MICHAEL “Mick” CONLAN, SHAKUR STEVENSON, and MIKAELA MAYER will complete their first season as professionals on the undercard of the historic collision between world champions VASILY “Hi-Tech” LOMACHENKO.and.GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX, Saturday, December 9, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Lomachenko (9-1, 7 KOs) a native of Ukraine, will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior lightweight world title against the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight world champion Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs), of Cuba, marking the first time that two-time Olympic gold medalists have fought each other professionally at the highest level. The four-bout telecast, headlined by Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux, will be televised live and exclusively at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App.
Groves – Eubank Jr. – Tempers flare at London press conference
Heated words were exchanged at the kickoff press conference before the Ali Trophy semi-final bout between WBA Super World Champion George Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) and IBO-Champ Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1,20 KOs) at the Manchester Arena on February 17, 2018.
Joseph Parker going all-out to get Anthony Joshua fight; offers rematch clause
WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker really does seem to be doing all he can do to make the unification showdown with WBA and IBF ruler Anthony Joshua. The unbeaten New Zealand warrior has offered to take a 35-percent split of the fight purse, to Joshua’s 65-percent, and now Parker has proposed the placing of a rematch clause in the contract.
“@AnthonyJoshua, doesn’t a 65-35% between two unbeaten champions sound fair? Nearly double our share. Don’t worry a rematch clause is there in case you’re worries about your chin. #NoExcusesNow #NeverBeenDropped,” Parker wrote on twitter a while ago.
Kell Brook aims to challenge for a 154 pound belt next year after “warm up fight”
Former IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook is not ready to call it quits just yet. Despite losing back to back against Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence – Brook going to hospital after both stoppage defeats, his eye socket broken by both men; each side – the Sheffield man is stepping up to 154.
Promoter Eddie Hearn wanted Brook to move up earlier than now, in fact after the brave but somewhat gung-ho decision to challenge middleweight king Golovkin, but Brook didn’t want to vacate his 147 pound belt. Now that he’s lost it, Brook will pack on the pounds and go to 154 (or he will not have to undergo the agony of shedding weight to make the 147 limit).
Eubank Jr. vs Groves Tickets Sold Out!
It took seven minutes to sell out the Ali Trophy semi-final bout between WBA Super World Champion George Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) and IBO-Champ Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1,20 KOs) at the Manchester Arena on February 17, 2018. Europe’s largest purpose-built indoor arena will be at capacity to witness what promises to be the biggest Super Middleweight night in years.
Dillian Whyte – Lucas Browne possible for February; Hearn states how “2018 will see Whyte challenge for a world title”
Highly ranked heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte has options, and so too does Lucas Browne. Eddie Hearn’s plan is to match the two together in London next February, but Browne, one win removed from his suspension for a failed drugs test (“Big Daddy” actually twice testing positive for a banned substance) could get a shot at reigning WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker instead.
Felix Ajom dares Osei Bonsu in top fight of Azumah Nelson Fight Night 5
Ahead of the press conference to formally announce the bill at the Accra City Hotel on Wednesday November 29, undefeated Felix ‘Alvaro’ Ajom (8-0-1, 7 KOs) has sent a strong warning to Abraham ‘No Shaking’ Osei Bonsu (11-2-1,10 KOs), vowing to stop his opponent in round 9 when the two fight for the vacant Ghana national super featherweight title on the Azumah Nelson Fight Night round 5 at the Bukom Boxing Arena on December 9.
One of five evenly matched bouts on the Hemann Promotions bill, matchmaker Rasheed ‘Believer’ Williams insists the fight of the night is the clash between Ajom and Bonsu who previously held this same title and lost a split decision to Wahab ‘Seunzy’ Oluwaseun back in April in a fight for the same belt.
Mansour-Kuzmin ruled 3rd round no contest
In a disappointing result, heavyweights Sergey Kuzmin (11-0, 8 KOs) and Amir Mansour (23-2-1, 16 KOs) saw their highly anticipated content end in a 3rd round no contest on Monday after the two of them were cut from a head-butt in round 3 at the Luzhniki, in Moscow, Russia.
George Foreman: He walked a unique path
Back in 1969, a young fighter who had managed to capture an Olympic gold medal was not assured the million dollar contracts that abound for such talent today. No, the sport was different to young talent such as Cassius Clay, Joe Frazier and George Foreman – to mention three Olympic gold medallists from the swinging sixties. Back then, a young Foreman was paid a few hundred bucks (if that) for his debut – far, far less than guys and gals like Anthony Joshua Nicola Adams, Katie Taylor and other budding superstars got when they went pro.
Video: Sergey Kovalev vs Vyacheslav Shabranskyy – Post Fight Recap
Saturday night on HBO former unified light heavyweight world champion Sergey Kovalev (31-2-1, 27 KOs) defeated Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (19-2, 16 KOs) for the vacant WBO title that Kovalev once possessed. Kovalev dropped Shabranskyy twice in the opening round, and again in round two. He bravely rose to his feet once again following the third knockdown, but by then the damage had been done. Cool as an assassin, Kovalev continued breaking Shabranskyy down until referee Harvey Dock mercifully called a halt to the contest.