Alexander Dimitrenko has arrived in New Zealand ahead of his October 1 fight against unbeaten Joseph Parker, and the experienced Ukrainian says that it will be just this, his experience, that sees him to victory over the current IBF number-one contender. But Dimitrenko, ten years the older man at age 34, says he does not look at Parker as an unbeaten fighter – Dimitrenko says he saw Parker’s big win over Carlos Takam and that he felt Takam won the bout.
James Slater
Dillian Whyte-Ian Lewison to clash for vacant British heavyweight crown next month
Dillian Whyte and Ian Lewison will clash on October 7 in Glasgow, Scotland, with the vacant British heavyweight title at stake. A solid and intriguing match-up, Whyte-Lewison will see two fighters who each have an exciting style going at it. Whyte, 18-1(14) will be having his second crack at winning the British crown, having failed, in a great action fight, against Anthony Joshua in what is his sole pro loss (being stopped in the 7th-round of a fight that saw both men hurt in December of last year).
Anthony Joshua: If I beat Wilder, they’ll say he’s s**t
Unbeaten heavyweight star (some say future superstar) Anthony Joshua says he is finding it hard getting respect. Already a huge name in the UK, Joshua’s many fans pay to see him fight, fully expecting him to win by KO, and then afterwards the critics say Joshua merely bowled over an opponent he was always going to beat anyway. This is how A.J, 17-0(17) and yet to be extended beyond the 7th-round, says he feels.
Speaking with City AM, the IBF heavyweight champ who is now in training for his second title defence, set for November 26 in Manchester, says it is tough when people are comparing him to the likes of Tyson, Ali and Holyfield.
Ali-Spinks: Ageing Ali’s revenge
38 years ago today, inside a packed out Superdome in New Orleans, ageing superstar Muhammad Ali did what he should have done in the first place and defeated rank amateur Leon Spinks. Seven months previously, a woefully out of condition Ali was upset by the 1976 Olympic gold medal winner, losing a 15-rounder that was somehow scored as a split decision against “The Greatest.”
The February decision handed in in Las Vegas should have been unanimous in favour of 24-year-old “Neon” Leon, as Ali did nothing but clown and lay on the ropes for the first ten-rounds. How one judge scored the fight for Ali is explained only by the enormous impact Ali had on the sport and of how revered he was at the time. The rematch was a different story, at least as far as the physical and, more importantly, the mental condition of the two heavyweights was concerned.
Hearn on Kell Brook’s future: We want to go straight into a big one – Canelo, Khan, Cotto the targets
Promoter Eddie Hearn still has high hopes for Kell Brook. In fact, far from being at all diluted by Brook’s ultra-brave loss to middleweight king Gennady Golovkin, Hearn says the future is bright, very bright for the Sheffield fighter. The step up to middleweight was an audacious gamble which never paid off, with a win, anyway – but the sizzling action got Brook noticed by HBO in a big way and there are more massive fights out there for the 30-year-old; winnable fights.
Hearn, in writing for The Daily Mail, said how the plan for after Brook’s smashed eye socket has healed, is to “go straight into a big one.” The promoter listed three names that are very much in the cross-hares: Canelo Alvarez, Amir Khan and Miguel Cotto. Either fight would be big, the Khan fight more so in the UK, and what’s more, you would have to be a fool to give Brook anything less than a decent chance at worst of winning either match-up.
Gallagher: If we pull it off on Saturday, I’d expect a call from Mayweather
It seems practically nobody in the boxing world truly believes superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior is really retired. Mayweather, the last time anyone asked him, insisted he is indeed “done” and is content now helping out his growing stable of young fighters. Yet still the 49-0 great is expected by many to return to the ring for fight number-50. Not only that, but plenty of fighters are hoping they will get a date with “Money” (Manny Pacquiao recently stating how he wants a rematch with Floyd).
Andre Berto says Danny Garcia will be fighting John Molina Jr next, not him
Andre Berto is not too happy at the moment and when fight fans hear what it is that is ailing the former WBC welterweight ruler, chances are they will be far from ecstatic themselves. According to Berto, via his official twitter page, Danny Garcia, the current WBC 147-pound king he has been chasing, will instead make his next defence against John Molina Junior. Berto, who insists that at no time did he “out price” himself when attempting to negotiate a fight with Garcia, wishes Molina good luck, but he has accused Garcia of “ducking” him.
Gallagher responds to Canelo weight struggle whispers: If he doesn’t make 154 – no fight!
Is Mexican star and upcoming WBO 154-pound title challenger Saul Canelo Alvarez having weight troubles? This is the word according to whispers out in Texas – rumours Canelo and his team deny. But trainer Joe Gallagher told RingTV.com that if Canelo does fail to make 154 for Saturday’s fight, there will be no fight. Gallagher says there will not be a catch-weight fight, at all.
“If Canelo doesn’t make weight, [we’ll take] our paycheck,” Gallagher stated. “Saul Alvarez and his team – I have huge respect for them. They’re professionals. I don’t expect any slip-ups at the weigh-in. But to let everyone know: if Saul Alvarez doesn’t make 154 – there’ll be no fight.”
Gabriel Rosado says BJS wants GGG fight for the money only, “He’ll take that ass whupping for a couple of mill”
Middleweight warrior Gabriel Rosado has once again laid into reigning WBO champ Billy Joe Saunders. Fans may recall how Saunders was offered a fight with Rosado for the Canelo-Smith card, only for Saunders to turn the fight down, saying it wouldn’t elevate his career. Rosado, 23-9(13) was fuming and he now says that Saunders is chasing money and nothing more and that the unbeaten southpaw only wants a fight with Gennady Golovkin for the big money that would be involved.
Speaking with Mail Online, Rosado, who has fought a number of top names including GGG, David Lemieux and Peter Quillin, said he still hopes to fight Saunders one day.
Best next fight for GGG: BJS or “The Miracle Man?”
Who next for middleweight ruler Gennady Golovkin? Unfortunately, it won’t be the man, the opponent, we all want it to be, as Mexican superstar Saul Canelo Alvarez insists he needs time to fully develop into a fully-fledged 160-pounder and as a result this particular super-fight will not happen until next September at the earliest (if ever!). So GGG will look to stay active against the best available opposition.