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Prince Naseem rips into Johnny Nelson, accuses him of ‘pursuing power’

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2 months ago

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Prince Naseem Hamed speaking on talkSPORT as he accuses Johnny Nelson of clout chasing

Prince Naseem Hamed has accused Johnny Nelson of “seeking power”, questioning both his motives and career.

The Sheffield icon didn’t hold back when he called out Nelson, claiming the long-time pundit was using his name to gain attention rather than offering genuine analysis.

“Johnny wants publicity around my name. What word are they using? Clickbait or something like that. Living vicariously through someone else. He’s chasing an advantage. He does it all the time,” Hamed said.

The comments went further, with Hamed suggesting that the situation had deeper roots, dating back to their time at the same gym.

“And it has nothing to do with how I feel about Brendan. But you know what? I always realized later, when I was analyzing Johnny, that there was only one snake in that gym.”

Personal attack

Hamed rejected any suggestion that Nelson had previously supported him, before addressing Nelson’s past directly.

Speaking to Simon Jordan on talkSPORT, Hamed reacted to the suggestion that Nelson once praised him highly.

“But he loved you. I remember making a cover-up with him one day when he was talking so much…”

Hamed immediately interjected.

“No, no. Let me tell you about Johnny. Johnny was scared – just like he was so scared of his own shadow back then, Johnny.”

The former featherweight champion then stated that he personally insisted that Nelson be given the opportunity while others were not.

Ingle Gym

Nelson and Hamed trained at the world-famous Ingle Gym in Sheffield during the peak of their careers in the 1990s, but Nelson struggled early in his career before eventually becoming the WBO cruiserweight champion, often described as “uninteresting” by fans and the media.

Hamed then went further, claiming that Nelson’s career only took off because of his own intervention.

“It’s unbelievable that Johnny has achieved so much in boxing because first of all, Johnny needs to realize the truth about him and his career. And that means without me coming from the same gym as him and opening the door, I was begging Frank Warren.”

Boxing King’s Media

Hamed said he asked to put Nelson on his own cards after multiple opponents withdrew.

“I said, ‘Frank, please put him on my card. 13 opponents have withdrawn. He can’t fight.'”

According to Hamed, the response he received at the time was far from encouraging.

“Frank Warren said to me, ‘Listen, Naz. If he was fighting in my own backyard, I’d draw the curtains.’ These are his exact words.

Career in question

Hamed concluded by focusing on Nelson’s identity in the sport and questioning whether the former cruiserweight had ever lived up to the allegations against him.

“His name was Johnny Nelson – he was supposed to be an entertainer. That was his ring – that was the name of his fight. Who did he ever entertain?”

The remarks represent a sporadic public outburst from Hamed, who has largely remained out of the spotlight in recent years.

Nelson, who is now a prominent voice in British boxing coverage, is yet to respond.

Whether he responds now will be the next step, and Hamed’s comments will once again bring his past relationship with the gym to featherlight.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Boxing

Emiliano Vargas targets fight with George Kambosos after Bryce Mills fight

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1 hour ago

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June 22, 2026

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Image: Emiliano Vargas Targets George Kambosos Fight After Bryce Mills Clash

“Because before this fight, I would love to fight George Kambosos,” Vargas told Sean Zittel when discussing potential opponents after the Mills fight.

Emiliano stressed that his focus remains on Mills, but made it clear that he believes he is getting closer to the title.

“I’m going to show the world that I’m ready to fight for the title,” Vargas said.

The son of former two-time world champion Fernando Vargas believes that a good performance on the Jaron Ennis-Xander Zayas card can give him significant progress in the competition.

“After this fight, I would love to have a title eliminator or former world champion,” Emiliano said. “I’m second in the WBO rankings, 12th in the WBC. I’m there and I’m knocking on that door.”

Vargas comes into the fight off a win over Agustin Quintana in February. While this performance sparked debate among some fans, Emiliano considers the innings he saved as valuable experience in continuing to develop his game.

The undefeated fighter claims that during the last camps he expanded his training team and worked intensively on movement, angles and fighting under pressure. He also recently spent time in David Benavidez’s camp, drawing inspiration from the former world champion’s work ethic and aggressive style.

If Emiliano beats Mills on Saturday, attention will quickly turn to who will be next. From his comments, Kambosos is at the top of the list.

Kambosos, a former unified lightweight champion, would represent the most recognizable name of Vargas’ career and potentially take him one step closer to the title eliminator he thinks he wants next.

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Gervonta Davis is currently fighting to return to one of the biggest fights in American boxing: “His team reached out”

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3 hours ago

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June 22, 2026

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Gervonta Davis now pursuing one of the biggest fights in US boxing for comeback: “His team reached out”

The future of Gervonta Davis remains one of the most talked about topics in boxing.

The Baltimore star hasn’t fought since a controversial draw with Lamont Roach Jr., which many observers felt should have gone against him after Roach was denied a knockout. Since then, a combination of legal issues and uncertainty surrounding his return plans have left fans confused about what will happen next.

Recently, however, there have been signs that “Tank” Davis is getting closer to a return. The WBA has ordered him to defend his lightweight world title against mandatory challenger Floyd Schofield, with Schofield’s camp previously suggesting progress was being made behind the scenes.

While Schofield was considered the favorite, another familiar option could now emerge.

On Sunday evening on social media, three-division world champion Devin Haney revealed that he was contacted directly by the “Tanka” team.

“I think Gervonta has gained some balls…his team has reached! We can just fight!”

The timing is especially engaging given Haney’s current position. The WBO welterweight champion has recently been linked to both Shakur Stevenson and mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis, while “Tank’s” immediate future appeared to be tied to Schofield.

A fight between any two fighters: Davis, Haney and Stevenson would be one of the biggest fights in boxing today. However, there are two main obstacles standing in the way of a Davis-Haney fight.

The first is Haney’s mandatory duty. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri recently confirmed that the champion has been ordered to face Keyshawn Davis next and will not receive an exception to fight another fight.

The second, and perhaps bigger, issue for Davis is weight. “Tank” is the most comfortable lightweight campaign, while Haney now looks like a legitimate welterweight, even though he has only had one fight in the division so far. He seemed open to offering a catchweight of 144 pounds to fight Stevenson, but even that would be a significant disadvantage to Davis.

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Devin Haney says Gervonta Davis’ team has made contact and declines to discuss the hydration clause

Published

5 hours ago

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June 22, 2026

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Image: Devin Haney Says Gervonta Davis' Team Reached Out, Rejects Rehydration Clause Talk

Devin Haney says that after years of calls for a fight, a fight with Gervonta Davis may finally be closer to reality.

Haney revealed on social media that Tank Davis’ team recently reached out about a potential fight. When the fan responded by warning him not to agree to any hydration restrictions, Haney quickly dismissed the idea.


“Never,” Haney repeated X about not wanting to agree to the rehydration clause.

The response came shortly after Haney suggested that discussions had begun between the two sides.

“I think Gervonta has gained some balls. His team has reached! We can just fight! 😅– Haney wrote.

The fight between Haney and Gervonta is one of the longest unanswered questions in boxing. Haney continued to fight multiple times during his lightweight title fight, but the fight never materialized despite years of public calls and fan demands.

San Francisco-born Haney became the undisputed lightweight champion in 2022, and Davis continued to build his profile as one of boxing’s biggest pay-per-view attractions.

Haney’s rejection of rehydration clauses will likely become a talking point if negotiations move forward. Hydration restrictions became a major topic of debate ahead of Tank’s 2023 fight with Ryan Garcia, with many fans criticizing the terms of the deal.

Devin has recently been linked to potential fights against Ryan Garcia, Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis. His latest comments put Gervonta Davis back into the conversation after years of failed attempts to make the fight happen.

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Last updated: 22/06/2026 at 17:07

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