Boxing
Queensberry fuels Brandun Lee’s boxing reset
Published
3 months agoon
SIGNATURE Branduna Lee probably wasn’t on Frank Warren’s to-do list for 2024, but when the opportunity arose to sign a 28-0 world title contender, the Hall of Fame promoter jumped at the chance.
Lee, who is just 25, will make his UK and Queensberry Promotions debut on Saturday night in the pre-fight fight before heavyweight contender Joe Joyce takes on Dereck Chisora at the o2 Arena*, marking the start of a fresh chapter in his career.
The Californian has gone 28-0 (23) in the first six years of his career, but Saturday night will be his first appearance in 15 months following a long layoff that Lee insists has been a blessing, not a curse.
“Everyone needs a break,” he says. Boxing News“We are not robots.
“We all need a break every now and then, but I’ve had my break and I’m ready to go. Now it’s all gas, no brakes.
“April of last year was my last fight. But I didn’t really mind the long break because I felt like I had to give my body a rest. I started boxing when I was six and I’d never had a break longer than a week. My body was just going, going, going. But it allowed me to reset.”
There was a time when Lee was billed as the future of the 140-pound division, appearing regularly on television and looking like a future world champion as he obliterated opponents who were weaker than him early in his career.
But he nearly fell apart against 17-1-3 Will Madera in August 2022, when he was knocked down firm in the third round and was lucky to stay up at all. But he showed his worth by regrouping and eventually winning a unanimous decision. He’s boxed twice more since then, most recently a 10-round decision win over Pedro Campa in April 2023, but it wouldn’t be unfair to say the early buzz has died down, if not died out entirely. Not that Lee is worried about that. Instead, his inactivity has opened the door for a much-needed “reset.”
“I went on vacation, I went to Japan, Thailand and Mexico,” he adds. “It really allowed me to travel the world a bit and refresh myself from boxing.
“Thailand was attractive, the food was amazing. Japan was attractive too, and the food is perfect. My girlfriend and I went to Tokyo. It was very immaculate, the people are extremely nice and extremely polite. I just felt that their society was very well organized. In fact, I liked it so much that I’m going back there on Monday.
“But even when I wasn’t fighting, I trained three or four days a week. It wasn’t anything bulky, I was just giving my body what it needed. It was refreshing.”
Lee had been an advisor to Al Haymon and appeared regularly on PBC shows, but when Showtime pulled the plug on its boxing programming, he was one of many fighters vying for regular exposure. That opened the door for Warren and Queensberry, although they didn’t enjoy a clear run under the fresh signing.
“They’ve shown a lot of interest in me. A lot of promoters have shown interest, they’ve all wanted me, but I feel like I’ve built a really popular fan base in the States, so it’s time to come to the UK and build a fresh fan base. We all know the UK fans are die-hard boxing fans, so I’m looking forward to starting this fresh journey.
“It didn’t surprise me at all. I think we made the right decision in signing Frank.”
In a world where GEA chairman Turki Alalshikh, who has worked closely with Warren since he entered the sport, is planning multi-weight boxing super leagues, it makes sense for Queensberry to sign someone like Lee. Alongside 1-0 prospect Nathan “Brickbuster” Lee, he is one of two Americans in the stable, but more are now expected from the States.
The fresh alliance means Lee will be only the second person to visit the UK and the first for business purposes, which comes with its own set of problems.
“We were already lost on the subway,” he laughs. “On Sunday we tried to get to a restaurant and ended up staying on the train too long and ending up somewhere else. Finally we had to give up and take a taxi.
“The slang is also fresh to me. For example, if I asked, ‘Excuse me, where is the toilet?’ and they looked at me strangely, so I would say, ‘bathroom,’ and they would still look at me strangely and say, ‘oh, you mean the toilet.’
“But I really like it here. People are very kind and generous. You know, riding the train or the subway was something completely fresh to me. There’s nothing like that in California.
“As far as boxing goes, I’m not sure if the plan is to always box here or somewhere else. It all depends on my team. Wherever they feel I can become the main attraction, that’s where I’ll box.”
The 140-pound division has moved on in Lee’s absence. There are now four different champions, and after Liam Paro stunned Subriel Matias in Puerto Rico, none of them will feel very comfortable. The lack of any clear No. 1 in the division also means, at least in theory, more opportunities for contenders like Lee.
“The division is wide open,” he agrees. “I just look at the other names in the division like a piece of meat in front of me. There are four different champions right now, it’s a huge division, but I don’t look at it in any particular way. I just see who’s in front of me and I know I have to beat them.
“At the moment I would say that Teofimo Lopez is number one. We haven’t met yet, but I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a very direct guy who respects others. When he does speak, I feel he has every right to do so.
“Then you have Devin Haney getting his ass kicked by Ryan Garcia. I think they should have left it the way it was and then, if anything, just good for Ryan. But it is what it is.
“But none of that is critical to me. I’m just focused on myself and trying to get to that position. In the next 12 to 18 months, my goal is to be world champion and then move up to 147 and be world champion there.
“How long I can stay at 140 is the million dollar question. I’ve been at 140 for a while now, so when I’m going to get to the next level is the gigantic question. Making weight sucks, nobody wants to make it, but that’s part of boxing.
“But no matter when I move up, the goal is to become a two-weight world champion. I have a vested interest here at 140 pounds first.”
The fresh path to world honours begins in the unfamiliar surroundings of Greenwich, London, where he will face 20-year-old Colombian Juan Anacona, who is 11-0 but has only had two boxing fights with a positive record. Lee should win and win well.
“I’m flying to Bangkok on Monday to spend a few days there, and then I’m going to Japan,” he says.
“I’m looking forward to it, but the most critical thing is that I want to put on a good performance on Saturday night.”
Reset complete.
* Fighting in the boxing event preceding Joe Joyce’s heavyweight fight with Derek Chisora, Brandun Lee improved to 29-0 with a 78-74 victory over Juan Anacona (11-0) in Greenwich.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
8 hours 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
2 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.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.
Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.
Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.
Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.
Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.
Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.
There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.
Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.
McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.
Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.
Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.
After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.
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