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Gervonta Davis’ coach explodes after shocking fight cancellation: ‘Lomachenko is done!’

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Vasyl Lomachenko is a boxing legend. The Ukrainian fighter has won multiple titles in three different divisions and has received all possible recognition in his career. Despite this, Kenny Ellis, Gervonta Davis’ coach, asserted that the Ukrainian is finished.

The match between Lomachenko vs. Davis was destined to be boxing’s next big fight. The potential bout between the dominant force of the last decade and the boxing rising star was already beginning to dominate the headlines.

Press reports indicated that representatives from PBC and Top Rank had already met to work out a deal to present the bout on ESPN-Prime Video. “Loma” himself traveled to Los Angeles to evaluate the possibility of facing “Tank” in his next fight.

However, when everything seemed to be going smoothly, Egis Klimas, Lomachenko’s manager, ruined everything. “Loma is not in the mood right now. He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment,” Klimas explained to the press, saying that the champion wanted to spend more time with his family.

Lomachenko is finished: Kenny Ellis

The veteran coach did not take kindly to Lomachenko’s refusal. Ellis took to his Instagram account to express his displeasure with several posts criticizing the Ukrainian’s decision.

In one of them, Ellis wrote, “If Lomachenko can’t get motivated by getting a chance at being the face of boxing, his team needs to hang his gloves where he could never reach them again. He’s done.”

This was in response to Klimas’ statements, who had previously explained, “You can offer him (Lomachenko) millions, tens of millions of dollars-if he doesn’t have motivation, he’s not ready to prepare for the fight.”

In another post, Ellis reflected the fans’ frustration over Lomachenko’s refusal, while recalling that the Ukrainian had accused “Tank” of avoiding the fight. “Loma fans when he turned down Tank, after calling him duck for year,” said the coach, showing some shocking footage.

What’s next for Davis

With the bout against “Loma” canceled, Davis will have to find a new rival. The options aren’t many, especially considering Ryan Garcia’s one-year suspension makes a rematch of the 2023 fight impossible.

At the top of the list is WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, but his lack of affiliation with a promotion complicates a deal. Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz would be second on the list, but he has a fight scheduled for August 3 to defend his light welterweight title against Jose Valenzuela.

Then there is the undefeated William Zepeda. Although he is little known to casual boxing fans, the Mexican is ranked number one at lightweight by four organizations.

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CELEB NEWS

Open crowd make feelings known to Phil Mickelson as LIV Golf star makes Royal Troon return

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Phil Mickelson has hailed the reception he has received from The Open Championship crowd this week, having returned to Royal Troon for the final major of the season.

Mickelson infamously more than played his part in one of the great Open battles, losing out to Henrik Stenson back in 2016 at Troon. Eight years on, the LIV Golf star is back in action around the Ayrshire track for the first time since his runner-up finish, and spoke highly of the Scottish crowd having made the cut on Friday.

“People have been great, yeah,” he commented. “Look, they’re always great out here. They’re always respectful of everybody in the game, and they’ve been respectful to every player, and they were great today, and they’ve been great all week and everywhere.”

Mickelson booked his spot for the weekend after playing his opening two rounds in five-over-par after rounds of 73 and 74 on Thursday and Friday. Whilst his scoring failed to make him a threat on the leaderboard, the six-time major champion was pleased with his golf game.

“I’ve played well this week, even though Ihave not scored well. I haven’t saved the shots around the greens that I usually do. I’ve hit a lot of good shots, though. I’ve hit a lot of really good-quality shots and I’ve played some really good golf,” Historically Mickelson’s short game has been the crown jewel in his game.

This week though he admitted his play around the greens is what has let him down. The HyFlyers captain added: “I haven’t scored the way I wanted to because my short game around the greens has not been as sharp as it needs to be to score on this golf course.”

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BOXING

Zhilei Zhang: ‘Anthony Joshua will never fight me’

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Zheil Zhang

Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang believes old amateur rival Anthony Joshua has long been ducking him and won’t fight him in the future.

Back when both men were being promoted by Eddie Hearn, and Joshua held versions of the heavyweight title, a defence against Zhang in China was frequently mentioned. But the reunion of 2012 Olympic rivals never materialized.

Zhang’s stock has risen since those days. He twice defeated Joe Joyce and, when representing Queensberry at the June ‘5 v 5’ event, he knocked out Deontay Wilder who was moonlighting for Matchroom. Zhang, however, has inferred that Joshua never fancied the fight and won’t do so in the future.

“Mark my words, he’s not fighting me. He’s not going to fight me, ever,” said Zhang when speaking on The MMA Hour. “Because after the 2012 Olympic Games, that was when we initially collided. After that, it’s been so many years. I was with Matchroom, and I know what happened. I don’t think he’s ever going to fight me.”

Joshua recently faced former UFC world champion Francis Ngannou in a professional boxing match. The fight was a mismatch, with Joshua securing a devastating finish in the second round. Zhang believes Joshua’s choice of opponents in recent fights shows that he would rather take on easier opposition than face the 280-pound southpaw.

“My managers flew to London, and I got words. So, I don’t think he’s going to fight me. Look at his previous opponents – Francis Ngannou from the UFC, Robert Helenius, I don’t think he has what it takes to stand up to me. The way he picks his opponents says a lot about him.”

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois already tried to kill each other before fight was even announced

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After about a month or so of speculation, Anthony Joshua‘s fight against Daniel Dubois finally got the green light on Wednesday. It’s no surprise that the announcement came the day after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished his IBF heavyweight title, making Dubois the champion and making the fight against Joshua a world title bout.

The winner of Joshua vs Dubois will almost certainly face the winner of the Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch, which is ready to go for December. That one will be for all of the heavyweight belts.

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois threaten each other behind the scenes

But before the Joshua-Dubois fight was even officially announced, the two fighters were already ready to kill each other.

Of course, the hype phase for the fight has already begun and both fighters need to do their part to sell it. But with both fighters being British, there’s a lot more on the line than just the IBF belt.

Joshua has been operating in a more reserved manner since losing to Usyk twice in a row to Usyk in 2021 and 2022, respectively. But it appears that Dubois may have woken up the beast in AJ once again.

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BOXING

MMA expert warns Daniel Dubois will test Anthony Joshua like nobody else before

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Anthony Joshua

An MMA expert warned that Daniel Dynamite Dubois will test Anthony Joshua like none of his previous opponents as the pair prepare to contest the IBF heavyweight championship of the world in September 2024.

Their match-up comes after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt weeks after becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years since he was unable to fulfil his mandatory obligation against Filip Hrgovic due to a rematch with Tyson Fury.

It gives AJ the chance to claim the belt for the first time since 2021, when he lost it to the Ukrainian, when the pair throw down at Wembley Stadium in London on September 21, but Aerial Helwani warned the ex-champion of what his rival is capable of.

“Don’t sleep on Duboius,” Helwani told iFL TV. “Actually, Zhilei [Zhang] thought that Dubois might win, too.

“When Dubois lost to [Joe] Joyce, I thought it was very unfair how people were saying he’s a quitter and he doesn’t have a heart. What do you say about him now?”

Joshua has come under criticism regarding his chin’s durability since he was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. in one of the greatest upsets in sports and boxing history back in 2019, and although he took the belts back, that doubt has lingered over him.

It’s what gives people the impression that Dubois can shock the cards considering the 26-year-old’s record of 20 knockouts from 21 wins in his professional career, with his power regarded as his greatest asset.

Helwani excited for the fight

The bout will be the first British heavyweight belt contestation since Fury defeated Derek Chisora in December 2022 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the WBC heavyweight title and there is a lot of hype for the match-up on the other side of the Atlantic.

That includes AJ‘s new look approach to boxing as he returns to his core skills of exceptional power and devastating combinations as well as a good sense of how to control and cut off the ring.

It’s got the 34-year-old Olympic gold medalist looking like the dominant force he was between 2013 and 2018 when he amassed a record of 22 fights and 21 knockouts on his way to holding the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles.

“The link up with [coach] Ben Davison has been amazing. He’s looked fantastic,” said Helwani to iFL TV. “How can you criticize AJ now?

“He’s on the great run of his career, arguably. He’s had some great runs. There’s nothing to criticize him now. That’s going to be fun, an all-British clash at Wembley. That’s going to be great. I don’t know how you can criticize.

“If you’re criticizing AJ at this juncture of his career in the streak that he’s on, you’re just being a hater.”

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BOXING

Eddie Hearn Has No Doubt Who The ‘Toughest’ Opponent For Terence Crawford Is

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Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford is such an elite-level fighter that finding an opponent to challenge him has proven difficult.

Now 36 years old, the Omaha, Nebraska native has held multiple world championships in three weight divisions. Known for his superlative ring IQ and smart shot selection, he was undisputed at both lightweight and welterweight with his most impressive win being a dismantling of Errol Spence Jr in July 2023.

Next time out, Crawford moves up to 154 lbs. His first fight is against WBA champion Israil Madrimov. Should he come through that, he has been linked with everyone from Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and a Spence rematch, though some of those are more realistic than others.

Speaking to YSM Sports Media, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn thinks his man ‘Boots’ would be ‘Bud’s toughest test.

Ennis stopped David Avanesyan in his last fight, something Crawford also did several years ago, and he didn’t take too kindly to comparisons made between the two.

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BOXING

World Champion Says He’d Beat Terence Crawford ‘Easier Than You Think’: “I Do Everything Better”

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Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford has as strong an argument as any for the tag of best boxer on the planet.

The 36-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska has been a world champion in three divisions, undisputed in two, and is set to make his super-welterweight debut in an attempt to make that four.

Despite his 147lbs days being behind him, Jaron Ennis, current IBF Welterweight Champion, wants his shot – so much so that he’s willing to meet ‘Bud’ at 154.

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who recently signed the Philly native, calls it the biggest fight in boxing and Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh has expressed an interest in putting the money up to stage it.

‘Boot’s – coming off a stoppage win over David Avanesyan – is considered an elite talent, and his 32-0 record with 19 early finishes is as impressive as any, but he would step through the ropes an underdog.

In an interview with The Only Kayla, the 27-year-old said a victory may be ‘easier than people think’ because, in his mind, he does ‘everything better’ than Crawford.

Crawford faces undefeated WBA Super-Welterweight Champion Israil Madrimov on August 3 in Los Angeles.

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BOXING

Gervonta Davis, Vasiliy Lomachenko Break Off Contract Talks for 2024 Boxing Fight

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Gervonta Davis

Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko have cut off contract talks, ending hopes of a mega-fight between them in 2024.

According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, an official involved with the negotiations said they have been broken off due to Lomachenko’s desire to take the rest of 2024 off.

The two sides had been attempting to hammer out a deal that would have locked in a lightweight title unification bout for November in Las Vegas.

Representatives from PBC and Top Rank met last week in Las Vegas with the goal of finalizing a deal for an ESPN-Prime Video pay-per-view fight between Davis and Lomachenko, but they never got to the finish line, per Coppinger.

Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas, explained that the Ukrainian star simply wasn’t feeling the idea of boxing again in 2024, saying:

“Loma is not in the mood right now. He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment. He’s taking off. He wants to spend more time with the family. … With Loma, just money is not what motivates him.

“He doesn’t take anything just because of money. You can offer him millions, tens of millions of dollars—if he doesn’t have motivation, he’s not ready to prepare for the fight.”

Davis, 29, is widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world. He boasts a perfect career record of 30-0 with 28 knockouts, and is the WBA lightweight title holder.

“Tank” most recently fought in June, beating Frank Martin by eighth-round knockout to retain his title.

The 36-year-old Lomachenko first rose to prominence as an Olympic gold medalist in 2008 and 2012, but he has enjoyed success in the professional ranks as well.

Loma is 18-3 with 12 wins by way of knockout, and he has won major titles in three separate weight classes.

After somewhat controversially losing to Devin Haney by unanimous decision in a bout for the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles, he bounced back to beat George Kambosos Jr. in May for the vacant IBF lightweight title.

While Lomachenko reportedly intends to return in 2025 to defend that title for the first time, Davis must now find a new opponent for the fall.

Coppinger listed Isaac Cruz, William Zepeda and WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson as potential options.

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BOXING

Gervonta Davis Team Reacts To Fellow Champion Backing Out Of Fight Talks: “He’s Done”

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Word from the camps recently was that Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko were getting set for a lightweight unification bout.

The teams of the two champions – Davis the WBA and Lomachenko the IBF – had carried out initial talks that were reportedly going to ramp up this week. That was until the Ukrainian’s manager, Egis Klimas, told Steve Kim that his man ‘was not in the mood to fight.’

Despite the target date for the bout being November this year, making it still plausible, the negativity of the statement suggests talks are either off or on hold. ‘Tank’s team are certainly taking it that way.

Speaking on Instagram, co-trainer Kenny Ellis said ‘Loma’ ‘is done’ if he decides against the fight.

If negotiations have indeed collapsed, fans will look for Davis to face WBC Champion Shakur Stevenson instead – a fight both men have said can happen and one that’s more intriguing to most.

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BOXING

Dubois can’t handle Joshua power – Hearn

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Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, believes that Daniel Dubois won’t be able to compete with the former champion’s punching prowess when their pair step in the ring against each other.

The two will go head-to-head at Wembley in September as Dubois defends his IBF heavyweight title against Joshua.

It’s already a highly-charged encounter, with the pair having to be separated during the press conference to announce the fight, but Hearn says that although Dubois is a big hitter, Joshua will outgun the champion.

“Both are going to be letting their hands go,” he told BoxingScene.

“Both are very dangerous. Some people call it a ‘shootout’. But I think AJ’s top sniper. He’s too accurate; he’s too good; and I think if you’re going to get hit against Anthony Joshua you’re going to have serious problems, and AJ’s not gonna stand in front of him like Filip Hrgovic and just ship shots.

“It’s two very dangerous heavyweight punchers, who are in the form and confidence of their career. For Dubois, the Miller and the Hrgovic fight have taken him to the most dangerous point of his career so far. It’s not a good time to fight Dubois, and it’s definitely not a good time to fight AJ. The key points for me are two massive punchers in their absolute primes.”

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