UK Boxing
“Up there with the monster” – Adam Smith praises Josh Kelly
Adam Smith immediately reacted to the news that Josh Kelly became world champion on Saturday.
Smith has commented on most of Kelly’s fights during his Sky Sports trips and was ringside for his fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev on Saturday.
He entered the fight as the underdog despite fighting in front of a home crowd in Newcastle.
Murtazaliev was undefeated with 17 stoppages, and the IBF super welterweight world champion entered the fight.
Even though he is not the favorite, Kelly tore up the script and dethroned the mainstream master.
For most of the fight he boxed well over 12 rounds to the back leg.
Kelly knocked down Murtazaliev in the fourth round, then went down himself with a powerful right hand in the ninth.
“PBK” seemed injured and did well to beat the count.
Smith talked to Professional boxing fans on winning.
“He was there with the monster.
“Against a guy who has never lost in 23 fights and 17 by knockout.
“He was a world champion who had come through Tim Tszyu and a lot of people thought Josh wouldn’t have the mental strength.
“I think everyone was concerned about that and also how good Murtazaliev was. I thought Josh boxed really well today.”
Many felt the Russian would be too much for Kelly, and Smith revealed what went wrong with his performance.
“Yes, Murtazaliev had his moments, he kept coming forward, he was in good shape and he was brave, but I don’t think he threw enough combinations, I don’t think he cut the ring well.
“When Josh got into his rhythm, I thought he boxed really well on the back foot.
“I thought it was a useful lead, and the last few rounds are always nerve-racking moments for a fighter who relies on skill rather than aggressive power.”
Going into the fight, Kelly had only one defeat on his resume. In 2021, he fought David Avanesyan, where he was stopped in the sixth round.
“It makes it all the more sweet what Josh went through.
“When he first came on the scene, he had had a brilliant amateur career and was a dazzling prospect.
“I think there were huge hopes that Sky would turn him into a pay-per-view fighter.
“He’s got the looks, he’s got the chatter, the story, the talent, but it just didn’t quite work out.”
“Of course we know what happened with the fight with Avanesyan, he took some time off.
“He found his right weight and matured as a man.”
The post “Up there with the monster” – Adam Smith praises Josh Kelly appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Dillian Whyte is eager to fight Joseph Parker again.
In 2018, Whyte and Parker played 12 invigorating rounds, with both hitting the canvas.
Whyte won his dramatic heavyweight fight by unanimous decision at the O2 Arena.
‘The Body Snatcher’ is now planning a rematch with the Recent Zealander, who is looking to clear his name after testing positive for cocaine following his October defeat to Fabio Wardley.
“There are a lot of good fights and Joseph Parker is one of them,” the 38-year-old said Ring Magazine.
“I would love to fight Joseph Parker, I think it’s a really good fight.
“He has to come back, he has to be cleared or whatever. I don’t know the situation.
“So in the meantime I have to stay busy and fight my way back, so let’s see.
“I feel like I still have a little bit to give, so let’s see what we can do to finish the season on a high.
“I’m training now and I want to come back in May or June.
“Now it’s just a matter of training and seeing what comes out on this kind of date.”
The former world title challenger from Brixton has not fought since a crushing first-round knockout defeat to rising contender Moses Itauma last August in Riyad.
Former world champion Parker won six times on spin before being stopped in the 11th round against Wardley, losing the WBO interim title and a shot at unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
The 34-year-old says he is going through this process after failing the test and hopes it will be resolved soon.
“Let’s hope so [I’m back] soon,” Parker said Professional boxing fans.
“I’m just going through the process and practicing patience.
“We just have to be patient and learn from what they say happened.
“I know what happened and I handed over everything, so let’s see.”
The post Dillian Whyte Eyes Joseph Parker Rematch appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Tony Yoka has broken his silence on Lawrence Okolie’s failed test that canceled their scheduled heavyweight fight.
On Saturday in Paris, Yoka was scheduled to face Okolie in a fierce heavyweight fight.
But on Tuesday, the Briton failed a VADA test, reportedly for GHRP 2 and its metabolite M8, a synthetic substance that stimulates the body to release human growth hormone.
Promoter Frank Warren tried to find a slow replacement, but later canceled the entire show.
Yoka (33) admits that he was bitterly disappointed with the situation.
“I was disappointed because I wanted to fight,” said the 33-year-old talkSPORT.
“Of course I was ready.
“It’s not like it happened a few months before, it was three, four days before the fight.
“It was a great opportunity.
“It would have put me in a really good position, so it really worried me.
“What was more disappointing to me was that they just canceled the entire show, but I understand it’s a business.”
The Frenchman says he won’t wait too long and has been told he will either fight on the card Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois May 9 in Manchester or on the bill Dave Allen vs Filip Hrgovic on May 16 in Doncaster.
See this post on Instagram
Okolie, the WBC’s number one contender for Oleksandr Usyk’s title, promised in a statement to clear his name.
“Before anyone starts imagining the worst, after last year’s bicep injury, I suffered an elbow injury on the same shoulder during this camp.
“I underwent treatment and now we are here.
“I hope common sense will prevail.
See this post on Instagram
“I will of course cooperate fully with all relevant authorities and I am confident that any investigation will clear my name.
“I will not be making any further comments at this time.
“Thank you for all your support and see you soon.”
The post “I Was Nervous” – Tony Yoka’s Reaction to Lawrence Okolie’s Failed Test appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
David Benavidez is already looking to the future ahead of next week’s showdown with Zurdo Ramirez.
Benavidez challenges Zurdo for his unified WBO and WBA cruiserweight world titles next Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, live on DAZN pay-per-view.
“The Mexican Monster” is moving up from lightweight heavyweight, where he holds the WBC crown, in a bid to become a three-division world champion.
An undisputed 175-pound title fight with Dmitry Bivol has so far eluded the undefeated 29-year-old, but he insists he will return to the weight class after the Ramirez fight in an attempt to lure Bivol to fight him.
“My plan wasn’t just to abandon the lightweight heavyweight division,” Benavidez said Ariel Helwani show.
“My plan was this [to] come up, win two titles, come back and make this fight with me and Bivol even bigger.
“My dream is to become unified champion.
“It would be wise for me to go back downstairs.”
Bivol, the holder of the remaining IBF, WBA and WBO belts, will defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30 in Russia.
The 35-year-old won the undisputed crown, among others revenge victory over Artur Beterbiev in his last appearance last February.
The Russian gave up the WBC belt, which Benavidez currently holds, in pursuit of a third meeting with Beterbiev, which ultimately did not take place.
Benavidez, who stopped Anthony Yarde in Riyad in November, is also hoping to fight former undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion Beterbiev, who hasn’t fought since his only professional loss to Bivol.
“After this fight [against Bivol] when I win the titles,” he added.
“I’m going to fight Beterbiev.
“I’m probably most excited about Beterbiev.
“These are two monsters heading on a collision course.
“Beterbiev was a bogeyman for a long, long, long time.
“Being the monster I am, I have to go in there and get rid of the bogeyman.”
The post David Benavidez Eyeing Two Names After Zurdo Ramirez appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
The Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu fight will take place on July 26 in Australia
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