Boxing Archives - Page 159 of 183

Gypsy King attended a star-studded dinner only the night before the crossover clash

TYSON FURY has been backed to still beat Oleksandr Usyk by Carl Frampton despite struggling against Francis Ngannou.

That’s because Frampton reckons a dinner Fury attended the night before his Saudi bout could have affected his performance.

Fury’s undisputed title fight with Usyk in Riyadh is still on, after he controversially beat Ngannou on points.

And Frampton told BBC Sport: “I still have Fury as a favourite against Usyk.

“He obviously needs to be much better than he was in his last fight, which he will be.”

Fury, 35, and Usyk, 36, signed to meet in the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification BEFORE the Gypsy King’s ill-fated crossover clash.

And Ngannou, 37, astonishingly went onto knock down and leave the Gypsy King battered and bruised.

Despite escaping with a disputed victory, Fury’s undisputed title decider, which had been earmarked for Christmas time, now looks to be postponed until February.

The WBC champ kept his undefeated boxing record in front of a star-studded selections of guests.

Football icon like Cristiano Ronaldo, boxing great Mike Tyson and UFC superstar Conor McGregor were among those ringside.

And the week was full of celebrated names arriving in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Several attended a dinner the night before the fight, including Fury himself.

And retired Frampton, 36, said: “It seems he’s doing too much.

“Both guys were at the gala dinner the night before the event, what’s that about? I wouldn’t have been doing that if I was fighting.

“I would have been resting, but we all know Fury is much better than what we saw, and everyone is entitled to a bad performance once in a while.”

BOXING

Eddie Hearn Views Francis Ngannou As “Easy” Work For Anthony Joshua

There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Francis Ngannou had what it took to compete, let alone beat, Tyson Fury, according to Eddie Hearn.

The longtime promoter admitted that the former UFCer was a gargantuan man with huge power, but the lack of experience on the pro level was Hearn’s sticking point.

He wasn’t expecting much, but Hearn still wanted to check out the spectacle. So, last Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, Hearn purchased a ringside seat and took in the sights. Moments after doing so, he placed his hand over his mouth as Ngannou went on to nearly beat Fury at his own game.

Before watching the hulking heavyweight drop Fury in the third round and having plenty of moments of success, Hearn believed that Ngannou was a horrific boxer who had no business crossing over to the sport. But, considering what just took place, it sounds as though Ngannou has earned his respect.

“It’s difficult to say he’s not a world-class fighter because I feel like he just beat Tyson Fury,” Hearn told Ariel Helwani.

Ngannou is now the hot name on the heavyweight block. Countless contenders have listed him as a possible future opponent. Anthony Joshua, however, hasn’t said a word.

Never has the former unified champ been interested in fighting Ngannou, merely because he viewed their clash as more of a circus-like atmosphere and not a real fight. It’s still unclear if Joshua is a bit more receptive to the idea but we know one thing, Hearn certainly is.

In his mind, Joshua vs. Ngannou is one of the biggest fights the sport of boxing has ever seen. But that simply means that a ton of eyeballs will be tuning in. As for the actual matchup itself, Hearn can’t envision a world where Ngannou is even remotely competitive with his former heavyweight champ.

“I promise you this, respect to Francis, easy work for my man.”

BOXING

Anthony Joshua ‘Ready’ To Fight Francis Ngannou On December 23: “No Problem At All’

Eddie Hearn has claimed that Anthony Joshua is ready to face Francis Ngannou on December 23.

The potential match-up between the two heavyweights is not one people expected would be talked about before Ngannou made his boxing debut against the Lineal and WBC champion Tyson Fury. However, the former MMA star put in such a solid showing across 10 rounds that he now has a target on his back.

His third-round knockdown of Fury, who was lacklustre throughout, sent shock waves around the world.

Even though Ngannou wasn’t able to capitalise and came out on the wrong end of a close split decision, he has the moral victory and is now seen as a legitimate contender at the world level.

Anthony Joshua is still in a rebuilding phase of his career after back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. That left Joshua without any of his belts and has come back with a steady points win over American Jermaine Franklyn in April then a knockout of Robert Helenius in August.

Speaking to Boxing News, Hearn was asked about whether his former two-time world champion would face Ngannou

He then explained Joshua is already looking to fight again before the end of the year.

At this point, it would be a fight that generated plenty of interest while Joshua manoeuvres his way back into world title contention.

BOXING

Prograis Ready Seize Moment, Wants Tank Davis, Lopez, Garcia After Haney

Regis Prograis is preparing to partake in resounding plans.

The WBC super welterweight champion Prograis will next defend his title against Devin Haney on Dec. 9 at the Chase Center in San Francisco on DAZN PPV in North America.

Should the betting underdog Prograis (29-1, 24 KOs) outlast the undisputed lightweight champion Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) – who is moving up to 140 pounds for the first time to face him – the New Orleans native has his sights set on the best boxing can possibly offer soon after.

“I’m staying at 140 pounds. I really feel that I can be the face of boxing in two fights. We got Devin, and after that, it should be something bigger,” Prograis told BoxingScene.com in an interview.

“First I have to dominate Devin. You can’t be the face if you don’t dominate. And after that, of course, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, and Teofimo Lopez Jr. Those are the three big names that could come after.

“If the money was right, I think so [Davis would fight me at 140 pounds]. After Haney, there are so many big names out there for me. But I have to do this first, and there will be big sh!t after that. Right now I am focusing on Devin.”

The most renowned opponent Prograis has faced so far in his career was Josh Taylor in 2019. Prograis lost a competitive fight via majority decision in the World Boxing Super Series final.

The best win on his ledger so far has been the 11th-round stoppage win against Jose Zepeda in November 2022. Prograis picked up the vacant WBC title he now possesses with the victory.

A win against Haney would certainly be the hallmark of Prograis’ 11-year pro career, push him toward the top of the pound-for-pound rankings, and set him up with another big-time matchup in 2024.

“I feel like I am on the verge of superstardom. I am going to show up and show out on December 9,” said Prograis.

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association.

BOXING

Usyk Compares Skill Of Daniel Dubois And Anthony Joshua: “I Am Sorry To Say This”

Oleksandr Usyk has made an incredible mark on the heavyweight division in just five fights. Four of those wins have come against British fighters, from Derek Chisora to Anthony Joshua twice and then, most recently, Daniel Dubois.

The Ukrainian beat Joshua for his unified heavyweight titles back in 2021 via unanimous points victory, repeating the feat one year on to retain the belts with ‘AJ’ managing to get the nod on one judge’s score for a split decision.

After talks with Tyson Fury for an undisputed bout were put on ice, Usyk set about facing his first mandatory challenger, Dubois.

Many in the sport once viewed the 26-year-old as the heir to the British heavyweight throne, but if that means echoing Joshua’s achievements in the pro ranks, Usyk can’t see it happening.

In an interview with Boxing News, he said he believes that Dubois will not reach the same level.

Dubois entered the ring against Usyk a big underdog, and a large majority of the action proved that to be correct, save for a moment in the fifth round when the champion hit the canvas.

The shot was immediately ruled a low blow by referee Luis Pabon and, once recovered, Usyk took back control for a ninth round stoppage.

Dubois’ promoter lodged an appeal with the WBA as to the illegal shot decision, but the official ruling stood. The Brit finds himself in build-back mode, now with the added motivation of a doubter in the form of Usyk.

BOXING

Floyd Mayweather reportedly delivered supplies to Israel via private jet after Hamas attack

Floyd Mayweather has once again felt compelled to help upon seeing tragedy.

Earlier this year, ‘Money’ made headlines for helping families in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires. Reportedly, the retired boxer helped move upwards of 70 families, as well as helping with food, water, clothing, and more.

While Mayweather himself never publically discussed the news, he did confirm that he was involved with the gesture. Now, a few months later, the former champion has again felt the need to help at the sight of a horrific tragedy.

As many are aware, the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. That day, many civilians were killed, while others were displaced, and some even kidnapped. Over a month later, Israel invaded Gaza, and the conflict has continued to escalate in the worst ways imaginable.

To his credit, Floyd Mayweather has again assisted. Following the attack last month, ‘Money’ has worked on assembling a supply plane to send to Israel. While it took some time, he was able to get the deal done by working with a relief organization based in the country.

TMZ Sports first reported the news itself. While there’s been no confirmation on the exact amount of supplies or how much Mayweather spent, he’s reportedly working to provide supplies for both the military and citizens.

BOXING

Frank Warren slams social media trolls labelling Tyson Fury’s win over Francis Ngannou a robbery – as he confirms

Frank Warren has rounded on the social media trolls calling Tyson Fury’s unexpectedly close victory over UFC legend Francis Ngannou a robbery, while confirming the Gypsy King’s fight with Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed world heavyweight title will definitely happen in the new year back in Riyadh

Fury’s promoter denounced speculation that Usyk would pull out unless the fight with Fury went ahead on the pre-set date of December 23, or that Saudi Arabia would withdraw their financial backing because his man had a bizarre off night not long before the sun rose over the Arabian desert on Sunday morning.

Of the internet cries of ‘fix’ Warren says: ‘What nonsense. Where was the fix when Tyson came within a second or two of being counted out when he was knocked down in the third round? Where was the fix when he had to knuckle down and fight hard to pull out the win he deserved?

‘All this idiocy has come from mostly the same people who were saying before the fight that it was a farce, a sham, a circus for the world heavyweight champion to be taking a crossover fight with Ngannou which he would win so easily it would be over whenever he wanted.

‘We knew that Ngannou would be a tough opponent with massive punching power and the physical strength to take big shots himself.

BOXING

Zhilei Zhang Ready, Willing To Fight Anthony Joshua Next: Send The Contract Over

Chinese heavyweight giant Zhilei Zhang is ready and willing to fight Anthony Joshua next.

Joshua holds a decision win over Zhang at the 2012 Olympic games.

Zhang had a huge 2023 after back to back stoppage wins over Olympic silver medal winner Joe Joyce.

The victories had made Zhang the WBO’s mandatory challenger to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua had picked up two wins this year, with a decision win over Jermaine Franklin and a knockout of Robert Helenius.

The British superstar had hoped to return before the end of the year, in a showdown with former WBC champion Deontay Wilder. Those plans have hit a few roadblocks – after some unexpected management changes with the group that runs boxing Saudi Arabia. The group in question was putting up the money to stage the fight in the Middle East.

Joshua is still hoping to fight again in the coming months – and he wants to fight a top opponent if the Wilder discussions completely fall through.

If a contract was placed on the table, Zhang would sign for the fight if the terms were acceptable.

“That is definitely an option for me,’ Zhang told Metro.co.uk. “You heard Anthony saying there are options out there, but is he serious? Send the contract over and if everything looks good I’ll sign it right away.”

Zhang is very interested to see what will happen with Usyk’s next fight, which is slated to be an undisputed showdown with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

“Right now, we’re still looking to see what happens with the unification, because the unification overrides everything,” Zhang said.

“We’re still looking to see what happens with that. But with that done, and it’s out of the way then definitely I will exercise my mandatory challenger position.”

“The options are open and still out there. But for me and my team, we’re looking at the top names. We’re looking at Fury, Usyk, Joshua, Wilder. However, if those guys don’t want to accept my challenge or run away from me, that’s a different story. Then we go to boxers like Parker, Ortiz, Chisora, Dubois. Everything is possible, I’m not scared of fighting anyone. My target right now is for the bigger names.”

BOXING

“Man of my word” – Keith Thurman serious about intergender boxing match against Claressa Shields

Keith Thurman vs. Claressa Shields might happen after all.

The ‘GWOAT’ has always been vocal about her boxing ability. Having defeated names such as Savannah Marshall, Christina Hammer, and more, Shields feels confident against anyone. In fact, she even feels confident against male boxers.

Earlier this summer, the female boxing champion called out Jake Paul. Shields stated that she could easily outbox ‘The Problem Child’, but later set her sights higher. When Paul had no interest, she called out former champion Keith Thurman.

‘One Time’ was in discussions to return against Errol Spence Jr. this summer. However, ‘The Truth’ wound up getting a deal done with Terence Crawford, making Thurman’s services not needed. As a result, Thurman showed interest in facing Shields in an exhibition boxing match.

Claressa Shields re-signed with PFL following her callout, seemingly putting a boxing return on hold. In an interview with Best Women’s Boxing Show, Keith Thurman was asked about the bout. There, he confirmed that he was serious about the fight.

Obviously, he wouldn’t go all out, but Thurman is still interested in the potential bout. Speaking in the interview he said:

BOXING

Benavidez: I Respect Crawford A Lot, But I Don’t Wanna See A 147-Pounder Fight A 168-Pounder

David Benavidez understandably believes that he should be Canelo Alvarez’s next opponent, not Terence Crawford.

The unbeaten Benavidez feels he has clearly established himself as the true super middleweight who has earned a shot at Alvarez’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 168-pound championships. Phoenix’s Benavidez owns the WBC interim super middleweight title and is the WBC’s mandatory challenger for one of Alvarez’s four crowns.

More than anything, though, Benavidez considers Crawford entirely too small to fight Alvarez at the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds. The 36-year-old Crawford would have to move up three weight classes, 21 pounds altogether, to face Alvarez in a potential pay-per-view extravaganza that has captivated much of the boxing public’s imagination.

“To be honest with you, I don’t wanna see that,” Benavidez told BoxingScene.com. “We’ve already seen what happened when he fought somebody [from] 154 [Jermell Charlo]. So, what is gonna happen when he fights somebody [from] 147? I respect Crawford a lot, but I don’t wanna see a 147-pounder fight a 168-pounder.”

Benavidez acknowledged the undefeated Crawford’s greatness and admires the three-division champion’s ambition. The former WBC super middleweight champion still couldn’t help but emphasize that Crawford’s willingness shouldn’t be confused for the Omaha, Nebraska native having a legitimate chance to beat boxing’s biggest star at a weight at which the 33-year-old Alvarez is completely comfortable.

“I understand Crawford is a great fighter and he wants to go up to 168 to fight Canelo,” Benavidez said. “But if you ask somebody at 112 pounds to come up and fight Canelo, they’ll go up to fight Canelo. You know what I mean? So, it’s just basically everybody wants the fight. But, you know, we as fans deserve competitive fights. You know what I mean? And that’s why I feel like Canelo doesn’t wanna fight me right now, because he knows it’s the most competitive fight. And I’m working like an animal in the gym, so that’s why he knows.”

The 26-year-old Benavidez will instead box unbeaten southpaw Demetrius Andrade in his next fight. Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) and Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs), a former junior middleweight and middleweight champion from Providence, Rhode Island, will headline a Showtime Pay-Per-View event November 25 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), boxing’s undisputed welterweight champion, is contractually committed to an immediate rematch with Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs). A weight and a date for their second fight hasn’t been determined, however, and Crawford could fight someone other than Spence next if Spence, a former IBF/WBA/WBC champ, declines to face Crawford at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds again.

Crawford dropped Spence three times and stopped Spence, a southpaw from DeSoto, Texas, in the ninth round of their highly anticipated welterweight title unification fight July 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Mexico’s Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) is expected to return to the ring May 4 for the second bout of his three-fight agreement with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions. The four-division champion dominated Houston’s Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) in his last fight, a 12-round, 168-pound championship bout he won unanimously September 30 at T-Mobile Arena