Today a successful, if still young promoter, all time cruiserweight and heavyweight great Evander Holyfield celebrates his 55th birthday today. Now long retired, the only four-time heavyweight ruler is busy with his new venture, even though, as good a shape as he has kept himself since retiring, Evander still looks like he could fight.
But what on earth would there be left for this living legend to achieve!
There are just mere few days until Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (22-1-0, 8 KOs) and Alberto “Explosivo” Machado (18-0, 15 KOs) go toe to toe in their highly anticipated 12-round battle for Corrales’ WBA Super World Super Featherweight Title this Saturday, Oct. 21 at Turning Stone Resort Casino. In the most important fight of their professional careers, both fighters shared their thoughts as they wrap up their respective training camps ahead of the championship main event, to be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT.
Fight week for the final World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight quarter-final kicked off Wednesday with media workouts at the Everlast Lab in Hoboken, N.J. before the clash between IBF champion Murat Gassiev and former champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk headlines action this Saturday, October 21 from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. live on AUDIENCE Network.
Though Miguel Cotto’s “final fight,” (in quotes because, let’s face it, these days fighters are often changing their minds; especially regarding retirement), set for December 2, against Sadam Ali is a solid one, a number of fans are not too excited about the fight. (Photo Credit: Matt Easley – Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions)
Cotto, who said he would “go out with a bang,” spoke of facing either Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez in his swansong, or failing this, David Lemieux. Instead, the Puerto Rican legend faces the once-beaten Ali, 25-1(14) in New York. What does look likely – and begging Ali’s pardon – is how Cotto, 41-5(33) will go out a winner if this is indeed his very last ring appearance.
Christmas will come early for boxing fans this year as WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs) will put his belt on the line on Saturday, December 16 against former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs) at a soon-to-be announced venue in Montreal, Canada. The fight will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.
Unified Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua worked out for the media on Tuesday in Sheffield, England, as the undefeated British sensation continues preparation for his showdown against IBF mandatory challenger Carlos Takam on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT live on SHOWTIME from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. (Photocredit Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
“This is a must-win for myself and for Carlos Takam,” Joshua told Sky Sports, which will present the fight in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Box Office. “As much as my supporters want to see me win, there are still a few people who doubt me and want me to lose and disrupt our plan. They don’t want to see the cream rise to the top.”
A true boxing legend celebrates his birthday today as The Detroit Hitman, Thomas Hearns turns 59. So much Hearns gave, and still gives, to the sport that made him famous and that he himself lit up in one huge way in the 1980s and ’90s. An all-time great, Hearns competed in at least a dozen fights that are considered classics.
But to Hearns himself, the fight, the world title victory that means the most to him is his 1980 fight with Mexico’s Pipino Cuevas. It was in this fight that Hearns was first coronated.
Various reports (including one via Dan Rafael of ESPN) say Billy Joe Saunders and David Lemieux will fight in Canada on December 16, the two having reached an agreement that rules out the need for the WBO-ordered fight to go to purse bids.
An excellent fight and a superb match-up, the WBO middleweight title fight will further add to what is shaping up as a great end to the year’s boxing calendar. Saunders, unbeaten and craving the big, big fights for some time, must be commended for agreeing to travel to Lemieux’s Canadian fortress to take this fight, while power-puncher Lemieux must now figure out Saunders’ effective boxing style and land his big bombs.
Four-division world champion Miguel Cotto (41-5, 33 KOs) and WBA International Welterweight Champion Sadam “World Kid” Ali (25-1, 14 KOs) hosted a press conference today to formally announce their 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBO World Junior Middleweight Championship. The action will take place at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Cotto will make his 24th appearance on the network and his 10th showcase at MSG in the final fight of his historic career as one of the most decorated and significant Puerto Rican fighters in boxing history.
British heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte has again put the boot in regarding WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder, whilst at the same time he has insisted his credentials for a shot at “The Bronze Bomber” will speak for themselves after he has beaten Robert Helenius on October 28.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Whyte, 21-1(16) said that after he beats Helenius on the upcoming Anthony Joshua-Carlos Takam bill in Cardiff (Takam replacing the injured Kubrat Pulev) Wilder will have to face him – either than or Wilder will “decide to fight Audley Harrison again.”