In real life they fought twice, in 1994 and 1995. In reel-life, both Roberto Duran and Vinny Pazienza will go head-to-head later this year as both greats get the biopic treatment on the silver screen. Duran’s movie, “Hands of Stone,” hits cinemas first, at the tail end of August, while Pazienza’s movie, “Bleed For This,” comes out in early November. Both films promise to be, at the very least, watchable affairs.
James Slater
Gennady Golovkin waiting on a signature from Chris Eubank Jr…
Will a fight between Gennady Golovkin and Chris Eubank Junior – the man who has been calling him out for some time, even recently posting a hugely confident message on social media where he promised to “rip the belts” away from GGG – actually happen? Well, Golovkin appears to be losing patience. Taking to his own Twitter page this afternoon, the middleweight king made it clear: the ball is now firmly in Eubank’s court:
“Everything is agreed from our side. Now waiting for @ChrisEubankJr, who all of a sudden has lost his pen….” GGG wrote a couple of hours ago, more than a touch sarcastically.
Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan targeting the winner of Liam Smith and “That Mexican that thinks he’s Irish”
Irish warrior Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan, last seen being stopped after a game effort against Chris Eubank Junior in December, is aiming for an even bigger fight in the near future. Speaking with Irish-Boxing.com, O’Sullivan revealed how he is now campaigning down at 154-pounds and how he would “love” to face the winner of the September 17th WBO super-welterweight title fight between champ Liam Smith and challenger Saul Canelo Alvarez.
Antonio Tarver: “I get up in the morning wanting to surpass the great George Foreman”
Antonio Tarver, who recently called out British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte, wants a lot of things: a fight with Whyte, which he feels will lead to a shot at IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, which he feels would lead to a win that would see him surpass the legendary George Foreman as the oldest-ever heavyweight champ. It might be a long road, but Tarver feels the Whyte fight will see him achieve his latest dream.
Whyte, who boxes in Leeds on July 30, responded to Tarver’s calling him out on Twitter, and Tarver responded to Whyte’s claims that he would “smash him to pieces.” Tarver made it clear, when speaking with Sky Sports, how he wants Joshua and a shot at history, and that a win over Whyte would get him there.
Peter Fury confirms new date for Fury-Klitschko II is October 29th, in Manchester
It took a long time to find a date and then it got postponed, now it’s back on again – we hope. The Tyson Fury-Wladimir Klitschko rematch everyone is eager to see for a number of reasons will now take place on October 29th, so says Klitschko manager Bernd Boente and Fury’s uncle and trainer Peter. Boente spoke of the new date with German publication BILD last week and Irish-Boxing.com reports how Peter Fury confirmed the new date for the bout yesterday. The venue will stay the same, The Manchester Arena.
The greatest living former heavyweight kings
With the recent sad passing of the great Joe Frazier, and the even more recent – in fact still numbing – passing of The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, the world was robbed of two of the finest heavyweight world champions in history. Indeed, Ali and Frazier, who of course gave us THE most fierce and most celebrated rivalry in all of sports, were the king of kings. Ali and Frazier may no longer be with us on this physical plane, but they will live forever.
This distinction, or honour, is one only truly special fighters receive – Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis included. But who are the finest, the greatest, the most special former world heavyweight kings who are still with us? In short, who are the greatest living former heavyweight rulers?
Dillian Whyte responds to Antonio Tarver’s challenge: “I’d smash him to pieces!”
Once-beaten British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte returns to action for the second time since his exciting, but losing, December 2015 fight with Anthony Joshua on July 30, when he will face a TBA in Leeds. Whyte spoke to Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson at yesterday’s press conference to promote the stacked Leeds show – topped by the hugely popular Josh Warrington against Patrick Hyland and also featuring Luke Campbell in action and Tyrone Nurse against Tommy Coyle – and he spoke of the problems he has in getting himself a decent fight.
Carl Frampton leaves for New York, says there will be no mistakes in Santa Cruz fight
Unbeaten Irish warrior Carl Frampton today flew to New York for his step up to featherweight title challenge of Mexican warrior Leo Santa Cruz. The fight is still 27 days away, July 30, but Frampton said he made mistakes in his previous trip to America, when he was twice knocked down in his points win over Alejandro Gonzalez Junior – and one of these mistakes, Frampton told ESPN.com, was not getting to El Paso soon enough.
Isaac Chilemba angered at “disrespect” from Kovalev, vows to “teach him some manners” on July 11th
Isaac Chilemba feels he has been, and is being, disrespected by Sergey Kovalev as he approaches his July 11 shot at the light-heavyweight champ. Chilemba of South Africa is annoyed at the way Kovalev’s big November fight with Andre Ward has been announced and that he is seen as nothing more than a “stepping stone” for Kovalev. Speaking with Sowetan Live, Chilemba, 24-3-2(10) says he will make unbeaten puncher Kovalev pay for his disrespect and make history on the same night.
Erkan Teper defeats Derric Rossy in controversial return bout, David Price’s trainer “fuming”
Last night in his native Germany, “suspended” heavyweight Erkan Teper returned to the ring for the first time in almost a year, since his European title winning fight with Britain’s David Price. As fans may recall, Teper failed a drugs test after the 2nd-round KO he scored last July, and was suspended for two years. Yet he was allowed, controversially so, to box yesterday because the ban was only directed towards EBU-sanctioned bouts. Last nights bout, against New York’s Derric Rossy, was sanctioned by the German Boxing Commission – (The BDB) who are, we read, supposed to be keeping strict checks on Teper.