Boxing Archives - Page 129 of 183

Derek “Bozy” Ennis, father and trainer of Jaron Ennis, saw things playing out entirely differently. With his son gaining a ton of attention, coupled with his high ranking in each of the four sanctioning bodies, Bozy was convinced that his young star would be given a chance.

Patience was preached in the Ennis household. Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. finally agreed to terms earlier this year and squared off with all of the welterweight marbles on the line. Jaron, in the meanwhile, grabbed the IBF interim tag and played the waiting game.

Picking a winner was irrelevant to Team Ennis, they simply wanted to get their hands on the winner. That, of course, was Crawford. The 36-year-old dominated Spence, winning every millisecond of their unification. Impressive victory aside, Jaron couldn’t care less how good Crawford looked. The 26-year-old wanted his shot and began banging loudly on the door of the pound-for-pound star.

In the midst of his callouts, Crawford shrugged his shoulders and gave his man the cold shoulder. Considering his age, Crawford has admitted that Jaron is talented but he doesn’t view a matchup against him as a sexy one.

Bozy, by and large, understands where Crawford is coming from. However, popularity notwithstanding, the famed trainer is convinced that Crawford is an incredible fighter but when juxtaposed to his son, it isn’t even close.

“Boots is faster, stronger, and got more attributes than Terence,” said Bozy to MillCity Boxing.

When last seen, Jaron was busy painting a masterpiece against Roiman Villa. The Philly star had a jam-packed crowd at The Ballroom Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City up on their feet oohing and ahhing.

Bozy though, was mostly stoic as his son continued to put on a show. If fans and media members were impressed by what they saw a few months ago, they’ll lose their minds once Jaron is truly unleashed.

“We got a lot of weapons. You ain’t seen nothing yet.

BOXING

Terence Crawford Says Ryan Garcia Will Avoid Rival Despite Calling Him Out

Unified welterweight champion Terence Crawford has claimed that Ryan Garcia has no intention of fighting one of his American rivals, despite calling him out following his comeback win against Oscar Duarte.

Garcia knocked Duarte out in the eighth-round of their contest, bouncing back from a first career defeat against Gervonta Davis in April to end the year on a high and get off to a winning start under new trainer Derrick James.

In the post-fight press conference, Garcia named his next targets, calling out WBA Super-Lightweight champion Rolando Romero but also saying he wanted to face WBC Lightweight Champion Shakur Stevenson and ‘beat his ass.’

However, in an interview with Fight Hype, Crawford doubted Garcia having any true intentions of facing three-division champion Stevenson.

Any fight with Stevenson would likely need to take place up at 140lbs, and, with Stevenson poised to follow in the footsteps of Devin Haney and re-unify the 135lb scene, the chances of seeing Stevenson-Garcia could be low, at least for now.

As for Romero, he has been ordered to defend his title by March 2024 against the winner of Ohara Davies-Ismael Barroso to avoid being stripped. Although, the delay of that fight may mean Romero is granted an extension.

BOXING

Canelo Alvarez’s potential opponents for May, September fights headlined by Terence Crawford, David Benavidez

Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez already has potential fights lined up for 2024. Terence Crawford and David Benavidez are among Canelo Alvarez’s possible opponents next year, per Talk Sport’s Michael Benson.

“Jaime Mungula, Jermall Charlo and Terence Crawford are reportedly potential opponents for Canelo Alvarez in May, with David Benavidez a potential opponent in September [according to @ESPNKnockout,” Benson tweeted on Tuesday.

If Canelo Alvarez secures a bout against Jermell Charlo in May, it will serve as a rematch. Alvarez prevailed via a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision over Charlo on September 30.

Terence Crawford, David Benavidez are Alvarez’s most intriguing opponents

Alvarez criticized Terence Crawford’s record during the lead-up of the former’s bout against Charlo.

Although Crawford has an immaculate 40-0 record with 31 knockouts, the Mexican boxing legend noted the American’s sub-par opposition. Alvarez claimed Crawford’s only quality opponent was Errol Spence, Jr.. Crawford disposed of Spence via a ninth-round TKO on July 29.

“No, look, like I always said, I respect Terence Crawford. He’s a very talented fighter but he won just one big fight. If you see his record, he just beat one good fighter in Errol Spence. Other than that, I don’t think he’s beaten other great fighters like Spence,” Canelo Alvarez said.

David Benavidez said he proved his naysayers wrong after the emphatic win over Demetrius Andrade. Critics thought Benavidez’s sub-par defense will eventually become his downfall. However, Benavidez made Andrade miss time and again. The former improved his unbeaten record to 28-0 with 24 knockouts.

Canelo Alvarez seeks to improve his 60-2-2 record with 39 KOs next year. With the way things are going, potential fights against Terence Crawford and David Benavidez will provide the most drama.

BOXING

Deontay Wilder: Fury vs. Usyk is a 50-50 Fight, Speed Could Be a Major Factor

Former world champion Deontay Wilder views the upcoming clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk as an “50-50” fight.

Fury and Usyk will collide on February 17th in Saudi Arabia, where they will come together to unify the WBC, IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO titles.

Wilder has faced Fury on three occasions. They fought to a controversial twelve round split draw in 2018, and then Fury picked up stoppage wins in their next two meetings.

Despite never being able to get a unification fight under his belt, Wilder is very pleased with an undisputed champion being crowned in the heavyweight division.

“It’s a 50-50 fight, anything can happen. People look at Fury’s size as a major advantage but that doesn’t necessarily mean nothing because Usyk can stay low to the ground and because Fury’s so tall it’s going to be difficult to reach down. If Usyk can get in and out real fast, I feel speed could be a major factor. For me it’s 50-50 and I’m glad it’s finally happening so we get all the belts in one place. That’s going to make it easier for me to fight for the unification of those belts, so I won’t have to fight different champions and have champions running away because of what he’s seen me do to the last opponent,” Wilder said

“It’s been hard for me. I’ve handed out opportunities but opportunities have never been given to me and that’s sad to say that. I could have unified the division four different times in my career, but these fighters would not fight me and put their titles on the line. I definitely want to unify the division, and the faster that happens, the faster I can answer the retirement question. But right now I’m in high spirits, I’m looking forward to the future and I’ve seen what the future looks like. And I love it. My aura and happiness about boxing has been re-lit because I know what’s to come and I’m looking forward to it. Deontay Wilder could be around for a good bit of time until he’s accomplished his goals and then I’m out of here.”

BOXING

Anthony Joshua warned he will be knocked out in first round by Deontay Wilder

Carl Froch has predicted Deontay Wilder will need less than three minutes to KO Anthony Joshua.

Joshua and Wilder are on a collision course for a long-awaited heavyweight showdown next year – assuming they can navigate past their respective opponents later this month. Joshua will take on Otto Wallin while Wilder will meet Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia two days before Christmas.

But Froch has dismissed his fellow Brit’s chances of ultimately beating Wilder should they meet. ” Deontay Wilder knocks him spark out in one round, I’ve always said that and I still think it is true,” ” he said on the In The Zone podcast. ”

“Wilder would come out in the first round looking for AJ, who is tentative at the best of times, but he is now afraid of his own shadow these days. I think Wilder catches him with a bomb that lands on his chin and he goes down and just does not get up.

“Whether he can get up or not, he won’t want to. That’s the reason these two aren’t fighting now, because if that happens his career is over and the curtain comes down for good. However, if he gets his head right, he can definitely win that fight!”

Froch has been publicly critical of Joshua after he split from trainer Rob McCracken who previously coached Froch to become world champion. Joshua is now trained by Derrick James in Dallas but is working with Tyson Fury’s former trainer Ben Davison for his next outing.

And Froch added: “He’s with Ben Davison now as his trainer, Rob McCracken should be his trainer because he would get his head right for that fight, but the respect has gone now so they will never get back together again.

“The old AJ that brawled with Dillian Whyte, knocked out Wladimir Klitschko after getting knocked down and busted up Carlos Takam after getting his nose butted can definitely win that fight and do a job there because Deontay Wilder and AJ has got the Olympic pedigree so he can go and outbox him.”

BOXING

Fans say ‘this is a game changer’ as Anthony Joshua’s team reveal behind-the-scenes footage of training camp

ANTHONY JOSHUA has fans convinced he is onto a “game changer” after behind-the-scenes footage of his training camp was revealed.

The two-time heavyweight champion returns on December 23 in Saudi Arabia against Otto Wallin.

And he will do so under the guidance of Ben Davison – who formerly worked with Tyson Fury – for the first time.

Davison uploaded a video on Instagram where he can be seen going through tactics with AJ – leaving fans full of excitement.

One said: “First time I’ve felt optimistic about AJ’s development in a long time. Very very good move from him.”

Another added: “Perfect combination AJ is willing to listen Ben is a master of the game.”

One hailed: “Now I’m invested this is a good combo.”

Another gushed: “Excited with this link up.”

Joshua has been cornered by Derrick James for his last two fights, a points win to Jermaine Franklin, 30, and KO over Robert Helenius, 39.

But American James had been in his Texas base with Ryan Garcia, 25, who beat Oscar Duarte, 27, in his return bout.

Joshua, 34, instead stationed himself in the UK for his next fight against Wallin, 32, which led to his decision to go with Davison.

The young coach has worked with the likes of Billy Joe Saunders, Josh Taylor and Devin Haney.

But he shot to recognition as the man who brought Fury back to boxing following a battle with depression and substance abuse.

The pair had five fights together with their only blemish a controversial 2018 draw against Deontay Wilder.

Coincidentally, the final bout they had together was against Wallin, where Fury suffered a horror cut – needing 47 stitches – but won on points.

Fury parted ways with Davison to work with Sugarhill Steward, twice beating Wilder, 38, and winning their five fights together in total.

BOXING

Julio Cesar Chavez delivers blistering criticism of Ryan Garcia’s last fight

Ryan Garcia got the win over Mexican Oscar Duarte with a resounding knockout, silencing many critics, as it was a fight that represented an opportunity for the American fighter to redeem himself after his loss to Gervonta Davis in April.

Despite the victory, Ryan Garcia’s performance did not convince everyone, as former Mexican champion Julio Cesar Chavez expressed his dissatisfaction by stating that Garcia spent much of the fight running.

“What kind of boxing am I watching now?” he commented during the broadcast of the fight on TV Azteca.

It was a criticism of Ryan’s complicated performance against a Mexican fighter with a lot of power and who came into this fight with 11 consecutive knockouts.

What does Ryan Garcia plan to do next?

The fight against Duarte proved to be a significant challenge for Garcia, as he was an aggressive opponent and also managed to hurt Ryan with power punches with his right hand, which caused him to back off.

It was at the end of the eighth round when “KingRy” found his opponent with a blow to the temple that put Duarte in danger.

The favorite realized the situation and lashed out to send him to the canvas, and although the Mexican stood up, it was when the referee counted to 10 and did not allow him to continue that led to Garcia’s comeback victory.

Ryan Garcia, who made $30 million in his fight against Gervonta Davis last April, made $5 million against Duarte according to various reports, barely a sixth of his previous earnings, and as WBA super lightweight champion he now wants an outright title fight.

BOXING

“There’s a Change That Needs to Be Made”: Terence Crawford Gives Cryptic Response to Ongoing Beef Between Ryan Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya

Where there are millions of dollars involved, disagreements and feuds are bound to happen. However, a lot of people saw this one coming! Oscar De La Hoya and Ryan Garcia have been involved in a long-drawn feud, even though the former is the latter’s promoter. Reflecting on the situation, Terence Crawford left a cryptic message about their stormy relationship.

Recently, Ryan Garcia went toe-to-toe with Oscar Duarte, winning the fight via eight-round knockout. However, after the fight concluded, reports came out that ‘King Ry’ had banned Oscar from entering his locker room during the fight. As unheard of as the news was from Garcia’s corner, it showcased the escalating differences between the two parties. So, when Terence Crawford was asked about his thoughts on the matter, ‘Bud’ Crawford opted out of discussions with a mysterious response.

Terence Crawford claims change is coming soon

While speaking to Fight Hype, the reporter questioned ‘Bud’ about his thoughts on the ongoing feud between ‘Golden Boy’ and ‘King Ry.’ In response, the undisputed champion began by suggesting that he could say a lot of things, but he is not going to. “It’s a lot of things that I can say right now that I’m not going to say,” said Terence Crawford.

He further added that there needs to be a change in boxing, and according to Crawford, the change is just around the corner. “There’s a change that needs to be made in a sport of boxing, and I think that change is coming soon,” said Crawford. However, despite Oscar and Garcia’s feud, they shared one thought in common. What’s that? Ryan’s next fight would be a big one!

Garcia’s rumored next opponent claims ‘King Ry’ doesn’t deserve it

After winning the last Saturday night bout, Garcia called out Rolly Romero for a fight. While the boxing world would love to see the fight transpire, things aren’t looking so great for the prospect of a potential matchup. During a recent interview with Fight Hype, Romero described his thoughts on a potential fight against the Victorville native.

Romero suggested that Garcia doesn’t deserve to get a fight against him. “I don’t think he deserves it. He does not deserve to share a ring with me,” said Romero. He went on to claim that he doesn’t want to fight in 140 lbs. Rather, he wants to move to 147 lbs to fight other big names. “Honestly, I don’t even wanna be at 140lbs anymore, I wanna go to 147lbs. There’s a lot of big names at 147lbs I want,” said Romero.

Following the ongoing dispute between Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya, Terence Crawford weighs in on the situation with a mysterious statement. However, the bigger question is–what are your thoughts on the feud between Garcia and De La Hoya? Moreover, what did you make of the cryptic words of Crawford on the feud?

BOXING

Usyk’s Manager: Tyson Fury Will Probably Be The Hardest Fight of Oleksandr’s Career

Egis Klimas, the manager for IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, expects WBC champion Tyson Fury to become his boxer’s toughest opponent to date.

Usyk, an Olympic gold medal winner, became the undisputed world champion at cruiserweight in 2018.

Usyk and Fury will collide on February 17th in Saudi Arabia, where organizers hope to crown an undisputed heavyweight king.

Fury is coming off one of the worst performances of his career – a ten round split decision win in a non-title crossover boxing match with MMA Francis Ngannou, who was making his pro debut.

Usyk retained his belts in August, with a knockout of mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.

Now the stage is finally set to crown a single champion in boxing’s biggest weight class.

“We`ve been working to get this fight for a long, long time and finally we did it. Definitely it isn`t going to be an easy fight. It will probably be the hardest fight of Oleksandr`s career. He`s confident, but simultaneously he knows full well that there`s going to be a lot of work to do. He`s a hard worker, a good athlete and a very good fighter,” Klimas stated during the World Boxing Council`s weekly press conference in Mexico City.

“It`s not going to be easy to get sparring partners, because Tyson Fury is very tall, with a long reach and he has a very awkward style and he`s heavy, so this is going to be the biggest challenge. But I have no doubts that Oleksandr is going to win. Factors will be his footwork, his intelligence, his boxing IQ. I wouldn`t even say Fury has big power. He has a lot of weight and he leans on fighters. That`s how he wears them down. But it won`t be easy to beat down Oleksandr.

“Don`t forget that as cruiserweight champion Oleksandr already held all four belts. Nobody believed that he could go so far in the heavyweight division. Nobody believed that he could come in and dominate the heavyweight division which is doing. I`ve been blessed to work with Oleksandr. Of course this means a lot to me. He`s a very good human being, he has no envy, he always smiles, is happy he enjoys greeting people. It is a pleasure to be with Oleksandr. This will be a great show. The biggest show!”

BOXING

Number One Ranked Heavyweight Vows To Put ‘Declining’ Tyson Fury ‘To Sleep’

Tyson Fury is all set for his blockbuster undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, but there is one man biding his time, promising that he will put ‘The Gypsy King’ to sleep.

Fury’s clash with Usyk takes place on February 17, and a rematch clause will likely mean that the WBC heavyweight champion will not take on an alternative heavyweight until late 2024 or even 2025.

That hasn’t stopped one man making his intentions perfectly clear. Fresh from his two stoppage victories over Joe Joyce, Zhilei Zhang is waiting in the wings.

As the WBO Interim Champion, Zhang will become the mandatory challenger for the victor of Fury-Usyk unless the title is vacated, but he will be made to wait for his shot at the winner due to the expected second fight.

Nevertheless, Zhang told The Daily Mail of his confidence in a proposed bout against Fury, who he believes to be on the decline following his performance against Francis Ngannou.

Fury-Usyk will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The WBO are likely to determine Zhang’s next move amid his bid to become China’s first heavyweight champion.