Briedis and Perez face to face in Riga before September 30
WBC World Champion Mairis Briedis (22-0, 18 KOs) came face to face with Mike Perez (22-2-1, 14 KOs) in Riga before their Ali Trophy quarter-final bout at the Riga Arena, September 30.
“I feel good, I am ready to go, I am ready to fight right now,” said Mike Perez. “This is a really interesting fight and I am looking forward to it and getting the victory. Whatever the fight brings I am ready for it.”
Badou Jack: 1-0(1) as a light-heavyweight. Adonis Stevenson: 29-1(24) at 175. It might seem a mismatch, but it could also be viewed as one of the most exciting light-heavyweight fights that could be made today.
Jack, a former super-middleweight champ, jumped up seven-pounds and ripped the WBA light-heavy belt from tough and capable Welshman Nathan Cleverly on the huge Mayweather-McGregor “Money Fight” of August 26. Now, the Swedish-born two-weight champ wants all the gold at 175 – Andre Ward and Adonis Stevenson; but not particularly in that order.
In sad news, it has been reported how featherweight great Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos passed away yesterday aged 75. The Cuban who relocated to Mexico and became a firm fan favourite had been battling cancer.
Turning pro in October of 1957 in Havana (before Fidel Castro’s regime began), Ramos relocated to Mexico in the early 1960s so as to carry on with his hugely promising career and to fulfil his dream of becoming world champion.
Luke Blackledge: “Smith-Skoglund is a 50-50 fight – Skoglund is one hell of a fighter!
Luke Blackledge, the only man to face both Callum Smith (22-0, 17 KOs) and Erik Skoglund (26-0, 12 KOs) in a professional boxing ring, has labeled their super middleweight clash a 50-50 fight and believes the Swedish star could be the dark horse in the tournament.
Written by DeMarkus Jones – There are a few names that you could justifiably as the best boxer in the sport today. Andre Ward, Vasyl Lomachenko, Mikey Garcia and Gennady Golovkin are some of the more popular names. However the guy that is most poised to take over boxing is Terence Crawford. He might not have the glamorous resume of Ward of the stunning highlight reel of Golovkin. However dive a little deeper and you will discover an elite boxer with no real visible weakness who is ready to be the top attraction in boxing.
Cosmin Minea – In a world where fantasy movies are the most popular, and where the president of America is a proven fact-maker or fact-shaper or as some might call him, even an outright liar, the world of sports has also boarded the fantasy train.
The fight between the multiple boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and the mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor has been the richest, heaviest promoted sporting event in history but also a fantasy or if you prefer, an outright lie.
Promoter Eddie Hearn wants it, recently stating how it “has to happen,” the fans sure want it, due to how great the first fight was, and it seems we could perhaps see a return battle between British heavyweights Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora – and wouldn’t it be great if we saw it take place on the under-card of the upcoming October 28 fight between heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev?
Last night in Chihuahua, Mexico, former world ruler Antonio Margarito scored a highly contentious technical decision win over Carson Jones. At the conclusion of the 7th round, Margarito – who suffered a cut to his right eye in round-two; the damage ruled to have been caused by a head-clash – remained on his stool.
Initially it appeared as though Jones, who was really hammering an exhausted-looking Margarito in the 7th round, had won via corner retirement. Instead, to Jones’ utter dismay, Jimmy Lennon Junior announced how the fight had actually been stopped by the doctor due to the cut and that the fight would go down to the score-cards.
As fight fans have probably read, the planned November 12 rematch between Jeff Horn and Manny Pacquiao is now off; due to Manny declaring he is “busy with government duties” and cannot fight the WBC welterweight champ again until next year. Team Horn now search a suitable Nov. 12 replacement foe.
However, Pac Man has again stated that when the rematch does take place, next year some time, it will NOT be in Australia, but in his homeland of the Philippines
“Not in this lifetime,” heavyweight legend George Foreman on the subject of him fighting Lennox Lewis.
Retired heavyweight legend Lennox Lewis turns 52 today. The last undisputed world heavyweight king holds another fine distinction: that of being a fighter who defeated every opponent he ever faced. Yes, Lewis suffered defeat – by stoppage, at the hands of Oliver McCall in 1994 and to Hasim Rahman in 2001 – but he did what the greats fighters do: come back and get revenge.