Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
As the fighters all weighed in before Friday’s Riyadh show, where the final touches are being wrapped up and the stage set… here’s a deeper look from someone with more intimate knowledge of Francis Ngannou’s MMA background – former UFC fighter-turned-analyst Dan Hardy, assessing his chances of an upset against two-time world champion Anthony Joshua tomorrow night. Continue reading “Interview: Dan Hardy on Ngannou being MMA’s flagbearer before Joshua encounter”
Deep into another Anthony Joshua fight week, build-up before Friday’s fantastic heavyweight clash continues. I spoke to Francis Ngannou’s highly-rated head coach Dewey Cooper about many topics including: how he and the team have studied the Olympic champion, helping their Cameroonian charge develop in a new sport while assessing the landscape across disciplines in 2024. Continue reading “Exclusive: Dewey Cooper interview – Joshua study, big predictions and future plans as Ngannou returns this Friday”
It certainly divided opinion across the boxing world, but IBF welterweight world champion Natasha Jonas secured a career-best win via split decision against former unified super-featherweight titlist Mikaela Mayer in their Liverpool headliner. Billed as a 50-50 duel, they battled for 20 minutes and it flew by – relive my round-by-round coverage, and more from BOXXER’s latest show.
Continue reading “Relive the action as Jonas outpoints Mayer to retain IBF welterweight title in slugfest”
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I spoke to world champion boxing coach Manny Robles last week after he was announced as the new coach of LA Elite in the Team Combat League about a variety of topics: ranging from why he decided to explore a new venture in an ever-changing sport, his corner work for Rafael Espinoza’s stunning world title win over Robeisy Ramirez to an overview of 2024 and much more besides. Continue reading “Exclusive: Manny Robles interview – 2024 plans, predictions after coaching Rafael Espinoza’s world featherweight title win”
The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets open play in the new 2023-24 regular season overnight against LeBron James and the Lakers, in one of two intriguing Western Conference matchups primed for television viewing. Before then, I rewind back and reflect upon some fond memories for Denver as they clinched their first NBA title on home soil four months ago beyond a Miami team who fell short after exceeding expectations en route to an unlikely Finals trip. Continue reading “Rewind: As the new NBA season tips off tonight, a look back – Denver ended last term on top in five-game Finals series”
Isaac Chamberlain finds himself in a must-win fight this weekend. Mikael Lawal, two years younger and far less battle-tested by comparison, can rebuild should his first British title defence prove unsuccessful Saturday night. Strip away the bad blood between them and it’s quite simple: Chamberlain, who harbours world-level ambitions in 2024, cannot afford to suffer his third pro defeat against a former sparring partner. You don’t need to tell him that. Continue reading “Isaac Chamberlain interview: Mikael Lawal main event on Saturday, world title ambitions and evolving with experience”
At this week’s introductory press conference for Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams set for December 2, I sat down to speak with Queensberry chief Frank Warren. Here’s what he said, reflecting on the Zhang-Joyce 2 undercard last month and some return timelines for boxers in his stable going forward… Continue reading “Frank Warren interview: Updates on Zach Parker, Dennis McCann and Anthony Yarde’s return as 2023 draws to a close”
Today marks one month since Coco Gauff clinched her first Major title, and it felt fitting that career-best achievement came at her home Grand Slam tournament too – against the new world no. 1 in Aryna Sabalenka, from a set down no less. Having reeled off a series of gritty victories during last month’s event and since reaching the Beijing semifinals this past week, here’s a look at how the teenager reached the mountain top six months before her 20th birthday. Continue reading “One month on: Coco Gauff’s US Open triumph, and how she managed such a feat”
WBA ‘Regular’ heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois has an almost impossible ask abroad next weekend, looking to dethrone unbeaten, unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. Elsewhere, rising middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz (#6 WBO, #9 WBC) similarly returns from injury against an unbeaten Ukrainian, hoping to pick up where he left off at London’s 02 Arena last November. Click for more, to watch their individual videos at the Bermondsey Boxing Club.
Continue reading “WATCH: Daniel Dubois, Hamzah Sheeraz gear up for Poland trip with open workout”
Adam Azim’s abrupt hand injury saw another of Sky’s prospects being promoted to top the bill on short-notice in BOXXER’s York Hall show this coming Friday. As such, I spoke to highly-rated rising heavyweight Frazer Clarke at Oxford Circus on a series of topics as he faces the toughest test of a professional career still in its infancy against former world title challenger Marius Wach this weekend. Continue reading “Exclusive: Frazer Clarke interview – Perspective, CBS-Okolie and headlining York Hall vs. Mariusz Wach on Friday”
So, we’re here now. The wait is over, a jam-packed Saturday schedule with three UK boxing shows featuring world title fights, but only one in a stadium. Chris Billam-Smith on home soil at Bournemouth’s Vitality in-front of 15,000, looking to dethrone unbeaten WBO cruiserweight champion and former stablemate Lawrence Okolie, achieving a dream many wouldn’t have thought possible.
Continue reading “Chris Billam-Smith interview: Riakporhe, visualisation, retirement plans and more before tonight’s world title fight”
Two weeks shy of 12 years since their first meeting as amateurs, undisputed light-welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron looks to play spoiler as Katie Taylor makes her long-awaited Irish homecoming tonight. Over the course of a month in the build-up to this bout, I spoke to a series of boxing folk – current and former champions among them – with some contrasting opinions to share. Continue reading “Pros pick: Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron – Intrigue surrounds Dublin headliner, as it should”
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