Motivation can be tough to find in boxing, especially after a loss.
The rebuilding phase can take time. Confidence-building fights often take place away from the radiant lights and the huge stage. The purses dwindle. The wagon empties. All but the rusty fans disappear.
No one knows this better than Michael Zerafa, who lost a second-round knockout to WBA middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara in March.
But the 32-year-old Zerafa (31-5, 19 KOs) will have something to fight for when he takes on 41-year-old Australian Tommy Browne (45-8-2, 19 KOs) next Wednesday night at the ICC Sydney Theatre in Sydney, Australia in an eight-round Nikita Tszyu vs. Koen Mazoudier bout.
“My preparation was great,” Zerafa told The Ring. “I trained for the fight. I didn’t overtrain; I trained really intelligent. My mind was ready to go, the motivation kicked in. I feel good.
“Tommy Browne is a tough guy. Kudos to him for taking the fight. I know he’s going to come and I’m not looking down on anyone. I’ve got a job to do next Wednesday, the 28th, and that’s all I’m focused on.”
Browne is a stubborn, resilient guy who was a featherweight contender two decades ago. The Sydney native has won three straight fights against average opponents, with a combined record of 24-21, and doesn’t seem likely to pose much trouble for Zerafa, but the Melbourne native insists he’s not looking down on him.
“I never look for a knockout,” said Zerafa, who will fight at 157 pounds. “I just do my thing and try to set traps. If I take them to the deep end, I’ll drown them. But if I see an opportunity to knock them out early, I’ll take it.”
“That’s not what I’m looking for. I’m just going there to say something.
“Listen, I know he’s tough and he’s going to come fight. I like that; it brings out the best in me. When a guy comes in with a dog in him, that’s when I get fired up.”
In the fight with Lara, Zerafa boxed well enough until the left-handed Cuban timed a left bomb that exploded on his chin behind schedule in the second round. Zerafa fell to the ground and although he managed to get to his feet after the count of nine, he stumbled and fell into a neutral corner, forcing referee Allen Huggins to stop the fight at 2:59.
“It was a tough pill to swallow,” Zerafa said of the loss, which came on the pre-fight pitch for the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora fight. “It was tough to come out like that. But that’s just the way sports are. You have to take the wins when you win, and you have to take the losses like you won. You have to have the same mentality.
“You can’t just drop everything. It’s still an achievement. You can’t just drop everything and say, ‘I’m done,’ and retire. Even though I lost and I had a little bit of a sook in my back and stuff, I didn’t look at the negatives. I said, ‘You know what, I fought Lara. I fought the guy who probably beat Canelo Alvarez.’ [and is] one of the best fighters to ever come out of Cuba, future Hall of Famer. Look where I’m fighting; I’m at the T-Mobile Arena.’ That’s an accomplishment. So even though it was a loss, it was a win. Not many people, if any, get the opportunity to do what I did. It was amazing.”
Browne is more than just an opponent for Zerafa, who knows that an impressive win on a huge domestic card like this one would breathe fresh life into his career. A win could lead him directly to a fight with rising junior middleweight star Nikita Tszyu (9-0, 7 KOs) and potentially a much-anticipated fight with former WBO titleholder Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) in the future.
“I can’t say too much,” Zerafa said when pressed for details of his fresh three-fight deal with promoter No Limit. “I’m not sure what I can and can’t say. There’s been some conversations, some documents floating around. But Tszyu’s name is on there – I don’t know if I can or can’t say – but look, there’s a three-fight plan and their names are on it, yeah.”
Tim Tszyu’s younger brother, Nikita, has blossomed into a star on a national level. With his action-packed, marching style, the man nicknamed “The Butcher” is already a local pay-per-view fixture.
Mazoudier (12-3-1, 5 KOs) would be a good candidate for the 26-year-old left-hander at this point in his career, but Zerafa cautions against comparisons.
“Nikita is still inexperienced,” Zerafa said. “He’s still growing. He’s doing great things, but like I said, the Mazoudier fight will be a huge test for him because Mazoudier moves; he’s tough; he’s good at boxing. And like you said, Nikita gets hit a lot.”
He added: “I think out of his last six [Nikita] he got hurt or went down in four of them. I’m a different caliber than the guys he fought. The guys he fought were tough and they’re moving forward, but I think I’m on a different level.
“Everyone is talking about my last performance, but before that I beat Jeff [Horn]beating me [Issac] Hardman, the fact that I beat all those guys that were put in front of me, it’s simple to forget.
“But, again, I’m focused on Tommy Browne. I don’t really care about Nikita; he’s got his own problem to deal with.”
The Hardman reference is intriguing. Two years ago, Hardman, who was 12-0 with 10 knockouts, thought Zerafa would be the perfect springboard at this stage of his career. That was a huge misjudgment by the Queenslander and his team. Hardman was stopped in two rounds.
“Everybody says, ‘Nikita’s a huge puncher, Nikita this and Nikita that.’ Horn was the same,” Zerafa said. “He moves forward, he’s powerful, he’s tough, he’s the one who beat Manny Pacquiao. Then there’s guys like Hardman, who’s powerful, tough, he likes moving forward and was a lot bigger than me. Same thing; it didn’t end too well for him. So let them think that, let them do what they have to do. They have their own problems to worry about. I just focus on what I have to do. My career is like driving a car. I just focus on what I have to do; I don’t worry about the other drivers on the road.”
With the added incentive of Tszyu’s fight, Zerafa says he’s taking a more scientific approach to this camp.
“I’m actually training harder because I’m doing everything smarter,” said Zerafa, who will have a fresh corner for the fight, including head trainer Josh Arnold, Glenn Rushton of Stretton Boxing Club and Matt Partridge.
“When I was younger, I would get up in the morning and run 25 km (15 miles), then try to spar, then run again. I would cook my body. Now I have a proper plan, proper recovery and a chef who cooks all my meals according to how I train. Everything is just in place and I feel really good.
“I come out of training wanting to do more after spending two and a half hours in the gym. So I feel amazing. And on Wednesday night I’m going to give it my all in the ring.”
Auditioning for a huge fight on a nationally televised card, what extra motivation could a boxer need?
WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
Deontay Wilder has not retired from boxing at the age of 39, and the former WBC heavyweight champion has not issued any official statement.
World Boxing News can confirm that reports circulating on social media are false and originated from a imitation account on Up-to-date Year’s Day. As of January 2, 2025, WBN has had no word from Wilder that he plans to hang up his gloves.
As usual, WBN also asked Shelly Finkel for comment. However, Finkel has repeatedly said in the past that Wilder is not retiring. This case seems to be no different.
The last time Wilder spoke publicly was while promoting a mental health app, the Brown Bomber was unveiling plans to return to the sport.
He said: “The push-up protocol has been disabled. Strengthen your body and train your mind; no paid subscription required! It’s not about money. It’s about a mission to strengthen mindsets and improve mental health for all. To everyone: operate your services and achieve greatness.
“There will be people who tell you, ‘No, you can’t.’ [No] People trying to stop you or putting up stop signs. [No] People who want to bring you down and keep you down. But you can’t give up.
“No matter how many times you fall, no matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s a resilient mind, a confident mind, a powerful mind that gets back up and keeps moving forward to achieve your greatness.
“Apply your service. Achieve your greatness,” he added.
Deontay Wilder could announce his retirement tomorrow if he changed his mind, but at the time of the report, there was no truth to it.
When Zhilei Zhang knocked him out on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the formidable top-flight contender needed time to assess his situation. WBN understands that Wilder has received offers, including contact from Francis Ngannou, regarding a possible boxing match with the MMA star.
The Wilder vs. Ngannou fight only makes sense for an American his age. Many voluntary positions [of which Wilder is WBC number 13] are occupied by threatening opponents who would start each clash as favorites.
Meanwhile, the Ngannou fight is winnable with less risk and more rewards, meaning Wilder can still earn a significant payday before hanging up his gloves for good.
Rising Irish boxing star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KO), the current World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight continental champion, had to withdraw from his scheduled December “stay busy” fight due to a minor injury but now is preparing to fight his biggest rival in what may be the most anticipated Irish boxing match in history.
The All-Ireland fight between Donovan, who fights in Limerick and trains in Dublin, and Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (20-0, 11 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is scheduled for March 1. “Point of Pride” will headline the Matchroom Boxing card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN from the SES Arena as part of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title eliminator. Just two fights away, Donovan could win a world title if he defeats Crocker as the IBF mandatory challenger.
“There is something different about a good Irish fighter and I believe I will be next,” Donovan declared. “I think turning pro at 19 and now 25 has required a lot of life changes since I turned pro. What matters most is what I learned in the gym, because it was the ups and downs in life – being a husband and father, losing loved ones – that helped me improve. I improved as a person, which helped me become a better fighter.”
A true fighter from the past, Donovan is currently rated by three of the four major sanctioning bodies: WBA No. 5, IBF No. 6 and World Boxing Council No. 14. He has dreamed of being a world champion since he was seven years senior.
“I’m in an amazing position, so I thank God for that and my team, Andy Lee (head coach/co-manager) and (Up-to-date York lawyer) Keith Sullivan (co-manager),” Donovan noted. “It’s great to be ranked so highly at this stage of my career, but I’m where I need to be. To be ranked so high on three major sanctioning bodies is great. I know I won’t stop until I become world champion.
“I’m always at the gym thinking about the next challenge. I say it’s time. I love what I do. I am very grateful to God for being in this situation. I believe in God’s plan for me to become world champion.”
“It’s definitely going to be an explosive fight,” commented Up-to-date York attorney Keith Sullivan, who co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Paddy’s head trainer. “Two tough, resilient Irishmen who have a lot to prove to the world. We were worried about the injury, but we are sure it will not be a problem during the March 1 battle. Paddy is locked down and training difficult under the watchful eye of coach Andy Lee.
Donovan has dedicated several of his recent fights to Pieta, using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity, which provides mental health services across Ireland. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, at 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm, as well as support for those grieving as a result of suicide.
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