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Jaron Ennis sends Terence Crawford a warning before he returns home

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Ennis was due to face Crowley Photo Credit: Andrew Maclean/Matchroom

Jaron Ennis eyes Terence Crawford fight Photo credit: Andrew Maclean/Matchroom/Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
Jaron Ennis prepares for his fight with Terence Crawford Photo source: Andrew Maclean/Matchroom/Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions

Jaron Ennis has warned Terence Crawford that he has what it takes to beat him and believes his compatriot will bring out the best in him if they fight.

Crawford and Ennis have been trending towards each other ever since the latter became the IBF welterweight champion, and many believe the shunned Philadelphia fighter has the best chance of beating him.

“Boots” will defend his IBF world title for the first time when he fights David Avanesyan on July 13 at the Wells Fargo Center in his hometown, his first fight since signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing organization.

Crawford will move up to super welterweight to challenge WBA world champion Israil Madrimov on August 3 in Los Angeles, and Ennis says he is a better fighter than arguably the best non-weight contender in the sport.

“Whatever he thinks he can do, I can do better,” the 27-year-old said The One and Only Kayla.

Ennis was supposed to face Crowley. Photo: Andrew Maclean/Matchroom
Ennis was supposed to face Crowley. Photo: Andrew Maclean/Matchroom

“I am shrewd and pointed.

“When I fight someone who is better, I become better too, and people don’t understand that.

“When you compete with better competition and better people, it makes you smarter, it makes you better, it makes you think, it allows you to go to the next level.

“Fighting might be easier than you think or what other people think because I know what I’m going to do.”

“Boots” was supposed to defend his belt against Cody Crowley, but the 31-year-old was forced withdraw due to eye injury.

Former WBA welterweight world champion Avanesyan was stopped by Crawford in December 2022 and despite the 35-year-old having a completely different fighting style to Crowley, Ennis insists the change of opponent has not affected his preparation.

“It really wasn’t a substantial change,” he added.

Crawford challenges WBA super welterweight champion Madrimov on August 3. Photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
Crawford challenges WBA super welterweight champion Madrimov on August 3. Photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

“As you know, Crowley is left-handed and Avanesyan is Orthodox.

“But when I’m at camp, I have both styles.

“I have left-handers and right-handers [fighters] in the camp, so it’s not really a substantial change.”

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UK Boxing

Chris Eubank Jr prepares for blockbuster fight with Canelo Alvarez as deal nears

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Chris Eubank Jr is currently considered the favorite to fight Canelo Alvarez, with the Mexican’s next opponent expected to be announced in the coming days. ESPN reported that Eubank Jr could even be confirmed, as his next fight this week is said to be “close to an agreement.”

Eubank Jr. has been dreaming of fighting Alvarez since his victory over Liam Smith in September, when he looked to avenge a defeat he suffered with an impressive 10th-round knockout in his last appearance in the ring.

Now 34, Eubank appears to be approaching the business end of his career with an impressive 33-3 record and the former middleweight world champion states why the Mexican should face him. Alvarez has faced a number of British boxers in recent years, defeating the likes of Smith, Rocky Fielding, Billy Joe Saunders, John Ryder and Amir Khan.

Speaking to Sky SportsEubank Jr said: “Canelo goes where the money is and I can’t imagine any bigger money fights than me versus Canelo. I know he wants to fight in the UK. It’s a massive market. There aren’t many guys there that people would like to see more than me and Canelo Alvarez.”

Eubank added: “He’s difficult to pin down. You can’t pin down Canelo Alvarez, whenever he wants to come and fight, he’ll fight. He’ll weigh up his options and do whatever he wants.

“He makes the rules. He does whatever he wants. He moves up in weight. He moves down in weight. He holds belts in different divisions and does all these things that other fighters just couldn’t do.”

If the fight had been officially announced, the British star would have been a decided underdog, given that Alvarez has only lost twice in his career – once to Dmitry Boviol, to whom he moved up in weight, and the other time to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

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UK Boxing

Johnny Fisher vs. Alen Babic – Preview and Predictions for the Large Fight

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Fisher and Babic came face-to-face on Tuesday in London Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Johnny Fisher will face Alen Babic in a heavyweight bout at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, live on DAZN Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Johnny Fisher will face Alen Babic in a heavyweight bout at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, live on DAZN Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

This Saturday, London’s Copper Box Arena will host an old-school heavyweight clash as Johnny Fisher and Alen Babic go head-to-head over a scheduled ten rounds.

Eddie HearnMatchroom promotes Fisher vs. Babica and DAZN broadcast live around the world.

Babić (12-1, 11 KOs) was drafted by Hearn and manager Dillian Whyte as an inexperienced fighter, with the Croatian earning his place in the competition with a series of early victories that eventually led to a WBC featherlight heavyweight title fight in April last year.

However, the leap in class proved too much for “Dzikus”, who was stopped during the round by Łukasz Różański in Poland.

The 33-year-old returned in March, scoring a sixth-round knockout victory over Steve Robinson in a thrilling fight.

Fisher and Babic met face to face in London on Tuesday. Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Fisher and Babic met face to face in London on Tuesday. Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Now he meets another raw, tough fighter in Fisher (11-0, 10 KOs), who will bring his usual army of Romford fans with him.

Romford Bull has only covered the distance once and has since won six races on the schedule, including the Southern Area title.

The 25-year-old last stepped into the ring in February, when he defeated Dmytro Bezus in a fight in Las Vegas.

Bellotti fights Giles

The preliminary card promises a fascinating super featherweight clash as the resurgent Reece Bellotti defends his British and Commonwealth titles against Levi Giles.

Bellotti’s career was in tatters when he lost five of his seven fights between 2018 and 2021, but he has now bounced back impressively, winning the vacant Commonwealth title with a surprising eighth-round victory over Aqib Fiaz and then replacing Liam Dillon, who lost his British belt with a decision win in February.

The British & Commonwealth titles are up for grabs as Bellotti and Giles battle it out. Photo: Ian Walton/Matchroom Boxing
The British & Commonwealth titles are up for grabs as Bellotti and Giles battle it out. Photo: Ian Walton/Matchroom Boxing

Giles (15-1, 4 KOs) has only lost once – in March of last year, when he defeated Michael Gomez Jr. by split decision. He has won twice since then, although this time the Grimsby fighter took a step forward.

(18-5, 14 KOs)

Returns on collateral

There are two more 10-round fights on the schedule, the first of which will be a cruiserweight bout in which John Hedges could secure the vacant Southern Area title with a points win over Lewis Oakford.

Hedges (9-0, 3 KOs) didn’t fight longer than eight rounds, while Oakford (5-0) didn’t fight longer than six.

Courtney argues with Zapotoczna

Flyweight Maisey Rose Courtney (6-0) has a chance to go 10 rounds for the first time and win on points against Jasmina Zapotoczna (7-1), who gave Shannon Ryan a good workout before losing on points in February.

Remaining subcard

In six-round fights, Giorgio Visioli (3-0, 3 KOs) can maintain his perfect record with an early victory in the super featherweight division over Tampela Maharusi (10-6-4, 5 KOs), while in the middleweight division, Jimmy Sains (5-0, 5 KOs), who secured a knockout victory on Saturday, can repeat that feat in his fight against Damien Lacoudray (3-1-1, 1 KO).

Popular super welterweight contender Emmanuel Buttigieg (4-0, 1 KO) could win on points in his fight against Oliver Chudzik (3-0, 1 KO).

The only fight to go over four rounds will be in the heavyweight division, where Lewie Pochetty (2-0, 2 KOs) could hear the final bell for the first time in a points win over Amin Boucetta (8-13).

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UK Boxing

Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan – Preview and Predictions for the Massive Fight

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Stevenson became a three-weight world champion in November Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Shakur Stevenson defends his WBC lightweight title against Artem Harutyunyan in Newark on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Image Source: Top Rank
Shakur Stevenson defends his WBC lightweight title against Artem Harutyunyan in Newark on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Image source: Top Rank

Shakur Stevenson will defend his WBC lightweight title for the first time this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, Recent Jersey, when he faces Artem Harutyunyan.

Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. is promoting the Stevenson-Harutyunyan fight, which airs on Sky Sports in the UK and ESPN+ in the US.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) is already a three-division world champion, and after winning the vacant WBO featherweight title in 2019 with a landslide decision over Joet Gonzalez, he captured the same belt at super featherweight in October 2021 with a tenth-round knockout victory over Jamel Herring in Atlanta.

After winning the WBC belt in a perfect victory over Oscar Valdez, 27 year old left hander would lose his titles on weight before a points win over Robson Conceicao.

After making his lightweight debut against Shuichiro Yoshino last April, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist won the vacant WBC lightweight world title by defeating the ambitious Edwin De Los Santos last November in Las Vegas.

Stevenson became a three-division world champion in November. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Stevenson became a three-division world champion in November. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KO) is a technically sound boxer who won his first 11 fights in his native Germany before moving overseas to fight Frank Martin in Las Vegas last July.

There, the 33-year-old suffered the first defeat of his career, falling in the final round and suffering a narrow defeat.

Harutyunyan was defeated by Martin in the final match. Photo: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
Harutyunyan was defeated by Martin in the final match. Photo: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME

“The Original” competed at the same 2016 Olympics as Stevenson, winning a bronze medal for Germany in the welterweight category.

Foster defends world title against Conceicao

Another WBC world title is at stake as O’Shaquie Foster will defend his super featherweight title in a fight against the previously mentioned Robson Conceicao.

Foster (22-2, 12 KOs) won the vacant title last February with a unanimous decision over Rey Vargas, but then had to knock out Eduardo Hernandez in the final round in his first title defense despite being clearly down.

The Texan last entered the ring in February, defeating Abraham Nova via split decision.

Foster defended his title against Nova in February. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Foster defended his title against Nova in February. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Brazilian Conceicao (18-2-1, 9 KOs) fought for the world title three times and was unsuccessful each time.

In a little over a year he lost on points to Oscar Valdez and Stevenson, and in his last fight he came close to winning, but in the fight for the WBO title he lost by majority decision to Emanuel Navarreta.

Conceicao looks to secure a world title at her fourth attempt Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images
Conceicao looks to secure a world title at her fourth attempt Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images

Two knockdowns cost the 35-year-old the title, even though he could have won it without them.

Davis is back

In the 10-round fight preceding the event, Keyshawn Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) is fresh off an impressive knockout of former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza, and the undefeated lightweight is expected to secure a unanimous decision over Miguel Madueno (31-2, 28 KOs).

Remaining subcard

In the super featherweight division, William Foster III (17-1, 11 KOs) can also secure a points victory in his fight against Eridson Garcia (18-1, 12 KOs).

In an eighth-round fight, Kelvin Davis (12-0, 7 KOs) could win their welterweight fight against Kevin Johnson (12-3, 8 KOs) on points.

In the lightweight division, Abdullah Mason (13-0, 11 KOs) can secure a quick victory over Luis LeBron (20-5-1, 13 KOs).

Four rounds round out the list. Heavyweight prospect Ali Feliz (2-0, 2 KOs) could beat Robinson Perez (2-0) by knockout, and featherweight newcomer Keith Colon could win against Hunter Turbyfill (4-1, 1 KO).

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