Lara KOs Foreman in fourth to retain title
Cuban southpaw calls out Golovkin and Alvarez after stylish victory
>> MIAMI: Erislandy Lara knocked out Yuri Foreman with a crushing left uppercut in the fourth round on Friday to retain his World Boxing Association super-welterweight world title.
Cuban southpaw Lara made good on his vow to make a statement against former champ Foreman, even though the knock-down he was credited with in round three looked more like a slip by the challenger.
One round later, however, there was no doubt as his well-placed uppercut sent Foreman, a Belarus-born fighter based in the United States, reeling.
Foreman eventually regained his feet but was disoriented and Lara won by knockout at 1:47 of the fourth.
“I promised I would do it and I did it,” said Lara, who improved to 24-2-2 with 14 wins inside the distance.
The satisfied champion promptly called out the cream of the middleweight division — unbeaten champion Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan, and Mexico’s former champ Canelo Alvarez.
“I’m ready to fight the best in the world, Golovkin, Canelo,” he said. “Whoever is willing to step in the ring with me, I’m willing to fight.”
Foreman fell to 34-3-0 with 10 knockouts.
In 2009, Foreman had outpointed Daniel Santos to become the first Orthodox Jewish fighter in more than 70 years to win a world title, but he had fought just twice since 2013, against lightly regarded opponents.
“Of course I’m disappointed, but this is boxing,” Foreman said. “I got caught with a perfect punch and that’s what happens.
“I have been hit harder in my career, but I take nothing away from him. He’s a very strong puncher in his prime and I give him credit. I will take some time to talk to my team and my family and see what comes next, as far as boxing.”
Meanwhile, Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will square off on May 6 in one of the biggest fights in Mexican boxing history, Golden Boy Promotions announced on Friday.
Mexico’s two most popular boxers will meet at a site to be determined on the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo — a traditional weekend for major fights involving that country’s boxers. The fight is expected to take place in the US, possibly Las Vegas or Dallas, Texas.
Alvarez, the former middleweight world champion, and Chavez, who also once held a world title at 160 pounds, will meet at a catch weight of 164.5 pounds.
Alvarez has never fought heavier than 155 pounds which is the weight at which he demanded opponents fight at when he held the middleweight title. Since 2013, Chavez’s last five fights have been at 167.5 or heavier.
Promoters have been looking at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as a possible venue. Organisers also said they will talk to other venues, including AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Alvarez drew an AT&T Stadiumrecord boxing crowd of 51,240 for his last fight, in September, when he knocked out Liam Smith in the ninth round to win a junior middleweight world title.