LAS VEGAS – Ronnie Shields was beyond concerned. Jermall Charlo’s longtime trainer knew that the WBC middleweight champion needed some guidance while he was trying to work through the mental health issues that contributed to this lengthy layoff. That direction had to come, the way…

Lamont Roach believes lessons learned will lead to victory in second title opportunity Photo by Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME 23 Nov by Francisco Salazar | Lamont Roach doesn’t believe that history necessarily has to repeat itself. Roach is all about learning from past mistakes and seizing…

LAS VEGAS – The only opponent Jose Benavidez Jr. has knocked out in the past five years was a journeyman who took a 36-15 record into their middleweight match three months ago. Benavidez is nonetheless confident that at the age of 31 he has finally…

Joaquin Buckley has an inkling that Stephen Thompson will not show up to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov. Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) takes on Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Buckley is eyeing a December…

Jermall Charlo was an afterthought over the last few years. The current WBC middleweight champ has been sequestered on the sidelines due to a nagging back injury but more importantly, personal issues. It may have taken two-plus years, but Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) has finally…

Shohjahon Ergashev recognizes that he hasn’t encountered anyone as dangerous as Subriel Matias in any of his first 23 professional fights. Ergashev’s impressive record has been built against mostly modest opposition. That’s among the reasons why the strong southpaw cannot wait to meet Matias in…

LAS VEGAS – From Demetrius Andrade’s vantagepoint, he and David Benavidez need each other. Both boxers would’ve preferred to challenge Canelo Alvarez next for super middleweight supremacy, but the Mexican icon has shown little interest in fighting Andrade or Benavidez. They were therefore left to…

David Benavidez doesn’t like to do too much talking. Now of course, if you stick a microphone in his face and ask him a few intrusive questions, he’ll begin boastfully talking about himself. But naturally, Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) isn’t the type that enjoys when…

Lamont Roach saw weakness in Hector Luis Garcia when he watched Gervonta Davis stop the Dominican southpaw in Garcia’s last fight. Garcia’s reaction to Davis’ devastating punches late in the eighth round has convinced Roach that he can make the WBA super featherweight champion wilt…