Boxing
Josh Kelly and Bakhram Murtazaliev make weight ahead of their IBF world title clash
Published
4 months agoon
Weight was another point of certainty. Kelly described the split as familiar territory, not compromise. “I feel great at this weight… I feel at home and I feel so good. I’m ready to go now.”
The emotional core of his comments came last, rooted in his past and ambition. “I’m a council estate kid living my dream,” Kelly said before making her unconditional prediction. “I have no doubt that I will walk away with this belt tomorrow. 100 percent.”
Bakhram Murtazaliev explains why the fight with Jaron Ennis did not happen
IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev is fed up with being a fighter who is only mentioned when the cameras are already off.
Ahead of his title defense against Josh Kelly on Saturday in Newcastle, Murtazaliev addressed why the fight with Jaron “Boots” Ennis never got beyond the discussion. In an interview with Gigantic Fight Weekend, the Russian champion said that the problem is not a lack of willingness, but the conditions that come to lithe before negotiations can begin.
“When they talk to the media, they say they want to fight the best,” Murtazaliev said. “When it comes to business, they are overcommitting amounts that are unattainable.”
The situation reflects a familiar pattern in the junior middleweight category. Interest is expressed publicly, but private talks are not moving forward. No fight is formally rejected, but negotiations have stalled before reaching a viable stage.
For Murtazaliev, after this cycle he defended his world title without a clear path to the most significant fights in the division. He enters Saturday’s fight as the IBF champion after stopping Tim Tszyu, but apart from Kelly’s defense, he has no confirmed opponent waiting for him.
Murtazaliev emphasized that his comments were not directed at Ennis personally, but at how major fights are often discussed. If Ennis fights for titles at 154 pounds, the IBF belt is already on the line. Murtazaliev said he was ready to move beyond protracted negotiations and move on to concrete negotiations.
Saturday’s fight remains in focus. Before any future discussions can move forward, Murtazaliev must first speak with Kelly. However, speaking out, the IBF champion clarified his position. The junior middleweight division is in order, but nothing is really happening.
Because Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s lawsuit vs. Golden Boy still hanging over things, and with Jaron Ennis talks going nowhere, champions like Murtazaliev are stuck waiting. After the biggest victory of his career, he made it clear that he had no interest in standing on the sidelines while other fights were postponed on paper.
He doesn’t ask to be mentioned after the fights. He asks for the conversation to finally start.
Weighing results
Playback order – Live on DAZN
Brad Casey 199.3 lbs / 90.40 kg vs Lee Roberts 196.3 lbs / 89.04 kg
Lee Rogers 121.3 lbs / 55.02 kg vs Erick Omar Lopez 121.2 lbs / 54.98 kg
Kiaran Macdonald 117.7 lbs / 53.39 kg vs Marius Vysniauskas 116.95 lbs / 53.05 kg
Josh Blenkiron 134.8 lbs / 61.14 kg vs Robbie Colman 134.7 lbs / 61.10 kg
Leo Atang 236 lbs / 107.05 kg vs Amine Boucetta 241.25 lbs / 109.43 kg
Elif Nur Turhan 134.55 lbs / 61.03 kg vs Taylah Gentzen 134.15 lbs / 60.85 kg
Josh Padley 129.7 lbs / 58.83 kg vs Jaouad Belmehdi 128.5 lbs / 58.29 kg
Bakhram Murtazaliev 152.2 lbs / 69.04 kg vs Josh Kelly 153.65 lbs / 69.69 kg
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Boxing
Zuffa Boxing 07 debuts in the UK: Billam-Smith vs. Rozicki preview
Published
1 hour agoon
June 5, 2026
On Saturday, June 6, Zuffa Boxing will host its first event on British soil, when former cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith will face Canadian Ryan Rozicki at the Bournemouth International Centre. The card, billed as Zuffa Boxing 07, airs live Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and streaming on Paramount+ in the United States and Canada. The main card starts at 7 p.m., with walk-ins scheduled for the main event at around 10 p.m.
The event is the first UK edition of Zuffa Boxing, a promotion created by TKO Group Holdings and Saudi entertainment company Sela and run by Dana White, Nick Khan and General Entertainment Authority CEO Turki Alalshikh. according to ESPN. This follows a multi-year broadcasting deal between Zuffa and Sky Sports announced in March.
Main event
Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KO) returns to his hometown for his first fight in over a year. The Bournemouth fighter held the WBO cruiserweight title in 2023 and 2024 before losing it, and has fought at the Bournemouth International Center several times before. He is coached by Shane McGuigan, who stated in promotional materials released for the card that Billam-Smith is constantly improving. Billam-Smith also said a future meeting with cruiserweight champion Zuffa Jai Opetaia influenced his decision to sign with the promotion, telling Sky Sports the fight “will definitely happen.”
Rozicki (21-1-1, 20 KO), of Sydney Forks, Nova Scotia, has one of the highest strike rates on the card. He has been a professional since 2016 and his record since 2016 is 8-0-1 with seven knockouts, with 18 of his stoppages coming within three rounds. The cruiserweight fight is scheduled for 10 rounds.
Cooperation and fight in the heavyweight division
In a 10-round cruiserweight fight, Jack Massey (23-3, 13 KO) will face Chev Clarke (11-2, 8 KO). In the preliminary stage of the gala, the return of two-time Olympic bronze medalist from Kazakhstan Ivan Dychko (15-1, 14 KO) heavyweight against undefeated Briton Harvey Dykes (7-0-1). The 180 cm elevated Dychko is fighting for the first time since his defeat to Jermaine Franklin in September 2025. Dykes turned professional in 2023 after winning super heavyweight gold at the English National Amateur Championships.
British signatures to the bill
The card also features several recent Zuffa signings making their debuts with the organization, including Scotland’s Sam Hickey (4-0, 1 KO), welterweight Alex MacMillan (3-0, 2 KO) and lightweight heavyweight Leon Hughes (4-0, 3 KO). Hickey won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games as an amateur and turned professional under the guidance of Team GB performance director Rob McCracken.
Full card
- Chris Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KO) vs. Ryan Rozicki (21-1-1, 20 KO), cruiserweight, 10 rounds
- Jack Massey (23-3, 13 KO) vs. Chev Clarke (11-2, 8 KO), cruiserweight, 10 rounds
- Lee Cutler (15-2, 7 KO) vs. Aaron Sutton (19-2, 3 KO), middleweight, 10 rounds
- Stevie McKenna (15-1, 14 KO) vs. Casey James Streeter (15-3-2, 6 KO), middleweight, 8 rounds
- Sam Hickey (4-0, 1 KO) vs. Todd Tompkins (4-0), middleweight, 6 rounds
- Harvey Dykes (7-0-1) vs Ivan Dychko (15-1, 14 KO), heavyweight, 10 rounds
- Leon Hughes (4-0, 3 KO) vs. Mario Vergiev (8-4, 5 KO), lightweight heavyweight, 6 rounds
- Alex MacMillan (3-0, 2 KO) vs. Tyler Rivers (6-3), welterweight, 6 rounds
The three-fight preliminary card begins at 5 p.m., with the main card following at 7 p.m.
Boxing
Ryan Garcia wants to train with Naoya Inoue in Tokyo and broadcast it live
Published
3 hours agoon
June 5, 2026
My plan in Tokyo is to do some training with Inoue. That would be great!!!!! And stream it
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) June 5, 2026
The proposed sessions would bring together two world champions from different weight categories. Ryan currently holds the WBC welterweight title and Inoue is the undisputed junior featherweight champion.
A notable part of Ryan’s post was his willingness to stream workouts.
One of the things Ryan mentioned in his X post was his desire to stream workouts. Ryan didn’t say whether he would bring the idea to Naoya to see if he agreed with it or not, nor did he give a date when he would train with the Japanese star.
At this stage, Ryan’s comments appear to reflect purpose rather than final findings. Although he has publicly outlined the plan, Inoue has not announced any potential training session.
If training takes place, they will bring together champions separated by more than 20 pounds in weight. Ryan is fighting in the welterweight division, and Inoue is building his championship streak in the junior featherweight division.
The idea remains one Ryan hopes to implement during his visit to Tokyo, with the added possibility of giving fans a glimpse of the session via livestream.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most essential fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Boxing
Tyson Fury ‘very interested’ in fighting ‘one of the most avoided heavyweights’: ‘Let’s do it’
Published
5 hours agoon
June 5, 2026
Tyson Fury is set to take part in the long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua, but first he needs a warm-up. Now another challenger has been added to the fight, and Fury is “very interested” in the proposed fight.
The long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua has finally been signed and will take place pending success in their tune-up fights. While Joshua is scheduled to face Kristian Prenga next month, Fury remains without an opponent for his August outing.
Promoter Frank Warren promised a “good” opponent but he recently ruled out the possibility of the “Gypsy King” facing Joshua’s former defeater Andy Ruiz Jr., who is believed to have priced himself out of the fight.
I’m talking to Play UKJoshua’s other rival, Jarrell Miller, has revealed that Fury is “very interested” in fighting him as he discusses a potential all-American clash with Deontay Wilder.
“I’ve been one of the most avoided heavyweights for a long time. We’re seeing it now. We’re trying to get Deontay Wilder out there. There’s no fight in front of him. I’m the top heavyweight in America right now, so we’re trying to make certain things happen. Let’s see if he can take control.”
“Tyson Fury is also very interested. I would love to fight these guys. Deontay or Tyson would be a wonderful fight for me. Let’s see if we can make it happen.”
Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, recently confirmed both fighters’ desire to make the fight happen, but said Miller would likely not be able to complete a full training camp on time.
The American has already scored two victories in 2026, defeating both Kingsley Ibeh and Lenier Pero, and the 37-year-old hopes those triumphs will earn him another chance on the huge stage.
“I’m not interested in belts” – Ryan Rozicki talks about changing Zuffa Boxing
Zuffa Boxing 07 debuts in the UK: Billam-Smith vs. Rozicki preview
Ryan Garcia wants to train with Naoya Inoue in Tokyo and broadcast it live
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