…. compares Martin’s situation with the post-McCall Lennox Lewis
Can former IBF heavyweight champ Charles Martin rebuild the way the great Lennox Lewis did following his shock (and quick) stoppage loss to Oliver McCall? Martin, who lost in two-rounds to Anthony Joshua in April of 2016, will indeed bounce back the way Lewis did after losing his world title and unbeaten record – so says Martin’s advisor Mike Borao who spoke with Michael Woods of RingTV.com.
You’ve seen the images of great and legendary fighters on the WBC world title belt: with immortal fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and others being afforded the tribute. Now, “retired” superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior says he wants his face on ALL world title belts; WBC/WBA/WBO and IBF.
In fact, in speaking with FightHype.com, the 40 year old future Hall of Famer who won major belts at five different weights DEMANDED how his likeness should be on all world title belts.
Lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury refuses to let up in his goading of WBA and IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua. Fury, expected to get his licence to box back this month, has taken to social media (again) to call Joshua out. Fury, who changes his mind almost as fast as he punches, says one day how he will look to box a tune-up or warm-up fight upon his ring return, and then the next day he says he doesn’t need any such thing.
Just three days into the new year, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has released his sanctioning body’s first quarter report on mandatory status for all of its titles: from heavyweight on the way down to strawweight.
65 years ago on New Year’s Eve of all nights for a prize fight, light-heavyweight contender Danny Nardico accomplished something that no other man had done at the time, and no other man ever would: the 25 year old knocked down and stopped the seemingly unstoppable Jake LaMotta. Nardico, who was sporting a hard-earned 42-8-4 pro ledger, faced a fading but still tough LaMotta, 81-17-14, in what would be one of the former middleweight king’s final fights.
Former heavyweight king Mike Tyson is to open a 40-acre cannabis ranch in Death Valley, reports say. Tyson, for years a strong believer in the many benefits marijuana can have on a person’s well being, is set to embark on his latest venture due to how cannabis has been legalised for personal use in California.
Things should hot up in the heavyweight division this year, this March in fact. There are two fights that, while not yet 100% done and dusted, are very much in the works; in fact almost definite for March: Anthony Joshua Vs. Joseph Parker in a unification clash that will see the winner emerge with three belts, and Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz in a WBC defence, arguably the toughest yet for “Bronze Bomber” Wilder.
The pundits over at Sky Sports have been listing their ‘One To Watch for 2018,’ with the likes of Johnny Nelson, Tony Bellew, Paulie Malignaggi and Carl Froch picking their hot prospects for the coming year. What Froch had to say was most interesting. “The Cobra,” happy and content in looking back on a career that saw him define himself as one of the toughest, most durable of warriors, one who consistently fought the very best, is hugely excited about Russian light-heavyweight Dmitry Bivol.
Deontay Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) will place himself as the No.1 heavyweight in the division with a win over Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) on March 3 in this writer’s opinion. The fight isn’t final yet, but it’s expected to be announced soon for 3/3 on Showtime Boxing from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
