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!
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.
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.
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.
British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte has again put the boot in regarding WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder, whilst at the same time he has insisted his credentials for a shot at “The Bronze Bomber” will speak for themselves after he has beaten Robert Helenius on October 28.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Whyte, 21-1(16) said that after he beats Helenius on the upcoming Anthony Joshua-Carlos Takam bill in Cardiff (Takam replacing the injured Kubrat Pulev) Wilder will have to face him – either than or Wilder will “decide to fight Audley Harrison again.”
Just days after a big heavyweight title fight between WBC champ Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz fell through, a second world title clash in the sport’s glamour division is also said to be in serious jeopardy. According to various reports, Bulgaria’s IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev is injured and his October 28 challenge of IBF/WBA heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua will have to be postponed as a result.
Will MMA star Conor McGregor take another shot at boxing glory? Currently, in light of how financially successful McGregor’s August fight with Floyd Mayweather was, the Irish warrior has a few boxing options open to him – including a fight with Paulie Malignaggi and a fight with reigning WBO welterweight champ Jeff Horn.
This one has made You Tube for all the wrong reasons. On Saturday’s Wembley card topped by George Groves-Jamie Cox competing in the WBSS, welterweights Nathan McIntosh and Louis Adolphe met in a battle of prospects. What happened at the end of the very first round simply stunned and sickened each and every fan watching the action.
Thirty long years ago today, a peak, or near-peak “Iron” Mike Tyson retained his heavyweight titles with a quite ruthless, nasty display of utter dominance. Tyson met a fighter he disliked in Tyrell Biggs and what was seen by some as a possible test for Tyson turned out to be something of a massacre.
Though Biggs, then unbeaten and having captured attention due to his winning of the 1984 Olympic gold medal up at super-heavyweight, had a decent opening round in which he used his height, his speed and his educated left jab to good effect, Biggs was doomed as soon as he signed the contract. Tyson disliked his 15-0 challenger – so jealous was he of him due to his own failure to make the team for Los Angeles in ’84 – and how it showed.
Photo credit @ringtoneboxing – More than a few fans may have been unaware that Kevin Johnson is still fighting, with “KingPin” announcing his retirement from boxing after his quick stoppage loss to Anthony Joshua back in 2015. But the former world title challenger is indeed still fighting, overseas mostly, and last night in Munich, Germany Johnson picked up the first meaningful win of his career in quite some time in stopping Francesco Pianeta in the seventh-round.