Heavyweight contender #11 IBF Alexander Dimitrenko (40-3-1, 26 KOs) surprisingly fought to a 10 round draw against little known replacement opponent Miljan Rovcanin (18-0-1, 13 KOs) on Friday night at the Edel-Optics.de Arena in Hamburg, Germany.
Lucas Matthsse and Tewa Kiram challenge for vacant WBA 147lb title on 1/27
#2 WBA Lucas Matthysse and #1 Tewa Kiram will be fighting for the vacant WBA World welterweight title next month on January 27 at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
The 35-year-old Matthysse will be moving up in weight to the welterweight division to fight it out with the little known Kiram for the vacant WBA 147lb. title.
Hearn unhappy, says Tyson Fury wants 60-40 deal for Joshua fight
Eddie Hearn is not overly optimistic about his chances of making a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in 2018. Hearn’s chief complaint is the 60 percent purse split that Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) is demanding for him to agree to fight Joshua.
If Jeff Horn vacates, Crawford’s next available contender Pacquiao
WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn hasn’t made it clear yet whether he’ll take the fight with his mandatory challenger Terence Crawford in early 2018. While Horn’s co-promoter Bob Arum wants him to take the fight with Crawford, he could potentially swerve the fight by vacating the WBO title and taking a bigger money fight against fellow Australian Anthony Mundine.
Wilder says to Joshua: “Give me the belts or fight”
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay ‘Bronze Bomber’ Wilder thinks that IBF/WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s promotional teams is protecting their “gravy train” fighter by not willing to put him in with a risky fight against himself, and by focusing on matching him against beatable opposition that present no risk to their money train.
Zab Judah plans ring return for January 2018
Former champ and one-time pound-for-pound entrant Zab Judah made news recently as it was reported how the Brooklyn southpaw was “giving back” by working as a nurses assistant, treating patient suffering from dementia. Judah was said to feel both humbled and proud by his efforts.
Boxing in 2017 – Oh What a Year! The Future Looks Bright, Despite the End of an Era
By Justin Jones: First, let me start off by giving the fighters, promoters, advisers, trainers, TV networks & executives, media members, and of course, the fans, a big round of applause (claps in circular motion)!
After a rather dull 2016, boxing fans were treated to a number of competitive and compelling matchups, seemingly every weekend this year. We witnessed history – Terrance Crawford (32-0, 23 KOs) fully unifying the 140-pound division and two 2-time Olympic gold medalists get it on (Vasyl Lomachenko [10-1, 10 KOs] vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux [17-1, 11 KOs]). We were also treated to a number of pound-for-pound fighters willing to test their mettle against one another – Andrew Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) vs Sergey Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 KOs), Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) vs Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (49-1-2), and Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux.
Zou Shiming’s career in serious jeopardy amidst fears of a detached retina
One of the biggest boxing stars in all of China, former two-time Olympic gold medal winner and former WBO flyweight champion Zou Shiming has been dealt a cruel blow. According to a report in the South China Morning Post, Shiming is currently in hospital, being treated for eye problems that may actually be the result of his having suffered a detached retina in his left eye.
Billy Joe Saunders hungry for more belts; says he’d fight Caleb Truax next, move up to 168
Billy Joe Saunders seems ready to fight just about everyone, at both middleweight and at super-middleweight. The WBO 160 pound champ, fresh off last Saturday night’s brilliant boxing display against David Lemieux, has called out: Gennady Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez, Danny Jacobs and now, as he explained to The Star, a shot at newly crowned IBF super-middleweight champ Caleb Truax.
Shannon Briggs making a comeback in 2018
Shannon Briggs has revealed that he plans on making a comeback in 2018 following a drug suspension. The 46-year-old Briggs has been out of the ring for a year and a half since stopping Emilio Ezquiel Zarate on May 21, 2016.