Jack Rafferty is still texting his mom.

“On the Thursday before my fight, I texted her 38 minutes after three saying, ‘I’m going to win that British title for you. I love you, I will make you proud of me. Just look, red heart of love. Your son will be a British, Commonwealth and WBC silver champion.

“I knew I would win. I had this premonition and it all came true.”

Rafferty (24-0 (15 KO) knows he will never hear back. His mother died almost four years ago. Sending these texts is the best way he can let her know he has kept his promises to her.

On Saturday night, Rafferty defeated undefeated Henry Turner in Liverpool to add the vacant British super lightweight title to his Commonwealth belt.

For seven rounds, the talented Turner consistently implemented his pre-fight plan. After nine rounds, the fight was over.

For most people, this will be their first contact with a Shaw competitor who has been competing on tiny indoor tracks for years.

Rafferty, 29, is known as “The Demolition Man”, but over the years his trainer Steve Maylett has perfected his aggressive style.

Instead of taking him out with a hammer, Maylett has steadily improved Rafferty’s skills and every fight is now a well-planned, controlled demolition.

Rafferty’s confidence in Maylett was evident in his complete lack of panic as the rounds progressed. Turner boxed and moved well, but he moved too much. When he finally had to stop and keep his feet, Rafferty took advantage of the moment. Turner’s corner took him out of the fight after a brutal finish to the ninth round.

As of Monday afternoon, his achievement still hadn’t sunk in.

“No, nowhere near it,” he said. “I woke up this morning and the first thing I said was, ‘I can’t believe I’m British champion.’

“I didn’t even watch the fight. I watched all the videos and watched the clips that were posted on Instagram. I didn’t watch it from start to finish.

“I’m pissed off with my performance and pissed off at how bad my hands were when I allowed myself to hit some shots. But you know, there’s still something to work on.

“I injured my bicep in the third round and I guess you could say I wasn’t that acute, but was he exceptionally acute?”

Rafferty took an exhausted 24-year-old Turner down strenuous at the end of the ninth episode, and as he sat down on a stool, he couldn’t lend a hand but glance over Maylett’s shoulder to see what was happening in the opposite corner. He understood what had happened in front of his coach.

“I knew it,” he said. “I saw him bury his head in the towel and I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t want to say anything because I don’t want to get mad at Steve telling me to focus on this fight,’ but I did. I said, “Steve, he’ll pull it, he’ll hold it.” He said, “Jack, get your shit together for this fight.” I said, “Steve, stop,” and jumped up.

“Every British player has to win this British title. It’s like stage one and stage five, and stage five is the world title. Stage one through three, I can close this book. Boom. Then you will move on to the next stage.”

Reaching the next stage wasn’t basic.

It’s been seven years since Rafferty turned professional, and until Saturday night at the M&S Bank Arena, each of them had been spent in leisure centers and tiny venues. Until June, he had never even boxed on TV; his stoppage of India’s Sabari Jaishankar was shown on DAZN.

Rafferty’s mother may not be there to support him emotionally, but she still plays a key role in helping him achieve his dreams. Rafferty estimates he has spent around £25,000 in 2022 in a desperate attempt to stay dynamic. Much of that sum came from the money she left him. Finally, his chance came this weekend.

Turner was a multiple-time amateur national champion and worked strenuous to take his style to the professional level. He continues to improve and has become accustomed to boxing at major events and dealing with the media attention that comes with it.

It is very basic for a B-side promotion player – especially one who is not familiar with the gigantic events – to develop an inferiority elaborate, accept a tiny part in the spectacle and retreat into his shell.

Aware that he likely wouldn’t get another chance if he let this one get out of hand, Rafferty was determined to impose himself on the fight during the opening press conference and made sure Turner and his team knew it, although he was grateful for the opportunity to do much, much more than just taking part.

“I immediately felt like he respected me,” Rafferty said. “I knew I was bigger and better than him and I thought, ‘Actually, he’s here because of me – yes, I may come out last, but he’s fighting me because of what I did.’

“He showed up overdue in the [final] press conference I told him about at the weigh-in. I said, “Listen, you’re overdue for the press conference and you’re going to be runner-up.” I felt like I won the press conference, if that means anything. I felt like I looked better than him, which doesn’t mean anything, but I felt more grown up; I felt more experienced. I felt like I had done this before and I hadn’t.

“I wanted this. As I told you in the post-fight interview, I closed my eyes and spoke in interviews. I closed my eyes and spoke at press conferences.

“I imagined things like this.

“If you look at me when I walk into the room, I look around at everyone. I shake my head and think, “No, I deserve to be here.” I felt I was in the right place at the right time.”

Winning the British title means the world to Rafferty and his brother Tom [who is also an unbeaten professional]and his father Dave, but there is absolutely no sense that the work has been done.

Before his first-round knockout victory over Lee Appleyard in December, Rafferty told me he sat down and calculated exactly how many days he needed to stay fully committed and focused to achieve everything he wanted.

One of his main goals has been scratched and he has plenty of time to pursue the rest of his dreams.

On Sunday, Rafferty took his newly won titles to his mother’s grave. If all goes according to plan, he should make many more similar visits in the future.

“The plans now are to grow and listen to Steve and dedicate my life until I am 34,” he said.

“Steve said, ‘We’ll get you the British title and then let’s go for the world title.’ Everyone wants to win the world title, but as Steve said, let’s get the British title out of the way first.

“Not only do I have an basic opponent there. He’ll be hazardous in 24 months, this Henry Turner. It will be unbelievable. I beat a good opponent there. It wasn’t just Henry Turner – it was really good Henry Turner.

“I won’t say, ‘I want to win the world title next.’ I’m going to work towards a world title. I’m going to move up to super lightweight and I’ll stay that way, it won’t be a problem.

“Now I will transplant all the time. I’m going on a spa day for my girlfriend and that’s the only day I have booked.

— The plane has already taken off. It will end when I retire – 1,500 days and I hope I never have to work again in my life. This is what I want to do.

I hope these gigantic money fights come next. I’m going to transplant strenuous for them. I’ll improve at the gym. I will do it. I know I will, and you know what? One day, when all is said and done, I will be able to sit back and think, “There was nothing more I could have done.” That’s all I could do.

“This is the feeling I want. But I will do it by winning the world title.”

The undefeated Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield Jr. (17-0, 12 KO) from Austin, Texas will return to the ring in a 12-round fight against the fierce Rene “El Bravo” Tellez Girón (20-3, 13 KO) from Querétaro, Mexico for the WBA international lightweight title.

The event, presented in partnership with Davies Entertainment, will take place on Saturday, November 2 at the Virgin Hotels Theater in Las Vegas and will be broadcast worldwide exclusively on DAZN.

“I’m extremely excited to be back in the ring in an official main event and to show the world what I’ve been working on,” said Floyd Schofield Jr. “My goal is uncomplicated: to become world champion. My opponent has faced some robust competition and will try to steal the show, but we won’t let him do that this time.

Schofield Jr. he made his professional debut on October 9, 2020 after a skillful knockout over Richard Esquibel. Since then, he has quickly built his undefeated professional portfolio with a string of knockout victories. He was last seen in the ring successfully defending his WBA International lightweight title against the unconventional Esteuri Suero, who was disqualified in the fifth round for a low blow, cumulative point deductions and needy sportsmanship. Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield Jr. is no stranger to overcoming adversity, as he battled poverty and homelessness to become one of the world’s hottest lightweight title contenders. He is a boxer who trains at Davies Boxing and Fitness in San Antonio, Texas. His training and sparring resume includes a long list of current and emerging world champions.

“I am very excited about this fight, unlike any other in my career. Floyd Schofield is just another large name on my way to the top of the lightweight division,” said Rene Telles Girón. “I will win, my preparation is always great, that’s why I got two large wins in my last two fights. I like sadness. I’m the guy who will win your heart. I am a proud Mexican fighter, I will win this fight for my country, I am tough.”

Rene Telles Girón, born and raised in Querétaro, Mexico, was last seen brutally knocking down Alex Dilmaghani by stoppage in the seventh round. His career began with a string of victories at regionals, where he demonstrated impressive knockout power and strategic skills. Girón is respected for his disciplined approach, exceptional footwork and robust defensive play, which has earned him respect from peers and opponents alike.

“I’ve always said that ‘Kid Austin’ has that factor where he’s not only a champion, but a global superstar,” said Golden Boy president and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Everyone knows Schofield goes for the KO every time, but Girón has never been knocked out. This will be a real test for Floyd as he looks to continue his climb up the rankings.

Tickets for Schofield vs. Girón go on sale on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. PT and are priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25 plus applicable fees. A restricted number of Golden Boy VIP Suite Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or GoldenBoy.com. Exclusive pre-sale available on AXS.com starting today from 10:00 AM PT to 10:00 PM PT with code: GBPVEGAS.

In the co-main event of Shoimbek and Uzbekistan, Bektemir “Bek” Melikuziev (14-1, 10 KO) will take a huge step forward on his path to becoming a world champion in a 10-round elimination fight for the WBA super middleweight world championship. Stable associate Golden Boy from Reading, Pennsylvania, David “Dynamite” Stevens (14-1, 10 KO). With identical records, both fighters have knockout victories.

Also on DAZN, undefeated IBF flyweight world champion from Coachella Valley Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora (14-0, 6 KO) will face Buenos Aires in the historic undisputed women’s flyweight world championship, co-promoted with Sampson Boxing Aires in Argentina WBA, WBC, WBO flyweight world champion Gabriela “LA Chuky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KO) for all the balls – including the Ring Magazine flyweight world champion belt in a 10-round war. There has never been an undisputed flyweight champion until now.

Defending the WBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight title, undefeated blue chip prospect Darius “DFG” Fulghum (12-0, 10 KO) of Katy, Texas will face Christopher Pearson of Selma, Texas (17-4-1, 12 KO) in 10-round match. Opening the DAZN broadcast, top prospect from Bakersfield, California and former Team USA member Joel Iriarte (4-0, 4 KO) will compete in a six-round lightweight card against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

More information on the preliminary undercard will be announced in the coming weeks.

Unified three-band featherlight heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev will fight for the belt of WBA champion Dmitry Bivol on Saturday evening in an undisputed championship contest at the Kingdom Arena in Riyad. The fight will be shown live on DAZN PPV along with the undercard.

This fight is supposed to be 50-50, but fans must be ready for a complete defeat against Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KO), who will be too powerful and tough for the finesse fighter Bivol (23-0, 23-0, KO). . 12 KOs).

Fans are hoping to see the war in the ring on Saturday, but they haven’t seen Bivol fight. He’s not that type of warrior. He is more of a boxer and has no desire to get into shootouts due to his history of injuries.

“It’s the best fight. He reminds me of the most stylish warrior in the world. It’s Dmitry Bivol against the most destructive Artur Beterbiev,” said commentator Mark Kriegel for Boxing of the highest order.

I don’t think it’s the best featherlight heavyweight fight, but it’s one of the best. There are more entertaining fighters in the 175-pound division that would give Artur a more fan-friendly fight.

– David Benavidez
– Anthony Yarde: *rematch
– David Morrell
–Joshua Buatsi
– Wily Hutchinson

“Artur Beterbiev brings three belts to the table, but Dmitry Bivol has this one. This is extremely valuable because he beat Canelo Alvarez [in 2022]. It means you are an elite competitor,” said commentator Bernard Osuna. “It’s a really fascinating fight. You can see it goes both ways. This man has destructive power and once he gets going, a freight train will just run you over,” Osuna said of Beterbiev.

I don’t see this fight as a fight that could go either way, but I have watched Beterbierv and Bivol’s entire career. This is a catch-and-mouse fight that could get uninteresting if Dmitry decides to move around all night like he did against Lyndon Arthur and Canelo Alvarez.

“It’s a fan-friendly fight. I think it’s a great fight for boxing because all the belts are on the line, but only one man can win. This guy is going to have to give everything he has in his career,” said analyst Tim Bradley. “Is this one of the best fights you can have in boxing? Definitely yes, because we don’t know who will win this fight.

“This is a fight for unity. This is a very massive motivation for me,” said Artur Beterbiew. “Of course, I’m excited. My goal is to become unified world champion. I try to be ready for every fight and I want to prove something.

Beterbiev may have beaten better players than Bivol in his professional career and was robbed at the 2012 London Olympics after dominating Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk. Artur’s wins over Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Anthony Yard and Callum Smith have come against fighters who are arguably greater professional talents than Bivol. They just weren’t as fit as he was.

“What is the minimum? The maximum is to collect all the belts. OK, that’s my maximum,” Bivol said. “This is boxing and you have to be ready for all situations.”

There’s nothing better for Bivol because whatever comes next won’t be as massive. Two-time Olympian Beterbiev has been a force of nature since turning professional, and it would say a lot about Bivol if he could become the guy who deals him the first loss of his career. On the other hand, if Bivol loses, it won’t be the end of the world. He’s adolescent enough at 33 to come back and win more belts.

Beterbiev will likely vacate four titles and move up to cruiserweight if he wins on Saturday, leaving the shredded belts up for grabs. As long as the knockout loss to Beterbiev doesn’t destroy Bivol’s punch resistance, he should be able to come back and win one of the belts after leaving the division.