Boxing
Liam Wilson stops Youssef Dib in eight rounds, renews call-up for Kambosos fight
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaLiam Wilson had his moments in his fight with Emanuel Navarrete. (Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
Liam Wilson doubles down on Kambosos after knocking out Youssef Dib in eight rounds
By Anthony Cocks
Liam Wilson’s career hung in the balance as he headed to the ring on Wednesday night to face Youssef Dib in his lightweight debut at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Novel South Wales, Australia.
It was hoped that a move to the 135-pound weight class would refresh his career.
And so it happened.
Wilson stopped Dib in the eighth round and immediately re-booked himself for a fight with George Kambosos Jr.
The plucky 28-year-old from Caboolture in Queensland has had a tough time of it lately. Two trips to the United States to face world-class junior opponents in the past 18 months ended disastrously, with deadly boxers Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez finishing him off in what were otherwise close fights, leaving him with a 2-2 record in his last four outings.
Critics will argue that 31-year-old Sydneysider Dib was made for Wilson, and in a way he was. In the fights with Navarrete and Valdez, Wilson only ran into trouble when he decided to trade with the brutal Mexican duo. Dib, with a modest record of 11 knockouts from 21 wins and one loss, was never the guy to shake him up and get him into a fight quickly in their scheduled 10-round fight.
For the first two rounds, Dib used every inch of the ring, circling left and right, daring Wilson to find him. The game plan seemed to be to frustrate Wilson and get him to make mistakes. When that didn’t work, Dib knew he’d have to get more involved.
Things heated up tardy in the third round when Wilson landed a right hook followed by a left rip. Not to be outdone, Dib landed a right hook to the jaw.
In the fourth round, Wilson began to attack with his body, landing a pair of left hooks tardy in the round before catching Dib on the chin with a crushing right hook. Dib regrouped in the fifth round, busting Wilson’s nose early on, but regained the favor tardy in the same round.
Dib moved forward in the sixth, landing a counter right over Wilson’s left hand, who looked a bit reckless. Behind schedule in the round, Wilson landed a piercing left hook and a stiff right cross, but Dib had already had his best round of the fight.
In the seventh, Wilson applied pressure, determined to see if Dib could withstand his ferocious attacks. Halfway through, a thunderous body kick visibly hurt Dib. And although he evaded a few good right hooks of his own, a strike to the midsection sent him reeling.
Sensing his opponent was hurt, Wilson went for the finish in the eighth round – and did so in style. A low left hook to the mustache jolted Dib early in the round, sending him back onto his heels. Wilson jumped him, pushing him away to give himself some space, then landed a long left hook to Dib’s chin, who was pinned to the ropes. A final left hook sent Dib to the mat.
Referee Les Fear stopped the fight at 0:45 of the round. Wilson was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage, 68-65 and 67-66 twice.
The finale was as handsome as it was wild.
“The game plan was to box and pick my punches,” Wilson (14-3, 8 KOs) said after his victory in the Sam Goodman vs. Chainoi Worawut fight. “I knew if I kept up the pace, the punch would land. I didn’t even intend to hurt him, but when I did, I threw a couple of left hooks.”
Wilson has been calling out former Ring lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr (21-3, 10 KOs) for some time now, and he didn’t let the opportunity pass him by in his post-fight interview.
“I’ve been wanting this fight for a long time,” Wilson said of the 31-year-old Sydney native, who has a 1-3 record in his last four fights.
“Me and my team, my manager Glen Jennings, we really want this fight. Moving down to lightweight tonight was for that reason.
“This is the fight Australia deserves. And doesn’t George want his own domestic fight? I definitely do. Let’s do it. Let’s do it.”
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Boxing
Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC
Published
1 day agoon
January 13, 2025The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).
If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.
“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.
Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.
“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”
Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.
The next move is Badou Jack’s.
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years
Published
3 days agoon
January 12, 2025Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.
This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.
In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.
“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.
“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.
Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.
Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.
Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.
However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.
In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.
It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios
Published
1 week agoon
January 6, 2025WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
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