Connect with us

Boxing

Fans question Oleksandr Usyk’s plans after Lapin’s comments

Published

on

Image: Fans question Oleksandr Usyk’s plans after Lapin comments

The backlash has grown louder as neither Kabayel nor Sanchez currently fit the commercial profile of a Tyson Fury fight, a fight with Anthony Joshua or even a rematch with Rico Verhoeven, even though both are viewed as unsafe opponents.

Kabayel spent the last year clawing his way into the title game with wins over Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov, while Sanchez regained momentum with a knockout of Richard Torrez Jr. earlier this month.

Some fans, however, believe Team Usyk could now pivot towards bigger commercial events instead of risky mandatory fights.

This theory gained popularity after Usyk fought against Verhoeven’s arrest in Egypt. The fight generated mixed interest, with debate about a stoppage and immediate discussion about a rematch.

Some fans now believe that a second fight with Rico could prove to be the perfect bridge as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua move closer to their anticipated showdown later this year.

If Fury defeats Joshua, a third fight with Usyk will immediately become up for sale again. If Joshua wins, the next Usyk-Joshua fight will also have high commercial value.

Meanwhile, Kabayel remains in a complex situation. Although respected by die-hard boxing fans, the undefeated German challenger currently does not have the mainstream international profile that Fury, Joshua and even Verhoeven did after the event in Egypt.

This led some fans to wonder if Lapin’s “highlight” comment was less about ambition and more about avoiding high-risk heavyweight rivals who carry a threat without being tied to a blockbuster business.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Exploring the Value: Why Investing $50 Million in Terence Crawford Makes Sense

Published

on

"Exploring the Value: Why Investing $50 Million in Terence Crawford Makes Sense"

Writer Keith Idec put together five Terence Crawford comeback matchups that look purely like fantasy matchmaking instead of sound business. Jaron EnnisCanelo Alvarez, Vergil Ortiz, Sebastian Fundora, plus Ryan provide plenty of social media talk. None of them justifies burning fifty million dollars on an aging fighter who treats entertainment like a crime.

Crawford turned 39 years old today. Loyalists point to his perfect record alongside his decision over Canelo. Smart money looks at the reality inside the ropes. Israil Madrimov exposed Crawford by forcing him into a grueling struggle many ringside observers scored for the Uzbek.

Against Canelo, Crawford went into survival mode. He flicked a safety jab, grabbed constantly, running out the clock to grab a dull points verdict. Fans watching that sleep-inducing clinic realized Crawford has zero interest in taking risks. Expecting a promoter to shell out colossal guarantees for twelve rounds of clutching represents pure delusion.

Turki Alalshikh wants destructive knockouts. Crawford delivers safety-first track meets. If Canelo steps into the ring for an elite event, David Benavidez brings genuine violence. Ennis brings explosive youth, savage offensive combinations, and electric finishing ability. Matching either puncher against Canelo delivers actual value for paying customers. Crawford simply drains energy out of the building.

The names on Idec’s roster crumble under financial inspection. Ennis, along with Ortiz, possesses the firepower to batter a 39-year-old coming off the sofa. Neither young champion commands pay-per-view revenue. Ryan generates massive public attention, yet Crawford campaigned at 168 pounds while Ryan operates at welterweight.

Making that weight match makes zero sense. Fundora brings awkward height without moving the needle at the box office.

Crawford can stay retired in Omaha counting his career earnings. Demanding king-size ransoms for spoiling tactics will not fly anymore. Promoters saw the Madrimov scare, watched the lifeless Canelo match, then realized Crawford offers terrible returns.

Fantasy lists are cheap to type up. Getting an investor to bankroll another dull Crawford clinic is an impossible sell.

Share this article

About the author

Boxing 24/7 Wire

Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Floyd Schofield: Time to Move Beyond Living Off Farmer

Published

on

"Floyd Schofield: Time to Move Beyond Living Off Farmer"

Floyd Schofield’s wants to turn a missed title shot into the opening chapter of a comeback story. The trouble is that his comeback has consisted of one spectacular round against Tevin Farmer, followed by another long stretch outside the ring.

Schofield stood on the doorstep of a career-defining opportunity against Shakur Stevenson in February 2025. That massive shot vanished the moment he wound up in a Saudi Arabian hospital bed, deemed unfit to compete. Walking away from a title crack on that scale usually costs a fighter years of clawing to get back into position. His father floated wild accusations of poisoning without presenting a shred of hard proof to back up the claim. Hospital clips confirmed he received treatment, yet provided zero explanation for the medical emergency.

Fans remain skeptical, with critics openly whispering that cold feet kept Schofield from stepping into the ring against Shakur. That suspicion lingers without concrete proof of a manufactured illness, but Team Schofield made matters worse by dodging the issue. His father simply repeated vague assertions of foul play rather than laying out verifiable facts to silence the critics once and for all.

“Everybody has their thoughts about what happened. You know, everybody going to throw all types of crap around, but we know the truth. We know what happened,” said Schofield Sr. to Golden Boy.

Schofield’s fighting ability is beyond dispute after blitzing Tevin Farmer in just 78 seconds last June, scoring two rapid knockdowns to shut the veteran down early. His explosiveness that night makes the missed clash against Shakur Stevenson sting that much harder. Bringing that kind of ferocity to Riyadh would have forced Shakur to deal with real firepower instead of an easy night. Boxing fans got cheated out of finding out if Stevenson could actually handle that kind of smoke.

Schofield steps into the ring on October 10 against Lucas Bahdi with the vacant WBA lightweight belt on the line. It ends an inactive stretch of more than fifteen months away from competition following the Farmer stoppage. Bahdi offers him a dangerous target to prove that lightning-quick blowout was no fluke. Walking through Bahdi cements Schofield as a legitimate force at 135 pounds rather than just another hyped puncher

Youtube video
Share this article

About the author

Boxing 24/7 Wire

Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Dana White Responds to Terence Crawfords Return from Retirement for Ryan Garcia Fight

Published

on

"Dana White Responds to Terence Crawford's Return from Retirement for Ryan Garcia Fight"

Zuffa Boxing promoter Dana White believes Terence Crawford will end his retirement, but remains unsure whether he would choose to face Ryan Garcia.

The 38-year-old announced his exit from the sport last December, calling time on a scintillating career that saw him become a three-division undisputed king.

He did so by moving up two weight classes and dethroning Canelo Alvarezwho produced an impressive performance but ultimately lost their super-middleweight encounter by unanimous decision.

But while Crawford cemented his greatness by moving up to 168lbs, his frame, even now, is much better suited to the 147lb and 154lb divisions.

He has therefore been linked to fights with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and, more recently, Garcia, who retained his WBC world welterweight title with a second-round finish over Conor Benn earlier this month.

It then came as a surprise when The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that a clash between Garcia and Crawford, who has expressed his own bewildermentis being considered as a replacement for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.

The two heavyweights are set to collide at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11 but, due to issues behind the scenes, their long-awaited showdown now appears to be in jeopardy.

While addressing the Garcia rumour at a Zuffa press conference, though, White admitted he is unsure that Crawford would make such a speedy return.

“I don’t know if that’s the fight Crawford would come back for. There’s a lot of options out there, obviously for Ryan. The question is: what is the fight that Crawford would come back for?

“I think there’s a fight out there that Crawford would come back for, [but] I don’t know if Ryan’s it.”

While White has claimed to have been involved in negotiations, it remains to be seen – should the fight actually take place, that is – whether he will have any promotional participation in Fury-Joshua.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending