Junior middleweight Josh Frankham, 20, of England, a cousin of heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, is going pro and has signed with promoter Frank Warren, it was announced Friday. He was 31-6 as an amateur and a four-time national champion, according to Warren. Before Warren met Frankham, he said he received a message of endorsement from Fury. "He comes from great fighting stock and he has been working hard for a long time," Warren said. "It is true that I received a text from Tyson on the morning of my meeting with Josh, so he certainly has friends in high places and I am sure the heavyweight champion of the world will be on hand to support his journey."

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer6d ago

The IBF on Thursday canceled its annual convention due to the coronavirus pandemic. The convention was scheduled to take place from May 19 to May 23 at the Westin in Long Beach, California. The IBF said its next convention will instead take place May 4 to May 8, 2021, also at the Westin in Long Beach. “We are looking forward to normalcy and a return to a routine that includes boxing,” the IBF said in its announcement.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer7d ago

Heavyweight Travis Kauffman, 34, of Reading, Pennsylvania, wrote on social media on Friday that he has the coronavirus. “Please keep me and my family in your prayers as I tested positive for Covid-19,” Kauffman wrote. Kauffman (32-3, 23 KOs) has not fought since a 10th-round knockout loss to Luis “King Kong” Ortiz in December 2018 on the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury I undercard but he was due to return on the April 11 Premier Boxing Champions card that has been postponed.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer13d ago

Former heavyweight contender Derrick Jefferson, 52, is reportedly in a medically induced coma in a Beaumont, Michigan, hospital due to the coronavirus. Janari Jefferson, Jefferson's son, told WZYZ News in Detroit that his father underwent a test, which was negative. When he continued to show symptoms he received another test that was positive. Jefferson (28-4-1, 21 KOs), who boxed from 1995 to 2005, fought for a world title in 2001 and lost by second-round knockout to Wladimir Klitschko. He also faced notable opponents such as Oleg Maskaev, David Izon, Obed Sullivan, Maurice Harris (in an all-out HBO-televised slugfest in which he scored a memorable KO) and DaVarryl Williamson.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer14d ago

Former two-time world champion, Badou Jack, has a new trainer in Johnathon Banks. The two had been working together in Las Vegas before gyms were shut down due to the spread of the coronavirus. "It's been great, Badou Jack, he's a good dude. I've got no issues with him," said Banks, who is now back in Detroit. "He's got a lot of talent and loves to work." In his last fight, Jack was edged out in a close 12 round split decision against Jean Pascal on December 28.

Steve Kim, ESPN14d ago

Zanfer Promotions said Wednesday that negotiations have begun for a rematch between junior bantamweight world titleholders Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez. Zanfer said ideally the fight will be later this year. In 2012, in Los Angeles, Gonzalez retained his junior flyweight title by decision over Estrada in a fantastic battle. A rematch has been discussed on and off since. With Gonzalez knocking out Kal Yafai on Feb. 29 to win another junior bantamweight belt and Estrada on the mend from an injury that has kept him out of action since August, the rematch looms as the most significant fight for either man and is very doable because they both now fight on DAZN.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer15d ago

New Jersey's Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced it has postponed the fourth annual induction weekend due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was supposed to take place June 26-28 at the Claridge Hotel but will be moved to a date to be determined in the fall. The inductees are Roy Jones Jr., Sergio Martinez, Riddick Bowe, Pernell Whitaker, Al Cole, Ernest Bing, Tony Thornton Sr., Calvin Grove, Percy Richardson, Tommy Parks, Earl Morton, Steve Weisfeld, Ron Katz, Murad Muhammad, Marc Abrams, Al Bernstein and Laoma Byrd.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer16d ago

The World Boxing Organization has announced, "Amidst the current situation worldwide caused by Covid-19, the WBO has postponed all boxing events through June 2020." Already, fights involving their featherweight champion, Shakur Stevenson (who was scheduled to face Miguel Marriaga on March 14) and bantamweight titlist, Naoya Inoue (who was slated to face John Riel Casimero on April 25) were canceled. Other WBO champions include Anthony Joshua, Terence Crawford and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Steve Kim, ESPN16d ago