James Slater

James Slater has been a leading voice at Boxing247.com  (East Side Boxing) for more than two decades. His expertise lies in writing news, detailed historical articles, and conducting interviews with fighters across the globe. Over his career, Slater has spoken with world champions, prospects, and legends, bringing unique insights to both current events and boxing’s rich history. Slater’s long-standing commitment to the sport has made him a trusted source for fans who want context, reliability, and passion in their boxing news.

Kubrat Pulev-Sam Peter, December 3rd in Sofia

Kubrat Pulev-Sam Peter, December 3rd in Sofia

Kubrat Pulev, the reigning European heavyweight champion who was recently in the running to be the next challenger for IBF boss Anthony Joshua, has another fight set instead. According to Pulev’s Twitter page, he will face none other than former WBC heavyweight champ Sam Peter in Sofia, Bulgaria on December 3rd.

Tickets are on sale now apparently.

What to make of this match-up? A few years ago, when Peter was still fighting regularly and was in good shape, weight-wise, this one would have been a big attraction. Maybe it still will pull in the fans in Pulev’s homeland, but what can we expect from Peter, now aged 36 and having had just two fights since 2011 (both low-key wins)?

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Floyd Mayweather Jnr on a possible return to the ring: “Absolutely, the door is always open”

Floyd Mayweather Jnr on a possible return to the ring: “Absolutely, the door is always open”

Will he or won’t he? Will boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior return to the ring for a 50th fight or not? The 49-0 master recently returned to the gym to spar, once again sparking off suggestions that his ring return is imminent. Mayweather, who turns 40 next February, is said to have looked as sharp as ever in the spar session and the thinking is, he must be back sparring for a reason.

And many people think that reason is, Floyd is getting himself ready to rumble; once more at least. It is of course no coincidence that fellow megastar Manny Pacquiao fights tonight, at least Floyd’s returning to the gym to spar so close to Pac-Man’s ring return is no coincidence in the minds of some people.

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Kell Brook: If the Amir Khan fight is nailed and all signed, that’s when you’ll see me back at 147

Kell Brook: If the Amir Khan fight is nailed and all signed, that's when you'll see me back at 147

Sometimes a possible big fight that proves to take a long time getting made runs the risk of passing its sell-by date. Fans will only remain interested in a certain match-up for so long. Right now, the all-British showdown that is Amir Khan-Kell Brook still interests fans, in Britain especially, but if it doesn’t happen soon – say by next summer at the latest – both fighters will be running the risk of alienating the fans.

Maybe it’s too late already, and fans have cooled on the welterweight fight? But both fighters are still talking about it happening.

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Deontay Wilder wants title fight unification with Anthony Joshua next year: “2017 is all about risk-taking”

Deontay Wilder wants title fight unification with Anthony Joshua next year: “2017 is all about risk-taking”

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder says he wants a big 2017. Currently still out of action healing after injuring his hand and biceps during his summer fight with Chris Arreola, Wilder tells Sky Sports how he wants to “take risks” next year. Wilder also stated how he wants to “come back with a bang” next year.

And “The Bronze Bomber” feels that he and IBF champ Anthony Joshua meeting in a ring would produce such a bang. Wilder says Joshua’s upcoming defence against Eric Molina is “build-up” to a fight with him.

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Anthony Joshua-Eric Molina card has already sold 15,000 tickets, another AJ sell-out extremely likely

Anthony Joshua-Eric Molina card has already sold 15,000 tickets, another AJ sell-out extremely likely

It’s either down to the sheer star-power of IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, or it’s down to the Dec 10 card in Manchester being a pretty stacked one, but 15,000 tickets have already been sold for the card that will be topped by Joshua’s second title defence against dangerously determined challenger Eric Molina.

The two stars of the main event met today at a press conference and, unlike Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte who met yesterday, both men had nothing but respect for each other. Joshua said he is anticipating a “game” Molina, while the 34-year-old Mexican/American said he is aiming to “take what Joshua has,” and that, “I can win the fight with one punch at any given moment.”

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Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko: the last great world heavyweight title fight

Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko: the last great world heavyweight title fight

June 2003, The Staples Centre, Los Angeles. The date and venue are familiar to fight fans, heavyweight fight fans especially. Why? Because we saw a great action fight between two huge heavies, both well above the mid-240-pound range, we saw blood and gore, we saw huge bombs landed, we saw heart and courage on the line, and we were left wanting to see a rematch. The task today is quite simple: name a world heavyweight title fight since that has ticked that many boxes.

But the biggest reason fans still talk about this fight, won by Lewis via corner retirement on the part of Klitschko at the end of the sixth round, is because we all wonder what might have happened; what would have happened.

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Ten years ago: Floyd Mayweather captures Welterweight title with commanding win over tough Carlos Baldomir

Ten years ago: Floyd Mayweather captures Welterweight title with commanding win over tough Carlos Baldomir

It wasn’t Floyd Mayweather’s most thrilling fight, nor was it one of his biggest, but a decade ago (Nov 4, 2006), “Pretty Boy,” as Mayweather was still calling himself at the time, scored a good win that led to a genuine super-fight. In November of 2006 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, a 29-year-old, 36-0 Mayweather boxed his third fight as a welterweight and he picked up both the lineal and the WBC 147-pound titles.

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Chisora and Whyte come face to face at presser, exchange barbs, both promise KO victory

Chisora and Whyte come face to face at presser, exchange barbs, both promise KO victory

Bitter heavyweight rivals Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte came face to face today at a press conference to further promote a British heavyweight title fight that in truth needs no further hype. These two DO NOT like one another and even if reigning British champ Whyte has made a habit of engaging in a war of words, verbally attacking a number of his previous opponents, the simmering intensity between these two is as real as it gets.

Before today’s presser, promoter Eddie Hearn was admittedly concerned over the two big men coming to blows or doing something generally crazy. This, thankfully did not happen (although these two have been involved in out-of-the-ring shenanigans before; remember Chisora’s infamous “bottle” incident with David Haye in Germany?)

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