Though he failed to make an explosive statement in his winning fight with a reluctant Robert Helenius last night, Dillian Whyte is “in a great position” according to his promoter Eddie Hearn. Whyte, troubled by Helenius in the second-round when his legs appeared wobbly, swung and missed frequently during the largely dull 12 rounds, winning via lopsided but unimpressive unanimous decision.
James Slater
Team-Parker liked what they saw in Joshua-Takam battle, more convinced than ever Joseph beats AJ
It can often prove to be a tricky assignment facing a late replacement foe after having spent weeks training to prepare for another fighter with totally different physical dimensions coupled with a different fighting style, and WBA/IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua found this out last night in Cardiff.
Joshua got the job done in the end, winning practically every round before stopping (via terribly premature stoppage) a game Carlos Takam, but the critics have come out in force nonetheless. Expected by almost everyone to have a relatively easy time of things with Takam (who replaced an injured Kubrat Pulev) Joshua instead had to dig deep, take a few shots and find his second wind. As a result, the AJ critics have offered some harsh words.
Anthony Joshua stops incredibly gutsy Carlos Takam in tenth-round; Takam cries premature stoppage, crowd unhappy
Tonight in Cardiff, in a fight that surpassed ALL expectations, IBF/WBA heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua finally overcame an incredibly gutsy late Carlos Takam; a late replacement foe for the injured Kubrat Pulev.
The end came in the 10th round, as Takam, bleeding from both eyes, was under fire. Still, the stoppage angered Takam and a large section of the massive crowd who booed the stoppage decision from the British referee. Joshua is now 20-0(20). Takam falls to 35-4-1(27).
Dillian Whyte decisions Robert Helenius in 12 round snoozer
The chief support to the Joshua-Takam heavyweight title fight, between Dillian Whyte and Robert Helenius promised plenty but sadly delivered very little. Whyte did far more work than Helenius, who was content to box on the back-foot and basically survive.
After 12 frustrating rounds – frustrating for the fans and no doubt for Whyte – the Londoner won via lopsided scores of 119-109 twice and 118-110 .Whyte is now 22-1(16). Helenius of Finland falls to 25-2(16).
Kal Yafai retains WBA super-fly title with unanimous decision win over Sho Ishida
Tonight in Cardiff on the big Joshua-Takam card, WBA super-flyweight champ Kal Yafai retained his title with a wide 12 round UD over a somewhat reluctant Sho Ishida of Japan. The Birmingham man, making the second defence of the title he won back in December of last year, won by a wide (and accurate) score of 118-110 on one card and a too close 116-112 on the other two cards. Yafai is now 23-0(14). Ishida, who was having his first fight outside of his homeland, is now 24-1(13).
Lennox Lewis-Frank Bruno: the last great heavyweight title fight staged in Cardiff
As we are today, fans, most of them British, were getting ready for a heavyweight showdown in Cardiff, Wales back in October of 1993. Back then, Lennox Lewis was defending his WBC title (the one he had picked out of the garbage after Riddick Bowe unceremoniously placed it there rather than face Lewis in a return meeting of their 1988 Olympic clash) against British folk hero Frank Bruno.
Deontay Wilder has a change of heart, ready to “see” Dillian Whyte to secure mega-fight with Joshua
Fans may have read about British promoter Eddie Hearn’s offer to WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder: take a (high paying) defence against London’s Dillian Whyte and then, if victorious, get the massive unification fight with WBA/IBF ruler Anthony Joshua.
Wilder initially balked at such a notion, as did his US promoter Lou DiBella; who stated how Whyte is “irrelevant in the career of Deontay Wilder.” But now, going by what “The Bronze Bomber” had to say to Sky Sports, things might well have changed. It seems Wilder – who must get past former champ Bermane Stiverne in a rematch next Saturday before he can even think about fighting anyone else – is now interested in getting it on with the once-beaten Whyte.
Terence Crawford named mandatory challenger for Jeff Horn’s WBO welterweight title
It’s a fight Bob Arum has expressed a good deal of interest in making and now, due to the WBO installing Terence Crawford as the mandatory challenger for WBO welter ruler Jeff Horn, the fight is a big step closer towards taking place.
As per a twitter message from the WBO: “Crawford is mandatory contender for Jeff Horn. Fight will have to be arranged within 90 days after Horn next optional defence.”
Should Golovkin-Canelo II take place somewhere other than Las Vegas?
Middleweight king Gennady Golovkin signed a promotional deal with Tecate earlier this week, as his promoter Tom Loeffler tweeted. GGG and Loeffler were in Dallas to sign the deal and, according to Loeffler, to scout possible venues for Triple-G’s next fight.
Of course all fans hope and anticipate that Golovkin’s next fight will be a return showdown with Canelo Alvarez. This one is a rematch that simply has to happen, and the last we heard, it is being targeted for May of 2018. But where should the return super -fight take place?
Sam Sexton’s trainer refutes David Haye’s claims of offering the British champ “career-high pay day” to defend against Joe Joyce
Immediately after 2016 Olympic gold medal winner Joe Joyce had won his ambitiously matched pro debut, against experienced pro Ian Lewison, David Haye stated how his fighter would be capable of defeating reigning British heavyweight champ Sam Sexton, 24-3(9) in his very next fight.
Joyce, looking to be moved fast at age 32, could fight David Allen next instead, and Haye says he hopes either Sexton or Allen agrees to fight his new star next, ideally on the under-card of Haye-Bellew II on December 17. But Sexton’s trainer, Graham Everett, in speaking with Eastern Daily Press, says Haye’s claims of offering Sexton a “career-high pay day” are false.