Boxing
Bob Arum Says Howard Cosell Has Become a ‘Monster’
Published
3 weeks agoon
Promoter Bob Arum’s comments about Howard Cosell brought back memories of one of boxing’s most polarizing figures, a commentator whom many older fans remember as much for his outspokenness as his voice.
During an interview in which he reflected on the history of boxing, Arum praised Cosell’s chemistry with Muhammad Ali and the role he played in elevating the sport in the 1970s. But Arum also admitted that her relationship with Cosell became more complex over time.
“Howard Cosell was great at boxing,” Arum said Sports page with Bob Case.
Arum then took a edged turn when discussing Cosell’s later years.
“Then he became like a monster,” Arum said. “He was a real jerk.”
Older fans remember Cosell as one of the few boxing commentators who openly criticized fighters, promoters, referees and even the sport itself during live broadcasts. His direct, Modern York style set him apart from the quieter and more caring television personalities of the era.
This directness was especially evident behind schedule in his boxing career, during Larry Holmes’ one-sided 1982 title defense against Randall “Tex” Cobb. Cosell openly criticized the mismatch throughout the broadcast and sounded increasingly disgusted with the punishment Cobb took over the course of 15 rounds. Shortly thereafter, Cosell announced that he would never hold another professional boxing match again.
Despite their famed chemistry, Cosell was also openly critical of Ali later in the heavyweight legend’s career as his skills declined. Instead of getting furious, Ali often seemed to enjoy verbal sparring with Cosell, creating one of the most unusual and fascinating relationships in sports television history.
Arum also shared one of his favorite stories involving Cosell, recalling how the broadcaster once jumped out of a limo and started commenting on a real street fight in St. Louis until the fighters stopped because they were distracted by him calling for action

Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
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Last update: 2026/05/07 at 12:09
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Boxing
Osleys Iglesias put Canelo and Mbilli on the hit list
Published
12 minutes agoon
May 27, 2026
Osleys Iglesias believes the path to the top of the super middleweight division still leads through boxing’s biggest names, but he also expresses doubts whether Saul Alvarez will ever agree to face him.
Iglesias mentioned Christian Mbilli, Jaime Munguia, Hamzah Sheeraz and Canelo when discussing the fights he wants at 168 pounds. The undefeated Cuban champion then made it clear that he did not expect Alvarez to volunteer for the fight.
“I think there are no basic fights. All fights are hard. Munguia, Mbilli, Sheeraz, Canelo, I think they would all be good fights, but I would prepare differently for each one,” Osleys told InsideRingShow.
“It’s complicated. Canelo won’t want this fight.”
Osleys also said he hopes Alvarez will finally give him a chance to prove himself against boxing’s biggest star.
“I hope God willing he will give me the fight,” Iglesias said.
“And show the world what Cuban fighters are all about. Osleys Iglesias is built differently.”
Iglesias recently won the IBF super middleweight title with a win over Pavel Silyagin last April and has quickly become one of the most hazardous names in the division.
The Cuban midfielder suggested that a fight with Canelo would be an captivating style clash due to the contrast between Canelo’s patient counter-attacks and his own aggressive approach.
“It’s an captivating fight because I’m more combative. Canelo is more selective and looks for opportunities.”
Iglesias (15-0, 14 KO) already sees how hard it is to break into the top bracket at 168 pounds. Hamzah Sheeraz and Jaime Munguia are increasingly being discussed in terms of the division’s biggest fights, while Iglesias remains almost undetectable in conversations with other belt holders despite holding the title himself.
This situation is unlikely to change any time soon unless Riyadh Season finally becomes interested in pushing him into contact with the division’s bigger trade names.

Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.
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Last updated: 27/05/2026 at 15:31
Boxing
Adam Azim has warned that Steve Claggett’s “energy and gas tank” will put him to the test
Published
2 hours agoon
May 27, 2026
Adam Azim returns to action on Saturday night, seeking a sixth straight knockout as he tries to prove he is ready to compete for world titles. On the opposite side sits Steve Claggett, who is expected to give the 24-year-old his toughest test to date and is capable of causing concern in the eyes of his promoter.
Azim remains undefeated after 14 professional fights and is well-positioned in both the IBF and WBO rankings, ranked No. 7 in the world with both sanctioning bodies and close to world title opportunities. This weekend he will headline the BOXXER event at the OVO Arena in London, broadcast live on BBC2.
The task of the “Killer” is the experienced Canadian Claggett, who has 50 professional fights under his belt, and especially went the distance with Teofimo Lopez, fighting for the WBO world title two years ago.
In an interview with Boxing News, Claggett’s promoter Camille Estephan warned that his protégé’s “tank of energy and gas” will test whether Azim is “for real”.
“We understand that Adam Azim is a very, very promising, good player, newborn player. We have done a lot of homework with him, but I think this is a really huge test for Adam. Steve Claggett will now be the measuring stick to show whether Adam Azim is the real deal and whether he is ready at the highest level.
“Steve Claggett has proven that he can perform at the highest level, he is no longer a newborn, emerging fighter, he is far from that. He wants to take advantage of this opportunity, so this is a very crucial fight for Claggett.
“When you get into a fight with Steve Claggett, they say he has the lungs to run two huge marathons, so he’ll have the energy and the gas tank to really test Adam. I think it’s going to be an amazing fight and I can’t wait to watch it.”
Azim-Claggett will take place on Saturday, May 30and on the final card, Joel Kodua and Will Harrison will fight for the English welterweight title.
Boxing
Agit Kabayel says Oleksandr Usyk “is ancient” after Rico
Published
4 hours agoon
May 27, 2026
Oleksandr Usyk may have escaped unscathed with his titles against Rico Verhoeven, but WBC interim heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel believes Rico’s age and awkward style have exposed issues that could impact their expected clash later this year.
Kabayel, seen as the likely next challenger to Usyk’s WBC, WBA and IBF belts, said the 39-year-old champion had difficulty preparing for the Verhoeven fight because there was almost no boxing material available to study. The undefeated German heavyweight said uncertainty played a major role in Usyk’s complex evening in Egypt.
“I think he’s ancient” Kabayel told InsideRingShow at Ring about Usyk. “He’s 39 years ancient, but I think Rico had a very unconventional style. It was complex for Usyk. You can’t watch Rico fight. He didn’t understand what Rico’s plan was.
“I think that’s why the situation was different for Usyk. When he fights other guys, he has so many fights that he can watch and he can game plan for those fights. I think that was a problem for Usyk.”
Usyk (25-0, 16 KO) looked extremely vulnerable during Saturday’s “Glory in Giza” gala at the Pyramids before stopping Verhoeven in the 11th round. Two judges were already fighting before the round, and another judge had Rico ahead 96-94 at the finish line.
Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) was ringside during the fight and later came face-to-face with Usyk in what looked to be the beginning of a progression to a future heavyweight title fight. Turki Alalshikh has already publicly supported the idea of playing Usyk-Kabayel in a stadium in Germany before reconsidering a possible rematch with Rico.
The 33-year-old Kabayel has quietly built one of the strongest streaks in the heavyweight division, defeating Frank Sanchez, Zhilei Zhang and Damian Knyba by stoppage. He believes that a fight with Usyk in Germany would create an atmosphere unseen in heavyweight boxing recently.
“I think the best place in the stadium will be Düsseldorf,” Kabayel said. “I think we have room for 70,000 people. We have a lot of Ukrainians here. We also have a very gigantic Kurdish community here.
“In Germany, for my last fight, we sold out the arena in four or five days. All the people from the UK, people who have been working in boxing for 20, 30 years, told us: ‘We’ve never seen an atmosphere like that’.”
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most vital fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
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Last updated: 27/05/2026 at 11:10
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