Author: Sean Crose

“Errol Spence Jr. Confirmed Fight.” – he said – “and it could be war.” Although he wasn’t known for his boxing coverage, he was right. Former welterweight champion Spence will return to the ring and yes, the fight could be a war. His opponent will be Sebastian Fundora, the WBO and WBC junior middleweight world champion. It’s been a long time since Spence stepped into the ring without holding a major world title – since he fought Britain’s Kell Brook for Brook’s IBF welterweight crown in 2017. However, a lot has changed since then.

In 2019, the Texan crashed his Ferrari Spider in Dallas and was lucky to survive. Then came endless negotiations to fight WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford for the all-important welterweight titles (Spence held the WBA, WBC and IBF belts). Then, when the fight finally went down in 2023, Crawford gave Spence a world-class beating. Since then, Spence has not entered the ring in professional competition. With Terence Crawford sidelined for Fundora’s duties, the door is open for Spence 28-1 to face Fundora 21-1-1.

However, fundora may not be uncomplicated. He is every bit a Spence warrior. Moreover, it is not without reason that it is called “The Towering Inferno”. Standing at almost six and a half inches statuesque, Fundora will have about a seven inch height advantage over Spence’s five-nine-and-a-half in the ring. However, Fundora has proven that it is not indestructible, provided that it can be reached. After all, Brian Mendoza knocked him out in the seventh round last April. And Spence is just powerful. It’s doubtful that the jump to junior middleweight will weaken Spence’s striking that much.

It is also worth noting that Spence has only lost one fight in his highly successful and decorated career. And that loss came at the hands of the gloved Crawford, who may be an all-time great. Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia, Chris Algieri, Danny Garcia – Porter has defeated all recognized world champions. Some might argue that Spence will never recover from his loss to Crawford. This may be true. On the other hand, this certainly may not be the case. Although it has not been officially confirmed yet, it promises to be very intriguing.

Marc Ramsey is pleased with the work ethic of his super middleweight fighter Christian Mbilla. The coach believes Mbilli’s progress has earned the player a positive reputation, which is reflected in the rankings.

The 29-year-old Mbilli, ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the WBO and IBF rankings respectively, is fighting for the 168-pound title after an impressive 10-round unanimous decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko last month in Quebec City, Canada.

Mbilli, a French Cameroonian fighter, has steadily risen to become one of the hottest fighters at 168 after recording wins over Rohan Murdock and Mark Heffron earlier this year.

According to Ramsey, unified lithe heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, whom he also trains, has raised the level of training in the gym.

“I want [Beterbiev] focus on his own thing, but still influences the rest of the gym to follow his ethics in training and as a professional,” Ramsey told Pro Boxing Fans. “And now it’s Christian Mbilli’s turn to follow in his footsteps. A very dedicated warrior, very trainable and talented, robust and has many tools.

“Christian also became an example for fresh and future players. I have some fresh potential clients and they all admire Christian and Artur, which is the reputation this gym currently has.

The hard-hitting Mbilli is on track to be considered a future opponent by 168-pound superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who dominated Edgar Berlanga in a unanimous decision last month. The unified 168-pound champion is considering his options and could decide to fight the winner of Saturday’s undisputed 175-pound championship fight between Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

Asked if his fighter would consider fighting Alvarez next, Ramsey said promoters Top Rank need to decide what’s best for Mbilla.

“We don’t know yet,” Ramsey said. “Christian underwent minor surgery right after his last fight. He’s fine now, but the decision will be made by the promoters. If it is Canelo, we will be very joyful. But we don’t want to wait for Canelo.

“We want to keep pushing [Mbilli]work with him technically and tactically to be prepared when the phone rings. Boxing is always a matter of timing, but we have this project and we really believe that we will achieve the goal with them at some point without a doubt.

Call him Mr. Perfect. With a record of 20-0 and all 20 victories coming by knockout, Artur Beterbiev strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents, forcing those who share the ring with him to face the haunting question: is his power real and can I match it? resist ?

Every punch landed by Beterbiev should be treated as a potential KO punch. He is able to physically and mentally dismantle his enemies, leaving them bloody, battered and confused.

But Beterbiev, the WBC, IBF and WBO airy heavyweight champion who will face WBA champion Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed championship on Saturday (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET), is more than just a punch; it is also a merciless technical predator bent on destruction. Beterbiev combines his strength and punching power with infinite willpower.

And Bivol is not just a intelligent boxer; he is an wise tactician, a true wizard in the ring and a technical master who continues to rise above the competition. I see him as a master swordsman, primarily moving in and out of range with ease and displaying a uncommon combination of precision, strength and strategic brilliance.

Let’s also take into account that Beterbiev’s return from a knee injury is a concern. Former middleweight champion Sergio Martinez and former junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman suffered similar injuries that circumscribed their mobility.

Bivol and Beterbiev rely primarily on a high guard to defend themselves, which exposes their bodies. This can create an opportunity to hurt and weaken each of them. It will be captivating to see who exactly uses this strategy in hopes of destroying the other.

Let’s take a look at the Beterbiev-Bivol fight – who has the advantage and how the fight may go.