Written by Editor’s note: This new version of Junkie Drawer will be a vehicle to report the news of the day in bite sized portions.
Gervonta Davis will be arraigned on Feb. 23 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for allegedly striking the mother of his child in December, ESPN is reporting.
The woman, Vanessa Posso, told police she was hit with a “closed hand type slap” during an argument with the lightweight contender. She evidently suffered an abrasion on her lip.
Posso days later walked back her allegation, indicating on Instagram that Davis, “did not harm me or our daughter.”
Davis denied the allegations, calling them “bull—-.”
Also, in an unrelated case, Davis is due in court on Feb. 16 for an alleged hit-and-run accident on Nov. 5, 2020 in his hometown of Baltimore. Four people were injured in the crash.
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Unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin has given up his IBF title, leaving him with only his WBA belt, BoxingScene.com is reporting.
The IBF several months ago ordered Golovkin to face mandatory challenger Esquiva Falcao, who presumably will fight for the vacant title. Michael Zerafa is No. 2.
Erislandy Lara sits directly below Triple-G in the WBA rankings.
Golovkin won the vacant IBF title when he outpointed Sergey Derevyanchenko in 2019 and successfully defended two times.
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USA Boxing, which oversees the amateur side of the sport in the U.S., announced that it will not send fighters to the men’s or women’s world championships later this year, according to multiple reports.
The organization cited “the ongoing failures” of the IBA, which governs the sport internationally. Among the problems listed: the manner in which the IBA is governed, alleged financial irregularities and the fact Russian and Belarussian boxers will be allowed to compete with their flags, which conflicts the standards of most other sports.
“USA Boxing’s decision is based on the totality of all the factors,” Executive Director Mike McAfee said, according to The Washington Post. “Third party oversite and fairness in the field of play is the most important factor.”
The IBA’s issues have jeopardized boxing’s status as an Olympic sport.