Boxing Archives - Page 20 of 42

Eddie Hearn remains confident in Dmitry Bivol’s ability to defeat Artur Beterbiev, even after the British promoter watched what he called “a freak of nature” dismantle another fighter his company represents Saturday night.

For Bivol to beat Beterbiev, however, Hearn understands that the WBA light heavyweight champion won’t be able to simply outbox the rugged Russian knockout artist. Bivol will need to do some damage of his own to slow down the aggressive, strong Beterbiev and give himself a better opportunity to win their 12-round, 175-pound title unification fight.

Hearn is certain Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) and Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) will finally fight next. In fact, Hearn revealed during an interview with Boxing News following Beterbiev’s seventh-round technical knockout of Callum Smith on Saturday night in Quebec City, Canada that Bivol’s side of a deal for the Beterbiev bout has already been finalized with Turki Alalshikh.

The General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, headed by Turki Alalshikh, is expected to fully fund the expensive Beterbiev-Bivol battle.

“I always back our guys,” Hearn said. “I truly believed Callum Smith would win tonight and I truly believe that Bivol would win. But seeing Beterbiev up close – that’s the second time I’ve seen him up close – he’s actually a lot better than he was against Callum Johnson [a fourth-round knockout win in October 2018]. I think he’s improved a lot. I know he’s getting older, and you hope that he’s slowing down, but he’s not. He’s actually, I mean, I thought that was one of his best performances.”

The Montreal-based Beterbiev, who will turn 39 on January 21, dropped Smith twice in the seventh round of a fight he led on all three scorecards through six rounds (59-55, 58-56, 58-56). Liverpool’s Smith suffered the first two knockdowns of his 11-year professional career and lost inside the distance for the first time in 31 pro bouts (29-2, 21 KOs).

Russia’s Bivol boxes better than Smith, yet Hearn emphasized that the long-reigning, 33-year-old champion must earn Beterbiev’s respect in a fight that, barring a no-contest or a draw, would crown the first fully unified light heavyweight champion of boxing’s four-belt era.

“Dmitry Bivol has tremendous movement, but you’ve gotta make a dent,” Hearn said. “It’s very difficult to outbox him over 12 rounds. He’s gonna wear you down, he’s gonna force the pressure and, like I said, the shots around the back of the head, the shots on the ears, they really hurt. And I think Dmitry can do it, but it’s the only fight for both guys now.”

Bob Arum, Beterbiev’s promoter, told ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna in the ring Saturday night that his team will begin negotiations soon with Turki Alalshikh to finalize a deal for the long-awaited Beterbiev-Bivol bout. Arum indicated that their showdown should take place three months after Ramadan because Beterbiev, who owns the IBF, WBC and WBO 175-pound championships, is a practicing Muslim.

Ramadan – the Muslim month for fasting, prayer, reflection and community – is scheduled to end April 9. The Beterbiev-Bivol bout, according to Arum’s timeline, is expected to take place sometime during the summer at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“From our side, we’ve already done the deal,” Hearn said. “You know, we’ve already done the deal with [Turki Alalshikh]. And it’s over to his excellency to do the deal with Artur Beterbiev. So, that’s the fight we expect next.”

BOXING

Mike Tyson Feels There’s Still One Thing Terence Crawford Needs To Prove

He might be pound-for-pound number one in many people’s eyes, but Mike Tyson still thinks Terence Crawford has one thing left to prove.

Crawford is quite possibly the best fighter of his generation after recently claiming the undisputed welterweight title with an impressive knockout win over Errol Spence Jr back in July. It’s his second four-belt haul having also achieved that feat down at light-welterweight.

Right now he has a contracted rematch with Spence to think about but has also spoken of his desire to fight Jermell Charlo.

Speaking on the DAZN Boxing Show, former heavyweight wrecking ball Tyson was asked if Crawford was an all-time great who could have won in any era.

It was then put to him that Crawford has now also got the fan base to fill arenas and Tyson said he needs some harder fights to really go to the next level, at least financially.

Whoever ‘Bud’ fights next, it will not be in defense of his undisputed title having recently been stripped of the IBF championship.

BOXING

Devin Haney On Facing Gervonta Davis: I Think That’s The Biggest Fight In Boxing, To Be Real

Devin Haney doesn’t know exactly what it would take during inevitably complicated negotiations to finalize a deal for him to fight Gervonta Davis.

The former undisputed lightweight champion is absolutely sure, though, that a bout between those unbeaten contemporaries would be bigger than any other bout that can be made in the sport. That’s why Haney didn’t hesitate when he was asked during an open workout recently at the Top Rank Gym to identify the fighter who would help him make the most money on the largest stage possible.

“Tank Davis,” Haney told a group of reporters. “I think that’s the biggest fight in boxing, to be real. You know, we all know what kinda draw he is. You know, we know what kinda draw I’m becoming. And I think it’s a huge fight.”

Since Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) vacated the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO lightweight titles, it is believed Baltimore’s Davis would need to move up from 135 pounds to 140 again to fight him. Haney would become a more appealing potential opponent for Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) if he were to beat Regis Prograis (29-1, 24 KOs) when they fight for Prograis’ WBC super lightweight title Saturday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Davis’ last fight, a seventh-round knockout of rival Ryan Garcia on April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, generated approximately $22.8 million in ticket sales and reportedly 1.2 million pay-per-view buys. The WBA secondary lightweight champion’s past four fights have been contested at the lightweight limit of 135 pounds, but he moved up to 140 pounds to battle Mario Barrios, whom Davis dropped three times and defeated by 11th-round technical knockout in June 2021 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The 29-year-old Davis doesn’t have a fight scheduled, though he is expected to remain in the lightweight division when he returns to the ring early in 2024.

While Davis would be his highest-profile opponent, Haney is also interested in fighting Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) and another opponent Davis knocked out, WBA super lightweight champ Rolly Romero (15-1, 13 KOs).

“We know Rolly, but I don’t know where Rolly been at,” Haney said. “I ain’t seen Rolly lately. But that’s another fight to be made in the 140 [division]. But like I said, I gotta get past Regis Prograis and then we go from there. But I wanna make the biggest fights happen, the biggest money fights happen. You know, I became undisputed, made history, defended my belts, you know, became the youngest to do so. But now it’s time for me to make the biggest fights happen. Like I said, my next fight ought to be back in the Bay Area or we going to Saudi [Arabia].”

Prograis, of Katy, Texas, and Haney, of Henderson, Nevada, will square off in a DAZN Pay-Per-View main event at the home arena of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. This four-fight show will begin at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) and is listed at a suggested retail price of $59.99 for DAZN subscribers and $74.99 for non-subscribers.

BOXING

Anthony Joshua says he thinks Oleksandr Usyk will beat Tyson Fury but would prefer to face fellow Brit

Anthony Joshua will face Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Saudi Arabia; the fight takes place three weeks after Tyson Fury takes on Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight title clash; promoter Frank Warren says the winners of the two bouts could face each other next

Anthony Joshua has tipped Oleksandr Usyk to beat Tyson Fury in their undisputed heavyweight title clash but says he would prefer to face his compatriot in the future.

Joshua will fight former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Saudi Arabia, with the winner potentially getting a shot at whoever emerges victorious from the undisputed clash on February 17.

Two-time world champion Joshua lost his WBO, IBF, and WBA belts to Usyk in 2021 before losing a rematch to the Ukrainian the following year, but has never fought WBC champion Fury.

“It’s going to be a good fight,” Joshua told Sky Sports News on Monday as the date was confirmed for his bout with Ngannou.

“I think Usyk edges it.

“I’m not really bothered. I just want them both to be healthy and leave the ring. It’s a tough game. So that’s all I can ask for, that they leave the ring healthy.

BOXING

Winner of Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou set to face Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk for heavyweight titles

Anthony Joshua will face Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Saudi Arabia; the fight takes place three weeks after Tyson Fury takes on Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed heavyweight title clash; promoter Frank Warren says the winners of the two bouts could face each other next

The winner of Anthony Joshua’s fight with Francis Ngannou could challenge the victor of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight title clash later this year, according to promoter Frank Warren.

Two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua on Monday had his bout with former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou confirmed for March 8 in Saudi Arabia, three weeks after WBO, IBF, and WBA belt-holder Usyk takes on WBC titlist Fury in Riyadh.

Most had expected that the undisputed clash would be followed by a rematch, but at Monday’s Joshua-Ngannou press conference in London, it was suggested the winners of the two fights could be matched next

Turki Alalshikh of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who has brokered a series of high-profile fights in Riyadh, said: “You will see the result of this match will connect about the result of the 17 February – this is our idea.”

Warren then added: “For the winner, the big fight’s happening on February 17, with Tyson and Usyk.

“The winner of that – would we like to see them with the winner of this fight? Everybody in boxing would love to see that.

BOXING

Francis Ngannou’s coach teases Mike Tyson collaboration for Anthony Joshua fight after boxing legend played key role in Tyson Fury camp

Mike Tyson has an open invitation to train Francis Ngannou after helping the former UFC champion prepare for his boxing debut.

Ngannou shocked the world when he dropped WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and almost caused a monumental upset at the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ last October.

Ahead of the bout, Mike Tyson joined the MMA fighter’s camp and ultimately helped the Cameroonian KO artist push Fury to a controversial split decision.

Dewey Cooper, who combines his job as Ngannou’s striking coach with running Team Combat League, has now explained how the boxing legend came to join their camp and highlighted the main benefit of having him in the gym.

“Mike used to come to my fights, so we’ve been friends for a long time,” Cooper told talkSPORT.com.

“Four years ago, Francis went on Mike Tyson’s podcast, and Francis was talking about fighting Tyson Fury and people like that way back then.

“He made an agreement with Mike Tyson that if he did a boxing fight Mike would have to work his corner because Mike Tyson was so influential in Francis wanting to take this journey.

“Mike had to be a part of it. He trained Francis when he could. He had a very busy schedule. He and I are good friends, so whenever he came in, he took over. It’s Mike Tyson!

“I think the main factor he played, besides the great training and instructions, was the motivation of Francis. When Mike Tyson came to the gym, Francis lit up like a kid on Christmas morning about to open his gifts.”

Ngannou’s performance against Fury earned him another mega-fight against former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua, who he will face in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

Cooper expects Tyson to join their camp again and says he is happy to have ‘Iron Mike’ play as big a role as Ngannou wants him to over the next couple of months.

He added: “Whatever way Francis wants Mike Tyson to be involved he will be.

“I love Mike, we go back way before any of this Francis Ngannou–UFC stuff was happening anyway.

“So, I hope he will come through like he did last time and keep implementing his mentality and technique.

“I’m sure he will, but either way, [Ngannou] is going to be prepared and ready to go against Anthony Joshua.”

BOXING

Lennox Lewis Says Anthony Joshua Has Two Main Credible Opponents

Lennox Lewis’s relationship with Anthony Joshua has always been a little frosty and now the last undisputed heavyweight champion of the world has said that ‘AJ’ only has two credible opponents out there that are worthy of fighting following ‘gimme’ bouts.

Lewis was watching on from a TV studio when Joshua was last out on the Day of Reckoning card in Saudi Arabia against Otto Wallin. Many thought it was his best showing in a while – a straightforward stoppage win that came when Wallin remained on his stool after the fifth round – and it followed two other victories in 2023 against Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.

Speaking to The Ring, Magazine Lewis said Joshua should now only take big fights having successfully rebuilt following his back-to-back losses to pound for pound great Oleksandr Usyk.

After that, Lewis claimed that only fights against Tyson Fury and Zhilei Zhang are suitable for Joshua. The Brit has already faced Oleksandr Usyk twice, coming up short on both occasions.

The reality is his next fight comes against a 1 and 0 novice in Francis Ngannou, though boxing fans will be hoping that after that it will be a tougher test against the winner of the undisputed battle between Fury and Usyk in February.

BOXING

Photos: Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou – Face To Face at Kickoff Presser

‘Knockout Chaos’ headlined by former unified World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua in a mouth watering match up against MMA superstar and now Heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou on Friday 8 March at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

The event is being delivered to fans across the world by The General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, Goldstar Promotions and GIMIK Fight Promotions.

Previously the WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO World Champion, Joshua completed a busy and successful year on 23 December 2023 when he defeated Otto Wallin in five rounds in a headline attraction on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ in Riyadh, a fight which marked his return to the elite end of the Heavyweight rankings.

Former UFC Heavyweight champion Ngannou entered the world of boxing when he competed in the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ against WBC World Champion Tyson Fury, which opened Riyadh Season on 28 October 2023. The fight boomed into life towards the end of the third round when Ngannou landed a left hook to the temple of Fury’s head and the champion was put to the canvas.

BOXING

Francis Ngannou vows to target Anthony Joshua’s chin in March 8 bout

Francis Ngannou has vowed to target Anthony Joshua’s chin when they fight in Saudi Arabia on March 8 with plenty on the line for both fighters.

The card — dubbed “Knockout Chaos”– will also feature Joseph Parker against Zhilei Zhang as the co-main event.

Former UFC champion Ngannou is out to prove his impressive performance against Tyson Fury in October — when he knocked the WBC champion down in the third round — was no fluke.

“I’m just a beginner out here that’s going to train really hard and come as an underdog to win the fight,” Ngannou said at a news conference on Monday. “Yes the Tyson Fury fight was great, it was awesome, but that’s now in the past and I have a new challenge in front of me.

“I take it even more serious now than before because I think there’s something more on the line.”

Ngannou made no secret of how he’ll target Joshua and as a novice boxer, knows his biggest strength is his knockout power.

“Yes I heard that he [Joshua] doesn’t have a chin, I don’t know if it’s true or not. We’re going to find out, I hope I have the opportunity to test that out. In the fight you try to hit somebody in the chin or wherever you can hit him.

“Maybe I will do something that nobody has done before and I really think I have the tools to do that, starting with a win against AJ.”

For Joshua, fighting again less than three months after the win over Otto Wallin, shows yet again his desire to keep active. A more convincing win over Ngannou than Fury could manage will be another building block in his pursuit to becoming a three time world champion.

“Every fight leads to somewhere. This fight is my everything,” Joshua said. “We’ll see where it leads me. Right now I’m not thinking about any champ belts or anything. My main focus is Francis and to be fair getting through intense focused training camp.”

Joshua also confirmed he will work with trainer Ben Davison again after the pair linked up prior to the victory over Wallin.

Joshua had agreed to a deal to fight former world champion Deontay Wilder before the Dec. 23 card but Wilder’s unanimous defeat to Parker ruined those plans.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said as soon as Wilder lost, a fight with Ngannou became a very real prospect. The new deal didn’t take long to make.

“As soon as that show finished, his excellency [Saudi Prince Turki Al Alshaikh] said to myself and Frank [Warren] ‘we need to talk,'” Hearn said. “[He said] ‘What is the biggest fight we can do on March 8th?’ It’s this one.

“There’s big jeopardy in this fight. This man [Joshua] is going to be the undisputed heavyweight world champion. I truly believe that. But he’s doing it the difficult way going through obstacles and what some might say an immovable object.

Warren also predicts fireworks and believes the bout will end in a knockout either way, hinting the winner could go on to face the winner of Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who face off next month.

“For AJ I think he’s in a tough fight. I think there will be a knockout. They’ve both got bombs in their hands. For the winner — his excellency said — the big fight that’s happening on [Feb.17] with Tyson and Usyk… the winner of that, would we like to see them against the winner of this fight?

“Everybody in this room would love to see that, everyone in boxing would love to see that.”

BOXING

Joshua faces Ngannou in Saudi March 8

Anthony Joshua will face ex-mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

Former heavyweight world champion Joshua is hoping to build on an impressive fifth-round stoppage of Otto Wallin last month to maintain his bounce back to form.

Cameroonian-born Ngannou only made his professional boxing debut in October, when he knocked down WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury before losing a close decision.

The fighters will face off in a press conference later on Monday in London.

Both Joshua’s victory over Wallin and Ngannou’s surprise showing against Fury took place in the Saudi capital Riyadh, with the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom rapidly becoming the go-to destination for promoters seeking big purses for major bouts.

Fury will also face Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh on February 17 in a fight that will deliver the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999.

Saudi Arabia has lavished billions of dollars on sporting events in recent years, including the right to host the 2034 World Cup, the LIV Golf circuit, a Formula One Grand Prix and football’s Club World Cup.

But the world’s biggest exporter of oil has been accused by its critics of “sportswashing” by using sport to improve its international reputation after widespread criticism for its human rights and environmental record.