Former heavyweight ruler Tyson Fury insists his time out of the ring, his exile if you like, is comparable to the enforced inactivity the great Muhammad Ali had to undergo back in the 1960s. As fight fans know, “The Greatest” was stripped of his world title, and prevented from earning a living by boxing, for a little over three and a half years.
Lomachenko – Rigondeaux: Most of the pressure is on Loma, but there’s plenty on Rigo’s shoulders too
Not long to go now until the most fascinating fight of the year: the boxing purist’s dream that is Vasyl Lomachenko-Guillermo Rigondeaux, a fight which, as all fans know, goes down this Saturday night in New York. Much has been said and written about the all-southpaw encounter, by the fans, by the experts and by the two fighters themselves.
De La Hoya: Lemieux will try to steamroll Saunders
Oscar De La Hoya is predicting that former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux will come out quickly on December 16 and look to steamroll WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders in their fight.
The fight will be shown on HBO Boxing. The winner of the fight will be in line for a fight with the Saul Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin fight.
Erik Morales, Ronald “Winky” Wright, Vitali Klitschko elected into Boxing Hall of Fame
It has been confirmed how modern day greats Erik Morales, Ronald “Winky” Wright and Vitali Klitschko have been voted into the 2018 Hall of Fame. This year proved to be an especially tough year for those people privileged enough to vote, as just three greats from the modern category (last bout no earlier than the year 1989) would be put through to receive immortality at Canastota.
Arum wants Lomachenko vs. Salido after Rigondeaux fight
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is already looking past his fighter Vasyl ‘Hi-Tech’ Lomachenko’s fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux this weekend towards a rematch between Lomachenko and Orlando Salido. Lomachenko (9-1, 7 KOs) suffered his only pro career loss to Salido in 2014 in losing a 12 round split decision, and the loss marred his perfect record. Salido (44-13-4, 31 KOs) is now 37-years-old, and clearly not the same fighter he was in 2014, but that doesn’t matter to Arum.
Vitali Klitschko, Erik Morales & Winky Wright Elected To Int’l Boxing Hall Of Fame
The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum announced today the members of the Class of 2018. Inductees include three Modern category boxers who all enter the Hall in their first year of eligibility; heavyweight champion “Dr. Ironfist” Vitali Klitschko, four-division world champion Erik “El Terrible” Morales and light middleweight champion Ronald “Winky” Wright. Non-participants and observers to be inducted include German promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl and broadcasters Steve Albert and Jim Gray.
“We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2018 and are very much looking forward to paying tribute to the new inductees in Canastota next June,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy.
Yunier Dorticos vs Murat Gassiev in Sochi, February 3
The Ali Trophy semi-final bout in the cruiserweight edition of the World Boxing Super Series between IBF World Champion Murat Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) and WBA World Champion Yunier Dorticos (22-0, 21 KOs) takes place at the Bolshoy Ice Dome in Sochi, Russia on February 3, 2018.
“The consistent growth of our tournament concept keeps attracting major sports investors. Comosa is very proud to bring the Ali Trophy semi-final to Sochi,” said Comosa’s CEO, Roberto Dalmiglio.
Joshua vs Povetkin fight could be closer than you may think
Might we see an Anthony Joshua-Alexander Povetkin fight next year some time? This particular match-up, one that seemed to have virtually no chance of happening a while back, in light of the Russian star’s failed drugs test, could be closer than you may think.
As Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn explained to Sky Sports, he will be having a meeting with WBA president Gilberto Mendoza soon, and one of the topics for conversation will be AJ’s new WBA mandatory challenger. Luis Ortiz may be back in business with the WBC, but he is still no longer the WBA mandatory. Hearn is waiting to see who will take “King Kong’s” place:
70 years ago: The great Joe Louis has his mind set on retirement but is cruelly denied
70 years ago today, legendary heavyweight king Joe Louis, “The Brown Bomber” was edging towards what he hoped would be a happy, content and thoroughly satisfactory retirement from boxing. Louis was no ego-driven talent, forever in search of ‘one more win.’ Instead, his world title defended well over twenty times, Joe wished to call it a career and spend his time playing golf.
But, as history tells us, this is not how things transpired.
Luis Ortiz to return to action this Friday, will face little-known Daniel Martz in Florida
Unbeaten Cuban heavyweight Luis Ortiz, who was recently cleared to fight by the WBC – the governing body agreeing how “King Kong” was guilty of taking medication for high blood pressure and nothing more and that this was the reason he failed a drugs test ahead of his aborted November fight with Deontay Wilder – will return this Friday night in Florida.