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He told everyone that would listen. Yet you had to see to believe: Liam Smith becoming the first man to drop, and stop Chris Eubank Jr with a rather emphatic fourth-round TKO win during their PPV main event on January 21. Talk immediately turned to the latter’s rematch clause, a potential illegal elbow, weight complications and much more besides earlier this month. Continue reading “Rip up the script: Rewind to Liam Smith’s stunning R4 TKO win vs. Chris Eubank Jr, what’s next?”
His matchup against Liam Smith may be less than a month away now, but that hasn’t stopped former world title challenger Chris Eubank Jr from reiterating his desire to secure a Gennadiy Golovkin showdown in 2023 for the Kazakh’s middleweight world titles – while retaining an interest in rescheduling the Conor Benn matchup, despite the 26-year-old’s positive drugs test. Continue reading “Eubank Jr insists he wants once-cancelled Golovkin matchup in 2023, provided he beats Smith”
John Ryder probed, picked his punches perfectly and is the WBO interim super-middleweight world champion – mandatory challenger for one of Canelo Alvarez’s undisputed titles – after Zach Parker retired before the start of R5 with a broken right-hand in their headliner. Prior, there were impressive KO wins for Hamzah Sheeraz and Dennis McCann among others. Continue reading “Ryder boxes clever before Parker’s injury-enforced retirement, is now WBO interim 168lb champion”
There was less fanfare this time around, in a different continent against another fearsome Mexican champion. WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol got the job done all the same in his 10th world title defence and ultimately eased to a wide UD victory (118-110, 117-111, 117-111) over Gilberto Ramirez, inflicting the 31-year-old’s first professional defeat before calling for the much-anticipated unification bout against compatriot Artur Beterbiev in 2023.
Continue reading “Unification next? Bivol dismantles Zurdo to defend WBA LHW strap, then calls for Beterbiev clash”
Another compelling domestic duel. This one arrives November 26 as John Ryder looks to build on his split decision win over Daniel Jacobs, presenting an acid test for the unbeaten Zach Parker. Who said what, ahead of next month’s WBO interim super-middleweight title clash? Continue reading “John Ryder vs. Zach Parker media day: Who said what, ahead of November 26’s main event?”
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”
Roy Jones Jr didn’t bother watching. Shawn Porter declared Canelo’s stock has now fallen. Oscar de la Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions firm was responsible for the first two instalments, used much stronger language altogether. ESPN said GGG’s legacy was secured – despite another chastening defeat – while Bleacher Report called the undisputed 168lb champion the sport’s king once again. So after Saturday night, which is closest to the truth? Continue reading “Canelo ends Golovkin trilogy with UD win to retain his 168lb titles as expected, but underwhelms”
As the legendary pair finish their preparations before doing battle in their long-awaited trilogy clash for Canelo Álvarez’s undisputed super-middleweight titles on Saturday night, I take a look back at their rematch four years ago this month (Sept. 15th) – with controversy aplenty about the decision for the second time in twelve months… How will things be different a third time? Continue reading “History revisited: Canelo’s R12 MD win over Golovkin, in previewing this weekend’s trilogy bout”
A day after his 40th birthday, the legendary middleweight made history against Japan’s Ryota Murata by becoming only the second boxer to unify world titles at that age. However, the first few rounds proved far from straightforward and foreshadowed what could likely happen in a proposed Canelo Álvarez trilogy this September, a familiar fiery matchup he so badly craves. Continue reading “Golovkin earns R9 TKO win vs. Murata, but some serious questions remain unanswered”
After an impressive start, it was an underwhelming finish as world title hopeful Chris Eubank Jr scored three knockdowns in the first four rounds, en route to retaining his #1 WBA middleweight ranking with a comfortable decision win (116-109, 116-109, 116-108) against Liam Williams. Continue reading “Eubank Jr scores four knockdowns, eases past Williams with wide decision victory”
After two delays forced this domestic duel back a few months, #1 WBA middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr prepares to make his third appearance under a promotional deal that believes he can clean out the 160lb division. Next up? A credible challenge on enemy shores who last year managed to do something he is longing for: challenging for a version of the world title. Continue reading “Bad blood and egos aside, Eubank Jr must shine on enemy territory in Cardiff this weekend”
It wasn’t plain sailing from the first bell but didn’t need to be as Canelo Álvarez did what he often does – wear on opponents with an ominous sense of inevitability – to knock out his third unbeaten opponent in eleven months, seizing Caleb Plant’s IBF title with an eleventh-round flurry and further cementing his boxing legacy by becoming an undisputed champion at 168lbs. Continue reading “Canelo crumples Plant with R11 TKO, is now undisputed super-middleweight titlist”
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