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.
Month: December 2016
Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko: The Richest Fight in Boxing History – or certainly the most expensive
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.
Gassiev: ‘Explain to me why Denis Lebedev is still world champion.’
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.
Ray Opoku donates equipment to support juvenile boxing
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.
Dillian Whyte-Dereck Chisora rematch would be BIG says Hearn, could sell out The O2
Fight fans roared their approval over the December 10 under-card at The Manchester Arena; both during the action that supported the headline act that saw Anthony Joshua blast out Eric Molina and afterwards. There have been no complaints about having parted with pay-per-view cash for the card, despite the disappointing (if predictable) headline fight.
The fan approval largely stemmed from the quite fantastic FOTY candidate that was the heavyweight war between bitter British rivals Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora. Indeed, this fight stole the show, leaving fans, pundits and experts alike breathless. The call for a rematch began almost immediately and promoter Eddie Hearn says it is definitely a possibility for next year – only this time, the fight will be deservedly elevated to headline status.
Hopkins Vows To Destroy Smith In Final Fight Live On Boxnation
Bernard Hopkins is out to prove he is ‘special’ by overcoming knockout king Joe Smith this weekend.
The future Hall-of-Famer is looking to go out in style in his final bout by overcoming the hard-hitting Smith, exclusively live on BoxNation.
51-year-old Hopkins has long proved himself as one of boxing’s greatest ever but he is hungry to show once again why he is no ordinary fighter by dazzling against his light-heavyweight opponent at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Zeuge vs Ekpo in Lagos?
Top boxing promoters in Nigeria have expressed keen interest in bringing the Tyron Zeuge versus Isaac Ekpo WBA super middleweight world championship to the West African country.
The WBA world championship committee only this week ordered that Zeuge (19-0-1, 11 KOs) of Germany mandatorily defend the title against the WBA number 3 rated Ekpo (31-2, 24 KOs) who previously lost a decision in Germany to Robert Stieglitz when he challenged for the WBO super middleweight belt back in 2013.
Watch: Povetkin vs Stiverne: Weigh-In Video
Weigh-In Results: Povetkin – 101,5 kg (223,7 lbs), Stiverne – 113,1 kg (249 lbs)
Former WBC heavyweight champ Bermane Stiverne could well be having the last big fight of his career on Saturday night in Ekaterinburg. The 38-year-old faces Russian hero Alexander Povetkin in an attempt at becoming the interim WBC champ and Stiverne says he knows he needs a KO to win.
Speaking with RT Sport just after the official press conference, a smiling and relaxed-looking Stiverne, 25-2-1(21) said there is no way he will get a decision over Povetkin should the fight go the full 12 rounds, and that he has trained for the KO.
Coach Asare lands in Sierra Leone to instruct boxing course
Veteran Ghanaian boxing trainer, Ofori Asare arrived in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone on Thursday to conduct the AIBA (world amateur boxing governing body) boxing coaching course for One-Star certification.
The former Ghana amateur boxing team coach will supervise the tuition of a number of aspiring boxing coaches from December 16 to 23, with the participants expected to earn certificates that qualifies them to coach at international level and be recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Hopkins vs Smith Live On BoxNation
Legend Bernard Hopkins wants to end his illustrious career on a high as he enters the ring for the final time on Saturday night.
The 51-year-old who has enjoyed one of the most remarkable journeys in the sport takes his last step against the big-hitting Joe Smith, exclusively live on BoxNation, where he will look to go out with a bang following a glorious four-decade stint at the top.