A couple of days ago, reigning IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua put out a Tweet telling would-be challengers to leave him alone as far as asking for a shot at him unless they are “serious” and not mere hype jobs. Well, fellow Brit and former British champion David Price saw the Tweet and responded to it by stating he wants to fight A.J for his IBF belt. But that’s not all: with his challenge, Price told of a story regarding how he knocked Joshua out in sparring a few years back.
James Slater
Carl Frampton receives massive homecoming in Belfast, vows to become a three-weight world champ
Irish hero and recently crowned WBA featherweight champion Carl Frampton returned home to, well, a hero’s welcome yesterday evening in his native Belfast. Greeted by thousands of fans, who lined up on the lawn of the Belfast City Hall, two-weight ruler Frampton looked to be genuinely moved by the affection his fans gave him. Already being called the greatest Irish fighter in history, Frampton, 29-years-old and currently 23-0(14) wants to put a seal on this by becoming a three-weight king.
Deontay Wilders craves Alexander Povetkin fight, says he thinks about it “all the time”
Despite what transpired back in May of this year, or perhaps because of what happened – with Deontay Wilder’s big-money and important fight with Alexander Povetkin falling apart due to well documented reasons, leaving Wilder, who had trained hard with nothing to show for it, feeling very frustrated – Wilder says he still desperately wants to fight Povetkin. Speaking with RingTV.com, the reigning WBC heavyweight champ says he cannot stop thinking about the fight.
Gabriel Rosado tears into “coward” Billy Joe Saunders; proposed match-up off Canelo-Smith card
It looked like WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders would appear on the big September 17th card in Las Vegas topped by Canelo Alvarez against Britain’s defending WBO 154-pound champion Liam Smith, but now, with Saunders turning down a fight with tough and experienced warrior Gabriel Rosado, it seems unlikely the southpaw will be making his U.S debut next month.
And Rosado, who says he signed a contract to fight Saunders “a week ago,” has torn into the unbeaten Brit on Twitter, calling Saunders “a coward.”
Sauerland says there is more interest in DeGale-Groves II than DeGale-Badou Jack
When they met in May of 2011, James DeGale and George Groves were fresh, young and unbeaten super-middleweight prospects. A whole lot has happened since the majority decision win picked up by Groves. Of the two, DeGale has managed to become a world champion, currently holding the IBF crown he won by defeating Anthony Dirrell last year, while Groves has thrice fallen short: losing two massive fights with Carl Froch and, more recently, being out-pointed by Badou Jack.
Juan Manuel Lopez set to return, face Wilfredo Vazquez Jr in October
Those fans who saw his last two fights will not be happy, but reports from Puerto Rico say Juan Manuel Lopez will return to action in October. The former WBO super-bantamweight and featherweight champion was badly beaten by Francisco Vargas in a 130-pound fight in July of 2014 and then, in September of 2014, “Juanma” was brutally knocked out by Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar in a fight that contested the interim WBA belt down at featherweight.
Arum says Pacquiao will fight twice next year, says a Mayweather rematch “may be a possibility”
Promoter Bob Arum has made the long trip to The Philippines, again, and he outlined his plans for the soon to return Manny Pacquiao to the media. According to Arum, Pac-Man, who turns 38 in December, will fight WBO welterweight champ Jessie Vargas next (as everyone knew anyway, with the fight set for Las Vegas on November 5) and will then close out his “brilliant boxing career” with two more “big fights” next year.
Arum even tried to get the people listening to him excited by saying that a Pacquiao rematch with Floyd Mayweather Junior could possibly happen some time next year – even though Floyd himself has not said he will even box again.
Is Sugar Ray Leonard the greatest living fighter? Ring Magazine experts say yes!
The Bible of Boxing, Ring Magazine recently took it upon itself to try and rank the ten greatest living fighters. With the recent, sad passing of the incomparable Muhammad Ali, the editors, with contributions from various experts, set to work compiling their top-10. A mammoth task, one sure to court debate, even controversy (something the editors of Ring fully expected and are prepared for!) picking these ten special fighters resulted in the following list:
Photo: Kell Brook looks massive at 30-day weigh-in, tips scale at 176-pounds; Golovkin 165!
Golovkin/Brook news: Middleweight ruler Gennady Golovkin and his next challenger Kell Brook both weighed in at today’s 30-day weight check conducted under WBC rules, and the weights were quite surprising. Brook, looking enormous in comparison to his welterweight says, tipped in at 176-pounds, while Golovkin, looking trim, came in at 165-pounds. So both unbeaten fighters are within the WBC rules that state a fighter should not be any more than 10 percent above the bout’s weight; which is of course 160-pounds.
Adios, Marcos, and thanks for the great fights! Maidana announces his retirement at age 33
Just when we thought there was a chance, just a small chance, he might fight again – the rumour mill going into overdrive simply because “El Chino” stepped back into a gym – Argentine warrior Marcos Maidana has made it official: he has retired from the sport he gave so much excitement to, at age 33. The former two-weight champion wrote on social media how he no longer has the fire inside him.