Povetkin-Stiverne fight in serious jeopardy as Povetkin fails (another) drugs test

12/17/201612/17/2016 James Slater

News broke late last night US time stating how Russia’s Alexander Povetkin failed a drugs test, the announcement coming from the WBC President Jose Suliaman just hours before Povetkin’s scheduled fight with Bermane Stiverne. The fight, which was set for today, and would contest the interim WBC heavyweight title (the winner to face full champ Deontay Wilder some time next year) is now in serious jeopardy.

The WBC has been forced to withdraw its sanction of the bout, meaning that if the fight does still go ahead it will be a non-title clash. Povetkin reportedly tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine, the fighter’s sample, given to a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, reportedly coming up positive for the drug. As fans will no doubt recall, Povetkin also tested positive for medonium ahead of his scheduled fight with Wilder back in May.

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Canelo vs Chavez Jnr could happen on Cinco de Mayo weekend on HBO ppv

12/17/201612/17/2016 James Slater

There is always a tremendous buzz around the big fight that plays out on Cinco de Mayo weekend, the huge celebration in Mexico, and next year it could be an all-Mexican showdown that gets the big stage. As fans may have read, there is talk of a Saul Alvarez-Julio Cesar Chavez Junior fight taking place next year – with both sides interested in the fight and currently in talks – and according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com the fight could be staged on May 6.

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Quartey focused on victory over Yafai for Commonwealth title

12/17/2016 Prince Dornu-Leiku

Ghana’s Emmanuel ‘Akufo-Addo’ Quartey says the postponement of his bid for the Commonwealth super bantamweight title against reigning champ, Gama Yafai of England has not affected his focus and ambition ahead of the new fight date of February 4, 2017, live on Sky Sports.

Quartey (20-2, 19 KOs) was scheduled to face the undefeated Yafai (10-0, 4 KOs) for the British Empire crown on December 3 but an injury in training to the champ necessitated the postponement of the fight to the new date in the new year, still promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport.

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Oleksandr Usyk vs. Thabiso Mchunu Scouting Report

12/17/201612/17/2016 Main Events

This Saturday night undefeated WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Oleksandr Usyk (10-0, 9 KOs) will make his first defense against Thabiso “The Rock” Mchunu (17-2, 11 KOs) at the Forum in Inglewood, California. This exciting match-up will open HBO World Championship Boxing telecast beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT headlined by Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Smith Jr. Below is the scouting report for this bout:

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Sullivan Barrera Pulls Upset Over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy

12/17/201612/17/2016 Golden Boy Promotions

Cuban stand out Sullivan Barrera (18-1, 13 KOs) pulled an upset over Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-1, 14 KOs) in a slugfest for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. before a nearly sold-out crowd and televised on HBO Latino. The fight lasted until the seventh round, where Shabranskyy’s team waved the white towel at the 2:05 mark.

“Of course we would never expect this,” said Vyacheslav Shabranskyy. “We will decide next steps after we get over this.”

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Weights: Hopkins 174, Smith 175 – Photo Gallery

12/17/201612/17/2016 Star Boxing

Joe “The Beast” Smith and Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins both tipped the scales at 174 pounds ahead of their clash tomorrow night from The Forum and televised live on HBO starting at 10pm EST. At stake will be Smith’s WBC International Light Heavyweight belt and the contest is scheduled for 12 rounds or less.

Smith, hailing from Mastic Beach, NY brings a record of 22-1 18KO’s into the fight while the former multiple division champion and legend Bernard Hopkins enters with a record of 55-7-2 32KO’s.
Both fighters were presented with a WBC Onyx commemorative belt in honor of Hopkins final fight.

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Bernard Hopkins – Joe Smith Jr. this Saturday / Hopkins Q & A

12/17/201612/16/2016 Golden Boy Promotions

Placing an exclamation point at the end of a decades long career, former two-division world champion and future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (55-7 2, 32 KOs) will be delivering a performance reflective of his extensive career taking on the best as he faces a young lion and current WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) this Saturday, Dec. 17 on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Hopkins will be entering the ring for his last hoorah in true Hopkins style by closing out the book with a match up that will demonstrate his evolution as a fighter and his daring persona.

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Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko: The Richest Fight in Boxing History – or certainly the most expensive

12/16/2016 James Slater

Boxing history could be made on April 29th at Wembley in London, in a number of ways. The heavyweight title clash between reigning and defending IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua and former lineal king Wladimir Klitschko – which will also contest the vacant WBA belt – could smash the record for most tickets sold for a boxing match. The current record of almost 80,000 tickets sold was set by Carl Froch and George Groves a couple of years back, but now there are realistic expectations of 90,000 tickets being shifted for the clash of generations next April.

If Klitschko wins he will be one of the very few three-time heavyweight champions in history, and as far as ticket prices go for the big fight, the record for the most expensive ringside seat will be broken next April. How much for a VIP ringside seat? £800? No. £1,000? No. £1,500? No again. A VIP seat at ringside can be yours for, get this……£2,000 (approx $2,490 US). A regular ringside ticket will set you back the considerable sum of £800.

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Gassiev: ‘Explain to me why Denis Lebedev is still world champion.’

12/17/201612/16/2016 Warriors Boxing

Warriors Boxing and Ural Boxing wish to congratulate the fighter they co-promote, brand-new IBF Cruiserweight World Champion Murat “Iron” Gassiev, for his title-winning victory on December 3 against Denis Lebedev at the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow, Russia.

In an entertaining fight, Gassiev (24-0, 17 KOs) of Vladikavkaz, Russia, dropped his countryman Lebedev in the fifth round and won a split decision by scores of 116-112 and 116-111 against a score of 114-113 for the now-former champ.

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Ray Opoku donates equipment to support juvenile boxing

12/17/201612/16/2016 Prince Dornu-Leiku

Ray Opoku, a former Ghanaian amateur and professional boxer in the 1970s and early 80s has fulfilled a promise to provide headgear to support juvenile boxing in Ghana after watching a Facebook post of juveniles fighting without it back in July this year.

A number of kid boxers engaged in exhibition fights at this year’s ‘Salafest’ boxing show which took place at Opera Square in Accra on July 9, videos of which was posted on Facebook. Opoku who is now based in Germany where he trains aspiring boxers and others for self-defence, was one of those who watched the video online. He immediately expressed that it was wrong for the juveniles to fight without headgear in a comment on the said video.

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