My first reaction when hearing about the matchup between Ricky Burns and Anthony Crolla brought a smile to my face as I nodded in approval. The fight just made so much sense for both men at this stage of their careers and of course the venue selection was perfect. A world championship belt isn’t on the line but it doesn’t matter and that’s the beauty of it all. What matters is the next step for these guys and what better motivation then money and pride.
It’s back to square one for Wilder but can “The Bronze Bomber” stop Bermane Stiverne this time?
It is the fight Bermane Stiverne, and the WBC, wanted all along: a rematch between Stiverne and Deontay Wilder. Now, due to the crazy goings on with Luis Ortiz and his failed drugs test (one Ortiz claims innocence over, saying he merely took medication for high blood pressure) former champ and current WBC mandatory challenger Stiverne will get what he wants.
Ricky Hatton, Vitali Klitschko, Ivan Calderon, Erik Morales, Winky Wright all added to Hall Of Fame ballot for 2018
The ballot sheets are out for the 2018 Hall of Fame, with voters having to make the agonising decision of picking just five fighters from the list of 32 – with just three of these fighters going through.
This, as ESPN writer Dan Rafael explains, means two of the above new additions on the ballot – Hatton, Klitshko, Calderon, Morales, Wright – will be left out. Each of the above five fighters is absolutely deserving of being enshrined at Canastota, and as Rafael says in a tweet, it will be “brutal” making his decision this year.
Is there a way back to the top for Amir Khan?
Amir Khan has not fought since May of 2016, and he has not won a fight since a year before that, in May of 2015. And Khan, once one of the top fighters in the world, even breaking into some of the pound-for-pound rankings, has suffered all manner of personal problems since his crushing KO loss to Canelo Alvarez.
Khan does not want the image of him laid flat out on his back courtesy of one savage Alvarez right hand to be the one fans ultimately see in their collective minds whenever his name comes up. Khan, who has retained the urge to fight and to train and keep himself in shape throughout all the turmoil (a very public separation from not only his wife but from other family members also) recently put out a message via social media.
Golovkin to sit and wait on Canelo fight until May 5
Gennady Golovkin is going to stay inactive for the next 7 months and wait until the Saul Canelo Alvarez rematch on May 5, 2018, says his promoter Tom Loeffler. He says Golovkin is (37-0-1, 33 KOs) is willing to sit on the sidelines and not fight if he can get the rematch with Canelo (49-1-2, 34 KOs).
The problem is the rematch still hasn’t been signed. If Golovkin is going risk throwing away 7 months of his career, he’s going to need a signed contract for the Canelo fight and soon. It doesn’t make sense for Golovkin o not fight in December if Canelo and Golden Boy Promotions aren’t producing a contract for the May 5 fight.
Results: Vaughn Alexander defeats Elvin Ayala
Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series presented by Main Events completed its third successful installment tonight at the Arena at Mohegan Sun. In the main event, Rising Stars’ middleweight prospect Vaughn Alexander dazzled fans with a heart-stopping battle against local fan-favorite Elvin Ayala. The bout started slow with both competitors feeling each other out. In the fifth round, Alexander began to turn on the heat. In the seventh, Alexander refused to let a bloody broken nose slow him down. He ignored the hometown cheers for Ayala and sent Ayala to the canvas in brutal fashion. The referee stopped the contest at 1:42 of round seven.
Crawford will fight Jeff Horn in Feb/March says Arum
Terence Crawford will be getting a title shot against WBO heavyweight champion Jeff Horn in February or March of next year, says their promoter Bob Arum. The original plan was for Horn (17-0-1, 11 KOs) to defend his WBO 147 title against 38-year-old Manny Pacquiao in a rematch in November.
Santa Cruz-Avalos & Mares-Gutierrez Media Conference Call quotes
Leo Santa Cruz vs. Chris Avalos & Abner Mares vs. Andres Gutierrez PBC on FOX & FOX Deportes Media Conference Call
Richard Schaefer – Hello, everybody. Welcome to today’s media call.
I’m really excited that we have a little over a week to go until this great doubleheader at the war grounds at StubHub Center in Carson, California. We all know that fights there always deliver.
Showtime 154lb triple-header quotes for Oct.14
Lou DiBella
October 14th is going to be a loaded unbelievable night of boxing and it starts with Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares in separate title defenses on a PBC double header from StubHub Center in Carson, California airing on FOX and FOX Deportes at 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT.
Hearn targeting Dominic Breazeale to fight Dillian Whyte on Oct.28
Now that heavyweight Dominic Breazeale has had the rug pulled out from under him in his previously scheduled fight against Bermane Stiverne for November 4, Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn is counting on the 6’7” Breazeale to agree to a fight against #3 WBC Dillian Whyte (21-1, 16 KOs) on October 28 in Cardiff, Wales.