Dan Rafael
1,538 articles · USA Today
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Spence confident heading into Garcia fight
By Dan Rafael
ARLINGTON, TEXAS -- Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia, two of boxing's top fighters pound-for-pound, are low-key guys not known for a lot of talk, preferring to let their fists do the…
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Golovkin signs 3-year, 6-fight deal with DAZN
By Dan Rafael
Gennady Golovkin, boxing's most sought-after broadcast free agent, is off the market. The former unified middleweight world champion signed a three-year, six-fight contract with sports streaming service DAZN at about 1:30 a.m.…
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Ortiz defeats Hammer, calls out Joshua, Wilder
By Dan Rafael
Heavyweight contender Luis "King Kong" Ortiz, hoping to earn a rematch with world titleholder Deontay Wilder or a shot at unified titlist Anthony Joshua, was forced to go the distance for a…
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Manny Pacquiao comes out of win with scratched cornea, then finds home burglarized
By Dan Rafael
Manny Pacquiao suffered a scratched cornea in his left eye during his lopsided unanimous decision over Adrien Broner in defense of his secondary welterweight world title on Saturday night at the MGM…
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Manny Pacquiao routs Adrien Broner, says he wants shot at Floyd Mayweather
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao vowed to show in his first fight since turning 40 last month that he was still a force to be reckoned with in boxing. He is. While…
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Adrien Broner: After I win, ‘I’ll be a legend overnight’
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao, fighting for the first time in the United States in 26 months, heard cheers from the thousands inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Friday when he…
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Adrien Broner confident he can handle Manny Pacquiao
By Dan Rafael
Former four-division world titlist Adrien Broner has always been confident, almost to the point of cockiness, going into his fights and nothing appears to have changed as he prepares for the biggest…
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Adrien Broner looking to shed underachiever label with win over Manny Pacquiao
By Dan Rafael
Adrien Broner has won world titles in four weight classes from junior lightweight to welterweight, but his three defeats, all by decision, each came when he stepped up to face the best…
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Donnie Nietes wins vacant junior bantamweight belt
By Dan Rafael
Donnie Nietes, one of the Philippines' all-time great boxers, succeeded in his quest to win a world title in a fourth division on Monday. Nietes claimed a hard-fought split decision victory against…
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Two title bouts from Japan on Dec. 30 card to stream live on ESPN+
By Dan Rafael
A pair of world title bouts from Japan will stream live on ESPN+ on Dec. 30 after Top Rank announced on Thursday that it has acquired the United States rights for the…
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Canelo Alvarez crushes Rocky Fielding, becomes 3-division champ
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK -- Canelo Alvarez kicked off the richest athlete contract in sports by doing just what was expected on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Heavy favorite Alvarez, the unified middleweight…
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Vasiliy Lomachenko dominates Jose Pedraza to unify titles
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK -- Pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko had accomplished so much in his first dozen pro fights by winning world titles in three weight classes and setting a variety of all-time boxing…
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Source: Gennady Golovkin meets with DAZN, Matchroom Boxing
By Dan Rafael
Former unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, the premier boxing broadcast free agent, met for four hours on Tuesday with DAZN executive chairman John Skipper and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn in Los…
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Deontay Wilder on next bout: ‘I don’t want no one else but Tyson Fury’
By Dan Rafael
Heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder forcefully said on Tuesday that he wants no other fight besides a rematch with lineal champion Tyson Fury in the wake of their epic draw. "I'm willing…
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Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury fight to draw in heavyweight title bout
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- Well, at least they have a rematch clause. Deontay Wilder dropped Tyson Fury twice, but Fury also outboxed him for long stretches, leaving the judges a lot to pick…
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Ringside Seat: Future of heavyweight division rests on Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- The old saying is: As the heavyweight division goes, so goes boxing. If that truly is the case, the sport is in good shape, because there is a big-time…
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Emotions spill over in final Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury news conference
By Dan Rafael
LOS ANGELES -- Throughout the dealmaking process and the promotion of their fight, it is obvious that heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury like and respect each other.…
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Maurice Hooker’s turnaround changes direction for junior welterweights
By Dan Rafael
Opening bell: The best-laid plans go awry There was much at stake when junior welterweight titlist Maurice Hooker and mandatory challenger Alex Saucedo squared off for the belt in Saucedo's hometown of…
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Berchelt aims for unification in wide-open junior lightweight division
By Dan Rafael
Opening Bell: Junior lightweight wide open If there is one division that is as wide open as one could imagine, with zero clarity as to who is the king, it is the…
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Berchelt aims for unification in wide-open junior lightweight division
By Dan Rafael
Opening Bell: Junior lightweight wide open If there is one division that is as wide open as one could imagine, with zero clarity as to who is the king, it is the…