Pacquiao, Horn finally come face-to-face; Horn says: “I might knock him out in the first round”

04/27/2017 James Slater

It took quite a while, a few months in fact; but Australian puncher Jeff Horn finally came face to face with superstar Manny Pacquiao yesterday (Australian time). The two met at the press conference to officially announce the July 2 fight that will see Pac Man defend his WBO welterweight title against the unbeaten, and much younger Horn.

The two had nothing but respect for one another, smiling as they faced off and posed for media photos. Trash talking is simply not Manny’s style, never has been, while Horn is more the quietly confident type. Pacquiao has told Horn to be “100 percent” on July 2, so the two of them can give the paying fans an exciting fight. This fight, one of, if not the biggest in Australian boxing history, will be explosive; so said promoter Bob Arum, who added how the American fans and writers are “warming to the fight.”

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Tyson Fury doesn’t believe there’s a heavyweight who can “lace my boots up;” vows to shed 100 pounds and return to glory

04/27/2017 James Slater

Maybe it’s because of all the attention this Saturday’s Joshua-Klitschko fight is getting. Maybe it’s because the heavyweight division is as interesting as it’s been in quite a few years. Maybe it’s because he feels he’s the best heavyweight on the planet. Whatever it is, Tyson Fury has made his mind up: he still wants to be a fighter and he wants to regain his past glories.

Fury, out in Marbella training with good friend and reigning WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders, has vowed to shed around 100 pounds (he reportedly ballooned up to somewhere around the 360 pound mark during his 17-month inactive spell) and come back to rule the division again.

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Wladimir Klitschko is calling Anthony Joshua fight his “biggest challenge;” has no doubt he will win on Saturday

04/26/2017 James Slater

Is former long-reigning heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko one fight away from retirement or is the 41 year old one fight and one win away from becoming a three-time king with a rejuvenated career?

There is simply everything on the line for Klitschko this Saturday night in London as he challenges IBF ruler Anthony Joshua (the WBA heavyweight belt to also be at stake) and perhaps this is why Wladimir is calling the fight his “biggest challenge.” Klitschko, 64-4(53) has faced some big hurdles throughout his long career (he seriously considered calling it a day after Lamon Brewster shocked him in that quite bizarre fight back in 2004) and he has beaten some quality fighters – does Klitschko really feel Joshua, an unproven quantity in many departments, is the biggest challenge of his career?

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Charles Martin back with a KO win; says he wants to become undisputed heavyweight champion!

04/26/2017 James Slater

Returning to action for the first time in just over a year, and since being shot in a shocking attack last summer, former IBF heavyweight champ “Prince” Charles Martin got back to winning ways last night in Tunica, Mississippi. The tall southpaw who turned 31 this week stopped over matched journeyman Byron Polley inside two quick rounds.

Martin, now 24-1-1(22) won as he pleased against the 30-21-1(13) Polley and he said after his win how he is now “back to finish what I started.” It will be a long road back, but Martin says his ultimate goal is the same as it was before he lost in just two rounds to Anthony Joshua in a hugely disappointing affair – to become the undisputed world heavyweight ruler.

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Joshua vs Klitschko: Officials named for Saturday’s showdown

04/26/201704/25/2017 James Slater

The officials have been confirmed for this Saturday’s huge, 90,000 sell-out heavyweight collision between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko. There is plenty on the line in this fight – the biggest heavyweight fight in British boxing history – and a strong third man in the ring will be needed.

The fight will have a very experienced referee in David Fields of New Jersey. Having worked over 200 fights – including bouts with big names such as Bernard Hopkins, Sergey Kovalev, Shawn Porter and Yuriorkis Gamboa to name just a few – Fields, a big guy, should not be at all out of his depth working the WBA/IBF heavyweight title fight; even if he has not worked too many heavyweight fights before.

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Razvan Cojanu to step in as late replacement for Joseph Parker?

04/25/2017 James Slater

An official press conference has been set up for tomorrow in New Zealand, to officially announce WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker’s next move/fight. As fans know, the undefeated Parker is in need of a new challenger for May 6 due to original foe Hughie Fury pulling out with an injury.

A short-list of available last-minute opposition was in the possession of Duco Events, Parker’s promoter, and – according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com – a decision has been reached. According to “a source with knowledge of the deal” who spoke with ESPN today, Romania’s Razvan Cojanu, 16-2(9) will be the fighter who lands the short-notice title shot.

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Can Tony Bellew become a world heavyweight champ?

04/25/2017 James Slater

As fight fans may or may not have read, British heavyweight / cruiserweight Tony Bellew (who picked up a huge heavyweight win over David Haye in his last fight but has only been crowned a world champion as a 200 pounder) has decided he will fight on.

After the big upset win over an injured (Achilles-heel) Haye, Bellew, the WBC cruiserweight boss at the time, said he may well walk away, content and financially set. But the lure of becoming a heavyweight champ, of hearing the words, ‘Tony Bellew, heavyweight champion of the world,’ has enticed “Bomber” to march onward and roll the dice once more.

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Manny Pacquiao arrives in Australia ahead of July fight with Jeff Horn; admits he has “not seen any of his fights”

04/24/201704/24/2017 James Slater

A few hours ago, superstar and reigning WBO welterweight king Manny Pacquiao touched down in Australia to begin hyping his July fight with Australian slugger Jeff Horn. Pac-Man, who is not yet ready to call it a day and retire his magnificent career, was not greeted by much fan-fair or fuss upon his arrival, and the 38 year old all-time great admitted he doesn’t even know much about the unbeaten fighter he will be swapping leather with on July 2.

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Dominic Breazeale in the frame for Joseph Parker fight on May 6

04/24/2017 James Slater

As fans know, Britain’s unbeaten Hughie Fury was forced to pull out of his scheduled May 6 challenge of reigning WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker due to injury, leaving Team-Parker pretty much fuming – and looking for a late replacement challenger.

The show may still go on, and The New Zealand Herald has reported how US contender and former IBF title challenger Dominic Breazeale is one of the fighters in the frame for the fight early next month (just under two weeks away). Breazeale, beaten only by British star Anthony Joshua, holds decent wins over Amir Mansour and the tricky Fred Kassi, while in his last fight in February, he engaged in a thrilling slugfest that saw him beat Parker’s stablemate, Izu Ugonoh.

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Amir Khan tells Keith Thurman to “forget Porter,” calls out the WBC/WBA welterweight champ for this year

04/24/201704/24/2017 James Slater

Amir Khan has been pretty quiet as of late, ring activity-wise. But the former 140 pound ruler has had plenty to say, both on social media and on video. Khan has not boxed since he was brutally taken out by the bigger Canelo Alvarez last May, but this has not stopped him from calling out everyone from Manny Pacquiao to Danny Garcia.

Khan, who has undergone surgery on his right hand and has said a number of times how he cannot wait to “get in there and test it out,” is currently in training for his return. There is talk of a tune-up fight next, but Khan has always aimed high, looking for the biggest and best possible fights. The latest big name fight “King Khan” has called for is one with reigning and undefeated WBC/WBA 147 pound champion Keith Thurman.

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