karo murat

The July 13 Showtime Championship Boxing card headlined by IBF light heavyweight beltholder Bernard Hopkins’ title defense against Karo Murat at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been cancelled due to the Germany based challenger’s visa denial and subsequent inability to enter the United States.

Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler weighed 167.9 and 166.7, respectively, in advance of Saturday's HBO-televised super middleweight clash.

Unbeaten three-division titlewinner Abner Mares on a potential matchup with prospect Gary Russell Jr.: "Whenever this fight with Gary Russell were to happen, we'll find out then if I'm tailor-made for him."

Less than two years away from being 50, Bernard Hopkins has accomplished all there is to do in boxing, yet the light heavyweight titleholder – who defends his IBF belt against Karo Murat on July 13 – is still as motivated as ever and in the hunt for one more “mega fight.”

Unbeaten featherweight prospect Gary Russell Jr. says he wants to challenge the unbeaten elite likes of Abner Mares or Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Bernard Hopkins spoke to RingTV's Bill Emes after Lucas Matthysse's third-round KO of Lamont Peterson. Of a potential showdown between Matthysse and RING 140-pound champ Danny Garcia, Hopkins said Garcia has to be "perfect; he's gotta pitch a no-hitter."

"I keep saying 'I'm different' because it is true and I'm going to prove it once again on July 13," said 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins, referring to his upcoming fight with Karo Murat, who is 19 years younger.

Andre Ward said Bernard Hopkins "took a young fighter to school" in Tavoris Cloud, that Guillermo Rigondeaux "boxed beautifully" against Nonito Donaire, and that Floyd Mayweather Jr. "re-invented himself" against Robert Guerrero.

If he gets beyond a mandatory title defense against Karo Murat in July, IBF light heavyweight beltholder Bernard Hopkins would like to face Carl Froch or Lucian Bute. (This story also contains a video of Hopkins accepting Gennady Golovkin's challenge.)

IBF beltholder Bernard Hopkins could make the first defense of his belt against Karo Murat.

Bernard Hopkins has seemingly done it all at middleweight and light heayvweight. Is a challenge to Alexander Povetkin the best way to close out his legendary career? Andre Ward, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer and Povetkin's promoter don't rule it out.

Heavyweight contender Chris Arreola meets Bermane Stiverne in a March 9 eliminator bout for the right to face Vitali Klitschko.

Sergey Kovalev is 7-0-1 in his past eight fights, and in search of his fourth straight victory against Gabriel Campillo.

Kevin McBride said his reasons for continuing to fight have little to do with money as much as "restoring sanity in my own head."

Former RING light heavyweight and middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins' next fight, a March 9 clash with IBF 175-pound beltholder, Tavoris Cloud, will be formally announced during a press conference on Jan. 15, Hopkins' 48th birthday.

While IBF light heavyweight titleholder Tavoris Cloud could defend his belt against Bernard Hopkins on March 9, IBF super middleweight beltholder Carl Froch is weighing mandatory challenger Adonis Stevenson or WBA counterpart Mikkel Kessler.

Super middleweight contender Sakio Bika could face Nikola Sjekloca for the WBC's interim belt on Feb. 16, according to Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer.

Former RING light heavyweight and middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins is being targeted for a comeback on March 9 opposite 175-pound titleholders Nathan Cleverly, Beibut Shumenov or Tavoris Cloud.

Paulie Malignaggi: "Floyd Mayweather gets no appreciation, but he's just so dominant, that they have to just deal with it...I'm not saying that I'm as dominant as Floyd, but I consider myself to be a real craftsman of the sport. I'm a true craftsman of boxing."

IBF titleholder Tavoris Cloud must first defend his belt against Karo Murat before considering a clash with former beltholder Jean Pascal, who is expected to return to the ring on Dec. 14.