King comments on Povetkin vs. Stiverne

Top rated heavyweights Alexander Povetkin and Bermane Stiverne were scheduled to fight for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Interim Heavyweight title on Saturday night at the Ekaterinburg Expo Center in Ekaterinburg, Russia. However, the WBC withdrew it’s sanctioning of the bout due to a Povetkin failed drug test. The WBC informed both camps of their decision Friday evening and advised the Stiverne camp they should not go through with the fight. The WBC abides by “Safety First” protocol in their Clean Boxing Program.

Povetkin (31-1, 23 KOs) from Checkhov, Russia was going into the fight rated No. 1 by the WBC. No. 2 rated Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) was born and raised in Haiti, now residing in Las Vegas. They were to fight for the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title, the winner becoming mandatory challenger to current champion Deontay Wilder, who has been incapable of defending due to injury.

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Hearn: AJ-Wilder unification showdown will happen late 2017 or early 2018

The heavyweight division could have two enormous world title fights next year. As fans know, Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko will meet in an April blockbuster in 2017, and after that, another, perhaps even bigger fight could take place.

Recently, WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wildeer said that “all being well” he will make his ring return in February and “get the winner of the Joshua and Klitschko fight next,” and yesterday, promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports that he sees the unification fight happening soon enough – perhaps towards the end of next year.

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Joe Smith Jr. the first fighter to TKO Bernard Hopkins

Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. became the first fighter to knock out the legend Bernard Hopkins as he knocked Hopkins completely out of the ring with a vicious 4 punch combination in the 8th round. Hopkins was unable to beat the 20 count administered by referee Jack Reiss constituting a knockout win by Smith Jr. (the bout was officially declared a TKO victory). The fight was the main event on HBO Championship Boxing.

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Cotto and Kirkland on February 25 on HBO PPV

Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions are pleased to announce that Five-Time World Champion Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) will return to the ring on Saturday, February 25, 2017 when he takes on James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland (32-2, 28 KOs) at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Coming off respective losses to Canelo Alvarez, both fighters will be seeking redemption in a 12-round junior middleweight showdown. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

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Smith, Jr. Upsets Hopkins in his Farewell Fight

Joe Smith, Jr., landed five left and right hooks in the eighth round and then connected on a devastating left hook that knocked Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins out of the ring and caused him to land hard on his head and twist his right ankle. Hopkins was unable to get back into the ring before the twenty second count expired, which gave Smith, Jr. the unexpected technical knockout victory with 53 seconds left in the round. This was the last bout of Hopkins’ outstanding Hall of Fame career that began 28 years ago in 1988.

This fight took place at the Forum in Inglewood, California. It was broadcasted on HBO Champion Boxing.

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Muhammad Ali truly was the boxing king of the talk shows; Michael Parkinson’s shows were the best of the best

As electrifying and as entertaining as the incomparable Muhammad Ali was in the ring, it’s often a close call as to whether or not The Greatest was equally as entertaining, as special, when he was talking, and talking, and talking.. Far above any other pro boxer in the sport’s long history, Ali truly was the king of the interviews.

Whether he was being interviewed by Howard Cosell, Don Dunphy, Reg Gutteridge, Dickie Davies or Michael Parkinson, Ali was ways witty, ultra-interesting, controversial, funny or thought provoking; sometimes he was all of these things and more at once. It was Ali’s four appearances on The Parkinson Show, the first and third especially, that proved the most memorable of his interviews though.

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Smith Jnr-Hopkins: will there be a rematch; will Hopkins roll the dice for one more “final 1!”

The fairy-tail ending didn’t come for the great Bernard Hopkins last night, as his “Final 1” against the much younger Joe Smith Junior saw the amazing 51 year old punched out of the ring in the 8th-round and TKO’d to defeat. Hopkins cried foul afterwards, saying Smith pushed him out of the ring, but replays show Hopkins was punched out.

It’s a shame Hopkins, 52 next month, wasn’t able to go out a winner, while it’s also a shame Hopkins was unable to accept the loss for what it was – a loss. Hopkins suggested the result should have been a no-contest, and while he also said last night’s bout will indeed be his last one as advertised, there is always a chance Hopkins will change his mind in the coming days, weeks or months.

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Joe Smith Jr. sends Bernard Hopkins into retirement

Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) retained his WBC International Light Heavyweight Title with a technical knockout victory after sending Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (55-8-2, 32 KOs) through the ropes in the eighth round. Hopkins was unable to get back into the ring after sustaining an injury to his ankle, and the fight was stopped at 53 seconds into round eight.

“It feels great, it’s the best feeling in the world to accomplish something I set out for and wanted to do,” said Joe Smith, Jr. “I had seen him every time I threw the right hand, he was throwing the left. I had seen him fall, and I kept hitting him until I saw him go out, and I landed that left hook until he went out. I knew he had time to go out, but I hit him with four or five clean shots and they were good shots on the button. I knew he was a true champion, and if he didn’t get injured he’d be back here. I came here to do my job, and this is my coming out party too. I had to finish him, it was either my career was going to end and his was going to end, but I needed mine to continue. I’m going to get back in the gym and train hard for my next opponent. I’m up for anything. I have lots of respect for Bernard. He is a true champion. Lots of people love Bernard and still will because he’s a true champion.”

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Results: Joe Smith Jr. stops Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins, (55-8-2, 32 KOs) saw his career end in a less than glorious way on Saturday night in getting knocked out of the ring in the 8th round in losing a TKO to knockout artist Joe Smith Jr. (23-1, 19 Kos) on HBO Championship Boxing from the Forum in Inglewood, California.

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Results: Usyk stops Mchunu

WBO cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (11-0, 10 KOs) used a combination of boxing and punching to stop contender Thabiso Mchunu, (17-3, 11 KOs) in round nine after knocking him down three times in their fight at the Forum in Inglewood, California. While the boxing fans at ringside wanted to see the 29-year-old Usyk slug, he focused instead on winning rounds and landing fast combinations to bewilder the 28-year-old Mchunu.

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