Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Activity and consistency is the key for Adam Azim in 2025, having promised to produce an emphatic display and announce himself on the world scene at 140-pounds when facing former IBF world light-welterweight titleholder Sergey Lipinets with the IBO world title available in BOXXER’s headliner on Feb. 1.
Continue reading “Azim-Lipinets presser: Slough rising star insists he’ll end Kazakh’s career on Feb. 1”
Nine months on from a defiant display on the Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke undercard, skilfully outpointing then-unbeaten contender Florian Marku, career welterweight Chris Kongo (17-2, 7 KOs) has returned on two Riyadh Season midweek shows against unheralded opposition and failed to kick on from a career-best win. 2025 must feature better matchmaking than this. Continue reading “Usyk-Fury 2: Chris Kongo leaves you wanting more to close midweek show”
After an eight-month absence through a freak injury and other commitments, former EBU European light-welterweight champion Adam Azim has already tabbed his second fight in three-and-a-half months as the unbeaten contender bids to win IBO world gold at 140lbs against former IBF world titleholder Sergey Lipinets, headlining a BOXXER show at Wembley Arena on February 1. Continue reading “Adam Azim vs. Sergey Lipinets for IBO light-welterweight world title on Feb. 1”
Chris Billam-Smith’s second pro career defeat in Riyadh this past weekend wasn’t one to be ashamed of, fighting through injury and a bad cut over twelve rounds against now-unified WBO and WBA cruiserweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez, who appears set for a Jai Opetaia unification in 2025. Billam-Smith’s trainer Shane McGuigan spoke well on social media about his charge. Continue reading “McGuigan: CBS boxed with a broken hand, rib injury and cut in Zurdo unification loss”
Chris Billam-Smith produced a spirited display but absorbed too much damage and that proved the precursor to an unsuccessful attempt at unifying the cruiserweight division, as newly-crowned WBA world titleholder Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez boxed clever en route to a 12-round unanimous decision win in their Riyadh main event on Latino Night, wrestling WBO championship gold his way. Continue reading “Zurdo outboxes Billam-Smith to unify WBO, WBA world cruiserweight titles”
Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke saw his career-best night end rather disastrously on Saudi shores earlier this month and after the initial shock — surgery, well-wishes as well as accepting a lengthy rehabilitation process — had dissipated, the 33-year-old insisted he’s mentally up for the challenge once more after a R1 KO defeat by Fabio Wardley. Will his body follow suit? Continue reading “Frazer Clarke counting on experience as challenging recovery from KO continues”
Queensberry’s new signing Fabio Wardley made good on his promise to produce a statement showing, blasting Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke in their rematch to retain British heavyweight honours. Elsewhere, IBF cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia showed levels as he forced a merciful stoppage inside six rounds vs. European titleholder Jack Massey. Read on for more.
Continue reading “IV Crown undercard: Wardley ices Clarke in R1, Opetaia breezes past Massey and more”
IBF world welterweight champion Natasha Jonas intended to rematch Mikaela Mayer after their entertaining 10-round Liverpool headliner, but factors outside her control meant the American ventured elsewhere – beating a Brit in the process – to become a two-division world titleholder last month. Now, their paths may align next year as the Scouser eyes 2-3 more fights before retiring. Continue reading “Natasha Jonas clarifies stance on Mayer rematch, retirement and return timeline”
Hours after contrasting victories for Joshua Buatsi and Hamzah Sheeraz on the Joshua-Dubois undercard at a sellout Wembley show on September 21, I spoke to former WBO super-featherweight world champion-turned-analyst Barry Jones for his thoughts on both unbeaten boxers as well as previewing this weekend’s undisputed light-heavyweight showdown in Saudi Arabia. Continue reading “Barry Jones interview: Where next for Buatsi and Sheeraz? Beterbiev-Bivol pick”
Are you not entertained? Daniel Dubois started sharply, reeled off a series of knockdowns before a thunderous counter right-hand flattened two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in their thrilling firefight – successfully defending the IBF world title in-front of a record 98,128 attendance at Wembley. Continue reading “Dubois drops, dismantles Joshua in five rounds to retain IBF heavyweight title”
Following months of speculation surrounding his future, British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley has inked a multifight deal with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. The rematch against Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke has officially been confirmed as part of a seven-fight undercard on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol bill in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 12. Continue reading “Wardley inks multi-fight Queensberry deal, as Clarke rematch set for Oct. 12”
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