What’s that old adage in boxing, they all come back? Yes, and most great fighters who call it a career and try to stick to retirement end up being unable to resist the ultimate temptation: that of fighting again. And there are plenty of people who are convinced Andre Ward is set to fight again, ending his barely five-month long retirement.
James Slater
Errol Spence vs. Carlos Ocampo – who wins?
It’s no secret that reigning and undefeated IBF welterweight king Errol Spence, 23-0 with 20 KO’s, wants, no, is demanding, the big, big fights. In particular, the gifted southpaw who is a feature on plenty of current P-4-P lists wants a unification showdown with WBC/WBA 147 pound ruler Keith Thurman.
Oleksandr Usyk has big plans for AFTER he’s won The WBSS – a move up to heavyweight and a fight with Anthony Joshua
The final fights in the fascinating and hugely exciting World Boxing Super Series are soon to be upon us, at both super-middleweight and at cruiserweight. And in terms of the 200 pound tournament, many fans and experts are picking unbeaten Ukrainian star Oleksandr Usyk to pick up The Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Southpaw Usyk, 13-0(11) will face Mairis Breidis, the reigning WBC cruiserweight champ, this Saturday night in Riga, Latvia, and the WBO champ can emerge as a two-belt ruler who is set for a place in the final if he can take away Breidis’ unbeaten record of 23-0(18). It could be a great fight and a great night on Saturday, but already Usyk is looking at even bigger things:
Return of “The Contender” – Reality TV show set to come back later this year
Fans everywhere loved “The Contender,” the boxing reality TV show that made stars out of fighters like Peter Manfredo, Ishe Smith, Sergio Mora, Alfonso Gomez and others, and was presented by mega-stars Sly Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard. Now, according to various reports, the show is set to make a comeback later on this year on premium cable network Epix.
45 years ago today: “Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!”
A long 45 years ago today, a young and undefeated fighter from Texas named George Foreman met a near 3-1 betting favourite in the form of the likewise unbeaten “Smokin’” Joe Frazier, as the Philadelphia warrior attempted to defend his world title for a fifth time.The two punchers met in Kingston, Jamaica in a bout dubbed “The Sunshine Showdown,” and those fans who witnessed the fight saw a shockingly violent affair, where the 24-year-old challenger with the 37-0 record utterly annihilated the 29-0 world ruler.
The welterweight division: Today’s ‘Three Kings’ – Spence, Thurman, Crawford
Today, the welterweight division is as hot as can be and the weight class is almost certainly THE most talent-rich and exciting in boxing right now. Back in the glory days of Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran, there were ‘Four Kings,’ greats who all fought one another, over a number of weight divisions.
Today, the welterweight division can boast ‘Three Kings,’ and one of them has not even boxed at 147 yet. Errol Spence, unbeaten champ, Keith Thurman, unbeaten champ, and Terence Crawford, unbeaten pound-for-pound No-1 in the opinion of many. Which of these three hugely talented fighters will emerge as the very best should they all fight one another?
30 Years Ago Today: Tyson crushes old champ Holmes in passing of the torch
Three full decades ago today, “Iron” Mike Tyson, at his absolute peak, scored a crushing, somewhat disturbing to watch KO over former champ and all-time great Larry Holmes. The fight, staged in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was dubbed “Heavyweight History,” and though the match-up was much maligned in certain quarters, it did prove to be a passing of the torch – a most graphically violent one.
Undefeated Adam Kownacki making a name for himself as more than just a fun fighter
Polish fan favourite Adam Kownacki improved to 17-0(14) on last night’s Errol Spence-Lamont Peterson card, the 28 year old slugger stopping Ukrainian Iago Kiladze in the sixth-round of an entertaining slugfest. Kownacki, very much a what you see is what you get type of warrior, came forward all night, looking to put on pressure and sling bombs.
Errol Spence Jr. is the best welterweight in the world, but he needs to beat Keith Thurman to prove it
Errol Spence looked superb in beating down a tough and game Lamont Peterson last night, scoring an ultra-dominant victory that came at the start of round-eight. The IBF welterweight king retained his belt for the first time since ripping it from Kell Brook and many people are fully expecting “The Truth,” as the hugely talented southpaw is known, to enjoy a long, long reign.
Roy Jones Junior picks a live foe in Scott Sigmon, “final one” set for February 8
Living legend Roy Jones Junior, 65-9(47) will either have the final fight of his career that will be staged in his home town of Pensacola on February 8, or the all-time great will have his final fight period on February 8.
Dubbed as “history,” Jones’ final bout (either held in Pensacola or period) will see the former multi-weight king go in against a foe who could be referred to as a live foe. 30 year old Scott Sigmon, 30-11-1 (16) is no world beater, and the career middleweight, super-middleweight will be going up in weight quite a bit to face Jones at cruiserweight, but even so, the man known as “Cujo” just might spoil the party next month.