Pac-Man’s back. Manny Pacquiao, the superstar who “retired” in April, will fight in Las Vegas on November 5th, promoter Bob Arum said, as reported by The LA Times. The venue will likely be either The MGM Grand, Thomas and Mack or The Mandalay Bay – but who will the opponent be? According to Arum there are now two names in the frame: light-welterweight champion Terence Crawford and welterweight titlist Jessie Vargas.
James Slater
Adonis Stevenson says he wants the Ward-Kovalev winner, won’t make a prediction until Ward has fought Alexander Brand
Those fans who want to see one fighter universally accepted as THE light-heavyweight champion of the world (and what boxing fan doesn’t want this!) might have reason to feel optimistic over what WBC 175-pound king Adonis Stevenson said today. Speaking on a media call to hype his upcoming July 29 defence against the once-beaten (and possibly very dangerous) Thomas Williams Junior, Stevenson – as picked up by RingTV.com – said yes, he would very much like to face the winner of the big Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward clash set for November.
Take time to think before calling a fighter a quitter
Many people who know boxing say it’s a crazy sport and how the competitors involved have to be at least part crazy to want to fight, to take punches, to sacrifice so much, for the means of making a living. Maybe boxing fans, or a good deal of them, are also crazy. Just this past weekend, we saw two top class fighters going into battle against the elite of their respective division, this whilst being considerable underdogs themselves. The two fighting men in question being Chris Arreola, who was as game as they come against WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder, and super-bantamweight “Jazza” Dickens, who tried his best again WBA king and pound-for-pounder Gulliermo Rigondeaux.
Deontay Wilder will be out of action until 2017, will undergo two ops
One of the problems a monstrous puncher can face is hand injury. WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder was in great pain both during and after his dominant win over a tough and game Chris Arreola, due to breaking his right hand on the Mexican/American’s rock of a head, and because of the tear to his biceps he also suffered during the 8th-round corner retirement win.
Gerald Washington, Andy Ruiz Junior both win by KO, retain unbeaten records
Deontay Wilder and Chris Arreola were not the only big men fighting last night, there were two young (ish) and unbeaten heavyweights in action also. On the card in Alabama, Gerald Washington went to 18-0-1(12) with a 4th-round KO over veteran Ray Austin, 29-8-4(18). While in Detroit, Michigan, 26-year-old Andy Ruiz Junior stopped another veteran in Josh Gormley, via 3rd-round TKO. Ruiz is now 28-0(19), Gormley, who was having just his fourth fight since 1999, falls to 22-5(21) and the 42-year-old’s comeback looks to be over.
What next for Deontay Wilder, Chris Arreola?
WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder came out of last night’s fight with Chris Arreola with a number of things: a win, his fourth title retention, respect for an Arreola who was “as tough as I always thought he was going to be,” and, perhaps most seriously, a broken right hand and an injured bicep. Wilder, who improved to 37-0(36) with the 8th-round corner retirement win over a game and at times crazily tough Arreola, must now see a specialist, before he will know how soon he can fight again.
Terry Flanagan overcomes a game and tricky Mzonke Fana to retain WBO lightweight title
Tonight in Cardiff, Wales, WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan had to go the full 12-rounds to retain his belt against South African veteran Mzonke Fana, to the surprise of almost everybody. Seen by most experts as too young, too strong and too powerful for the 42-year-old, Flanagan instead had his work cut out for him.
Bob Arum says Vasyl Lomachenko-Terry Flanagan is a possibility for next year, in England
Promoter Bob Arum is, as fans known, very excited about Vasyl Lomachenko. The former amateur standout of standouts who is now just seven bouts into his pro career – despite this lack of pro fights the southpaw has already won five WBO title bouts and has captured two world belts – is being looked at by the Top Rank boss as perhaps the most talented fighter he has ever worked with. And the good news for British boxing fans is Lomachenko might be heading to a fight in the UK next year.
Who Next for Eubank Junior? Martin Murray says “let’s do it, if your dad will let you!”
He lost out on a massive fight with middleweight ruler Gennady Golovkin (either because he was simply too late to the contract table, or due to not seeing the contract in time, depending on which side you listen to) but the career of Chris Eubank Junior goes on. In fact, all the publicity he received over his possible fight with GGG has likely made Eubank a bigger name. But who will he fight next?
Deontay Wilder, Chris Arreola weigh-in: Wilder 226.2, Arreola 246.2
The weights are in for tomorrow night’s WBC heavyweight title fight between champ Deontay Wilder and challenger Chris Arreola – Wilder tipped-in at a fraction above 226-pounds at 226.2, while Arreola came in at 246.2, a decent weight for him. Wilder looked chiselled, Arreola looked like, well, Arreola. The challenger has trained hard for this fight though – it’s his last chance and he knows it.