Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Hours after contrasting victories for Joshua Buatsi and Hamzah Sheeraz on the Joshua-Dubois undercard at a sellout Wembley show on September 21, I spoke to former WBO super-featherweight world champion-turned-analyst Barry Jones for his thoughts on both unbeaten boxers as well as previewing this weekend’s undisputed light-heavyweight showdown in Saudi Arabia. Continue reading “Barry Jones interview: Where next for Buatsi and Sheeraz? Beterbiev-Bivol pick”
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”
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”
Caio Borralho began well, fended off some adversity and multiple warnings for outstretched fingers, but eventually got the job done over 25 minutes and ticked multiple boxes with a mature showing across all levels against one-time middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier, before calling out the 185lb champ having asserted himself as one of the division’s rising contenders. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 96: Borralho beckons du Plessis after UD5 win in gruelling Cannonier clash”
Dricus du Plessis defiantly embraced the chaos and emerged stronger for the experience to make a successful first UFC middleweight title defence against longtime champion Israel Adesanya in the early hours Sunday, inflicting another career-altering defeat as the 185lb division has shaken up once more. Continue reading “UFC 305: Dricus defies doubters again, retains title with R4 sub win vs. Adesanya”
Fresh after a fantastic knockout win over Derrick Osaze and armed with a proud support team celebrating his latest highlight reel finish to close another York Hall show, I spoke with Denzel Bentley as he surveys the middleweight scene. Beforehand, there were several boxers ringside sharing updates about their respective return timelines, fight dates and what they would like next. Continue reading “Exclusive: Bentley open to Sheeraz-Denny winner as six boxers give return updates”
98 days after dismantling Danny Dignum to kickstart his 2024, two-time British middleweight champion Denzel Bentley produced another devastating stoppage – this time a perfectly-placed uppercut froze Derrick Osaze stiff as the world-level contender banked another quick night’s work at York Hall. Prior, Aloys Junior outboxed Oronzo Birardi over ten rounds to win his first pro titles. Continue reading “York Hall: Bentley blasts beyond Osaze in two rounds as Junior passes stern test”
Two-time British middleweight champion Denzel Bentley is knocking on the door for a second world title shot, but must stay active and continue winning to achieve that aspiration as Derrick Osaze now stands in his way. Cruiserweight prospect Aloys Junior meanwhile, targets his first professional title this weekend against unbeaten foe Oronzo Birardi – their first 10-round contest. Continue reading “Cordial the buzzword before Denzel Bentley and Aloys Junior return Saturday”
Cornwall’s Brad Pauls was deemed merely a plucky challenger first time around six months earlier when the Birmingham bill was announced as Nathan Heaney’s first British middleweight title defence. English champion at the time but having fallen short against Tyler Denny on a big TV spot with Sky Sports a year prior, history would likely repeat itself. Brad refused to let that happen. Continue reading “Brad Pauls became British champion the hard way, and now can reap the rewards”
Brad Pauls’ persistence saw him score two knockdowns and swarm Nathan Heaney to become the new British middleweight champion. Chantelle Cameron was classy in her Queensberry debut while Andrew Cain’s concussive power saw him unify bantamweight titles – after Ekow Essuman’s thrilling comeback knockout against Owen Cooper to win WBO European welterweight gold. Continue reading “Pauls overwhelms Heaney to claim British middleweight title in Birmingham rematch”
Claressa Shields is a three-weight boxing world champion, two-time Olympic gold medallist and juggling two combat sports as she hopes to conquer MMA as she has done boxing over the past decade. Yet the 29-year-old knows lapping the field isn’t an exciting prospect for fans to watch, so new and unknown challenges like Canada’s Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse are her next port of call. Continue reading “Claressa Shields accepts she must find new challenges, with fresh heavyweight move”
Continue reading “Dana downbeat about Chimaev, Whittaker aware of short-notice Aliskerov’s danger”
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