Tonight in London, the big O2 crowd saw what, so far, was the fight of the night as IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby got off the floor to widely out-point classy Philadelphian challenger Eric Hunter. Welshman Selby, making the second defence of his title, was decked heavily in the 2nd-round yet he got back up and came back very well. The final scores were 115-111 116-110, 116-110 and Selby is now 23-1(8). Hunter, who looked great in patches, falls to 21-4(11).
Tonight in London on the big O2 card, middleweights Matthew Macklin and Brian Rose engaged in a gruelling, tiring and very likely ageing battle. Macklin, in a must-win fight he said he would retire from the sport with if he lost, edged Rose over 12 tough rounds via majority verdict. Now 35-6(22) the 33-year old prevailed by scores of 115-111 twice (which seemed far too close) and 113-113. Rose, the younger man by two years, falls to 28-4(8).
Everyone has an opinion on tonight’s intriguing Charles Martin-Anthony Joshua fight. A genuine 50-50 affair in the opinion of many – including A.J’s promoter Eddie Hearn – the IBF title fight will set the winner up for some huge fights. One of these potential blockbusters awaiting tonight’s winner is a unification clash with unbeaten KO King Deontay Wilder, the reigning WBC champion.
Wilder, of course, has to take care of the formidable Alexander Povetkin in Russia first, but as long as he takes care of business, Wilder would be willing to defend his belt, and look to pick up another title, against either Martin or Joshua.
Carl Frampton, the unbeaten Irish star who added the WBA super-bantamweight title to his IBF crown with his recent points win over Scott Quigg, has been stripped of the title. The WBA, seeing how Frampton has no intention of facing his mandatory challenger, Guillermo Rigondeaux – the WBA’s champion in recess – stripped him. Frampton has made no secret of the fact that he intends to move up in weight and challenge Leo Santa Cruz in an expected summer blockbuster.
It looks as though Shannon Briggs has finally talked, harassed and pestered his way into a big fight and the big pay day that will go along with it. After spending months irritating then-heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko in an unsuccessful attempt at getting a title shot – with Briggs entertaining some and irritating others with his war cry of “Let’s go Champ!” – Briggs shifted his attention to the UK scene.
Over three decades ago, May 11th 1984, former unified welterweight king Sugar Ray Leonard, boxing as a light-middleweight, fought for the first time since a near two year layoff. Going in with the little-known Kevin Howard, Leonard was returning to the ring having announced his retirement in November of 1982 due to suffering a detached retina in his left eye.
Coming back with an idea of perhaps making a bold challenge for Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s middleweight crown (Hagler acted as co-commentator for HBO), Leonard was thoroughly dissatisfied with his performance against Howard. Not only did Sugar Ray feel rusty, he was also knocked down in the bout, the 4th-round knockdown from a Howard right hand to the head being the 27-year-old’s first-ever trip to the canvas during a largely glorious career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvmVd3v1glg
The final press conference before the heavily hyped IBF heavyweight title clash between Charles Martin and Anthony Joshua took place today and both undefeated men appeared and sounded confident. Joshua had more to say than did a somewhat subdued Martin, but both fighters are sure they will get the win on Saturday night.
Bored from waiting, and waiting, and waiting for something to be announced regarding the Tyson Fury-Wladimir Klitschko rematch? If so, Peter Fury’s recent Tweet might help you. The trainer and uncle of the reigning heavyweight champion wrote the following on social media a few hours ago:
“Some big news coming imminently on @Tyson_Fury @Klitschko venue/date/country. Expect announcements in next 24/48 hours!!”