James Slater

James Slater has been a respected voice at Boxing247.com (formerly East Side Boxing) for over twenty years. Known for his deep knowledge of the sport, he covers everything from breaking news and historical features to exclusive fighter interviews. Throughout his career, Slater has spoken with world champions, rising prospects, and boxing legends alike, offering readers trusted insight and genuine passion for the fight game.

Thurman-Porter winner must face Avanesyan-Shane Mosley winner says WBA President Mendoza Jr.

Thurman-Porter winner must face Avanesyan-Shane Mosley winner says WBA President Mendoza Jr.

The WBA, as fans may know, says it is fully attempting to put together a series of fights and tournaments designed to crown just one world champion in each weight class. The WBA currently has a number of champions in a number of weight classes – at heavyweight, for example, Tyson Fury, Luis Ortiz and Ruslan Chagaev all hold a version of the WBA crown – and Gilberto Ramirez Junior, the WBA President, wants to sort things out.

While this is a good idea on many fronts, the order the WBA has made regarding it’s welterweight champions could prove to have dangerous consequences for future Hall of Famer and former three-weight ruler “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Mendoza recently stated how the winner of the upcoming May 28th fight between “interim” WBA 147-pound champ David Avanesyan and Mosley must then be given a shot at the “regular” WBA title, set to be defended by Keith Thurman, 26-0(22) against challenger Shawn Porter, 26-1-1(16) in June.

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So who will Shannon Briggs fight on Saturday night?

So who will Shannon Briggs fight on Saturday night?

It was officially confirmed at today’s press conference in London that Shannon Briggs will no longer be fighting Alexander Dimitrenko on Saturday night’s David Haye-Arnold Gjergjaj card at The O2. Fans raised eyebrows when it was announced how 44-year-old Briggs would box Dimitrenko – by far the most dangerous opponent so far in Briggs’ now 8-fight comeback – as a “warm up” for his agreed next fight with Haye (providing the two win on Saturday).

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Fury says he was decked three times and beaten up in sparring – more games or is Tyson being serious?

Fury says he was decked three times and beaten up in sparring - more games or is Tyson being serious?

Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury is keeping his fans up to date with his preparations and training ahead of his July 9th rematch with Wladimir Klitschko by way of video messages on his Instagram account. And Fury has posted an account of how he was “bladdered” and beaten up in sparring by a light-heavyweight from Belgium he and his team have brought in for speed work.

Fury says in the video that he was put down three times, was cut across the eye and was generally beaten up! Now, as fans know – and are getting to know more and more as time goes by – Fury is a notorious practical joker and it is hard to know when he is being serious. Is Fury merely attempting to play yet more games with Klitschko (who may or may not read about the spar) or is he being down to earth and brutally honest?

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David Price: “If I knew Teper was on drugs, I’d have done what Wilder did and the fight wouldn’t have happened”

David Price: “If I knew Teper was on drugs, I’d have done what Wilder did and the fight wouldn’t have happened”

July 17th, 2015 is a date British heavyweight David Price is destined to never forget. That was the day when the former British and Commonwealth champion was knocked out inside a couple of rounds by Germany’s Erkan Teper in a bout that contested the vacant European crown. At the time, the loss seemed to have brought an end to Price’s once promising world class career, but, as fans know, Teper subsequently failed a drugs test and he was banned from the sport.

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Anthony Joshua speaks about the “war” he had in the gym with Tyson Fury; mutual respect

Anthony Joshua speaks about the “war” he had in the gym with Tyson Fury; mutual respect

Boxing is littered with tails of gym sparring sessions between two big names, who were either established at the time or became so afterwards. Dennis Andries, for example, is said to have broken hearts as well as bones in his numerous gym wars at Kronk in the late 1980s. And today, in speaking with Sky Sports, IBF heavyweight boss Anthony Joshua spoke about who bossed the sparring session he had with current world ruler Tyson Fury many moons ago.

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Showtime boss says Wilder-Joshua mega-fight should happen “within next 12-18 months”

Showtime boss says Wilder-Joshua mega-fight should happen “within next 12-18 months”

With Deontay Wilder’s potentially exciting mandatory defence against Alexander Povetkin now off – due to the Russian star coming up positive for an illegal substance in case anyone didn’t know – fans are wondering who WBC heavyweight king Wilder will fight next. Next in line in the WBC rankings is Bermane Stiverne, the man Wilder beat back in January of 2015 to take the green belt. Could we soon be seeing a rematch?

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Mark de Mori on Haye’s ongoing comeback: “His power is ridiculous”

Mark de Mori on Haye’s ongoing comeback: “His power is ridiculous”

David Haye has his critics, plenty of them in fact, but two things cannot be denied: Haye’s punching-power and his box-office appeal. This Saturday (on terrestrial channel ‘Dave’ for UK fight fans) the 35-year-old former champ will continue his comeback as he aims for a shot at regaining at least a slice of the heavyweight crown.

Haye, 27-2(25) and beaten only by Carl Thompson (down at cruiserweight and seemingly an eternity ago now in 2004) and Wladimir Klitschko, will face unbeaten but largely unknown Arnold Gjergjaj in London and, assuming all goes well, he will then face vocal former WBO heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs in September.

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Haye defends his choice of opposition: “Gjergjaj is perfect preparation and then I’ll look at a big fight with Briggs”

Haye defends his choice of opposition: “Gjergjaj is perfect preparation and then I’ll look at a big fight with Briggs”

David Haye, the former undisputed cruiserweight ruler and a former WBA heavyweight champ, continues his comeback this Saturday, against unbeaten but little-known Arnold Gjergjaj in a scheduled 10-rounder at The O2 in London. Gjergjaj is young at age 31 and he has a good-looking 29-0(21) record. However, the critics have, well, criticised Haye’s choice of opponent, some even saying Gjergjaj represents a step down from Haye’s first comeback foe, Mark de Mori.

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Could Tyson Fury become another Buster Douglas? David Haye fears the worst

Could Tyson Fury become another Buster Douglas? David Haye fears the worst

It’s been said before now, by a number of fans, that heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury – who partied and partied after winning the crown and piled on a ton of weight as a result – could go down in history as “another Buster Douglas.” Douglas of course, smashed “invincible” heavyweight king Mike Tyson to defeat in a truly stunning performance, then ate himself up to around 300-pounds and almost lost his life after falling into a diabetic coma.

Hopefully Fury will not follow such a path, but there are fresh concerns in light of his terrible physical appearance at “that” press conference in Manchester last month. Fury has since shifted a substantial amount of the excess weight he packed on and hopefully he will be fully focused going into his July 9 rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.

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