Promoter Eddie Hearn has announced how his heavyweight star Tony Bellew will “100 percent fight again in 2017.” Speaking with Sky Sports News HQ yesterday evening, Hearn said that “Bomber” will have the final say on his next move but that a big fight rematch with David Haye is among the options for the Liverpool warrior.
Bellew suffered a hand injury in the shocking fight with Haye, Haye of course tearing his Achilles, but Hearn is sure he will be fighting again this year.
KO King David Lemieux? Well, in light of the chilling display of accuracy, timing and power we witnessed from the hands (or, the left hand in particular) of the Canadian contender and former IBF champ, yes, Lemieux deserves the unofficial nickname.
Lemieux’ nasty knockout of Curtis Stevens, in what was pretty much a 50/50 shootout going in, both thrilled and disturbed fight fans. A genuine KO of The Year contender, the 3rd-round icing of Stevens will likely keep fans talking for some time. Right now though, fans are wondering who Lemieux, 37-3(33) may fight next.
While congratulations have to go out to reigning WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, who is going to soon see unveiled a statue of his likeness in his honour, some fight fans are sure to wonder whether or not the honour is a little premature. Wilder is an exciting fighter and, with his punching power, a threat to anyone – but a statue; after arguably just one solid ring victory (over Bermane Stiverne, the man Wilder decisioned to win the crown)?
Joe Frazier’s loss became Laurence Tureaud’s gain. According to Sylvester Stallone, the legendary former heavyweight king was all set to take the part of Clubber Lang in the third installment of the fantastic “Rocky” series, only for “Smokin’” Joe to suffer a flashback in pre-movie sparring with Sly, hitting him with a shot that opened up a nasty cut, requiring six stitches.
Cuban talent and one-time pound-for-pound star Yuriorkis Gamboa returned to the ring on last night’s David Lemieux-Curtis Stevens card in New York, but unlike the main event, Gamboa’s decision win over Rene Alvarado failed to electrify the crowd. Boxing for the first time since December of 2015, former featherweight king Gamboa had to make do with a reasonably wide ten round UD.
Now aged 35 and a Golden Boy fighter, Gamboa improved to 26-1(17) but he failed to impress; even suffering a flash knockdown late on in last night’s bout. Gamboa had been hoping for a big fight with reigning WBO super-featherweight champ Vasyl Lomachenko (and probably still is) but it’s unlikely the Cuban defector did much to increase his chances.
It might only be March, but we surely saw The KO of The Year last night in New York. Fans were braced for something special as soon as the middleweight collision between David Lemieux and Curtis Stevens was signed – and did the fight deliver!
The two heavy-handed bangers, who had exchanged plenty of trash-talk in the run-up to the battle, went at it right from the opening bell; the faster, sharper Lemieux getting much the better of it. Stevens was content – or maybe he simply had no other choice – to cover up and attempt to weather the storm, coming to life more in the second round when he got home with some decent shots of his own.
While boxing fans, often the most loyal and patient fans in all of sports, remain hopeful the Gennady Golovkin-Saul Canelo Alvarez mega-fight will indeed go ahead this coming September as planned, there is much cause for concern. Most troubling are the recent comments unbeaten middleweight king Golovkin made regarding the contract for the fight, the one Canelo’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya sent to him.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, GGG said he has yet to lay eyes on said contract!
Floyd Mayweather, who is currently in the UK on a tour to meet the fans, has officially ended the retirement he had been in since his September 2015 win over Andre Berto – so that’s 18 months if you’re keeping count.
Talking to the fans and media in attendance at Liverpool’s Auditorium last night, the 40 year-old star said he is “tired” of the excuses MMA star Conor McGregor is making with regards to making a fight with him, and Floyd said he has “officially” ended his retirement as he aims for McGregor.
Irish warrior Jamie Conlan did it again last night: he overcame adversity in a thrilling action fight and somehow managed to pull out a win. In edging tough, dangerous and experienced Yader Cardoza of Nicaragua via 12 round split decision – Conlan prevailing by scores of 115-113, 114-113, the third judge having it 115-112 for the visiting fighter – “The Irish Mexican” improved to 19-0(11).
Tyson Fury admits he is weighing a whopping 25 stone, or 350 pounds right now, but the former, unbeaten, heavyweight champ insists he has beaten depression in “the hardest fight” of his life and is more than ready for a fresh start. It could be a long road back for the 28 year-old who has not boxed since sensationally upsetting defending champion Wladimir Klitschko in November of 2015, and he has yet to obtain a license to box in the UK.
Fury, who is absolutely adamant he is a clean fighter and has never taken steroids or any other performance-enhancing drugs, will face a full investigation from VADA in May. But before then, the hard training will start and Fury has all that weight to shift. But, as he said via twitter, Fury says losing the weight will be no real problem for him.