WBO welterweight ruler Jessie Vargas is losing patience with regards to his supposed upcoming (but still not officially announced) unification clash with IBF 147-pound champ Kell Brook. Brook’s promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted to some “frustrations” in getting the fight finalised with a set date – due in large part to trying to make the GGG-Eubank Junior fight for around the same time period of late August/September – but Vargas is beginning to look elsewhere.
James Slater
DeMarcus Corley still chopping away at 42, wins Jamaican “Contender” tournament
Arguably the single most experienced, seen-it-all-done-it-all active fighter in the sport today, former WBO 140-pound champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley’s pro record really does read like a who’s who of the 140 and 147-pound divisions. The amazing southpaw from Washington DC has, during his 20 year pro career, fought the following big and recognisable names: Randall Bailey X2 (a win and a loss), Zab Judah (a loss), Floyd Mayweather Junior (a loss), Miguel Cotto (a loss), Ener Julio X2 (two wins), Junior Witter (a loss), Devon Alexander (a loss), Marcos Maidana (a loss), Paul McCloskey (a win), Ruslan Provodnikov (a loss) and Viktor Postol (a loss).
“Suspended” Erkan Teper to return to action tomorrow, will face tough Derric Rossy
Fight fans will likely know the name Erkan Teper. The powerful 6’5” heavyweight from Germany scored what was initially viewed as an impressive 2nd-round KO over Britain’s David Price in July of last year. But later, Teper failed a drugs test and the win was changed to a no-decision by some (although not all). Price is still rightfully angered at the way he was cheated – only recently returning to the ring, picking up a win on May 29 and subsequently being reinstated in the top-15 with the IBF where he was ranked prior to the “loss.”
Golovkin vs Eubank Jr: What If Eubank Pulls It Off And Defeats GGG?
If Chris Eubank Junior pulled off the seemingly impossible and defeated GGG, where would it rank all-time in great British wins?
The fight hasn’t been finalised yet, let alone officially announced, but all involved in getting the Gennady Golovkin-Chris Eubank Junior fight done are optimistic it will happen, possibly as soon as August, maybe in London. Golovkin has said he likes the fight and is willing to come to the UK, while Eubank Jr has been calling for the fight for some time. Now, if all the money issues, the TV rights issues and other things can be settled, with respective promoters Eddie Hearn and Tom Loeffler currently working hard to make it so, the fight could well happen.
Canelo-Smith under-card could be value for money – Ortiz-Ustinov, Saunders possible to co-feature
Those US fight fans who don’t really fancy having to part with the substantial sum of $70 to see the Saul Canelo Alvarez-Liam Smith clash in Las Vegas (UK fans with BoxNation will be able to tune in without shelling out any dollars!) might have a change of heart if the ongoing plans for the supporting bouts come to fruition.
According to Golden Boy’s Eric Gomez, who spoke with RingTV.com, WBA heavyweight titlist Luis Ortiz could face his mandatory, Alexander Ustinov on the card, and WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders could face a TBA on the September 17th bill.
Antonio Margarito’s comeback to continue…..against Ramon Alvarez
Though he didn’t look good, not a bit like he did in his prime, against Jorge Paez Junior in his comeback fight in March of this year, former welterweight king Antonio Margarito will continue his comeback with a reported fight against Ramon Alvarez in Baja, California on August 13th. Margarito, 39-8(27) and fighting for the first time since December of 2011, got up from a knockdown to out-point Paez Jr, but he put his decidedly dodgy showing down to ring-rust.
Hearn says Anthony Joshua is likely to box in November or December – Parker, Stiverne, Jennings, Pulev all possibilities
Who will IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua fight next? His promoter Eddie Hearn, in speaking with the Daily Mail, said we can “expect an AJ return in November or December,” and that there are four names currently in the mix as far as possible challengers. Hearn said Joseph Parker, Joshua’s mandatory challenger, will be accommodated, possibly on the November or December date, or if not then, early next year.
Eddie Hearn: “After the Kell Brook-Jessie Vargas fight we’ll look to make a fight with Thurman or Garcia”
Promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted to frustrations in getting all the I’s dotted and all the T’s crossed with the upcoming IBF/WBO welterweight unification clash between Kell Brook and Jessie Vargas. The fight has still not been officially announced, even though Vargas has signed the contract. Speaking with the Daily Mail, Hearn said the fight “will happen,” and that when it does, unbeaten Brook “will underline that he is the best welterweight in the world.”
Happy Birthday, Mike Tyson – The youngest heavyweight champ in history turns 50 today
By his own admission, Mike Tyson, who today celebrates reaching his half century, never thought he’d live to the age of thirty, let alone 50. The former street hoodlum who was saved by boxing and then went off the rails as he made too much money, was manipulated by the wrong people he became involved with and eventually fell into pretty much all the traps his mentor and father figure Cus D’Amato so wanted him to avoid, was convinced he’d be dead not too long after his 21st birthday.
But Tyson endured, went through many changes and, by the age of 30, had done it all – he had: made history as the youngest heavyweight champion ever at age 20, become the undisputed king by the age of 21, lost the crown at age 23, served time in jail more than once, taken all manner of drugs and had sex with too many women to possibly count, bitten off a substantial chunk of an opponent’s ear, come close to total bankruptcy, fought on when way past his best, and finally retired from the ring at the age of 39.
Team-Wilder not looking past Chris Arreola, “100-percent focused” on July 16 clash
Some fans have complained about Deontay Wilder’s next defence, a voluntary that was allowed him by the WBC in light of what happened with the Alexander Povetkin fight that was set for May. Unbeaten 36-0(35) puncher Wilder will, as fans know, face veteran, former two-time world heavyweight title challenger Chris Arreola in Alabama on July 16. Though the fight is, at the very least, a good match-up; especially given the relatively short amount of time all concerned had to put Wilder’s next fight together, some fans have moaned.