Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Ashley Lane displayed the value of persistence at bantamweight, capping Friday night’s action packed with finishes by overwhelming Chris Bourke to secure a rare stoppage, winning more domestic honours. Willy Hutchinson ended his layoff emphatically while heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma wasted no time after 2020 Olympian Luke McCormack’s long-awaited debut. Continue reading “York Hall: Lane leaves Bourke battered, claims British bantamweight gold in upset”
British 24-year-old heavyweight Johnny Fisher is back fit again and prepares to make his Stateside debut this weekend on Conor Benn’s undercard at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. The Romford Bull has spoken of a desire to build further domestically after scoring a seventh-round stoppage win over Harry Armstrong to win the Southern Area heavyweight title on August 19.
Continue reading “English and British, why not? Rising heavyweight Johnny Fisher wants active 2024, building on Southern Area title win”
The difference in their body language at the final bell told its own story. The crowd rose, Cameroonian flags up high and the stunned reactions half-an-hour earlier were a thing of the past. Francis Ngannou had done the unthinkable, producing the most historic upset boxing had ever seen. Well, up until the judges’ scorecards were read out and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury given a reprieve despite a third-round knockdown and anticlimactic finish. Continue reading “Ngannou stifles floundering Fury, who survives R3 knockdown to edge contentious split decision win”
With less than 24 hours until the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou card gets underway in Riyadh, multiple boxing personnel – from boxers on the card to promoters and invested spectators – spoke with me for exclusive interviews over the course of Friday’s festivities, from the afternoon weigh-in to an evening gala dinner hours later. Click below to see what they said, on multiple topics. Continue reading “Fury-Ngannou: Oleksandr Usyk, Badou Jack among several interviewed the night before Saudi showdown in Riyadh”
Zhilei Zhang had Joe Joyce’s number the first time, and stepped through the gears early on before producing an even quicker stoppage – this time more brutal – five months later in their heavyweight rematch to defend his WBO interim heavyweight championship against the Brit. It sets up lucrative bouts with the division’s elite names as he called out WBC titlist Tyson Fury post-fight. Continue reading “Zhang defends WBO interim world HW title with destructive R3 KO in Joyce rematch”
Two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde returns, as does Zach Parker with both hoping to shake off ring rust after an eventful year for many reasons. Yet elsewhere on tonight’s undercard, Ezra Taylor faces his sternest test yet at light-heavyweight while Pierce O’Leary targets another quick night and teenage heavyweight Moses Itauma boxes for the fifth time in eight months. Continue reading “Zhang-Joyce 2: Ezra Taylor, Pierce O’Leary feature on an undercard you can’t forget”
Zhilei Zhang took Joe Joyce’s best punches, beckoned him forward, and repeatedly stung the 37-year-old with a steady diet of left hands in what proved a commanding victory on away soil. Joyce’s right eye was closing, the fight stopped midway through R6, and a new WBO interim heavyweight champion has been sealed as the valiant Brit experienced his first professional defeat.
Continue reading “Zhang stuns Joyce with R6 TKO, crowned new WBO interim heavyweight champion”
WBO interim heavyweight champion Joe Joyce faces another seismic test in his career this Saturday, headlining on BT Sport against China’s Zhilei Zhang. Elsewhere, Mikaela Mayer returns to action while Denzel Bentley defends his British middleweight title – all featured in Wednesday’s media workout. Click for more, to watch their individual videos at the Bronx Boxing Gym. Continue reading “WATCH: Joe Joyce, Zhilei Zhang, Mikaela Mayer and more in media workout before Saturday’s show”
For the best part of eight rounds, Anthony Yarde made everyone inside the OVO Arena believe. The unthinkable looked likely at times, especially in R5. Tunde Ajayi saw the writing on the wall though, watching his charge absorb a knockdown in the eighth, and a back-and-forth battle was ended abruptly – Artur Beterbiev retaining his WBO, IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles. Continue reading “Beterbiev retains unified light-heavyweight titles with R8 stoppage win despite spirited Yarde display”
Karol Itauma faces a stern challenge for the vacant WBC International light-heavyweight title, after his younger brother – highly-rated Moses – makes his pro debut on the Yarde-Beterbiev undercard. Here’s what both said, at Tuesday’s press conference to announce Moses’ maiden matchup after a glittering 22-0 amateur career where he won European and World Youth gold. Continue reading “Jan. 28: Karol Itauma, his world champion amateur teen brother Moses speak before double-header”
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