Boxing
Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois: Wembley clash
Published
3 months agoon
Abu Mahmood: In boxing, legacy is essential. What do fans remember about the fighter, his achievements and, most importantly, how he fought every time he stepped into the hallowed ring?
In the heavyweight division, every punch is delivered with malicious intent. Every punch can mean the end of the game for the opponent. When the dust settles, the spectators usually look to see one person with their hands raised in triumph and the sounds of celebration around the arena, while in the opposite corner is the defeated challenger who must return to the top for another chance at glory, fame, and the title of “The Greatest of All Time.”
September 21 will see two of the division’s fighters in a fight that will have implications for the rest of the heavyweight division as Anthony Joshua (28-3-0, 25 KOs) takes on IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois (21-2-0, 20 KOs) for the chance to call himself a three-time world champion and give himself a third chance to defeat the enigmatic and elusive ring general in Oleksandr Usyk (22-0-0, 14 KOs).
Daniel Dubois faces his biggest challenge yet in a fight with Anthony Joshua. Dubois was elevated to world champion on June 26. For many, this challenge will solidify his claim to the title of “world champion,” as well as potentially allow him to right the wrong he feels was made in his fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
For Joshua, a chance to become world champion again and challenge Usyk for the undisputed title. For Dubois, a chance to show everyone what he is capable of and prove that he deserves a place at the top. For the fans, a guaranteed fight that will have everyone on the edge of their seats.
Joshua is a unique fighter who has defeated many of his opponents in the ring en route to knockout victories. Dubois, a more cautious fighter with a punch reminiscent of Sonny Liston. Both men are at key moments in their careers.
So why does this fight have such a massive impact on the division?
World Champion:
Anthony Joshua enters the fight as a contender. He has rebounded since his last loss to Usyk on August 20, 2022, with four straight wins over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and most recently Francis Ngannou. Joshua, at 34, has previously struggled with taunts from opponents that he can’t technically box, a taunt he claimed was in his head when he fought Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua has been steadily rebuilding himself, linking up with novel trainer Ben Davison, a move that has allowed him to re-position himself for one more run on the world stage. Joshua enters this fight with Daniel Dubois as the favourite, due to his experience in massive fights.
Anthony Joshua knows that winning this fight will allow him to become a three-time world champion and prepare for massive fights such as the trilogy with Oleksandr Usyk or the Battle of Britain fight with Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs)
Daniel Dubois enters this fight as a self-proclaimed world champion in the eyes of many. Although he has been elevated to full champion status by the IBF, in the eyes of his fans this will be his homecoming.
Dubois also fought Usyk, this fight had a controversial moment but ended in a defeat for Dubois.
Dubois comes into the fight with less experience than his opponent and more to lose. He is 8 years younger and has not been in as many wars as his opponent. For Dubois, a win in this fight would aid him usher in a novel era in the heavyweight division, especially for the future of British boxing in the division. A win here would put him on top and give him the chance to show that he deserves to be at the top.
Career history:
Anthony Joshua enters this fight at a point in his career where a loss could permanently put him out of title contention. At this point, one might wonder if Joshua will retire. After two years of rebuilding and coaching changes, Joshua has one last chance to show he is still the same man who unified most of the divisions from 2016 to 2019 as world champion.
Daniel Dubois still has to prove himself against elite opposition. A loss here would put him in a class of boxers who can’t keep up with the “massive boys” in the division. Losses to Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk have derailed his career twice already. Even at 26, one wonders how motivated he would be after a loss at this stage.
Both boxers are at different stages of their careers, Dubois, a newly crowned world champion, and Joshua, a veteran of the sport who is looking to right his wrongs and stand on top of the mountain again.
The author compares the Joshua vs. Klitschko fight, where the aging Klitschko was defeated by a younger, more brutal fighter.
On September 21, expect a fight in which the deciding factor will not be strength and experience, but the will to fight.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
9 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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