TODD duBOEF: We are weeks away from this highly anticipated match between two Hall of Fame fighters. Tim has shown an incredible rebirth, beginning with his November fight in his union with Teddy Atlas. He did what no one had ever done, stopping Brandon Rios. He is motivated and a classy person inside the ring and a classy, classy person outside the ring. We are really excited to hear what he has to say and how he is preparing for this fight. He just found out today that Everlast has signed Tim (http://goo.gl/utpZTx). As he is winding down his training camp days I think it’s a good time to talk to him and Teddy.
Month: March 2016
Billy Joe Saunders says he believes he will fight Gennady Golovkin this summer
Recently, top British promoter Frank Warren was quoted as saying how he feels there is only one middleweight in the world that has a chance of beating the dangerous, seriously talented and avoided Gennady Golovkin, and that is his fighter, reigning WBO 160-pound king Billy Joe Saunders. Warren also spoke, at a recent press conference to promote Saunders’ next fight, set for April 30th against Max Bursak, of how the Saunders-Golovkin fight had to happen at the right time.
Roman Gonzalez moves training camp to Costa Rica
Consensus #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter and World Boxing Council Flyweight Champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, 44-0 (38KO’s) has moved his training camp from Managua, Nicaragua to Costa Rica this week as he continues preparation for his world title defense against former world title challenger McWilliams Arroyo, 16-2 (14KO’s) at UNDEFEATED on Saturday, April 23 at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles, California.
Canelo-Khan card could be a real blockbuster – a number of possibilities in the works for May 7th bill
Let’s face it, many numbers of fight fans are likely to buy the May 7th Canelo Alvarez-Amir Khan fight; perhaps even close to a million fans in the U.S alone. The fight has, and is, attracting plenty of attention, opinion and excitement, and a smash hit is likely. But, in wanting to guarantee fans a spectacular show, Golden Boy are currently working on making the under-card one that will give value for money.
According to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, there are a number of interesting possibilities for the card that will take place on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The most exciting possible match-up that could support the main event is a Luis Ortiz-Alexander Ustinov fight that would see Cuban southpaw Ortiz fulfil his WBA mandatory obligation to defend against the Russian giant. Rafael reports how talks are ongoing between Golden Boy and Frank Warren, who promotes Ustinov.
Bellew to face Ilunga Makuba for vacant WBC title (Drozd is now “Champion in recess”)
Liverpool’s Tony Bellew will get a second chance to become a world champion this summer, as his promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed Bellew will face Ilunga Makuba for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title. Grigory Drozd was supposed to defend against Makuba but pulled out of the April fight injured and will now become either “Champion in Recess” or will be stripped of the title completely.
So Bellew and Makuba get their chance. There is no date or confirmed venue yet, but the word is June 4th is likely and Bellew wants the fight in Liverpool. Bellew, a former challenger of WBC light-heavyweight ruler Adonis Stevenson (“Bomber” losing inside six-rounds in 2013) has won six in a row since moving up to cruiserweight where he says he feels more comfortable and more powerful. Bellew has some good cruiserweight wins on his record, most notably a revenge points win over Nathan Cleverly and a EBU title win over Mateusz Masternak, which came in the 33-year-old’s last fight in December.
Khan compares his upcoming fight with Canelo to Sugar Ray Leonard’s challenge of Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Not surprisingly, Amir Khan says that if he manages to beat Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in their hugely intriguing May 7th fight, it will be the biggest and best thing he has ever done in his boxing career. The former 140-pound champion, in talking to Sky Sports, said it would be a “dream come true to be called the middleweight world champion.”
And Khan, who has been bulking up with weights as well as strength and conditioning training yet claims he is just as fast, with both his hands and his feet, is looking at an exceptional fighter’s exceptional achievement as inspiration going into the 155-pound clash: Sugar Ray Leonard’s fabulously unforgettable (and also controversial) points win over Marvellous Marvin Hagler in 1987.
Sergey Lipinets defeats Ghvamichava
Unbeaten junior welterweight Sergey Lipinets (9-0, 7 KOs) of Martuk, Kazakhstan thrilled the packed venue at the Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino in Nice, California on Tuesday night with a dramatic fifth-round knockout of Levan “The Wolf” Ghvamichava (16-2-1, 12 KOs) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes.
Shannon Briggs arrives in UK, says he may not leave – “might just stay here and just knock people out!”
Former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs arrived in London today, and he says he is looking to fight, “Whoever the British people want me to fight.” Briggs may be well into the veteran stage of his long career and he may be way past the force he once was, but the New Yorker remains both a good talker and a fan attraction.
It’s no secret Briggs wants a big fight with Britain’s David Haye – and he today told Sky Sports how he has “been looking for him [Haye] everywhere” – but the man who once beat the great George Foreman and gave the also great Lennox Lewis a helluva fight says he is open to fights with any of the big-name British heavyweights, including Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Russell Jr. battles Hyland on 4/16
MASHANTUCKET, CT (March 15, 2016) – Gary Russell Jr. will return to the ring to defend his WBC Featherweight World Title against Irish contender Patrick Hyland on Saturday, April 16, live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, undefeated IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Jose Pedraza will defend against mandatory challenger Stephen Smith.
Tyson Fury posts his wish-list: wants Klitschko rematch, then Martin-Joshua winner, then Wilder-Povetkin winner
If heavyweight champion Tyson Fury gets his way, the heavyweight division will see some huge and potentially thrilling match-ups take place in the coming months. Fury must first defeat former champ Wladimir Klitschko – in a return fight that has dragged on and on in terms of being officially announced; maybe the two fighters will clash in a secret location on a secret date! – but after that he wants more big names.