Dan Rafael
1,538 articles · USA Today
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WBO sets mandatories, outlines title status of Krzysztof Glowacki-Maksim Vlasov bout
By Dan Rafael
The WBO took care of several pieces of business at its annual convention, which ended on Friday in Panama City, Panama. The sanctioning body ordered some mandatory title bouts as well as…
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Chris Algieri, out of ring since 2016, to fight on Nov. 30 card
By Dan Rafael
Former junior welterweight world titlist Chris Algieri, out of the ring since a fifth-round knockout loss to Errol Spence Jr. at welterweight in April 2016, is on the comeback trail. Algieri has…
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Manny Pacquiao to end 2-year U.S. exile in January vs. Adrien Broner
By Dan Rafael
Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino legend who has not boxed in the United States since 2016 because of an eight-figure debt to the IRS, plans to return to the U.S. to defend his…
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Canelo Alvarez signs 5-year, 11-fight deal worth minimum $365 million with DAZN
By Dan Rafael
As the old saying goes, as one door closes, another one opens. Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions stable of fighters, including Canelo Alvarez, the unified middleweight world champion and boxing's…
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The reality of making Crawford-Spence
By Dan Rafael
We've been through it all before -- the agony and misery as fans of watching big fights get made (or not made in some cases) wait and hope for something to happen.…
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Terence Crawford knocks out Jose Benavidez Jr. in 12th round to retain title
By Dan Rafael
OMAHA, Neb. -- As welterweight world titleholder Terence Crawford continued to take the trash talk, disdain and knockout threats from Jose Benavidez Jr., he had one constant response -- wait for the…
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Eddie Hearn: Work remains to make Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook bout a reality
By Dan Rafael
The long-awaited showdown between British rivals and former world titleholders Amir Khan and Kell Brook is being looked at for early next year, but there is still work to do to make…
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Jr. bantamweight world titleholder Jerwin Ancajas seeks unification bout with Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
By Dan Rafael
Junior bantamweight world titleholder Jerwin Ancajas has held his belt for more than two years -- longer than any other titlist in the division -- and made six successful defenses, but so…
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Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury promise KO wins in entertaining news conference in New York
By Dan Rafael
If the fight between heavyweight world titleholder Deontay Wilder and lineal world champion Tyson Fury is anything close to as entertaining as the 25-minute show they put on Tuesday afternoon, we're all…
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Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch sold 1.1 million PPV buys
By Dan Rafael
The rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin on Sept. 15 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas sold approximately 1.1 million pay-per-view buys, multiple industry sources have told ESPN. That means…
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Canelo Alvarez defeats Gennady Golovkin by majority decision
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- When Canelo Alvarez was awarded a surprising draw when he challenged Gennady Golovkin for the unified middleweight championship on this Mexican Independence Day weekend last year, there was heavy…
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Gennady Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez all business during final news conference
By Dan Rafael
LAS VEGAS -- Unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez sat just a few feet from each other at Wednesday's final news conference inside the KA Theater at the MGM…
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Shawn Porter beats Danny Garcia by unanimous decision
By Dan Rafael
NEW YORK - Conventional wisdom was that Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia, both former welterweight world titleholders with massive experience against many of the best fighters in their division, were about as…
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‘Superfly’ returns for its third edition with three notable fights
By Dan Rafael
The breakout success of former pound-for-pound king and four-division world champion Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez a few years ago paved the way for some of boxing's smallest fighters to gain tremendous exposure. It…
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Gennady Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, not pulling any punches
By Dan Rafael
As angry as unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez have been at each other during the lead-up to their rematch, the feud between Alvarez and Abel Sanchez, GGG's trainer,…
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Officials announced for Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez rematch
By Dan Rafael
The first fight between unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez ended in a storm of controversy last September, when it was ruled a split draw, with judge Adalaide Byrd's…
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GGG-Canelo undercard to feature Jaime Munguia, David Lemieux, Roman Gonzalez
By Dan Rafael
Unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez are the stars of the show for their much-anticipated rematch, but they'll have a strong supporting cast on the undercard of their Sept.…
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Sergey Kovalev’s late loss robbed us of great unification fights
By Dan Rafael
Opening Bell: What might have been The scene was ideal. A sold-out crowd of 5,642 had packed the Mark G. Etess Arena at the newly opened, beautiful and bustling Hard Rock Hotel…
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Eleider Alvarez unloads on Sergey Kovalev in Round 7, wins light heavyweight world title
By Dan Rafael
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- A "Storm" came ashore and laid waste to Sergey Kovalev on Saturday night. Trailing on all three scorecards, Eleider "Storm" Alvarez, not known for his punching power, went…
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Dmitry Bivol wants ‘to fight the best,’ looks to take care of Isaac Chilemba as Sergey Kovalev looms in his future
By Dan Rafael
Light heavyweight world titleholder Dmitry Bivol has quickly emerged as one of the best fighters in a loaded 175-pound weight class. A number of major fights loom in his near future, including…