One of the great things about the Olympics is how, amongst the expected glamour and excitement brought by the big names, a new star can emerge. In boxing, British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi is looking like being one of the previously unknown talents set for a totally new life after the Games have reached their conclusion. The Londoner who was born in Ghana is guaranteed a bronze medal yet he is naturally aiming to go for glory and bring home a gold.
Rematch! Some potentially great ones that never took place
Rematch, rematch, rematch! The following fights could have, should have happened, yet for whatever reason they did not materialise. How interesting would these massive fights have been?
Lennox Lewis-Vitali Klitschko II.
The heavyweight rumble the world champion and the future WBC champion put on in June of 2003 was a savagely entertaining affair. The two giants traded hard, potentially knockout blows, for half a dozen fantastically entertaining rounds – only for a definitive conclusion to the war failing to materialise due to the horrific cuts Klitschko had picked up. As such, the fans left the arena desperately craving more.
Tyson Fury says he’s resumed full training, wants Klitschko in October, Joshua in March, Wilder in the summer
Tyson Fury took time out to celebrate his 28th birthday over the weekend but he assures his fans he is back in full training this week. Fury, who has been driving around in a limo with the date (Oct. 29) and venue (Manchester ) of his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko emblazoned on the side, took to Twitter to list his goals for the coming months.
“This year Oct bitch Wlad. March 2017 weightlifter AJ. Summer 2017 hollow Wilder, let’s make this happen, let’s dance pussys,” Fury wrote late last night.
Antonio Margarito beats Ramon Alvarez, but please don’t let him fight Canelo!
Mexican warrior Antonio Margarito is now 2-0 into his latest comeback – a comeback the 38-year-old launched even though his eyesight may be in clear and present danger as a result – and he is now looking and calling for a big fight. On Saturday, Margarito scored a decent enough points win over Ramon Alvarez, registering a knockdown along the way to his 10-round split decision victory. The fight took place at super-welterweight, with former world champ “Tony” picking up a WBO bauble along with the win. But the really disturbing news came in the form of what Margarito, 40-8(27) called for after his latest win: a fight with the primed and peaking Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
Roy Jones Jr wins wide UD over Rodney Moore, may box on
Last night in his home town of Pensacola, living legend Roy Jones Junior won a ten-round shutout over fellow veteran, “Rockin'” Rodney Moore. The 47-year old won every round on all cards, emerging with a 100-90 tally on the judges’ sheets. Now 64-9, Jones may have won via a clean mile but he is nothing like the sublime talent he once was.
Jones looks soft physically these days, if not fat; certainly nothing like the chisseled athlete he was in his prime. Finding opponents Jones Jr can beat is no easy task – Moore fit the bill though, having last picked up a win in 2002! If Jones steps up even a little, he runs the risk of losing via nasty KO (see his recent hammering by Enzo Maccarineli).
Results: Margarito defeats Alvarez
Antonio Margarito fought well tonight through the first eight rounds and then held on to beat Ramon “Inocente” Alvarez (23-5-2, 15 KOs) by a narrow 10 round split decision to win the World Boxing Organization Continental welterweight title at the Baja California Center in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico.
Video: Evaluating Floyd Mayweather Jr’s Final 10 Fights
Floyd Mayweather’s first retirement from boxing came after his knockout win against Ricky Hatton in December 2007, when Floyd famously nailed Hatton with a picture perfect check hook. There weren’t many boxing people who believed the retirement was permanent, but it was an official retirement nonetheless. Mayweather would ultimately return to the ring in 2009, and would go on to have 10 fights. He won all 10 of them. How good were these wins, and how did they impact his legacy?
David Price says he KO’d Anthony Joshua in sparring, wants opportunity to try and do it again in IBF challenge
A couple of days ago, reigning IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua put out a Tweet telling would-be challengers to leave him alone as far as asking for a shot at him unless they are “serious” and not mere hype jobs. Well, fellow Brit and former British champion David Price saw the Tweet and responded to it by stating he wants to fight A.J for his IBF belt. But that’s not all: with his challenge, Price told of a story regarding how he knocked Joshua out in sparring a few years back.
Carl Frampton receives massive homecoming in Belfast, vows to become a three-weight world champ
Irish hero and recently crowned WBA featherweight champion Carl Frampton returned home to, well, a hero’s welcome yesterday evening in his native Belfast. Greeted by thousands of fans, who lined up on the lawn of the Belfast City Hall, two-weight ruler Frampton looked to be genuinely moved by the affection his fans gave him. Already being called the greatest Irish fighter in history, Frampton, 29-years-old and currently 23-0(14) wants to put a seal on this by becoming a three-weight king.
Results: Miguel Flores Defeats Ryan Kielczweski
Miguel Flores (21-0, 9 KOs) defeated Ryan Kielczweski (25-2, 7 KOs) by unanimous decision (97-93, 96-94, 96-94) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
In an action-packed fight during which both fighters threw over 750 punches, the Houston native Flores was slightly more fluid and able to do enough work on the inside to keep his unblemished record intact.