Boxing Archives - Page 31 of 42

Gervonta Davis has had a difficult year in spite of the massive successes inside the ring. In a massive development, his head coach, Calvin Ford, has been arrested in Davis’ hometown Baltimore. However, just hours after the incident came to light online today, the undefeated pugilist turned to social media with a difficult confession.

The reason behind Calvin Ford’s latest arrest seems to be serious. The update comes days after Davis recently transitioned into his new faith as a Muslim and changed his name to Abdul Wahid. Possibly contemplating his trainer’s arrest, Davis turned to Instagram, channeling his thoughts into a poignant life lesson.

Gervonta Davis starts the year with a difficult lesson

While there’s no guarantee that the Instagram story was regarding his trainer’s arrest, the timing and the choice of words do suggest a connection. The southpaw wrote, “The less people you chill with, the less problems you deal with.” Davis himself is dealing with his prohibition at the moment, unable to visit his family for Christmas

Tank has been out of the ring since he clashed with Ryan Garcia in April last year. Though he managed to pull off a dominant victory, fans have speculated about his return since then. Meanwhile, Ford’s recent arrest raises questions about Davis’ return to the ring. But why was he arrested? Here are some of the details we know as of now.

Arrest Warrant for Calvin Ford isn’t from Baltimore

Even though the 58-year-old was picked up by the cops in Baltimore, his actual arrest warrant was issued from Las Vegas. According to co-trainer Kenny Ellis, Ford’s charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

However, co-trainer Ellis denies any wrongdoing, claiming to have been with Ford the entire time. He questions if Ford did something wrong and why, if he was with him, the cops didn’t arrest him. He later goes on to claim that the truth will come out soon.

If not for Ford, at least for Davis’ boxing career, what happens to Ford is vital. There are always chances of the Instagram story and Ford’s recent arrest being two different things. However, what do you think about Davis’ latest post? Tell us in the comments below.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis Now Sole Recognized WBA Lightweight Titlist; Haney Removed As ‘Super’ Champ

The new year has begun with one less WBA belt in existence.

Devin Haney was formally removed as WBA ‘Super’ lightweight champion in the sanctioning body’s latest ratings update which published Tuesday. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is now the sole recognized WBA titleholder at the weight, having previously held WBA ‘Regular’ status.

The move was expected, when Haney (31-0, 15KOs) declared in late November that he was prepared to abandon his unified lightweight championship to fully compete at junior welterweight. The announcement was made prior to his WBC 140-pound title win over Regis Prograis. Haney delivered a tour-de-force performance atop a December 9 DAZN Pay-Per-View event from Chase Center in his birth town of San Francisco, California.

Despite his prior declaration, Haney was still the recognized WBA ‘Super’ lightweight champion as of the December 1 WBA rankings and headed into his fight versus Prograis.

Baltimore’s Davis (29-0, 27KOs) has yet to publicly comment on his newfound status as full titleholder. The only recent round of news involving the two-division titlist and boxing superstar was his recent conversion to Islam and that he chose the name Abdul Wahid (“Servant of The One”) upon his acceptance of Allah.

Monday’s development barely changes things for Davis, whose current title reign dates back to a December 2019 twelfth-round knockout of Yuriorkis Gamboa. The only real change is the absence of a primary title ahead of his belt, which means he is free to further unify the division if that is the road he chooses to travel. The only other active lightweight titlist is Shakur Stevenson, who claimed the vacant WBC belt in a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Edwin De Los Santos last November 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The IBF and WBO belts are both currently vacant. The IBF belt will iikely be at stake in a proposed Vasiliy Lomachenko-George Kambosos fight targeted for this spring. Denis Berinchyk would then become the leading candidate to fight for the vacant WBO title versus an opponent to be determined.

Davis has not fought since a seventh-round knockout of Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20KOs) last April 22 at T-Mobile Arena. The bout was fought at a 136-pound catchweight in a non-title fight, with Davis’ WBA title not at stake.

It mattered little to the masses; the fight sold a reported 1.2 million pay-per-view units and generated an estimated $22.8 million live gate atop a Showtime Pay-Per-View that served as the highest grossing event of 2023.

Davis last defended his WBA title in a stoppage win over previously unbeaten WBA junior lightweight titlist Hector Garcia after nine rounds. Garcia (no relation to Ryan) moved up in weight to unsuccessfully challenge Davis last January 6 at MCI Center in Washington, D.C.

No decision was yet made by the WBA as to whether Davis will be ordered to make a mandatory title defense; his last such obligation came in a May 2021 knockout win over then-unbeaten Rolando Romero.

Isaac Cruz and William Zepeda—a pair of contenders from Mexico—are the highest-ranked WBA lightweight contenders. Both have frequently expressed an interest in facing Davis.

Cruz has been teased as a leading candidate to next face Davis. Such a fight would represent a rematch to their December 2021 meeting, won by Davis via unanimous decision which snapped his sixteen-fight knockout streak. Cruz has since won three in a row, including a unanimous decision over Giovanni Cabrera last July 29 in Las Vegas.

Zepeda is due to fight in the first quarter of 2023, though an opponent was not yet identified as this goes to publication. The 27-year-old southpaw earned knockout victories over Jaime Arboleda and Merctio Gesta for his two bouts in 2023.

BOXING

Anthony Joshua looking at Oleksandr Usyk trilogy as new trainer’s stance comes to light

Anthony Joshua could end up facing Oleksandr Usyk for a third time if the Watford powerhouse’s new trainer Ben Davison gets his way. AJ is planning on pushing on in 2024 after a successful rebuild last year.

Eddie Hearn claims his client will box three times this year or three times from March 2024, when Joshua is expected to return to the ring, to March 2025. Joshua will likely face Filip Hrgovic for the soon-to-be-vacated IBF strap in his next outing and providing all goes well there then the former unified heavyweight champion will be in a primed position to face the winner of Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury once they complete their two-fight commitment.

Joshua appears to favour a domestic dust-up with Fury while, according to Hearn, Davison fancies another crack at Usyk, who outpointed AJ twice. “The things that AJ wants to do is be in massive fights, win the world heavyweight title, and fight Tyson Fury, or get another crack at Usyk,” Hearn told iFL TV.

“That’s what Ben [Davison] wants – another crack at Usyk. For me, obviously, I’d love the Fury fight.” Joshua started working with Davison shortly after his disappointing display against Robert Helenius in August.

Although AJ eventually got the stoppage, his timid display left a lot to be desired. At the time, Joshua was working with Derrick James and the Davison link-up appeared to be more of a stop-gap.

I was training with Ben Davison in the UK and this fight came up with seven weeks to go and it would have been crazy to pack up and go to the States,” Joshua said. “I think it has been really good with Ben, as it has been with Derrick.

BOXING

Otto Wallin on Loss to Anthony Joshua: I Really Have No Excuses; He Was Just Better

Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin has taken his punishing loss to Anthony Joshua squarely on the chin.

The New York-based southpaw refused to offer any alibis for his performance against the former heavyweight champion from London when they met last week in the main event of a card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Joshua dominated from the opening bell, forcing a stoppage of Wallin after five rounds of their scheduled 12-rounder. Wallin’s corner, recognizing their fighter was already badly bloodied and bruised, threw in the towel after the conclusion of the fifth round.

Wallin had offered a confident front heading into the fight, saying that Joshua had lost his confidence in recent years and that he was susceptible to southpaws.

In a recent interview, Wallin acknowledged that Joshua was simply the better fighter and wondered if his first-time stint under trainer Ben Davison was a large factor in that.

“I really have no excuses,” Wallin told Boxing News. “He was just better, I think. He did really well. He used his reach well. He hit me with some really good shots. Yeah, he was just better, I think.

“He hit me with some good body shots. I’m always ready for that, but I think they had a good game plan. I think maybe, I haven’t watched the fight, but … it was a much tougher fight than the one I had with Fury. He did really well. Maybe he has found his home with Ben Davison, I don’t know.”

“I was confident going into the fight, thought that I had a really good chance of winning, but he did a really, really good job, AJ,” Wallin added.

Wallin said he did not disagree with his coach’s decision to stop the fight. Wallin is trained by former two-divisoin champion Joey Gamache.

“I didn’t disagree with him,” Wallin said. “Joey told me that he’s going to stop it and I didn’t say anything. Joey’s been with me for 10 years. He has seen me training, seen me in almost all my fights. He has never pulled me out of anything. I trust Joey. He is always looking out for me. And I feel very happy that I have a trainer that puts my health first. There’s a life after boxing.

“So I’m really appreciative that he’s looking out for me. If you’re a trainer and you see your guy out there when he comes back and looks worse in the corner—I haven’t watched the fight but I trust Joey.”

BOXING

Joseph Parker Has Earned Right To Anthony Joshua Rematch, Says Promoter

David Higgins, promoter for former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, believes his fighter has done what is necessary to earn a rematch with British superstar Anthony Joshua.

Back in 2018, Joshua won a twelve round unanimous decision over Parker to unify the WBA, WBO, IBF titles.

Last month in Saudi Arabia, Parker shocked the division when he outboxed heavily favored Deontay Wilder over twelve rounds to derail a planned March mega-bout with Joshua. Parker was the more active boxer and was able to avoid Wilder’s dangerous right hand for the entire fight.

The victory marks Parker’s fourth win in a row since suffering a stoppage loss at the hands of Joe Joyce in 2022.

“Joseph has earned that fight [with Joshua] in my opinion and the Saudis would see merit in Parker against Anthony Joshua,” Parker’s promoter David Higgins told Sky Sports. “It might not be next, there might be a bit more work to do but I think that’s the fight fans want to see. It’s a merit-based fight.

“In terms of opponents, Joseph will fight anyone and if you look at all the names on his resume from Derek Chisora twice, Joe Joyce, Joshua, Wilder, Dillian Whyte, the list goes on and he’s still only 31-years-old. We’ll fight Anthony Joshua in a heartbeat. Everyone knows Joseph will fight him next but I am not sure that’s an option. We’ll obviously look at any option and see what comes forward.”

Joshua was also in action in the headline bout of the ‘Day of Reckoning’ card that featured the Wilder-Parker encounter. Joshua battered and stopped Otto Wallin in five rounds. Joshua will now be looking for a dance partner, which at the moment appears to be unbeaten contender Filip Hrgovic.

BOXING

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao 2.0: Legends Announce New Fight in 2024

Both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao gave one of the most legendary fights in boxing history in 2015 and now the Filipino raised his voice to announce that they will step into the ring again in 2024 in a new exhibition.

Pacquiao will come out of retirement and face another retiree, Mayweather. The Filipino had a moment of indiscretion and declared during an event in Tokyo, Japan, that there will be a rematch between them for 2024.

Since 2021 Pacquiao retired from the ring, while Mayweather returned to a fight with mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in 2017.

This second contest between Pacquiao and Mayweather means a rematch for Pac-Man, who in the controversial fight of 2015 lost it against

Money, who officially retired from the boxing scene as undefeated; and apparently this second fight will take place in 2024 much earlier than expected, and with both as retired and with political and business activities.

Although in his announcement The Pacman did not reveal the tentative date for the fight, so it will be in the coming days when the day could be known, for his part Mayweather has not spoken about it, so the boxing world is waiting for more information in the early days of 2024.

BOXING

Top Boxing Fights to Look Out for in 2024

2024 in boxing is bound to be even better than 2023. It’s supposed to be a collision of titans. Tyson Fury against Oleksandr Usyk. Errol Spence Jr. facing Terence Crawford again. Intrigued yet? Imagine Canelo Alvarez stepping into the ring with Crawford. Or the light heavyweight mastery of Artur Beterbiev versus Dmitry Bivol. Every punch, a story.

Every round, history in the making. Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis – names echoing in arenas. And what about the unusual? YouTube sensations like KSI and Jake Paul in professional bouts. Anthony Joshua, a legend, possibly clashing with Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury. 2024 is not just fights; it’s a saga of fists and glory. Let’s see what fights we are bound to see.

Heavyweight history and welterweight warfare on the brink of happening

Firstly, let’s delve into the heavyweight realm, where Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to create ripples in the boxing world. Scheduled for February 17 in Riyadh, this bout is more than a fight; it’s a chapter of heavyweight history waiting to be written. Fury, the towering WBC champion, and Usyk, holding the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, both boast undefeated records. This clash isn’t just about the belts; it’s a battle for legacy and undisputed status.

Meanwhile, in the welterweight division, Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. are reigniting their fiery rivalry. Their first encounter left fans craving more, and the rematch has been set in stone. Crawford, the pound-for-pound king, and Spence Jr., a formidable force in the ring, are set to clash in a fight that could redefine welterweight supremacy. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the boxing world eagerly awaits this sequel.

In the domain of light heavyweight pugilism, an epic encounter looms on the horizon: the unification bout between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Beterbiev, the reigning IBF/WBC/WBO champion, and Bivol, the custodian of the WBA title, are poised for a confrontation that augurs to blend technical acumen with raw might. This bout transcends mere title unification; it’s an opportunity for these warriors to inscribe their legacies in the venerable chronicles of light heavyweight lore.

In the lightweight echelon, an enthralling contest is set to unfold as Devin Haney confronts Ryan Garcia. Tracing their rivalry back to their fledgling amateur days, this professional showdown represents the zenith of a protracted competitive saga. Their history is marked by 6 previous encounters, each standing at an equilibrium of three victories apiece. This seventh fray promises to be the decisive tiebreaker, establishing the superior combatant.

Now let’s look at the bouts that should happen in 2024.

Potential blockbusters: Fights that could electrify the boxing world

Transitioning from the realm of certainty to possibility, several tantalizing matchups loom on the horizon, capturing the imagination of boxing aficionados. Among them, the prospect of Canelo Alvarez facing Terence Crawford stands out. This fight, if materialized, would be a fascinating cross-weight class battle. Canelo, the undisputed super middleweight champion, against Crawford, a versatile and skilled tactician, promises a clash of styles and sheer boxing prowess.

Furthermore, the lightweight division might witness an explosive encounter between Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis. This potential bout represents a classic power vs. precision matchup. Words, harsh words have been exchanged between them and their teams. Haney’s father even mocked Davis by calling a chimpanzee ‘Abdul Wahid’, which is the name Davis took after he changed his faith to Islam. This makes this fight not just about titles; but a little more personal.

KSI vs Jake Paul is a matchup that the whole YouTube community has been waiting to see. 2024 would be the perfect time to make it happen. Both have lost to the same person, Tommy Fury. Jake has avenged his loss by beating Andre August, another professional boxer. KSI is yet to have a boxing match since his loss to Fury.

On the heavyweight front, a potential fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder was a done deal for March 2024. But Wilder’s recent loss against Parker made it difficult for him to pursue Joshua, as mentioned by Eddie Hearn, “It’s ruined our plans. The future is not Deontay Wilder.”

Moreover, the long-anticipated Joshua vs. Fury fight remains a dream for many. This British heavyweight duel, if it comes to fruition, would not only be a high-profile fight but also a battle for national pride and historical significance. Each of these potential matchups carries its unique flavor and significance, promising to make 2024 a year to remember in the boxing world.

BOXING

Former boxing champ pinpoints worrying concern about Tyson Fury and tips Oleksandr Usyk to win undisputed fight

CARL FROCH has raised concerns over Tyson Fury and backed Oleksandr Usyk to win their undisputed super-fight.

Fury comes into the bout having controversially beaten ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in their crossover clash in October.

He was even dropped by the boxing debutant and had to escape with a split-decision win.

It backdated his unification bout with Usyk from December to February 17 and former super-middleweight champion Froch fears the worst.

He told talkSPORT: “2024 is going to be a fantastic year. Hopefully with a close humdinger with Fury and Usyk.

“I’m picking Usyk for that one, just because of where Tyson Fury is mentally.

“Hopefully Fury can have a good camp and rekindle some of his old greatness in terms of when he fought Deontay Wilder three times.

“He looked good, he looked different every time. I don’t know, that’s gone now. He struggles to get the weight off him.

“He seems under-motivated. When he fought Ngannou he looked confused. Has he got old overnight?

“Hopefully he turns up and gets the job done, because I want those titles to return to Britain, but at the minute I think Usyk wins that fight.”

Fury, 35, has now arrived in Riyadh to continue his training to fight Usyk, 36, with just under two months to go.

It comes after his dad John called his camp a “circus” which is “in decline”.

And Fury’s promotional team also refused to rule out a future rematch with Ngannou, 37, after he “took it lightly”.

BOXING

Why Tyson Fury ‘regretful’ of Francis Ngannou fight, according to promoter

Tyson Fury’s promoter believes that Francis Ngannou has earned a rematch following their first clash.

The pair fought in October last year and Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion who was making his boxing debut, shocked the world, as he took WBC heavyweight champion Fury the distance and came close to emerging victorious.

Ngannou knocked Fury down in the third round and lost by a narrow split decision, although many people believed the Cameroonian had done enough to claim victory.

As such, Top Rank CEO Todd DuBoef thinks that Ngannou deserves a rematch.

“That’s an earned ability to get the rematch. He earned that,” Du Boef told Sky Sports.

“His performance dictated that, ‘Woah, he has a chance. We never thought he had a chance’ and in that situation I think absolutely.

“I think Tyson is regretful. He blamed himself. He thought he had an off night.

“He said: ‘I took it lightly. It was all on me.’ Didn’t point fingers, which was good.

“Ngannou outperformed anybody’s expectation and as a result of that you have all the components to say, hey, I want to see this again and that creates and warrants a rematch.”

For the time being, however, Fury is occupied as he has an upcoming undisputed heavyweight world title clash with Oleksandr Usyk on February 17.

The bout could see the first undisputed heavyweight champion crowned in the four belt era.

BOXING

Why Gervonta Davis accused of running an insurance scam by fans

Gervonta Davis has been accused of running an insurance scam by fans shortly after the bunch of houses he bought spontaneously burned down just days after the purchase.

The undefeated “Tank” Davis acquired the properties in his home neighborhood of Sandtown-Winchester in Baltimore, Maryland and aimed to renovate them into affordable homes to give back to the community where he grew up

But a fire would engulf and damage the building, although firefighters would eventually get it under control. The exact cause of the blaze is not yet known to investigators so naturally theories of an insurance scam flew around social media.

Fans react

One user wrote on Twitter, now known as X, “Insurance money hitting for him he couldn’t even wait a week lol”.

Another commented, “Bro didn’t waste time committing insurance fraud”.

A third said, “Burnt down right after he buys the block?? Very very suspicious. Why people hating on their own kind”.

And a fourth wrote: “It’s always a dirty game when you start making momental moves to change the culture”.

Bob Arum picks three fighters who would beat Davis

Bob Arum is a prominent figure in boxing, renowned as a boxing promoter and the founder of Top Rank and has promoted numerous high-profile boxing matches, representing iconic fighters and playing a pivotal role in the sport’s promotion and business development.

When asked who he thought would beat Gervonta Davis in a fight, he chose Shakur Stevenson, Teofimo Lopez and Vasyl Lomachenko.

“All three I think would beat Davis, I really believe that,” Arum said to TalkSport. “But that’s why they do the fights, they get in the ring to determine who is better.

“I think that he [Gervonta Davis] is the real deal, that’s why we’re talking about him. He is a hell of a performer, a terrific athlete, terrific boxer, but so are the other three guys you mentioned.”