Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
FRESH from a savvy showcase win over Natasha Jonas on Friday night, The Ring and unified welterweight world champion Lauren Price cast her eye on Mikaela Mayer’s WBO title defence against Sandy Ryan in three weeks’ time. Continue reading “Price explains Mayer-Ryan prediction before ‘great fight’ in March 29 rematch”
ANB ARENA, SAUDI ARABIA — They say revenge is a dish best served cold. Dmitry Bivol weathered a storm en route to a gutsy majority decision victory over Beterbiev, tying their series at one win apiece and claiming undisputed light-heavyweight gold, setting up a trilogy after yet another razor-thin duel going the full championship distance. Continue reading “Dmitry Bivol claims undisputed light-heavyweight titles after another razor-cloze Artur Beterbiev duel”
Keyshawn Davis is a week away from his first world championship contest against WBO lightweight titleholder Denys Berinchyk and while widely expected to pass that Valentine’s Day test with flying colours, there’s one particular name he’ll inevitably be linked to from their amateur days. Continue reading “Hearn: If he beats Berinchyk, what’s Keyshawn Davis’ biggest fight? Andy Cruz”
Rafael Espinoza exceeded expectations as an unheralded underdog in the best way possible last December and two days shy of the one-year anniversary since his 12-round firefight with Robeisy Ramirez, the 30-year-old gets another opportunity centre stage to banish Olympic champion and former titleholder Robeisy Ramirez on a night headlined by two world championship rematches. Continue reading “Espinoza-Ramirez 2 fast approaching – the new champ’s saying all the right things”
Keyshawn Davis’ Norfolk homecoming went smoothly, as the world-level lightweight contender scored three knockdowns and delivered a vicious second-round stoppage win over an overweight Gustavo Lemos to boost genuine championship credentials in his first headline bout at the Scope Arena. Continue reading “Davis dices overweight Lemos in two, stakes claim for world title shot at 135lbs”
Kicking off fight week in his homecoming bout, a crossroads world title eliminator against an uber-dangerous talent in Gustavo Lemos, unbeaten lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis knows he has a job to do. First, the 25-year-old talent will soak up another motivating moment alongside his two brothers celebrating the arduous path en route to this juncture. Continue reading “Keyshawn Davis’ homecoming one filled with jeopardy and much-needed intrigue”
A characteristically slow start was importantly overshadowed by a strong finish in the championship rounds as Artur Beterbiev’s aggressive pressure and never-ending jeopardy behind his punching power saw the 39-year-old edge past Dmitry Bivol to win undisputed light-heavyweight honours after a 12-round technical battle between two unbeaten champions that didn’t disappoint. Continue reading “Beterbiev crowned undisputed king after razor-thin majority decision win vs. Bivol”
IBF world welterweight champion Natasha Jonas intended to rematch Mikaela Mayer after their entertaining 10-round Liverpool headliner, but factors outside her control meant the American ventured elsewhere – beating a Brit in the process – to become a two-division world titleholder last month. Now, their paths may align next year as the Scouser eyes 2-3 more fights before retiring. Continue reading “Natasha Jonas clarifies stance on Mayer rematch, retirement and return timeline”
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”
Sandy Ryan returned Stateside to defend her WBO world welterweight title, left empty-handed and with a burning sense of injustice after a series of events during an emotional fight week saw the 31-year-old narrowly lose a fiery 10-round majority decision against former amateur sparring partner Mikaela Mayer, who became a two-weight world champion at the second attempt. Continue reading “Mayer ekes out MD10 win vs. Ryan, who returns to Derby feeling serious injustice”
Tyson Fury was expected to carry Francis Ngannou for a few rounds, then drop and eventually stop the former UFC heavyweight champion on the Cameroonian’s boxing debut. Instead, he had to rise from the canvas in round three and narrowly squeezed past with a split decision nod after 30 minutes, as the long-awaited undisputed world title fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk was again put on ice. What happens next, is unclear.
Continue reading “Sail into the sunset? Carl Froch, George Groves question Fury’s desire after Ngannou display – they’re not alone”
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”
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