Boxing

Hamzah Sheerazs Vacated World Title Fight Confirmed Amid Mandatory Controversy

Published

36 minutes ago

October 7, 2026

"Hamzah Sheeraz's Vacated World Title Fight Confirmed Amid Mandatory Controversy"

Following Hamzah Sheeraz’s decision to relinquish his WBO world title rather than face mandatory challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly, a fight has now been agreed for the vacant belt.

Sheeraz made the decision to drop the belt shortly after his promoter, Queensberry Promotions, successfully won the purse bids to stage the mandated defence.

The withdrawal, which came after the Brit expressed grievances over Janibek’s failed doping test last year, forced the WBO to pivot quickly and move down its rankings, and formally instructed Alimkhanuly to face undefeated contender Jacob Bank for the vacant strap.

Today, the sanctioning body’s President, Gustavo Olivieri, released the following statement confirming that both parties have reached an agreement.

“The WBO is pleased to confirm receipt of formal written notification from Team Zhanibek Alimkhanuly and Team Jacob Bank that the parties have reached terms to contest the vacant WBO Super Middleweight World Championship. Further details will be announced in due course.”

Alimkhanuly has long claimed to be one of the sport’s most avoided fighters. The Kazakh southpaw built a fearsome reputation at middleweight, unifying titles with his punishing, heavy-handed style.

Before a highly-anticipated unification with Carlos Adames late last year, he tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. He was stripped by the IBF, but the WBO’s decision to immediately install him as mandatory challenger at super-middleweight infuriated Sheeraz, who branded it ‘corrupt.’

Now standing in the 33-year-old’s way of becoming a two-division champion is undefeated Dane Jacob Bank. The 25-year-old has quietly climbed the WBO rankings to build a flawless 20-0 record, largely operating on the European circuit where he notably stopped previously unbeaten contender William Scull earlier this year.

As for Sheeraz, news on his next bout – understood to be the final in his current contract with Queensberry – is expected soon.

Boxing

Fury vs Joshua: 1 AM Start Time at Principality Stadium Expected

Published

3 hours ago

October 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Fury vs Joshua: 1 AM Start Time at Principality Stadium Expected"

The expected timings for Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s highly anticipated heavyweight boxing clash have been revealed.

The bout – one of the biggest in British boxing history – is set to take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 11 December.

An application to Cardiff Council revealed the ring walk is planned to start at around 01:00 GMT after a short live music performance, and the stadium will remain open until 03:30.

Despite the choice of venue being confirmed in September, required changes to its premises licence to allow the early-hours fight to go ahead have yet to be secured.

The application comes after the contest – more than a decade in the making – was confirmed after several days of uncertainty.

In a bid to obtain the necessary permissions, Millennium Stadium Plc has applied to the council to extend timings at the venue “on a very limited one-off occasion”.

The application seeks to extend permitted hours for boxing and wrestling entertainment from an existing cut off of 01:00 to 03:00 on 12 December.

The council said this was to facilitate “the proposed Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury bout, with the ring walk commencing at 01:00”.

The licence variation seeks an extension to play live music until 03:00 on the same date, with a short live performance immediately before the ring walk.

It also proposes an extension for recorded music, late-night refreshment and the supply of alcohol until 03:00, with the stadium closing time being moved to 03:30.

The applicants added that the roof would be shut throughout the event, and enhanced security and stewarding arrangements would be in place.

Boxing

Tyson Fury Claims Fight with Anthony Joshua is a Pride of Britain Showdown

Published

4 hours ago

October 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Tyson Fury Claims Fight with Anthony Joshua is a Pride of Britain Showdown

Tyson Fury sits down with Ring Magazine to discuss his big upcoming showdown with Anthony Joshua, which he believes will come to a conclusive ending early on as he doesn’t believe AJ has what it takes to stand up to him over the distance. Here’s some of what Fury had to say below.

Fury on assessing AJ’s performance against Prenga

“I could sit here and slag him off but it’s not going to do me any favors. Being honest with you, it’s heavyweight boxing. You can get knocked out anytime by anybody and all these so-called warm up fights are risky because each person you’re ‘warming up’ with is trying to take your brains out because it’s a lottery for them if they win.”

On believing he stops AJ in the first half of the fight

“I think it ends early, yeah. It all depends on what I decide to do. I know I can go to war, go toe-to-toe with anybody. I’ve done it with the biggest puncher on the planet that’s ever lived. I know I can get off the floor, recover, and I can do all of that can recover quick. You’ve seen me recover from the most deathly situations.

“But he can’t. He can fight, and he can get up off the floor, but then he needs to take rounds off. He doesn’t have the engine or the gas tank that I have, and it’s mainly due to the muscle size he has on him. When they go, they go. There’s no recovering. It takes three or four rounds. If he fights with me for one minute, he’ll take two rounds off, and that unfortunately ain’t going to be good enough for him.”

On the importance of this fight

“It’s got to be right up there because it’s been a big rivalry for the last 10 years and both guys have wanted to win it badly. You know, at the end of our sort of careers it’s come right at the last hurdle so it’s unbelievable that we get to do it at this stage.

“Every fight is important, going forward, but this fight seems a little more special than the rest for the reason being it’s the pride of Britain fight.”

On Usyk’s last performance against Verhoeven

“I didn’t actually watch it live but what I do know is everybody’s on your d-ck until they’re not, and then you have one bad performance and you’re a piece of sh-t, as Usyk found out…It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish…They talk as if Usyk got knocked out in one round. They don’t say Usyk actually stopped this guy, knocked him out. They’re talking about what could’ve happened, or what would’ve happened.

“So I don’t really pay too much attention to it because you can be a Top G today and a piece of sh-t tomorrow, so it ain’t worth bothering about. But what I do know is I want that rematch with him, that trilogy, because I know deep in my heart I won those fights and for whatever reason he’s been giving a decision over me.

“And he wants it, too. Because deep within him, he’s a fighting man, too, and he’s thinking ‘Did I win them? Didn’t I win them?’ He’s even admitted on camera this fight’s really close, if [I] would’ve gotten the decision he wouldn’t have argued…I do want that chance to put that right.

“And what a way to end my career. Batter this bum up and down at Cardiff in front of 80,000 and then go to Madison Square Garden and get the revenge on The Rabbit, finally.”

Boxing

Chris Billam Smith Evaluates Chev Clarkes Minimal Reward Potential

Published

6 hours ago

October 7, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Chris Billam Smith Evaluates Chev Clarke's Minimal Reward Potential"

Chris Billam-Smith wants payback for two amateur losses to Chev Clarke, even though he admits the November 7 matchup offers almost nothing beyond settling a personal score. At 36 years old, taking this bout is a curious decision.

“So there’s nothing to gain from this fight from the boxing world’s perspective. It’s not guaranteeing me a title shot or anything like that, but it’s a good fight,” Billam-Smith told The Ring. “And most importantly, it’s one I stay up for because of the past. He’s 2-0 up at the moment, but I can have the final say.”

The former WBO cruiserweight champion headlines Zuffa Boxing 12 against Clarke at London’s Copper Box Arena, airing on Sky Sports in the UK alongside Paramount+ in the United States.

Clarke defeated Billam-Smith twice in 2016, snatching a coveted Team GB spot in the process. Their pro paths took different trajectories. Billam-Smith secured a world championship, whereas Clarke continues working toward elite status.

That history fuels the promotion, yet it also exposes the lopsided risk. Billam-Smith is heavily expected to win. Clarke, meanwhile, stands to claim the scalp of a former titleholder, generating momentum far beyond his earlier amateur triumphs.

You can understand the motivation. Those old losses clearly stung, giving him plenty of fuel in the gym. Still, using his final championship years to settle an old grudge carries real danger.

Winning keeps him active, though it guarantees zero future title shots. Dropping the decision would be disastrous, derailing his championship aspirations while handing Clarke a career defining victory.

Amateur history tells only part of the tale. Billam-Smith owns vastly superior championship rounds as a pro. He must put every bit of that veteran seasoning to work against an opponent who has everything to seize.

From a purely strategic boxing standpoint, this is horrible matchmaking for Billam-Smith. It carries maximum risk with virtually zero upside.

Taking on a dangerous domestic puncher like Clarke does nothing to elevate him. If Billam-Smith wins, the boxing world shrugs it off. Everyone expects a former world champion to handle Clarke, who, despite his amateur pedigree, is already 35 and has not proved he belongs at world level as a professional.

Letting personal vanity and decade-old amateur grudges dictate late-career match selection is a classic trap. It looks like an easy headliner for the promoters to hype on Sky and Paramount+, but in reality, it is a high-hazard, low-reward scrap that could end up being the final nail in Billiam-Smith’s championship hopes.

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