R.I.P Aaron Pryor: “The Hawk” takes his final flight

10/10/201610/09/2016 James Slater

In sad and shocking news, it has been reported by ESPN that boxing legend Aaron Pryor has passed away at the age of just 61. No news has yet been confirmed regarding what the cause of death was (Aaron was battling heart disease but this has not yet been confirmed as the cause of his untimely death), but fight fans the world over are certain to be moved by this loss. Pryor, a fabulous talent who engaged in a number of thrilling, unforgettable bouts, is one of the finest and most celebrated fighters to have come out of Cincinnati.

Born in October of 1955, Pryor, an amateur standout who met, amongst other future stars, Thomas Hearns (a win for Pryor) and Howard Davis Junior (a loss) turned pro in late 1976. Knocking out a guy named Larry Smith in his hometown, Pryor was paid the handsome sum of $400. Greatness, and a fair amount of controversy, awaited “The Hawk.”

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Peter Fury says the WBA/WBO titles should “be freed up” while Tyson recovers; says the troubled champ will be back in training in “March or April”

10/09/2016 James Slater

Peter Fury, trainer and uncle of troubled heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, said on BBC Sport that the two belts Fury still holds but is widely expected to be stripped of shortly due to his well-documented drugs and mental health problems, should “not be held up.” Fury’s WBA and WBO titles are expected to be declared vacant soon (although WBA President Gilberto Mendoza told BBC Sport that no decision has yet been made by he and his organisation) and Peter himself says “let people fight for them.”

However, the trainer added how Tyson, upon his return, should be “held in regard so that when he does come back to box he should be available to move straight into position to fight for those world titles.”

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Arum says Joseph Parker-Andy Ruiz fight “is gonna take place,” prefers January 2017 date

10/09/2016 James Slater

Top Rank boss Bob Arum says a deal is very close for his fighter, unbeaten Mexican/American Andy Ruiz Jr, to face unbeaten New Zealander Joseph Parker, for the soon to be vacant WBO heavyweight title. Arum, speaking on Radio Live, said there are a couple of things still to be worked out – the date, for example, with Arum preferring a January date over a December date – but he added he is “optimistic” the fight will get made.

“It’s gonna take place,” Arum stated. “We’re going to make a deal, I’m sure. The WBO, everybody’s agreed, will sign completely neutral officials. Hopefully we’ll have an announcement shortly. It makes sense – Parker and Ruiz are two top contenders and the WBO will have a great champion.”

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Julio Chavez Jr wants to fight GGG at 168, confident he can take his power, even knock him out

10/08/2016 James Slater

While middleweight king Gennady Golovkin wants to clean up the 160-pound division and hold all the major belts there before making a move up in weight, this doesn’t stop 168-pound fighters from calling him out. One big name at super-middleweight who says he wants a fight with the undefeated, 36-0(33) puncher, is Mexican star (or former star) Julio Cesar Chavez Junior.

Chavez Jr has been pretty much out of circulation for the past few months – last fighting in July of last year, and having problems getting in tip-top shape, and picking up a hand injury – but he told ESPN Deportes how he thinks “I’m the only one who could withstand the punches of Golovkin,” and how, given the fact that the much smaller Kell Brook, “hurt him,” Chavez Jr says that up at 168, he could, “even knock him out.”

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Eddie Hearn teases: Fingers crossed we will have some good news next week that will blow your mind

10/08/2016 James Slater

Why is promoter Eddie Hearn smiling? Well, we won’t know until next week, but Hearn has gone on record as saying he hopes to have some huge news in the coming days regarding the next fight for Anthony Joshua, and that if things come off – things that currently have him smiling with optimism – we will be in store for “good news that will blow our minds.”

Speaking with ESPN.com, Hearn said that Wladimir Klitschko is now “favourite” to fight Joshua next, with the probable date being December 10 (interestingly, the same night David Haye is set to return to action according to his recent Tweet).

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Results: Ricky Burns escapes Kiryl Relikh, just – Adrien Broner Vegas fight next?

10/08/2016 James Slater

Ricky Burns came through his first WBA 140-pound title defence last night in his Glasgow fortress, but the 12 round unanimous decision he picked up against a fierce and determined Kiryl Relikh raised plenty of eyebrows. The fight was a war and it was a shock when, after the 12 gruelling rounds were over, the final scores of the three judges were so wide in favour of Burns.

116-112 (twice) was bad enough, but the 118-110 tally handed in by the third judge was abysmal, and insulting to the magnificent effort put in by Relikh. Ideally, in a fair world, Relikh, now a far bigger name than he was prior to last night’s defeat, the first of his career, would be granted a rematch. It doesn’t look like happening, however, as Burns – a one or two point winner in the opinion of many observers last night, with a good number having Relikh the winner by a similar margin; with others feeling a draw would have been the fairest result – is looking at a big Las Vegas fight with Adrien Broner next.

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Fury Vs. Klitschko ……… an unfinished rivalry

10/07/2016 James Slater

Though nobody will ever say the first, and as it will now no doubt be, the only, meeting between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko produced a great fight, there was a potentially great rematch of a fight awaiting us, and maybe a memorable trilogy of a rivalry. But now, due to Fury’s plethora of out of the ring problems, this particular rivalry has ended in a frustratingly unresolved manner.

Who knows what would have happened had Fury and Klitschko met in a rematch of last November’s bout, won on points by Fury.

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BJS “100 percent will fight Canelo or GGG next” – if he gets past Artur Akavov later this month

10/07/2016 James Slater

Unbeaten middleweight Billy Joe Saunders, holder of the WBO belt, says it’s time to “find out how good I am.” Next up, the talented southpaw will meet Russian unknown Artur Akakov, in what will be Saunders’ first fight of 2016. Next up afterwards, as long as he comes through with belt safely in hand, will be a mega-fight against either Saul Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin.

This is the word according to promoter Frank Warren, who told Sky Sports how Saunders will meet one of these two juggernauts in his next fight, as long as he beats the once-beaten Akakov.

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With the heavyweight division in turmoil, could David Haye be a bringer of good news?

10/05/2016 James Slater

As boxing fans are only painfully aware, the heavyweight division has been going through nothing but absolute turmoil these last few days/weeks: with troubled world champ Tyson Fury looking as though he may not even have a career to speak of unless he drastically cleans up his act, gets the help he so clearly needs and is given more breathing space than most would say he deserves from the various authorities of the sport…

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Hearn has two 2016 dates in mind for “The biggest fight in British boxing history;” Klitschko-Joshua

10/02/2016 James Slater

Promoter Eddie Hearn seems as determined as he is optimistic over making a super-fight, this year, between IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua and former world champion Wladimir Klitschko. Hearn, in speaking with Sky Sports and The Telegraph, says he has not one but two dates in mind for what he says could be “the biggest fight in British boxing history.”

Hearn says the fight, less than a month ago an unthinkable match-up for this year, is “still very much on the cards,” and that it could happen in November or December. Hearn wants to lock the fight down before 2016 comes to an end.

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