Anthony Joshua is not one for trash-talk, yet he could not resist coming out with a little bit of it when addressing the recent calling out he has been subjected to by both Deontay Wilder and David Haye.
Wilder, via a video the WBC heavyweight champ uploaded on social media, strongly suggests the WBA/IBF ruler is unwilling to face him. Not so says AJ, who gave both Wilder and his fellow Brit Haye both barrels.
Once a cauldron of activity, a building that housed a boxing gym that saw such special talent as Thomas Hearns, Hilmer Kenty, Milton McCrory and other future world champions hone their craft under the tutelage of the late Emanuel Steward, the old Detroit Kronk gym was sadly destroyed by fire over the weekend.
Police in Detroit strongly suspect arson and the building, which closed in 2006, is now mere debris. An investigation is now underway.
Jeff Horn is one of the hottest and most talked about fighters in boxing right now, courtesy of his big July upset win over ageing superstar Manny Pacquiao. While we fans await “The Hornet’s” next move – word now is, it could be British fighter Gary Corcoran next, but nothing is confirmed yet – British fight fans also await the ring return of Amir Khan.
For years we’ve been waiting for the incredibly vocal, “I am the best” Chris Eubank Junior to deliver performances worthy of backing up his boasts. Last night in the former British middleweight champion’s first appearance in the super-middleweight WBSS tournament, Eubank gave us such a performance.
No, Eubank, 26-1(20) did not face a killer, or even an established top-10 fighter in Turkey’s unbeaten but largely untested Avni Yildrim, but he put on a most impressive display of power, explosiveness and aggression. Looking solid as a wall, Eubank was ruthless in his quest to not only win, but to send out a message: “I am here to dominate this tournament,” the 28 year old declared shortly after dispatching Yildrim, 16-1(10) in the third-round in Stuttgart.
Should the guaranteed heavyweight explosion that is Deontay Wilder, WBC king Vs. Anthony Joshua, WBA/IBF champ, take place in the U.S, the U.K, or some place else? Without doubt THE biggest possible fight that can be made in the glamour division of the sport today, Wilder-Joshua HAS to happen and, all being well for we fight fans, it will happen.
But where?
When they were fighting, the Klitschko brothers always had each other’s back. If one brother lost a fight, rest assured his sibling would do all he could to avenge the defeat so as to “restore the Klitschko family name.”
Wladimir lost to Corrie Sanders, and Vitali avenged the KO loss with a KO win of his own; while Vitali lost to Chris Byrd, only for Wladimir to punish Byrd on his way to family revenge. And now, in what would be a sensation if it actually happened, Vitali is talking (with a smile) about the possibility of coming back to the ring to avenge his brother’s April KO loss to Anthony Joshua.
Last night in Edinburgh, Scotland 33 year old Sam Sexton won the vacant British heavyweight title with a grueling 12 round points win over Scottish hero Gary Cornish. After 12 at times exciting, at times messy rounds, Sexton of Norwich prevailed by scores of 116-113, 116-114 and 115-114.
It is the fight Bermane Stiverne, and the WBC, wanted all along: a rematch between Stiverne and Deontay Wilder. Now, due to the crazy goings on with Luis Ortiz and his failed drugs test (one Ortiz claims innocence over, saying he merely took medication for high blood pressure) former champ and current WBC mandatory challenger Stiverne will get what he wants.
The ballot sheets are out for the 2018 Hall of Fame, with voters having to make the agonising decision of picking just five fighters from the list of 32 – with just three of these fighters going through.
This, as ESPN writer Dan Rafael explains, means two of the above new additions on the ballot – Hatton, Klitshko, Calderon, Morales, Wright – will be left out. Each of the above five fighters is absolutely deserving of being enshrined at Canastota, and as Rafael says in a tweet, it will be “brutal” making his decision this year.
Amir Khan has not fought since May of 2016, and he has not won a fight since a year before that, in May of 2015. And Khan, once one of the top fighters in the world, even breaking into some of the pound-for-pound rankings, has suffered all manner of personal problems since his crushing KO loss to Canelo Alvarez.
Khan does not want the image of him laid flat out on his back courtesy of one savage Alvarez right hand to be the one fans ultimately see in their collective minds whenever his name comes up. Khan, who has retained the urge to fight and to train and keep himself in shape throughout all the turmoil (a very public separation from not only his wife but from other family members also) recently put out a message via social media.