Boxing
Great matches that haven’t happened (yet)
Published
4 months agoon
When the highly anticipated fight between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Vasyl Lomachenko fell through, fans were reminded of other potentially great fights that suffered the same fate.
From Lennox Lewis-Wladimir Klitschko, Prince Naseem Hamed-Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Kostya Tszyu, Mike Tyson-George Foreman, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-David Benavidez, the list goes on.
Here are seven of the biggest fights of the contemporary era that were considered possible but, for various reasons, never happened. Some of them are gone forever, but fingers crossed, others may still make it to the finish line.
- Sergey Kovalev vs. Adonis Stevenson
Russian Sergey Kovalev was one of the best fighters from 2013 to 2015, during which time he became the unified featherlight heavyweight champion after a unanimous decision in 12 rounds over Bernard Hopkins. On the other hand, Adonis Stevenson held the lineal title and the WBC belt at that time.
The duo were unstoppable at 175 pounds for a time, and a fight between the two seemed guaranteed to generate fireworks, but Stevenson reportedly decided to work with Al Haymon’s Showtime stable.
- Sergio Martinez fights Gennady Golovkin
Former middleweight titleholder Gennady “GGG” Golovkin was in his prime when he was offered a fight with Argentine Sergio Martinez in the 2013–14 season. While Golovkin held the IBF and WBA belts, Martinez was the WBC champion and considered the true king.
Golovkin may have been too much for Martinez at the time, given his age, but it would have been a fascinating encounter nonetheless. However, when Martinez, ravaged by injuries, was defeated by Miguel Cotto, it almost ended his career.
- Roman Gonzalez vs. Naoya Inoue
Gonzalez and Inoue have dominated the junior bantamweight division at various times and both were world champions at 115 pounds.
While Gonzalez still fights in the junior bantamweight division and has defeated the likes of Juan Francisco Estrada, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Carlos Cuadras, Inoue moved up to bantamweight after three successful years in that weight class.
Inoue currently fights in the junior featherweight division and is the undisputed 122-pound champion, but a fight with Gonzalez could always end in a fiasco.
- Terence Crawford vs. Jaron “Boots” Ennis
Terence “Bud” Crawford became a three-division champion when he took the WBO welterweight title from Australian Jeff Horn in June 2018. Before that feat, the Nebraska native held the lightweight and junior welterweight world titles.
Crawford became the undisputed junior welterweight champion by knocking out then-unbeaten Julius Indongo in three rounds in August 2017. He moved up to 147 pounds and secured the title of undisputed champion when he defeated Errol Spence Jr. by ninth-round knockout last year.
During this period of dominance, Crawford was challenged by the best juvenile fighter in the division – Jaron “Boots” Ennis – but his decisions were never taken into account.
At the time, Crawford understandably preferred a no-contest challenge to Spence Jr., as their contract stipulated a rematch. After Bud’s decisive victory, the sequel ultimately fell through, so Crawford moved up to fight for the titles at 154.
Even though he defeated Israil Madrjmov, a drop to 147 is not out of the question – it could still happen in the future.
- Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. David Benavidez
The highly anticipated fight between two of the world’s top super middleweight contenders has been on the radar for a few years now, but grave negotiations have yet to begin.
Canelo has been accused of avoiding Benavidez, especially after he demanded a monstrous fee to face his closest rival. The Mexican superstar has faced a number of high-profile opponents, but his recent opponents have not been considered a real threat.
It is not yet known whether Alvarez, who is scheduled to face Edgar Berlanga on September 14, will change his mind and agree to a superfight in 2025.
- Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Vasyl Lomachenko
One of the most talked about lightweight fights, Gervonta “Tank” Davis was ready to fight Vasyl Lomachenko for the unified WBA and IBF championship. It was reported that it would take place in November.
However, Lomachenko has decided not to return to the ring this year – citing his family as the reason. Few can deny that he has not earned some time off.
We hope that the fight between them will take place in 2025.
- Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder
Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua were the top heavyweights in the world from 2017 to 2019, when both were undefeated and in the prime of their careers. Joshua held the WBO, IBF, and WBA titles, Wilder was the WBC champion, and the duo could (and should) have put together one of the most anticipated fights in heavyweight history.
After being sidelined for far too long, Joshua was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019, days after Wilder announced he had signed a rematch with Tyson Fury with the possibility of a third fight.
Since then, the Bronze Bomber has only won one fight, knocking out Robert Helenius, and after losses to Fury (twice) came losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, which will surely spell the end of his career.
Not long ago, however, a Joshua-Wilder fight would have been the hottest event in sports.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
12 minutes 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
1 day 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.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren 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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