Tonight in London on David Haye’s Hayemaker Promotions card at The O2, 2016 Olympic silver medal winner Joe Joyce made his pro debut a successful one, the red-hot heavyweight prospect taking on and halting experienced 16-fight pro Ian Lewison in a scheduled ten rounder. The end came at the 2.35 mark of round-eight, as a battered Lewison was pulled out by his corner when under fire.
James Slater
Murat Gassiev: I want to unify the division, then move to heavyweight
Russia’s unbeaten cruiserweight star Murat Gassiev is in action tonight – he will face former 200-pound champ Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in the WBSS tournament – but the reigning IBF champ has bigger goals than merely winning the tournament.
Gassiev, 24-0(17) and trained by Abel Sanchez, tells RT Sports how he aims to win the WBSS, unify the cruiserweight division and then make the move up to heavyweight. It’s still early days, and Gassiev could have his hands full against the tough and experienced Wlodarczyk in New Jersey tonight, even if he is favoured to win, but Gassiev might just have the tools and the talent to achieve his goals.
DiBella speaks: The greatest danger to AJ in the world is Deontay Wilder
British promoter Eddie Hearn has a great idea: Deontay Wilder gives his fighter Dillian Whyte a shot at the WBC title and then the winner fights Anthony Joshua in a massive unification showdown next year.
But US promoter Lou DiBella doesn’t like the idea, not one bit. DiBella, in speaking with Sky Sports, said that in his opinion Dillian Whyte is “irrelevant” in the career of Deontay Wilder and that “the concept that we would somehow feel obligated, or the necessity to fight Dillian Whyte for a chance to fight Anthony Joshua is a joke.”
When the “O” goes – fighters who were never the same after losing for the first time
Some fighters, be they at the start of their career, at the middle or even coming towards the end, come back stronger after suffering their very first defeat, while other fighters are never, ever the same again after tasting the pain of losing.
Great fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bernard Hopkins and James Toney have over the years proven how there is so much more than holding an unbeaten record in boxing; each legend returning from a loss with a vengeance. However, some fighters, a number of them closing in on greatness at the time, were all but finished, at least compared to what they had been, after losing their “O,” their prefect record.
Steve Collins-Nigel Benn III: The unlikely fight becomes more likely as Collins obtains a license to box
Despite the fact that both 1990s stars, Nigel Benn and Steve Collins, are now well into their fifties, talk of a third fight between the two refuses to go away. In fact it’s a case of quite the opposite, as “Celtic Warrior” Collins, who twice stopped Benn in the final days of “The Dark Destroyer’s” career, has just been granted a license to box.
Is Floyd Mayweather back in training for fight NO 51?
Though he insisted the mega-money fight he engaged in and of course won in August, against MMA star Conor McGregor, was his final fight, Floyd Mayweather has again caused a stir via a couple of pictures he placed on social media yesterday.
Happy Birthday, Evander Holyfield – “The Real Deal” hits 55 today
Today a successful, if still young promoter, all time cruiserweight and heavyweight great Evander Holyfield celebrates his 55th birthday today. Now long retired, the only four-time heavyweight ruler is busy with his new venture, even though, as good a shape as he has kept himself since retiring, Evander still looks like he could fight.
But what on earth would there be left for this living legend to achieve!
Where does Miguel Cotto rank all time? De La Hoya says Top-20
Though Miguel Cotto’s “final fight,” (in quotes because, let’s face it, these days fighters are often changing their minds; especially regarding retirement), set for December 2, against Sadam Ali is a solid one, a number of fans are not too excited about the fight. (Photo Credit: Matt Easley – Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions)
Cotto, who said he would “go out with a bang,” spoke of facing either Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez in his swansong, or failing this, David Lemieux. Instead, the Puerto Rican legend faces the once-beaten Ali, 25-1(14) in New York. What does look likely – and begging Ali’s pardon – is how Cotto, 41-5(33) will go out a winner if this is indeed his very last ring appearance.
Happy Birthday to “The Hitman” – The great Tommy Hearns turns 59 today
A true boxing legend celebrates his birthday today as The Detroit Hitman, Thomas Hearns turns 59. So much Hearns gave, and still gives, to the sport that made him famous and that he himself lit up in one huge way in the 1980s and ’90s. An all-time great, Hearns competed in at least a dozen fights that are considered classics.
But to Hearns himself, the fight, the world title victory that means the most to him is his 1980 fight with Mexico’s Pipino Cuevas. It was in this fight that Hearns was first coronated.
Billy Joe Saunders-David Lemieux looks on for December 16 in Canada
Various reports (including one via Dan Rafael of ESPN) say Billy Joe Saunders and David Lemieux will fight in Canada on December 16, the two having reached an agreement that rules out the need for the WBO-ordered fight to go to purse bids.
An excellent fight and a superb match-up, the WBO middleweight title fight will further add to what is shaping up as a great end to the year’s boxing calendar. Saunders, unbeaten and craving the big, big fights for some time, must be commended for agreeing to travel to Lemieux’s Canadian fortress to take this fight, while power-puncher Lemieux must now figure out Saunders’ effective boxing style and land his big bombs.