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The joy of little combat cards.

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Author: Sean Crose

Last weekend I attended a fight event in my hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut. For the first time in about 50 years, a fight card appeared in the city. Willie Pep once fought there in front of 20,000 people, but those days are apparently long gone. However, those who thought it would be foolish to bring boxing back to society found out that they were very wrong. More than a thousand spectators gathered at the Palace Theater in the city center to watch local fighter Michael Kimbel try to climb the ladder. The main event was a thriller. As do most of the cards leading up to this.

Kimbel knocked down his fighter in the first round. However, his opponent, the very competitive Edgar De Leon, came back and knocked down Kimbel. Not once, but twice. The staggered Kimbel was barely able to hold himself up. But the thing is, he actually stuck to it. After surviving the round, he took control of the fight and basically beat the crap out of destitute De Leon. The fight was stopped a few seconds before the end of the eighth and final round. No one argued that the referee made the wrong decision. De Leon’s face felt like a punching bag and there was no need for him to take further damage at this point.

After the fight ended, the crowd in Waterbury, long known to be a crafty place, erupted in celebration. Indeed, it was a wild night of boxing, with relatives trying to jump into the ring and fans shouting four-letter obscenities for a full three minutes of each round. Unfortunately, some people brought their children there. Quick Tip… Don’t take your kids to a boxing match until they’re senior enough to handle nuclear bombs and the effects of solemn alcohol consumption. After the season ticket expired, one of the theater employees, who was used to musicals, concerts and other performances, decided that now that he had taken up boxing, he needed a drink.

Point well made. Here’s the thing though… The little fight cards are fun. Adult oriented but fun. Yes, there are people who make drunk fools of themselves. Yes, there are people who can’t lend a hand but scream as if they know anything they’re talking about, but it’s still a great feeling to have as many as 2,000 people screaming their approval and really engaging with the action taking place in front of them. What’s more, it’s great for the players involved. Fight critics don’t understand that fight fans love watching fighters win even more than they love watching them lose. That’s quite a distinction. When you fight at the local level, there is a sense of community.

There will undoubtedly be a sense of community in Atlantic City on Saturday night as Boxing Insider Promotions presents another of its popular live cards. The key to such events is not to show the stars of the day, but to show the rising stars of tomorrow. These people are hungry and want to impress. This makes for a good viewing experience, especially when a fan watches the entire broadcast live and in person. The truth is that boxing needs more of this type of thing. Players need to be seen growing in front of an audience. Petite cards like Saturday’s turn out to be a testing ground for future talents.

It’s great to be able to say that you knew a popular player even though no one knew who he or she was. There is a sense of community for viewers who have been there from the beginning. This is all worth the attention of boxing fans.

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Boxing

Fury vs Joshua Tickets Now Available for Highly Anticipated British Heavyweight Clash

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"Fury vs Joshua Tickets Now Available for Highly Anticipated British Heavyweight Clash"

World Boxing News has found tickets for Tyson Fury’s long-awaited showdown with Anthony Joshua already being offered online despite no official confirmation that Britain’s biggest heavyweight fight has been signed.

Multiple ticket websites are advertising seats for the proposed contest, one complete with seating plans, pricing and availability, despite no official announcement from either fighter or their promoters.

The listingsfor a November 21 clash at Wembley Stadium have fuelled speculation that Fury and Joshua are finally on course to meet after both returned to winning ways this month.

Fury stopped Mariusz Wach in Thailand before Joshua recovered from two first-round knockdowns to halt Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia.

Ticket Listings Raise Questions

One ticket marketplace is already claiming to be selling secondary seats, while another company is taking registrations despite acknowledging that key details are still to be confirmed.

The sale has naturally sparked excitement among fans desperate to see Britain’s biggest heavyweight rivalry finally settled after years of failed negotiations, retirement announcements and missed opportunities.

However, none of the major parties involved in the negotiations have officially confirmed the contest.

Still Plenty to Be Decided

How tickets can be on sale for a fight that isn’t even confirmed is anyone’s guess. While some websites are already advertising Fury vs. Joshua seats, there’s no guarantee any of the details prove accurate until the fight is officially announced.

The proposed staging also raises questions for one obvious reason: the British weather. Holding the biggest fight in UK boxing outdoors at that time of year would be a significant gamble given how unpredictable conditions can be.

Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn proved a major late-autumn event can work when they fought at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year. However, Fury vs. Joshua is on another level commercially, and risking Britain’s biggest heavyweight showdown in freezing temperatures or heavy rain would be a bold call.

If the fight does happen on British soil during that period, the safest option would surely be a stadium with a roof. That immediately brings Cardiff’s Principality Stadium into the conversation, offering organisers protection from the elements without taking the event away from British fans.

Even then, there remains a strong belief that the powers behind the event would still prefer the United States.

For now, the appearance of tickets is simply the latest twist in a rivalry that has frustrated British boxing fans for years.

Until Fury, Joshua and the promoters officially announce the fight, supporters should treat any ticket listings as speculative, no matter how convincing they appear.


About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.

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Boxing

Heavyweight Shocks Again: Tyson Fury Left Bloodied and Knocked Out Cold

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"Heavyweight Shocks Again: Tyson Fury Left Bloodied and Knocked Out Cold"

Otto Wallin, the heavyweight who left Tyson Fury covered in blood and was later stopped by Anthony Joshua, suffered another crushing setback when Vladyslav Sirenko knocked him out cold in the final round of their Zuffa Boxing clash in New York.

Wallin was trailing on all three scorecards before Sirenko landed a devastating right hand followed by a left hook in the closing seconds of the tenth and final round.

The Swedish southpaw crashed to the canvas and remained down long enough for a stretcher to be brought into the ring, although he later sat up and responded to medical staff.

From Tyson Fury Scare To Another Knockout

Wallin’s career has become one of the heavyweight division’s biggest “what if” stories.

In 2019, he came within touching distance of ending Tyson Fury’s unbeaten record after opening a horrific cut above the Briton’s right eye that required 47 stitches. Many believed the contest could have been stopped before Fury battled through to win on points.

Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News three years later, Wallin insisted the fight would have been waved off had the roles been reversed.

“I think the cuts that he had were very bad. He had 47 stitches after the fight. If I had those cuts, the doctors would have stopped the fight, for sure,” Wallin told WBN.

Despite that disappointment, Wallin rebuilt his career by defeating current WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev before earning high-profile clashes with Joshua and Derek Chisora.

His defeat to Joshua ended in a fifth-round stoppage. This latest loss to Sirenko marks the second knockout defeat of Wallin’s career and leaves the 35-year-old facing the toughest questions yet over his future.

Zuffa Boxing

Vladyslav Sirenko Scores Career-Best Win

For Sirenko, the victory represented the biggest win of his professional career.

The Ukrainian improved to 23-1 with 20 knockouts by stopping one of the heavyweight division’s most respected contenders after bouncing back from last year’s defeat to Solomon Dacres.

Wallin once looked destined for another world title opportunity after pushing Fury to the brink and defeating future WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev.

Two knockout defeats later, that dream looks further away than ever.


About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.

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Boxing

Terence Crawford Declares One Current Fighter Unbeatable: He Will Take Over

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Terence Crawford Declares One Current Fighter Unbeatable: "He Will Take Over"

Terence Crawford believes one man will follow in his footsteps and retire as an unbeaten world champion, essentially becoming a generational great in the process.

‘Bud’ became not only a world champion but a three-division undisputed king, ending his career with a legacy-defining unanimous decision triumph over Canelo Alvarez.

Even before that, Crawford was considered an elite pound-for-pound operator for over a decade, with many believing his most complete performance came against Errol Spence Jr in 2023.

But while the American is perhaps in a class of his own, he nonetheless believes that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson can achieve a similar degree of success.

The 29-year-old claimed a career-best victory in January, losing just one round as he dethroned Teofimo Lopez with a masterful unanimous decision victory.

Having now signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, though, it remains to be seen whether he defends his WBO super-lightweight title or pursues opportunities elsewhere.

Either way, Crawford has told Fight Hub TV that Stevenson has the mental and physical attributes to remain unbeaten at the highest level.

“I think Shakur [will take over]for sure, Shakur hands down. I think, given the opportunity, he’s going to show the world that he’s the best. His mental, his defense [sets him apart]takes his craft serious. He’s the type of the fighter that you gotta pull out the gym. [Is he beatable?] Not at all. Everybody [is] beatable, but I don’t see nobody beating him.”

Since inking a promotional deal with Zuffa, Stevenson has named Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis as two potential opponents who would cement his greatness.

The slick southpaw could therefore compete anywhere between lightweight and 147lbs, depending on which division offers the most realistic opportunities.

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