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All things considered, Zurdo Ramirez’s massive weight miss – cancelling a matchup against friend and former sparring partner Gabe Rosado last Saturday night – was a blessing in disguise for the former super-middleweight world champion. After suffering a decisive world light-heavyweight title defeat by WBA champion Dmitry Bivol last November, he’s had some decisions to make. Continue reading “Yes, Zurdo Ramirez’s big weight miss at the weekend was a blessing in disguise”
For the best part of eight rounds, Anthony Yarde made everyone inside the OVO Arena believe. The unthinkable looked likely at times, especially in R5. Tunde Ajayi saw the writing on the wall though, watching his charge absorb a knockdown in the eighth, and a back-and-forth battle was ended abruptly – Artur Beterbiev retaining his WBO, IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles. Continue reading “Beterbiev retains unified light-heavyweight titles with R8 stoppage win despite spirited Yarde display”
There was less fanfare this time around, in a different continent against another fearsome Mexican champion. WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol got the job done all the same in his 10th world title defence and ultimately eased to a wide UD victory (118-110, 117-111, 117-111) over Gilberto Ramirez, inflicting the 31-year-old’s first professional defeat before calling for the much-anticipated unification bout against compatriot Artur Beterbiev in 2023.
Continue reading “Unification next? Bivol dismantles Zurdo to defend WBA LHW strap, then calls for Beterbiev clash”
329 days since Oleksandr Usyk seized Anthony Joshua’s three world heavyweight titles and boxed brilliantly to suck the air out of a capacity crowd in north London, the pair will finally do battle in their rematch tonight – albeit 3,825 miles away in Saudi Arabia. Joshua has fond memories from the last time he was here, but his upcoming Ukrainian foe isn’t Andy Ruiz Jr. Continue reading “Same result or three-time champ? Usyk-Joshua 2 poses questions before tonight’s title rematch”
It wasn’t plain sailing from the first bell but didn’t need to be as Canelo Álvarez did what he often does – wear on opponents with an ominous sense of inevitability – to knock out his third unbeaten opponent in eleven months, seizing Caleb Plant’s IBF title with an eleventh-round flurry and further cementing his boxing legacy by becoming an undisputed champion at 168lbs. Continue reading “Canelo crumples Plant with R11 TKO, is now undisputed super-middleweight titlist”
Ahead of his attempt to become the undisputed king at 168lbs this weekend, WBA, WBC and WBO super-middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez has insisted the bout vs. IBF titlist Caleb Plant is personal – centred around their heated scuffle at the press conference in September. Continue reading “Canelo Alvarez insists this weekend’s unification title fight vs. Caleb Plant is personal”
Ahead of his mandatory title defence vs. Oleksandr Usyk this time next month, WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has stressed the importance of keeping his weight trim as he prepares to face a bullish “12-round fighter” in the Ukrainian, whose excellent movement and tactical prowess has helped him remain perfect as a pro at 18-0 with 13 KOs.
Continue reading “Time to trim: Anthony Joshua preparing for Oleksandr Usyk’s movement”
Having watched his last two fights ringside, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn doesn’t need convincing Canelo Álvarez (55-1-2, 37 KOs) is seemingly unbeatable. But if he’s to become boxing’s undisputed super-middleweight champion, he must beat Caleb Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) after beating Billy Joe Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs) on May 8th – a fight Hearn feels may be an upset.
Continue reading “Eddie Hearn insists Billy Joe Saunders is toughest divisional test for Canelo Álvarez”
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WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr (27-0) was ringside and hinted at a potential future super fight against the Mexican beforehand, but Canelo Álvarez (54-1-2) and his brilliance simply broke Callum Smith (27-1) over twelve tough rounds to hand the Liverpudlian his first professional defeat, earning his WBA and WBC super-middleweight titles in the process. Continue reading “Canelo Álvarez outclasses Callum Smith, becomes a four-weight world champion”
It’s been 15 months since George Groves retired aged 30 and while boxers aplenty worldwide wait patiently for sport to return in an unprecedented time of suspension, they would learn something from watching a memorable encounter I return to during his career: a 2018 WBSS semi-final bout vs. Chris Eubank Jr.
Continue reading “History revisited: Groves beats Eubank Jr on points after a thrilling finish”
IBO super-middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr has revealed he’s planning an in-ring return either next month or at some stage in November. But the fight will be on his terms as he continues into the peak years of an eight-year professional career.
Continue reading “Chris Eubank Jr planning October/November return”
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