Boxing Thread

[hassan918]

Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz has ended in a draw.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1893407849318871242

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Apparently the worst decision ever. BBC actively wanting Sheeraz to lose.

 

[shaz619]

I gave it to Sheeraz by a couple of rounds but can’t argue with the decision because you need to rip the title from the champion.

Hamzah started well but Adames came back when Hamzah held his feet. It has to be said it was more for work rate because majority of his punches didn’t get through Hamzah’s guard. Down the stretch both fighters had moments and Hamzah could have done with showing some intent and going for the kill in the 11th because Adames was seriously hurt by the liver shot.

I am hearing Hamzah broke his hand so that may explain his lack of aggression to some extent but am not sure when the injury occurred during the fight.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Definitely been worse decisions but Sheeraz got away with that one

 

[shaz619]

Most casuals obviously will right Hamzah off because they expected him to obliterate Adames not having watched the middleweight champion before. Adames is a seriously good fighter and this was a huge step up in levels for Sheeraz, I saw it as more of 50/50 fight. At the end of it all, some good experience.

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Most casuals obviously will right Hamzah off because they expected him to obliterate Adames not having watched the middleweight champion before. Adames is a seriously good fighter and this was a huge step up in levels for Sheeraz, I saw it as more of 50/50 fight. At the end of it all, some good experience.

If his hand was broken it would explain why his output didn't really increase

He's still young at 25 and whilst I thought he lost I didn't think he looked out of his depth

He can definitely beat him in a rematch

 

[shaz619]

Definitely been worse decisions but Sheeraz got away with that one

Objectively scoring the fight it’s a fair reflection imo However, your point stands if this fight was anywhere else and especially in the US, they wouldn’t score it so competitively and would have given Adames the champions decision.

 

[ElRaja]

sheeraz showed adames a bit too much respect, also he was frustrating adames with his movement, and then decided to try to fight on the inside which gave adames a second wind. saw sheeraz taking the first 4 and the 11th, so had adames up by 2. sheeraz got lucky there, will have to rematch, and will have to show a lot more dynamism. not sure if he broke his hand in the process, seemed to be wringing his left wrist at the end of the fight, which would explain what took the sting out of the jab.

there was also some flashbacks of the skeete fight, adames head movement really frustrated sheeraz in the latter rounds, he instinctively relies on the clean contact with the jab before unloaded his right, today it didnt work. got lucky. but hes young, and hes got plenty of time.

 

[Double Trouble]

It was fair result for Sheeraz he was too passive for me today.

Broken hand? He needs to be more aggressive in the rematch

 

[Double Trouble]

Better on Zhang to win as well what a disappointment

 

[shaz619]

If his hand was broken it would explain why his output didn't really increase

He's still young at 25 and whilst I thought he lost I didn't think he looked out of his depth

He can definitely beat him in a rematch

I think in the 11th he really should have gone for it, you saw how Adames was grimacing and body shots like that really wind you, Adames just bit on his gum shield and is seriously tough. You have to seize moments like that. But as you said he is very young and for his age is developing well and needs fights like these to get better, Joe Calzaghe really started to come on around a similar age as Hamzah, he beat Chris Eubank (admittedly was in his twilight) at 25 to win the WBO title which wasn’t recognised until 2004, but then he unified against Jeff Lacy at 33.

 

[shaz619]

sheeraz showed adames a bit too much respect, also he was frustrating adames with his movement, and then decided to try to fight on the inside which gave adames a second wind. saw sheeraz taking the first 4 and the 11th, so had adames up by 2. sheeraz got lucky there, will have to rematch, and will have to show a lot more dynamism. not sure if he broke his hand in the process, seemed to be wringing his left wrist at the end of the fight, which would explain what took the sting out of the jab.

there was also some flashbacks of the skeete fight, adames head movement really frustrated sheeraz in the latter rounds, he instinctively relies on the clean contact with the jab before unloaded his right, today it didnt work. got lucky. but hes young, and hes got plenty of time.

The change of tactics in the second half was odd, yes, slightly conservative approach but Adames could not cut of Sheeraz or remotely get close to him, Sheeraz was boxing his head off in the first half and maybe around the 5th or 6th he broke his hand. It wasn’t a terrible performance at all overall but against a champion you need to rip the belt off. If you purely look at Adames’s performance and this was his worst showing in years, to put Hamzah’s effort into context, Adames largely dominated Julian Williams when he won the title.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Briton Sheeraz's bid for world title ends in controversial draw

Hamzah Sheeraz's world title challenge ended in disappointment but the Briton was fortunate to claim a draw against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in Saudi Arabia.

A cautious Sheeraz – who was on a 15-fight knockout streak – never really found his rhythm and seemed reluctant to let his hands go.

Adames produced the cleaner and more varied work, the volume of punches and fluidity. The Dominican, 30, retained his belt but can feel unlucky with a split-decision draw.

The three judges in Riyadh scored it 118-110 to Adames, 115-114 to Sheeraz and 114-114.

With swelling under his right eye and showing his hand to promoter Frank Warren, Sheeraz cut a frustrated and deflated figure at the final bell.

The 25-year-old was guilty of overthinking, being too hesitant and perhaps overawed by the occasion.

Sheeraz was fortunate to remain undefeated as his record extended to 21 wins and one draw.

Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: Briton Hamzah Sheeraz bout with Carlos Adames ends in controversial draw

Hamzah Sheeraz's world title challenge ended in disappointment but the Briton was fortunate to claim draw against WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in Saudi Arabia.

www.bbc.com

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Impressive win from Parker, some punch to drop Bakole

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

I hope I'm wrong but think Bivol will win

 

[shaz619]

Tremendous fight between Beterbiev & Bivol, P4P quality and these fellas are simply on another stratosphere to all the other fighters in the division. We rarely get to witness such action between two all time greats, and that to for all the marbles back to back. I felt Beterbiev comfortably won the fight, it was competitive but Bivol didn’t really do enough for me to take the titles from the champion. Bivol started fast but got too big for his boots and took severe punishment in Rd 3, it took him some time to find a second wind after that but Artur finished strong. The judges were swayed by a pro Bivol crowd. I think the shorter turn around benefited Bivol as well because of how light he was on his feet and his footwork was excellent, however, he wasn’t able to keep Beterbiev off him who kept the pressure on all night and picked him off with the stiffer shots, those were so brutal, credit to Bivol’s chin, it can’t be human, the punishment he suffered may take effect in later years; I don’t think a trilogy fight will be healthy for him and Beterbiev should retire because he isn’t the golden goose at 40 for the judges.

 

[shaz619]

Impressive win from Parker, some punch to drop Bakole

It was like watching King Kong in the ring lol The way Bakole shook off a big punch moments before the knockout blow was all comedic, good effort from him and Padley as last minute replacements who literally had to fight the moment they got off the plane basically with little sleep, no training camp behind them either. Bakole was on holiday or something or preparing for it lol It was a potential banana skin for Parker who didn’t need to take a fight against such a big puncher, Parker deserves a title shot, on such a fantastic run but unfortunately he will be made to wait longer because they are looking to make Usyk vs Dubois 2

 

[Double Trouble]

Bivol clearly won this time around. He connected a lot more.
Probably the best fight i have seen for a long time.
Trilogy will happen as Artur will seek revenge.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Bivol dethrones Beterbiev in thrilling revenge win

Russian Dmitry Bivol produced a boxing masterclass to gain revenge over compatriot Artur Beterbiev and win the undisputed light-heavyweight world title in Saudi Arabia.

The dazzling footwork, fancy flurries and crisp punching of Bivol, 34, prevailed in Riyadh in a deserved majority decision points win.

Beterbiev, 40, landed power punches in the early to middle rounds but tired towards the end as Bivol reversed October's points loss to his rival.

With scores of 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113, Bivol claims the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF titles.

"I wanted to work from the first round to the end of the 12th. I was better. I was pushing myself more, I was more confident and I was lighter. I wanted to win so much today," Bivol said.

After 24 rounds of boxing of the highest level, the results sets up a mouth-watering decider.

"I didn't want the second fight, it wasn't my choice, but no problem. We can do a third fight if we need to," Beterbiev, who suffered his first pro loss in 22 fights, said.

Beterbiev-Bivol - a rivalry for the ages

It took just 137 days for the two best light-heavyweights of their generation to once again square off.

While the first fight was a captivating classic, the rematch was even better.

With no drawn out ring walks, the fighters raced to the ring. There was no bad blood in the build-up. This was strictly business - two warriors, generational greats, putting their bodies on the line in their quest for legendary status.

Bivol worked behind his jab and quick feet, two of his world-class attributes, to make a sharp start with eye-catching combinations and a counter right hand in the second.

The crowd - including legends Roberto Duran and Prince Naseem Hamed – were on their feet after Bivol landed combinations and Beterbiev connected thumping power shots in a third which showcased the best of both.

Canada-based Beterbiev planted his feet and unleashed monstrous rights. He staggered Bivol in the fifth with a menacing onslaught which ended with a right to the temple.

Bivol did not bemoan a first career loss four months ago - which many felt he won, and vowed to do better.

He regained his rhythm with crisper, cleaner punches and elegantly dancing out of range in the eighth and ninth.

Beterbiev, who has knocked out every other opponent apart from Bivol, remained a threat. But it was Bivol who confidently took the centre of the ring in the championship rounds.

"We need this now and can't take any chances," Beterbiev's corner told him. He was fatigued and marked up but continued throwing until the final seconds.

There were no celebrations from either team at the end of the most gruelling fight.

It is time to rest up and do it all again. The public demand for a trilogy will be too much to ignore.

Parker makes short work of Bakole

Earlier in Riyadh, heavyweight Joseph Parker made short work of late replacement Martin Bakole with a second-round stoppage win.

New Zealand's Parker, 33, was scheduled to face IBF world champion Daniel Dubois before the Briton withdrew because of illness on Thursday.

Bakole made an agonisingly slow entrance draped in the Democratic Republic of Congo flag. The 31-year-old, remarkably, only landed in Riyadh about 24 hours before the first bell.

Now based in Scotland, Bakole weighed 22st 7lb (142.9kg) at an unofficial weigh-in, almost a stone and a half more than a career-heavy Parker.

The past, current and future of heavyweight boxing watched on with legend Lennox Lewis, current world champion Oleksandr Usyk and prospect Moses Itauma in attendance.

Bakole found some success, drawing blood from Parker's nose with an uppercut followed by a stinging left to the body.

Preparation is key in elite boxing, though. Moments later, an overhand counter-right from Parker landed on the top of Bakole's head and scrambled his senses.

He fell heavily to the canvas and, with 20 seconds left in the round, trainer Billy Nelson threw in the towel.

Parker - who held a world title between 2016 and 2018 - is fully deserving of another shot and welcomed a fight against Ukraine's unified champion Usyk.

BBC

 

[mazkhan]

Sheeraz has been exposed simply not good enough against a proper champion had no answer and Adames who schooled him and a superior boxer , sheeraz just went immobile and never threw anything meaningful .

It's back to the drawing board has power but to me he is hyped up
Any rematch and adames will again .

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Most casuals obviously will right Hamzah off because they expected him to obliterate Adames not having watched the middleweight champion before. Adames is a seriously good fighter and this was a huge step up in levels for Sheeraz, I saw it as more of 50/50 fight. At the end of it all, some good experience.

My main concern with Sheeraz was whether he would have the chin at middleweight, but he took his licks well so that's not an issue. Once that was established, he should have been able to keep the fight at his range with his reach and jab, but Adames found it too easy to get inside and neutralise the reach advantage. He needs to develop an answer to that before fighting for the belt again.

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Sheeraz has been exposed simply not good enough against a proper champion had no answer and Adames who schooled him and a superior boxer , sheeraz just went immobile and never threw anything meaningful .

It's back to the drawing board has power but to me he is hyped up
Any rematch and adames will again .

Sheraz damaging his right hand sort of limited him.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Bivol clearly won this time around. He connected a lot more.
Probably the best fight i have seen for a long time.
Trilogy will happen as Artur will seek revenge.

Bivol won but it was tight, don't think there was much in it as Bivol was throwing flurries of punches but Beterbiev was pressuring with more output over the rounds in general.

I think at 40 a decider will be too far for Artur, he's fit but at that age you are only on a downward trajectory.

 

[shaz619]

My main concern with Sheeraz was whether he would have the chin at middleweight, but he took his licks well so that's not an issue. Once that was established, he should have been able to keep the fight at his range with his reach and jab, but Adames found it too easy to get inside and neutralise the reach advantage. He needs to develop an answer to that before fighting for the belt again.

Yeah Adames can really bang and he took a couple of clean shots well, a lot of it was due to how well he tucks his chin and that high guard, he proved his chin to me against Ammo Williams who was a highly rated American prospect himself with a big punch and Sheeraz came through that fight as well. Adames did well in the second half but for me a lot of the shots never got through, his body work was good but you could count about 2 eye catching shots the entire fight and in the first half especially, he found it very tough to get under Sheeraz’s jab. Odd that Sheeraz changed tactics mid-fight but maybe that was when he hurt his hand ? The best round of the fight was the 11th and tbh Sheeraz should have gone in for the kill when he had Adames seriously hurt. In the end I think Adames deserved to retain the title but didn’t feel he dominated the fight himself. It could have been an easy nights work if Sheeraz kept it long all night, in the rematch he should hold his feet in bursts and make it count, make Adames pay when he misses, I mean completely different levels but we saw Bivol do that well, if you make a fighter miss, make him pay; I don’t know how serious Sheeraz’s hand injury was but hoping it’s not too bad and doesn’t impact his power, I feel he knows he could have done much better because we didn’t see some of these uncharacteristic one track defensive habits when he fought Ammo.

 

[shaz619]

Bivol won but it was tight, don't think there was much in it as Bivol was throwing flurries of punches but Beterbiev was pressuring with more output over the rounds in general.

I think at 40 a decider will be too far for Artur, he's fit but at that age you are only on a downward trajectory.

I don’t even think they would have given him the decision the first time round was it not for the planned rematch, it’s a win-win for the managers to have Bivol go over here because it sets up the trilogy if that gets made, and if it doesn’t, they can make the Bivol vs Benavidez fight. At 40, Artur is not going to get the rub of the green, he should have a feigned an injury and got out this rematch, however, for my own selfish reasons am glad he didn’t because we got a thrilling rematch and this level of war you wont see anywhere else on the planet.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Yeah Adames can really bang and he took a couple of clean shots well, a lot of it was due to how well he tucks his chin and that high guard, he proved his chin to me against Ammo Williams who was a highly rated American prospect himself with a big punch and Sheeraz came through that fight as well. Adames did well in the second half but for me a lot of the shots never got through, his body work was good but you could count about 2 eye catching shots the entire fight and in the first half especially, he found it very tough to get under Sheeraz’s jab. Odd that Sheeraz changed tactics mid-fight but maybe that was when he hurt his hand ? The best round of the fight was the 11th and tbh Sheeraz should have gone in for the kill when he had Adames seriously hurt. In the end I think Adames deserved to retain the title but didn’t feel he dominated the fight himself. It could have been an easy nights work if Sheeraz kept it long all night, in the rematch he should hold his feet in bursts and make it count, make Adames pay when he misses, I mean completely different levels but we saw Bivol do that well, if you make a fighter miss, make him pay; I don’t know how serious Sheeraz’s hand injury was but hoping it’s not too bad and doesn’t impact his power, I feel he knows he could have done much better because we didn’t see some of these uncharacteristic one track defensive habits when he fought Ammo.

Yeah Sheeraz looked disappointed, he refused to make any excuses, but he had the tools to have won that fight. If he's got a chin to take the shots Adames hit him with a couple of times, he could definitely have been a bit more aggressive.

Sheeraz has got a very good defensive guard, I think he's used that along with his reach and jab to win matches easily before now, but against Adames he missed a trick. He carried on at that same pace and in the end just didn't throw enough punches, even if his defence was great. Maybe that was because he broke his hand, but was still an opportunity missed.

 

[ghalib kichlu]

Yeah Sheeraz looked disappointed, he refused to make any excuses, but he had the tools to have won that fight. If he's got a chin to take the shots Adames hit him with a couple of times, he could definitely have been a bit more aggressive.

Sheeraz has got a very good defensive guard, I think he's used that along with his reach and jab to win matches easily before now, but against Adames he missed a trick. He carried on at that same pace and in the end just didn't throw enough punches, even if his defence was great. Maybe that was because he broke his hand, but was still an opportunity missed.

Cometh the man , cometh the hour
Sheeraz failed to impress on a night of procession
It was later shown what could be achieved with a reliable jab,decent defense, impregnable speed and towering height
Hopefully next time he cuts the cake , he eats it too

 

[shaz619]

What a card though this was UFC level value, and dare I say even better when there are multiple governing organisations involved; every single fight could have been a main-event @Cpt. Rishwat you follow the UFC and I know you get that a lot more often or consistently good cards at least.

Buatsi/Smith was FOTY contender to, I give Buatsi so much stick because he has moved at snail pace with his career but he proved his world level credentials against a former lineal champion, the fight had everything, work rate, speed, power, in and outfighting, fighters having to bite on down on their gumshield. And this was the opener!!

Agit Kabayel/Zhang had heavyweight fireworks from the first bell, Kabayel surprising Zhang with his tactics by forcing the pressure and fighting him at close quarters. Wont spoil it for anyone but what a fighter Kabayel is, so relentless and clever, I honestly think he would give Usyk a good scrap. One of the most avoided men in the division.

We got all this for 20 quid! though I must say a small gripe for me was that I just kept thinking what the atmosphere would have been like in the UK for Buatsi/Smith.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Dubois still on course for Usyk rematch – Warren

IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois remains on track for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, insists his promoter Frank Warren.

The 27-year-old Briton was forced to withdraw from his world title defence against New Zealand's Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on Saturday because of illness, but a unification bout against Usyk, the WBO, WBA (Super) and WBO title holder, is still a strong possibility, according to Warren.

"You have to look at the next move and I think that will be either Usyk in an all-belt affair for the four belts or maybe AJ [Anthony Joshua]. We will have to work that out in the next week or so," Warren told BBC 5 Live.

"We will talk through the options as a team and make a decision. Everyone's view is important but the most important view is Daniel's because he is the one getting into the ring and he makes the ultimate decision."

Dubois and Usyk, 38, fought in August 2023 with the Ukrainian winning via a ninth-round stoppage.

Dubois was promoted to IBF champion after Usyk vacated the belt last June shortly after beating Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 25 years.

The Briton was hoping to add to his 22 pro fight wins against Parker, having made the first defence of his belt by stopping Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium in September.

But he was withdrawn from the bout on Thursday after being medically evaluated, with his place taken by Martin Bakole, who was dispatched by the Kiwi within two rounds.

"Daniel thought he would probably have done the same thing to Parker," said Warren, 72.

"He's very down and disappointed and he feels his moment was robbed. It happened at the wrong moment for him and cost him a lot of money and cost the fans a really good fight."

BBC

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

What a card though this was UFC level value, and dare I say even better when there are multiple governing organisations involved; every single fight could have been a main-event @Cpt. Rishwat you follow the UFC and I know you get that a lot more often or consistently good cards at least.

Buatsi/Smith was FOTY contender to, I give Buatsi so much stick because he has moved at snail pace with his career but he proved his world level credentials against a former lineal champion, the fight had everything, work rate, speed, power, in and outfighting, fighters having to bite on down on their gumshield. And this was the opener!!

Agit Kabayel/Zhang had heavyweight fireworks from the first bell, Kabayel surprising Zhang with his tactics by forcing the pressure and fighting him at close quarters. Wont spoil it for anyone but what a fighter Kabayel is, so relentless and clever, I honestly think he would give Usyk a good scrap. One of the most avoided men in the division.

We got all this for 20 quid! though I must say a small gripe for me was that I just kept thinking what the atmosphere would have been like in the UK for Buatsi/Smith.

These would have been all headliners in their own right if it was billed in the UK. I was really surprised that they showed this many top class bouts on one PPV, normally I wouldn't bother, but this was just too good to miss.

 

[shaz619]

Going into the year 2018 in the LHW division, Beterbiev & Bivol owned three of the alphabet titles between them. They were given the opportunity after Ward retired and vacated the championships. Kovalev meanwhile recovered from the fights against Ward to recapture the WBO world despite suffering a loss to Alvarez.

In 2018 Beterbiev was 33 and had knocked out every man he had ever faced. What’s even more crazy is that between 2017-2019, he fought just 4 times!

It’s mad that he can still compete at the elite level, although at 40 he is no spring chicken. But, during his peak form, he was the most avoided man in Boxing outside Triple G, all these names ducked him during that time:

Andre Ward
Bivol
Sergie Kovalev
Adonis Stevenson

 

[BouncerGuy]

Eubank Jr slaps Benn with egg at chaotic face-off

Chris Eubank Jr slapped Conor Benn across the face with an egg during a head-to-head at an extraordinary media conference in Manchester.

The British rivals - who will fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 26 April - at times acted like petulant children and hurled foul-mouthed insults at each other throughout the event.

Tension later filled the auditorium at the Manchester Central venue before the obligatory face-off.

The pair exchanged words close up, before Eubank produced an egg from his pocket and hit Benn across the cheek with his left hand.

An already volatile Benn, with his father Nigel next to him, lost control and both boxers were held back by security guards.

A scheduled fight between the pair in October 2022 was called off after Benn failed a voluntary drugs test, prompting a two-year battle with anti-doping authorities, before his suspension was lifted in November.

Benn has always denied intentionally doping and both fighters are being tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) for the contest.

An independent report by the WBC in February 2023 said his failed drugs test was not intentional and could have been caused by a "highly elevated consumption" of eggs.

"Apparently egg contamination was the reason for his two failed drugs tests. So I contaminated him with an egg," Eubank posted on social media with a clip of the incident.

Media conference boils over & Hearn in firing line

Eubank made a slow entrance and demanded Benn be seated closer to him.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to," responded a twitchy Benn, dressed in a black silk pyjama-like outfit.

The fighters belittled each other's records, Eubank spoke about the injustice of a rehydration clause which means he cannot weigh more than 10lb more than the middleweight limit on fight night, and Benn said he would "render [Eubank] unconscious".

"I'm excited to end this man's career," said 28-year-old Benn, who has won all 23 of his fights, with 14 stoppages.

With 34 wins in a career spanning more than 13 years, Eubank, 35, has fought at a significantly higher level. His losses have come against former world champions Billy Joe Saunders, George Groves and Liam Smith.

"I'm going to beat him because I'm a better fighter in every department," he said.

Eubank and Benn have reignited a family rivalry after their hall-of-fame fathers fought for a second time almost 32 years ago.

Eubank Sr was not in attendance, however, and appears reluctant to be involved in the promotion of the fight.

"The bottom line is that his dad does not even like him," said Benn.

As the war of words continued, Nigel Benn and Eubank's team, including promoter Ben Shalom, remained quiet.

But Eubank took particular aim at Benn's promoter, Eddie Hearn, who refused to back down.

"This is not the Eddie Hearn show," he said, talking over Hearn every time the Matchroom chairman spoke as a standoff ensued.

BBC

 

[shaz619]

Eubank Jr slaps Benn with egg at chaotic face-off

Chris Eubank Jr slapped Conor Benn across the face with an egg during a head-to-head at an extraordinary media conference in Manchester.

The British rivals - who will fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 26 April - at times acted like petulant children and hurled foul-mouthed insults at each other throughout the event.

Tension later filled the auditorium at the Manchester Central venue before the obligatory face-off.

The pair exchanged words close up, before Eubank produced an egg from his pocket and hit Benn across the cheek with his left hand.

An already volatile Benn, with his father Nigel next to him, lost control and both boxers were held back by security guards.

A scheduled fight between the pair in October 2022 was called off after Benn failed a voluntary drugs test, prompting a two-year battle with anti-doping authorities, before his suspension was lifted in November.

Benn has always denied intentionally doping and both fighters are being tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) for the contest.

An independent report by the WBC in February 2023 said his failed drugs test was not intentional and could have been caused by a "highly elevated consumption" of eggs.

"Apparently egg contamination was the reason for his two failed drugs tests. So I contaminated him with an egg," Eubank posted on social media with a clip of the incident.

Media conference boils over & Hearn in firing line

Eubank made a slow entrance and demanded Benn be seated closer to him.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to," responded a twitchy Benn, dressed in a black silk pyjama-like outfit.

The fighters belittled each other's records, Eubank spoke about the injustice of a rehydration clause which means he cannot weigh more than 10lb more than the middleweight limit on fight night, and Benn said he would "render [Eubank] unconscious".

"I'm excited to end this man's career," said 28-year-old Benn, who has won all 23 of his fights, with 14 stoppages.

With 34 wins in a career spanning more than 13 years, Eubank, 35, has fought at a significantly higher level. His losses have come against former world champions Billy Joe Saunders, George Groves and Liam Smith.

"I'm going to beat him because I'm a better fighter in every department," he said.

Eubank and Benn have reignited a family rivalry after their hall-of-fame fathers fought for a second time almost 32 years ago.

Eubank Sr was not in attendance, however, and appears reluctant to be involved in the promotion of the fight.

"The bottom line is that his dad does not even like him," said Benn.

As the war of words continued, Nigel Benn and Eubank's team, including promoter Ben Shalom, remained quiet.

But Eubank took particular aim at Benn's promoter, Eddie Hearn, who refused to back down.

"This is not the Eddie Hearn show," he said, talking over Hearn every time the Matchroom chairman spoke as a standoff ensued.

BBC

Eggcellent.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Crocker wins dramatic fight as Donovan disqualified

A hugely dramatic night in Belfast ended in chaotic scenes as Lewis Crocker was awarded the win in his IBF world title eliminator after opponent Paddy Donovan was disqualified at the end of the eighth round.

Crocker's unbeaten professional record survived after referee Marcus McDonnell called time on a thrilling contest because Donovan landed with a big right hand delivered after the bell.

The sudden conclusion came just after the Limerick fighter had sent Crocker down with a huge shot.

Donovan earlier had points deducted in rounds six and eight for use of the elbow and head.

The dramatic finish resulted in confusion as Donovan initially thought he had secured the knockout before realising McDonnell had disqualified him.

"The crowd is ferocious in here. They say I hit him after the bell, but I thought I hit him on the bell," Donovan told DAZN.

"You can see Lewis was a beaten man and I won the fight fair and square. The ref took my dreams away tonight."

Donovan added: "We're going to appeal the decision and I want an automatic rematch right on the spot."

Frantic action at SSE Arena

Belfast fighter Crocker spent most of the opening round marching forward with his hands high and tight, his elbows tucked, with southpaw Donovan looking for separation to let his fast hands go and its was the latter who was the busier.

The contest began to open up in the second as they both got through with shots on the inside, but Crocker was more economical as he seemed determined not to waste anything by throwing for the sake of it, yet this was allowing Donovan to get into a flow although he was forced to work non-stop.

A cut appeared over Crocker's right eye in the third with referee McDonnell signalling it came from a punch and it was becoming a gruelling battle as the boxers traded up close.

Donovan seemed to use downstairs as his target with Crocker bringing the uppercut into play but he would find himself with a huge welt under the left eye by the end of the fourth.

These were visible signs that 'The Real Deal' was making a dent - his speed was hugely effective as he was first to land when they were at middle distance.

Donovan had been warned on a couple of occasions for use of the elbow and in the sixth, it was once too many as a point was deducted.

Still, there was a sense that Donovan was in the lead on the cards and Crocker needed something to get a bit of momentum to bring his crowd back to life.

A couple of shots did that in the seventh, but Donovan's use of the head saw him on the end of another scolding and perhaps fortunate not to lose another point.

His response was to up the pace as he threw in flurries, closing out the round in good style and he seemed to be on top in the eighth as he marched forward, but did ultimately lose that second point for use of the head.

Again, he upped the pace and a shot into the mid-section had Crocker down. The Belfast man rose and threw some wild shots as they heard the bell, but Donovan wasn't done and inexplicably threw well after the bell on a vulnerable Crocker who was down and there was no option but to call it.

What happens next is difficult to predict as Crocker moves to 21-0 and Donovan is now stuck with a first loss. As it stands, it is the Belfast man moving on to a welterweight title shot, although a rematch may not be out of the question.

Defeats for McCrory and McCarthy

On the undercard, Padraig McCrory suffered an eighth-round loss to Craig Richards as a body shot from the Londoner closed the show.

Kurt Walker improved his record to 12-0 as the Lisburn featherweight came through an all-action battle against former Anthony Cacace foe Leon Woodstock to win via majority decision (97-93, 96-94, 95-95).

Steven Ward claimed the bragging rights in his all-Belfast clash against Tommy McCarthy with a sixth-round stoppage.

McCarthy was down from a big left at the end of the second and then again from a right in the sixth - this time unlocking the door to the finish as the follow-up assault saw referee Hugh Russell Jnr step in.

In another local derby at super-bantamweight, Ruadhan Farrell settled the argument with a 79-73 points win over Gerard Hughes after the pair drew at the same venue in late 2023.

Earlier in the night there were points wins for Jack O'Neill and Aaron Bowen, but Tipperary's Shauna Browne was sensationally blasted out by Elif Nur Turhan after just 43 seconds of their WBC lightweight eliminator.

BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Injured Whyte withdraws from Joyce fight

Dillian Whyte has withdrawn from his heavyweight fight with fellow Briton Joe Joyce on 5 April because of an injured hand.

Joyce will remain as the headliner for the heavyweight fight night at the Co-op Live, which also includes Lawrence Okolie v Richard Riakporhe and the professional debut of Delicious Orie.

Whyte, 36, has not fought in the UK since 2022.

He was pulled from his rematch with Anthony Joshua in 2023 after failing a voluntary drug test, but has twice fought abroad since then.

Queensberry Promotions say a new opponent for his British rival Joyce will be announced shortly.

Joyce, 39, is facing a crossroads in his career after one win in his last four fights.

The former Olympian was stopped twice by Zhilei Zhang in 2023 before losing to Derek Chisora in his last outing last July.

Dillian Whyte: Heavyweight pulls out of Joe Joyce fight with injury

Dillian Whyte withdraws from his heavyweight fight with Joe Joyce on 5 April.

www.bbc.com

 

[shaz619]

You are right, the WBC would probably be the most challenging sale due to its links to various criminal syndicate’s, not just the recent Kinahan stuff but the Mexican cartel.

That could happen, there were some rumours that Vince McMahon could be running this new league which I would find very intriguing; he opened the door for western sports in Saudi and they love him. The reason why I can’t see him creating a new brand / championship entirely is due to Boxing history, it wont quiet work like with the UFC who took advantage off a relatively infant sport. Most casuals can’t appreciate the lineal world championship but are familiar with the alphabet titles and to be honest, the sport has unfortunately been linked to them for a century and it is difficult to replicate the same prestige.

However, there’s a massive saving grace here for Turki and the system you mentioned, because in my view he doesn’t even need to purchase said governing bodies after becoming the new owner of Ring Magazine; who are well respected in Boxing and have their own rich legacy, they’ve been around for almost as long as the alphabet titles and have mostly been governed really well. They are a lot more closely aligned with the historic championship lineage in each division, and personally, I see it as a big deal when the top two can only win that belt opposed to the ABC championships (unless its a unification fight), even more than undisputed.

Turki can create a new league under the banner/system of The Ring, perhaps he could re-brand the title by calling it ‘The Ring World Championship’ opposed to The Ring Magazine Championship. He already got all the right people on board to devise rankings etc It’s literally just pick up & play and he can put his own spin on things to make it all feel a bit more special. I will say that Turki is a genuine hardcore Boxing fan, because when he bought Ring Magazine, he also hired people who had left the company during their re-structuring a few years ago and one or two of them I speak to as well and highly respect, so I am hopeful for much better UK representation with The Ring again.

I agree, on paper it’s all looking good, I just wonder what it would all look like if they left but that’s just my pessimism (They are losing money for overpaying for fighters/events), Turki is a proper fan and not a casual, the guy even knows about Floyd’s Mayweather’s protected record and the onus on protecting the 0 which has been terrible for the sport lol

@KingKhanWC

We discussed this a couple months back, looks like this exact system is about to be employed; Turki been reading our posts He has signed a deal with the TKO board and will be working closely with Dana White as well. The Ring belt will be rebranded imo and become the richest prize in the sport, it already is for purists and enthusiasts of the sport when you consider physical title belts, given its rich history.

 

[shaz619]

@KingKhanWC

We discussed this a couple months back, looks like this exact system is about to be employed; Turki been reading our posts He has signed a deal with the TKO board and will be working closely with Dana White as well. The Ring belt will be rebranded imo and become the richest prize in the sport, it already is for purists and enthusiasts of the sport when you consider physical title belts, given its rich history.

Nick Khan was also involved in facilitating this agreement and will be a part of this venture; the slickest man in the entertainment business @RedwoodOriginal

 

[KingKhanWC]

@KingKhanWC

We discussed this a couple months back, looks like this exact system is about to be employed; Turki been reading our posts He has signed a deal with the TKO board and will be working closely with Dana White as well. The Ring belt will be rebranded imo and become the richest prize in the sport, it already is for purists and enthusiasts of the sport when you consider physical title belts, given its rich history.

As a boxing fan this is fascinating because for too long these traditional belts, WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO have had a stronghold on the sport. Now they must be terrified lol. I do like history of the sport but I welcome this new initiative from Turki and Dana because too many promoters protect their fighters, them losing means they lose money, its become more of a business than a sport. In sport we want to see the best fight the best and boxers to given fights on merit not because of their stable. Also as you mention THE RING magazine belt is highly prestigious and has great history. Im not sure if they will call the champion of this league, the world ring magazine HW champion or some other name but I'd go with Ring. I would even ditch the PPV model and go with a RING mag APP which users can subscribe to watch the fights, everyone nowadays has a smart TV , so shouldn't be an issue. Get to 4-5 million subscribers at £10 a month, thats £600m a year just from TV, add tickets and advertising, it can within a couple of years become a billion pound a year business.

The UFC model is proven but MMA is not a historically huge sport like boxing and probably never will be. Its not going to be easy to convince the current crop of boxers to fight for only one title in one weight division , along with possibly having less weight divisions. I would think the 'super' type divisions will be scrapped , with only the traditional weights and one champion.

Imo for this to work, good money must be paid to up and coming young fighters to join this league and for the champion to be given huge purses when he fights. Dana is often criticised for not paying much but he is now backed by Turki so this shouldn't be a problem esp as the sport of boxing will grow worldwide.

I think they will announce a big fight and opening night later this year, Turki stated 12th Sept and some are suggesting it will be Canelo V Crawford, lets see.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Nick Khan was also involved in facilitating this agreement and will be a part of this venture; the slickest man in the entertainment business @RedwoodOriginal

Never been a big Boxing fan but I think an organized promotion with these people backing it has alot of potential. I guess the first thing that probably comes to mind is a Boxing version of the UFC. Boxing as a sport is also in need of reinvigoration I feel. The fact that all the focus is on these nonsensical fights between YouTubers shows you the sport is in crisis. I think the lack of personalities has really hurt the sport in recent times too, and with a promotion like this you have a chance to cultivate and bring those types of personalities into the limelight.

 

[shaz619]

As a boxing fan this is fascinating because for too long these traditional belts, WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO have had a stronghold on the sport. Now they must be terrified lol. I do like history of the sport but I welcome this new initiative from Turki and Dana because too many promoters protect their fighters, them losing means they lose money, its become more of a business than a sport. In sport we want to see the best fight the best and boxers to given fights on merit not because of their stable. Also as you mention THE RING magazine belt is highly prestigious and has great history. Im not sure if they will call the champion of this league, the world ring magazine HW champion or some other name but I'd go with Ring. I would even ditch the PPV model and go with a RING mag APP which users can subscribe to watch the fights, everyone nowadays has a smart TV , so shouldn't be an issue. Get to 4-5 million subscribers at £10 a month, thats £600m a year just from TV, add tickets and advertising, it can within a couple of years become a billion pound a year business.

The UFC model is proven but MMA is not a historically huge sport like boxing and probably never will be. Its not going to be easy to convince the current crop of boxers to fight for only one title in one weight division , along with possibly having less weight divisions. I would think the 'super' type divisions will be scrapped , with only the traditional weights and one champion.

Imo for this to work, good money must be paid to up and coming young fighters to join this league and for the champion to be given huge purses when he fights. Dana is often criticised for not paying much but he is now backed by Turki so this shouldn't be a problem esp as the sport of boxing will grow worldwide.

I think they will announce a big fight and opening night later this year, Turki stated 12th Sept and some are suggesting it will be Canelo V Crawford, lets see.

That’s an interesting take the streaming platform, if anyone can make it work I think it’s Turki and Nick Khan, if we got something close to the Feb 22 card like every quarter, it could justify the premium you pay. If they give us major fights every month without the top up PPV fee DAZN still forced their customers to pay, it could be ground breaking; Nick Khan has vast experience and links from the entertainment / streaming world and he could help with the library, documentaries and general presentation of original content. I think given the number of fighters we have today, I reckon they will still continue with the super divisions due to the level of competition and some of these date back to the late 1920’s like the 140 lb. Maybe we will get extra’s like The Contender which I feel the UFC was inspired by when they created their own show out of it, Dana should have some great ideas especially when it comes to the branding and handling off a league system; however, pay as you pointed out will be the biggest talking point and the incentive for fighters to challenge themselves, with no purse bids involved, how much is Turki/TKO willing to put out there upfront ? But this is when you consider the best of the best who they will have to prioritise until their brand has been established. UFC does get criticism for fighter pay, but when you consider what their fighters get paid on the undercard, I don’t know if it’s terrible ? The company got to a point where the event was the main attraction opposed to the name of the fighters, maybe that’s where Turki wants to go but still, boxing is so huge globally that he can never compete with a like for like UFC pay structure but they can certainly implement the qualities which helped establish the brand.

 

[shaz619]

Never been a big Boxing fan but I think an organized promotion with these people backing it has alot of potential. I guess the first thing that probably comes to mind is a Boxing version of the UFC. Boxing as a sport is also in need of reinvigoration I feel. The fact that all the focus is on these nonsensical fights between YouTubers shows you the sport is in crisis. I think the lack of personalities has really hurt the sport in recent times too, and with a promotion like this you have a chance to cultivate and bring those types of personalities into the limelight.

We were going nowhere until Turki showed up and forced the best fights to happen, ultimately money talks. Boxing does have personalities but what has caused a major decline in the US has been the emphasis on staying unbeaten, Floyd Mayweather has a lot to blame for that; they’ve conditioned their fans to pay upwards of $60 to watch their favourite fighters face inferior competition on PPV and later boast about it to the point where they actually ridiculed the amazing card we got last month at less than half off what US customers would pay. There are too many championships/governing bodies, terrible promoters and America just doesn’t have that great Heavyweight hope and when they did in Wilder, promoter’s were clueless and there was no real rivalry within the US like a Holyfield/Tyson, Ali/Frazier etc Part of it’s a generational thing and athletes preferring other sports or entertainment mediums. The sport got mainstream coverage for once in 2015 for the Floyd/Manny fight, it was 6 years too late and Manny had a shoulder injury, am sure that fight put off many casuals in the US from the sport, especially those who were paying customers in the 80’s and 90’s.

 

[BouncerGuy]

WBO orders champion Usyk to face Parker next

World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the WBO to begin negotiations with Joseph Parker for a mandatory title defence.

Parker, 33, retained his interim WBO title in February with a second-round knockout win against Martin Bakole.

Ukrainian Usyk is the WBC, WBA (Super) and WBO heavyweight champion thanks to his second successive victory against Tyson Fury in December.

Usyk, 38, and Parker have 30 days to find an agreement or the WBO will order purse bid proceedings.

Britain's Daniel Dubois, who holds the IBF heavyweight belt, is already in talks to face Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title.

Dubois was set to face Parker on 22 February but withdrew because of illness and is not looking to reschedule that fight.

New Zealand's Parker held the WBO title between 2016 and 2018, beating Andy Ruiz Jr to claim the vacant belt before losing it to Anthony Joshua following two successful defences.

After suffering the third defeat of his career against Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker has won six in succession, including a victory against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

Usyk is yet to lose in 23 fights as a professional, winning 14 by knockout.

Saudi Arabia has hosted most of the big heavyweight bouts in recent years, with Usyk's two most recent contests against Fury taking place in Riyadh.

Usyk was undisputed champion at cruiserweight before stepping up to heavyweight and achieving the same feat.

However, the Olympic gold medallist vacated his IBF title following his first win over Fury in 2024, which meant interim champion Dubois was upgraded to full champion before his victory over Joshua in September.

 

[hassan918]

World champion Shields' doping suspension lifted​

Three-weight undisputed world champion Claressa Shields has had her doping suspension lifted.

The 29-year-old American tested positive for marijuana following her win over heavyweight Danielle Perkins on 3 February in Michigan.

The Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission which provisionally suspended Shields' licence said she "provided evidence" on 6 March and that "her conduct no longer poses an imminent threat to the integrity of the sport, the public interest, or the welfare and safety of a contestant".

Shields wrote on X:, external "Officially unsuspended!

"But y'all a little quiet! Ya'll was real loud about me 'supposedly' smoking marijuana and being suspended!

"No worries! And still an undisputed heavyweight champ."

Although Shields' suspension was dissolved, the commission said that "does not close the enforcement action", meaning she may face further sanctions.

She could be fined or have her victory over Perkins overturned as a no-contest.

Marijuana is banned in competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

Shields denied using marijuana and said the tests showed only "trace" amounts.

Source: BBC

 

[hassan918]

Ball kicks Doheny on way to stoppage win​

Featherweight world champion Nick Ball continued his formidable run as the seasoned TJ Doheny was pulled out by his corner before the 11th round at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena.

In an incident-packed fight, Ball kicked out at his opponent following a headlock in the first round and was deducted a point in the ninth for twice pushing his opponent to the canvas.

But the 28-year-old Ball landed crisp and cleaner power punches to defend his WBA title.

Irishman Doheny, 38, was repeatedly hurt in the ninth and 10th rounds before his corner stopped the contest.

Doheny had some success in the earlier rounds but felt the pace against the younger opponent down the stretch.

With his right eye swollen shut for the second half of the fight, Doheny became a sitting duck before the bout was halted.

Ball, who extends his record to 22 wins and one draw, was fortunate not to be disqualified – or at least have points deducted – after kicking out at his opponent.

The local fighter was not asked about the kick in his post-fight interview.

"In there, it's going to be tricky. It's a world title fight in my own city. Sometimes I can rush in. The main thing is taking my time and it paid off," Ball said.

Doheny – who has travelled the globe plying his trade in a 13-year career - loses his sixth fight in 32 outings.

Ball v Doheny: Nick Ball kicks TJ Doheny on way to retaining world title

Nick Ball retains his WBA world title in an incident-packed fight with TJ Doheny in Liverpool.

www.bbc.com

 

[shaz619]

Sheeraz is moving up to SMW, I’m not sure how I feel about that. Was this always the plan regardless of the Adames fight?

160 is tight for him, but he has shown me enough quality which suggests he could push for World Title honours before moving up. But maybe the weight is more taxing then we realise and Adames made him realise that, he did fade in the second half, although I felt it was more to do with his hand problem.

They bang even harder at SMW and Canelo is hogging the championships. I’ve heard they’d want to match him with the winner off Canelo / Crawford. I don’t think he’s ready for someone like Canelo at this point.

Unless the weight is genuinely killing him, it’s not a wise move right now. If he had a belt, then I’d be more inclined to be in favour of the jump.

 

[shaz619]

Sheeraz is moving up to SMW, I’m not sure how I feel about that. Was this always the plan regardless of the Adames fight?

160 is tight for him, but he has shown me enough quality which suggests he could push for World Title honours before moving up. But maybe the weight is more taxing then we realise and Adames made him realise that, he did fade in the second half, although I felt it was more to do with his hand problem.

They bang even harder at SMW and Canelo is hogging the championships. I’ve heard they’d want to match him with the winner off Canelo / Crawford. I don’t think he’s ready for someone like Canelo at this point.

Unless the weight is genuinely killing him, it’s not a wise move right now. If he had a belt, then I’d be more inclined to be in favour of the jump.

@ElRaja

Did you catch the news, he’s moving to 168, thoughts?

 

[shaz619]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1902250275701977425

Me when Pakistan open a T20I game with batters not named Babar and Rizwan

@Rana @mominsaigol

 

[hassan918]

Heavyweight boxing legend George Foreman dies aged 76​

Boxing heavyweight legend George Foreman has died aged 76.

Known as Big George in the ring, the American built one of the most remarkable and enduring careers in the sport, winning Olympic gold in 1968 and claiming the world heavyweight title twice, 21 years apart - the second making him the oldest champion in history aged 45.

He lost his first title to Muhammad Ali in their famous Rumble in the Jungle fight in 1974. But overall, he boasted an astonishing total of 76 wins including 68 knockouts, almost double that of Ali.

Foreman retired in 1997 but not before he agreed to put his name to a best-selling grill - a decision that went on to bring him fortunes that dwarfed his boxing earnings.

His family said in a post on Instagram on Friday night: "Our hearts are broken. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose."

The statement added: "A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected - a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name - for his family."

Tributes poured in from others across the sport, with former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson saying Foreman's "contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten".

The Ring magazine, often dubbed the Bible of Boxing, described him as "one of the greatest heavyweights of all time".

"[He] will be remembered as an icon of the sport forever."

Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas, on 10 January 1949, and raised along with six siblings by a single mother in the segregated American South.

He dropped out of school and turned to street robberies before eventually finding his outlet in the ring.

Foreman won the heavyweight gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, aged 19, before turning pro and winning 37 consecutive matches. He lost only five bouts over his career.

He beat previously undefeated reigning champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1973 knocking him down six times in the first two rounds.

His 1974 Rumble in the Jungle against Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, remains one of the most famous boxing matches ever.

Ali, the older man, was the underdog after he was stripped of his crown seven years earlier for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War.

Foreman reflected on the legendary fight 50 years later in an October interview with BBC World Service Newshour, explaining that everyone thought he was going to decimate Ali.

"Oh, he's not going to last one round," the boxer said experts were predicting at the time.

Foreman told the BBC he typically would get "real nervous" and have "butterflies" before any boxing match, but that night - it was the "most comfortable" he had felt.

But the wily Ali used a tactic that later became known as "rope-a-dope", which wore out Foreman, causing him to throw out hundreds of punches before Ali unloaded on him in the eighth round and scored a knockout.

After a second professional loss, Foreman retired in 1977 and became an ordained minister at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Texas, which he founded and built.

He told the BBC his defeat to Ali became the "best thing that ever happened to me" as it ultimately led him to "get my message out" through preaching.

He recalled that his preaching started small, on street corners and with friends, then grew.

"We began meeting informally at various homes in Houston, and before long, the crowds became too large for most houses to accommodate," Foreman said on his website.

"Eventually, we bought a piece of land and an old, dilapidated building on the north-east side of Houston."

Foreman came out of retirement in 1987 to raise money for a youth centre he founded. He won 24 matches before losing to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991.

In 1994, Foreman knocked out undefeated Michael Moorer to become the oldest ever heavyweight champion at age 45.

He became ad pitchman for his George Foreman Grill, which millions have purchased since it hit the market in 1994, thanks in part to his memorable catchphrase, the "Lean Mean Grilling Machine".

Foreman was married five times. He has a dozen children, including five sons who are all named George.

He explained on his website that he named them after himself so they "they would always have something in common".

"I say to them, 'If one of us goes up, then we all go up together," he explained. "And if one goes down, we all go down together!'"

Source: BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

'No evidence leading back to me' - Mayer on Ryan paint attack

WBO welterweight champion Mikaela Mayer faces Briton Sandy Ryan in a Las Vegas rematch on Saturday.

In her BBC Sport column, American Mayer talks about the events leading up to victory in last September's first fight in New York when Ryan was hit by a can of red paint before leaving for the venue.

On Friday, Ryan will address the controversy and rivalry between the pair.

I was in my room and we were starting to walk to the elevator, waiting for the go-ahead from the team to say we could go down because we were at the same hotel as Sandy Ryan.

Sandy was out there first waiting for her car so we stood by the elevator and my nutritionist said to wait because she hasn't got in the car yet.

My nutritionist was looking at her phone and was like, 'oh my god, someone just threw paint on Sandy'. We were all taken aback but I didn't understand that I was apparently the culprit.

I got in the car but didn't really understand the extent of it until I got to the arena and online there was a photo of Sandy, who was stripped down with red paint on her. ESPN came in to see me and apparently I'm being blamed for the attack.

Everyone who knows me, knows that would be out of character for me - it's not my style. I expected her to try to blame me. I was her rival all week but there were also other things going on.

Sandy has already said flyers attacking her were put up around the hotel and city.

You can't just point a finger when there is no evidence leading back to me. I was upstairs waiting to walk down for the fight of my life.

I didn't know what time she was going to be down there or that she was going first. The only people who knew were her team - maybe she should look inside her own circle.

'I hope it doesn't happen going into this fight'

The incident took me by surprise but I was in fight mode and it didn't happen to me, so I wasn't flustered.

If someone had thrown paint on me I would have slapped paint on the ass of my fight shorts and got on with it.

I was concerned that she was going to pull out - her team were really getting her going about it.

There was a clip of her coach Kay Koroma in the locker room screaming at her to pull out of the fight which I thought was super suspicious. That was weird to me and out of character for him.

I really don't think it was the paint that threw her off her game but her team, who made it a bigger deal than it had to be.

Obviously I don't want that to happen and I hope it doesn't happen going into this fight. It could have been called off and, after two years of busting my butt to get back in that position, that was the last thing I wanted.

As for 'paint-gate' being used to promote the rematch, I was surprised the Top Rank team used the paint on the promotion posters - but this is entertainment.

I didn't have any say in it. If I had done anything like that, my manager would have had my neck as he tries to keep me professional.

I didn't know about it until the poster came out and I said, 'do they have red paint on Sandy?'

I was just as taken aback as anyone else, but it's kind of funny.

'I have truth on my side'

It's important for women's boxing to have these rivalries and this is definitely up there as one of the top ones.

I never counted out the rematch and just wanted to see what my other options were. Once I saw the views and how much the fans wanted it - and the excuses - I thought let's do it again and I'll do it even better.

I didn't get my rematch with Alycia Baumgardner so I understand Sandy might have been frustrated, but I didn't have to give her this rematch. I could have just sat it out, waited for Lauren Price to unify and fought for undisputed or faced someone else.

That's not the fighter I am though.

I pride myself on the fact a lot of the fights I have been in are competitive and people aren't sure who will win.

My feud with Alycia will stay number one for a lifetime, but Sandy can come second because of the coaching team situation and the paint situation.

Sandy and her team have tried to gaslight me in a sense where I'm supposed to be making all of this up or I'm being dramatic, but it happened.

You're going to see coach Koroma, my coach of eight or nine years since the Olympics, in her corner so they really can't say anything about it. They did what they did and they have to stand by that.

I'm just protecting myself and I'm the one who had to go out and find a whole new team at this stage of my career which is not easy. I have truth on my side.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Donovan granted rematch with Crocker by IBF

Paddy Donovan has been granted a rematch against Lewis Crocker after his controversial disqualification in their IBF title eliminator in Belfast earlier this month.

Referee Marcus McDonnell called time on a thrilling welterweight fight in the eighth round because Donovan hit Crocker after the bell.

Limerick fighter Donovan earlier had points deducted in rounds six and eight for use of the elbow and head.

The 26-year-old was visibly distraught in the ring after the dramatic end to a fight he seemed to have been edging before the frantic finish.

Donovan initially thought he had secured the knockout before realising McDonnell had disqualified him for his first professional loss.

The second contest is again likely to be staged in Crocker's home city this summer following the successful appeal.

'Pleased with appeal outcome'

Keith Sullivan, Donovan's co-manager with trainer Andy Lee, welcomed the decision, saying: "I am very happy that the IBF agreed with my arguments and evidence, they made the right decision under the rules.

"The rematch will be even bigger than the first fight. The crowd and fans around the globe absolutely loved it; the atmosphere in the arena was electric.

"It was a great promotion put on by Matchroom and it is unfortunate it ended as it did, but now Paddy will set the record straight and continue his quest for a world title."

Donovan commented: "I am very proud of the support Keith and Andy provided to me during the process," he said.

"I have a great team around me. I am pleased with the outcome of the appeal. I am eager to get back in the ring to showcase my boxing abilities once again and continue on the path to a world title."

Belfast's Windsor Park is one venue understood to be under consideration for a proposed summer bout.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Heavyweight Wilder to return against Herndon in June

Former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder will return to the ring against the relatively unknown Tyrrell Herndon on 27 June in Wichita, Kansas.

Wilder was once the most feared puncher in world boxing and held the WBC title from 2015 to 2020.

The 39-year-old American - who was defeated by Tyson Fury in an electric trilogy bout - has won 43 fights with 42 knockouts, four losses and one draw.

He was stopped by Zhilei Zhang in June, six months after losing on points to Joseph Parker.

Those defeats derailed Wilder's ambitions to reclaim a world title and scuppered plans for the long-awaited fight against Briton Anthony Joshua.

Wilder's team confirmed to BBC Sport that the Bronze Bomber will face 37-year-old American Herndon, who has won 24 fights and lost five.

The fight will be promoted by Global Combat Collective and contested over 10 rounds.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Mayer retains title with points win over Briton Ryan

World champion Mikaela Mayer outpointed Briton Sandy Ryan for the second time to defend her WBO welterweight title in Las Vegas.

American Mayer, 34, was the deserved winner in an entertaining rematch between the two bitter rivals.

After some close early rounds, she dominated the middle of the fight with her higher punch output, shot selection and body work.

Ryan, 31, came back strong towards the end, landing some hurtful punches as blood streamed down Mayer's face following a clash of heads at the Fontainebleau.

But with scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 98-92, the Californian won by a unanimous decision over 10 rounds.

"I thought it was close. I thought I was doing well into the start and then I got into a fight," she said.

Mayer dethroned Ryan on points in September, a result which was marred by the Englishwoman being hit by a can of red paint before leaving for the venue in New York.

"The women are getting better and better - me and Sandy just set the new bar on what competitive fights should look like," said Mayer, who extends her record to 21 wins from 23 bouts.

She called for an undisputed fight against Welshwoman Lauren Price, who holds the three other welterweight world titles, next.

Mayer settles bitter feud

Derby fighter Ryan - who said she fought with too much emotion and anger following the "hit and run" paint attack in the first encounter – cut a relaxed figure for the rematch as she casually strutted to the ring to One Love by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

The defending champion was equally composed as both boxers made a quick start. Mayer doubled up on her jab and controlled the distance but was countered by Ryan's efficient timing and hooks.

Mayer connected with a right and left in the fourth, before landed flashy combinations and hurtful uppercuts to dominate the fifth and sixth as world champions Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson watched from ringside.

Her former trainer Kay Koroma was in Ryan's corner. "Come on, wake up," he told his fighter.

A dispute over the training team, with Mayer claiming her opponent "stole" her coach, is what first sparked a feud between the two boxers.

With Mayer in complete control, it appeared Ryan - who had just three stoppage wins to her name - needed a knockout heading towards the end of the bout.

Ryan landed a thudding right and uppercut on Mayer's injured eye, but she replied with some clean power punches, in a terrific, all-action ninth.

As expected, there was no easing of animosity or embrace at the final bell. Ryan shrugged at the result as an exuberant Mayer celebrated the victory.

'It's time for undisputed'

Mayer made her intentions clear in the post-fight interview. "Now it's time for me to move on and go for undisputed," she said.

WBA, WBC and IBF champion Price staked her claim as the world's best welterweight by beating Natasha Jonas to unify the division earlier this month.

Mayer is well known in the UK, having competed in Britain in four consecutive bouts between October 2022 and January 2024.

An undisputed bout against Price could take place either Stateside or at a UK arena, potentially in Cardiff.

While Ryan was left licking her wounds once more, there are still big fights in prospect for a fighter who has proven she belongs at boxing's top level.

In her past four fights, Ryan has drawn a unification bout against Jessica McCaskill, beaten three-weight champion Terri Harper and lost two close encounters against Mayer.

"I'm going to sit down with my team and we'll have a talk," she said.

BBC

 

[hassan918]

Flipped table & Harry Hill quip at chaotic news conference​

Heavyweight Jeamie Tshikeva angrily flipped a table and left the stage after a heated exchange with fellow Briton David Adeleye in a chaotic news conference.

The pair will fight for the vacant British title at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena on Saturday.

Adeleye and Tshikeva - known as TKV - were kept apart during a row in a media interview earlier in fight week, but the argument escalated at Thursday's event.

"This persona he's putting on, this bad-boy persona... we're both educated men," TKV, 31, said.

"We're both raised by great parents. Are you an academic gangster? I don't know where this gangster persona comes from, brother."

Adeleye, 28, took offence to suggestions he was scared, and targeted a member of his opponent's team by saying they looked like comedian Harry Hill.

"There's only one way to settle this - fight," promoter Frank Warren said in reference to Hill's catchphrase.

The quip did little to ease the tension as Adeleye and TKV both became visibly irate.

"I'm going to hurt you, Jeamie, trust me," Adeleye said before banging his fist on the table.

TKV stood up and overturned the table, before security held both men back and Warren told them to "calm down".

The event continued without the usual face-off after TKV departed.

Jeamie TKV flips table at news conference for heavyweight fight with David Adeleye

Heavyweight Jeamie Tshikeva angrily flips a table and leaves the stage after a heated exchange with fellow Briton David Adeleye in a chaotic news conference.

www.bbc.com

 

[hassan918]

Wardley to face Miller at Portman Road on 7 June​

British heavyweight Fabio Wardley will take on American Jarrell Miller at Ipswich Town's Portman Road for the WBA 'interim' title on 7 June.

Wardley is a lifelong fan of the Premier League club and said a fight at the stadium was "on the cards" after beating fellow Briton Frazer Clarke in October.

The undefeated 30-year-old vacated his British title in March as he pursues a world title.

"As a proud Tractor Boy born and bred in Ipswich, this is a dream come true for me," Wardley said.

"Fighting for a world title at Portman Road means everything to me. I've got a tough opponent in front of me, but that's what I live for.

"I'm ready to dig deep, go to battle, and leave it all in the ring. It's going to be a war, and I can't wait to give my hometown crowd a spectacle they'll never forget."

Wardley was set to face WBA 'regular' champion Kubrat Pulev but will meet 36-year-old Miller instead.

Miller has not won since March 2023, with his last two fights ending in a defeat by Daniel Dubois and a draw with Andy Ruiz Jr in August.

He was in talks to face Derek Chisora in February but negotiations fell through amid a dispute between the American and his promoter.

Wardley, who contested just a handful of unlicensed white collar bouts before turning professional in 2017, has 18 wins and one draw on his record, with 17 victories via stoppage.

"It is a huge pleasure for me to deliver Fabio his dream of fighting at Portman Road," Queensberry's Frank Warren, who promotes Wardley, said.

"It is what he has spoken about from day one of our alliance and I know how much Ipswich Town means to him."

Source: BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Joyce future in doubt after defeat by Hrgovic

Joe Joyce is facing serious questions about his boxing future following defeat by Filip Hrgovic at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena.

Croatian Hrgovic, 32, won by unanimous decision after an absorbing 10-round heavyweight bout against the 39-year-old Joyce.

Britain's Joyce, who looked sharp at times but allowed Hrgovic to take charge, has now lost four of his last five fights.

Asked if he felt there was still more he could offer boxing, Joyce told DAZN: "Yeah. Are you not entertained?

"It was a good fight, it was tough and he's a great fighter."

However, his promoter Frank Warren said Joyce needs to have a "real serious think about the future".

After being rocked early on, Joyce responded well and Hrgovic was cut after a clash of heads, but the Croatian, who won bronze at Rio 2016, landed the cleaner shots throughout the fight.

The judges scored it 98-92, 96-95 and 97-93 in favour of Hrgovic, who has now won 18 and lost one of his 19 bouts - that defeat coming last June against Daniel Dubois, who Joyce beat in 2020.

Joyce, a silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, won his first 15 professional fights but was stopped twice by Zhilei Zhang in 2023 before losing to Derek Chisora last July.

He was meant to face Dillian Whyte in Manchester before his fellow Briton withdrew because of an injured hand.

"We'll all have a chat and see where we go from there," added Warren.

"It was a very close fight. Joe has been a great servant for British boxing and he's never in a boring fight."

Orie wins professional debut

On the undercard, British heavyweight Delicious Orie started his professional career with victory over Milos Veletic.

Orie, 27, won 40-36 on points in the four-round bout, showing glimpses of his promise at times but proving unable to land a telling blow on his opponent from Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure a knockout.

Orie won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and represented Great Britain in last year's Olympics in Paris.

Elsewhere, David Adeleye claimed the British heavyweight title with a controversial stoppage of Jeamie Tshikeva.

Adeleye dropped Tshikeva - known as TKV - twice in the sixth round, with the second resulting in referee Ron Kearney calling off the fight.

But replays appeared to show Adeleye dropped TKV for the first time moments after Kearney called on the fighters to break after a clinch.

"The referee said 'break' and he got me," said Tshikeva. "It is what it is. I was boxing well, it was going well."

Adeleye pointed out something similar happened to him in a defeat by Fabio Wardley in 2023, adding: "You know what they say, swings and roundabouts."

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Bivol vacates WBC title to pursue Beterbiev trilogy

Dmitry Bivol has relinquished his WBC light-heavyweight world title after just six weeks as undisputed champion in order to pursue a third fight against Artur Beterbiev.

The Russian defeated Beterbiev on 23 February to gain revenge over his fiercest rival and claim the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF world titles.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed Bivol had vacated the title because the 34-year-old is seeking another fight against his fellow Russian Beterbiev.

The first two fights between Bivol and 40-year-old Beterbiev had been for the undisputed title.

But in the wake of Bivol's victory, the WBC had ordered him to fight its top contender David Benavidez next and a purse bid was scheduled for Tuesday.

American fighter Benavidez, who is unbeaten in 30 bouts, has been upgraded to world champion status.

Liverpool's Callum Smith will be among those vying to fight Benavidez after he beat top contender Joshua Buatsi in February.

BBC