“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.
Those people in charge with tallying up the numbers are edging closer to a final, official number as far as how many buys the August 26 “Money Fight” between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Conor McGregor managed to pull in.
Earlier this week, Dana White stated how the fight had managed a staggering 6.5 million – worldwide – and now, Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza says that while it’s still too early to say for sure that Mayweather-McGregor knocked Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao off the top spot (4.6 million buys in May of 2015), “the record is definitely within reach.”
Unbeaten Hughie Fury, the less-vocal cousin of former world heavyweight king Tyson Fury, can talk when the mood suits him. And ahead of his September 23rd challenge of WBO heavyweight ruler Joseph Parker the 22 year old has made quite a bold prediction.
Featherweight prospect Manny “Chato” Robles III (14-0, 6 KOs) retained his undefeated status with a seventh-round knockout victory against Tijuana, Mexico’s Jose Estrella (18-13-1, 12 KOs) in the main event of the latest edition of LA FIGHT CLUB at the Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles and televised live nationally on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar. Robles, of Los Angeles, California, dropped Estrella two times before the fight was stopped at 1:39 of the seventh round.
Fingers crossed Deontay Wilder will indeed defend his WBC belt against Luis Ortiz next. The fight, tentatively pencilled in for November 4 in New York with Showtime to televise, has – or had – one big stumbling block: Bermane Stiverne.
Controversial Mexican warrior Antonio Margarito continues his comeback tomorrow night in Chihuahua, as the 39 year old faces Carson Jones in a ten-round 154 pound non-title fight. Margarito says he is in the best shape of his life (the usual battle-cry of an ageing, past his best former champ) and that after he defeats Jones he wants a third fight with Miguel Cotto.
Unbeaten southpaw Errol Spence Junior, who ripped the IBF welterweight crown from Kell Brook in Sheffield, England in May, is looking at making his maiden title defence in either December of January, likely in New York.
It’s official: superstar Manny Pacquiao will not face Jeff Horn, the man who upset him via controversial decision in July, again this year. The return of one of the year’s biggest upsets was pencilled in for November 12, in Brisbane, Australia, with reports informing us how Pacquiao had agreed to the rematch.
‘The Best Ever’. Three small words, yet they carry a ton of weight in today’s boxing landscape. When we survey the talent from past generations, each era has a list of candidates. And each candidate has a growing list of fans eager to plant their flag in the sand and declare their guy as the man! As great as they all were, each came with his own set of strengths and weaknesses. Some had speed, but no chin. Others had a chin and no power. Some were blessed with both power and speed, yet limited skill and stamina prevented them from reaching this peak. All of these talents were profound enough to put cheeks-in-seats, but at the highest level, star power alone isn’t quite enough to claim the mantle.
This great sport has produced many thrilling, moving, shocking and even unforgettable knockouts throughout its history. And though many boxing fans tune in hoping to see other things: skill, defence, speed, overall ring generalship – there really is nothing like a sizzling KO!
Here, in looking back on some classics, these KO’s will certainly ring a bell: