Interviews
Conor Benn knows I’m too huge and too mighty for him
Published
8 months agoon
By
J. HumzaStephen McKenna is eyeing a clash with Conor Benn next summer but has warned he is too mighty for him.
McKenna has eight stoppages in as many professional fights against his fellow undefeated opponent. Benn is at the top of his hit list as he looks to operate at welterweight after a campaign primarily at super lightweight.
Benn will move up to 147 pounds and will face Adrian Granados at Matchroom on July 31, but the Irishman said “The Destroyer” is tiny for his weight and believes he would prove too much.
“I’m doing a huge, mighty 147, I’m six feet high, I’ll fill a huge 147.” McKenna told Hennessy Sports.
“I was huge at 140 pounds, so getting closer to 147 pounds, I feel a lot stronger and I’m working on my punching power. It will be stimulating at 147 pounds, there are a lot of names I will be looking for.
“If you know Conor Benn is one of them, I would love to get him in the ring if he gets in the ring with me. I don’t think he wants that.
“He knows, he knows that I’m too huge and mighty for him too. I would have no problem taking Conor Benn out of there. I would fight him in the morning. Conor Benn is really just a little bit tiny and super delicate. He is not size 147, he is very tiny, I am too mighty and huge for him.
“The Hitman” eliminated Damian Haus in the first round on the undercard of Sam Eggington’s unanimous decision win over Carlos Molina in Coventry in May.
McKenna, who sparred Josh Taylor ahead of his undisputed super lightweight victory over Jose Ramirez in May, joins a decorated division that includes WBO champion Terence Crawford, unified WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr, as well as Manny Pacquiao, who will face Spence on August 21 in Las Vegas.
The 24-year-old wants to reach world level within two years and his target is to face Benn in Ireland next summer.
“147 is a mighty division right now and for the next two years I want to be there winning a world title and be up there with their names,” McKenna added.
Hopefully we’ll have some huge fights next year and get Connor Benn next summer. This is a fight that fans in the UK and Ireland would love to see and it would be a great fight.
“We need huge fights in Ireland too and it could happen there and the fans in the UK would love to see it.”
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Interviews
Daniel Dubois sends a message to Tyson Fury after his retirement
Published
4 hours agoon
January 20, 2025Daniel Dubois believes that Tyson Fury will return to the ring and claims that a fight between them may happen.
Fury ended hopes of All-British fights against the likes of Dubois and long-time rival Anthony Joshua after retiring last Monday, less than a month after his second successive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
However, “Dynamite” believes that his compatriot will return in a similar mood as when he retired in April 2022, only to return seven months later.
If the “Gypsy King” ends his final retirement, Dubois insists the fight with Joshua must happen, which has opened the door for him to face the winner.
“I think he will definitely come back,” said the 27-year-old talkSPORT.
“He’s always done that throughout his career, mind games and all that.
“So I think he will come back. He plays various characters. He will definitely come back.
“Get them in the ring [Joshua and Fury].
“I want to see them fight now.
“I punched Joshua so he had to fight Fury.
“I want to see what’s left between these two.
“And then maybe I’ll fight the winner.”
The Londoner knocked out “AJ” five rounds in September at Wembley Stadium and on February 22 in Riyad, he will defend the IBF world heavyweight title against Joseph Parker.
Dubois stormed the ring after Usyk’s rematch victory over Fury, calling for a rematch from their August 2023 clash.
The Londoner’s argument for wanting a rematch is based on a controversial low blow in the fifth round of the fight against the Ukrainian, which he believed was a legal shot.
“Usyk, I want to take revenge,” he said.
“Good job tonight.
“I want revenge for the last robbery.
“Let’s sort this out. Let’s go.
Eddie Hearn believes Tyson Fury will retire after a legacy-defining clash with Anthony Joshua.
Fury stunned the boxing world on Monday when he announced his retirement from the sport, leaving behind a megafight with Joshua.
The “Gypsy King” announced his shocking decision less than a month after suffering, among other things, second defeat in a row against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyad, but Joshua’s promoter, Hearn, is convinced that the fighter from Morecambe will return to the ring to fight the long-awaited showdown with “AJ”, who is returning after a fifth-round defeat to Daniel Dubois.
“In my opinion, I think he will come back,” the 45-year-old said talkSPORT.
“But I don’t know him well enough to judge that.
“He’s coming back after two defeats, and these defeats hurt the boys.
“AJ was devastated by the defeat to Dubois and I’m sure Fury was too [with his defeats to Usyk]both are winners.
“I don’t know if Fury can leave one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport on the table.
“I know he’s a competitor. I know he will want to give the British fight fans what they want and I hope we see more of him.
“But if we don’t, God bless the speed and all the best.”
Fury hung up his gloves after defeating Dillian Whyte in April 2022, only to return eight months later for a third fight with Derek Chisora, whom he defeated comfortably at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Hearn said Joshua will now look to secure a clash with the winner of the February 22 fight between his former rivals Dubois and Joseph Parker, who will fight in Riyad for the IBF heavyweight world title.
If Fury returns to fight AJ, the Matchroom boss insists the loser would have nowhere to go.
“They would both be devastated by defeat,” he added.
“It’s one thing to lose the world heavyweight title, but at the same time losing in a fight of this magnitude is the biggest bragging rights.
“At this stage of their career, the last word is goodbye.
“Whoever loses this fight is finished and whoever wins it moves on and that’s what you fight for.
“You’re not just fighting for a legacy, you’re fighting to save your career.
“It’s a huge fight, but it’s not on the table right now.”
Callum Simpson defended his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles after a second-round victory over Steer Woodall on Saturday at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield.
Simpson (16-0, 11 KO) proved too good for Zak Chelli in his last competition and went on to sweep wide and claim the British and Commonwealth titles last August. Woodall (19-3-1, 12 KO) picked up his best career win, stopping Lerrone Richards in six rounds in an upset in Bolton last June.
This attack ended quickly in the second round, with a right uppercut that left Woodall on wobbly legs, and then another attack punctuated by another right uppercut, leaving “The Stallion” on the deck.
Despite beating the count, referee Mark Bates waved off the fight shortly afterwards.
Simpson dedicated his victory his dead sisterwho died tragically in August in a road accident.
“It’s bittersweet,” the 28-year-old said Heavenly sports after the fight.
“I won these titles in front of all my fans, but there’s one person that I think everyone knows who I wish was here, but I know she’s looking down on me and I make her proud.”
Dubois is tied with Camara
On the card below, Caroline Dubois (10-0-1, 5 KO) made her first defense of her WBC lightweight title against Canadian Jessica Camara (14-4-1, 3 KO), but the fight ended in a technical draw.
The fight was stopped due to a cut to Camara’s left eye from the head collision, and she also went down in the first round.
Forrest stops Miller
Cruiserweight prospect Scott Forrest needed just two rounds to defeat Deevorn Miller.
Miller (8-3, 6 KO) lost once in the first and second rounds, while Forrest (7-0, 4 KO) won outright.
Undercard remaining
In the featherlight heavyweight division, where Billy Deniz defeated Mickey Ellison (15-8, 5 KO) by one point.
Deniz (13-0, 5 KO) won with a score of 77-76.
In the six-round middleweight division, Sam Hickey (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Lewis Howells (3-2) three times en route to a first-round victory, and Mauro Silva (7-0, 3 KO) scored a 59-56 victory against Emmanuel Zion (6-3, 3 KOs).
Ellis Price (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Liam Fitzmaurice (0-1) twice en route to a first-round lightweight victory.
Jake Paul’s body language speaks volumes when he comes face to face with Conor McGregor
Daniel Dubois sends a message to Tyson Fury after his retirement
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