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.

Artur Beterbiev to return after year-long layoff

Artur Beterbiev to return after year-long layoff

Russian light-heavyweight Artur Beterbiev, one of the most promising and powerful prospects in boxing today, will return to action on June 4th in his adopted Canada. Sidelined since June of last year due to a serious shoulder injury, Beterbiev, 9-0(9) will face Ezquiel Osvaldo Maderna in Montreal in a fight that will go out live on ESPN’s first fight card of the year.

Beterbiev, a superb amateur, has yet to be extended beyond the 7th-round and impressive stoppage wins over former champion Tarvoris Cloud and Gabriel Campillo really put the 31-year-old on the world stage; this after just a handful of fights.

continue

Pacquiao wins Senate seat, Arum now convinced Pac-Man has boxed his last fight

Pacquiao wins Senate seat, Arum now convinced Pac-Man has boxed his last fight

Retired superstar Manny Pacquiao, who, reports from Manila say is now a Senator, will almost certainly have his hands full with his political duties; so much so that he will not fight again. So says his long time promoter Bob Arum in speaking with RingTV.com. It is now not out of the realms of possibility that Pacquiao will get as far as becoming President of his country; this being an honour that would surpass anything the 37-year-old superstar accomplished in the ring.

It really does look like we can now forget about any talk of the possibility of “one more fight” from the eight-weight king. Pacquiao told us upon entering his rubber-match with Tim Bradley in April that this would be his final ring appearance, but millions of fight fans chose not to believe him. Then, with less than a month gone into his retirement, there was talk of how Pacquiao and the also retired Floyd Mayweather Junior would hook up again, in a second mega-money fight. This now looks extremely unlikely (if it didn’t before) as Manny will have no choice but to channel all of his efforts, all of his time and all of his passion into politics; his real love.

continue

Danny Garcia open to fighting Amir Khan again, but warns Khan it would be a “dumb decision” to take the rematch

Danny Garcia open to fighting Amir Khan again, but warns Khan it would be a “dumb decision” to take the rematch

As fans know, the recently defeated Amir Khan, who was crushed after a game effort against middleweight champion Saul Canelo Alvarez, is the number-one contender for the WBC welterweight title held by Danny Garcia. Khan, who has ruled out retirement, has expressed interest in taking a second fight with Garcia, who stopped him inside 4-rounds back in 2012. With his mandatory position, Khan perhaps looks at a revenge fight as a possible quick route back to the top. Yet a number of people, Garcia included, naturally, feel another nasty KO loss would be what Khan would get if he faced Garcia again.

continue

Monster night of heavyweight fights, and potential KO’s, set for May 21st!

Monster night of heavyweight fights, and potential KO’s, set for May 21st!

The night of Saturday May 21st shapes up as being one cracking night of heavyweight action. No less than eight heavyweight punchers, ranging from the up-and-coming variety, to big, and very big names, will be battling it out. The fights will take place in London, Moscow and Manukau City in New Zealand. Fans of the heavyweights are in for what promises to be an exciting night; the only problem might be being able to catch all the action.

continue

Khan: I don’t like Brook, I’m not going to give him the fight; Garcia at top of my list

Khan: I don’t like Brook, I’m not going to give him the fight; Garcia at top of my list

Until now, Amir Khan, when asked when he will fight British rival Kell Brook (who is constantly calling Khan out) answered that the fight would take place in time, or when Brook has added a big name or two to his resume. This is not what Khan is saying now, however. Coming straight to the point, Khan says he “doesn’t like” Brook, and he insists, “I’m not going to give him the fight.”

continue

The better fighter: Khan or Hatton? Magic Man Malignaggi says Khan

The better fighter: Khan or Hatton? Magic Man Malignaggi says Khan

Fight fans, perhaps more than fans of any other sport, love a debate – even if there can never, ever be one definitive answer to the argument. And former world champ Paulie Malignaggi has surely started a debate with his stated opinion that, out of Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton, Khan goes down as the better fighter.

Malignaggi – who is matching his ring accomplishments with the talent he is showing for commentary – spoke with Mail Online and the man who fought both Hatton and Khan (losing to both via 11th-round stoppage, the Hatton loss being a corner retirement decision) gave his arguments for ranking Khan above Hatton.

continue

Khan says he’d like to return in December in the UK; talks possible Cotto, Garcia, Pacquiao fights

Khan says he’d like to return in December in the UK; talks possible Cotto, Garcia, Pacquiao fights

Amir Khan, thankfully okay after being brought down by one heck of a thudding blow by the much bigger and more powerful Saul Canelo Alvarez, is already plotting his next move; and this certainly does not include retirement. Khan, a fighter who has always gone after the biggest fights on a global scale, has lost none of his ambition, even if his gamble of a weight climb against Alvarez resulted in his fourth career defeat. In fact Khan, as he revealed when speaking with Sky Sports, has maintained his desire to engage in mega-fights.

continue

Tyson Fury gives props to Khan and Crolla then exits Twitter “So I can focus on my job”

Tyson Fury gives props to Khan and Crolla then exits Twitter “So I can focus on my job”

Controversial heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury rarely, if ever, gets credit for the classy things he does. The press and media, more motivated to write up stories telling of Fury’s bad side, are less keen to report on his good side. And deep down, Fury is indeed a good man. Out of his own pocket, this past Saturday, he flew to Germany to support once bitter rival Dereck Chisora ahead of his European title fight with Kubrat Pulev (Chisora lost via 12-round split decision) and the two had mutual respect in the dressing room both before and after the fight.

continue

Canelo-Golovkin next? Oscar De La Hoya says “Negotiations will begin tomorrow, behind closed doors”

Canelo-Golovkin next? Oscar De La Hoya says “Negotiations will begin tomorrow, behind closed doors”

One big fight ends, another even bigger fight starts being made. The fight we all want, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin, should, and actually could, happen later this year. This fight, a guaranteed blockbuster, has been in the works for months now, but for one reason or another (the critics pointing Canlo’s way as far as these reasons for it not happening) it has not been agreed upon quite yet.

continue