As Caesars Palace celebrates 50 years, boxing legends Ali and Hearns receive prestigious Icon Awards

08/08/201608/07/2016 James Slater

A huge party was taking place last night in Las Vegas, as the iconic and quite beautiful hotel Caesars Palace celebrated its 50th birthday. The hotel, one of the oldest in Las Vegas, opened its doors on August 5, 1966 and a weekend-long series of celebrations came to and end with a stunning fireworks display last night. Fight fans of course used to regularly pack out Caesars Palace when the biggest fights, the most special fights, took place there.

Throughout its history, Caesars Palace played host to, amongst many others, the following unforgettable boxing nights and fights: George Foreman-Ron Lyle, Larry Holmes-Ken Norton, Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns.

continue

Gennady Golovkin: “I hit harder every day”

08/08/201608/07/2016 James Slater

Is middleweight king Gennady Golovkin the hardest puncher, pound-for-pound, in the sport today? Many people feel the 35-0(32) star is and when you look at GGG’s stats: those 32 KO’s, the fact that no man has ever taken him the full 12-rounds and how Triple-G has a 100-percent KO ration in world title fights and a 91.4-percent ratio overall in his pro career, it’s easy to see why. But Golovkin, training hard for his upcoming September 10 title defence against IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, has Tweeted some very bad news for Brook.

continue

Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward: can Kovalev make it an exciting fight?

08/08/201608/07/2016 James Slater

Andre Ward sure is a talented boxer, but he sure can turn in a boring fight. Last night’s almost pointless 12-rounder with a totally outclassed Alexander Brand has received some of the worst reviews in recent memory, with a number of experts calling the dreadfully dull shut-out win for Ward one of the worst fights ever televised on HBO. Ward cruised to the lopsided win, content to win each round in pretty much the same manner he had won the previous three minutes.

continue

Kovalev vs Ward on 11/19

08/07/201608/07/2016 Main Events

On Saturday, Nov. 19 the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer will be crowned. Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs), the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion, and Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) Two-Time World Champion, officially announced their long-awaited showdown following Ward’s victory over Alexander Brand at the conclusion of the live HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast Saturday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Kovalev vs. Ward will take place Saturday, Nov. 19. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT and is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions.

continue

Results: Olympic games action

08/08/201608/07/2016 AIBA

The Men’s Lightweight (60kg), Welterweight (69kg) and Light Heavyweight (81kg) boxers took to the ring on Sunday morning to begin a second busy day with 20 bouts of Olympic boxing. Eighteen nationalities were represented across the morning’s ten contests, and it was Kenya’s Rayton Okwiri and the Ecuadorian Carlos Mina who got the crowd fired up in the opening session.

continue

Results: Ward defeats Brand, looks boring

08/07/201608/06/2016 Rob Smith

Andre “S.O.G” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs) won his tune-up fight on Saturday night to stay unbeaten in defeating Alexander Brand (25-2, 19 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The fight was televised by HBO Boxing, and you have to wonder whether they regretted agreeing to televise this fight. It was very boring performance from Ward from the 1st round until the 12th. Ward looked like he never got out of 1st gear tonight, as he just slowly plodded around the ring like a heavyweight than a light heavyweight. it was like watching paint dry. Brand was no better. He ran from Ward for 12 rounds and made it impossible to watch.

continue

Anthony Joshua-Hughie Fury called for in November; Peter Fury sees “an excellent fight”

08/06/2016 James Slater

Joshua Vs. Fury, for the IBF heavyweight crown this November – it certainly has a ring to it; even if it’s not Tyson we’re talking about, but the world heavyweight king’s cousin, unbeaten contender Hughie Fury. And Peter Fury, trainer of both heavies, says he is keen on his son Hughie challenging Joshua in his next fight. Talking with Sky Sports, Peter said Hughie has been treated for a skin condition and is now in full health when he had in the past been fighting when performing at just “30 or 40 percent.”

continue

BJ Flores vows he will “school” Tony Bellew “before I knock his ass clean out!”

08/06/2016 James Slater

Though the fight hasn’t been officially announced yet there has been plenty of talk over how WBC cruiserweight champ Tony Bellew will make the first defence of his belt against BJ Flores on October 15 in his native Liverpool. Eddie Hearn, Bellew’s promoter, is expected to make an official announcement regarding the Liverpool show next week some time. But Flores, at 37 knowing he will be getting what will likely be his last title shot, is already promising to both school and then knock out Bellew – a fighter he has been calling out even before “Bomber” won the WBC belt by smashing the dangerous Ilunga Makabu in May.

continue

Results: Morales decisions Franco

08/06/2016 Golden Boy Promotions

On this edition of LA FIGHT CLUB, the fans were treated to non-stop action from start to finish at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Special guests in attendance included NBA Superstar Metta World Peace, NABF Super Lightweight Champion Antonio “Relentless” Orozco, NABA Featherweight Champion Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez, Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass, “King” Gabriel Rosado, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy, Roy “Pitbull” Tapia, Alexis Rocha, Niko “Baby Face” Valdes and David Mijares, who all sat ringside watching the action.

continue

Results: Benavidez defeats Douglin

08/06/201608/06/2016 Premier Boxing

Undefeated rising contender David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez (16-0, 15 KOs) knocked out Denis Douglin (20-5, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Douglin, who is trained by his mother Saphya, opened the fight very aggressive, stealing the first round on all three judges’ scorecards. Douglin continued to press the action, also winning the second round battle with two of the three judges, but Benavidez would soon settle in and take control of the war.

continue