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Hamzah Sheeraz and Jaime Munguia accused of avoiding ‘boxing bogey’

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Hamzah Sheeraz and Jaime Munguia accused of avoiding ‘the bogeyman of boxing’

Now that all super middleweight world titles have been won following Terence Crawford’s retirement, fans are hopeful that unification fights could come soon, but in the eyes of one champion’s promoter, that is unlikely.

Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez in a legacy-defining fight last September to become the first undisputed three-weight champion since Henry Armstrong in 1938, and “Kill Hank” was the first in boxing history to accomplish the feat.

Having cemented his place among the greats, Crawford hung up his gloves and retired with his undefeated record intact and his respect as a current sports icon.

Boxing had to move on and it did so quickly, with four modern champions holding the super middleweight world title; Christian Mbilli (WBC), Osleys Iglesias (IBF), Jaime Munguia (WBA) and Hamzah Sheeraz (WBO).

In September, Canelo will attempt to become champion again challenges Mbilla for the coveted WBC green and gold belt. The other three main champions do not currently have fights lined up.

Speaking to Boxing News, Iglesias’ promoter Camille Estephan, who also promotes Mbilli, revealed why he thinks the Cuban southerner, who boasts a record of 15-0 with 14 KOs, may have difficulty finding a willing and available challenger.

“People recognize his ability, that’s why they don’t want to fight him. When you look at his last few opponents, he fought Siljagin; when he fought Siljagin, no one wanted to fight Siljagin – a technical fighter from Russia that people don’t know, very good defensively. He was destroyed, literally. By the end of the fight he was blind in one eye, couldn’t breathe and couldn’t hear.

“The previous warrior who fought him [Vladimir] Shishkin, was highly respected, was an emerging fighter who at one point thought he would spotless up the division. He was definitely a very, very forceful fighter, very good defensively as well, he was literally destroyed in the fight against Iglesias. Just look at the images.

“Then you see this guy, [Evgeny] Shvedenko, who drew with Silyagin. He was knocked out in a very scary way, we were very, very worried about him. Every guy he fought, he destroyed. The people who fight him are never the same again.

“We understand the hesitancy of a lot of the top guys. I think he’ll just keep doing it and then the fans will recognize that’s the guy – the guy who’s at the top of the hill.”

Recently at the 41st annual IBF convention in Vietnam, Troy Williamson was invited to negotiate a final eliminator with Diego Pacheco for a title shot, but it appears the Darlington operator will be unable to attend as his long-awaited rematch with Callum Simpson is currently being considered for July.

Continuing, Estephan praised Williamson for his courage, declaring that he is “one of the few people on the planet” who is confident enough to face Iglesias.

“When it comes to Troy Williamson, I hear a lot of different things. I don’t know what his next move will be, but in the case of Iglesias, Troy was ready to fight him, so kudos to him. He’s one of the few people in the world who wants to fight Iglesias.”

With few challengers daring to push for a fight with the undefeated 28-year-old, Estephan admitted that both he and his fighter are looking towards other super middleweight world champions in hopes of securing unification fights. However, this energy was not reciprocated.

“What I can say about Iglesias is that he wants to fight other world champions. He has the IBF and IBO titles, but it looks like Munguia wants nothing to do with Iglesias and Sheeraz, especially. They talk about wanting a unification, but when they hear Iglesias, they forget what a unification is.

“They would rather fight anyone other than Iglesias. He is clearly the bogeyman of boxing.”

“We want Iglesias to defend his title and we want Iglesias to be put in a situation where it will inevitably happen. Sheeraz and Munguia were talking about unifying until they heard about Iglesias, so maybe they will fight each other, but they can run and they can’t hide.”

One potential option for Sheeraz and Munguia is to compete on the Canelo-Mbilli card. Iglesias’ possible addition to the September 12 show means all four 168-pound belts will be up for grabs that night.

Billed as “Mexico vs. the World,” Iglesias would likely need to acquire a Mexican challenger, with the most obvious option being former WBA champion Armando Resendi if Estephan and Turki Alalshikh are indeed planning an Iglesias fight on the undercard.

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Derek Chisora Slams Dana White Regarding Fighter Treatment Issues

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Derek Chisora Slams Dana White Regarding Fighter Treatment Issues

Derek Chisora accused Dana White of operating like a “slave owner,” but Conor Benn’s lucrative move to Zuffa Boxing offers a substantial counterpoint to the heavyweight’s attack.

Chisora’s complaint centered on White turning fighters away from his platform. That hardly explains the comparison, especially with Benn reportedly collecting $15 million for his first Zuffa appearance alone.

“Dana White is not my cup of tea, to be honest with you,” Chisora said in an interview with Fight Hub TV following the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua press conference. “Because the way he operates is just, he operates like a slave owner, man. You know, fighters want to fight on his platform. He tells them, ‘You’re not good enough for me, so go away.’ What is a fighter going to do? What is he going to do after that? That’s not right.”

Benn’s experience makes that accusation difficult to defend. His reported $15 million purse for facing Regis Prograis was followed by a world-title opportunity against Ryan Garcia. White’s platform has delivered both substantial money and a major fight for the British welterweight.

One boxer’s earnings cannot answer every question about a promoter’s treatment of fighters. But Chisora supplied no named example to support his accusation. Benn gives readers something concrete to weigh against it.

Chisora also argued that a fighter who performs poorly one night can improve the next time. Fair enough. Promoters still have to decide whom to sign, how many places they can offer, and which fights they want to stage. Wanting a contract does not create an entitlement to one.

His example concerns access to White’s platform, rather than restrictions imposed on someone already fighting there. Those are different issues, and Chisora never explained how rejection justified his language.

Asked about the dispute between Eddie Hearn and White, Chisora made his personal dislike clear. What he failed to provide was an argument strong enough to carry such a loaded accusation.

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Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury: Live London Press Conference Showdown

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"Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury: Live London Press Conference Showdown"

The long-awaited, all-British heavyweight blockbuster between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is officially set for December 11 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Backed by Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, the defining clash will see both men pocket a career-high purse and settle the debate – to a degree – of this generation’s best UK heavyweight.

After more than a decade of false starts and fractured negotiations, the two former heavyweight champions will finally settle their rivalry in what promises to be the biggest commercial event in British boxing history. Broadcast rights have been secured by Netflix for a global audience and Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao may appear on the undercard, despite turning 49 one week after the event.

Crucially, Joshua’s camp held firm during negotiations to ensure the bout remained on domestic soil. Despite the potential for more lucrative offers overseas, ‘AJ’ refused to budge on the location, and the pair meet today in London to make it official.

Fans can watch live via the stream below, with the proceedings expected to kick off at 6 PM – though delays and gamesmanship may be a factor.