Deontay Wilder “fully healed, punching with both hands again”

11/17/2016 James Slater

Could 2017 see two big heavyweight comebacks? While nobody knows if and when Tyson Fury might box again, fans hope his return will happen, and next year. But one man who says he will definitely take over where he left off with a return next year is WBC champ Deontay Wilder, who of course is aching to get it on with Fury.

While a Wilder-Fury fight might not take place next year (we all hope it will happen, naturally) Wilder says he fully expects he will fight again before too many months have passed in 2017. Speaking with Sky Sports, the unbeaten champ said the injuries he picked up in his last fight, a July stoppage win over the tough (and hard-headed) Chris Arreola, have “fully healed,” and that he is back “punching with both hands.”

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Floyd Mayweather closes the door on a Pacquiao rematch, says he has no need to fight again

11/17/2016 James Slater

It seems Manny Pacquiao’s recently donned jacket was and is a nifty fashion accessory and nothing more; even if Pac-Man knew this to be the case or not. Pacquiao’s jacket had, sewn into the lining, pictures of himself and Floyd Mayweather in fighting pose, and the Tweet Pac-Man wrote accompanying the picture asked “Like my jacket!”

Many people felt the jacket, the Tweet and the short message meant a rematch between the two superstars was on the cards, or at least Manny felt one was on the cards. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Mayweather was a ringside guest at Pacquiao’s November 5 fight with Jessie Vargas. But it seems none of this matters at all, because Manyweather, who calls all the shots, has insisted, again, that he has zero interest in fighting again – against anyone.

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R.I.P Alex Stewart: 1964-2016

11/17/2016 James Slater

In sad and shocking news it has been reported how 1980’s and ’90’s heavyweight contender Alex Stewart has died at the far too premature age of just 52. Reports are sketchy at this point and Stewart’s cause of death has not been confirmed. A pure puncher and a genuinely exciting fighter, Stewart was also a softly-spoken, even shy person who some felt was too much of a gentle soul to be a prize fighter.

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Carl Froch puts an end to all Gennady Golovkin fight talk: “It’s not happening”

11/16/201611/16/2016 James Slater

With rumour and talk continuing to circulate suggesting former super-middleweight king Carl Froch could be on the verge of ending his over two-year retirement to face reigning middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, it has taken Froch himself to end such talk. It’s not going to happen, not now, not ever.

Writing a piece for Sky Sports web site, “The Cobra” said he has not even spoken with either Tom Loeffler or Eddie Hearn and that although he feels he could beat GGG as he is just too big for him, he is not going to end his retirement for such a fight.

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Will Gennady Golovkin ever get his defining fight?

11/16/2016 James Slater

Is Gennady Golovkin a great middleweight, worthy of being ranked alongside the special ones such as Marvin Hagler, Carlos Monzon, Bernard Hopkins and, perhaps the best of the lot, Sugar Ray Robinson? No, he isn’t – – but he might be one day.

There is no denying GGG’s qualities: his withering punching power, his accuracy, his ability at cutting the ring down on anyone he fights and his speed and punch variety. Indeed, Golovkin seems to have it all – except for one thing: a defining fight. Golovkin is so desperate to bank himself a career-definer, he (or his team) are even looking to lure a 39 year-old Carl Froch out of retirement. GGG has also spoken of his willingness to go up or down in weight in search of that one sparkling win all the greats seems to have on their resume.

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Trey Lippe Morrison to return to action in December

11/15/2016 James Slater

Currently carving out his own name as a heavyweight contender is Trey Lippe Morrison, son of the late Tommy Morrison. The unbeaten 27-year-old is now 12-0(12) and Morrison is coming off an impressive one-round stoppage win over Ed Latimore. The Latimore fight, which was Morrison’s Showtime debut, was supposed to be his toughest test to date in a pro career that began in February of 2014, instead Morrison got the September fight done and dusted in quick time.

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A none too clever move from Cleverly? Nathan wants a rematch with Sergey Kovalev next year

11/15/2016 James Slater

Welshman Nathan Cleverly, the reigning WBA light heavyweight champ, remembers well the beating world number-one Sergey Kovalev put on him back in August of 2013, yet he says he wants a rematch next year. Speaking with ESPN.com, Cleverly, who lost his unbeaten record to Kovalev inside four rounds, says he expects “Krusher” to defeat Andre Ward on Saturday night and that he will then face him for a second time.

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British heavyweight David Allen: I’m made of marble. I’ll stand and trade with Luis Ortiz

11/15/2016 James Slater

Could once-beaten British heavyweight David Allen be the fighter who “comes to win” against Luis Ortiz in the Cuban’s next fight, set for December 10 in Manchester? Promoter Eddie Hearn was as dissatisfied as anyone else with Ortiz’ wide but dull decision win over a negative Malik Scott at the weekend, vowing later to find a far more game opponent for “King King” on the Anthony Joshua-Eric Molina bill.

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Miguel Cotto says 2017 will be his final year as a fighter

11/14/2016 James Slater

Puerto Rican legend and guaranteed future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto says he will fight until the end of next year and then retire. The former four weight king, speaking with Carlos Narvaez of El Vocero newspaper, said he will continue working with Roc Nation, “with the same intensity,” but that after December 31 2017 he will fight no more.

Cotto, 40-5(33) and now aged 36, has not fought since dropping a competitive decision to Canelo Alvarez, in a middleweight title fight, last November 21. There is a possibility the two will meet in a rematch, but Cotto insists such a fight will have to happen before the end of next year or it will not happen.

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The Muhammad Ali who crushed Cleveland Williams: could anyone have beaten him?

11/19/201611/14/2016 James Slater

Mike Tyson? Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko? Joe Louis? Lennox Lewis? Rocky Marciano? Any other heavyweight you care to mention! Would the Muhammad Ali of 50 years ago today – when he was every bit an unhittable, lightening-fast, lethal-punching fighting machine against Cleveland Williams – have beaten any of them?

Historians call it Muhammad Ali’s peak performance; his defining, shining moment of true brilliance in a career filled with majesty. This is the Ali-Cleveland Williams fight from 50 years ago: November 14th 1966. “Ali never danced like that again,” one writer wrote. “That version of Ali would have beaten any heavyweight in history,” a number of experts have claimed.

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