Boxing
MSG press conference heats up ahead of the Lopez-Stevenson clash
Published
4 months agoon
The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was electric during the final press conference ahead of “The Ring 6,” DAZN’s sold-out PPV event headlined by Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 KO), defending his Ring Magazine and WBO junior welterweight titles against undefeated Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KO) on Saturday, January 31. Stevenson will be fighting for his fourth world title in a fourth weight class in what promises to be a clash of the generations.
The card is stacked: Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KO) vs. Jamaine Ortiz (20-2, 10 KO) in the second fight, WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames (24-1, 18 KO) vs. Austin “Ammo” Williams (19-1, 13 KO), Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (16-0, 9 KO) fought with Carlos Castro (30-3, 14 KO) for the vacant WBC featherweight belt, Jarrell “Gigantic Baby” Miller (26-1, 22 KO) with Kingsley “Black Lion” Ibeh (16-2, 14 KO) and the pioneer of Saudi Arabia Ziyad “Zizo” Almaayouf (7-0, 1 KO) against Kevin Castillo (5-2).
Fighters and promoters expressed emotion, confidence and respect, with MSG’s sold-out crowd and historic venue raising the stakes even further.
Teofimo Lopez
Lopez exuded peaceful confidence. “The preparation was very good,” he said, praising assistant coach Stacy McKinley and his father for honing his skills. “The amount of knowledge provided… was really impressive. I feel very good, I’m excited, determined.” He announced that this was the best he felt going into the fight and added, “More importantly, my soul feels great, like a beacon.”
Manager Keith Connolly compared it to Lopez’s upset of Vasily Lomachenko in 2020: “We’re in the exact same situation five, six years ago… He came in and kicked him in the ass. He’ll do it again. Shakur is a great fighter, but he’s never fought someone like Teofimo Lopez.”
Shakur Stevenson
Stevenson kept his emotions in check, choosing business over personal competition. “It’s all business… I’m 100 percent focused.” On Lopez as a challenge: “We’ll see. He’s a good player.”
He emphasized the importance of including children in his Fresh Jersey community in the fight: “It all means… giving them motivation” by seeing someone who has been in a similar situation succeed.
James Prince praised Stevenson’s uniqueness: “He’s one of a kind… He took aspects of Andre Ward and Roy Jones and yet incorporated them into his own mix. Now he’s Shakur Stevenson.”
Jarrell “Gigantic Baby” Miller
Miller’s return to MSG after 19 years caused deep emotions. “The last time I fought in this gym was 19 years ago… Coming back home to fight in front of my fans and family means a lot to me.” Sober and focused – “I don’t party, smoke or drink, I keep my mind acute” – he recalled past setbacks since 2019, but expressed gratitude to promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom for the opportunity. Notably, this will be the first time his children will see him fight live.
On opponent Kingsley Ibeh: “Am I afraid of him? Hell no… I’m from Brooklyn… I’m going to fight.” He promised aggression: “Come Saturday night, I’ll make Kingsley’s head spin… I’m horny and I’m going to kick some ass.”
Other special moments
Keyshawn Davis promised an ending: “I don’t want to leave this in the judges’ hands… The amazing Keyshawn Davis is back.” Jamaine Ortiz, determined after close defeats, said: “I learned a lot, especially not to leave it to the judges… I will show everyone that it all has its levels.”
Carlos Adames was matter-of-fact: “I’m looking forward to doing what I’ve always done.” Challenger Austin Williams brims with confidence and artistry: “I’m here to be the most cerebral fighter… I’m ready to give the fans the greatest performance they’ve ever seen.”
Brooklyn’s Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington called Brownsville’s free shot at the title a “dream come true”: “This is my moment… I have to do it.” Carlos Castro replied: “I’m here to beat the best… Bruce Carrington gets in my way and I realize there are levels to it all.”
Ziyad “Zizo” Almaayouf, Saudi Arabia’s first professional boxer, spoke of historic pride: “Gotham has Batman… Saudi Arabia has Zizo. On Saturday night I will make history” as the first Saudi to fight at MSG.
Eddie Hearn celebrated the sold-out event: “This place is special… the whole boxing world will be in Fresh York.” He praised both main event fighters for chasing greatness over easier paydays and highlighted personal stories, from Miller’s redemption to Williams’ journey.
The press conference highlighted an evening of high stakes, hometown pride and legacy-defining moments, and Lopez-Stevenson was ready to deliver a state-of-the-art classic in the Mecca of boxing.
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Boxing
Ryan Garcia wants to train with Naoya Inoue in Tokyo and broadcast it live
Published
2 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
4 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.
Boxing
Zuffa Boxing Dublin card confirmed for August 8 at 3Arena
Published
6 hours agoon
June 5, 2026
Zuffa Boxing has announced that its first event in Ireland, branded Zuffa Boxing 10, will take place on Saturday, August 8 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Organizers of the promotion, headed by Dana White, said details about the main event, joint performance and ticket sales will be announced soon.
DUBLIN, ARE YOU READY?? 🇮🇪 #ZuffaBoxing10 is coming to you LIVE from @3ArenaDublin! | August 8
— Zuffa Boxing (@zuffa_boxing) Look at X
According to the promotion, the card will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and streamed on Paramount+ in the US and Canada. Its broadcasts in the UK and Ireland are covered by a long-term contract with Sky Sports announced in March.
The expected headliner of the Cork middleweight gala will be Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KO). according to 42 and Irish boxing, although Zuffa has not confirmed this card. Walsh won Zuffa Boxing’s debut event on January 23 in Las Vegas with a unanimous decision over Carlos Ocampo and has not fought since. The Cobh native, trained by Freddie Roach, fought mainly in the United States, but once boxed in Dublin, headlining the 3Arena gala after his victory over Przemysław Runowski.
The 42 reports that Monaghan’s Aaron McKenna (20-0, 10 KO) is set to be the main support for an IBF middleweight world title fight against Italian Etinosa Oliha (22-0, 10 KO). Both pairs are expected to fight for the vacant belt that became available after Janibek Alimkhanuly was stripped of his belt following a failed anti-doping test. McKenna is third in the IBF rankings and Oliha is second.
Dublin will be Zuffa Boxing’s second card outside the United States. The first event, Zuffa Boxing 07, will take place this Saturday at the Bournemouth International Center in England, where former world cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith will face Ryan Rozicki in a 10-round cruiserweight main event.
The August 8 date means the Dublin gala will take place a week after Queensberry Promotions’ show at the same venue, headlined by Pierce O’Leary against Mark Chamberlain, with Tyson Fury scheduled to appear.
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