Undefeated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury insists a back injury he first sustained in 2008, which has just flared up again, will do nothing to stop him from being ready to fight, and again defeat, Wladimir Klitschko whenever the rematch is finally set. Speaking with The Mirror, Fury revealed how he was “hit in the back by Richard Towers over in the Ingles’ gym in Sheffield” eight years ago and has suffered pain ever since.
James Slater
Danny Jacobs – Billy Joe Saunders a real possibility for summer showdown
There are a number of talented fighters out there today, all calling themselves a world middleweight champion. In reality, Saul Alvarez is the real middleweight king, while unbeaten and avoided Gennady Golovkin is widely viewed as the best in the world at 160. But this doesn’t mean the other belt holders, Danny Jacobs and Billy Joe Saunders amongst them, cannot engage in interesting and potentially exciting fights.
And “regular” WBA middleweight ruler Danny Jacobs has made it clear he very much wants a unification fight with reigning WBO champ Saunders this summer, in his next fight. The two have exchanged words on Twitter, with Jacobs calling Saunders out and the British southpaw responding to Jacobs, stating how he will happily “kick you ass son.”
Michael Watson speaks on ill-fated Eubank Junior-Nick Blackwell fight
One man who is uniquely qualified to speak on the ill-fated Nick Blackwell-Chris Eubank Junior fight – the story of Saturday’s brutal fight and it’s unfortunate aftermath the subject of all manner of articles in today’s press – is Michael Watson. Watson suffered brain injury in his 1991 fight with Chris Eubank Senior and only after six operations and some incredible determination and effort did Watson partially recover; enough to lead a life he often says he is blessed to have had.
Kell Brook better than Naseem Hamed? The welterweight champ’s trainer Ingle says yes
Legendary British boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, at his famous Wincobank Gym in the city of Sheffield, trained a number of young fighters, taking plenty of them to major titles in the 1980s and ‘90s. Arguably the most famous of these Ingle fighters is former featherweight champ and KO king Naseem Hamed. The cocky, sometimes controversial puncher polarised fans in the 1990s and early 2000s, and was loved and disliked in seemingly equal measure.
Shane Mosley to face David Avanesyan for interim WBA welterweight belt in May
Former pound-for-pound king, “Sugar” Shane Mosley is all set to get a world title chance (albeit an interim version) after just two comeback wins. The 44-year-old future Hall of Famer will fight Russia’s David Avanesyan in Arizona on May 28th, with the interim WBA 147-pound strap currently held by the 27-year-old on the line. Mosley, who returned to winning ways following a corner retirement loss to Anthony Mundine in November of 2013 (followed by an actual retirement announcement, one that proved to be quite short-lived) has beaten Ricardo Mayorga and, last time out, Patrick Lopez.
Hughie Fury wins ten-round shut-out over Dominick Guinn before a subdued Wembley crowd; Nick Blackwell update
Last night at Wembley, in a fight the followed – after a considerable delay – the Chris Eubank Junior-Nick Blackwell battle that sadly saw Blackwell taken to hospital where he remains under observation with a brain bleed – unbeaten heavyweight Hughie Fury won a dull but wide ten-round UD over a faded Dominick Guinn.
Kell Brook destroys Kevin Bizier but now it’s time for a real fight for the IBF welterweight ruler
As most had expected beforehand, reigning and defending IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook made short work of mandatory challenger Kevin Bizier of Canada last night in his hometown of Sheffield. Destroying the previously unstopped challenger inside just two-rounds, Brook improved to 36-0(25). But immediately after his easy and ruthless night’s work, Brook called out the big guns of the talent-rich 147-pound weight class he believes he can conquer.
Chris Eubank Junior stops gutsy Nick Blackwell in 10th-round of a war, takes British middleweight title
Tonight at Wembley, bitter middleweight rivals Chris Eubank Junior and Nick Blackwell went to war in a domestic fight of the year candidate. Blackwell lost his British middleweight title by way of a 10th-round TKO when referee Victor Loughlin, on advice of the doctor, stopped the fight due to a quite horrific swelling to Blackwell’s left eye. The time was 2:21 of the 10th and Eubank, in claiming the title he said he had dreamt of winning since he was aged 15, improved to 22-1(17). Blackwell, one of the toughest fighting men in British boxing, falls to 19-4-1(8). Blackwell was carried from the ring by a stretcher and he was given oxygen. We all hope he is okay.
Nick Webb, David Allen retain their zeros with stoppage wins
Two young and unbeaten British heavyweights who are still in the early stages of their respective careers got stoppage wins tonight. In Sheffield, on the under-card of the Kell Brook-Kevin Bizier show, David Allen improved to 9-0-1(6) with a 4th-round corner retirement win over experienced U.S journeyman Jason Gavern, 27-21-4(12).
24-year-old Allen was to have fought Richard Towers in a British title eliminator but Towers pulled out with illness and 38-year-old Gavern, no stranger to British shores having fought Anthony Joshua and participated in a “Prizefighter” show here, stepped in at late notice. The fight was unfortunately a dull, scrappy affair, despite Gavern’s attempts at livening things up with his familiar “whooo” chants during the action.
Justin DeLoach scores KO Of The Year candidate over Dillon Cook
If you are a fan of brutal one-punch knockouts, chances are you will not find a more savage KO to satisfy your bloodlust than the one super-welterweight Justin DeLoach scored last night in Miami, Oklahoma. The 22-year-old known as “The Chosen One,” absolutely ruined previously unbeaten (16-0) Dillon Cook with a sizzling right hand to the head in the 4th-round. The instant the shot landed, Cook was gone and he crumpled into a kind of sitting position with his legs underneath him. It was as destructive as it was scary.