Boxing
Murtazaliev warns Ennis after Lima explosion: ‘I am ready’
Published
8 months agoon
Bakhram Murtazaliev responded on social media to Jaron “Boots” Ennis’ victory over Uisma Lima last Saturday night, saying: “I’m ready.”
Hearn’s target list keeps Bakhram waiting
IBF junior middleweight champion Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KO) is one of five names Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn wants to mention next in his fight. Hearn is taking aim at all champions, including interim belt holder Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Unfortunately for Bakhram, he is not the main target of “Boots” (35-0, 31 KO) and Hearn. They want Vergil Jr. (23-0, 21 KO) because he is better known, more popular and it would be a bigger pay-per-view fight. Moreover, it is probably easier than facing Murtazaliev, who had a terrible left hook that could have caused Ennis a lot of problems.
The Mute Shark Finally Speaks
I’m ready 😉
— Bakhram Murtazaliev (@bakhram95) October 12, 2025
No one wants Tszyu treated like this again
Murtazaliev’s inactivity may be a problem for him. He has not fought since a third-round knockout of former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu on October 19, 2024. All the top fighters and their promoters showed no interest in fighting him after he reduced Tszyu to rubble.
As you might expect, Hearn and Ennis will save Murtazaliev for last, after they first fought these fighters and won belts at 154:
- Vergil Ortiz Jr: WBC interim
- Sebastian Fundora: WBC
- Abass Baraou: WBA
- Xander Zayas: WBO
Last night, “Boots” didn’t have to worry so much about getting hit, as he crushed the inexperienced Lima (14-2, 10 KO) in the first round after dropping him twice at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The ending came when Ennis hit Lima with a barrage of fire, prompting referee Shawn Clark to stop the fight at 1:58. Lima, 32, had no experience fighting top fighters in the 154-pound weight class.
The only fighter on Lima’s resume is Aaron McKenna, a middleweight who lost to him by a one-sided, 10-round unanimous decision two years ago on June 16, 2023. Hearn smartly chose Uisma as the ideal exhibition opponent for “Boots” to debut against at 154, rather than someone who could give him real fight.
This was a waste of time for Ennis and dampened fan reaction. If he had fought a better opponent than Lima, his popularity would have increased much more today than it did after defeating the losing, little-known Uisma Lima. This fight didn’t even look sporty.
Woods’ view: the fight Hearn doesn’t want yet
Hearn’s top two options – Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Sebastian Fundora for Ennis’ next fight – clearly show that he is not yet willing to test his fighter against IBF champion Murtazaliev.
It appears that Hearn wants to take his fighter slowly, in tiny steps, next fighting brawler Vergil Jr. and then Fundora.
So if Ennis beats these fighters and looks like pure gold, Hearn will roll the dice and compare him to the 154-pound boogeyman, Bakhram. This is a clever way to fit the “Boots”, but it will also snail-paced down its development, stunting its popularity and growth.
Is it possible that Hearn still remembers Ennis’ performance against Karen Chukhadzhian in the rematch last November, which caused him to put on the brakes to face unsafe striker Murtazaliev?
Ken Woods was a senior writer in Boxing News 24 since 2013, covering sports from every angle. With years of reporting from the ring, he delivers fight news, results and analysis that cuts through the noise. Ken’s work consistently focuses on champions, challengers and prospects, giving fans a piercing and informed view of the global boxing scene.
Last update: 12/10/2025
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Boxing
Tim Bradley explains why Lamont Roach can beat William Zepeda
Published
14 minutes agoon
June 13, 2026
Bradley says Roach’s experience against pressure players and southpaws will give him an advantage on August 1
Tim Bradley thinks Lamont Roach Jr. he is the player best placed to make William Zepeda lose. In a speech on his YouTube channel, Bradley selected Roach as the winner of the vacant WBC lightweight title on August 1 and cited the fight’s stylistic advantages as a key factor.
“I’m picking Roach to win this fight,” Bradley said on his channel. “I think it’s a perfect match in style. I think Roach fights southpaws better than orthodox fighters.”
Roach comes into the fight coming off a draw with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and a contentious draw with Gervonta Davis, as well as two physically demanding fights against high-pressure fighters that Bradley says has prepared him for Zepeda’s relentless approach.
“I think he fought one of the best southpaws in the world in Tank Davis. And he did damn well against him,” Bradley said. “He wasn’t scared by the force of the impact.”
Bradley believes Roach has the tools needed to neutralize Zepeda’s pressure.
“When guys who like to get forward and be aggressive, nine times out of 10 they don’t like being tackled,” Bradley said. “Roach has the ability to do it. He has the knowledge and the IQ to be able to do it. And if he does it, he will win this fight.”
Bradley also cautioned that Roach cannot afford to leave matters in the judges’ hands, arguing that he needs to create more separation than in recent draws with Isaac Cruz and Gervonta Davis.

Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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Last update: 2026/06/13 at 14:20
Boxing
Roy Jones Jr Says He’ll Return to Fighting One Fighter If He Gets an Eight-Figure Salary: ‘It’ll Make Me Prepare’
Published
2 hours agoon
June 13, 2026
Roy Jones Jr has announced his price and is demanding an eight-figure purse if he is to make it through the ropes.
At his peak, the American became one of the best players to ever grace the sport, and his breathtaking speed and overall physical prowess made him seem almost unbeatable.
After winning world titles at middleweight, super middleweight and airy heavyweight, Jones even moved up to heavyweight and dethroned John Ruiz to win the WBA belt in 2003.
The pound-for-pound legend retired in 2018, when many thought his best days were behind him, only to take it to the next level exhibition match with Mike Tyson in 2020
Although it was a non-contest, many believed that Tyson outplayed Jones, who then returned professionally against Anthony Pettis and lost an eight-round decision to the former UFC champion in 2023.
Since then, the 57-year-old has remained on the safer side of the competition, but is now eyeing another comeback, this time against Misfits boxer Tommy Fury.
Having delved into the power side of the sport following previous professional victories over Jake Paul and KSI, Fury is now preparing to face former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall.
I’m talking to Betting showroomJones said he would only be willing to challenge the 27-year-old if he was handsomely rewarded for his troubles.
“Is me vs. Tommy Fury dead? Nothing is dead forever. Roy Jones is still alive. Tommy Fury is still alive. Who knows? For the right money, it would make me go to the gym to get ready.”
“If they give me $10 million of course. Ten and more, yes. If they don’t give me $10 million and more, then no, I’m not wasting my time.”
Fury’s six-round exhibition match with Hall will take place later today at the Manchester Arena, although the result will not affect his professional record of 11-0 (4 KO).
“There are a confined number of fights and he can’t fight every fighter. So why don’t you consider that [Iglesias and Sheeraz] think about who wants to be at the front of the line,” Kellerman said on InsideRingShow.
Kellerman rejected the idea that Canelo was firing any of the fighters.
“He’s not saying he’s ignoring Sheeraz and Iglesias. In fact, he just gave them a path. He said, ‘I’m fighting Mbilli.’ You are fighting each other. This is not a duck. This is about business,” Kellerman said.
Sheeraz has already made it clear that he has no interest in following the route proposed by Canelo. Responding to a suggestion from an earlier interview, the British fighter said he respected Alvarez but would not allow another boxer to dictate his career decisions.
A fight between Sheeraz and Iglesias could answer many of the remaining questions about both men.
Canelo is preparing to fight Mbilli, a fighter widely viewed as one of the most threatening fighters in the division due to his constant pressure and furious attacks. Meanwhile, Sheeraz has had two fights since moving up to 168 pounds, a fight against Edgar Berlanga, who he stopped in July 2025 after Canelo had already beaten him a year earlier, and 39-year-old Al Begic for the vacant WBO title.
A fight between Sheeraz and Iglesias could eliminate many of the questions that still haunt both men. Sheeraz would have the opportunity to silence critics who believe his super middleweight resume is slim, while Iglesias could reaffirm a growing reputation that has led some fans to consider him the division’s boogeyman.
The winner would pose a bigger and more marketable challenge. Instead of facing Sheeraz immediately after his victory over Begic, Alvarez could face an opponent who had a decisive victory over another world champion, adding more significance to what could be one of the final marquee fights of his career.
Max Kellerman reacts to Canelo Álvarez’s comments about Hamzah Sheeraz and Osleys Iglesias 👀#InsideTheRing | The latest episode LIVE NOW on YouTube The Ring 📺 pic.twitter.com/tfOhDtjgit
— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) June 12, 2026
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most essential fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Tim Bradley explains why Lamont Roach can beat William Zepeda
Roy Jones Jr Says He’ll Return to Fighting One Fighter If He Gets an Eight-Figure Salary: ‘It’ll Make Me Prepare’
Hamzah Sheeraz should fight Osleys Iglesias first
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