UK Boxing
Imane Khelif sends a very direct warning to Olympic rivals after boxing opponent pulls out
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaImane Khelif sent a provocative message to her rivals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after forcing her opponent to submit just 46 seconds into the fight.
The 25-year-old competes in the women’s 66kg category and reached the quarter-finals after defeating Italian Angela Carini.
The fight was controversial, however, as Carini decided to withdraw from the competition, reportedly telling her corner that “it wasn’t right,” after Khelif was cleared to compete in the Games.
Khelif was allowed to compete in the women’s boxing category despite being disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships before her gold medal fight because she did not meet the International Boxing Association (IBA) qualifying criteria.
It turned out she had failed testosterone and gender tests, but Khelif was allowed to compete in the women’s category at the Olympics and quickly threw herself into a hail of punches. Carini, whose helmet was not attached, decided to stop the fight on her own terms.
When Khelif was announced the winner, Carini refused to shake her hand and the Italian could be seen crying in the ring before leaving. Immediately after the fight, the 25-year-old spoke about her victory.
Khelif refused to spend any time in the post-fight interview area, but the Algerian left the venue with a defiant statement to her critics: “I’m here for the gold. I’ll fight anyone.”
Imane added as she left the ring: “God willing, that was the first win. God wants me to be the golden one.”
The Algerian Boxing Federation also congratulated its Olympian on Facebook after the fight and issued a statement condemning alleged “lies” and “unethical attacks and denigration of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, through baseless propaganda by some foreign media.”
However, an emotional Carini began to fear for her safety, claiming that she had never been hit like she experienced during the fight.
“It hurt so much. I’m devastated. I went to the ring to pay tribute to my father,” Carini said. “I’ve been told many times that I’m a fighter, but I chose to stop for my health. I’ve never felt a blow like that.
“After the second punch, after years of experience in the ring and a lifetime of fighting, I felt a huge pain in my nose.”
In the quarterfinals, Khelif will face Hungarian Luca Anne Hamori, who will be fighting to win the gold medal for the African country.
Get your ultimate guide to the Olympics! Going for Gold gives you a daily overview of what’s happening and when. Click Here to buy.
You may like
UK Boxing
Logan Paul begs his boss to let him fight UFC star Conor McGregor
Published
3 hours agoon
January 17, 2025Logan Paul directly approached Ari Emanuel, the head of Endeavor, owner of the UFC and WWE, for a chance to face Conor McGregor in the ring.
Last month, it was reported that McGregor was negotiating to fight Jake Paul’s older sibling. On X – the platform formerly known as Twitter – the Irish fighter denied rumors of a fight with UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, stating: “The rumors about the fight with Topuria are false. I have preliminary arrangements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul at a boxing exhibition in India. I then agreed to return to the octagon.
This potential megafight could net both fighters a staggering $250 million. Even though “The Maverick” recently confirmed his commitment to WWE, the tempting offer of a fight with the former two-time UFC champion might just lure him back to the boxing ring.
In a novel clip on his YouTube channel, Paul was seen attending the premiere of WWE Raw on Netflix. He did not compete but appeared in a pre-recorded interview before taking his ringside seat. The 29-year-old influencer was spotted hanging out with wrestling stars like Kevin Owens and LA Knight, but his most captivating moment was his clash with Emanuel – the huge boss of Endeavor and TKO Group, the entities behind WWE and UFC.
Paul was captured in a candid moment as Emanuel gave a candid hug and handshake before saying, “Ari, I need one favor from you,” to which the Endeavor boss replied, “Yes.” Give me the green featherlight to fight Conor.” There was a shared laugh and they both said “seriously” almost in unison.
The same footage also showed Paul’s openness to facing McGregor, despite his WWE commitments. Referencing the previous interaction, the clip then cut to a sequence suggesting a phone conversation about a potential fight, allegedly with McGregor on speakerphone and announcing: “This could really happen,” Paul holding up his cellphone. “It can and will happen,” the Irishman confidently assured.
In the following scenes, Paul brainstorms promotional ideas with WWE writer Rob Fee, considering announcing the end of his boxing career for shock value. “Saying no more boxing will attract attention,” he noted, quickly correcting himself. “Because it’s not true. If Conor McGregor wants to fight, we do it. I mean, bro, that’s an epic match… That would be something I’d like to do, step away from WWE for a while [that fight]. $250 million, bro. I have to take it. If Nick Khan can achieve this, I will stay in WWE.”
Paul noted that the Irishman appeared to be nudging UFC chief Dana White to approve the fight, saying, “I think he’s trying to put pressure on Dana to make it happen because he’s owned by the UFC,” and noted, “He can’t f**k *******, let alone fighting without them knowing.
However, White recently issued a challenge on the Pardon My Take podcast, pointing to a different path for “The Notorious”: “Ultimately,” he said in regards to a potential fight with McGregor in 2025, adding emphatically: “No, no (he won’t fight KSI or Logan Paul]I hope Conor McGregor returns in the fall.
UK Boxing
Conor Benn vows to sully Eubank’s name with a brutal knockout
Published
7 hours agoon
January 17, 2025Conor Benn predicted such a devastating victory over Chris Eubank Jr. that his entire name would be tarnished.
Eubank Jr and Benn have signed a contract to fight in the rescheduled middleweight grudge match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.
The pair were scheduled to fight in October 2022, with the clash based almost entirely on the legacy of their fathers, who fought twice in the 1990s but were postponed a week before the fights after Benn tested positive for a banned substance clomiphene.
Since then, a brutal war of words has ensued between them and Benn, who insists he will claim a decisive knockout victory.
“I don’t want to knock him out for legacy reasons,” the 28-year-old said Boxing in the match room.
I want to knock him out because it’s personal and I think he’s an idiot.
“Thank you to the British audience for supporting me and being behind me, so I owe it to them.
“There is no other fight that the British public deserves.
“I think I knocked him out so bad that that’s all he’ll be remembered for.
“The whole Eubank name will be remembered for this knockout.
“I go in there and take his head off his shoulders, that’s all.”
“The Destroyer” fought his last two fights in the USA, but received a fleeting suspension abolished by the National Anti-Doping Panel in October, meaning he will be able to resume his career in the UK.
The fighter from Essex, who will advance two weight classes in the fight against the 35-year-old, held talks with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios before sealing the fight with Eubank Jr.
Eubank Jr vs Benn done 👍🏻 in April, London, under the name (Fatal Fury City of the Wolves) I will announce the day and location soon, this will be the first The Ring card in collaboration with the video game and SNK, and I will insist that the PPV price for fans was £19.99, with…
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) January 15, 2025
“I know a lot of people would like to see me win the WBC world title,” he added.
“Due to the lack of belief among experts, boxing connoisseurs and the media that I will never reach the level at which I could fight for the WBC world title.
“The possibility of winning this match would close the eyes of many people.”
The pair went head-to-head in the ring after Eubank Jr knocked out Kamil Szeremeta in Saudi Arabia in October, and the fight will headline a card prepared by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, who announced the fight signing on Wednesday morning.
“Eubank Jr vs. Benn played in April in London called (Fatal Fury City of the Wolves),” he wrote on Twitter X.
“I will announce the day and location soon. This will be The Ring’s first card in collaboration with the video game and SNK, and I will be pushing for a fan PPV price of £19.99, with a challenging undercard.
“Let’s make boxing great again and wait for the huge announcement soon.”
UK Boxing
Tyson Fury has entered retirement talks to save his fight with Anthony Joshua
Published
11 hours agoon
January 17, 2025Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh plans to speak to Tyson Fury about his decision to retire in the hope of persuading him to return to boxing.
The two-time heavyweight champion recently announced on social media that he was retiring from the ring, stating: “Hi everyone, I’ll keep this brief and sweet,” he said. “I would like to announce that I am leaving boxing. It was great fun. I enjoyed every minute of it. And I’ll end with this… Dick Turpin wore a mask. God bless everyone, see you on the other side, get up!”
The announcement follows a second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, dashing hopes of a long-awaited All-British clash with Anthony Joshua. Speaking on talkSPORT with Jim White and Simon Jordan, Alalshikh expressed his disappointment but showed understanding for Fury’s choice: “First and foremost, this kind of decision has to be made by the players,” he said. “It has to be whatever they think about, whether they have something to offer or not. As a boxing fan, I don’t like this. We want to see Tyson in more gigantic fights, but I understand his decision. However, over time this decision may change.”
The Saudi boxing boss spoke about potential discussions with Fury over his decision to retire, expressing his willingness to commit but cautioning against believing in exaggerated numbers: “Yes, of course. But many rumors do not aid us. Nobody will offer £500 million for a fight, those numbers are wrong.”
Meanwhile, just 48 hours after announcing he was quitting the sport, the in-form ‘Gypsy King’ was seen at a Lancashire petrol station, grabbing a can of Monster and heading to his vehicle. Frank Warren, Fury’s long-time promoter, responded to the news by encouraging the heavyweight champion to enjoy a break from boxing, telling the BBC: “God bless him, that’s what he wants to do. That’s great. I mean he did everything he could. He’s probably the best British heavyweight of his generation. Two-time world champion and two fierce fights with Usyk. He’s got a lot of money and a lot of smarts about him, he’s got a wonderful family, so bless him, let him enjoy it.”
However, Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, cast doubt on Fury’s retirement announcement, speculating that it could be a ploy to strike a better deal for the long-awaited fight with “A.J.” “I’m not going to accuse him of not being sincere, but I think he’ll get a better deal when he retires, or maybe he just doesn’t have the courage to do it anymore,” Hearn commented.
“He was beaten twice and he had had enough. I doubt it, but who knows. I don’t know him well enough to know, but maybe he’s had enough.” He then said, “I have a feeling we will see AJ against Fury this summer. But maybe it’s true. I can’t believe he would have worked without this fight. But if he really doesn’t enjoy it anymore, then he should retire.”
TYSON FURY RETIRES after OLEKSANDR USYK GETS BIG AWARD! But WHAT NEXT for both men?
Israil Madrimov On Vergil Ortiz Jr Fight
Mike Tyson “LET’S F*CKIN GO” Jake Paul FULL PRESS CONFERENCE • Energized for KNOCKOUT with LF*GO!
Trending
-
MMA8 months ago
Max Holloway is on a mission at UFC 212
-
MMA8 months ago
Cris Cyborg ready to add a UFC title to her collection
-
Interviews3 months ago
Carl Froch predicts that Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
-
MMA8 months ago
The Irish showed up in droves at the Mayweather-McGregor weigh-in
-
Interviews3 months ago
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
-
Boxing6 months ago
Lucas Bahdi ready to test his skills against Ashton Sylve
-
Interviews8 months ago
I fell in love with boxing again
-
Opinions & Features3 months ago
Dmitry Bivol: The story so far