Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
In a duel between two unbeaten British super-bantamweights, Shabaz Masoud’s discipline saw him silence critics with a skilful 12-round split decision win over the much-fancied Liam Davies during their Birmingham headliner – history repeating itself between local foes dating back to their amateur days. Continue reading “Masoud tames Davies in Birmingham during repeat of their amateur rivalry”
He closed the Josh Taylor chapter and has now headlined in three UK cities within a year, as Chorley’s Jack Catterall looks set for a long-awaited second chance at light-welterweight world honours after recovering from a fifth-round scare to score two knockdowns and outbox two-time world champion Regis Prograis in the first boxing event at Manchester’s new Co-op Live Arena. Continue reading “World champions only for Catterall next after gutsy UD12 win in Prograis headliner”
Most expected Tim Tszyu to reclaim the championship gold he never should’ve lost seven months ago, with considerably less fanfare and against an unheralded opponent in Orlando this weekend. Instead, the Aussie proved too brave for his own good once more and now has a serious rebuild job to do at the elite level after four knockdowns in two rounds against Bakhram Murtazaliev. Continue reading “Murtazaliev mauling Tszyu to retain IBF world title serves as a cautionary tale”
A characteristically slow start was importantly overshadowed by a strong finish in the championship rounds as Artur Beterbiev’s aggressive pressure and never-ending jeopardy behind his punching power saw the 39-year-old edge past Dmitry Bivol to win undisputed light-heavyweight honours after a 12-round technical battle between two unbeaten champions that didn’t disappoint. Continue reading “Beterbiev crowned undisputed king after razor-thin majority decision win vs. Bivol”
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”
Unified middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly voiced his displeasure at having to travel for a mandatory defence, but after being hospitalised for dehydration deep into fight week before the original July 13 date, couldn’t afford to be picky against Andrei Mikhailovich on Friday night. Now, the unbeaten Kazakh’s doubled down on his undisputed ambitions. Continue reading “Deja vu? Janibek urges fellow middleweight world champions Adames, Lara for bouts after R9 Mikhailovich KO”
Kieran Farrell, a former Central Area lightweight champion, was forced to cut short his career at 22 in 2013. A decade on, he’s part of Daniel Dubois’ training team and the Mancunian was honest about the IBF world titleholder’s preparations for an evening catapulting him into a new light, toppling Anthony Joshua as the former unified heavyweight king eyes an immediate rematch.
Continue reading “Dubois’ coach Kieran Farrell: Easier than we thought, rematch unwise for Joshua”
13 months ago, Daniel Dubois was downtrodden and downbeat on his way back from Wroclaw after suffering a second career defeat – this time with contentious circumstances preceding it – against Oleksandr Usyk. Who would’ve thought, little over a year later, that he’d have knocked out the country’s superstar at a record Wembley crowd and become a legitimate world titleholder himself? Continue reading “Dubois: My time and redemption story, after R5 KO world title win vs. Joshua”
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”
Mark Chamberlain is ranked in the top-10 by three of the four major recognised world sanctioning bodies, unbeaten with two stoppages on Riyadh Season cards this year and plots a third on home soil to kick off a busy five-fight undercard preceding Joshua-Dubois as 96,000 will find their way into Wembley for a sellout show. Sam Noakes speculation still lingers but he doesn’t care. Continue reading “Noakes noise persists but Chamberlain could care less, before Padley showdown”
The risk vs. reward battle of their proposed IBF, WBO welterweight world title unification bout meant this was always an unlikely possibility given one boxer is aligned with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable, the other steadily built by ESPN and Bob Arum’s Top Rank machine – leverage, high asking prices, back-and-forth versions of transparency playing out in public is never a positive sign. Continue reading “Brian Norman vs. Jaron Ennis unification plans shelved after messy public discourse”
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