Boxing
Malik Zinad: Golden chance in the fight against Bivol
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaWBA lithe heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol’s opponent, Malik Zinad, has a chance to make a name for himself even after losing Saturday night in a 5-on-5 clash in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.
Born in Libya, Zinad (22-0, 16 KO) is little known, and now he has a chance to show fans his talent in a fight with undefeated Bivol (22-0, 11 KO). If Zinad loses but looks good, it will be a favorable situation for him.
Bivol was supposed to fight IBF/WBC/WBO lithe heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in the main event, but he suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Zinad.
Boxing expert Chris Algieri doesn’t think Bivol is overlooking Zinad because he’s not that type of person. Still, Zinad will be a complex opponent for him because he has the skills and is in great shape at the age of 30.
Potential upset?
Over the past two weeks, Bivol has looked tired and exhausted. It is unclear whether this is due to the effort of gaining weight or signs of aging. Either way, Bivol doesn’t look good and if he’s not 100% for this fight, he may lose.
“Zinad is getting his chance now. It’s a tough shot, don’t get me wrong. Bivol is always Bivol, but it’s like fighting on a banana peel,” said Paulie Malignaggi. Probox TV about Dmitry Bivol’s title defense against Malik Zinad on Saturday night.
This is the perfect situation for Zinad, who appears out of nowhere, with no expectations or pressure, to try to upset a tired-looking Bivol.
You would still like to see Zinad fight a better opponent in his career to prepare him for this moment. He hasn’t fought against well-known opponents and this may be too gigantic a leap in competition for Zinad.
Zinad’s last five opponents:
Jerome Pampellone
Michael Diallo
Ezekiel the Newfangled
Islam Teffahi
Almir Skrijelj
“I think Bivol is wiser, and not just because of who he is and what he has achieved in his career. He’s a tough guy. He’ll do his job no matter what,” said boxing expert Chris Algieri. “He spent all this time outside the ring. It’s not his fault. I think he’s still hungry.
Bivol didn’t look great in his last fight against Lyndon Arthur. He was injured in this fight when he became a little inattentive. If he does this against Zinad, he might get knocked out because he can punch.
“He has a renewed hunger within him because of his inaction. He fought Arthur and that was his last fight,” Algieri said.
“It’s been a bit busy, back to the fight. This fight feels that way too, except when you look beyond it to who Zinad really is. Listen, Zinad is 30 years aged. This is his peak. 6’1″, 22-0, 16 knockouts. All these numbers check out.
“It’s an opportunity for Zinad and I’m sure he understands what’s going on. It’s a gigantic platform. It’s something he’s been working on for a long time. He had plenty of time to prepare for this. Yes, it’s very much a banana peel and trap fight. It’s a very complex fight,” Algieri said.
“It’s a no-lose situation for Zinad because Zinad is good enough to look good in this fight no matter what happens,” Malignaggi said. “Because of Bivol’s mental state, he’s not the type of guy to disrespect guys.
“Even if Zinad was the type of guy who would upset someone, I don’t think Bivol was the type of guy he would upset.”
“Even if he pushes Bivol, it’s 100% an open door for him,” Algieri said of Zinad.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
9 hours agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
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