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Conversations begin as Zuffa boxing takes shape

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“There is dialogue and there is interest.” Lapin told talkSPORT Bet. “Details are not currently made public. Let’s assume a few doors are open and if the format, numbers and timing match, the market could see a move that no one expects.”

The language is cautious, there is nothing certain about it and it does not resemble a signature. However, work on this possibility is ongoing, which means that the talks have moved forward.

What Dana White brings

White’s record in the UFC is famed. He moved mixed martial arts from regional performances to stadium events, offering broadcasts across the continent. The model works because it places athletes in a controlled structure, with one promoter, one vision and a predictable schedule. Boxing has never worked this way and White knows it.

“Everyone saw what Dana White did. He transformed the elderly MMA into the global UFC machine,” Lapin said.

“They are in talks and negotiations with Deontay Wilder, but at the moment there are no final decisions and nothing has been signed. We are acting calmly and professionally. When everything is agreed, it will be officially announced. We are only considering the biggest and most logical options, fights that really create an event, not just another name.

“Several top heavyweights are on the call, but the shortlist changes depending on belts, time, dates and broadcast structure. Our position is uncomplicated. If it’s a fight, it has to be substantial.”

Zuffa Boxing starts on Friday with Callum Walsh fighting Carlos Ocampo in Las Vegas. The biggest signing so far is cruiserweight titleholder Jai Opetaia. Usyk, if he joined, would change the importance of the entire operation. A three-belt heavyweight would give White instant credibility for the project.

Lapin’s comment about White’s ability to “package not just a fight, but an event” reflects what is already known. White builds around the players, not for them. Whether Usyk fits into this mold depends on how much control he is willing to trade for scale.

Wilder, Kabayel and the shortlist

Wilder remains in the conversation despite losing three of his last five fights. His name still attracts attention even though his defense and durability have declined. A fight with Oleksandr Usyk would sell, but it wouldn’t add much to the test. Wilder’s strength remains. His footwork is not.

Lapin also mentioned Agit Kabayel as another option.

“There are no protected opponents in today’s heavyweight division. Every top-class fighter is a threat,” Lapin said. “Kabayel is definitely a possible option. We see how Germany reacts to these fights, the stadiums they can fill and how powerful this market is. Stylistically it could be complex too. Pressure, pace, physicality. It would be a substantial European fight with a lot of business potential.”

Kabayel is undefeated, methodical and robust. Presses without overcommitting and works behind a jab that keeps opponents at bay. Germany has proven that it will pack heavyweight arenas, and Kabayel represents a fight that is regional in nature without demanding unification. This is a safer commercial move than Wilder, even if he lacks the same appeal.

What will happen next

Lapin’s cautious wording indicates that Usyk’s team is weighing its options and not rushing into anything.

White’s involvement could simplify parts of the process or complicate it further, depending on how much influence sanctioning authorities allow him to have. Zuffa Boxing does not yet have the infrastructure to call the shots in the same way the UFC does with mixed martial arts. Boxing’s fragmented ecosystem resists central control, and Usyk’s position at the top of the division makes him a target for any promoter trying to build something.

Whether Usyk ends up fighting at Zuffa Boxing, iV Boxing or elsewhere depends on what his team values ​​more. White offers reach and scale, and control is still negotiable.

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Boxing

Eddie Hearn fights for Katie Taylor in Croke Park

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Image: Eddie Hearn pushing for Katie Taylor retirement fight at Croke Park

“I just want to fight in Dublin to finish my career. Of course we’re still hoping for Croke Park, holding on to a little bit of hope that it will happen,” Taylor told RTE.

“Fighting my last fight in our most iconic arena. How special would that be? I think it would be absolutely extraordinary if I was able to do it. I’m not sure if it will happen or not. Either way, I will end my career here and I’m very excited about that.”

Taylor has only fought twice in Ireland as a professional, both fights will take place in 2023 against Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin. Cameron won her first fight by majority decision, handing Taylor the only defeat of her career, before Taylor regained the undisputed junior welterweight championship six months later in a rematch.

The 38-year-old Irish star remains one of the greatest fighters in women’s boxing history. Taylor won Olympic gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics before turning professional and quickly winning world titles in two categories. In 2019, she became the undisputed lightweight champion and later repeated the feat at 140 pounds.

Much of Taylor’s recent profile has been built on her rivalry with Amanda Serrano. Their first fight at Madison Square Garden in 2022 was widely celebrated and helped augment the visibility of women’s boxing. Taylor later completed the trilogy by majority vote in July, increasing her record to 25-1 (6 KO).

The possibility of saying goodbye to the stadium became the subject of interest for its long-time promoter. Hearn admitted it would take significant work to turn the idea into reality, but he believes this moment will be historic for Irish sport.

“It’s a hell of a lot of work to make sure one of the greatest athletes of all time fulfills her biggest dream. And I have to deliver Croke Park. I have to,” Hearn said on The Ariel Helwani Show.

“If I don’t give it my all, if I don’t put in every effort to make it happen, I won’t do justice to Katie and I won’t do it to myself. Because it would be the biggest sporting event in Irish history.”

Hearn said talks with Croke Park officials had taken place previously and had resumed as Taylor’s career came to an end.

“There is more momentum this time,” he said.

No opponent has been determined for Taylor’s last fight. Hearn said the focus remains on determining whether the stadium plan can be secured before making any player selections.

“Obviously you want to have an opponent who is compelling, competitive and has a story behind it,” Hearn said. “Nothing has really been discussed or said about the opponent. We are really trying to ensure that discussions with Croke Park allow for that possibility before we pursue it further.”

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Boxing

Gervonta Davis is close to returning to action, according to her opponent’s name

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Gervonta Davis close to securing comeback fight as opponent named

It looks like Gervonta Davis is one step away from confirming her return to the ring.

Davis last fought in March 2025, when he earned a majority draw with Lamont Roach to defend his WBA lightweight title.

It was a controversial result, with many feeling that Roach had done enough to get the nod, especially after a knockdown was not awarded in his favor after “Tank” voluntarily chose to take a knee in round nine.

The next 12 months left many in doubt as to whether Davis would return to play at all. A planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November has been canceled over the Baltimore man’s naming in a civil lawsuit over domestic allegations, the latest in a string of issues going beyond the ropes.

Another drama occurred after an arrest warrant was issued for “Tank”, citing similar accusations, which led to him being stripped of his WBA lightweight title.

Regardless, it looks like Davis is ready to make a comeback after this happened Reported by Mike Coppinger that he is in advanced talks about a fight with Isaac Cruz, the man whom “Tank” considered his number one target at the end of last year.

Davis has already secured a victory over Cruz, who last fought in December when he fought to a majority draw against former foe “Tank” Roach – a fighter he believes should be given a chance to face him again.

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Boxing

The fight between Luis Nery and John Riel Casimero will take place on April 18 in Kyrgyzstan

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Image: Luis Nery vs John Riel Casimero set for April 18 in Kyrgyzstan

Neither player holds a title and neither has been part of any real championship talk in recent seasons. Nery has already held the bantamweight and junior featherweight belts, although his recent appearances at featherweight have shown that the path up is confined. At 126 pounds, he looked undersized and unable to apply the same pressure that once carried him through lighter divisions, which makes a return to 122 pounds a more practical move.

Saikou x Lush Boxing will promote the event as part of a three-day boxing show in the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The gala will be held at the Gazprom Sports Convoluted, an extraordinary setting for two players who regularly appeared on larger international stages at the beginning of their careers.

Nery (37-2, 28 KO) will fight in Kyrgyzstan for the second time in a row after appearing there in October last year. The 31-year-old Mexican southpaw defeated Sathaporn Saart by technical decision in the eighth round after an accidental head collision put the fight on the scorecards.

The win was his second in a row since Naoya Inoue stopped him in the sixth round in May 2024. Nery made a comeback earlier in 2025, stopping Kyonosuke Kameda in the seventh round before extending his rebound stretch with a victory over Saart.

Casimero (35-5-1, 24 KOs), now 37, built his reputation by winning junior flyweight, flyweight and bantamweight titles early in his career. Activity has been confined and results inconsistent over the past few seasons, leading to him being 2-1-1 in his last four fights.

His last fight was in December, when he defeated Tom Mizokoshi in the fifth round in Japan. Two months earlier, he appeared at the same October gala in Kyrgyzstan, where Nery fought Saart and lost to Kameda by unanimous decision of ten rounds.

The April meeting brings together two former champions who once operated at the forefront of the sport’s lighter divisions. At this stage, it could be read as more of a veteran clash between recognizable names rather than a fight expected to impact the junior featherweight championship race.

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