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How Food Poisoning Led Thanjhae Teasley to the Boxing Ring

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Thanjhae Teasley was always determined to succeed. He just didn’t know it would happen in the boxing ring.

Growing up in Bethlehem, Pa., or any of the dozen or so other places he called home, it was basic to see how things could go wrong. There were times when his mom was doing well financially and they had a nice place to live, but there were more times when he was “chilling in the hood” or living with his cousins.

“I grew up in good times and bad. A lot of people I grew up with are in prison or dead,” said 25-year-old welterweight prospect Teasley (10-0, 4 knockouts), who headlines Friday’s Red Owl Boxing show in Houston against Selassie Bey (8-0, 8 KOs), live on DAZN (8:30 p.m. ET).

“I didn’t want to end up dead or in prison. I didn’t want to disappoint my mom, because I’ve had a few close calls.”

Teasley wanted more out of life and saw college as a way to achieve that goal. A decent enough running back and football player who played wide receiver, defensive back and more, he was noticed by several NCAA Division II and III schools. There was even a D1 school that jumped at him, even though his grades weren’t yet at the level that would qualify him to play there. He settled on Butte College, the same California college where four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers began his college career, and then planned to improve his grades before attracting the attention of a D1 school.

As Teasley often discovered in life, there were other plans that would lead him down a different path.

Before Teasley could play for the Roadrunners, he was hospitalized with severe food poisoning that immobilized him and caused him to lose 50 pounds in a few weeks. He soon graduated and moved to Utah, where his mother had moved to be closer to her son. To deal with the anger and frustration of seeing his college dreams disappear, he joined a boxing gym.

After five or six days of training, he had his first amateur fight. He lost it in March 2019, but the promise of a second chance at sporting glory ignited his passion.

“I always wanted to box since I was younger, but my mom wouldn’t let me. Instead, I just fought outside. I didn’t fight because I was a brawler, I just tried to fight bullies,” said Teasley, who is now a pescatarian after giving up all meat except fish because of digestive problems.

“When I went to the boxing gym, it saved me mentally, physically, everything. Instead of getting charged with assault and getting in trouble outside the gym, why do that when I can get my anger out in the gym? But now I’m starting to fall in love with it. I’ve never worked harder for any other sport.”

Teasley returned to Pennsylvania in 2021, following his childhood best friend, bantamweight contender Jonathan Rodriguez, to Indio’s Boxing Gym in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He had about 15 amateur fights in total, but found it challenging to find opponents as his reputation spread across the region. That’s when his trainer, Lemuel “Indio” Rodriguez, decided it was time to turn pro.

“I was surprised when I turned pro, I actually planned to be an amateur for a while. I wanted to be on Team USA and play in national tournaments,” Teasley said.

“At first I thought to myself, ‘Gosh, am I really ready for this? But I believe God has a plan for me. I took it as a sign that I needed to work harder and study harder.'”

Manager Trifon Petrov believes Teasley has learned his craft on the job and has settled in well in his fresh circumstances.

“Thanjhae is an extremely hard-working kid with a great history behind him. He’s very determined and mentally tough, which is one of his best traits,” said Petrov, who also manages Rodriguez, as well as prospects Maliek Montgomery and Elijah Pierce.

“He has looked more and more impressive with each fight and I can’t wait for him to show the world his skills on Friday night.”

His eight-round fight with Bey is likely the toughest of his two-year professional career. Bey, 26, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been a pro since 2018 but has had long periods of inactivity and is fighting outside his home state for the first time.

Both fighters weighed under 147 pounds – Teasley weighed 146.1 pounds and Bey 146.6 pounds.

Like his opponent, Teasley is also fighting outside his home region for the first time. A decisive victory would make him a notable contender at 147 pounds.

“I assume he’s going to come in there and try to intimidate me. I just know I’m going to go in there, stay disciplined, stick to my game plan and do the best I can,” Teasley said.

“I feel like we’ve been waiting for this for a long time because I finally have a chance to showcase not only my skills but also my boxing gym.”

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George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team

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George Kambosos beats Teofimo

Former 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.

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Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul

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Mike Tyson comeback black

One 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.

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Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory

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Lauren Price

Lauren 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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