It looks as though reigning WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder will have to find a new opponent for his scheduled February 25 return fight in Alabama. Wilder was of course set to defend against Andrej Wawrzyk, but Wawrzyk has failed a doping test.
ESPN.com reports that Wawrzyk failed a urine test, coming up positive for the anabolic steroid stanazolol. The pre-fight test was conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) and Wawrzyk could now be out of the fight.
WBA Lightweight World Champion Jorge Linares and former titlist Anthony Crolla held a press conference on Tuesday in Manchester, England, to formally announce their upcoming rematch on Saturday, March 25 live on SHOWTIME from Manchester Arena.
Linares (41-3, 27 KOs) narrowly outpointed defending champion Crolla (31-5-3, 13 KOs) last September in a thrilling battle in Crolla’s hometown of Manchester.
Former World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Flyweight Champion CARLOS “PRINCIPE” CUADRAS, (35-1-1, 27 KO’s) of Mexico City, Mexico returns to battle against cross-town rival and Former World Title Challenger DAVID “SEVERO” CARMONA, (20-3-5, 8 KO’s), also of Mexico City, Mexico, on Saturday, March 18 at The Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden.
After just 18 bouts as a pro, all either quick or mid-rounds quick, KO wins, Anthony Joshua is ready for his “defining fight.” The big, record-breaking sell-out showdown between he and former king Wladimir Klitschko on April 29 will define the remainder of Joshua’s career, certainly – and AJ is hugely motivated to win.
“I tried to play it down, I’m quite like that – ‘It’s only another fight’,” Joshua said on the enormity of the upcoming fight when speaking with Sky Sports News HQ. “But emotionally you will always change how you feel about something. I’m going into the stage, emotionally, where this is my defining fight. I’ve done what I had to do to become [IBF] champion, which is great. But when we talk about defining fights, this is one that could change the perspective of my credibility within my industry. That’s why this fight is important.”
Carl Frampton is just days away from a second war with Leo Santa Cruz, but the WBA featherweight king is already eyeing up his next fight. Frampton, who defeated Santa Cruz to take the featherweight belt in a classic fight last summer, believes he will triumph again in the return in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Frampton, who picked up the prestigious Fighter of The Year award from Ring Magazine for his 2016 achievements, believes he may even KO the tough Mexican warrior this time. And on the under-card on Saturday at The MGM, IBF featherweight ruler Lee Selby faces his mandatory challenger Jonathan Barrios, with a potentially massive unification fight between the two a strong possibility for later this year – assuming they both win of course.
Bob Arum’s idea of having superstar Manny Pacquiao box four times this year was always an overly optimistic bit of planning. Four times a year just doesn’t happen these days, not for a huge marquee name. Look at Gennady Golovkin; last year he wanted to engage in four fights, or three at least, yet he managed just two wins.
And factor in Pacquiao’s age and his time-consuming political chores, and there was no way he’d box four times. So how many fights does the reigning WBO welterweight champ feel he will have here in 2017 as he closes in, probably, on retirement? Quoted by Ring, Pac-Man and his advisor Michael Koncz say the 38-year-old will have two fights – one in April, the other in October or November.
Consensus #1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World and World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Flyweight Champion ROMAN “CHOCOLATITO” GONZALEZ, (46-0-0, 38 KO’s), held court in front of a huge crowd of Nicaraguan media before heading to Costa Rica for training camp in preparations to defend his title against Mandatory Challenger SRISAKET SOR RUNGVISAI (41-4-1, (38 KO’s) of Si Sa Ket, Thailand, on Saturday, March 18, 2017, at “The Mecca of Boxing”, Madison Square Garden.
Gonzalez is one of the country’s most popular figures, having been mentored by Nicaraguan boxing legend, the late ALEXIS ARGUELLO. In his last fight, a brilliant 12-round decision over CARLOS CUADRAS on September 10 at The Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles and telecast on HBO, Gonzalez became a fourth divisional world champion, the first in the Nicaragua’s history.
Building on its record of signing and promoting the best of the best, Golden Boy Promotions – in association with ZR Entertainment — today announced a multi-fight deal with former three-division world champion and Olympic Gold medalist Yuriokis “El Ciclón de Guantánamo” Gamboa (25-1, 17 KOs).
The Cuban standout, who has defeated a who’s who of champions and contenders throughout his 10-year professional career, will look to add to the title belts he has held in the featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight divisions as he makes another run at championship glory.
Former boxer, Emmanuel Adotei Addo’s Night of the Best’ amateur boxing show and talent hunt received a massive boost when the legend himself, Azumah Nelson showed up to lend first hand support at Bukom on Friday evening.
Rising star, Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe as well former 2-time IBF female featherweight title challenger, Helen Joseph were among the active boxers who were also present to witness a total of twelve fights including two female exhibitions thrill fight fans to a huge success.
In a surprising, even shocking development regarding the British super-fight between Amir Khan and Kell Brook, it seems the fight is NOT going to happen. At least this is what Khan said today whilst being interviewed on British TV channel ITV’s “This Morning” show.
Khan, speaking with Phillip Schofield via live satellite interview from San Francisco, was primarily talking, along with his wife, about his recent personal problems, but he was also briefly asked about the Brook fight.