Boxing
Why James J. Corbett Never Won the Crowd
Published
3 months agoon
The criticism he faced for his hit-and-don’t-get-hit style predates newfangled debates about defensive boxing. Long before fighters like Shakur Stevenson were accused of risk-averse, Corbett was already accused of denying the public what they believed the heavyweight champion owed them. Fans viewed this style as evasion rather than intelligence.
These feelings were only strengthened when he took the title from John L. Sullivan. Corbett defeated a champion who was much loved and who embodied brutal strength, endurance and excess. He took Sullivan down round after round, turning the fight into something colder and less crowd-pleasing. The result was decisive, but many fans felt they had lost something.
Corbett’s style outpaced the audience, and his confidence in it left little room for compromise when resentment arose.
Corbett never repaired this relationship during his reign. He officially defended his title only once every few years, opting instead for exhibitions, stage work and acting opportunities. To newfangled readers, this may resemble early crossover ambitions. To his contemporaries, he suggested a master who preferred comfort and control to risk.
His public image reinforced this opinion. Corbett presented himself carefully, with a groomed appearance, a stylized pompadour and a desire to appear on stage and in early films. He was nothing like the die-hard heavyweight fans expected to represent the division. To his critics, he looked less like a fighter shaped by hardship and more like a fighter who boxed when it suited him.
This insight shaped the way we read his reign. A champion who fought infrequently, relied on movement and seemed comfortable outside the ring was judged less on his skill than on what he preferred not to risk.
Suspicion followed him inside the ropes, too. His 1900 knockout of Kid McCoy, recorded after a five-round stoppage, never went down well with observers. The circumstances of the fight, McCoy’s reputation and the abrupt ending fueled speculation that the outcome was staged. No piece of evidence closed the issue, but doubts remained about Corbett’s testimony.
The most damaging question of his career was never answered.
Peter Jackson was the most hazardous heavyweight of the era and one whom Corbett could not ignore. Their meeting in 1891 lasted sixty-one grueling rounds and ended in a no decision. None of them were finished and none of them were satisfied. When Corbett became champion the following year, Jackson expected another chance. He never received any.
Corbett gave practical explanations, pointing to narrow money and a hazardous opponent as reasons to continue fighting. On paper, these reasons were logical. In practice, they left a conspicuous absence at the center of his reign.
Race was hidden beneath every justification. The color line in boxing was real and openly enforced by champions before Corbett. Corbett did not make the same declarations, but the effect was identical. Jackson remained sidelined, and the unanswered challenge followed Corbett long after his title reign ended.
The reaction was immediate and personal. Corbett faced criticism not only from rivals and the press, but also from his own circle. Even fans had difficulty explaining why the most pressing challenge of the era remained unresolved.
By the time his career was over, the arguments had escalated. Corbett introduced a up-to-date way of fighting, but he also refused to perform the rituals that many fans associate with legality.
He won the heavyweight title, bringing the future to the ring. He never fully lived up to the expectations of his time.
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Many fans on social media suspect that Miller is once again chasing Joshua just to secure a huge payday, which he threw away when failed drug tests canceled their 2019 fight.
Joshua wants a tune-up before he finally meets Tyson Fury. The plan is to shake off the rust and keep his record pristine before this huge event happens. This gap in the schedule gives other heavyweights a chance to make their voices heard, and Miller takes advantage of the moment.
Miller is still a controversial name, but he knows how to cause offense. Beating Pero would aid him prove that he still belongs in this conversation.
“Your whooping cough will come sooner or later. You can run, but you can’t hide,” Jarrell Miller said on Matchroom.
From a business perspective, Joshua’s team is focused on the Tyson Fury event. Facing an aggressive, volume hitter like Miller in a comeback fight would be risky. If Joshua wins, critics may view it as defeating a challenger who has spent years outside the elite mix. If he loses, Fury’s payout and his position will take damage.
Miller has built much of his reputation on noise and confrontation, but he’s still trying to fight his way into the majors. A victory over Pero won’t put him in a fight with Joshua right away, but it will keep him in the wider discussion.
Joshua’s team may still choose the safer and more controlled option of a return, especially if negotiations with Fury progress behind the scenes. Risking that payday against a hazardous or inconvenient opponent wouldn’t make much sense.
Still, Miller continues to cling to the story whenever Joshua’s name resurfaces in the headlines. Heavyweight boxing has a long memory, and some unfinished fights remain useful long after the first fall.
Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most vital fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.
Boxing
Terence Crawford names one fight he would like to see against Gervonta Davis this year
Published
4 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Terence Crawford has named an opponent he would “love to face” with Gervonta Davis in his expected return to the sport.
The former world champion hasn’t fought since March 2025, when many felt he was lucky to draw with Lamont Roach.
Nevertheless, “Tank” retained the WBA lightweight title and was scheduled to face Roach in an immediate rematch before negotiating an exhibition match with Jake Paul.
But instead of spending time with the YouTuber-turned-boxer, Davis was forced to deal with domestic violence allegations from his former partner, Courtney Rossel.
Since then The 31-year-old was recognized by the WBA as a “breaktime champion”.urged by No. 1 contender Floyd Schofield to book their fight or give him a free shot at the title.
Davis, however, has expressed greater interest in a rematch with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz at 140 pounds, even though he passed the Mexican in 2021.
Meanwhile, Crawford has no desire to watch “Tank” fight Schofield or Cruz, but he would happily sit back and watch him clash with Shakur Stevenson.
I’m talking to Danielle Pirello“Bud” called the WBO super lightweight world champion the perfect opponent for Davis, believing their potential meeting would be one of the best fights that could be had.
“I’d like to see Shakur vs. ‘Tank’ Davis.”
Stevenson had previously called on Davis to sign a contract several times, perhaps making him increasingly doubtful whether the Baltimore player would ever sign.
Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect an immediate fight between “Tank” and Stevenson, especially after the latter’s dominant performance against Teofimo Lopez in January.
Boxing
Deontay Wilder’s opponents are leaving after Anthony Joshua’s snub
Published
4 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Two credible opponents emerged after Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua finally fell after an eight-year battle for the fight.
As World Boxing News documents from start to finish, after nearly a decade of back-and-forth, a Wilder-Joshua fight is no longer an option.
Joshua now has bigger fish to fry in the UK in 2026 as the former two-time heavyweight champion pushes for a British superfight with Tyson Fury.
Promoter Eddie Hearn effectively ruled out Wilder as a warm-up opponent, leaving the Londoner’s next moves without the “Brown Bomber” involved.
After the summer warm-up, Fury’s double will follow and by the time Joshua is finally free, Wilder will be 42 years aged.
This causes Wilder to look elsewhere.
Deontay Wilder’s opponents
Joshua’s compatriot Moses Itauma has already called for a fight, putting himself in a risky clash with one of the best fighters in the division.
Itauma is already shunned and would be seen as a bad turn for Wilder.
However, what stands out is a potential Pay-Per-View showdown in the United States with Andy Ruiz Jr.
The two were linked to fights between 2020 and 2023, when, ironically, the Tyson Fury trilogy stalled before Ruiz’s contract situation made any agreement impossible.
As previously reported by WBN, talks on financial terms were finally broken off when the fight was already clearly decided.
The interest never went away. WBN also revealed how fan demand for the Wilder vs. Ruiz match had skyrocketed, generating millions of views as fans insisted that the fight would finally happen.
Now, after their September showdown at Allegiant Stadium, Wilder vs. Ruiz is the front-runner if either fighter is to return to the heavyweight world title hunt.
Following Joshua’s departure from the table, Wilder’s next move is under scrutiny and calls for a rematch with Derek Chisora are met with an extremely lukewarm reception.
Whether he takes on an emerging name like Itauma or returns to unfinished business with Ruiz, this decision will impact how he re-enters the heavyweight scene.
The title isn’t out of the question for Wilder, but the next move has to be the right one.
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. Since 2010, he has interviewed world champions, published exclusive international performances and reported on in-ring performances. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
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