Back in 1994, when heavyweight legend George Foreman challenged Michael Moorer in an attempt to regain his old heavyweight belts, he had not fought for 17 long months. When Wladimir Klitschko, a modern day legend, challenges Anthony Joshua (planned for next April, dependant on AJ beating Eric Molina on Saturday) in an attempt to regain the IBF and WBA titles, he will have been out of action for a similar amount of time.
James Slater
WATCH: Dereck Chisora loses plot at presser, throws table at rival Dillian Whyte – VIDEO
Today at the final press conference to promote this Saturday’s Dereck Chisora-Dillian Whyte clash for the British heavyweight crown, things got well and truly nasty. Chisoa, angered at an apparent “death threat” hurled at him from his bitter rival (no, seriously, fight fans, in this day and age of pre-fight shenanigans, some staged, others not, this particular feud is as REAL as it gets) suddenly picked up a portion of the head table and threw it at Whyte; with it just missing promoter Eddie Hearn’s head.
A Case For The Cruisers: is cruiserweight the most exciting division in boxing today?
Fight fans who tuned in saw a great card in Moscow this past Saturday, and it was a card that was predominantly highlighted by cruiserweights. We saw hard-hitting Murat Gassiev decision the unimaginably tough Denis Lebedev in a great fight, and we saw the lethal banger that is Dmitriy Kudryashov – arguably the single hardest one-punch terminator in the sport today – ice Santander Silgado in typically chilling fashion.
David Haye says he’d have “fun” against “robotic” Anthony Joshua, predicts KO win inside three rounds
While a good number of fight fans may well agree with David Haye’s prediction that he will “demolish” Tony Bellew when they meet in their heavily hyped fight next March, these same fans may raise an eyebrow at the former WBA heavyweight champ’s claim – made yesterday – that he would knock unbeaten star Anthony Joshua out inside three rounds.
Haye, aged 36 and having boxed just three rounds since the summer of 2012, says that everything he has seen of the reigning IBF heavyweight champ tells him he would not only have a short night against him but that he would even enjoy the fight, and have “fun.” Haye calls the 17-0(17) British star “robotic” and he insists there are just too many holes in his overall game for him to be able to cope with “The Hayemaker.”
Hughie Fury puts out Tweet saying Wilder wants to fight him, Feb. 25th – “I’m happy, make this fight”
A Deontay Wilder-Hughie Fury fight has been spoken of before now, at least as a possibility, and yesterday, in a Tweet by unbeaten Hughie, cousin of course of troubled former world heavyweight king Tyson, an actual date for this would-be fight appeared. 22-year-old Fury, 20-0(10) Tweeted the following:
“I’m ready for the big fights. Wilder wants it 25th Feb. I’m happy please make this fight @boxnationtv @MGM_Manchester @HennesseySports.”
Michael Katsidis the latest boxer to call out Conor McGregor – “The Fight of The Year right there!”
The recent news that MMA superstar Conor McGregor got himself a license to box in the state of California really did start a scrum of activity amongst active and even inactive boxers, all of whom want a piece of McGregor in his assumed boxing debut/tune-up ahead of his hoped for (but very unlikely) mega-match with Floyd Mayweather.
The latest boxer to call McGregor out is Australian lightweight warrior Michael Katsidis. Katsidis, as he explained to The Gold Coast Bulletin, is ready and willing to finish off his exciting ring career with a fight against McGregor. “The Great,” as Katsidis, the former WBO 135-pound champ is known, predicts a “Fight of The Year” bout if McGregor takes him up on his offer to face him.
Rumble in The Jungle II? Joshua could fight in Africa says Hearn
It was just over 42 years ago when promoter extraordinaire Don King’s vision of having the great Muhammad Ali try and regain his crown from an unbeaten George Foreman in the African jungle became reality. And it was 15 years ago this year when Hasim Rahman shocked Lennox Lewis in South Africa. Now, promoter Eddie Hearn says it is possible that IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua could follow in the footsteps of Foreman and Lewis and defend his title in Africa.
Video: Out of shape Sam Peter no match for Kubrat Pulev, quits after three rounds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tot5Vj1SLzs
Last night in Sofia, Bulgaria, heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev enjoyed an easy homecoming as he bashed around an out of shape Sam Peter in front of his adoring fans. Pulev, basically having nothing to beat, landed punches on the overweight, slow-footed 36-year-old at will. Peter threw a few punches, off balance as he was, but nothing ever came close to troubling 35-year-old Pulev.
As Shannon Briggs turns 45 he’s still looking for a fight
Former lineal and one-time WBO heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs hits 45 today, yet far from being content in retirement (Briggs did, after all, turn pro way, way back in the summer of 1992) the former champ is restlessly looking for a big fight. With his “Let’s Go, Champ” mantra always at the ready, Briggs wants one more big one before he’s ready to call it a career.
And whether you feel Briggs is merely chasing one last payday as opposed to one last shot at inspirational glory, you have to admit that Briggs’ career has been quite a journey. Now, attempting as he is to become the second-oldest heavyweight king (after George Foreman, the one-time loser to Briggs, winning back the crown at the age of 45 years and ten months back in 1994) Briggs insists he simply needs the opportunity.
Murat Gassiev out-points Denis Lebedev to take IBF cruiserweight crown
Tonight at The Ice Palace in Moscow, unbeaten challenger Murat Gassiev scored a 12-round split decision victory over defending IBF cruiserweight champ Denis Lebedev. The new champion, now 24-0(17) prevailed via scores of 116-112 and 116-111, the third judge had it 114-113 for Lebedev, who is now 29-3(22).
A very tough, hard-fought battle, tonight’s main event saw both men take plenty of punches. Lebedev, the older man by a substantial 14 years at age 37, used his underrated boxing skills when he could, using plenty of movement and pumping out his sharp southpaw jab. Gassiev, so dangerous a puncher, stalked his man and though he was guilty of being one-paced at times, the challenger was both catching Lebedev with shots and making the older man work.