Boxing
Eddie Hearn Defends Anthony Joshua’s Beard Ahead of Daniel Dubois Fight
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaEddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua does not have a fragile beard ahead of his September 21 fight with IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.
Online presenter Simon Jordan said this week that 34-year-old former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua has a faint jaw and could break if he is knocked down by the 26-year-old Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) in their 12-round main event at Wembley Stadium in London.
Flashbacks to past battles
There is some doubt that Joshua will have flashbacks to the worst moments of his career, when Andy Ruiz, Wladimir Klitschko and Oleksandr Usyk came at him.
Jordan raised the possibility of Joshua developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [Post Traumatic Distress Syndrome AKA Battle fatigue]. If this condition is met, Joshua will not last long on the battlefield with Dubois, who will fire on him and prevent him from retreating so he can rush into the trench.
Some thought Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) suffered a nervous breakdown after his loss to Usyk on August 20, 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Hearn rejects ‘frail’ lab
“AJ has a really good beard. If you go back to the Klitschko fight, watch those punches that Klitschko took to AJ in the fifth round,” said Eddie Hearn Second exitdenying that Anthony Joshua has a wispy beard.
The Klitschko fight took place many years ago, on April 29, 2017. Joshua was only 27 years ancient and he fought a 41-year-old Wladimir. In that fight, Wladimir knocked Joshua down challenging in the sixth round, and he was so hurt that he didn’t recover for three rounds.
Most agree that Wladimir made a mistake by allowing Joshua to avoid responsibility and not listening to the voices of his corner, who tried to kill his opponent in rounds seven, eight and nine.
“Look at the right hand that could decapitate a normal man that AJ came back from. [in the sixth round and then gassed for the next three rounds]”In the Ruiz fight, he kept getting back up,” Hearn said.
“Usyk hit him with the kitchen sink and never threw him out. His legs never went away. He was exhausted at the end, but look what happened to Tyson Fury. You’ve never seen AJ like that. He [Joshua] He was hit challenging by [Alexander] Povietkin, and of course he got hit challenging by Dillian Whyte,” Hearn said.
Joshua’s Stamina and Beard: A Recurring Issue
In all the fights Hearn mentions, Joshua could have been knocked out if his opponents had kept coming at him. Usyk hurt Joshua in the 12th round of their first fight in September 2021, but ran out of time to finish the job.
If there were 20 seconds left in the twelfth round, Usyk would have knocked Joshua out. Whyte had run out of steam after hurting Joshua in the second round and was unable to catch his second wind.
“AJ has a great chin, but Daniel Dubois hits very challenging and if he hits you in the chin, there is a risk you will be in trouble,” Hearn said.
Surely Hearn is being deliberately obtuse here, because he must know that Joshua does not have a “great chin” and his stamina is equally impoverished. Joshua’s weaknesses have always been his glass chin and his terrible stamina.
Dubois’s Power: A Solemn Threat
Therefore, he will be an straightforward target for Dubois if he manages to land a immaculate punch or impose a swift pace that his stamina cannot withstand.
“I don’t get the whole ‘He’s frail’ thing. Franklin hit him challenging. I know he’s not a great puncher, but they can all punch. Franklin, Usyk, Povetkin, Parker, Ruiz. The list goes on. Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, he’s fought everyone. There’s nothing wrong with AJ’s beard, but those boys can all punch. If they punch cleanly, it’s going to be a problem,” Hearn said.
You wouldn’t expect Hearn to admit that his tin soldier Joshua doesn’t have a great beard. What promoter would admit that his fighter is frail and could fall apart if he’s hit too challenging or taken to the trenches?
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
2 days 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
3 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.
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