Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Ben Shalom and Sky have embraced Adam Azim as their fast rising star, which the 22-year-old’s head coach Shane McGuigan believes is justified and reinforced by the increased maturity from an ambitious contender eager to assert himself on the world scene – starting with a former champion Saturday. Continue reading “McGuigan hails Azim’s maturity before Lipinets test, Billam-Smith’s return set”
Jai Opetaia is two weeks removed from his latest assignment – another stoppage win – dismissing former sparring partner David Nyika in four rounds to retain his IBF/Ring Magazine titles after original opponent Huseyin Cinkara withdrew through injury. There was to be no fairytale story, though Opetaia still fancies unifying a cruiserweight division with movement aplenty at the top. Continue reading “Opetaia: Whether boxing or navigating politics, you’ve always got to adapt”
BOXXER chief Ben Shalom was optimistic when previewing the 2025 calendar, providing updates across various weight divisions with activity and momentum in mind during the Azim-Lipinets media day before their first show this year in Sheffield, headlined by Callum Simpson on Saturday night. Continue reading “Ben Shalom: Riakporhe, Clarke and Whittaker all set to return in April”
Lawrence Okolie made fast work of overmatched former sparring partner Hussein Mohamed earlier this month with a first-round knockout win to produce a memorable Queensberry debut, though his trainer Joe Gallagher has told me they’re already eyeing a March or April return for a former two-weight world champion seeking greatness as the 32-year-old’s heavyweight foray ramps up. Continue reading “Okolie’s trainer Joe Gallagher: One more, then ready for the big heavyweight fights”
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”
The night Chris Billam-Smith claimed world cruiserweight gold in Bournemouth was Shane McGuigan’s proudest moment as a coach to date. Yet the trainer knows his hard-working champion needs more than just willpower and desire to dethrone newly-crowned WBA titleholder Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez during their much-anticipated WBO, WBA unification in Riyadh this weekend. Continue reading “McGuigan: CBS needs a mixture of Bivol, Goulamirian gameplan for Zurdo success”
Continue reading “CBS-Zurdo unification set for Nov. 16 in Riyadh as cruiserweight moving again”
Plenty was said, most of it negative, about WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith holding firm on his desire to return in November-December time rather than be rushed into a unification bout with IBF titleholder Jai Opetaia a month earlier on Saudi shores. Now, the Brit is close to agreeing a Stateside showdown with newly-crowned WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez. Continue reading “Nov. 16 the targeted date as Billam-Smith praises Zurdo before proposed unification”
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”
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