Happy Birthday to “The Hitman” – The great Tommy Hearns turns 59 today

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.

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Billy Joe Saunders-David Lemieux looks on for December 16 in Canada

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.

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Miguel Cotto and Sadam Ali quotes for Dec.2

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.

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Dillian Whyte: Deontay Wilder might decide to fight Audley Harrison again instead of me!

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.”

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WBSS cruiserweight finals to be staged in Saudi Arabia

The World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Final will be held in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in May 2018 following an agreement signed in London between World Boxing Super Series organiser and owner Comosa AG and The General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia. The date and venue for the Final will be announced in due time.

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Reports say Kubrat Pulev is injured, fight with Anthony Joshua in serious jeopardy

Just days after a big heavyweight title fight between WBC champ Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz fell through, a second world title clash in the sport’s glamour division is also said to be in serious jeopardy. According to various reports, Bulgaria’s IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev is injured and his October 28 challenge of IBF/WBA heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua will have to be postponed as a result.

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Jeff Horn looking at possible McGregor fight and Pacquiao return, but must first get past Gary Corcoran

Will MMA star Conor McGregor take another shot at boxing glory? Currently, in light of how financially successful McGregor’s August fight with Floyd Mayweather was, the Irish warrior has a few boxing options open to him – including a fight with Paulie Malignaggi and a fight with reigning WBO welterweight champ Jeff Horn.

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Warrington wants Frampton

Josh Warrington has a message to Frank Warren stablemate, Carl Frampton: “Let’s fill Elland Road.” Warrington is a big admirer of the two weight World Champion who recently signed for Warren and boxes Horacio Garcia at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena on November 18.

And Frampton will be eyeing up Warrington when his rival faces Dennis Ceylan in a IBF Featherweight title Final Eliminator at First Direct Arena, Leeds on October 21.

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Cheap Shot of the year sickens many; Louis Adolphe disqualified for illegal KO over Nathan McIntosh

This one has made You Tube for all the wrong reasons. On Saturday’s Wembley card topped by George Groves-Jamie Cox competing in the WBSS, welterweights Nathan McIntosh and Louis Adolphe met in a battle of prospects. What happened at the end of the very first round simply stunned and sickened each and every fan watching the action.

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30 years ago today: Mike Tyson KO’s Tyrell Biggs – Tyson’s peak performance?

Thirty long years ago today, a peak, or near-peak “Iron” Mike Tyson retained his heavyweight titles with a quite ruthless, nasty display of utter dominance. Tyson met a fighter he disliked in Tyrell Biggs and what was seen by some as a possible test for Tyson turned out to be something of a massacre.

Though Biggs, then unbeaten and having captured attention due to his winning of the 1984 Olympic gold medal up at super-heavyweight, had a decent opening round in which he used his height, his speed and his educated left jab to good effect, Biggs was doomed as soon as he signed the contract. Tyson disliked his 15-0 challenger – so jealous was he of him due to his own failure to make the team for Los Angeles in ’84 – and how it showed.

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