In real life they fought twice, in 1994 and 1995. In reel-life, both Roberto Duran and Vinny Pazienza will go head-to-head later this year as both greats get the biopic treatment on the silver screen. Duran’s movie, “Hands of Stone,” hits cinemas first, at the tail end of August, while Pazienza’s movie, “Bleed For This,” comes out in early November. Both films promise to be, at the very least, watchable affairs.
Month: July 2016
Gennady Golovkin waiting on a signature from Chris Eubank Jr…
Will a fight between Gennady Golovkin and Chris Eubank Junior – the man who has been calling him out for some time, even recently posting a hugely confident message on social media where he promised to “rip the belts” away from GGG – actually happen? Well, Golovkin appears to be losing patience. Taking to his own Twitter page this afternoon, the middleweight king made it clear: the ball is now firmly in Eubank’s court:
“Everything is agreed from our side. Now waiting for @ChrisEubankJr, who all of a sudden has lost his pen….” GGG wrote a couple of hours ago, more than a touch sarcastically.
Wegner talks Abraham v Lihaug: ”Abraham can become World Champion again!”
Ulli Wegner has hit back at claims questioning Arthur Abraham’s (44-5, 29 KOs) motivation prior to his WBO International Super Middleweight title fight with Tim-Robin Lihaug (15-1, 8 KOs) on July 16 at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin.
Lihaug’s trainer Thomas Hansvoll had called into question Abraham’s desire, stating that he believed the former two-weight World Champion ‘had lost his hunger’ and after years at the top of the sport was ‘not so interested anymore’.
Training Camp Notes: Isaac Chilemba – Kovalev vs Chilemba
Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (24-3-2, 10 KOs) is in for the fight of his life against the world’s fiercest light heavyweight Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (29-0-1, 26 KOs) on July 11 in Ekaterinburg, Russia but the 29-year old from Malawi is no stranger to fighting in enemy territory. The grudge match between Kovalev and Chilemba will be for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles.
James Perella: Highly Decorated Amateur Boxer and Aspiring Attorney
James Perella is a highly successful amateur fighter who has amassed an impressive 120-20 record and is ranked the third best boxer in the U.S. for his weight class (152 pounds). He has won the U.S. Championship and the New England Golden Gloves four times (2012 to 2015) in three different weight classes (123, 141, and 152 pounds). Perella was named the Most Outstanding Boxer of the New England Golden Gloves in 2012, received a silver medal at the National Pal Tournament, and won the Region One Championship in 2014. He came close to qualifying for a spot on the 2016 Olympic Boxing Team until a combination of injuries and a pair of extremely close split decision losses put an end to his dream to represent his country.
Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan targeting the winner of Liam Smith and “That Mexican that thinks he’s Irish”
Irish warrior Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan, last seen being stopped after a game effort against Chris Eubank Junior in December, is aiming for an even bigger fight in the near future. Speaking with Irish-Boxing.com, O’Sullivan revealed how he is now campaigning down at 154-pounds and how he would “love” to face the winner of the September 17th WBO super-welterweight title fight between champ Liam Smith and challenger Saul Canelo Alvarez.
Antonio Tarver: “I get up in the morning wanting to surpass the great George Foreman”
Antonio Tarver, who recently called out British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte, wants a lot of things: a fight with Whyte, which he feels will lead to a shot at IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, which he feels would lead to a win that would see him surpass the legendary George Foreman as the oldest-ever heavyweight champ. It might be a long road, but Tarver feels the Whyte fight will see him achieve his latest dream.
Whyte, who boxes in Leeds on July 30, responded to Tarver’s calling him out on Twitter, and Tarver responded to Whyte’s claims that he would “smash him to pieces.” Tarver made it clear, when speaking with Sky Sports, how he wants Joshua and a shot at history, and that a win over Whyte would get him there.
Peter Fury confirms new date for Fury-Klitschko II is October 29th, in Manchester
It took a long time to find a date and then it got postponed, now it’s back on again – we hope. The Tyson Fury-Wladimir Klitschko rematch everyone is eager to see for a number of reasons will now take place on October 29th, so says Klitschko manager Bernd Boente and Fury’s uncle and trainer Peter. Boente spoke of the new date with German publication BILD last week and Irish-Boxing.com reports how Peter Fury confirmed the new date for the bout yesterday. The venue will stay the same, The Manchester Arena.
Premier Boxing Champions Series Heats Up July With A Jam-Packed Month
Already off to a red hot start, boxing fans should mark their calendars for a blockbuster Premier Boxing Champions Series (PBC) schedule in July, which features a jam-packed array of fights that will include prospects, contenders and championship matches that run the gamut from heavyweight to featherweight.
“The month of July is typically a slow time for boxing, but not this July. There will be eight PBC series shows that offer some of the most exciting boxers in the sport today,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Haymon Boxing.
Lihaug’s coach Hansvoll: “Abraham has lost his hunger!”
Thomas Hansvoll expects Tim-Robin Lihaug (15-1, 8 KOs) to upset the odds and score a career-defining win over former two-weight World Champion Arthur Abraham (44-5, 29 KOs) on July 16 at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin.
The Norwegian duo have been hard at work preparing for the WBO International title fight, and although Lihaug enters the bout as an underdog, Hansvoll is confident the 23 year-old has what it takes to beat an ageing Abraham, who he believes has ‘lost his hunger’.