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.

Ali to Foreman: Please come back and beat Ken Norton for me

06/17/201606/16/2016 James Slater

Big George Foreman, with the passing of the great (or greatest) Muhammad Ali, has become the oldest living former world heavyweight champion, and the 67-year-old legend sure has a number of tales to tell. Foreman has literally seen it all, done it all, and lived to tell the story of it all. George has had some quite amazing life, no doubt. But despite all he has witnessed, the incomparable Ali still leaves George somewhat mystified and in awe.

These past two weeks have seen Foreman share with us all his memories of Ali, and George has paid great tributes to the former three-time king. One of the more interesting things Foreman had to say about his one-time archenemy came on the latest episode of Jim Lampley’s The Fight Game. Foreman spoke of an unexpected phone-call from Ali, “in the late ’70’s.”

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Wladimir Klitschko vows to end Fury’s reign, take away Tyson’s platform

06/17/201606/16/2016 James Slater

Former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko regrets losing to Tyson Fury for a number of reasons. Klitschko, a man used to winning, obviously didn’t want to lose, period, but he is mostly bothered by two things: his own admittedly poor performance, and the fact that with his big win over him, Fury was given a global platform to vocalise his views and opinions. And Klitschko, as he wrote today on social media, regrets the platform his loss gave Fury.

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Dreaming big: could Jason Quigley be a future foe for Golovkin, Canelo?

06/15/2016 James Slater

Unbeaten Irish prospect Jason Quigley made a big step towards becoming a contender with his last win, a May 7 points victory over the experienced James De La Rosa, and now the former amateur standout has a, the sky’s the limit attitude. Quigley may be just 11-0 as a pro, but he says in an interview with The Irish News that he already has superstars such as Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez on his radar.

Quigley, signed with Golden Boy and Sheer Sports, acknowledges how he needs more experience and that he is in no rush, but he is already dreaming of the big, big fights – a super dream fight with GGG in Ireland especially.

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Ricky Burns wants revenge – against either Crawford or Zlaticanin

06/15/2016 James Slater

Back on top of the world by way of his impressive stoppage win over Michelle Di Rocco in which he became the WBA super lightweight ruler and a three weight king, Scottish hero Ricky Burns currently has one thing on his mind: revenge. The 33-year-old was out-pointed by new star Terence Crwaford, who ended his reign as WBO lightweight champion, and Burns, when on the comeback trail from that loss, suffered another points defeat at the hands of Dejan Zlaticanin just three months later.

Crawford has gone from strength to strength since coming to Glasgow to beat Burns, and he next fights a unification bout with Viktor Postol at 140-pounds. Burns picks Crawford to add the WBC title to the WBO 140-pound belt he already holds with a win over Postol on July 23rd, and he told Sky Sports he would love a rematch with the pound-for-pound star.

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Eddie Hearn says he feels Haye could get down to 210, fight with Bellew targeted for February or March 2017

06/15/2016 James Slater

Eddie Hearn, the promoter of newly crowned WBC cruiserweight king Tony Bellew, really does feel a massive fight between Bellew and David Haye can happen. Speaking with RingTV.com, the Matchroom boss said he believes Haye – the former undisputed cruiserweight ruler and also a former WBA heavyweight champ and a current heavyweight campaigner – could get his weight down to 210-pounds (the heaviest Bellew wants to fight at, understandably) and that he is looking at the fight taking place in February or March of next year.

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Jarrell Miller says “more than 80-percent of America” doesn’t know who WBC champ Deontay Wilder is

06/14/2016 James Slater

He’s got a big mouth and he’s not afraid to use it. No, not Tyson Fury, but another unbeaten heavyweight: New York’s Jarrell Miller. Miller is a colorful talker and fighter with power, and he is slowly building up a fan base with his trash-talking and his impressive KO wins. The latest to come under attack – of the verbal kind – from “Big Baby,” as Miller is curiously nicknamed, is reigning WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder.

Miller, 17-0-1(15) says the majority of fight fans in America do not know who Wilder is, while the 27-year-old has also criticized Wilder’s next challenger, Mexican/American warrior Chris Arreola. Speaking with Sky Sports, Miller – who has been compared to the great Riddick Bowe by some impressed experts – said the upcoming July 16th fight is “crap.”

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Vasyl Lomachenko: has any other 6-1 fighter ever looked so great!

06/14/2016 James Slater

Due to his stunning and brutal KO win over the more than capable Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Ukraine’s Vasyl Lomachenko is currently getting all kinds of praise from many people. An amazing amateur talent – wining, amongst other top honours, two gold medals at Olympic level – the 28-year-old southpaw looks set to match his unpaid success in the pro ranks; if that’s possible – 396-1, a truly staggering set of numbers, makes up Lomachenko’s amateur record, after all. At just 6-1(4) Lomachenko has already engaged in six world title fights (WBO) and the man known as “Hi-Tech” has captured two major belts.

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Invaluable site BoxRec’s new ratings: the pound-for-pound best of all-time!

06/14/201606/14/2016 James Slater

Practically anyone and everyone who follows boxing (and has access to a computer) pays, at the very least, a visit or two to BoxRec.com each week, probably more frequently and often. A painstakingly put together site that lists every single active boxer, their records and, in extra-quick time, their results as they happen, BoxRec is simply essential for any boxing fan or writer.

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Klitschko adds hi-tech elements to his “Rocky Balboa-style workouts,” using Cyrosauna

06/13/2016 James Slater

We’ve all seen the movie Rocky IV, where Russian terror Ivan Drago uses a hi-tech approach to training, while old slugger Rocky Balboa sticks to the old-school methods of chopping trees and running in the snow and the like. Well, real-life ex-champ Wladimir Klitschko is taking no chances ahead of his must-win rematch with new heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury; using both tried and tested and new, hi-tech methods so as to be able to avenge a loss he himself calls “embarrassing.”

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Who has the tougher upcoming title defence: Wilder or Joshua?

06/13/2016 James Slater

There is plenty to like about both unbeaten Deontay Wilder, the reigning WBC heavyweight king, and unbeaten Anthony Joshua, holder of course of the IBF strap, and there are some similarities between the two. Both big men are still somewhat green at the highest pro level and both have been called a champion is progress by the experts. Both men have real punching power, and already, fans and a few of these experts are talking about a potential unification showdown between the two that would be absolutely massive.

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