DSH Boxing Notebook: Tim Bradley to face Jessie Vargas, Geale prepares for Cotto

This week's version of The Daily Sports Herald's Boxing Notebook focuses on some upcoming fights for this summer.  Take a look:

Tim Bradley to face Jessie Vargas

Local veteran welterweight star Tim Bradley (31-1-1, 12 KOs) will return to action on June 27 at StubHub Center in Carson, California, when he takes on young, undefeated WBA super lightweight world champion and Roy Jones' protege Jessie Vargas (26-0, 9 KOs) in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBO welterweight title. The fight will be televised live on HBO.

"I'm excited to be back in the ring with an undefeated champion," said Bradley. "I look forward to the challenge and to take his 0 away from him on June 27th."

Bradley, a former two-division world champion, returns to the ring following a controversial draw against one-time interim world champion Diego Chaves last December.  The judges were taken to task by ringside media who had Bradley winning handily, an argument bolstered by the fact that Bradley landed 73 more punches than Chaves and controlled almost every round.

Bradley continues his comeback since suffering his first professional loss in his rematch against Manny Pacquiao on April 12, 2014.  He will be facing a hungry young fighter in Vargas who is eager to put his name on the boxing map.

"I am thrilled to have this fight," said Vargas. "I will be facing a very talented fighter and when you have two great talents with a lot of heart it always makes for a great fight. I always elevate my game against better competition. I am ready to show and prove that I am one of the best fighters out there. There is not one doubt in my mind that everyone will enjoy this fight. I look forward to giving the fans the best of Jessie Vargas on June 27. "

Vargas is trained by future Hall of Famer Roy Jones, Jr.  Vargas captured the WBA super lightweight title on April 19, 2014, winning a unanimous decision over undefeated defending champion Khabib Allakhverdiev.

Vargas successfully defended his title recently against Antonio DeMarco in Macao, on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Chris Algieri bout.  He has defeated such names as Stevie Forbes, Vivian Harris, and Josesito Lopez.

Daniel Geale ready to face Miguel Cotto

Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion, will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a 12-round fight that will be televised live on HBO.

Most consider it a foregone conclusion that Cotto will win, as many already are speculating who he will face next, Canelo Alvarez or the dangerous Gennady Golovkin.

Geale, however, is coming to New York to win.  He recently hosted a New York City media workout at Mendez Boxing Gym in preparation for his fight against Cotto. Here’s what Geale, and his promoter Gary Shaw, had to say:

Daniel Geale . . .

“Cotto has trouble in stages against guys that move and use their reach. He knows that’s what I’m going to be doing and he’s going to be trying to counter that with aggression and coming forward. I’m going to use my abilities and not get caught up in his game plan.”

“The game plan is to go in and fight my fight. It’s not to get sucked in. It’s not to get caught up in what he [Cotto] is doing. It’s to do what I do best.”

“This is going to be a huge fight for me. Fighting a guy like Miguel who’s fought some of the greatest fighters is going to be a great test. We’re going in very confident.”

“I want this one badly. It’s something that we have wanted for a while and I’m extremely excited. I’ve got guys like Gary Shaw and my team at the Grange from Australia and they are working very hard behind the scenes. I’m just going to worry about my job and they do their job greatly. I just worry about getting myself in perfect condition.”

Gary Shaw . . . 

“If Daniel wins, Cotto has a rematch clause, so if Cotto wants the immediate rematch then that’s what he gets. If not, according to WBC, it would be GGG again, but it doesn’t make a difference. Daniel will fight anybody, anywhere. We went to Germany and fought Strum on his territory. He’s coming to New York which is Cotto’s town. It just doesn’t make a difference when you have a great fighter.”

Jorge Linares to fight Kevin Mitchell

After winning his third division world championship last December, Venezuela's Jorge Linares (38-3, 25 KOs) will travel to London to defend his WBC Lightweight title for the first time against top British contender Kevin Mitchell (39-2, 29 KOs) in a 12-round bout at The O2, on May 30.

"I am excited and honored to be defending my third world championship title in London," said Jorge Linares. "This third title is something I have worked very hard for and I would like to thank my team, my family, Golden Boy Promotions and Akihiko Honda's Teiken Boxing Gym for all their support throughout my journey.  I have had a great training camp focusing on the skills that I need to defeat an opponent like Kevin Mitchell. I know he is a strong and aggressive fighter and I feel his style of fighting will suit me. This will not be an easy fight."

A former world champion at the featherweight and super featherweight divisions, Linares, 29, made it a trio of titles on December 30, 2014, when he knocked out Javier Prieto in four rounds in his adopted hometown of Tokyo, to take the vacant WBC Lightweight Championship. He currently has a seven-fight win streak.

"Jorge Linares is a world champion fighter and is determined to give Kevin Mitchell a difficult time in the ring as he looks to defend his title on May 30," said Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions. "Mitchell may have hometown advantage but Linares' speed and skill will give Mitchell a considerable challenge in the ring. Make no mistake though: this will be a difficult fight for both Linares and Mitchell and one that is sure to excite."

A decorated amateur and professional boxer who has long been considered an elite European lightweight, Mitchell, 30, has six consecutive wins, five by knockout, under his belt.  He currently holds the WBC Silver Lightweight belt after his stoppage of Daniel Estrada in eight rounds in January,

"This is the making of my career," said Kevin Mitchell. "I will win this fight and create a legacy as an unbeaten world champion. I know Jorge Linares is a three-weight world champion and a classy fighter - if you allow him to do what he wants to do, but I believe I will shut him down. I've matured, I feel secure with the team around me and I have left that party boy behind, I am enjoying it again. There's excitement in me, Tony Sims is getting the best out of me as a result; it's a good feeling. I know I am going to win this fight."

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services