Boxing Archives - Page 54 of 183

Teenage heavyweight Moses Itauma could be boxing’s next superstar – but the Brit has already taken a shot at the current kings.

The 19-year-old recently moved to 8-0 with another brutal knockout, seeing off Dan Garber in the first round last Friday night.

WBC champion Tyson Fury has called Itauma the ‘future of the division’, while pundits have likened him to heavyweight legend Mike Tyson due to his explosive power that saw a teenage Tyson tear through the division en route to becoming its youngest champion.

Fury knows all about Itauma’s talent after a recent sparring session between the two big-hitters.

A 16-year-old Itauma also sparred with two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in 2021.

When talkSPORT asked the young prodigy whether Fury hits hardest, Itauma responded: “No, but he’s so unique. Joshua hit me very hard.

“I sparred him [Joshua] when I was 16. I only did a couple of rounds, but that was enough.”

Opinions have shifted on Fury and Joshua following their respective victories over MMA-champion-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou.

Fury was knocked down and got an unconvincing majority decision, while Joshua delivered a brutal knockout in the second round.

The heavyweight division will crown its first unified king in more than two decades when Fury meets IBF, WBA and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk on May 18.

Itauma hopes to reach those heights one day, but for now, he still believes Fury is the best around.

The heavyweight said: “He [Fury] gave me loads of advice. Currently, I think he is No.1. There are so many factors people don’t take into account.

“Joshua had something to learn off [before fighting Ngannou], Fury never did. Fury was the first person to do that crossover.

“It was great entertainment. Whether he took it seriously is another thing.”

Itauma insisted neither fighter made him wobble, but also explained the complicated nature of sparring big men before lucrative fights.

He said: “I haven’t wobbled. We’re big guys. All of us have the capability to knock each other out and it only takes one shot.

“Let’s say, I go in there and I knock someone out in sparring, they can’t spar for six weeks and I’m going to struggle to get a sparring partner.

“You don’t really learn from knocking people out in sparring.”

Itauma continued: “If I go in there, he’s just tapping and I’m trying to knock him out, I’ll look like a… you know.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis drops major hint about next fight: Could a Ryan Garcia rematch be coming?

Gervonta “Tank” Davis has been out of the ring for almost a year now. Following his dominant win over Ryan Garcia last April, boxing fans have been left wondering what Davis’ next move would be.

From Teofimo Lopez to Devin Haney to even Conor Benn, plenty of potential opponents have been floated around. Yet none have materialized and no one knows when his next fight would even come. But on Wednesday, Davis dropped several hints in an Instagram post.

Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia rematch in June?

First and foremost, Davis posted a photo from his fight with Garcia. That leads many to believe a rematch could be in the works.

But the timeline doesn’t really add up. Garcia fights Haney on April 20, which would give him at most a little over two months to recover and prepare for Davis. It seems too tight of a turnaround.

Whether the opponent is Garcia or not, June appears to be the set month for Davis’ next fight. And the location will be Houston, if the geolocation on Davis’ Instagram post is to be believed.

Davis has fought in Texas once before, in San Antonio in October of 2020 when he defeated Leo Santa Cruz. But he hasn’t fought in Houston yet. Garcia actually has, with his last fight, against Oscar Duarte, being held at the Toyota Center.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis Warns His Opponent Frank Martin for Making Bold Claims

After a year-long hiatus, Gervonta Davis is expected to return to the ring on 15 June against undefeated opponent Frank Martin. And the banter between the duo seems to have started with a sparring session. Earlier today, the Baltimore native turned to social media to warn his upcoming opponent for making some bold claims about their old sparring session.

‘Tank’ Davis hasn’t fought anyone since defeating Ryan Garcia in April last year, so fans have been eagerly awaiting his return. Even though nothing has been finalized yet, the back and forth between them points in the right direction. Meanwhile, one of Martin’s interviews with Naji seems to have rubbed Davis the wrong way!

Gervonta Davis threatens to upload the sparring video

Turning to X (formerly Twitter), a user shared a clip from Martin’s interview with Naji from Cigar Talk. In the clip, Naji questioned Martin about his sparring session with Davis, where Martin allegedly got hurt, something Davis had also claimed. In response, Martin boldly claimed that it was “Big Cap.” He went as far as to say that things were the opposite way around

Claiming he never got hurt, Martin stated, “I hurt that ni***.” Of course, ‘Tank’ Davis wasn’t going to have any of it, so he quickly hopped on the platform to reveal the truth. In a now-deleted tweet, Davis wrote, “Keep talking.. Ima upload the video.” What’s more, a social media post from Davis might just have confirmed his fight next month.

‘Tank’ Davis confirms fight is in June

Despite no official word, as per reports, Davis and Martin may share the limelight with David Benavidez and his opponent Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The fight will also see Davis’ WBA lightweight title on the line. More importantly, Davis might have confirmed his fight date with a post on social media. He shared a picture from his fight against Ryan Garcia and simply wrote “June” in the caption.

Moreover, Davis’ fans interpreted the post in several different ways. While some thought he was teasing a rematch against Ryan Garcia, others thought it was a warning for Martin. However, given Garcia is slated to fight Devin Haney on April 20, that fight is unlikely to happen. The post most likely was Davis’ way of predicting what he would do to his next opponent, i.e. Martin.

With that said, a fight between Gervonta Davis and Frank Martin has started to seem real, but only time will tell whether Davis gets to enter the ring again. Who do you think would win if the duo collided in June?

BOXING

Baltimore Bridge’s Collapse Raises Concerns for Gervonta Davis Among Boxing World: “Abdul Wahid Was Not on That Bridge”

In an unfortunate twist, a cargo ship rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing it to collapse early Tuesday. The same city from which famed boxing star Gervonta Davis, aka Abdul Wahid, originates. As soon as the shocking news came to light, it started spreading on the internet like wildfire, leaving fans worried for the undefeated boxer.

The incident in question has potentially turned deadly as the officials revealed that the six missing individuals after the incident are now presumably dead. Moreover, the search for those six has been paused to be resumed on Wednesday morning. According to various reports, the collision was the result of the ship losing power as it barreled towards the bridge at high speed.

Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, claimed that the crew present on the ship had sent out a mayday call moments before the collision, allowing the authorities to limit traffic to the bridge. The entire incident was caught on camera, and the ship can be seen releasing puffs of smoke as the lights on the ship flickered before the accident.

The news was then picked up by BNO News and shared on X (formerly Twitter). The American news outlet shared the clip with the caption reading, “BREAKING: Ship collides with Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse.” Discovering the carnage in Baltimore, Ray Jackson quickly raised concerns about Gervonta Davis!

Fans reassure the hardcore boxing fan about Gervonta Davis’ wellbeing

Before anything else, as per a recent tweet from ‘Tank’ Davis, he is A-OK! In fact, he paid his condolences for the horrific accident. However, before this tweet from Davis, Jackson, the hardcore boxing fan, directly asked Davis about his and his family’s whereabouts, wanting to confirm that they were fine.

Meanwhile, one user responded to Jackson’s tweet, echoing the same sentiment and wishing for Davis’ safety amid the crisis.

Someone else highlighted that Davis surely doesn’t live on the bridge, and the chances of him being there are really low. Moreover, as mentioned before, officials managed to limit the traffic flow to the bridge before the collision.

BOXING

Tyson Fury Hires New Sparring Partner Following Eye Injury for Oleksandr Usyk Fight

The undisputed clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has seen its fair share of drama. Their anticipated bout has been brewing for several years, yet it was the Saudis who ultimately orchestrated its realization. However, in February this year, reports revealed that Fury suffered an eye injury while training with his sparring partner, Agron Smakici.

The injury resulted in a postponement of the fight to May 18, sparking rumors that Fury might be trying to avoid the fight. However, this wasn’t the only time Fury has faced issues with a sparring partner. In January, Jai Opetaia left Fury’s camp after sparring with him for just five rounds. Nevertheless, Fury announced today on social media that he has enlisted a new sparring partner.

Sparring partner thanks Tyson Fury for the opportunity

Turning to Instagram stories, ‘The Gypsy King’ shared a post from Kevin Lerena, in which the South African boxer expressed his gratitude for the opportunity alongside a picture of the duo sparring. He wrote, “Working with the WBC heavyweight world champion @tysonfury… Having the opportunity to grind and grow in such an environment is priceless.

Meanwhile, Fury seems to have enlisted another newcomer from the heavyweight division, Ricky Gorman. Like Lerena, Gorman also shared a picture with Fury and wrote, “All praise to Jesus new undisputed.” Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua’s former trainer has spoken out about a potential matchup between the two Brits.

AJ’s Former trainer on Fury vs. Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua has showcased pure boxing brilliance in his past few fights. The way the Brit knocked out Francis Ngannou, who gave Tyson Fury the toughest challenge yet, has sparked conversations about an all-English showdown. However, ‘The Gypsy King’ has to fir get through the Usyk challenge to make that fight possible.

In case Fury wins against Usyk, AJ’s former trainer has given his thoughts on how the fight may look. While speaking to Boxing Social, Richie Woodall said, “We’ll have to judge it on [Fury’s] next fight with Usyk. It’s going to be a difficult fight, and he’s going to have to be at his best. So, Tyson versus AJ is 50-50 at this stage, but if he beats Usyk, he starts the favorite.”

BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk’s promoter sensationally claims there is ‘no guarantee’ Tyson Fury fight happens

OLEKSANDR USYK’S promoter has sensationally claimed there is “no guarantee” the Tyson Fury fight happens.

Fury was due to face Usyk in the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification bout on February 17.

But a cut in sparring just two weeks beforehand forced the Gypsy King out and in need of over ten stitches to mend it.

The historic undisputed title decider has instead been rescheduled to May 18 and a contracted immediate rematch is set to follow.

But Alex Krassyuk – Usyk’s promoter – is sceptical of the first fight happening let alone the contracted rerun.

He told World Boxing News: “Theoretically, the rematch should happen before the end of 2024.

“However, we all know that Tyson is not the world’s best rematcher.

“And after he loses to Usyk in the first bout, you cannot predict his behaviour at all.

“I say this, but I have no guarantee that the first fight ever takes place.

“The man has withdrawn four times in a row already. We have even decided to stop all the jokes and criticisms towards Luke [Tyson Luke Fury] to support his confidence.

“So if there is anything else we can do to help him get in the ring with Usyk, we are ready to do that.”

Filip Hrgovic, 31, has been named as the back-up fighter if Fury is to withdraw from the historic unification bout.

BOXING

Mayweather makes prediction for potential Terence Crawford vs. Tim Tszyu fight

Could we see a huge fight at super-welterweight?

Tim Tszyu has a big test to overcome this weekend when he defends his world title at super-welterweight against Sebastian Fundora.

Tszyu was originally scheduled to be facing Keith Thurman, but injury to the former welterweight world champion now means that Tszyu will go in against the giant Floridian.

If successful against Fundora, one potential fight for Tszyu later this year could be a showdown with Terence Crawford.

The pound-for-pound superstar is rumoured to be making a move to 154lbs and Jeff Mayweather, a former fighter and uncle of Floyd Mayweather, has had his say on that fight.

“I would lean towards Crawford,” said Mayweather when speaking on the Jai McAllister YouTube channel.

“I wouldn’t say it’s going to be a walk in the park for him.”

BOXING

Terence Crawford Pens Cryptic Message on Being Betrayed by “Own People”

Despite all the success, Terence Crawford seems discontent with the people around him. In a recent pinch, the undefeated former undisputed champion shared a rather mysterious message on his social media account, hinting at being betrayed by his own people. The Omaha, Nebraska native is coming off the biggest fight of his career against Errol Spence Jr.

Defeating Spence Jr. in July last year, he became the first male boxer to be undisputed in two different weight classes. Fast forward to today, the 36-year-old boxer has managed to become the mandatory challenger to the winner of Tim Tszyu vs. Sebastian Fundora, scheduled for March 30. Despite this good news, the question is, what has ‘Bud’ Crawford feeling betrayed?

Terence Crawford is upset with the two-faced people in his life

Turning to his Instagram Story earlier today, the undefeated boxer claimed the people closest to him would love to see his downfall. However, when in public, they would make it seem like – they are Crawford’s biggest supporters. Crawford claimed that these people weren’t happy for him. Rather, they are envious of him, waiting to see his downfall.

Crawford wrote, “It [is your] own people that [are] happy to see [your] downfall. But be the main ones talking about [being] happy for you. They [are not] happy – they [are] envious of you and praying [for your] downfall.” It’s worth mentioning that Crawford did not name anyone specifically, so who he is talking about in this context is unknown at this point.

Following the excitement surrounding Crawford’s next fight, the former undisputed champion has hinted at moving in weight to face the winner of Tszyu and Fundora. Meanwhile, Glen Jennings appeared in an interview with Jai McAllister for his YouTube channel. During the interview, Jennings hailed ‘The Soul Taker’ as better than Crawford, if not the best in the division.

BOXING

Tim Tszyu says this bout with Terence Crawford would be the biggest fight in boxing

What a clash it’d be.

Terence Crawford’s name has been looming in the backdrop of Tim Tszyu taking on Sebastian Fundora for Tszyu’s WBO junior middleweight world championship and the vacant WBC title Saturday night.

While boxing critics and fans alike still clamor for mega fights such as Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua, and Canelo Alvarez vs. David Benavidez to be made, Tszyu says being successful in defeating Fundora this weekend (live on Amazon Prime in the US – click here for details) can unlock boxing’s biggest bout.

“[Crawford’s] the No. 1 pound-for-pound in my opinion, so I’d say it’s the biggest fight to be made at this moment of time,” Tszyu recently told DAZN News via Zoom about a possible clash with the two-time undisputed world champ at junior welterweight and welterweight.

Such a super fight would pit two undefeated stars against each other with Crawford having the opportunity to work toward becoming undisputed in three different weight classes.

For Tszyu, adding the WBC 154-pound title to his mantle serves as already enough incentive, but he concedes that Crawford’s name being brought up takes what’s at stake up a notch.

“There’s a lot on the line and again, it’s an added motivation,” he says. “It’s a little bit of that extra pull even though that motivation exists no matter what.”

He adds: “My motivation has always been there, no matter what.

“It’s simple — I just want to defeat every man possible.”

Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) is coming off an October unanimous decision victory over Brian Mendoza, the man who handed Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) his first pro loss via seventh-round knockout last April.

BOXING

Boxing Trainer Admits Terence Crawford Is “Levels Above” Tim Tszyu

Following an eight-month break after defeating Errol Spence Jr., Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford is back making headlines for his next bout. The Omaha, Nebraska native has recently activated his status as WBO ‘super champion’ to become the mandatory challenger to Tim Tszyu’s WBO super welterweight title. Even though for that fight to happen, Tim Tszyu has to overcome the obstacle named Sebastian Fundora, boxing trainer Andre Rozier thinks ‘Bud’ is levels above ‘The Soul Taker.’

Australia’s Tszyu was supposed to fight Keith Thurman on March 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, due to a biceps injury, ‘Onetime’ Thurman pulled out of the fight at the last minute, and Fundora came in. Tszyu and Fundora will now fight for the WBO and vacant WBC super welterweight title. While appearing in an interview with Fight Hype today, ‘Slim’ Albaher’s trainer sang songs of Crawford’s supremacy.

Rozier thinks Tim Tszyu vs. Terence Crawford will be interesting

During the interview, Hans Themistode from Fight Hype probed Rozier about the potential fight between ‘Bud’ Crawford and ‘The Soul Taker.’ Expressing his excitement about Crawford’s return to the ring, the world-class boxing trainer said, “It’s fantastic that he [activated his ‘super champion’ status] because I didn’t want to see TC out any longer than he’s been…”

He went on to claim, “I’m really looking forward to seeing that fight, although I think that Terence Crawford is levels above Tszyu. It should still be interesting while it lasts.” It’s worth mentioning that both fighters are undefeated. Also, while Tszyu doesn’t have as impressive of a resume as Crawford, he does have quite an impressive knockout ratio. Plus, he is seven years younger than ‘Bud.’ What’s more, Tim Tszyu himself has given his verdict on the fight.

Tim Tszyu claims, “It’s the biggest fight to be made”

While most boxing fans go on and on about Canelo Alvarez vs. David Benavidez or Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua, Tszyu claims a win against Fundora is the key to the biggest fight. According to a report from DAZN Boxing, Tszyu said, “[Crawford’s] the No. 1 pound-for-pound in my opinion, so I’d say it’s the biggest fight to be made at this moment of time.

Even though Tszyu would have his WBO title on the line, he thinks a fight against Crawford puts things into the next gear. “There’s a lot on the line, and again, it’s an added motivation. It’s a little bit of that extra pull even though that motivation exists no matter what,” said Tszyu. Against Rozier’s belief, Tszyu said, “It’s simple — I just want to defeat every man possible.”