It seems an almost every day occurrence nowadays that fighters, or members of a fighter’s team, get involved in some sort of crazy trouble at either a press conference or a weigh-in. Just yesterday, all-round hothead Angel Garcia once again lost it completely when attending a pre-fight presser.
Is 2017 the year when outspoken former British middleweight champ Chris Eubank Junior gets in with the elite fighters? Once again, the once-beaten contender is saying all the right things; stating how he wants to fight not only middleweight king Gennady Golovkin but also IBF super-middleweight ruler James DeGale and, in a rematch of his sole pro defeat, WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders.
When you have been KO’d three times in quite rapid succession the way heavyweight contender David Price has, every fight is a potentially career ending one. One more KO loss, and it could be the end of Price, at least at anything like top level.
Price and his team are surely aware of this as the former British champion and former Olympian heads into his February 4 fight with Christian Hammer, this fight being the first real test for Price since being blasted by Tony Thompson (twice) and Erkan Teper (who was out-pointed by Hammer in his last fight). But the giant from Liverpool is very optimistic right now, as well as confident. Price, in speaking with Nick Parkinson, said he feels he is two wins away from a world title shot, possibly the WBO title currently held by Joseph Parker.
![Espinoza: We'll be calling [Floyd] after the Garcia-Thurman fight, maybe he'll be interested in facing the winner](https://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1-016_Stephen_Espinoza.jpg "Photo: Espinoza: We'll be calling [Floyd] after the Garcia-Thurman fight, maybe he'll be interested in facing the winner")
Though the optimism for those who want to see Floyd Mayweather fight again is dwindling day by day, there are still plenty of people out there who feel the 49-0 superstar WILL maybe fight again. One of these influential people is Stephen Espinoza of Showtime, and he recently told BoxNation how he is curious to see if the upcoming March fight between unbeaten welterweight champions Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia “piques” Mayweather’s interest.
It was without a doubt THE best heavyweight fight of last year. It was the 12 round war rival British heavies Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora engaged in in December, and almost as soon as the oh, so close points victory was awarded to Whyte, fans began asking for a part two.
In fact, according to Chisora – who believes he should have had his hand raised after the 36 minutes of electrifying warfare was over, not Whyte – people are going up to Whyte on an almost permanent basis, telling him he lost and that he should fight the return fight.
As surely any boxing fan knows, the great, the incomparable, the immortal Muhammad Ali would have celebrated his 75th birthday today, January 17, 2017. Sadly, as everyone does know, The Greatest left us in June of last year. What Ali left behind is far, far more than a legacy as the finest heavyweight boxer of all time.
Ali meant so much to so many people; from a political standpoint, to a sporting standpoint, to a racial standpoint and more. George Foreman perhaps said it best years ago, when he said that everybody, from any walk of life, was “lifted up a notch” when they met Ali. But speaking from a boxing standpoint only, Ali thrilled fans and gave a piece of himself in a manner that will never be repeated.
Badou Jack has barely been allowed enough time to get his breath back after Saturday’s rough and tough draw with James DeGale, yet the WBC super-middleweight champ has been ordered to begin negotiations with mandatory challenger Callum Smith.
Jack, as per the WBC order, has until February 17 to come to an agreement with the unbeaten Smith or the fight will go to purse bids. A good and interesting fight on paper, Jack-Smith might not even happen. Jack stated after the draw with IBF 168-pound champ DeGale that he struggles to make the weight and would prefer to move up to light-heavyweight – either to face DeGale again or to challenge reigning WBC 175-pound champ Adonis Stevenson.
Back on good terms with Floyd Mayweather and seemingly fully focused on making the most of his talents, Adrien Broner – who recently acknowledged how he had to “grow up” – is predicting an “enormous year” for himself here in 2017. Broner, who has already captured belts in four weight classes, has called out everyone from Manny Pacquiao to Ricky Burns.
Superstar, living legend, future Hall of Famer and all time great (yes, he’s definitely all four) Manny Pacquiao recently gave an interview in which he stated how he feels he has “three, maybe four fights” left inside him. Pac-Man, a truly special fighter who has achieved so, so much, is 38 and he could be gone, perhaps should be gone and retired, by the age of 40.
But if Pacquiao does have four more fights before waving goodbye to the prize ring and fully committing himself to his other passion, politics, who should his opponents be? No disrespect to Australia’s Jeff Horn, but wouldn’t it be great, and fitting, if this unique fighter fought four big fights before leaving us?
![Floyd Mayweather asks, “Are they [the judges] being paid under the table?” after Jack-DeGale draw](https://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/degale-jack-mayweather-3.jpg "Photo: Floyd Mayweather asks, “Are they [the judges] being paid under the table?” after Jack-DeGale draw")
As fight fans are probably aware, superstar Floyd Mayweather had plenty to say, both before, during and after Saturday night’s big 168-pound unification fight between his fighter Badou Jack and Britain’s James DeGale. But it is what “Money” said after the controversial draw that saw both warriors keep their belt, that has attracted the most attention.
Mayweather was furious over the decision that denied Jack from adding the IBF title to the WBC he already holds, and he has even questioned whether the judges are “being paid under the table?” Mayweather is so angry, he is quoted, by The Mirror, as saying he may not come back to New York to promote any future fights.