Dan Rafael
1,538 articles · USA Today
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Mikey Garcia decisions Adrien Broner after moving up in weight
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK -- Mikey Garcia, already a three-division world titleholder and one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound, added nicely to his resume Saturday night. Garcia, a reigning lightweight titleholder,…
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Adrien Broner, Mikey Garcia ready for career-defining fight
By Dan Rafael
Between them, Adrien Broner and Mikey Garcia, two of boxing's most well-known fighters, have won seven world title belts in seven weight classes. Those numbers would seem to indicate that they have…
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Richard Schaefer says Nonito Donaire’s next fight likely in early fall
By Dan Rafael
Former four-division world titleholder Nonito Donaire signed a multifight promotional contract with Richard Schaefer's Ringstar Sports on Tuesday, Schaefer told ESPN. Donaire, the 2012 fighter of the year, has for years been…
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Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor tilt headed to movie theaters
By Dan Rafael
Those who don't feel like forking over the $100 or so for the pay-per-view in order watch the junior middleweight mega fight between unretiring former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather and UFC superstar…
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Ex-champ Antonio Margarito to return to ring for first time in 13 months
By Dan Rafael
Former welterweight world titleholder Antonio Margarito will return to the ring for the first time in 13 months when he takes on Carson Jones on Sept. 2, both fighters' camps told ESPN…
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Gennady Golovkin begins training for Canelo Alvarez showdown
By Dan Rafael
Unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin has officially opened training camp. Golovkin has returned to trainer Abel Sanchez's Summit Gym high in the mountains of Big Bear Lake, California, to prepare for…
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Miguel Berchelt dominates Takashi Miura to retain title
By Dan Rafael
Junior lightweight world titleholder Miguel Berchelt boxed circles around former titlist Takashi Miura and rolled to a lopsided decision in the HBO main event on Saturday night at The Forum in Inglewood,…
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Floyd Mayweather: ‘My legacy is already set’
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK -- First came a half-hour of trash talk, cursing and ridiculous showmanship on Thursday night before 13,165 cheering fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn as Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor…
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Milan Melindo to defend flyweight belt vs. ex-champ Hekkie Budler
By Dan Rafael
In his first defense, flyweight world titleholder Milan Melindo will face former strawweight titlist Hekkie Budler, ALA Promotions has announced. Melindo and Budler will square off Sept. 16 at the Waterfront Hotel…
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Mikaela Mayer to make pro debut on Lomachenko-Marriaga undercard
By Dan Rafael
Lightweight Mikaela Mayer, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, has signed a promotional agreement and will turn pro with Top Rank, the company announced Friday. Mayer's pro debut, a scheduled four-rounder at a contract…
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Scorecard: Judges award Jeff Horn victory, Manny Pacquiao wants rematch
By Dan Rafael
A roundup of the past week's notable boxing results from around the world: Saturday at Brisbane, Australia Jeff Horn W12 Manny Pacquiao - Full recap Wins a welterweight title Scores: 117-111, 115-113…
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HBO not worried about Terence Crawford, Vasyl Lomachenko move to ESPN
By Dan Rafael
HBO is taking in stride the loss of two of its marquee boxers -- unified junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford and junior lightweight titlist Vasyl Lomachenko, two of the best pound-for-pound fighters…
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Manny Pacquiao: ‘We are still here and not done in boxing’
By Dan Rafael
Manny Pacquiao has made hundreds of millions of dollars, in large part because of the huge money his numerous pay-per-view fights have generated. Make no mistake: Pacquiao still likes making tons of…
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Vasyl Lomachenko, Terence Crawford to headline live ESPN cards in August
By Dan Rafael
Junior lightweight world titleholder Vasyl Lomachenko and unified junior welterweight world champion Terence Crawford, two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, will defend their crowns in August live on ESPN.…
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Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor: Expect a spectacle, not a fight
By Dan Rafael
You wouldn't buy a ticket to the circus expecting to see Shakespeare, would you? And I bet you wouldn't hit McDonald's expecting the finest filet mignon either. So if you are inclined…
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Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin not interested in Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor
By Dan Rafael
On the one hand, there is the long-anticipated fight between unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez, the former world champion, who vacated his title and now aims to reclaim…
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Andre Ward defeats Sergey Kovalev by TKO in eighth round
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Whatever doubts there were after Andre Ward was handed a highly controversial unanimous decision and three light heavyweight world title belts following his November showdown against Sergey Kovalev, there…
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Megafight principals all agree closing Mayweather-McGregor deal came off smoothly
By Dan Rafael
The Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor megafight, which many think could approach the $600 million-plus revenue record set by Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao in 2015, actually was not that difficult to make once the talks turned…
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Adonis Stevenson defends title with knockout win over Andrzej Fonfara
By Dan Rafael
Light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson said throughout the buildup to his rematch with Andrzej Fonfara that he was training for the knockout. "[The late] Emanuel Steward [Stevenson's former trainer] always told…
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Michael Conlan scores KO victory, looks ahead to Pacquiao undercard
By Dan Rafael
Featherweight prospect Michael Conlan made it 2-for-2, and now the Irish Olympic star is on his way to Australia for his next fight. In a dominant performance, Conlan knocked out Mexico's Alfredo…