Jaded by the same questions about rehydration clauses, anti-doping case transparency and the like, Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn’s face lights up when the topic of his latest upcoming debutant Omari Jones is introduced. So then, what makes him special?
Continue reading “Hearn: Omari Jones is the full package, a star in the making ahead of his pro debut”
Tag: light-middleweight
Vergil Ortiz Jr rejects notion Tim Tszyu isn’t an elite boxer, says Aussie can rebuild
First-round stoppage victories over Fredrick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme across three months kicked off an eventful calendar year for Vergil Ortiz Jr in 2024, campaigning in a new weight division and looking to replicate his exciting welterweight success against elite junior middleweight opposition. We spoke about his last fight, Tim Tszyu criticism ahead of his Israil Madrimov matchup. Continue reading “Vergil Ortiz Jr rejects notion Tim Tszyu isn’t an elite boxer, says Aussie can rebuild”
Usyk-Fury 2 undercard: Itauma blasts McKean in a round, Bohachuk bullies Davis
On an eight-fight undercard preceding the much-anticipated heavyweight rematch, it felt fitting Moses Itauma wasted no time with a career-best victory in the night’s co-feature just days before he turns 20 after Serhii Bohachuk capped an unforgettable 2024 campaign with another all-action showing against a brave short-notice opponent, showing the difference in levels. Continue reading “Usyk-Fury 2 undercard: Itauma blasts McKean in a round, Bohachuk bullies Davis”
Usyk-Fury 2: Chris Kongo leaves you wanting more to close midweek show
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”
Bam blasts past Guevara, Boots leaves you wanting more in Chukhadzhian rematch
IBF welterweight champion Jaron Ennis dropped and outpointed Karen Chukhadzhian, leaving his hometown Philadelphia craving more. The Ukrainian’s improved fight and vigour after their previous meeting last April leaves Ennis questions to answer as defensive frailties leaked against a game opponent never expected to hear the final bell over 24 rounds – doing so twice. Continue reading “Bam blasts past Guevara, Boots leaves you wanting more in Chukhadzhian rematch”
Catterall-Prograis: Bellotti-Gomez shelved as Bostan, Flint and McCormack all prevail
Rotherham’s light-middleweight prospect Junaid Bostan ended a six-month layoff with a third-round stoppage on short-notice to improve to 10-0 as a pro, while there were contrasting decision wins for James Flint and Pat McCormack on the Catterall-Prograis card, which finished earlier than expected after the evening’s co-main event was cancelled two hours before ringwalks. Continue reading “Catterall-Prograis: Bellotti-Gomez shelved as Bostan, Flint and McCormack all prevail”
Murtazaliev mauling Tszyu to retain IBF world title serves as a cautionary tale
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”
Gilley drops, stops McGann in four to keep Commonwealth light-middleweight title
Against a short-notice challenger, Sam Gilley retained Commonwealth light-middleweight honours with a fourth-round stoppage win over Jack McGann in their York Hall headliner to cap a night featuring contrasting displays from Royston Barney-Smith and Tommy Fletcher on an eventful undercard.
Continue reading “Gilley drops, stops McGann in four to keep Commonwealth light-middleweight title”
Brian Norman vs. Jaron Ennis unification plans shelved after messy public discourse
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”
WBO orders Fundora-Crawford to unify titles, after latter’s UD12 Madrimov win
Terence Crawford is three-and-a-half weeks removed from beating Israil Madrimov to become a four-division world champion and per the WBO today, WBC and WBO champ Sebastian Fundora has been ordered to face the star in a unification bout ambitiously slated for this winter, should the two sides agree terms within a 30-day timeframe before purse bids are sent. Will they though? Continue reading “WBO orders Fundora-Crawford to unify titles, after latter’s UD12 Madrimov win”
Bohachuk’s promoter Tom Loeffler warns team Ortiz: stay focused before Saturday
Terence Crawford’s weekend win in a fourth weight division means clamour around Vergil Ortiz Jr has cranked up a few notches before his main event matchup against WBC interim champion Serhii Bohachuk this Saturday night. The Ukrainian’s promoter, Tom Loeffler, has warned the 25-year-old’s team to stay sharp and not overlook his charge in a duel of world-level operators. Continue reading “Bohachuk’s promoter Tom Loeffler warns team Ortiz: stay focused before Saturday”
Crawford becomes four-weight world champion after edging beyond Madrimov
Terence Crawford went the 12-round distance for the first time in eight years on his debut in another new weight division but emerged stronger for it to become a four-division world champion after a competitive chess match against Israil Madrimov, seizing the WBA light-middleweight world championship and WBO interim title following their slow-burning headliner from LA’s BMO Stadium.
Continue reading “Crawford becomes four-weight world champion after edging beyond Madrimov”
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