Interviews
Why do we want to come back?
Lyndon Arthur established himself as one of Britain’s top featherlight heavyweights when he defeated Anthony Yarde in December.
Arthur, under the guidance of trainer Pat Barrett, executed the game plan and resisted a slow attack to secure a split decision victory over Yarde and added the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title to his Commonwealth crown.
The pair will appear on the same event, but in separate fights, on July 10, and although Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren says a rematch is expected to take place in the fall, Barrett would prefer the fight be for the world title.
“Like I said before, this fight is over, we’re not looking back on it now,” Barrett said proboxing-fans.com.
“We won the fight, we made the decision that it was time to completely move on and I have no intention of looking back at Anthony Yarde because at the moment there is nothing to look back on until he is actually back where he belongs and he has to be.
“Winning titles and winning fights and doing what he does best.”
Asked if he would be interested in a rematch, the former British and European champion added: “For a world title yes, for a normal fight no.
“Because he doesn’t really have anything to bring to the table. We won the WBO [Inter-Continental belt] it was empty and Lyndon was there [Commonwealth] champion when we fought him.
So even when we fought him, we were champions just as much as we fought him, and now we are still champions, so really and honestly, why do we want to go back and fight someone who has nothing when we are going to try to elevate them?”
“King Arthur” is number one in the ranking of contenders for the WBO world title Joe Smith Jrwho retained the vacant title in April after a majority vote victory over Maxim Vlasov.
In the headlines, the 30-year-old’s fight against undefeated Davide Faraci will take place next month at the Royal Albert Hall. Barrett, who himself fought for world honors as a professional, insists they will not look to the Italian and wants his protégé to gain as much experience as possible before fighting for the world title.
“One step at a time,” Barrett added.
“Lyndon now has to defend his WBO Inter-Continental title, that’s what you do, you don’t look beyond something and look for something else.
“Once he learns how to defend his Inter-Continental, we will move on to the actual WBO world title because we don’t want to be left behind for a moment.
“So once we get some practice there, we’ll be ready to be world champions. So before you move on, you win other titles, you don’t skip over and say, “I’m ready to fight for the world title,” without being tested at British level.
“I don’t want to be at the top and then come down and start all over again.
“If we don’t win, we won’t win because we got into the ring with someone who was better than us, not because we didn’t have experience.”
In addition to training renowned professionals Arthur and Zelfa Barrett, as well as the next generation, Pat runs her own promotional company, Black Flash Promotions.
Miniature boxing hall, Black Flash Promotions have two upcoming shows on July 24 at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester and July 30 at The Devonshire House Hotel in Liverpool, and the Manchester native is relishing the opportunity to return and raise the next generation.
“Black Flash Promotions is getting there pretty quickly and is getting the respect it deserves.
“I always want to stay a petite venue because I like the grassroots. I like to run them from the bottom and make sure they have a proper, solid background.
“The next generation of Zelfa and Lyndon is emerging right now.
“I also manage and promote kids where I don’t train them, and I enjoy that too because I give them a chance to do petite shows, get a solid platform, and everyone sees what it does.
“So the grassroots roots are starting to grow now.”
Watch the full interview with Pat Barrett below:
Daniel Dubois believes that Tyson Fury will return to the ring and claims that a fight between them may happen.
Fury ended hopes of All-British fights against the likes of Dubois and long-time rival Anthony Joshua after retiring last Monday, less than a month after his second successive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
However, “Dynamite” believes that his compatriot will return in a similar mood as when he retired in April 2022, only to return seven months later.
If the “Gypsy King” ends his final retirement, Dubois insists the fight with Joshua must happen, which has opened the door for him to face the winner.
“I think he will definitely come back,” said the 27-year-old talkSPORT.
“He’s always done that throughout his career, mind games and all that.
“So I think he will come back. He plays various characters. He will definitely come back.
“Get them in the ring [Joshua and Fury].
“I want to see them fight now.
“I punched Joshua so he had to fight Fury.
“I want to see what’s left between these two.
“And then maybe I’ll fight the winner.”
The Londoner knocked out “AJ” five rounds in September at Wembley Stadium and on February 22 in Riyad, he will defend the IBF world heavyweight title against Joseph Parker.
Dubois stormed the ring after Usyk’s rematch victory over Fury, calling for a rematch from their August 2023 clash.
The Londoner’s argument for wanting a rematch is based on a controversial low blow in the fifth round of the fight against the Ukrainian, which he believed was a legal shot.
“Usyk, I want to take revenge,” he said.
“Good job tonight.
“I want revenge for the last robbery.
“Let’s sort this out. Let’s go.
Eddie Hearn believes Tyson Fury will retire after a legacy-defining clash with Anthony Joshua.
Fury stunned the boxing world on Monday when he announced his retirement from the sport, leaving behind a megafight with Joshua.
The “Gypsy King” announced his shocking decision less than a month after suffering, among other things, second defeat in a row against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyad, but Joshua’s promoter, Hearn, is convinced that the fighter from Morecambe will return to the ring to fight the long-awaited showdown with “AJ”, who is returning after a fifth-round defeat to Daniel Dubois.
“In my opinion, I think he will come back,” the 45-year-old said talkSPORT.
“But I don’t know him well enough to judge that.
“He’s coming back after two defeats, and these defeats hurt the boys.
“AJ was devastated by the defeat to Dubois and I’m sure Fury was too [with his defeats to Usyk]both are winners.
“I don’t know if Fury can leave one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport on the table.
“I know he’s a competitor. I know he will want to give the British fight fans what they want and I hope we see more of him.
“But if we don’t, God bless the speed and all the best.”
Fury hung up his gloves after defeating Dillian Whyte in April 2022, only to return eight months later for a third fight with Derek Chisora, whom he defeated comfortably at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Hearn said Joshua will now look to secure a clash with the winner of the February 22 fight between his former rivals Dubois and Joseph Parker, who will fight in Riyad for the IBF heavyweight world title.
If Fury returns to fight AJ, the Matchroom boss insists the loser would have nowhere to go.
“They would both be devastated by defeat,” he added.
“It’s one thing to lose the world heavyweight title, but at the same time losing in a fight of this magnitude is the biggest bragging rights.
“At this stage of their career, the last word is goodbye.
“Whoever loses this fight is finished and whoever wins it moves on and that’s what you fight for.
“You’re not just fighting for a legacy, you’re fighting to save your career.
“It’s a huge fight, but it’s not on the table right now.”
Callum Simpson defended his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles after a second-round victory over Steer Woodall on Saturday at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield.
Simpson (16-0, 11 KO) proved too good for Zak Chelli in his last competition and went on to sweep wide and claim the British and Commonwealth titles last August. Woodall (19-3-1, 12 KO) picked up his best career win, stopping Lerrone Richards in six rounds in an upset in Bolton last June.
This attack ended quickly in the second round, with a right uppercut that left Woodall on wobbly legs, and then another attack punctuated by another right uppercut, leaving “The Stallion” on the deck.
Despite beating the count, referee Mark Bates waved off the fight shortly afterwards.
Simpson dedicated his victory his dead sisterwho died tragically in August in a road accident.
“It’s bittersweet,” the 28-year-old said Heavenly sports after the fight.
“I won these titles in front of all my fans, but there’s one person that I think everyone knows who I wish was here, but I know she’s looking down on me and I make her proud.”
Dubois is tied with Camara
On the card below, Caroline Dubois (10-0-1, 5 KO) made her first defense of her WBC lightweight title against Canadian Jessica Camara (14-4-1, 3 KO), but the fight ended in a technical draw.
The fight was stopped due to a cut to Camara’s left eye from the head collision, and she also went down in the first round.
Forrest stops Miller
Cruiserweight prospect Scott Forrest needed just two rounds to defeat Deevorn Miller.
Miller (8-3, 6 KO) lost once in the first and second rounds, while Forrest (7-0, 4 KO) won outright.
Undercard remaining
In the featherlight heavyweight division, where Billy Deniz defeated Mickey Ellison (15-8, 5 KO) by one point.
Deniz (13-0, 5 KO) won with a score of 77-76.
In the six-round middleweight division, Sam Hickey (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Lewis Howells (3-2) three times en route to a first-round victory, and Mauro Silva (7-0, 3 KO) scored a 59-56 victory against Emmanuel Zion (6-3, 3 KOs).
Ellis Price (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Liam Fitzmaurice (0-1) twice en route to a first-round lightweight victory.
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