Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
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”
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 perfect, but domestic duels rarely are. Joshua Buatsi’s world title ambitions got another boost as he started well and led throughout en route to a unanimous decision victory over Craig Richards, in a battle of south London which didn’t disappoint from the O2 Arena. Continue reading “Buatsi stays unbeaten at 16-0 with impressive UD win over domestic rival Richards”
An emotional, angry fighter? More like calculated with spiteful bite. Chris van Heerden experienced that first-hand as Conor Benn started aggressively and made the south African pay with some blistering punch combinations, scoring a second-round knockout in Manchester’s main event tonight to make the seventh defence of his WBA Continental welterweight belt. Continue reading “Demolition job: Conor Benn batters Chris van Heerden with startling second-round TKO”
Ahead of their welterweight bout on Saturday, Chris van Heerden has dismissed Conor Benn’s boxing ability by describing the 25-year-old unbeaten prospect as an emotional, angry fighter who he doesn’t rate very highly – insisting a reliance on power will not do him any good this weekend in a matchup many aren’t exactly excited to see given Benn’s lofty title aspirations.
Continue reading “He’s angry, emotional power puncher: Van Heerden dismisses Benn ahead of Saturday’s bout”
Eddie Hearn, Conor Benn’s promoter, has named Adrien Broner and Robert Guerrero as potential opponents to face his unbeaten welterweight next in 2022 – while declaring his interest in an unlikely return for recently-retired former two-time champion Shawn Porter too.
Continue reading “Eddie Hearn names Adrien Broner, Robert Guerrero as possible Conor Benn opponents”
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