Dan Rafael
1,538 articles · USA Today
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Still a champion, but not the same GGG
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK -- Father Time is, and always will be, undefeated. Yes, many thought that Sergiy Derevyanchenko, despite getting knocked down in the opening round and getting badly cut over his right…
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Ringside Seat: Can GGG get past Derevyanchenko, lure Canelo next?
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK -- From 2010 to 2018 Gennadiy Golovkin owned at least one middleweight world title belt. Then, 13 months ago, he lost a heavily disputed majority decision to rival Canelo Alvarez…
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Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez headline Hall of Fame ballot
By Dan Rafael
The International Boxing Hall of Fame, which in July reduced the wait for eligibility to three years, released the ballot for the 2020 election cycle and it is loaded with superstar fighters…
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Ringside Seat: Spence finally gets true test at welterweight against Porter
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- When Errol Spence Jr. got his first opportunity to fight for a welterweight world title in 2017, it came about only because he was a mandatory challenger. Nobody with…
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After Porter, Spence eyeing Pacquiao, Crawford
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- Welterweight world titlist Errol Spence Jr. has significant business to deal with in the form of fellow belt holder Shawn Porter, but that has not stopped Spence from talking…
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Navarrete set for quick turnaround vs. Elorde
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Less than a month ago, junior featherweight world titleholder Emanuel Navarrete defended his belt, but in throwback fashion, he will be back in the ring Saturday night for another…
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Prograis sues WBSS, pulls out of tourney final
By Dan Rafael
Junior welterweight world titlist Regis Prograis has pulled out of the World Boxing Super Series tournament final. Prograis and Lou DiBella, his promoter, also filed suit Friday against tournament organizer Comosa AG,…
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Kownacki-Arreola live undercard results: Omotoso shows power, stops Stevens in Round 3
By Dan Rafael
In progress: Title fight: Marcus Brown vs. Jean Pascal, 12 rounds, for Brown's WBA interim light heavyweight title Omotoso knocks out Stevens Junior middleweight "Lucky Boy" Wale Omotoso scored three knockdowns in…
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Pacquiao hands Thurman his 1st career loss
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao, the all-time boxing legend, aimed to prove he could still take care of business against an elite opponent at age 40. He did just that, adding yet…
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Pacquiao, Thurman make weight for Saturday
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman had just made weight when they moved toward each other for the traditional stare-down for the cheering fans and photographers on Friday afternoon inside…
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Fury, Wilder building heavyweight rematch into bigger blockbuster
By Dan Rafael
Opening Bell: Wilder-Fury II a monster LAS VEGAS -- The new biggest fight in boxing is the rematch between heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury, and it's going…
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Williams takes Hurd’s belts in unanimous decision
By Dan Rafael
FAIRFAX, Va. -- All along, Julian "J Rock" Williams said it made no difference to him that he was going to challenge Jarrett Hurd in front of his home-region fans, because they…
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Shakur Stevenson’s fast rise has Top Rank execs ‘nervous’
By Dan Rafael
Boxing promoters invest heavily in many of the young prospects they sign, especially if one of them comes with an Olympic medal, so there often is an internal debate when it comes…
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Shields beats up Hammer, wins undisputed title
By Dan Rafael
A few days before Claressa Shields met Christina Hammer for the undisputed women's middleweight world championship on Saturday night, Shields made it clear how the fight would go and what she wanted…
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Lomachenko crushes Crolla by knockout in 4th
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- Pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko was a massive favorite to retain his unified lightweight world title against mandatory challenger Anthony Crolla, and he did just that in the expected dominating…
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Gilberto Ramirez wins light heavyweight debut, stops Tommy Karpency in Round 4
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- Super middleweight world titlist Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez made the move up to the light heavyweight division and turned in a dominating performance Friday night at Staples Center. Ramirez, who…
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Broner pleads guilty, gets two years’ probation
By Dan Rafael
Former four-division world titleholder Adrien Broner avoided jail time on Monday when he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and was given probation in a case in which a woman accused him of…
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Lipinets KO’s Peterson in welterweight slugfest
By Dan Rafael
OXON HILL, Md. -- Former world titleholders Sergey Lipinets and Lamont Peterson, hoping to position themselves for another shot, put on an absolutely grinding, physical, back-and-forth battle not for the faint of…
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Spence dominates Garcia in landslide decision
By Dan Rafael
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Welterweight world titleholder Errol Spence Jr. said a few days before his defense against Mikey Garcia that the fight would be "a one-sided massacre" in his favor. Oh, boy,…
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Spence unfazed by cheers for Garcia on his turf
By Dan Rafael
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Mikey Garcia is here in the hometown of welterweight world titleholder Errol Spence Jr., but it was Garcia who drew the biggest cheers from the thousands of fans at…