Boxing
Lyndon Arthur ‘excited’ about Liam Cameron’s assignment; he still hopes to fight Dan Azeez
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaA POTENTIAL fight between Lyndon Arthur and Dan Azeez has been in and out of boxing headlines over the past 12 months, but Arthur says he remains hopeful it will happen.
In 2023, the Manchester featherlight heavyweight told the BBC that he and Azeez were on a “collision course” to fight each other in another intriguing all-British 175-pound card. We have already seen Joshua Buatsi, considered the British number one, defeat Azeez and Craig Richards, who lost to an improving Willy Hutchinson earlier this month. Arthur also has a large win over Anthony Yard, but was stopped in the fourth round of the rematch.
Tomorrow evening (June 21) on Channel 5, “King” Arthur, 23-2 (16 KO), will get on his horse and fight Liam Cameron, 23-5 (10 KO). This represents a great opportunity for Arthur to claim another victory – and the WBA ranking belt – six months after his last fight, when he lost to WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol in Saudi Arabia.
Arthur talked to him about Friday’s assignment at the Bolton Whites Hotel.
“This is his chance. He has to bring his A-game, which means I have to bring my A-game. That’s why I’m not discounting Liam Cameron at all and I’m looking forward to Friday’s assignment.
Any hope of fighting Azeez may have disappeared last weekend at Selhurst Park when Croatian Hrvoje Sep almost pulled off a huge upset. After eight rounds, judge Bob Williams scored the fight 76-76. At least the good news is that an Arthur vs. Azeez fight remains a possibility.
“That’s the fight I want,” Arthur says.
“I know Dan Azeez drew on the weekend, but I don’t think it was his best performance so far. I think he may have taken his opponent or camp lightly. You know, sometimes there are days when you can’t be perfect all the time.
“I am sure that when he fights against me, he will train 100% and leave no stone unturned, and my style and his will be combined into a great fight. When that fight happens, if it happens, I can’t wait for it.”
Arthur, like Azeez, has long been the ponderous favorite to beat Cameron, who returned to boxing last October following a four-year ban by UKAD after testing positive for trace amounts (25 nanograms) of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. The same year he was banned, his stepdaughter Tiegan died in a road accident. Cameron also struggled with alcohol addiction. It’s a tough story that Channel 5 viewers will remember tomorrow night.
“I heard bits and pieces,” Arthur said of Cameron’s troubles. “I think he was banned from boxing, right? He was drinking or something. Other than that, I don’t pay attention to it. I can’t look at it. Maybe I’ll do it after the fight. Maybe I’ll talk to him, maybe I won’t. I really couldn’t care less at this point. It may look different after the fight.
His response wasn’t offensive or intended to offend, but during fight week, every boxer’s focus needs to be on him and him alone. Arthur would have expected no mercy for his own story, in which 10-year-old Lyndon lost his older brother Zennen Blackburn after he was shot and murdered in Bolton.
At the age of 19, Arthur discovered boxing and made his professional debut only at the age of 25. His eight-year career was filled with large fights, world title challenges and belt wins of his own, but it feels like it could have been more.
“I coped OK. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s tough to reach the level I’m at,” he says.
“Of course I had some ups and downs. Nothing can go smoothly all the time. I took it as it came and played the main role in my last fight… I even think that the last fight with Bivol was the fight in the foreground. I’ve probably headlined my last four or five shows. In total, I headlined probably seven or eight shows.
“It’s a large deal for me. I’m from Moston. Not many people do anything where I’m from or Manchester. There really are very few people who do nothing. I carried the Manchester flag a bit in boxing, so I’m elated. Of course I can do more. I know I can do more. But the journey has been good so far.”
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
19 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.
‘MIKE TYSON WON’T FIGHT EVER AGAIN!’ – Gareth A Davies
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