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Her team described it as ambush mode. Chantelle Cameron played the spoiler role perfectly, en route to making the first defence of her undisputed light-welterweight titles with a majority decision victory against Katie Taylor in Dublin, inflicting the hometown star’s first pro career defeat overnight.
Continue reading “Cameron composed to retain undisputed titles in MD10 win, Taylor’s first pro loss”
Two weeks shy of 12 years since their first meeting as amateurs, undisputed light-welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron looks to play spoiler as Katie Taylor makes her long-awaited Irish homecoming tonight. Over the course of a month in the build-up to this bout, I spoke to a series of boxing folk – current and former champions among them – with some contrasting opinions to share. Continue reading “Pros pick: Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron – Intrigue surrounds Dublin headliner, as it should”
WBO interim super-middleweight champion John Ryder has insisted he hasn’t gone to Guadalajara, nor brought multiple team members with him, for a holiday before this weekend’s Mexico showdown. The 34-year-old has experienced an exhausting road to reach this point, but the timing couldn’t be any better to face the 168lb undisputed king Canelo Álvarez. Will it matter? Continue reading “John Ryder endured an arduous road to a Canelo title shot, at the best possible time”
Saturday proved a night to savour in Cardiff, as Joe Cordina regained the IBF world super-featherweight title he never lost in the ring – after emerging stronger from a pulsating 12-round war with unbeaten champion Shavkat Rakhimov. Read on as his promoter, Eddie Hearn, told me plenty afterwards. Continue reading “Eddie Hearn confirms plan moving forward for Cordina, Barrett and others”
Joe Cordina absorbed some big bombs and scored a sweet second-round knockdown of his own, en route to becoming a two-time world champion at super-featherweight, after navigating through danger before ultimately outpointing a relentless Shavkat Rakhimov showing via split decision (115-112, 114-113, 111-116) in-front of a boisterous Cardiff International Arena crowd.
Continue reading “Joe Cordina wades through danger, is two-time world champion after Shavkat Rakhimov battle”
322 days after experiencing the high of a lifetime on home soil in winning a world title, Joe Cordina seeks to do so again. Stripped after sustaining a freak injury, Shavkat Rakhimov pounced to seize a vacant IBF belt against Cordina’s compatriot Zelfa Barrett. Aware he’d face the 31-year-old in his first defence when fully healed, will the savvy southpaw depart Cardiff still unbeaten?
Continue reading “Cardiff beckons again for Joe Cordina, but Shavkat Rakhimov looks to play spoiler”
The worst-kept secret in women’s boxing was announced on Saturday night, as undisputed light-welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron prepares to make the first defence of her belts against undisputed lightweight titlist Katie Taylor in nine weeks’ time on enemy territory. The 31-year-old described it as a surreal feeling, and now has a chance to avenge an amateur defeat 12 years later. Continue reading “Opportunity calls as Chantelle Cameron gets her legacy-building wish on May 20 against Katie Taylor”
Alycia Baumgardner scored two third-round knockdowns en route to a hard-fought decision win over France’s Elhem Mekhaled to secure undisputed status at super-featherweight, before Amanda Serrano found herself thrust into a similarly tough battle against a relentless Erika Cruz display – also victorious on points – setting up a Katie Taylor rematch for May 20, with the Irish undisputed lightweight star watching ringside and making a post-fight appearance too. Continue reading “Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner seal undisputed titles after gritty decision wins”
Fresh from her split decision win over Mikaela Mayer in mid-October, unified super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner has another tough test as she looks to realise her dream of becoming an undisputed titlist when facing France’s Elhem Mekhaled later tonight. Continue reading “Alycia Baumgardner visualising KO win, before tonight’s undisputed clash vs. Elhem Mekhaled”
We’re already into the second week of 2023, but there’s one end-of-year award that feels fitting to reflect upon now as recent news prepares both main event fighters for big opportunities in the first-half of 2023 – one as soon as next month. This one had an electric atmosphere, knockdowns and a 12-round contest ending with a dramatic knockout finish last March. Continue reading “2022’s Fight of the Year: Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan – pulsating firefight with a dramatic finish”
After the Daily Mail’s Riath Al-Samarrai broke an exclusive story Wednesday morning uncovering Conor Benn’s positive drugs test for clomifene – something both sides reportedly knew for a few weeks – tonight’s heavily anticipated fight card was eventually cancelled altogether Thursday after a manic 30-hour sequence which again has undermined the sport.
Continue reading “Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn cancelled: Common sense prevails in dark week for British boxing”
Anthony Joshua produced a better overall showing and had the champion in duress on a few occasions, but Oleksandr Usyk’s dizzying movement and skilled defiance under pressure helped him to what should’ve been a unanimous decision win: eventually edging it 113-115, 115-113, 116-112 on the three judges scorecards. Afterwards, he reaffirmed a desire to face Tyson Fury.
Continue reading “Usyk weathers spirited Joshua display to retain world HW titles, calls for Fury unification”
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