Summer Boxing Schedule Adds Bam Rodriguez, Richardson Hitchens

World champions Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Richardson Hitchins heat up the summer boxing schedule, headlining cards in June and July.

WBC and Ring Magazine champion Rodrigeuz faces WBO champion Phumelele Cafu in a unification battle at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on July 19.

Hitchins makes the first defense of his IBF World Junior-Welterweight crown against former World ruler George Kambosos Jr at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 14.

Bam Rodriguez Back To Defend Titles

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez returns to defend his titles and add a third against WBO champion Phumelele Cafu. Photo: Matchroom Boxing

Rodriguez of San Antonio (21-0, 14 KOs) is back in action following his epic knockout win over Mexican pound-for-pound veteran Juan Francisco Estrada in a fight of the year contender last  June to become a two-weight unified champion. He defended the titles in Philadelphia in November with a dominant three-round destruction of Pedro Guevara.

The upcoming fight in Texas marks Bam Rodriguez’s return since he became a two-weight champion by beating Cristian Hernandez in his hometown of San Antonio in April 2023.

Cafu of South Africa (11-0-3, 8 KOs) puts his belt on the line for the first time after taking the crown from Kosei Tanaka in Tokyo in October via split decision. “Truth” steps into a major title fight and his second world championship bout.

“I’m excited to finally step back into the ring,” said Rodriguez. “I cannot wait to fight in front of my home state fans. I’m looking forward to unifying in another weight division.

“I know Cafu is a tough opponent, but these kinds of fights bring out the best in me, and I’ll be ready for whatever he brings. July 19th, tune in and witness greatness.”

“This is awesome, man, because once again I get to step in with an elite fighter and prove the world wrong, showing people that I’m also an elite fighter,” said Cafu. “I’ve always wanted to fight him because people think he is the bogeyman of the division and say he is unbeatable, but I’ll prove to the people that no one is unbeatable. Beating him will put me on the pound-for-pound list, and I will be King of the division.”

Diego Pacheco Faces Trevor McCumby

Steve Nelson weathered the storm of power shots from Diego Pacheco, forcing him to box smart to win by decision. Photo: Melina Pizano/Matchroom

The first undercard bout to be announced is the co-feature of the night, a super middleweight bout between Diego Pacheco and Trevor McCumby.

Pacheco of Los Angeles, now living in Renton, Washington (23-0, 18 KOs) is eager for a title fight as the WBO’s number one contender. He will look for a new win on his resume following an impressive showing in Las Vegas against Steven Nelson.

Trevor McCumby made it an entertaining fight, and he’ll be welcome back anytime. Photo: Premier Boxing Champions

McCumby of Glendale, Arizona (28-1, 21 KOs) will have other ideas. McCumby looks to get back on track after a loss to Caleb Plant last September. The 32-year-old floored the former world champion in the fourth round, but Plant came back to stop McCumby in the ninth round to claim the interim WBA title.

“I’ve been working my entire life to get to this point in my career where I’m facing the best fighters in the world,” said Pacheco. “Ahora si ya empezó lo bueno y venimos con todo y por todo.”

“I’m very excited to be back,” said McCumby. “There’s a lot of hype behind my opponent, that I will put to rest. The world hasn’t seen the best Trevor McCumby, and I plan to show them come fight night.”

Richardson Hitchins Returns Against George Kambosos Jr.

Richardson Hitchins celebrates upon hearing “And the new!” to become the IBF World Junior Welterweight champion. Photo: Melina Pizano, Matchroom

Hitchins of New York (19-0, 7 KOs) returns home to New York for the first defense of his IBF Junior Welterweight title. Hitchins defeated Liam Paro of Australia on the road in Puerto Rico in December. Hitchins fights in the Big Apple for the first time since February 2023.

In his last two fights, Hitchins shut out Jose Zepeda in Orlando in September 2023, then won a final eliminator over Gustavo Lemos in Las Vegas last April.

George Kambosos Jr. got the win he needed over Jake Wyllie to set up a lightweight title fight against Richardson Hitchins. Photo: Matchroom Boxing

Kambosos Jr. of Australia (22-3, 10 KOs) has fond memories of New York. Kambosos Jr. stunned champion Teofimo Lopez in November 2021 to take his title. “Ferocious” Kambosos returned home for two fights against unified champion Devin Haney in Melbourne, and then took on another challenge against Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Kambosos Jr. stormed back with a victory over Maxi Hughes of England in Oklahoma. The 31-year-old claimed the 22nd win of his pro career in March against Jake Wyllie in Sydney and will look to become a two-time champion against Hitchins.

“June 14, NY, we are here, baby!” said Hitchins. “The 140lb king returns home, headlining my first show at MSG, as a World champion. Just saying it aloud gives me chills. I dreamed of moments like this as a kid, and now we are here.

“George Kambosos is not on my level. Never has been, never will be. He’s talked himself into this fight, and now he’s going to pay the price for running his mouth. He had the biggest win of his career and crowning moment in this building, and on June 14 I end his career in that same building.

“This is my time, my division, and I plan on putting on a spectacular performance and showing the world that I am one of the best fighters on the planet.”

“The stars align again, history always repeats, I head back to a place I created legacy at, a home where I may be regarded as an underdog again but a familiar place that i thrive in,” said Kambosos Jr.

“I stand 2-0 at Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, and on June 14, I will make it 3-0 when I rip Hitchins’ belt off him and break his will, take his heart, and ruin his undefeated career.

“He has never been in a fight with a fighter like me, I have stepped to the absolute best, a resume unlike any. This is my 6th World title fight. I’ve built countless experiences, and at my new weight of 140 pounds, I feel tremendous and very motivated to become a two-weight World champion.

“He likes to talk for a man that deep down hasn’t achieved much, so I look forward to taking him to a place he has never been and seeing how much of the talk is real and how much of it is fake, like others in the past. See you June 14, Shitchins”

Sugar Nunez Takes On Masanori Rikiishi in Japan

Eduardo “Sugar” Núñez stopped Miguel Marriaga in his American debut at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California last summer. Photo: Melina Pizano, Matchroom.

Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez and Masanori Rikiihsi clash for the vacant IBF World Super-Featherweight title at Yokohama Buntai, Yokohama on Wednesday, May 28, live on DAZN.

Nunez of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico (27-1, 27 KOs) goes on the road for his first world title fight. The number one ranked contender by the IBF takes on Rikiishi (16-1 11 KOs) who is on a five-straight knockout streak.

Manuel Gallegos scored a major upset win against Khalil ‘Big Steppa’ Coe Saturday to win the USEBC Light-Heavyweight title by knockout in November. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

On Friday, May 30, Manuel Gallegos and Khalil Coe clash in a rematch for the WBC USA Light-Heavyweight title at Arena Alcalde in Guadalajara, live worldwide on DAZN.

Gallegos of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico (21-2-1 18 KOs) and Coe of New Jersey (9-1-1, 7 KOs) first met in November in Philadelphia. Gallegos took the title from Coe with a ninth-round TKO.

Two hometown favorites are also in action with Gabriel Valenzuela (30-4-1 17 KOs) fighting ten rounds at super-lightweight against WBO Latino Bantamweight champion Christian Medina (24-4, 17 KOs), kicking off the night on DAZN.