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Iconic kickboxer and UFC trainer dies at the age of 55 amid pouring tributes

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6 months ago

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Legendary kickboxer and UFC trainer, Duke Roufus, has tragically died at the age of 55. Roufus was a highly respected MMA trainer who managed many prominent figures in the UFC and other combat sports departments. It is known that the Wisconsin coach died peacefully in his sleep.

He has had a distinguished career as both a competitor and mentor, during his tiny UFC career he trained UFC legend Ben Askren and WWE superstar Phil Brooks, better known as CM Punk. Roufus was the younger brother of another kickboxing legend Rick “The Jet” Roufus, who also won multiple titles in the 1990s.

Tributes poured in from across the mixed martial arts community.

Scott Joffe, head coach of Roufus club “Roufusport”, confirmed his death on Facebook.

He wrote: “Today the Roufusport family and the martial arts world was shocked by the heartbreaking news that Duke Roufus, world-renowned top MMA trainer, founder and namesake of the Roufusport MMA Academy, passed away peacefully in his sleep.

“Duke was more than just a renowned trainer and kickboxing champion – he was a mentor, an innovator, a father and a friend whose influence changed the landscape of mixed martial arts. His knowledge, charisma and passion inspired countless fighters to reach heights they had never dreamed of.

“From world champions to first-day students, everyone who crossed his path felt his genuine concern and unwavering belief in his potential. His loss leaves an irreplaceable void in the sport and in the hearts of all who knew him.”

“Despite deep mourning, Roufusport MMA Academy will continue to operate, driven by Duke’s enduring philosophy and commitment to excellence. The culture he built of respect, difficult work and family will live on through the fighters, coaches and students who proudly carry his torch. His impact will echo in every strike, every lesson and every victory.” bearing the name Roufusport.”

During his boxing career, Roufus won the World Kickboxing Association title, the North American Super Heavyweight Championship, the World Association of Kickboxing Organization belt, the Karate International Council of Kickboxing Championship and many others.

His last fight was in 2008, when he defeated Lawson Baker by unanimous decision at Gladiators Fighting 50th “Knockout Kings”. ‘.

UFC president Dana White also paid his respects, sharing a photo of himself with Roufus and the caption, “RIP.”

Former UFC star Anthony Pettis paid a heartfelt tribute to Roufus, stating: “When my dad was killed, you took me in and became my father. Together we did the impossible and made it to the top!”

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UK Boxing

Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani – Odds and Betting Guide

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52 minutes ago

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April 28, 2026

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Inoue said goodbye to Picasso in December. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

Naoya Inoue is the hefty favorite to defeat Junto Nakatani in an undisputed title clash on Saturday.

Inoue defends all four of his super bantamweight world titles in a huge all-Japan fight against Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome, live on DAZN.

Inoue, a top-three top-ranked pound-for-pound leader, is a 1/4 favorite Bet365 emerge victorious and inflict his first professional defeat on his rival.

“The Monster” has stopped 27 of his 32 opponents and is expected to stop Nakatani 11/10.

The undefeated 33-year-old has gone the distance in his last two outings and is valued at 7/4 for a third straight decision win.

Inoue said goodbye to Picasso in December. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

Nakatani is also a star fighting for world champion titles in the fourth weight category.

The 28-year-old southpap is a 3/1 underdog to cause a seismic shock.

“Substantial Bang” has won five of his last six fights at the distance, and he sees his best chance of winning after a stoppage at 6/1.

Nakatani defeated Sebastian Hernandez Reyes on points from Inoue’s undercard defeated Alan David Picasso in Saudi Arabia in December, and a decision victory is valued at 10/1.

Nakatani looks like a four-weight world champion. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Nakatani looks like a four-weight world champion. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Full Bet365 odds
The result of the fight
  • Naoya Inoue will win the fight: 1/4
  • Naoya Inoue by KO/TKO/DQ: 11/10
  • Naoya Inoue by decision or technical decision: 7/4
  • Junto Nakatani will win the fight: 3/1
  • Junto Nakatani by KO/TKO/DQ: 6/1
  • Total cut by decision or technical decision: 10/10
  • Draw or technical draw: 14/1
Round bets

Naoya Inoue

  • To win round 1: 80/1
  • Win in round 2: 50/1
  • To win in round 3: 33/1
  • To win in round 4: 25/1
  • To win in round 5: 20/1
  • To win in round 6: 16/1
  • To win in round 7: 14/1
  • Win in round 8: 12/12
  • To win in round 9: 1/12
  • To win in round 10: 12/12
  • To win in round 11: 14/1
  • To win in round 12: 16/1
  • Win by Decision or Technical Decision: 7/4

Junto Nakatani

  • Win in round 1: 100/1
  • Win in round 2: 100/1
  • Win in round 3: 100/1
  • To win in round 4: 80/1
  • Win in round 5: 66/1
  • Win in round 6: 50/1
  • Win in round 7: 50/1
  • To win in round 8: 40/1
  • To win in round 9: 40/1
  • To win in round 10: 40/1
  • To win in round 11: 50/1
  • To win in round 12: 50/1
  • Win by Decision or Technical Decision: 10/10

The post Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani – Odds and Betting Guide appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.

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UK Boxing

Eddie Hearn responds to the announcement of the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight with three words

Published

9 hours ago

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April 28, 2026

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Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are expected to fight this year (Photo: 2026 Mark Robinson)

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Eddie Hearn has confirmed that the fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has been “signed, sealed and settled.” The explosive announcement was made this afternoon, shortly after Joshua’s next opponent was revealed.

The former world champion and Olympic gold medalist will face Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga on July 25, before turning his attention to his fight with the Gypsy King in overdue 2026. The date of the clash between the two British heavyweights has not yet been confirmed, but it is expected to take place in the last quarter of this year.

This fight has been more than a decade in the making, especially after the 2021 undisputed heavyweight bout between the two fighters was canceled following an arbitrator’s ruling that Fury must face Deontay Wilder in a trilogy series, with the Bronze Bomber also rejecting the fee amount.

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Joshua was also scheduled to fight Oleksandr Usyk in a mandatory defense of the WBO title, which ended with the Ukrainian completely defeating him and winning the belt. Fury then defeated Wilder and Joshua met Usyk in a rematch, but again suffered defeat.

There have been discussions about a 2022 fight, but the situation became complicated when Fury repeatedly imposed his own stringent deadlines for a contract to be signed between the pair. That didn’t happen this year, as Hearn confirmed on social media.

The Matchroom boss shared a photo of himself with the chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, and a beaming Joshua. He wrote: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered! AJ v. Fury continues!”

Joshua has already begun psychological warfare with Fury, writing: “It’s no secret that I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready to get back into the ring, and this is the next step on that journey. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. Like I said. The landlord will collect rent. That’s for sure.”

Fury has yet to respond directly, but he re-posted Alalshikh’s Instagram video confirming the news on X. Nevertheless, given the way he challenged Joshua immediately after he defeated Russian giant Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision earlier this month, Fury will be brimming with confidence.

After his triumph, he turned to Joshua and roared, “I want you, AJ, Anthony Joshua. Let’s give the fight fans what they want – the Battle of Britain. I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me, the Gypsy King, next. Do you accept my challenge?”

Of course, Joshua will first have to beat Prenga, a relatively unknown 35-year-old who has built a reputation as a formidable knockout specialist. His record is 20-1, and 20 of his victories ended by knockout. His only defeat came in February 2017, when he lost to Giovanni Auriemma in the Netherlands.

Hearn has repeatedly insisted that Joshua should have a “warm-up” fight before any fight with Fury. He most recently stepped into the ring against Jake Paul in a very lucrative bout before he survived a devastating car accident in Nigeria that tragically killed his friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

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UK Boxing

Conah Walker vs. Sam Eggington – how to watch it

Published

13 hours ago

on

April 27, 2026

By

Walker knocked out McCormack in December. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

Conah Walker returns to the ring next weekend and will face Sam Eggington.

The winner of the Walker vs. Eggington fight may have a chance to win the welterweight world title.

Since the defeat in 2024, “Wolf” has been in excellent form, boasting an impressive series of four victories in the season, the last three of which ended by knockout.

The last defeat in the career of the Wolverhampton fighter came at the hands of the current IBF world champion Lewis Crocker.

He overcame “The Croc” the distance and, in many people’s eyes, was unlucky not to receive recognition on the judges’ scorecards, which showed a unanimous victory for the Irishman.

He returned just two months after this defeat and in Birmingham he faced Lewis Ritson, whom he defeated over the distance.

Walker knocked out McCormack in December. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

Walker was the underdog against Harry Scarff in Nottingham and lost most, if not all, of the rounds until the 11th round before landing a series of punches in the penultimate round that forced the referee to stop the fight.

In his last fight, “The Wolf” was once again the clear underdog, beating Olympic silver medalist Pat McCormack in Monaco.

Walker performed well throughout the fight, but fell on two judges’ scorecards before the final round.

Walker defeated Ritson. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Walker defeated Ritson. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

The Wolverhampton player took the ball out of the bag and scored a dramatic goal in the last round.

He will face Sam Eggington, a tough opponent also from the West Midlands.

Eggington’s last defeat was to former world champion Abass Baraou, who defeated him by majority vote.

Abass Baraou defeated Sam Eggington by majority decision to win the vacant European super welterweight title in Telford. Photo: Wasserman Boxing
Abass Baraou defeated Sam Eggington by majority decision to win the vacant European super welterweight title in Telford. Photo: Wasserman Boxing

Since then, he has had wins over Alan Velazquez and Lee Cutler.

“The Savage” was injured in his last fight against Cutler and the injury forced the referee to stop the fight early, so he is hopeful that the fight will not be restarted against Walker.

Walker vs Eggington – date, place, start time and ring walks
  • The fight between both fighters will take place on Saturday, May 2, live at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton
  • Broadcast will start at 7pm BST/
  • The main event will start around 10pm BST
Conah Walker returns to action this weekend. Photo credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Conah Walker returns to action this weekend. Photo credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Walker vs. Eggington – how to watch
  • The card can be watched live worldwide on DAZN
Walker vs. Eggington – last three fights

Conah Walker

  • Conah Walker vs. Pat McCormack – KO in the 12th round
  • Conah Walker vs. Liam Taylor – KO in the 7th round
  • Conah Walker vs. Harry Scarff – 11th KO
Conah Walker is in good shape. Photo credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Conah Walker is in good shape. Photo credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Sam Eggington

  • Sam Eggington bt Lee Cutler – technical decision, 9th round
  • Sam Eggington bt Alan Sebastian Velazquez – unanimous decision
  • Sam Eggington lt Abass Baraou – majority decision
Walker vs. Eggington – Undercard
Fawaz defeated Bostan in a rematch to win the English super welterweight title Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Fawaz defeated Bostan in a rematch to win the English super welterweight title Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
  • Kieron Conway (23-4-1) vs. Mark Jeffers (20-2) – middleweight (10 rounds)
  • Shannon Ryan (10-1) vs Nicola Hopewell (8-1) – super flyweight (10 x 2 rounds)
  • Tiah Mai Ayton (5-0) vs Stevi Levy (15-4) – (8 x 2 rounds)
  • Junaid Bostan (10-1-1) vs. Mohammed Graich (12-4-1) – super welterweight (8 rounds)
Liddard detained Conway in October. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Liddard stopped Conway in October Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
  • Louie Ward (1-0) vs. Jesus Carrasco (2-3-2) – (4 rounds)
  • Harley Burrows (debut) vs. Lewis Howells (3-7) – (4 rounds)

The post Conah Walker vs. Sam Eggington – how to watch it appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.

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