riley Patterson missed a 41-yard field goal attempt.

Achane finds little running room

I started out focusing on the offensive line, specifically the guards: No. 1 draft pick Kadyn Proctor on the left and second-year Jonah Savaiinaea back at his college position on the right.

Beefing up the offensive line to lead a run-first offense was the offseason objective. There wasn’t much running room for Achane, who averaged 3.3 yards on 11 carries.

Safety Dante Trader Jr. also had a pick in the second half. Safety has been regarded as a trouble spot. So good work by Taffee and Trader.

Rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, second of two Dolphins 2026 first-round picks, was beaten for two touchdowns, though.

Overall, it was tough to find much encouraging from the debut of the Hafley-Sullivan era.

I am grateful for change, though. I couldn’t have watched another season of the Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier, Tua Tagovailoa triumvirate. They never failed to disappoint.

The obvious conclusion is growth for the new regime is going to be slow and painful. Unfortunately, it figures to be difficult to watch.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Ryan Garcia wipes out Conor Benn, retaining his WBC welterweight championship

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The WBC welterweight championship did not change hands, and the fans were spared a late night. The outcome should have been seen a mile away when comparing the differences in talent and how the inferior man had made a huge mistake making matters personal — yet the main event did not fail to entertain.

 

Ryan Garcia had a career night plus put other champions and worthy pugilists on notice that he is more than a one-trick pony. He had said he would take out Conor Benn in under five rounds and he delivered a stoppage in two.  

 

Benn’s footwork and upper body movement were not good enough to close the distance, as he was getting bombarded with left hooks as he lunged and chased. He had absorbed nine power shots in round one, per CompuBox, and bruising was visible under his right eye at the end of the round. 

 

He was more effective at punching air in the following interval, but his mouth hung open and the shots he didn’t see coming — a right uppercut to the jaw followed up by a left hook — staggered him and made it obvious an execution was quickly approaching. 

 

Then Garcia, who has been known for his swift and powerful left hook, landed a murderous right hand, dropping the challenger onto the canvas. He stood up, but was quickly backed into the ropes, where the champion bashed him with both hands until the referee, Thomas Taylor, stepped in between them. 

 

The stoppage was premature, but there isn’t anything to complain about because Benn likely would’ve had his lights put out in the next 30 seconds — an image that would have been devastating for him and his father, former champion Nigel Benn, who was standing close by. Benn didn’t protest Taylor’s call, either. 

 

It was Garcia’s first title defense after becoming champion in February, and it was his easiest significant payday. Benn said he was more Mexican than Garcia in the lead up to the fight, which undoubtedly pissed off the champ, and did not have the effect probably intended of making him fight emotionally. 

 

Still, this was the type of wipeout that may change a man. We’ll see if Benn is willing to take the same risks in the ring and if he is eager to get into a nasty war of words. He had said before the fight that it would be his last at welterweight and would be looking to go up to 160 or 168 pounds. Middleweight, being far away from Garcia and other top dogs like Devin Haney and Teófimo López, or the champs at 154 pounds, is a good place to move to.

 

Garcia wants to fight López next and eventually Haney for the undisputed title. Notably, López had stopped by his locker room before the fight, but was not allowed into the ring by security. On top of that, Garcia went from trying to call him into the ring to saying he’d whoop him right there. It was probably staged. 

 

Still, the champ now has three wins, one loss and one no contest (versus Haney for PEDs) since getting knocked out by Gervonta “Tank” Davis at lightweight in 2023. He’s on the path to boxing redemption and making the most out of it.



Filip Hrgović stuns the world, stopping Moses Itauma in nine rounds to become the IBF heavyweight champion

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The upset of the year happened in Greenwich, London, denying the young emerging superstar southpaw the chance to be the second-youngest heavyweight champ of all time behind Mike Tyson.

 

Filip Hrgović (21-1, 15 KOs) made the 21 year-old Moses Itauma leave on a stretcher. He’s now the first Croatian heavyweight champ (IBF), and he had lost the first eight rounds, taking heavy artillery to the head and body. He then pounced on his young opponent in the ninth, leaving the overwhelming majority of spectators inside The O2 Arena stunned.

 

He had said that he’d send the younger man back to high school, and on Friday at the last face off, tensions boiled when Itauma pushed Hrgović in the back, causing him to drop off the stage. Hrgović turned around, stepped to him and slapped him with a swift right that further set the stage for Saturday. 

 

Itauma had even dropped him with a check right hook in the second round and nearly decapitated him with an uppercut later in the bout. Additionally, Hrgović’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, had instructed him that he needed to land one good shot earlier in the clash when nothing was going right for him. But Hrgović sensed him slowing down after the first, and went for it when Itauma looked like he downed 15 shots of Don Julio as he stumbled through the ring. 

 

Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight as Hrgović landed a piercing right to the body and a left hook upstairs as Itauma was gasping for air, using the ropes to stand.

 

Hrgović had suffered one previous loss — a stoppage in June 2024 against Daniel Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) as both sides of his face were badly cut up — but has now won four in a row and wants a unification next, which would mean step-aside money for Frank Sánchez (26-1, 19 KOs). Hrgović also said he wants another go at Dubois, the WBO champ who left humiliated and thinking about quitting boxing, if he defeats Fabio Warley in his rematch. He mentioned the undefeated Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs) as well. 

 

He also gave props to Itauma (14-1) in his post-fight interview, calling him the best fighter he’s faced, but that his gas stank plus experience weren’t enough, as he had never been past six rounds. He didn’t fail to give credit to wife, Marinela, for her support, and dedicated the win to his daughter and the memory of his father, who died four years ago. 

 

“It was not me tonight, it was Jesus Christ in me,” the champion said. 

 

Queensberry Promotions founder, Frank Warren, claimed Itauma has a leg injury, and said the young contender needs to go back to the drawing board. He also said he would do his best to deliver a fight for Hrgović in Croatia.

 

Dubois stuck around for an interview with the DAZN broadcast. He said he would “100 percent” fight Hrgović again.



There’s not enough action in boxing’s welterweight division, despite nice names

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The welterweight division is somewhat alluring, but that won’t mean anything if the best guys aren’t fighting each other. Some of them are talking a big game but not backing it up. 

 

Recently, Richardson Hitchins posted a video calling out Brian Norman Jr., and then backed off saying “the higher ups” wouldn’t grant the fight their blessing, after the former champion responded that he wanted it. 

 

Who could forget that shameful waste of time Keyshawn Davis pulled, being offered the biggest payday of his life against Devin Haney only to back out and leave the public questioning his desire for greatness?

 

Ryan Garcia, who was gifted a championship fight versus Mario Barrios, taking the WBC strap, is saying he’d “beat the brakes” off Teófimo López, the latest WBA champ who seized the belt from  Rolando “Rolly” Romero on Aug. 22. Notably, López beat the man Garcia could not and who left him distraught after his second loss. 

 

The next intriguing fight at 147 is Garcia’s clash with Conor Benn on Sept. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that many expect him to win, considering Benn’s inferior footwork, subordinate talent and the picture posted recently of him looking like a POW.

 

Benn saying it will be his last fight at welterweight has Garcia believing he is suffering to lose weight. Intentional or not, that revelation is also a built-in excuse in case he loses and it has thrown a little bit of cold water on the event.

 

But after their fight, the buzz in the division fizzles while the public waits for a big-time fade. Maybe López, who wants to be undisputed,  steps up, taking on the winner of Garcia- Benn. There’s also the Australian IBF champ, Liam Paro, who said he believes he’d beat Lopez. 

 

If talk is cheap and the other sides stall on a unification, Norman is always a worthy and dangerous opponent for López, and so is the Englishman, Jack Catterall, the lesser champion of the WBA, who wants a piece of him, too.

 

Other Notes:

 

  • Gervonta Davis is a lowlife fraud, pissing away his talent because he can’t keep his hands off women. On top of that, one gets secondhand embarrassment watching the body-cam footage from his July 2025 arrest as it proves he’s as dumb as they say.  He recently insulted the memory of Haney’s dead mother in an instagram post, and one wonders how that and all his recent misdeeds are in accordance with his Islamic faith, which he converted to a few years ago. 

 

  • Of course, much of the boxing world wants to see Naoya Inoue defend his undisputed titles at 122 pounds against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, but Junto Nakatani should be calling dibs against the pugilist from San Antonio. It’s hard to see Rodriguez risking the massive payday with Inoue by taking on Nakatani first, but if he loses to Inoue he should move on to the former Japanese champion for another enormous fight. 

 

  • Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) hasn’t shown public interest in fighting José “ El Rayo” Valenzuela (16-3, 10 KOs), but beating him would be a nice name on his résumé. Valenzuela just got revenge, knocking out Edwin De Los Santos in three rounds, who Stevenson got a unanimous decision against in November 2023. There are worse ways to stay busy. 



Defining a Successful 2026 Season For the Miami Dolphins

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For the Miami Dolphins, defining a successful 2026 season is not as simple as looking at the win-loss record. Miami is entering a new era under Jeff Hafley, and the biggest question facing the franchise goes far beyond whether it can compete on Sundays.

The only true answer is whether the Dolphins finally figure out the most important position in sports: quarterback.

Everything else comes after that.

Is QB1 in Miami?

The biggest objective for Miami in 2026 should be determining whether it has its long-term answer at quarterback. If the Dolphins can confidently walk away from this season believing they have QB1, the year should be considered a success regardless of the final record.

Ideally, Miami finds that answer while still landing a top-five pick. That would give the franchise an opportunity to evaluate its quarterback situation without sacrificing the chance to add another elite prospect to the roster.

If Miami does not have its quarterback, the 2027 offseason becomes about finding one, in which case they would likely draft one with this selection.

Who Becomes Part of the Hafley Build?

Jeff Hafley is tasked with establishing a new identity in Miami, one built on accountability, toughness, and discipline. 2026 should provide the first real look at which players fit that vision.

Not every player currently on the roster will be part of the long-term plan. Some will emerge as foundational pieces, while others will prove they are better suited as short-term contributors.

The Dolphins need to identify those building blocks.

That includes finding players who can become leaders in the locker room. Miami has lacked stability and consistency for far too long, and this season should reveal who is willing to take ownership of the team and become the faces of the Hafley era.

Perhaps the biggest non-quarterback question is whether Miami can finally establish a foundation along the offensive line.

For years, the Dolphins have struggled to create consistency up front. A successful 2026 season should provide evidence that the team is finally building an offensive line capable of protecting its quarterback and creating opportunities in the run game. Miami already has one stable long term piece in Aaron Brewer, Patrick Paul’s rookie year looked promising, and Kaydyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinea have has a good camp. Austin Jackson is potentially the odd man out at right tackle.

The offense does not need to become one of the league’s best overnight. It needs to become structurally sound.

Two receivers emerging as legitimate long-term pieces would also be a major win for the offense and give Willis a foundation to work with, enabling his full development.

Defensive Players Emerging

On defense, Miami needs at least three players to emerge as legitimate pieces of the future. They already have two key pieces in Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler, but them alone is simply not enough.

The Dolphins will need some young talent to begin separating themselves from the rest, and preferably across each room. Miami has two rookies who look to make an impact right away in Chris Johnson and Jacob Rodriguez, while players like Chop Robinson, Kenneth Grant, and more need to take that next step.

That is ultimately what this 2026 season should be about, finding out who belongs.

If Miami can identify its quarterback, build a competent offensive line, develop two receivers, establish leaders and see at least three defensive players emerge, then 2026 can be viewed as a successful season.

The wins will matter, but the real success will be knowing exactly what Miami has and what it still needs heading into 2027.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Enes Freedom gets ejected from Sky- Fever game, makes fool of himself

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Unfortunately, the WNBA is the target of malicious creeps who claim to protect women’s interests, but are instead, a vile and comically stupid lot. The latest fabricated crisis is that trans women could play and before that, it was the league that was too rough with their favorite player, Caitlin Clark.

 

Ever see someone embarrass themselves so badly, it was obvious there was nobody in their life who cares for them to say “stay out of trouble”? That’s Enes Know-Nothing Freedom, a cautionary tale of a narcissist needing professional help. 

 

He got himself ejected on Sunday for stepping onto the baseline of the Indiana Fever’s game in Chicago against the Sky, because he couldn’t take being yelled at by Natasha Cloud. He showed up to agitate the WNBA community, thinking the attention he gets from haters is genuine — like the halfwit convinced a stripper is fond of him. He fails to understand that if he wasn’t their dupe, they’d likely want him deported.

 

No one needs a crystal ball to know he’s going to go running back to the platforms that amplify his bigotry, while painting himself as a victim.

 

Trans people are the closest comparison there is to Jewish people before they were murdered in the Holocaust since they have been banned from public spaces in many states, too. Particularly, their bathroom of choice. 

 

If Kanter were a real human rights advocate, which he claims to be, or had any understanding of history, he’d know that it makes him a cruel, pathetic, donkey to target a small, vulnerable community.

 

Despite having a physical advantage over many hoopers, logging 11 seasons in the NBA and being passed around like a joint, he has no legacy. It’s a miracle he lasted that long, considering he could only play in one defensive coverage, so opponents would hunt him down because he was always a lightweight on the floor. He’s listed at 6’ 10, 250 pounds, but has as much ferocity as a golden retriever.  

 

Kanter recently made a video saying he would declare for the W’s draft, but he’s lucky no one would select him. He’d get worked just as badly by the ladies, especially if they wanted to make an example out of him. He’d never mentally recover, apart from what’s going on now. 

 

His life has come to this — stealing headlines from women plus being laughed at and despised. He made himself the story when the Fever’s victory, led by Clark’s 37 points, which included eight trifectas, with 10 dimes, should have been the headliner. 

 

If there’s a way for the WNBA to ban him from its properties, it should do so swiftly. No one who wants to go watch a game should have to see his ugly mug nor hear his psychobabble.



Hamzah Sheeraz accuses the WBO of corruption and claps back at Edgar Berglanga

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WBO super middleweight champ, Hamzah Sheeraz, is not thrilled about the undefeated Kazakh, Janibek Alimkhanuly being his mandatory challenger. The 27 year-old Englishman with Pakistani and Indian descent has fought twice in 2026, with a second-round knockout victory and a 12-round majority decision. He said on the Ariel Helwani Show that he wants one more before the year is up in November or December, but he doesn’t think those who have never fought at the division and have popped dirty for PEDs deserve the opportunity to face him. He accused the sanctioning body of corruption.

 

Helwani asked him about the corruption he mentioned. Sheeraz said, “What the WBO have done here. To me, it’s corrupt, and I’ll say it as it is. I feel like it’s all based off relationships… I’m talking from my moral perspective. I want to give a message to the youngsters out there that even though it’s being deemed OK, it’s ain’t.”

 

Alimkhanuly (17-0) is a southpaw who was last in the ring in April 2025 and is a former champ at a 160-pounds. His failed test on Nov. 15 got his middleweight (160 pounds) title fight with Erislandy Lara tossed. The IBF vacated his belt because of his failed drug test plus the suspension wouldn’t let him fulfill his mandatory defense, and the WBO never stripped him. Now he’s back, subtweeting Sheeraz and eager to prove that banned substances had nothing to do with his 12 KOs.

 

Notably, each of his posts has comments disabled. The last one that allowed public comment was on Dec. 2, 2025, in which he wrote, “I have always supported clean sport you know this well. I was surprised when I read the news. VADA took the first test and said everything was clean. I have not made any changes to my vitamins. I don’t know what happened with the second test, so l requested a retest.”

 

Sheeraz’s frustration is understandable. People die yearly in this business, so dirty fighters should be sanctioned more harshly when there is a failed test. But, Alimkhanuly has served his suspension, and in this world, that’s enough for much of the public and big decision-makers to put someone back in the mix.

 

In 2026, the best big-name fights have been Naoya Inoue v. Junto Nakatani, Jaron Boots Ennis v. Xander Zayas and Shakur Stevenson v. Teófimo López. On top of that, there have been other great ones such as Dalton Smith’s fifth-round technical knockout against Subriel Matias, Brandon Figueroa’s 12-roundth stoppage versus Nick Ball, and recently Mark Chamberlain’s 10th-round TKO against Pierce O’Leary. 

 

Still, too many of the best fights are not made and some of the top pugilists stay out of the ring too long. It hasn’t been a terrible year of boxing, but it has been a bit underwhelming. Yet stylistically, a Sheeraz v. Alimkhanuly matchup, if it gets made, has a high chance of producing lots of action and would be significant for each of their legacies. Additionally, if the distribution was handled correctly, putting it on TNT Sports along with DAZN (regular subscription), instead of making it a Pay-Per-View, it could be the type of match that starts turning more casual fans into dedicated ones. 

 

In matters of lesser consequence, Sheeraz responded to Edgar Berlanga’s easy work comment with a story about being physically affected the day he KOed him. According to Sheeraz, he had to go through medicals a second time because his paperwork was lost, so his eyes were dilated in the process at 1 PM. “It just goes to show, if anything, he was easy work.”

 

It shouldn’t be this hard to get Shakur Stevenson another good fight

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Shakur Stevenson is fifth on the ESPN Pound-for-Pound list and third for Ring Magazine’s. He hasn’t fought since Jan. 31, when he made easy work of Teófimo López in a unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden for the super lightweight WBO belt. A fight with Devin Haney doesn’t appear like it will happen anytime soon at welterweight, but hopefully both parties circle back in the future.

 

If they face off relatively soon while both are undefeated and outclassing opponents, it will easily be one of the biggest fights of the year, if not the top one because of their fame and prowess. Don’t forget that Haney told him, “I’m number one,” the night he defeated Vasiliy Lomachencko, becoming the undisputed lightweight champ in May 2023, when Stevenson was brought into the ring. 

 

Stevenson, who has only fought once at 140 pounds, is not comfortable going up to 147 yet. In fairness to him, neither is Keyshawn Davis, who has only boxed twice at super lightweight with wins over Jamaine Ortiz (TKO) and Nahir Albright. 

 

But action must be taken soon so all the good names don’t make commitments, leaving him further frustrated and waiting. Consider that Davis, who recently ducked Haney after going to purse bid, is off the table because of their close friendship. It’s understandable to be picky when someone is at his level, but Stevenson hasn’t earned the right to be Floyd Mayweather Jr., either.

 

He has shown no public interest in a fight with José “Rayo” Valenzuela (16-3), who recently knocked out Edwin De Los Santos (17-3) in two rounds on June 28 as payback for his first career defeat — a third-round KO — nearly four years ago.  Notably, Stevenson went to a unanimous decision against De Los Santos in November 2023. The reason “Rayo” doesn’t appeal to him is because he was beat by WBA titlist Gary Antuanne Russell in March 2025, but he is 2-0 since.

 

He also talked about moving back to lightweight for a potential fight against Lamont Roach Jr., but any chance of that fell apart thanks to William Zepeda defeating the D.C. native on Aug. 1. Stevenson has not called for a rematch with Zepeda, who he widely beat in July 2025, yet it was still highly entertaining.

 

Nor has expressed further interest in stepping into the ring with WBC junior lightweight champ, O’Shaquie Foster (25-3), at 135 pounds, despite the smaller man appearing to want it badly. Stevenson thinks he won’t get credit for beating him, but he was present in the ring moments after Foster’s victory over Raymond Ford on May 30, and both of them got into a heated verbal exchange, which included Stevenson calling him a “bum” and a “bitch.”

 

Perhaps there’s an option if the slick Gary Antuanne Russell doesn’t fight Oscar Duarte, which Dan Rafael of Fight Freaks Unite reported is being discussed. Or maybe the Englishman, Dalton Smith, who smoked Subriel Matías (TKO) in five rounds on Jan. 10 for the WBC strap, could make for a suitable opponent. 

 

At this point, Stevenson is on the verge of becoming a world-wide star as the potential next face of boxing, but it shouldn’t be this hard to get him a gig.

Quick Hits:

 

  • Some guys in this era should fight each other six times as Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta did. Of course, things can change in the meantime, but wouldn’t it be great between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, considering their seething rivalry? I’m not sure anyone believes Garcia saying it won’t happen. Additionally, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are diminished forms of themselves, and I wouldn’t mind a fourth duel. 

 

  • Tuesday is the 55th anniversary of Earnie Shavers starching Richard Pittman in round one in Paradise, Nevada. After that fight, the man who Muhammad Ali said hit him hardest, had a record of 29-2.



WBA welterweight champ, Rolly Romero, spent Friday giving back to the community ahead of his title defense against Teófimo López on Aug. 22

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Rolando “Rolly” Romero will defend his WBA welterweight title on pay-per-view against his old pal Teófimo López on Aug. 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and in the meantime, he’s prepping and giving back to the community. 

 

Romero was at John S. Park Elementary in Las Vegas on Friday, where he once attended, and he was surprised that more kids showed up than he expected. He hung out with students, hooked them up with backpacks, signed photos and some got tickets for the fight against López. 

 

Still, the coolest part for those kids must have been doing the face-off with Romero, who became champion on May 2, 2025, after upsetting Ryan Garcia for the vacant strap. He will be making his first defense of the welterweight belt against López, who will be taking his initial fight at 147 pounds on Aug. 22, and is the more talented pugilist.

 

Yet, López’s power didn’t even go up with him to super lightweight (140 pounds), and Romero, the naturally bigger man, has developed extra skills and is the most dangerous version of himself. Romero’s record is 17-2, with knockout losses against Gervonta Davis (135 pounds) and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (140 pounds). Despite only two wins in the 28 months that followed the Cruz defeat, Romero has come a long way on his spiritual journey and his confidence appears to be unshakable.

 

Making welterweight is not as taxing as being in shape for a lightweight or super lightweight contest, so having the added fuel suits Romero. On top of that, he was sharp in his last fight against Garcia, making him go into a shell after the knockdown in round two. If he is the same guy, López will have to do something impressive, perhaps tagging and slipping off the back foot, but he’ll need to land some combos to keep the pressure off.

 

López (22-2) is coming off his Jan. 31 loss against Shakur Stevenson and it shouldn’t be weighed too much against him because that’s what happens when facing off with a prodigy. Nonetheless, he is desperate to prove he’s still among the elite. His ultimate career achievement was defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko almost six years ago, but then his lowest moment came in his next fight — a split decision loss against George Kambosos Jr. — while dealing with severe breathing issues, according to a doctor who checked him out. 

 

Since his first loss, he’s 6-1, looking sensational on some nights and then just like a good fighter on others. 

 

A loss for Romero or López would only put their careers in danger if one suffers catastrophic damage or if somehow, their skills have fallen off a cliff. It’s going to sting bitterly for one of them to receive another blemish on their record, but they deserve respect for taking the risk because it’s not an easy one for either of them.

 

Since they are friends, and have taken verbal shots at Stevenson and his close friend Keyshawn Davis, the pressure is on Romero and López to deliver an entertaining fight. Goodness willing the public gets it because $79.99 through Amazon or DAZN is a pretty penny to watch boxing at home. 

 

 



William Zepeda becomes WBC lightweight champ in win over Lamont Roach and more

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William Zepeda is the new WBC lightweight champ after beating Lamont Roach by unanimous decision in Paradise, Nevada. The Mexican southpaw reached the mountaintop nearly 13 months after suffering his lone defeat to Shakur Stevenson in New York City, and he dedicated his victory to his family.

 

He doesn’t care when or where he fights next, but he wants to be the undisputed champion, collecting the remaining WBA, WBO and IBF belts. 

 

The judges scored his victory 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, and through 12 rounds, it was as if Roach was standing in an elevator in front of a machine gun.

 

Zepeda had no respect for the power coming back at him and walked down the counter puncher most of the match. The main event also had open scoring, and Roach picked it up in the last four rounds, but it wasn’t enough to catch up on the cards. 

 

The tide shifted early in Zepeda’s favor as his pressure dictated terms, and he kept looping and piercing shots through the guard while changing levels. Additionally, it was as if a V-12 engine was strapped to his back and his relentless attack had Roach taking the most fire he ever had.

 

That type of persistence was wearing down Roach as if he were caught in a horrifying thrust of waves, preventing him from reaching the surface. Much of it happened on the ropes. 

 

It was Roach’s first defeat since Nov. 9, 2019, and he had been 6-0-2 after that, with controversial draws to Gervonta Davis and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. He was gracious and humble in defeat in his post-fight interview, and he later posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Congrats to Zepeda, was the better man tonight! But tonight only… be right back. Thanks for the love and support.”

 

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Raymond Muratalla improved to 24-0, 17 KOs, in his IBF lightweight championship defense, which was also his second-straight victory against an Olympic gold medalist. Robson Coneição, the Brazilian technician, who was on a two-fight win streak after losing his WBC super featherweight title to O’Shaquie in November 2024, was outclassed, 118-110, 119-109 and 119-109. Still, Muratalla was displeased with his performance and said he is moving up to super lightweight (140 pounds) after the fight as he revealed he had some trouble making weight.  He said, “I think I’ll feel a lot better and a lot stronger at 140.”

 

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Raul Curiel was off by 1.2 pounds from the welterweight limit (147), and underwhelmed in the first half of his unanimous decision win. Curiel spent a good chunk of the fight coming after Quinton Randall, yet struggled at times to close the distance against a lengthy jab. As the fight went on, Randall developed more confidence and had moments exchanging in the middle, but sticking with that strategy was a mistake. Curiel was the more dangerous man in that position, and he stepped on the gas in the second half of the fight, putting his opponent back on the bike to remain undefeated (18-0-1).

 

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Super welterweight Charles Conwell had been on the shelf for 469 days after being upset by Jorge Garcia Perez, and he got back in the saddle, stopping Paul Kroll in round nine of 10. It was the first fight of the main card and despite Kroll having only fought twice prior in 31 months, it was a statement performance for Conwell, who was desperately looking to show he is one of the elites at 154 pounds. 

 

“I’m back. I’m a player in the division, and I’m ready and I’m excited to get to the top,” Conwell said in his post-fight interview. 

 

Conwell was the slicker man, dodging punches and backing up Kroll to the ropes, where major punches were inflicted. The latter was as tough as a centuries old tree trunk entrenched in the dirt, and Conwell was able to wound him with a left hook below the ribs, and pressed on with with unforgiving shots from both sides. 

 

The fight was one-sided, and Kroll even suffered his first career knockdown as they exchanged left hooks, but he got clipped with the worst one and was sent crashing into the ropes. It was enough for the count and it may have saved him from Conwell going berserk on him.

 

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The upset of the night had Oscar De La Hoya rushing to the corner to comfort his prospect and it’s the perfect example of why you shouldn’t skip the prelims. 

 

The Golden Boy Promotions chief talked up 17-year-old, super lightweight Dylan Capetillo as the next best thing since sliced bread and the kid got knocked out by Juan Becerril’s crushing left hook. The doctors had checked out Becerril at the start of the round because he was getting battered and abused, and had been dropped by a left hook himself in round two. 

 

If one would have compared physiques before the fight, it would have been reasonable to presume that Becerril’s softer body would crumble against Capetillo’s ordnance. But looks are deceiving, and Becerril dropped him from a highly touted prospect to someone looking for redemption. 

 

De La Hoya could be seen from his seat stunned before he made his way to the corner and once there, he looked like he’d seen an apparition. Becerril celebrated by himself in the middle of the ring because his corner was working another fight, and the broadcast mentioned that he had to show his credential everywhere he went due to nobody knowing who he was in the week leading up to the fight.