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Paulie Malignaggi picks: Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach shouldn’t be on pay-per-view

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Lamont Roach is a good player. He is technically sound; he is a championship-level player.

However, when it comes to Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ opponents in the pay-per-view event, I would prefer to see someone who has put in an explosive top-notch performance or at least has a polarizing personality.

Davis is a true pay-per-view star. Whether or not you agree that so many of his fights should be on pay-per-view – and I disagreed with most of them – he has been an established presence on pay-per-view for some time. It lacks the appropriate opposition necessary to charge these types of fees.

Roach is a solid fighter. But he hasn’t reached the top and I don’t think his character can compensate for that. He had success in the super featherweight division, but it took some time. Had he defended the title multiple times, the fight between him and Davis might have made more sense, but he took it – against Feargal McCrory.

We’ve seen Davis in this type of fight before – for example against Hector Luis Garcia, who has only lost a split decision to Roach since Davis’ stoppage. But over time it became a pay-per-view model – once a fighter achieves that status, he or she remains on pay-per-view regardless of the opponent.

Frank Martin, Davis’ former opponent, is also a solid fighter and, unlike Roach, fights at lightweight. He was on track to fight Shakur Stevenson and had put in some good performances, which meant he had the highest level of curiosity around him. There is no doubt that Davis is at the highest level and that is why carefully selecting his opponents is frustrating.

It’s also essential that Roach – who is highly talked about by those who know him – is not the biggest fighter in the super featherweight division, where he still seems capable of defending his WBA title, and Davis is such a powerful lightweight fighter. If Davis is the biggest star in the division and Stevenson is his biggest rival, then I feel the same way about this fight as I did when Stevenson fought Joe Cordina. This looks more like a fight that would be acceptable if Davis faced Stevenson and then Stevenson had to withdraw due to injury and be replaced; If we were certain that Davis-Stevenson would be next, it would make a lot more sense, but it doesn’t even seem close.

Davis should be considered a massive favorite. As for Roach, if he won, it would be the event of the year, and a match that could be the disappointment of the year should not be aired on pay-per-view.

The lightweight fight I’m more positive about is the William Zepeda-Tevin Farmer fight. Farmer introduces Zepeda to a different style as he rises to the next level; Farmer is a former world champion and a very crafty southpaw, and fighting him strengthens his hopes of fighting Davis or Stevenson in the future.

Southpaws dominate the lightweight division, making Farmer a very suitable opponent who can show us where Zepeda, who has been impressive so far, is at. Farmer may be past his best form, but Zepeda is not defending his world title, and their fight is a shadow of the fight between Chris Billam-Smith and Gilberto Ramirez. I anticipate moments when Farmer will come out on top and test Zepeda, even though I expect Zepeda to both learn from him and win.

As a side note, when Stevenson-Cordina was announced, we were also told we could expect Stevenson-Zepeda and then Stevenson-Davis in 2025. Stevenson’s presence on Matchroom and DAZN – Zepeda’s broadcaster continues to fight, albeit under Golden Boy Promotions – means a fight between the two wouldn’t be a surprise.

However, I see no reason to believe that Stevenson-Davis will be successful after this. Matchroom has nothing to say about Davis’ moves. I am elated to say publicly that I do not think a Stevenson-Davis event will occur in 2025, and while I expect a Stevenson-Zepeda event to occur, it will happen at the end of the year, not at the beginning as we anticipate” I was also told.

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A report about Deontay Wilder retiring at the age of 39 has been confirmed as false

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Deontay Wilder masked up

Deontay Wilder has not retired from boxing at the age of 39, and the former WBC heavyweight champion has not issued any official statement.

World Boxing News can confirm that reports circulating on social media are false and originated from a imitation account on Up-to-date Year’s Day. As of January 2, 2025, WBN has had no word from Wilder that he plans to hang up his gloves.

As usual, WBN also asked Shelly Finkel for comment. However, Finkel has repeatedly said in the past that Wilder is not retiring. This case seems to be no different.

The last time Wilder spoke publicly was while promoting a mental health app, the Brown Bomber was unveiling plans to return to the sport.

He said: “The push-up protocol has been disabled. Strengthen your body and train your mind; no paid subscription required! It’s not about money. It’s about a mission to strengthen mindsets and improve mental health for all.
To everyone: operate your services and achieve greatness.

“There will be people who tell you, ‘No, you can’t.’ [No] People trying to stop you or putting up stop signs. [No] People who want to bring you down and keep you down. But you can’t give up.

“No matter how many times you fall, no matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s a resilient mind, a confident mind, a powerful mind that gets back up and keeps moving forward to achieve your greatness.

“Apply your service. Achieve your greatness,” he added.

Deontay Wilder could announce his retirement tomorrow if he changed his mind, but at the time of the report, there was no truth to it.

When Zhilei Zhang knocked him out on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the formidable top-flight contender needed time to assess his situation. WBN understands that Wilder has received offers, including contact from Francis Ngannou, regarding a possible boxing match with the MMA star.

The Wilder vs. Ngannou fight only makes sense for an American his age. Many voluntary positions [of which Wilder is WBC number 13] are occupied by threatening opponents who would start each clash as favorites.

Meanwhile, the Ngannou fight is winnable with less risk and more rewards, meaning Wilder can still earn a significant payday before hanging up his gloves for good.

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Paddy Donovan is looking forward to his clash with Lewis Crocker on March 1

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Crocker vs Donovan

Rising Irish boxing star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KO), the current World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight continental champion, had to withdraw from his scheduled December “stay busy” fight due to a minor injury but now is preparing to fight his biggest rival in what may be the most anticipated Irish boxing match in history.

The All-Ireland fight between Donovan, who fights in Limerick and trains in Dublin, and Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (20-0, 11 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is scheduled for March 1. “Point of Pride” will headline the Matchroom Boxing card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN from the SES Arena as part of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title eliminator. Just two fights away, Donovan could win a world title if he defeats Crocker as the IBF mandatory challenger.

“There is something different about a good Irish fighter and I believe I will be next,” Donovan declared. “I think turning pro at 19 and now 25 has required a lot of life changes since I turned pro. What matters most is what I learned in the gym, because it was the ups and downs in life – being a husband and father, losing loved ones – that helped me improve. I improved as a person, which helped me become a better fighter.”

A true fighter from the past, Donovan is currently rated by three of the four major sanctioning bodies: WBA No. 5, IBF No. 6 and World Boxing Council No. 14. He has dreamed of being a world champion since he was seven years senior.

“I’m in an amazing position, so I thank God for that and my team, Andy Lee (head coach/co-manager) and (Up-to-date York lawyer) Keith Sullivan (co-manager),” Donovan noted. “It’s great to be ranked so highly at this stage of my career, but I’m where I need to be. To be ranked so high on three major sanctioning bodies is great. I know I won’t stop until I become world champion.

“I’m always at the gym thinking about the next challenge. I say it’s time. I love what I do. I am very grateful to God for being in this situation. I believe in God’s plan for me to become world champion.”

“It’s definitely going to be an explosive fight,” commented Up-to-date York attorney Keith Sullivan, who co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Paddy’s head trainer. “Two tough, resilient Irishmen who have a lot to prove to the world. We were worried about the injury, but we are sure it will not be a problem during the March 1 battle. Paddy is locked down and training difficult under the watchful eye of coach Andy Lee.

Donovan has dedicated several of his recent fights to Pieta, using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity, which provides mental health services across Ireland. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, at 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm, as well as support for those grieving as a result of suicide.

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Manny Pacquiao Jr. he intends to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a professional

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Manny Pacquiao Jr and Freddie Roach

World Boxing News can reveal that Manny Pacquiao Jr. he is training to be able to compete in professional ranks in the future.

According to coach Marvin Somodo Manny Jr. he will follow in the footsteps of his legendary father Manny Pacquiao and become a prize fighter. Junior currently splits his time between home and Wild Card Gym under the tutelage of Somodo and Freddie Roach.

A former boxer, Roach rose to fame as Pacquiao Sr.’s trainer, earning him numerous world championships and a Hall of Fame career that may not be over yet. Despite being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in a ceremony scheduled for the summer, Pacquiao still hopes to face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight crown in July.

WBN understands that Manny Jr. could appear on the undercard if the fight goes according to plan.

Discussing Junior’s progress, Somodo spoke exclusively to World Boxing News.

“Manny Jr. I just train every day, just like my other professional players,” Somodo explained to WBN. We hope to get him a fight soon, but the most significant thing is to keep improving him in the gym every day. The plan for him is to turn pro in the future and when I see he is ready. The plan is for him to become a professional boxer, but you never know.

When asked about Junior’s development, Somodo replied: “He’s doing really well. His work ethic is really good. You see him every day at the gym and you never complain. We spar with world-class players and he does well. His future depends on his performance once he turns pro. I believe he will cope, but time will tell,” he concluded.

Pacquiao Jr. he achieved mixed results in amateur competitions and suffered four defeats in a row. But his game may be better suited to professional fighters if he’s anything like his dad, an eight-weight world titleholder.

23-year-old Pacquiao Jr. time is running out and he must make a move within the next six months. This decision will coincide perfectly with the return of Pacquiao Sr. and will allow the pair to make history by fighting for the same stakes this summer in Las Vegas.

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