James Slater

November 12 pencilled in for Horn vs Pacquiao II

November 12 pencilled in for Horn vs Pacquiao II

The eagerly awaited return fight between welterweights Jeff Horn and Manny Pacquiao is “almost there,” according to Top Rank boss Bob Arum. Ever since the July 2 win scored by big underdog Horn, fight fans, and Pacquiao and Horn himself have wanted the rematch.

Horn wants it to prove his upset decision win, derided by many as a bad decision, was no fluke. Pac Man wants it because he wants revenge. The fans want it because the first fight was so good. Now Arum says all signs point to November 12, once again in Brisbane, Australia (Arum had earlier said it would simply be too hot to fight in Australia at this time of year, but there are plans for a canopy to be put in place which will protect both the ring and the first ten rows of seats from the blistering heat).

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Is Terence Crawford the pound-for-pound best today if he beats Julius Indongo?

Is Terence Crawford the pound-for-pound best today if he beats Julius Indongo?

It’s an interesting fight that has attracted far less attention than should almost certainly be the case (due in large part to the quite incredible amount of press a certain fight set for August 26 has generated) – and tomorrow night’s 140 pound unification clash between Terence Crawford and Julius Indongo will see a new pound-for-pound ruler crowned.

This is the opion of Crawford anyway. Speaking with the media at yesterday’s final press conference before the big fight, Crawford said he “must” be looked at as the best boxer in the world pound-for-pound after he beats Indongo and adds his two belts to the two he already has in his possession. Crawford said there will be “no discussion” on the subject of who the pound-for-pound best is after he has dealt with the tall and dangerous Indongo; and of course, “Bud” is ultra confident he will pick up the win tomorrow.

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As a result of the eight-ounce gloves allowed for the fight, the odds drop in Mayweather Vs. McGregor

As a result of the eight-ounce gloves allowed for the fight, the odds drop in Mayweather Vs. McGregor

Much has been made of the Nevada State Athletic Commission allowing Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor to box whilst wearing smaller, eight-ounce gloves. A number of fight fans, along with some experts, are now giving the MMA star a better shot at pulling off what would absolutely go down in history as the biggest pro debut victory ever scored.

McGregor, 0-0-0 inside a boxing ring, to Mayweather’s majestic 49-0 numbers, is not quite the long-shot he once was in this fight – not in the opinion of his fans and not at the bookmakers. As per a piece on The Las Vegas Review-Journal, the odds at William Hill in Las Vegas changed quite significantly when news broke about the eight-ounce gloves being brought in to replace the standard 10-ounce.

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Carl Frampton and Barry McGuigan may be headed separate ways as their relationship hits the rocks

Carl Frampton and Barry McGuigan may be headed separate ways as their relationship hits the rocks

According to various reports coming out of Ireland, the once tight knit relationship between Carl Frampton, the fighter and Barry McGuigan, the manager may be headed towards a separation. Nothing has thus far been one hundred-percent confirmed, nor denied, but numerous sources – including BBC Sport NI – report that Frampton may be close to leaving Cyclone Promotions.

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Danny Jacobs still believes he beat GGG, says he’ll keep winning until “the public demand” a fight between he and the GGG-Canelo winner

Danny Jacobs still believes he beat GGG, says he'll keep winning until “the public demand” a fight between he and the GGG-Canelo winner

There is no doubt Danny Jacobs, with his closer than close decision loss to feared middleweight king Gennady Golovkin, took a good amount of the fear factor from GGG. So much so that a number of fans think Canelo Alvarez will beat Golovkin in their September showdown.

Once a fight most if not all felt GGG would win, Golovkin-Canelo is now a 50-50 fight in the opinion of nearly everyone; with perhaps a slight edge perceived for the Mexican superstar. And a great deal of the reason for this swing in opinion is the Jacobs-GGG fight. Jacobs, who along with his manager Keith Connolly, in speaking with RingTV.com, said he feels GGG was beaten back in March and that fans agree.

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Shane Mosley officially announces retirement

Shane Mosley officially announces retirement

Former lightweight and welterweight great “Sugar” Shane Mosley has officially retired from boxing. The 45 year old told ESPN of his decision, stating how he realised he had to “let it go as far as me trying to compete as a fighter any more.”

In truth, Mosley should probably have retired a few years back, say around 2011, after his heavy decision loss to Manny Pacquiao, or certainly in 2012, after his even heavier decision loss to Canelo Alvarez. The final five bouts of Mosley’s career were somewhat tough to watch, for those fans who remembered Mosley when he was at as dazzling prime, in 1997 to 2002, especially.

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Mayweather vows to “go straight ahead because the fans deserve it” in McGregor fight – but can we take Floyd at his word?

Mayweather vows to “go straight ahead because the fans deserve it” in McGregor fight - but can we take Floyd at his word?

Floyd Mayweather has said it before and last night he said it again: he is going to step away from his usual defensive, even safety-first approach and “go straight ahead” in his fast-approaching “Super Fight” with MMA star Conor McGregor.

Speaking on The Jimmy Kimmel Live! Show, the 49-0 master – referred to by many good judges as the finest defensive fighter ever – vowed to fight aggressively and do his part to put on an exciting contest, because the fans “deserve it.”

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Who will work the Mayweather-McGregor fight? Kenny Bayless won’t be the third man in the ring

Who will work the Mayweather-McGregor fight? Kenny Bayless won't be the third man in the ring

With less than two weeks to go until the “Super Fight” between Floyd Mayweather, 49-0, and Conor McGregor, 0-0-0, we still do not know who the third man in the ring will be in Las Vegas. But we now know who will not be working the fight: the oft-criticised Kenny Bayless.

As per a piece in the Los Angles Times, Bayless has been informed he will not be working the heavily hyped fight, simply because he was critical of the fight a while back when speaking with the media. Bayless, in speaking with the media a while back, said he wouldn’t want to see a Mayweather-McGregor fight: “It’s two different sports,” the ref said. “What would be the point?”

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