Boxing
Expect the fight of the year, says Conah Walker ahead of the decisive fight
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. Humza
EDDIE Hearn has been told he will soon be smiling again. The Matchroom boss came close to a 5-0 whitewash against arch-rivals Queensberry in a 5v5 match in Saudi Arabia last weekend.
If Conah Walker is right, Hearn will also remember 2024 as the year he staged the national fight of the year.
Walker will have something to say about this. The fight he predicts to be at the top of the polls is his 10-round fight with Lewis Crocker in Birmingham, which will take place on Saturday, June 22.
“We’re both stimulating fighters, we’re coming out to attack,” said the Wolverhampton welterweight, “and it’s a 50-50 fight.”
Perhaps this will break his August victory over Cyrus Pattinson?
Immediately after Walker was knocked down three times and the fight lasted eight rounds, Hearn told broadcasters DAZN that it was “one of the best fights I’ve ever seen.”
Walker says Hearn was “jumping from madness. His boyfriend was beaten.
The result gave Hearn a choice over Walker and meant he had to rethink his plan to match Pattinson with Lewis Ritson in the North East derby.
Walker had no desire to spoil those plans, considering he was coming off a loss and weighed in at 140 pounds to Kane Gardner.
“The losses benefited me,” said the 29-year-old, who is co-managed by Mick Carney and Errol Johnson and trained by former pro Richie Ghent.
“Thanks to them, I got a chance. They think that because I’ve been beaten, I’m falling over. It’s the other way around. The losses have made me even hungrier.
“Before the Pattinson fight, I said, ‘Don’t plan to fight after me.’ Nobody beat me that night.”
There is currently talk of an All-Ireland clash between Crocker and Paddy Donovan.
Donovan stopped Ritson in nine rounds on Jack Catterall-Josh Taylor II and Walker said: “The commentators were saying Donovan-Crocker was a huge fight for Ireland. They’re overlooking me again.
Walker and Crocker bumped into each other while boxing in January in Belfast on the same bill.
After Pattinson was ruled out of the rematch with an eye injury, Walker was called up slow to fight Welsh champion Lloyd Germain (9-0) and forced to stoppage in the third round, while Crocker defeated Jose Felix (40-6- 1). with his signature left hook in the fifth.
“I measured him (Crocker) in the elevator and he looked like a delicate boy,” said Walker, who has one-year-old son Leo with partner Isabelle White.
“I know he has a tight weight. He needed it badly and they said he only had five weeks to prepare. I only had two weeks and I had gained weight.
Walker says losing points in front of the Channel Five cameras last March to Manchester fighter Gardner convinced him that 140 pounds wasn’t his weight.
“I had no legs,” Walker said. “I dreamed too much, I dropped down to 140 pounds. Throughout my career, people said I should weigh 140 pounds, but it didn’t pay off. I felt powerless before the fight and powerless on fight night.”
At 147 pounds, only Samuel Antwi beat Walker in a near-unanimous points decision for the English title in Cardiff in February 2022.
Walker believed he deserved better than to lose by one, two or three points on the scorecard and saw Antwi win British honors at 154 pounds.
“I feel like I’m more prepared for it,” Walker said of his matchup with Crocker.
“I fought undefeated guys in my fifth and sixth fights (Nathan Bendon and Ohio Kain Iremiren) and fought for the Midlands and English titles.
“He hasn’t fought a full-fledged welterweight who can do that.
“He looked good against Tyrone (McKenna, who won 10 rounds in points last December) because he had a chance to move and punch. He needs these vulnerabilities to generate his power, and he won’t operate them against me.
Walker and Ricky Hatton seemed to be a perfect match for each other after Conah turned professional in 2018 after reaching the semi-finals of the Elite Championship, where he was defeated by Harvey Lambert.
Walker first appeared on Hatton’s radar during the 2017 Development Championship finals in Solihull.
Hatton was there to watch his son Campbell win the junior title and the well-supported Walker was in typically good spirits, adding the Class B 69kg title to the 75kg title he had won two years earlier.
“Becoming a pro with Ricky has created a great story for me,” Walker said.
“It was a great platform but there was too much travel (to Hatton gym in Hyde, Greater Manchester) and my partner (Isabelle) and I were trying to have a baby.”
Walker returned home and in his first fight with former pro Ghent in his corner, he won the Midlands Area welterweight title, defeating Levi Ferguson (5-1) in Sheffield in May 2021.
“We’ve had a few losses since then,” Walker said, “but I never thought about leaving him. They depended on me and I learned from them.
“I got into fights too quickly. Smoke was coming out of my ears!
“I wanted to go in there and kill them instead of focusing on fighting and breaking them.”
This style made Walker popular. He expects to have 700 fans behind him when he faces Crocker at the Resorts World Arena later this month, and Walker is confident they will gain in value.
“It has fight of the year written all over it,” he said.
You may like
Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
10 hours 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
1 day 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.
Dave Allen: Why I WON’T GO TO MARBELLA for David Price camp (but I FEEL FANTASTIC)
Canelo Alvarez vs Jaime Munguia Preview | #52
Greg Hackett ARGUES with DRUNK fan about Jaron Ennis BEATING Chukhadzhian & RUNS INTO Blair Cobbs
Trending
-
MMA6 months ago
Max Holloway is on a mission at UFC 212
-
Interviews1 month ago
Carl Froch predicts that Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
-
Interviews1 month ago
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
-
MMA6 months ago
Cris Cyborg ready to add a UFC title to her collection
-
MMA6 months ago
The Irish showed up in droves at the Mayweather-McGregor weigh-in
-
Boxing4 months ago
Lucas Bahdi ready to test his skills against Ashton Sylve
-
Interviews6 months ago
I fell in love with boxing again
-
Opinions & Features2 months ago
Dmitry Bivol: The story so far