Boxing

Filip Hrgovic to Moses Itauma: No Time for Crying in Boxing Showdown

Published

3 weeks ago

October 18, 2026

"Filip Hrgovic to Moses Itauma: 'No Time for Crying' in Boxing Showdown"

Filip Hrgovic is having a grand time talking down to Moses Itauma. As the young heavyweight mopes over his first defeat and fixates on replays, Hrgovic delivered a blunt reality check: stop crying, get back in the gym, and figure out how to win when your opponent refuses to fall over.

Itauma admitted this week that rewatching the bout eats away at him. He landed his best artillery, watched Hrgovic walk straight through it, and kept winging power shots until his gas tank emptied completely. He sounds like a fighter in denial, still convinced the knockout was right there if he had just thrown a little harder.

Hrgovic responded with dripping condescension, offering to comfort the 21-year-old prospect like a disappointed toddler.

“I’ll tell him, ‘Look, Moses, everything will be good,’” Hrgovic told The Stomping Ground. “I will cuddle him … on the head, like, ‘Moses, everything will be good. Don’t be upset.’”

The mocking humor carried an unforgiving point. Hrgovic pointed out that a loss should light a fire under a fighter rather than shatter his nerve, before making sure to remind everyone who dismantled the hype train.

“You must learn from that that you can’t knock out Filip Hrgovic,” he said. “You must learn you can’t knock out everyone. You must be ready for a 12-round fight.”

That diagnosis is right on the money. Itauma got exposed by his own reliance on early blowouts. Once his power failed to create a shortcut, he had no Plan B, frantically emptying his reserves against an immovable target walking him down.

Surviving at the top level means knowing how to bank rounds without punching yourself into exhaustion. Itauma needs to accept that durable heavyweights will absorb his Sunday punch and keep coming.

Hrgovic threw in obligatory compliments about Itauma’s raw speed, but the core message was pure dismissal.

“No time for crying. Go back to the gym, and that’s it, man. Simple.”

Staring at the tape will not undo the beating. Itauma either learns how to box when the stoppage vanishes, or the next seasoned heavyweight will run the exact same script on him.

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Boxing

Around the Table: Who Can Challenge Canelo at 160 or 168 Pounds?

Published

6 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Around the Table: Who Can Challenge Canelo at 160 or 168 Pounds?"

We all acknowledge that Canelo isn’t in his peak years anymore, but looking at the actual landscape around him right now, is there anyone at 168, or who could come up from 160, you think would beat Canelo Alvarez?

Canelo was sharp against Christian Mbilli, but I never thought Mbilli would beat or even really trouble Canelo too much. And that’s what you look for, even today, even with Canelo faded: It has to be a really, really good fighter, and the right kind of fighter.

It wasn’t Mbilli, and it’s not going to be Lester Martinez, either. I wouldn’t mind seeing that fight, because Martinez has earned it as much as one earns shots at belts in boxing, and maybe Martinez would prove me wrong. I’m certainly not saying he’s a 0% chance to win, but on paper I don’t see it.

Hamzah Sheeraz is the fighter TurkiCo seems to want in the spot, and there are aspects there that seem potentially interesting, but Sheeraz’s so-so showings in other fights don’t inspire much confidence. Osleys Iglesisas might be the guy, but he’d also be taking a huge step up in competition, and you can’t forget that; basically the same step up that Mbilli just took. I’m not saying they aren’t good fighters, but the records built in Quebec are not filled with world class opposition.

I don’t honestly see anyone at 168 or 160 that beats Canelo right now, next fight out. I just don’t think there’s anyone there who’s good enough right now; a couple of them would be in time, perhaps, but we’re not talking about two or three years from now.

It’s an interesting question, and I’ll just preface the rest of my response by highlighting the fact there’s a difference between would and could. I say that to say this: I actually thought Canelo looked really sharp against Mbilli, with his reaction time and defense on point. But even though Canelo is a fighter with elite level skill, he’s still an aging fighter. Aging athletes in general never forget what to do, but the most noticeable decline is consistency in their performances.

The older and more worn, the less consistently they can perform at the levels they’re accustomed to. In that respect I would compare Canelo to an older pitcher. On some nights he’ll still have some of his best stuff and on those nights he’ll look good, but he’s not going to consistently bring his best stuff anymore, and on the nights he doesn’t he’ll be vulnerable to a potential slip up.

If I’m just estimating, I think there’s 0% chance we’ll ever see Canelo in better form than we just saw him, about a 35% chance he can match the form we just saw, and about a 65% chance that he has something less to offer on a given night. If Canelo can duplicate his most recent performance, I can’t honestly say that any fighter between 160-168 would beat him right now, but I do think it’s more likely than not that he’s in worse form. In that case I’d say perhaps someone like Yoenli Hernandez, and to a lesser extent Carlos Adames or Hamzah Sheeraz could potentially give him a run for his money, but it’s certainly far from a sure thing.

The cheeky answer would be Erislandy Lara, since there was so much controversy over his split decision loss to Canelo at the time. But, I don’t think Lara actually won that fight, and I certainly don’t think that a 43 year old Lara moving up to super middleweight would beat Canelo in 2026.

I think that, given the landscape, there’s really just one guy at the weight with an argument right now: Osleys Iglesias. It would be a huge step up for Iglesias, but part of that is his difficulty getting a major fight yet given how formidable he looks. The people who have beaten Canelo, officially or otherwise, had exceptional skill and enough stopping power to keep him honest. Iglesias looks like he checks both boxes. I’d love to see him get the chance.

Otherwise, you’re looking down at 154 lbs and trying to guess if someone like Boots or Fundora can do it, because I don’t think anyone at middleweight is a realistic threat.

My Hiroo Onoda answer is that David Benavidez was the guy. The one weird trick to beating Canelo seems to be a refusal to let him get comfortable and Benavidez’s kit is perfect for that: height, reach, volume, hand speed, offensive variety, and criminally underrated defense. Him losing the WBC belt by failing to make weight against Roamer Alexis F*ckin’ Angulo right as Canelo kicked off his undisputed super middleweight chase is up there with the butterfly ballots in “things that make me want to run full-speed into a brick wall if I think about them too hard.”

As for who can do it now, the only guys who seem like they belong in the conversation are Janibek Alimkhanuly and Osleys Iglesias. The kings of the heap at 160 are Carlos Adames and Old Man Lara, whom nobody in their right minds would pick to topple Canelo, and who else is there at 168? Diego Pacheco and Hamzah Sheeraz, who looked pedestrian against far lesser opposition and clearly want no smoke whatsoever? Lester Martinez could be interesting and will be next for Canelo if Mauricio Sulaiman keeps his word (lmao), but I’m not sold after his own performance against Christian Mbilli.

Alimkhanuly has the technical pedigree to potentially find the holes in Canelo’s ultra-optimized game and the physical abilities to exploit them. Iglesias isn’t quite as credentialed, but his speed and power are at or near the division’s peak and that pile bunker jab of his is the sort of disruptive weapon that could give Canelo fits. That said, I’d still favor Canelo over either.

Boxing

Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson 2 Live Results: Round-by-Round Updates and Analysis

Published

7 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson 2 Live Results: Round-by-Round Updates and Analysis

Welterweight Jack Rafferty (28-0-1, 18 KOs) defeated Hovhannes Martirosyan (20-2, 12 KOs) by a 12-round unanimous decision to claim the vacant IBO title. The judges scored it 116-111, 116-111 and 114-113 after a hard-fought contest that saw both men land heavy punches.

Martirosyan boxed effectively off the back foot and enjoyed lengthy spells of success, while Rafferty kept pressing and throwing in volume. Rafferty scored a disputed knockdown in the 12th, with the incident drawing questions over whether a push had sent Martirosyan through the ropes.

That call proved crucial on the closest card, where Rafferty finished just one point ahead. Martirosyan’s late fade allowed Rafferty to finish strongly, but the unbeaten favorite had to work through a much tougher fight than the two wider scores suggested.

Bradley Rea (23-2, 12 KOs) knocked out Ezra Taylor (13-2, 9 KOs) in the second round to retain his WBA Inter-Continental light heavyweight title. The scheduled 10-round contest ended abruptly as Rea punished Taylor’s decision to trade early.

Taylor was dropped and appeared unsteady, raising questions about whether the referee should have ended the fight sooner. Rea finished the job with a heavy knockout, handing Taylor his second consecutive defeat. Taylor’s own punching power offered little protection once Rea had him hurt.

Coming off a stoppage win over Liam Cameron, Rea delivered another decisive finish to strengthen his position in the division.

Gully Powar (14-1-1, 1 KO) captured the vacant British featherweight title with a unanimous technical decision over Zak Miller (17-2, 3 KOs). The judges scored it 96-95, 97-94 and 96-94 after the scheduled 12-round contest was halted in the 10th.

Severe swelling on Miller’s forehead from accidental head clashes prompted the doctor to stop the fight and send it to the scorecards. Powar’s persistent pressure and punch volume helped him edge a competitive contest, with both fighters landing quality shots.

Miller remained willing to fight, but the swelling prevented him from getting the final two rounds to overturn Powar’s lead. Powar secured the Lonsdale Belt at his second attempt after drawing with Rhys Edwards in his previous British title challenge.

Middleweight Stephen Clarke (11-0, 2 KOs) defeated Harley Collison (3-10-2) by an eight-round points decision. Referee Steve Gray scored it 80-72, awarding Clarke every round. The Liverpool prospect controlled the contest and took a clear victory over the experienced Southampton fighter.

Collison completed the distance, giving the 25-year-old Clarke eight rounds of work. A former national amateur champion, Clarke is trained by Stephen “Swifty” Smith and managed by Paul Smith. This was another step in his professional education, although stronger opposition will provide a better measure of his progress.

Junior middleweight John Joe Carrigan (5-0, 5 KOs) stopped Cheikh Diop (6-2) in the fourth round to maintain his perfect knockout run. The 19-year-old southpaw secured the finish against an opponent who had previously lost only by decision.

Diop entered with more professional experience but became the fifth fighter unable to go the distance with Carrigan. The Carlisle teenager turned professional in late 2025 after winning gold at the Under-19 World Championships.

He trains in Hartlepool and has carried his amateur success into a promising start with Queensberry Promotions. The official time of the stoppage was not immediately available.

Tony Yoka (16-3, 12 KOs) defeated Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko (10-21-1, 7 KOs) by a six-round points decision in their heavyweight bout. The reported score was 59-55 for the Frenchman.

Yoka controlled the contest, although the Ukrainian veteran took him the distance. Dovbyshchenko has also gone the rounds with Moses Itauma, making this a predictable opportunity for Yoka to get some work.

The 2016 Olympic gold medalist is rebuilding after consecutive defeats to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy. This victory kept that process moving, but beating an opponent with Dovbyshchenko’s record offers little evidence of how Yoka would fare against contenders.

Javokhir Ummataliev (3-0, 1 KO) defeated Atacayte Santana (4-4-2, 1 KO) by a six-round points decision in super middleweight action. The referee scored it 60-54, giving the Uzbek all six rounds. Ummataliev controlled the contest and secured a clear win in his third professional appearance.

Santana completed the distance after entering as a clear underdog. The 21-year-old Ummataliev arrived in the professional ranks with a strong amateur background, including a 2025 World Championship gold medal. After stopping Damian Drabik in two rounds in his previous outing, he gained more rounds of professional experience against Santana.

Super middleweight prospect Alex Arthur Jr. (6-0, 1 KO) defeated Jose Aguirre (2-32, 1 KO) by a six-round points decision. Referee Steve Gray scored the contest 60-54, awarding Arthur every round.

The 24-year-old Scot controlled the fight and finished with a clear victory over the experienced Costa Rican. Aguirre completed the distance, giving Arthur six rounds of work in his sixth professional outing.

Arthur is the son of former WBO super featherweight champion Alex Arthur. The win provided more experience, although Aguirre’s lengthy losing streak limits what it tells us about the unbeaten prospect.

Tumi Phillips (7-1, 1 KO) defeated Angelo Dragone (10-17-1) by decision in their super lightweight bout. The referee scored it 40-37 for Phillips.

Phillips controlled the contest and was a clear winner at the finish. The younger fighter produced a solid showing against an opponent with considerably more professional experience.

Dragone heard the final bell after suffering a stoppage defeat in his previous outing. No knockdowns were reported, with Phillips taking the victory without any major drama. The official score was not immediately available.

Boxing

Chris Billam Smith vs Chev Clarke Live Updates: Round by Round Action from Zuffa Boxing 12

Published

11 hours ago

November 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Chris Billam Smith vs Chev Clarke Live Updates: Round by Round Action from Zuffa Boxing 12"

Follow Billam-Smith against Clarke with live round reports, scoring and the official result from London.

Chris Billam-Smith fights Cheavon Clarke over 10 rounds tonight on Sky Sports in the UK and Paramount+ in the US. The former WBO cruiserweight champion headlines Zuffa Boxing 12 at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, November 7.

Billam-Smith vs Clarke Round-by-Round Updates

Live reports will appear here from the opening bell, tracking clean punches, knockdowns and which fighter controls each round.

● LIVE

Chris Billam-Smith vs Chev Clarke

2026-11-07 · 14:00 ET / 7:00 PM UK · Copper Box Arena, London · Paramount+, Sky Sports

Chris Billam-Smith0

AFTER0ROUNDS

Chev Clarke0

ROUNDChris Billam-SmithChev Clarke

Undercard Results

Featherweight Masood Abdulah (14-1, 8 KOs) scored two knockdowns to defeat Adan Palma (14-2) by an eight-round unanimous decision. The judges scored it 78-72, 77-73 and 76-74.

Abdulah dropped Palma with a short left hook in the opening minute, then used his jab and compact hooks to catch him coming forward. Palma fought his way back into the contest, landing heavy right hands in the fourth round that forced Abdulah to clinch.

A well-timed check left hook sent Palma down again in the sixth, slowing his attack and giving Abdulah more room to dictate the action. Abdulah worked behind his jab and continued finding the left hook over the final two rounds to secure the victory.

Vinnie Kemp (1-0, 1 KO) stopped Liam McElhinney (0-3) with a barrage of body shots at 2:33 of the opening round in their scheduled four-round middleweight bout. Making his professional debut, Kemp charged forward from the opening bell, throwing hard punches and goading McElhinney.

The referee briefly paused the action to warn Kemp about his verbals before allowing the fight to continue. Kemp resumed his attack, stalking McElhinney and driving punches into his midsection.

McElhinney bent forward and covered up against the ropes under the sustained body attack, prompting the referee to wave it off. Kemp’s aggression gave him a quick debut victory, although McElhinney offered little to test him.

When Does Billam-Smith vs Clarke Start?

Main-event ring walks: 🇺🇸 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT · 🇬🇧 10 p.m. GMTapproximately.

The undercard determines the final timing. Billam-Smith and Clarke headline a nine-fight show, with Denzel Bentley against Shane Mosley Jr. in the co-feature.

Main-card broadcast:

🇺🇸 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

🇬🇧 7 p.m. GMT

Preliminary coverage:

🇺🇸 12 pm ET / 9 am PT

🇬🇧 5 p.m. GMT

Sky Sports broadcasts the main card in the UK, with prelims available on its digital platforms. Paramount+ carries the prelims and main card in the US through a subscription, without a separate PPV charge.

Two June Stoppage Wins Set Up the Main Event

Both fighters arrive after punishing fights.

Billam-Smith beat Ryan Rozicki in June, with the Canadian’s corner withdrawing him after seven rounds of their Bournemouth contest. Clarke endured a rougher route on the same bill, recovering from two knockdowns before stopping Jack Massey.

Tonight’s contest carries no championship belt. For Billam-Smith, it offers a chance to strengthen his position at cruiserweight while beating an opponent who twice frustrated him.

Clarke’s second amateur victory came in the 2016 national elite championship final. Beating Billam-Smith in the paid ranks would add a former world champion to his professional record and strengthen his case for bigger fights.

Billam-Smith enters at 22-2 with 14 knockoutswhile Clarke brings a 12-2 record with nine stoppages. The experience gap amounts to ten professional contests.

Both cleared the scales on Friday. Billam-Smith weighed 199.5 lbs (90.5 kg) and Clarke 198.8 lbs (90.2 kg) for their cruiserweight headliner.