Fight Bites: Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev Final Thoughts Heading into Saturday’s Rematch

Andre Ward – With so many good fights in boxing recently, do you feel extra pressure to perform well for the fans? Do you think that if you win the rematch you will be the best P4P fighter in the world? What else is there for you to do in the light heavyweight division if you win again?

“I always want to put on a great show for the fans. I value and appreciate boxing fans, that’s first and foremost. Last fight, we definitely put on a show. That said, I can’t go into a fight thinking about its entertainment value. I just need to do me, execute the game plan and get my hand raised at the end of the fight.

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Big-money betting taking place on Mayweather-McGregor fight, despite the bout not yet being official

While much has been made of The Money Team reportedly reserving The MGM Grand in Las Vegas for August 26 for the much hyped “Super-Fight” between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, the fight between the superstar boxer and the superstar MMA fighter is not yet official.

Despite this, big wagers have been placed on the fight’s outcome in the Vegas casinos and sportsbooks. According to an interesting piece on ESPN.com, The Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas has already had over $10,000 bet on the fight. Currently, Mayweather is a whopping -900 betting favourite (down from an even bigger –2,500 favourite when odds were first announced back in February), while McGregor is currently listed at +700 (he was +1,100 back in February).

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Hearn says the public “want to see” Bellew-Haye rematch, says Haye “needs it”

In this, a big year for big boxing rematches, promoter Eddie Hearn wants to add Tony Bellew-David Haye II to the list of returns that includes Ward-Kovalev II, Joshua-Klitschko II (most likely anyway) and Rungvisai-Gonzalez II. In speaking with Sky Sports News HQ, Hearn said that the public want to see the rematch (do you, really?), that he himself wants to see it, and that David Haye “needs it.”

Hearn argues how in Haye’s case, there is “no other fight for him other than Tony Bellew,” but that Bellew has plenty of options. Hearn added how the rematch, if it does happen, will likely go down in December, giving Haye’s terrible Achilles injury enough time to fully heal – “to make sure he is 110-percent,” Hearn said.

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Glenn McCrory on sparring Tyson and wanting to fight him for real

Former IBF cruiserweight king Glenn McCrory had some career. Not only was he a world champion, but McCrory also, famously, sparred nearly a hundred rounds with a peak Mike Tyson.

Glenn, who retired with a fine and hard earned 30-8-1(12) pro record in 1993, became a pundit and commentator for Sky Sports, calling fights all over the world. Despite this, it is due to the time he spent with Tyson that many fans are most familiar with McCrory.

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Has Mayweather signed McGregor contract after postponing Ghana tour?

Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather appears to have confirmed he has signed the contract to fight UFC champ, Conor McGregor following reports in Ghana on the postponement of his scheduled tour to the West African country this week.

Organisers of the ‘Undefeated Tour’ confirmed last week that Mayweather will also visit Nigeria before arriving in Accra on June 15 for a two-day visit which would have climaxed with him being a special guest of honour at a boxing show at the Bukom Boxing Arena.

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All-time great Holyfield enshrined in Hall of Fame; recalls his toughest ever fight

Evander Holyfield was enshrined at The Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York yesterday, along with, amongst others, Marco Antonio Barrera and the late Johnny Tapia. Holyfield, the only four-time heavyweight champion in boxing history, was genuinely moved as he gave his acceptance speech; devoting his success to his mother – who, he told the gathering, told him “never to quit.”

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R.I.P Errol Christie, one of British boxing’s finest talents

Former European middleweight champ Errol Christie sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 53. He had been battling lung cancer for two years. A superb amateur boxer – Christie being placed in The Guinness Book Of Records for being the only British boxer to win ten amateur titles – Errol turned pro in 1982 and went 32-8-1(26) overall.

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Results: Brandon Rios stops Aaron Herrera

Former world champion Brandon Rios (34-3-1, 24 KOs) returned to the ring with a seventh round TKO of Mexico’s Aaron Herrera (23-7-1, 14 KOs) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes Sunday night from The Pioneer Event Center in Lancaster, California.

(Photo credit: Nabeel Ahmad/Premier Boxing Champions)

“I had that good nervous feeling tonight, like before my pro debut,” said Rios. “I was a little jittery but it felt good in there.”

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When Mike Tyson lost a fight it almost always caused one HUGE shock

The great, the fascinating, the exciting and the controversial boxing career of Mike Tyson officially ended today – in Washington DC of all places. Tyson was an ageing, past his best former champ in June of 2005, fighting only for money, yet it was still one huge shocker when the somewhat clumsy, somewhat unheralded, somewhat slow and lumbering Kevin McBride forced the 39 year old to quit on his stool after six rounds.

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Danny Jacobs could feature on GGG-Canelo card in September

New Yorker Danny Jacobs, last seen pushing feared world middleweight king Gennady Golovkin very hard indeed, all the way to the end of the 12th and final round in March, might next be seen boxing on the under-card of Golovkin’s mega-fight with Canelo Alvarez.

According to a short news piece on ESPN.com, talks are currently underway between Golden Boy and Al Haymon. So far Jacobs’ opponent, if he does indeed box on the card, is TBA. It would of course help make the big September 16 show even bigger if Jacobs, arguably the world’s second best middleweight, appeared on the Las Vegas card.

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