Strawweight world titlist Wilfredo "Bimbito" Mendez has a new foe for his first defense Saturday at Ruben Zayas Montanez Coliseum in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. Mendez was due to face Colombia's Gabriel Mendoza, but promoter Peter Rivera of PR Best Boxing Promotions said Mendoza had issues obtaining a visa and won't be able to travel to Puerto Rico for the fight. He has been replaced by Axel Aragon. Mendez (14-1, 5 KOs), 22, won a 105-pound belt Aug. 24 in San Juan by unanimous decision against Vic Saludar. Aragon (13-2-1, 8 KOs), 19, of Mexico, has won three fights in a row since losing a lopsided 10-round decision to Mendez in a regional title bout in September 2018 at the same arena where they will meet in the rematch.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer17h ago

Sources have told ESPN that highly regarded welterweight prospect, Vergil Ortiz, will be returning to action on December 13. The 21 year old Ortiz has had a strong 2019 campaign, as he has blasted out veterans Mauricio Herrera and Antonio Orozco in impressive fashion in recent outings. Golden Boy Promotions is still looking to finalize a date for this event and an opponent for Ortiz.

Steve Kim, ESPN22h ago

Middleweight James Kirkland, 35, of Austin, Texas, who ended a four-plus-year layoff with a first-round knockout of Colby Courter on Aug 24, is set for the second fight on the comeback trail on Nov. 9. Davies Entertainment, which manages Kirkland (33-2, 29 KOs), announced on Monday that he will face Jas Phipps (10-7, 5 KOs), 32, of New Orleans, in a six-round bout on a club card at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Kirkland was once one boxing's hottest fighters and a regular on HBO but his career sidelined by an assortment of legal issues and had not boxed since suffering a massive third-round knockout to Canelo Alvarez in May 2015 until his return in August.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer19h ago

As tough as it was to vote in this year's International Boxing Hall of Fame election it will get no easier next year. With the waiting period for boxers to be eligible for the ballot reduced this year from five years to three years in retirement, four huge names, all very obvious first-ballot choices, will be eligible for the first time as each had their last fight in 2017 (barring comebacks). They are former longtime heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medalist Wladimir Klitschko; pound-for-pound legend Floyd Mayweather, who won titles in five divisions from junior lightweight to junior middleweight; Puerto Rican legend Miguel Cotto, who won titles in four divisions from junior welterweight to middleweight; and Andre Ward, an Olympic gold medalist, who held unified world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight before retiring undefeated.

Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer22h ago