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Moses Itauma looks to silence doubters with Jermaine Franklin Jr. fight

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British heavyweight fighter Moses Itauma said his fight with American Jermaine Franklin Jr. it’s a chance to “lock up a few people.”

Itauma (13-0, 11 KO) returns to the ring on January 24 in Manchester against Franklin (23-2, 15 KO), who defeated both Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua.

The hope is that the more experienced Franklin, who has proven his durability in the past, will be able to defeat Itauma at least through Round 2, something only two of his 13 opponents have managed to do.

While he is considered the next face of British heavyweight boxing, many believe Itauma has some unanswered questions, in part due to his impressive achievements, and has yet to be tested.

Scheduled to fight on December 13, Itauma was forced to wait to fight just three rounds in 2025. The 20-year-old said he hopes a few rounds with Franklin will prove to people that he’s up for anything.

“Franklin, great fight, great fighter. The reason why everyone thinks it’s the perfect fight [for me] This is because what he does well puts my career into question,” Itauma said at a press conference on Monday.

“I believe this fight will be the best for my development. Moreover, I can finally silence some people.”

“He may not get there [the later rounds]and if he gets there, his questions will finally be answered. You’ll just have to wait, tune in and see.

“I believe Dempsey McKean has the same fire; Dillian Whyte had the same fire, so it’s nothing up-to-date. I feel like even though I’ve been in the professional game for two and a half years, it feels like it’s been 10 years. This boxing stuff is something I have to do. I don’t like not being in the gym.”

– How Moses Itauma’s rise in heavyweight boxing almost didn’t happen

– Jake Paul fights former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on December 19

– Revealed: The size difference between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul

“When Jermaine Franklin caught my attention, I thought, let’s do it. He’s here to give me some rounds, but he’s here to win. While it’s effortless to say he’s here to give me some rounds, I have to live up to those high expectations.”

Franklin got back on track with a victory over Ivan Dychko in September on the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez undercard. He said he was coming to Manchester to disrupt Itauma’s trajectory.

“The world will tell me what a great fighter I am, what talent I have, what potential I have and what else I can do,” Franklin said.

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Sergei Gorokhov KO toppled after ring invasion in Turkey

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Image: Sergei Gorokhov KO Overturned After Ring Invasion in Turkey

Gorokhov (16-11-2) had already done damage with large shots, finishing Kalkan (7-0, 4 KO) with a spotless knockout that forced the referee to wave his hand. The task has been completed.

After being detained, Gorokhov walked to the opposite corner, where a fight began. That was enough. The cornermen ran inside, the voices became piercing, followed by punches. Within seconds, many people entered the ring.

The situation got out of the referee’s control. The horns could not be separated. Once the non-fighters make it through the ropes, the result will be written in the record books.

The footage showed flying chairs and people trading on ropes as security tried to take control of the situation. The recording shows objects thrown near the ropes. The announcements to stop the fight didn’t change anything. The ring is already gone.

The sanctioning authority has confined powers and the ruling follows standard procedure. When the ropes are broken and extra hands are involved, the score cannot stand and is removed from the scoresheet.

An investigation is ongoing and suspensions and penalties are expected once reports are submitted. The verdict now comes from the officials, not the blows that ended it.

Kalkan keeps his undefeated record in the books. Gorokhov leaves without the victory he earned. Disciplinary action is expected following the investigation.

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Oleksandr Usyk said he “can’t run away” from the newly emerged title challenger: “I will bully him”

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Oleksandr Usyk told that he ‘cannot run’ from newly emerged title contender: “I’ll bully him”

Although Oleksandr Usyk presented his three-fight plan, a recent challenger entered the fight with hopes of taking a shot at the Ukrainian and winning the unified world heavyweight titles.

Next month’s meeting with Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven kicks off what Usyk envisioned as a series of three hand-picked fights before his planned retirement in 2027, with his next dance partner being the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.

However, the WBC is expected to demand that Usyk fight mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel in his next fight, and promoter Frank Warren believes he will be stripped of his belt if he fails to face the undefeated German.

Meanwhile, the WBA and IBF titles are not on the line against Verhoeven, which has fight fans wondering whether Usyk could soon be stripped of those belts as well.

Although if Usyk defends the WBA crown, Jarrell Miller will be waiting for him after him on Saturday evening he defeated Lenier Pero in the WBA eliminator final rise to title contention.

I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV after “Gigantic Baby” won, he told Usyk that there was nowhere to run or hide when fighting him.

“He’s a great fighter, man, but when you’re fighting a bully like me, there’s nowhere to run or hide. Usyk doesn’t really have crazy punching power, and he has trouble with guys who punch to the body and throw a lot of punches.”

This performance [against Pero] it was just a taste of what I could do. So the most essential thing is to go back and get the drawing board back. Let’s work and be ready for everyone.

I want Usyk to come back after the Rico fight and I can spank him.

If Usyk loses the WBA title, Miller could find himself in line for a title fight with current WBA Regular titleholder Murat Gassiew, who expected to be promoted to full champion. Although Moses Itauma would probably get the first shot at the proposed scrap with the Russian.

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David Benavidez has no room for error in the fight against Ramirez

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Image: David Benavidez Has No Room for Error vs Ramirez

Benavidez enters Saturday’s fight with Gilberto Ramirez in a situation where even a tiny defeat may have a higher price than one defeat in history. Greater opportunities lie ahead, but those plans depend on beating Ramirez cleanly and leaving Las Vegas intact.

Benavidez will meet Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas in a fight for Ramirez’s WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles for $79.99. On paper, this is a bold move as Benavidez makes the jump from lightweight heavyweight to challenge an established titleholder who has already established himself in the division.

The pressure on Benavidez goes far beyond physical titles. For months, his name has been linked to huge opportunities at 175 pounds, most notably a clash with Dmitry Bivol. A loss to Ramirez would immediately derail those plans, forcing Benavidez into a rebuilding phase and delaying any significant career moves for the foreseeable future.

Winning in an ugly or narrow way can still invite skepticism. Benavidez is known for his constant pressure and high efficiency, and recently he has had a record of immaculate shots and has been forced to persevere in hard moments. Facing naturally larger opponents makes these defensive mistakes much more steep in the long run.

Ramirez may lack elite strength, but he has the experience and durability of a seasoned cruiserweight. He also enters the ring with much less weight on his shoulders than the challenger. All the pressure to perform rests entirely on Benavidez.

Therefore, the risk for Benavidez is much higher than for the man holding the belts. A victory will ensure that his path to mass fights remains clear, while any other result could immediately ruin his momentum and force him to spend time fighting Ramirez again. Getting stuck twice in the Ramirez fight would be a nightmare for Benavidez.

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