Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Fresh after a fantastic knockout win over Derrick Osaze and armed with a proud support team celebrating his latest highlight reel finish to close another York Hall show, I spoke with Denzel Bentley as he surveys the middleweight scene. Beforehand, there were several boxers ringside sharing updates about their respective return timelines, fight dates and what they would like next. Continue reading “Exclusive: Bentley open to Sheeraz-Denny winner as six boxers give return updates”
Perhaps the best part of Callum Simpson’s career-best display was, after 12 competitive-but-clear rounds on home soil, outmanoevuring and outboxing Zak Chelli to win unified titles at 168lbs, came during his post-fight interview with the adrenaline pumping. He declared a desire to win the British title outright, called out unbeaten contender Mark Jeffers and it’s a refreshing sign of intent. Continue reading “Simpson flashed his local starpower in Barnsley as new British champ crowned”
Not two full years removed from seizing the vacant Central Area divisional title, rising unbeaten super-middleweight talent Callum Simpson gets what he’s been calling for on home soil: headlining a BOXXER show at Barnsley’s Oakwell football stadium, a week before the new season gets underway with British honours at stake against champion Zak Chelli in the 26-year-old’s first defence. Continue reading “Simpson keeping a cool head before Barnsley battle vs. British champ Chelli”
Cornwall’s Brad Pauls was deemed merely a plucky challenger first time around six months earlier when the Birmingham bill was announced as Nathan Heaney’s first British middleweight title defence. English champion at the time but having fallen short against Tyler Denny on a big TV spot with Sky Sports a year prior, history would likely repeat itself. Brad refused to let that happen. Continue reading “Brad Pauls became British champion the hard way, and now can reap the rewards”
Jack Massey boxed well to produce a UD12 upset over former British cruiserweight champion Isaac Chamberlain on the CBS-Riakporhe 2 undercard last Saturday, becoming the new European and Commonwealth titlist at 200lbs. Yet if you read what the 31-year-old said after getting this short-notice opportunity, you wouldn’t have been surprised with the eventual outcome. Continue reading “Jack Massey’s upset prediction aged perfectly vs. Isaac Chamberlain, but why?”
Composure was key for Chris Billam-Smith as he boxed smartly to blunt Richard Riakporhe on enemy soil at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium, retaining his WBO cruiserweight world title against an old foe. Elsewhere, Jack Massey stifled Isaac Chamberlain to win European honours at 200lbs while Ben Whittaker’s critics will persist after a puzzling 10-round shutout in the co-main.
Continue reading “Billam-Smith avenges Riakporhe defeat with UD12 win to retain WBO world cruiserweight title”
Last year, WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith achieved his dream by winning a world title at the home of his beloved Bournemouth football club. Before he can think about unification plans though, he enters into the lion’s den as defending titleholder itching to avenge his one pro defeat against Richard Riakporhe, a month shy of five years since their first meeting. Continue reading “Chris Billam-Smith interview: Defending champ excited to silence decline doubters”
Richard Riakporhe hopes to realise his dream in becoming a cruiserweight world champion at his beloved Crystal Palace’s football stadium this weekend, much like defending champion and former foe Chris Billam-Smith realised 13 months earlier on the south Coast. Five years after their first fight plenty has changed for both – is now the perfect time for history to repeat itself or not?
Continue reading “Richard Riakporhe interview: Relishing experiences before dream world title shot”
A man with more than a vested interest in this weekend’s Selhurst Park main event is Lawrence Okolie. He praised former gymmate Chris Billam-Smith a year on from their Bournemouth bout, but also questioned whether the WBO cruiserweight world champion can manage to go to the well again in deep waters against mandatory challenger Richard Riakporhe this weekend. Continue reading “CBS-Riakporhe 2: Okolie unsure about Billam-Smith’s durability vs. his local rival”
Speculation over the past few weeks have intensified suggesting British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley will finally sign a multi-fight deal to tie himself down with a major promoter, rumoured to be Frank Warren’s Queensberry stable. The 29-year-old’s advisor Mike Ofo insists that, regardless of his next move, that won’t prevent a Frazer Clarke rematch.
Continue reading “Wardley-Clarke 2 not in jeopardy, should British champion join another promoter”
Almost a year to the day since he was dethroned as WBO cruiserweight world champion, Lawrence Okolie ended Lukasz Rozanski’s unbeaten 15-0 record with a destructive first-round knockout win on enemy soil in Rzeszow, Poland. Now, he’s keeping his options open as a heavyweight move has again been teased – but has he done enough to settle at world-level against tougher opposition? Continue reading “After icing Rozanski in a round, Okolie’s second chapter begins at bridgerweight”
Just shy of 50 days since his thrilling domestic duel against Fabio Wardley for British honours resulted in a split draw, British heavyweight contender Frazer Clarke finds himself on a business trip in Riyadh this week. Fury-Usyk might divide opinion, but a second instalment of Wardley-Clarke certainly doesn’t. Read more about that, his thoughts on British hopefuls elsewhere and more. Continue reading “Frazer Clarke interview: Wardley rematch, next steps and assessing domestic scene”
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