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Erislandy Lara, at 41, is still a problem – but what is his end goal?

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When examining the storied career of middleweight champion Erislandy Lara, context is everything. To casual fans, he may be just another fighter. But to die-hard fight fans, the 41-year-old Lara is literally a national treasure.

That Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) won a ninth-round TKO over 36-year-old Danny Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) Saturday at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena was a significant event, but it’s not a lead. The most critical takeaway from the fight is that Lara, even at 41, is still a problem. For most of his career, opponents have avoided him, and now, even with his diminished mobility, his challengers are no longer eager to face him. He may still be the best middleweight in the world.

Lara’s journey began in Cuba’s legendary boxing system. He was a favorite at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before defecting twice. After failing at his first attempt after the Pan American Games, he finally made it, in February 2009, by boat to Mexico—a story straight out of Hollywood. But Lara’s story has substance drama. His professional career began in Turkey, passed through Germany and finally landed in Primm, Nevada. Early Lara? Slick defense, constant movement and a deadly left hook. Critics called it “the run,” but if you pushed too tough, Lara put you to sleep. That’s the theme of his career, by the way.

His first huge moment came in 2011 in a controversial draw with Carlos Molina. Few watched it live on “Friday Night Fights,” but those who did still debated the outcome. Molina defeated Lara, but the fight ended in a majority draw—more of a trivia question than a defining moment, and one of only three draws in Lara’s career.

The fight that really put Lara on the map? His 2011 fight with Paul Williams. Williams, a 6-foot-1 left-hander who threw 1,000 punches per fight and had to move up and down weight classes to find fights, was coming off a knockout loss to Sergio Martinez. Lara outboxed him, basically, but the judges somehow saw fit to award the victory to Williams in what remains one of the most scandalous decisions in state-of-the-art boxing history.

From there, Lara’s career became a frustrating mix of missed opportunities and avoided challenges. He had a technical draw with Vanes Martirosyan and a wild brawl with Alfredo Angulo, who knocked Lara down twice before being stopped in the 10th round. Lara then decisively defeated Austin Trout, one of the most underrated fighters of the era, setting himself up for his biggest test yet: a 2014 pay-per-view clash with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. While many thought Lara had won, his cautious style allowed Canelo to dictate the action with body shots and pressure. The judges favored aggression, giving Canelo the nod.

That fight cemented Lara’s reputation as a boxing bogeyman—high risk, low reward for opponents. In his next six fights, Lara faced the likes of Ishe Smith, Delvin Rodriguez, Jan Zaveck, Martirosyan (again), Yuri Foreman, and Terrell Gausha—solid fighters, but not the kind of fights he deserved. In the process, he won the WBA junior middleweight title. Fighters weren’t necessarily afraid of him, but they knew that fighting Lara meant bad results, regardless of the outcome. It’s no wonder Gennady Golovkin turned down a fight with Lara in favor of bigger wins, like a final fight with Canelo.

Lara went through a coarse patch in 2018 and 2019. Jarrett Hurd defeated him by split decision to win the WBA junior middleweight title, using size, volume, and brute force. Brian Castano forced him to a draw, using basic fundamentals and relentless pressure to prevent Lara from gaining control.

Lara continued by stopping Canelo’s brother Ramon Alvarez, knocking out Thomas LaManna, winning the WBA middleweight title, and defeating Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan, Michael Zerafa, and now Garcia. Lara’s list of opponents isn’t exactly impressive, but that’s more a testament to the reluctance of star-caliber opponents to fight him than to any decline in Lara’s skills.

Like fellow countryman Guillermo Rigondeaux, Lara walks the line between numb and brilliant, equally capable of dazzling displays and blustering moments. Cuba, often stereotyped as a country that produces uninteresting fighters, doesn’t get enough credit for producing more than its share of defensive greats. And more recently, it’s also delivered lightning-fast hitters like Andy Cruz and David Morrell, who seem to be in the process of breaking the mold.

What is often overlooked in Lara’s story is that he was more entertaining than he is often remembered. His fight with Canelo — which took place 10 years ago, by the way — was dramatic. His 2013 fight with Angulo was one of the best of the year. His 2018 war with Hurd? A real thriller. For a fighter who was considered uninteresting, Lara can lay claim to two Fight of the Year candidates and a few Knockout of the Year moments. Martirosyan, a distinguished amateur whose only losses were to Lara, Demetrius Andrade, Jermel Charlo and Golovkin, was another underrated victory of the era. Add to that Lara’s nine successful title defenses in two weight classes, and the picture begins to change.

After his latest victory, Lara compared his performance to fine art.

“I thought I boxed beautifully,” Lara said after the Garcia fight. “It was a work of art, like Picasso. I went against everything Danny had. He’s a great fighter and a Hall of Famer, just like me. I used lateral movement and a long jab, like they teach in the Cuban boxing school.”

What’s next? Lara has talked about unifying the titles, but WBC titlist Carlos Adames has already said he won’t fight Lara out of respect. Meanwhile, WBO and IBF titlist Janibek Alimkhanuly has a mandatory defense on the horizon. Lara remains unfazed. He’s not chasing a payday or making wild accusations – at 41, he still believes he has plenty of juice left in the tank.

Lara’s win over Garcia was nothing special, but it was another reminder of how overlooked he is. Could his ultimate goal be to break Bernard Hopkins’ record as the oldest champion, at 46? Five more years for Lara is not impossible, and judging by his demeanor at the post-fight press conference, he certainly doesn’t sound like a man thinking about retirement. But that’s all just speculation.

“I’m ready for the next challenge,” Lara said. “I’m staying here. I still have a lot of boxing to do.”

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Boxing

George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former 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.

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Boxing

Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One 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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Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory

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Lauren Price

Lauren 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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