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Two-time Olympic gold medallist Kayla Harrison has expressed her frustration with not being included in the 2023 Professional Fighters League season. When Larissa Pacheco crushed lightweight season champion Harrison (15-1) last November in the title fight of the 2022 PFL Championships, she couldn't manage to secure the title for her third consecutive season. The two-time Olympic gold medallist had already made up her mind not to participate in an additional tournament which necessitated her to compete four times over approximately seven months after she fought in a third season for the PFL. Harrison was excited to participate in individual fights, particularly after the PFL unveiled intentions to add pay-per-view shows beginning in 2023. Harrison, who won the PFL women's lightweight championship in both 2019 and 2021, was hoping to avenge her loss in the upcoming season. However, the PFL announced their roster for the upcoming season, and Harrison's name was not on the list. “I wanted to be in the season,” Harrison said on The MMA Hour. “Of course, I wanted to be in the season. The second the tournament was over, the second I lost, I wrote down my goals. I was like: ‘145-pound champ. Going to be in the season. Avenge my loss.’ I had all my key areas of focus, and that’s not in the cards for me. That’s not what they want to do. They want me to fight on the pay-per-view. “I don’t know. I think I get paid a lot of money. I think that they feel like (the regular season and playoffs are) not the best way to utilize me. I think they want to put me on a pay-per-view card against a big name.” Harrison acknowledges that she dislikes being a spectator and feels that she lacks the excitement of the season. “I’ve been a little bit depressed about it,” Harrison said. “It’s hard to watch something you helped build. No matter how awakened and peaceful I am, the world is still moving forward and I’m sitting right here. Sometimes that’s hard. I want to fight, I don’t just want to talk about fighting. I want to fight, so it’s frustrating.” There wouldn't have been much of an audience left if Harrison hadn't fallen to Pacheco a third time. But Pacheco's triumph provided the ideal plot for an anticipated fourth match and an effortless publicity chance for the PFL's upcoming pay-per-view. Sadly, the proposal fell apart since Pacheco declared she wasn't expecting another fight with Harrison to happen this year because of her devotion to four fights if she once again makes it to the finals. Pacheco entered the 2023 PFL season at featherweight. Harrison is presently hoping for yet another chance because this has placed her in a position of uncertainty with little clarity concerning what lies ahead.

In his last eight fights, going back to 2018, Vasiliy Lomachenko has competed as a 135-pound fighter. Having won three different iterations of the lightweight championship before losing them to Teofimo Lopez Jr. in 2020, the Ukrainian has achieved great success in the category. In fights against opponents at the lightweight limit, Lomachenko has typically been the smaller fighter despite having also won world championships at 126 and 130 pounds. When Lomachenko, 35, squares off against undefeated champion Devin Haney, 29-0, 15 KOs, on May 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on ESPN+ pay-per-view, he will once more be the smaller boxer. On the tale of the tape, Lomachenko is one inch taller than Haney at 5 feet 8 inches, but when the two finally face off, a rehydrated Haney will appear much larger. Haney has hinted at moving up to 140 pounds because it's getting harder for him to maintain 135 pounds. When asked if he, too, would think about stepping up to 140 pounds for a chance to exact revenge for his loss to Lopez, Lomachenko (57 KG, 60 KG), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, quickly put the breaks on the idea. “One hundred thirty-five, everybody knows, it’s not my weight class. And I can't do 140. After that, you ask me about Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, so sorry,” Lomachenko said in an interview with BoxingScene.com and other reporters. In what appears to be a fantasy fight for now, Lomachenko was also asked if he would go back down to 126 pounds to possibly fight Top Rank stablemate Naoya Inoue, the former 118-pound undisputed champion who has yet to make his 122-pound debut. “Maybe [I would fight Inoue]. I forgot how to make weight,” said Lomachenko. “I need to try to make 126. But of course, it's always interesting fighting top fighters near our weight classes … I've seen his fights. He has power. He's a top fighter.”

Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez has called for a fight with Nate Diaz in the Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship to settle an old score. Alvarez, who is known for his aggressive fighting style, has long been regarded as one of the toughest fighters in the game. Diaz, on the other hand, is a fan favorite who has built a reputation as a warrior who is never afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone. A while back Eddie Alvarez inked a contract with BKFC, meaning that he will clash with Chad Mendes in his first fight. On April 29, the two are scheduled to face off at BKFC 41. In a press conference before his BKFC 41 match versus Mendes, the former lightweight champion of the UFC and Bellator was questioned about who he would want to face. He added that they argued in earlier years that almost resulted in a physical confrontation and instantly referenced Nate Diaz. "I confronted him in Mexico City about grilling me and doing some weird little kid bullsh*t and we got into then UFC broke it all up. We never got to hash that out, and I beat up his teammate so I thought after I beat [Gilbert] Melendez that maybe that would warrant a fight against him, but still, he never fought me. So, I think this is the right stage the right opportunity to get this done." Along with Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz remains one of the most desired free agents since departing the UFC. Everyone is seeking to get involved in a conversation with the Stockton king. It's not hidden that he is connected to other organizations as he assesses the best course of action. The Stockton native is the only adversary that "The Underground King" has expressed interest in facing off against, he said: "I think he'd transition well over to here with that real 'gangster' style or whatever he wants to be. I think it'll do good here and I think that's the only opponent that I would only want to fight. I don't really have a desire to fight anyone besides him." The BKFC, which has been gaining in popularity in recent years, would be the perfect stage for a fight between Alvarez and Diaz. A fight between Alvarez and Diaz would undoubtedly draw a huge crowd, as fans of both fighters would be eager to see who comes out on top. Of course, there are still many hurdles that would need to be overcome before a fight between Alvarez and Diaz could take place. Both fighters would need to agree to the terms of the fight, and the BKFC would need to be willing to put up the necessary funds to make it happen. However, if all parties can agree, a fight between Alvarez and Diaz would be one of the most anticipated bouts in BKFC history.

Canelo Alvarez has already heard it all. The undisputed 168-pound champion from Mexico, who will defend his title against John Ryder on May 6 at Akron Stadium in his hometown of Guadalajara, did not exhibit any signs of being impressed by David Benavidez's most recent display during a recent media workout. Fans have been calling for a fight between the two super middleweights for years, and the clamour peaked last Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas when Phoenix, Arizona's Benavidez comprehensively beat Caleb Plant over 12 rounds. Early on, Plant had the upper hand, but Benavidez's emergence on the inside in the second half of the fight rapidly changed the momentum. After the fight, Mexican fighter Benavidez, dubbed The Mexican Monster by none other than Mike Tyson, challenged Alvarez to a fight.  Alvarez defeated Plant in just 11 rounds in November 2021 when they competed for the championship Alvarez, 32, who recently defeated Gennadiy Golovkin by unanimous decision in the third round of their trilogy fight last September, made it obvious he was not intimidated by Benavidez or the idea that the 26-year-old posed a real threat to him. Alvarez emphasised that he has previously faced several opponents who were regarded as "monsters," including Erislandy Lara and Golovkin. “Everybody say the same thing,” Alvarez told a group of reporters from his San Diego gym. “Before I fought with Golovkin, [people were saying], ‘Wow, he’s a monster. He’s gonna knock out Canelo, this and out. At the end of the day, being in the ring with other fighters isn’t like being in the ring with me. It’s different.” When asked if he thinks Benavidez is a tougher fight than one with Dmitry Bivol, the light heavyweight titlist who defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision last spring. Alvarez has been adamant about wanting to face Bivol again later this year. He replied “I don’t know,” Alvarez answered. “I need to find out, right? What I already experienced, Bivol is a great fight, a top fight. Benavidez? We don’t know. We need to find out. Alvarez, who had Benavidez defeating Plant, thought their fight went according the way he envisioned, with Plant winning the early rounds and Benavidez coming on strong in the second half. In other words, Benavidez looks “good”, not “great.” “He’s a good fighter,” Alvarez said of Benavidez, adding, “He’s a good fighter, but look, I’m a great fighter.”

George Sotiropoulos will meet Josh Togo in a lightweight match at Hex Fight Series 26 — which takes place May 26 at the Melbourne Pavilion in Australia — according to the organisation, which confirmed the event on Tuesday. Sotiropoulos competed on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter and had 11 fights inside the UFC's octagon between December 2007 and October 2013. Sotiropoulos won his first seven UFC fights and was on the verge of a featherweight title chance before he lost a decision to Dennis Siver at UFC 127 in February 2011. George Sotiropoulos has important victories over George Roop, Joe Stevenson, and Joe Lauzon. The defeat to Dennis Siver ruined his momentum and sent his career spiraling downward. The 21-fight pro lost his next four fights, including his final three in the UFC and a decision loss to Mike Ricci. Josh Togo enters the battle on a three-fight winning streak and has won seven of his last eight fights. In his most recent fight, the Australian Top Team standout won a decision against Tahir Abdullaev to earn the UAE Warriors welterweight title in September 2022.

Roy Jones Thinks Chris Eubank's Recent Upset Loss Might Compel Him to Become a Better Listener Following Chris Eubank Jr's recent loss to Liam Smith in January, Roy Jones, the Hall of Fame fighter and trainer of Eubank, believes the British middleweight may become a better listener. Eubank's knockout loss to Smith came as a shock to the boxing world, as he is known for his durability. Jones, who has trained Eubank for his last several fights, has suggested that Eubank's unwillingness to concede body shots in order to preserve his head might have led to his downfall. According to Jones, Eubank would rather take a punch to the head than one to the body, and that kind of thinking was what led to the disastrous result in Manchester. Jones has been trying to teach Eubank that sometimes taking a body shot can be the better option, but Eubank had expressed a preference for taking head shots instead. However, Jones believes that the loss to Smith might make Eubank more receptive to his training advice. "I know he never been hurt or ever been down before, but I felt he got an elbow before he got caught but still the elbow was to the head," Jones said on The DAZN Boxing Show. "And you never know what happens when you get hit in your head a certain way. And that’s really what I was trying to tell him. Why you gonna give a body shot up as opposed to a head shot? A head shot can cause damage. And you don’t know until after it happens. So if you take the body shot, you don’t take that risk. But he had never been hurt before so he didn’t understand that." Eubank has activated his rematch clause with Smith, but the two have not yet finalized a deal. Eubank has also been rumored to be considering a fight with Conor Benn in a middleweight bout on June 3 in Abu Dhabi. Eubank and Benn were meant to face each other in a 157-pound catchweight bout last year that capitalized on their fathers' rivalry in the 1990s. However, a few days before the fight, Benn was revealed to have failed a performance-enhancing drug test.

Raymond Ford Looks to Prove Himself Against Jessie Magdaleno More than a year ago, Raymond Ford was at a pivotal moment in his career. His hard-fought decision win over Edward Vazquez in their February 2022 battle of unbeaten prospects didn’t exactly resonate with the masses. Some observers even thought that Vazquez deserved the win. However, Ford wasn’t interested in taking a step back in his career development. Instead, the unbeaten southpaw from Camden, New Jersey, decided to take a step forward. He won more decisive victories over undefeated Richard Medina and featherweight gatekeeper Sakaria Lukas, rounding out a three-win 2023 run. Ford and his team then started seeking even bigger challenges for a 2023 campaign that he hoped would include a shot at his first major title. The search led Ford to former WBO junior featherweight titlist Jessie Magdaleno, whom he will face in a scheduled twelve-round featherweight contest. The bout is part of a four-fight DAZN show from Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. “We were looking at anyone that would represent the toughest, biggest fight of my career,” Ford said of his first bout of this year. “I’m already ranked by the sanctioning bodies. So, yeah, I believe I’m a contender now. But this fight will prove it if anyone doesn’t already believe it.” Magdaleno’s name was always in the mix, but it was a matter of which established fighter would accept the assignment. The 31-year-old Las Vegas-bred southpaw answered the call, as he seeks to extend his current four-fight win streak. All four wins come after his title reign ended in an eleventh-round knockout to then-unbeaten Isaac Dogboe in April 2018 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia—the same venue which would host Ford’s pro debut eleven months later. Needless to say, Magdaleno represents by far the most established opponent that Ford will face as a pro. “I feel like it was a fight that could separate me from the other top prospects, that’s why I wanted it,” insisted Ford, who signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing following a stellar amateur career that included the 2018 National Golden Gloves championship. “We were looking at anyone that would represent the toughest fight of my career. “So, it was very important to get this fight lined up. I was excited, I was happy when we heard Jesse accepted it. I needed this fight to start my year, so that we can get that title shot for my next fight.” Headlining the show is local favorite and former WBC junior bantamweight titlist Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Mexico’s Cristian Gonzalez, who will vie for the vacant WBO flyweight title. This marks the third time that Ford will appear in a DAZN-aired supporting bout on a show headlined by Rodriguez. Among the names sought out by the 24-year-old southpaw and his team, which includes manager Brian Peters, were former two-division titlist Kiko Martinez. The Spaniard was strongly considered to land the assignment, but he booked another fight—an IBF title eliminator versus Japan’s Reiya Abe. Ford, who has a record of 13-0-1 with 7 KOs, is confident that his bout against Magdaleno will prove that he is a legitimate contender. If he is successful, he hopes to secure a title shot in his next fight.

About three months have passed since Francis Ngannou formally became an independent free agent. The move saw him relinquish the UFC heavyweight title and leave MMA's top organization due to a long-running contractual issue that could not be resolved. Several organizations have shown interest in obtaining the Cameroonian's signature since then. The first promotion to do so in the immediate aftermath was the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. BKFC's social media account hinted at a pursuit of the free agent, and its president David Feldman acknowledged that his company was "extremely interested" in signing Ngannou, calling him a "perfect fit" for the bare-knuckle organization. Feldman spoke during the press conference for BKFC 41 on Tuesday, which will feature former UFC champion Luke Rockhold vs. Mike Perry and lightweight great Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes. During the press conference, Feldman was asked about the latest developments in his talks with Ngannou. While the founder and president of BKFC stated that he has spoken with "The Predator," he labeled the former UFC fighter's financial demands as "unrealistic." "Francis Ngannou, he’s somebody we’ve certainly reached out to," Feldman said. "We’ve reached out to him, we’ve reached out to his team, and we just feel like he’s asking for unrealistic money. We’re not willing to pay that kind of money for him." "I do think he needs to make his mind up pretty soon,” Feldman asserted. “As the days go on, his value is starting to drop a little bit." Although Ngannou has expressed a desire to return to MMA, among other things, it appears that his immediate priorities are in the ring.

George “El Yuyu” Acosta Set to Face Blas Ezequiel Caro in Thompson Boxing’s “New Blood” Main Event Whittier, CA – Super featherweight rising prospect George “El Yuyu” Acosta (14-1, 2 KO) will return to the ring on Friday, April 21, against Blas Ezequiel Caro (9-5, 4 KOs) of Rosario, Argentina. The eight-round bout will serve as the main event on Thompson Boxing’s “New Blood” card, taking place at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA. Acosta, who is on a seven-fight winning streak, is excited to continue his momentum with another victory. “Staying busy is a blessing and I’m happy to be returning to the ring for the second time this year,” said Acosta. “I have big plans to make a nice run this year, and I know a win will keep me on track. I’m going to put on a great show for all my hometown fans who will be in attendance.” However, Caro is equally motivated and confident, stating from his training camp in Argentina, “I’ve seen Acosta fight and I see a lot of flaws in his style. He is not as strong as I am, and I’ll be coming into this fight in great shape. I’m going to stop him if I get him hurt, that you can bet on.” In the co-main event, Rigoberto Hermosillo (12-4-1, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles, CA, will take on Walter Santibanes (11-2, 2 KOs) of Phoenix, AZ, in an eight-round featherweight bout. The undercard will feature a lightweight six-round battle between Ruben Islas (6-1, 5 KOs) of Rialto, CA, and Francisco Duque (1-2) of Guadalupe, Mexico. Super featherweight Anthony Chavez (9-3-1, 3 KOs) of Redlands, CA, will face battle-tested veteran Dihul Olguin (15-30-5, 10 KOs) of Guadalupe, Mexico, in another six-round bout. The card will open with a four-round welterweight bout between Kevin Sagado (1-1) of Murrieta, CA, and Steven Walker (pro debut) of Lancaster, CA. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the first bout starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for “New Blood” are priced at $40, $60, and $100 and are available for purchase online at ThompsonBoxing.com or by calling 714-935-0900.

Belal Muhammad, the UFC welterweight contender, is not one to back down from a challenge. In a recent interview, he made it clear that he wants to face the former champion, Kamaru Usman, in his next fight. Muhammad has been on a hot streak in the division, with four wins in his last five fights, and he believes that a victory over Usman would solidify his status as one of the top fighters in the weight class. The welterweight division of the UFC is currently experiencing some wild competition. The current champion Leon Edwards has achieved his second consecutive victory over Kamaru Usman. He will now take against Colby Covington, who is rated #2, in his upcoming defense. A few candidates may have been left out in the cold due to the haste with which this matchup was made. Among them is Belal Muhammad. Given that Muhammad had won eight straight bouts with his lone loss coming in a no-contest against Edwards, many people thought he was going to be next in line for a championship challenge. Muhammad is currently without even a matchup and does not have a clear road to a championship chance as a result. But he does have a strategy for getting there. Muhammad has been steadily rising the rankings over the past few years. He is the only man other than Edwards in the top five with a winning streak of over six in the UFC. He wanted the next shot at the belt but now thinks he knows a way to be undeniably next, he wants to take out Usman. He spoke about this to Jesse on Fire on YouTube. “I’m looking at it and I’m looking at the landscape and I’m like I do think it needs to be somebody that is considered “the guy,” he said. “I think that Kamaru, ex-champion, he beat Colby twice I think that fight makes all the sense in the world. He was a guy that people considered the GOAT from the welterweight division, I go out there and like you said starch him, beat him dominantly there’s no denying me after that right?” Conor McGregor is one of the things that may get in the middle of Muhammad. Eventually this year, McGregor will compete against Michael Chandler at 170 pounds; if he wins, he will be eligible for a championship chance. Jorge Masvidal, who will be battling Gilbert Burns this week, has also requested the shot. Muhammad intends to defeat Usman and garner media attention in the process. Usman should indeed engage in combat first, though. If Muhammad does get his wish and faces Usman in his next fight, it would undoubtedly be one of the biggest matchups of the year. The welterweight division has been one of the most competitive in the UFC in recent years, with a host of top-level fighters vying for the title. A fight between Muhammad and Usman would not only be a clash between two of the best welterweights in the world but also a battle between two fighters with vastly different styles.

The welterweight superfight between Terence Crawford of the WBO and Errol Spence Jr. of the IBF, WBA, and WBC to determine an undisputed champion will eventually take place on June 17 in Las Vegas, according to sources who spoke to The Ring. The formal announcement is anticipated to be made on April 22 during the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight. After Crawford's promotional contract with Top Rank ended last year, allowing Crawford to negotiate with Premier Boxing Champions, led by Al Haymon, the two had engaged in lengthy, drawn-out discussions. The parties engaged in lengthy back-and-forth talks but were unable to reach a compromise; as a result, Crawford abandoned the agreement and engaged in combat with David Avanesyan. Keith Thurman, the former unified 147-pound champion, was supposed to be Spence's opponent in late 2022, but the Texan withdrew due to a traffic incident. Early in 2023 was the scheduled time for that battle, but nothing ever came of it. In late January, Crawford met with Golden Boy executives Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins at their headquarters in Los Angeles to discuss signing a deal. Crawford's mandatory opponent according to the WBO is Alexis Rocha, but it seems like the Puerto Rican governing body will let Crawford fight Spence first. Many of the talks last year took place in front of the public. The main players this time seem to have settled matters behind closed doors. Additionally, the fact that Spence-Thurman, Crawford-Rocha, and Crawford signing with Golden Boy are no longer being discussed favors one of the greatest and biggest bouts ever. For 413 weeks, Crawford, the third-ranked boxer in The Ring's pound-for-pound rankings, has maintained that position. While Spence, who is rated No. 4 on The Ring's pound-for-pound list, has been there for 290 weeks. The contest would also be for the vacant Ring welterweight championship and possibly for the title of top pound-for-pound boxer in the globe.

Robert Whittaker, the former UFC middleweight champion, has recently made headlines after he denied ever being offered a fight with rising star Khamzat Chimaev. The Australian fighter, who is currently ranked as the #2 contender in the division, has been the subject of much speculation about his next opponent. However, it seems that a potential bout with Chimaev is not on the cards, at least for the time being. During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Chimaev revealed to Ariel Helwani that the former middleweight champion was the opponent in a couple of matches he was recommended after winning at UFC 279 against Kevin Holland. Whittaker provided his perspective on the matter on his podcast MMArcade. “Someone said that Chimaev said that they offered me a fight and that I turned it down,” Whittaker said. “I was never offered a fight with Chimaev, and that’s that. “I haven’t been offered any fight. I’ve been just waiting.” After his match against Marvin Vettori at UFC Paris in November of last year, "The Reaper" has not competed inside the octagon. The former champion completely controlled that match. That evening, Whittaker defeated "The Italian Dream" by unanimous decision in an overwhelming fashion. After the victory, a matchup between the previous champion and Paulo Costa was mentioned. The Eraser was undergoing contract terms troubles with the UFC at the time, thus that bout never happened. Whittaker was called out by Khamzat Chimaev after his scheduled match with the Brazilian was scrapped. He had been advised by the UFC to follow how it unfolded in the division afterward. The outcome of Saturday's middleweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, might very well influence what comes through for "The Reaper." “I’ve been talking with the UFC, and the communication has been, ‘Let’s wait and see what happens with this title shot,’” Whittaker explained. “I have not received any sort of written contract that says, ‘Do you want to fight Chimaev in x, y, or z?’ That’s not something that has been presented to me. So just clarifying that.” The potential matchup between Whittaker and the Adesanya-Pereira winner is an exciting prospect for fans of the sport. Whittaker and Adesanya have already fought twice before, with Adesanya coming out on top in a thrilling encounter both times. A trilogy between the two would undoubtedly be a huge draw for the UFC if Adesanya manages to prevail against his bitter rival Alex Pereira this weekend. Either way, Whittaker seems to be next in line for another title shot.