As one would expect, unbeaten British heavyweight star Anthony Joshua has a ton of options available to him, for his next fight, set for April 9th, and the coming months. It is the next step in the pro career of the 2012 Olympic gold medal winner that is of paramount importance right now though. And, in speaking with Sky Sports News HQ today, his promoter went into detail about how hard it is working out who is genuine in their calling out of “A.J” and who is not the real goods.
James Slater
Gennady Golovkin-Dominic Wade on April 23rd – a mismatch or will the underdog rise to the ultimate challenge?
While the entire boxing world waits and waits for the guaranteed explosion that is a middleweight unification showdown between the unbeaten Gennady Golovkin and the once beaten Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, “GGG” keeps himself busy and also deals with a mandatory defence by taking on Dominic Wade on April 23rd.
Golovkin, 34-0(31) will defend his collection of middleweight belts against Wade, 18-0(12) at The Forum in Inglewood, California. As would be the case with nearly every middleweight out there at the moment, Wade enters the fight as a considerable underdog, with some going as far as to call the fight a big mismatch. But Golovkin, who absolutely craves the big fights, as he has made clear time and again, has to keep busy. While Wade, a 25-year-old from Maryland, deserves credit for stepping up and taking a fight with the most feared man in boxing.
Chris Arreola-Travis Kauffman fight changed to no-decision due to Arreola testing positive for marijuana
The exciting, fan-friendly rumble heavyweights Chris Arreola and Travis Kauffman put on just before Christmas, won by Arreola in a close split decision, has been changed to a no-decision, ESPN.com reports. Arreola, who was knocked down in the battle, tested positive for marijuana in the post-fight drugs test and the result was changed on January 5th – Dan Rafael of ESPN.com says he himself only found out yesterday.
Robert Helenius to face former world title challenger Johann Duhaupas on April 2nd
It seems to be that, if a fighter conducts himself well in a challenge of reigning WBC heavyweight king, he will reap the rewards another big, high profile fight can bring. Eric Molina, who hit and hurt Wilder before being stopped in the 9th-round of a game challenge last June, will travel to Poland to face big name and former two-weight champ Tomasz Adamek on April 2nd, while on the same day, Johann Duhaupas will travel to Finland to fight unbeaten contender Robert Helenius.
Gerald McClellan: the fighter nobody should ever forget
World middleweight world champion Gerald McClellan was, as anyone who ever saw him fight will always remember, a fearsome talent. Known as “The G-Man,” McClellan would indeed rise to fame as a special fighter, but, sadly, it is his tragic career-ending war with Nigel Benn – this too simply unforgettable for any fight fan – that Gerald will always be most remembered for.
Frampton-Quigg showdown just days away, promoter Hearn says Quigg will win “a brutal fight”
We are just days away from a fight that was at least three years in the making: Scott Quigg against Carl Frampton in a super-bantamweight blockbuster that will have its venue, The Manchester Arena, rocking on February 27th.
For months and months now, the two unbeaten stars have been taunting one another, with promises of knockouts and of the beaten man being “exposed.” Quigg, trained by ace trainer Joe Gallagher, is convinced he will emerge victorious, while Frampton, guided by Barry McGuigan and trained by his son, Shane, has no doubt it will be he who has his hand raised.
Tomasz Adamek-Eric Molina set for April in Poland
How much has Polish hero and former light-heavyweight and cruiserweight ruler Tomasz Adamek got left? We may find out on April 2nd when Adamek, 50-4(30) will face recent WBC heavyweight title challenger Eric Molina.
Molina, 24-3(18) impressed and surprised a number of people in equal measure with his brave challenge of Deontay Wilder back in June. Stunning the defending champion, who was making the first defence of his WBC belt, and also taking Wilder’s best shots again and again until finally being TKO’d in the 9th-round of a fun fight, Molina showed what he is made of. Now he wants to earn a second shot at a major title and aims to do so at Adamek’s expense.
Floyd Mayweather wins prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson award for third time, will be honoured in the spring
Floyd Mayweather Junior’s trophy cabinet just got a little fuller; or it will in the spring when he will be presented, for a third time, with the Boxing Writers Association of America’s prestigious Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year award. Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports how Mayweather won the award for 2015 on the ballots released on Friday.
Shawn Porter-Keith Thurman: a fight between “the two best welterweights in the world”
Whichever way you slice it and whoever you feel will emerge victorious when they clash on March 12th in Connecticut, Shawn Porter Vs. Keith Thurman is a great, great match-up. The current welterweight division is stacked with talent and a number of equally good match-ups could/can be made. But Thurman against Porter, the defending WBA champion against the former IBF champion, is seen by most as a 50-50 affair as well as a possible Fight of The Year candidate.
Exclusive Interview with super-middleweight prospect Ronald Ellis
Unbeaten super-middleweight prospect Ronald Ellis makes his Showtime debut on February 19th and the 12-0(10) talent says he will “make a statement” in the scheduled 8-rounder with Jerry Odum.
A confident fighter who talks well, Ellis also says he wants an active 2016 so as to make up for a couple of injury-enforced layoffs earlier in his now five-year pro career.
Here the 2010 National Golden Gloves champion speaks exclusively with Eastside Boxing: