Boxing
Zab Judahs Final Prediction on Rolly Romero vs Teofimo Lopez: The Impact of KOing Sparring Partners
Published
1 month agoon
Zab Judah has made a bold prediction ahead of tonight’s world title battle between Rolly Romero and Teofimo Lopez.
Romero defends his WBA welterweight title against Lopez at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this evening, competing for the first time since his unanimous decision victory over Ryan Garcia in May 2025.
Lopez is attempting to become a three-division world champion after previously holding world honours at lightweight and super-lightweight, but his reign at 140lbs came to an end in January when he lost his WBO crown to Shakur Stevenson.
One man who knows what it is like to be world champion at both 140lbs and 147lbs is Judah, who notably became undisputed at welterweight back in 2005.
Speaking to MillCity BoxingJudah revealed that he is backing Romero to claim the upset victory tonight and successfully defend his belt against Lopez.
“In the past when we’ve seen Rolly in preparation for a fight, he was always on the internet saying crazy s**t, doing crazy things, this time we don’t see any of that. He’s locked in, he’s training, and I predict that Rolly Romero is going to beat Teofimo Lopez.
“From what I’ve been hearing about him in training, he’s been doing good and knocking people out.”
The winner of tonight’s bout has already been linked to a unification fight against the victor of the upcoming WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, while there are also possible match-ups with WBO champion Devin Haney or IBF champion Liam Paro.
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Boxing
Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace Live Results and Fight Updates: Stay Informed!
Published
3 hours agoon
October 3, 2026
Ben Whittaker (13-0-1) survived a punishing final round to defeat Conor Wallace (17-2) by unanimous decision, retaining his WBC Silver light heavyweight title and securing the IBF mandatory position for Dmitry Bivol’s belt. The scores were 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 after 12 rounds in Birmingham.
Whittaker controlled much of the early action, but Wallace hurt him badly in the 12th, leaving him grabbing and struggling to stay upright. No knockdowns were officially scored, although several falls drew criticism over whether Wallace should have received knockdown calls during his late push for a stoppage.
Undercard results
Odel Kamara (1-0) stopped Thodoris Ritzakis (5-6-1) in round three of his professional debut tonight in Birmingham, landing a short uppercut before the referee waved it off. Eddie Hearn rates the 22-year-old junior middleweight highly, but Kamara looked wild swinging for the fences and took unnecessary punches from his overmatched opponent.
The stoppage drew ringside criticism for being premature, and Kamara’s power looked less impressive than the result suggests. At 5’8″, he could be better suited to welterweight, although his stocky build leaves a question over whether he can comfortably make 147 pounds.
Hamza Uddin (8-0) stopped Sean Bruce (8-3) at 2:49 of round eight to capture the British flyweight title and vacant Commonwealth belt at Utilita Arena in Birmingham. The 23-year-old from Walsall scored three knockdowns, finishing Bruce with a body shot near the ropes.
Bruce doubled over and went down, prompting referee Victor Loughlin to wave off the contest without starting a count. Uddin picked apart the champion with accurate punching, producing an impressive performance in his first British title fight. Bruce lost his belt in his first defense and could not withstand Uddin’s precision or sustained attack.
Bilal Fawaz (13-1-1) retained his British and Commonwealth junior middleweight titles by stopping Eithan James (17-3) at 1:14 of round eight in Birmingham. A heavy right hand sent James to the canvas near the ropes, and another knockdown brought the referee’s intervention.
The 38-year-old Fawaz delivered the finish just as commentary suggested he was beginning to feel the pace. James suffered his first stoppage defeat, while Fawaz earned the £5,000 knockout bonus Eddie Hearn had offered before the fight.
English super featherweight champion Ibraheem Sulaimaan retained his title with a hard-fought unanimous decision over Sonny Hardy after 10 rounds at Utilita Arena Birmingham. The scores were 97–93, 97–93 and 96–93, moving the Birmingham southpaw to 12–0 and handing Hardy his first defeat at 12–1.
Sulaimaan started quickly, but Hardy pushed him through a difficult stretch in the middle rounds, knocking his gumshield out during one exchange. The champion also had a point deducted before recovering his momentum in the eighth and finishing strongly over the final three rounds. Several ringside observers scored the contest considerably closer than the official judges, with some favoring Hardy.
Aaron Bowen (9-1) captured the Midlands Area super middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Klinton Baptiste (5-1) at Utilita Arena in Birmingham. The scores were 99-91, 99-92 and 98-92 after 10 rounds.
Bowen controlled the fight, catching Baptiste with clean right hands against the ropes and pressing for a stoppage. Baptiste fought with one eye closed for roughly half the contest but lasted the distance without a reported knockdown.
The punishment prompted ringside criticism that his corner should have intervened, although his durability kept Bowen from securing the finish. Bowen earned a clear victory, while Baptiste’s resistance made the closing rounds harder than the wide scores might suggest. Baptiste looked gone on a couple of occasions, but surprisingly, he stayed in there.
Super featherweight Adam Maca (7-0, 6 KOs) stopped Rogger Rivera (3-6, 2 KOs) at 2:56 of round two in their scheduled six-round contest. The 19-year-old unloaded with power shots until referee Chris Dean stepped in to end the fight. It was Maca’s sixth stoppage in seven professional outings.
The teenager produced another impressive finish, but he is making this level of opposition look too easy. Rivera offered little opportunity to assess how Maca handles resistance or adjusts when his power alone cannot settle a fight. Maca looks ready for better opposition that can extend him and give him more to solve.
Harley Burrows stopped Matias Ezequiel Herrera at 1:24 of round two in their scheduled six-round middleweight contest on the Ben Whittaker–Conor Wallace undercard in Birmingham. The 20-year-old southpaw pressured Herrera from the opening bell, mixing punches to the head and body.
Burrows trapped the Argentine against the ropes in the second round and punched through his high guard until referee Ryan Churchill intervened. Herrera had not been knocked down before the stoppage, which drew some ringside criticism for being slightly early. Burrows’ attack was wild at times, but his sustained pressure kept Herrera struggling to find room to respond.
The DAZN broadcast starts at 2:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. UK, with a subscription required. That is the card’s start time; Whittaker and Wallace fight later in the evening.
Whittaker has a chance to move within reach of a world title shot, but he must first get through Wallace over the scheduled 12 rounds. British title fights involving Sean Bruce and Bilal Fawaz feature on the undercard.
Live results — upcoming
Ben Whittaker vs Conor Wallace: Light heavyweights, 12 rounds.
Sean Bruce vs Hamza Uddin: Flyweights, 12 rounds, for Bruce’s British title and the vacant Commonwealth title.
Bilal Fawaz vs Eithan James: Junior middleweights, 12 rounds, for Fawaz’s British title.
Ibraheem Sulaimaan vs Sonny Hardy: Super featherweights, 10 rounds.
Odel Kamara vs Thodoris Ritzakis: Middleweights, four rounds.
About the author
Boxing News 24 Desk
BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.
Boxing
Bilal Fawaz Defeats Eithan James in Dominant Eight-Round Bout
Published
4 hours agoon
October 3, 2026
Bilal Fawaz (13-1-1) retained his British and Commonwealth junior middleweight titles with an eighth-round stoppage of Eithan James (17-3) tonight at Utilita Arena in Birmingham. The finish came at 1:14 of the round, earning the 38-year-old champion the £5,000 knockout bonus Eddie Hearn had offered before the fight.
Fawaz landed a heavy right hand that dropped James near the ropes, then scored another knockdown before the referee ended the contest. For James, it was his first stoppage defeat, with all his previous professional fights having gone to decisions.
The ending came almost immediately after commentator Darren Barker suggested Fawaz was feeling the pace. That observation offered James some encouragement, but Fawaz still had enough power to end the fight suddenly. Any prospect of the younger challenger taking advantage of a tiring champion disappeared with the right hand.
James, 26, entered with considerably more experience going the distance than dealing with a fight-ending crisis. His record showed he could complete rounds, but Fawaz forced a different test in the eighth. Once the champion hurt him, James could not get through the follow-up and recover between rounds.
For Fawaz, the result gives him a successful defense against a challenger 12 years younger. His age will remain part of the discussion when tougher opponents arrive, particularly if he begins to tire during longer fights. Against James, however, he retained the punching power to settle the contest before it reached the championship rounds.
WHAT A FINISH! 🤯
GambleAware 18+ Please play responsibly#WhittakerWallace | Live Now on DAZN | #DZBTUK #DAZNBTFR #DZBTCANADA 🤳 pic.twitter.com/XeyLldUmIr
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 3, 2026
Hearn’s bonus added a financial reward to the finish, although keeping both titles was the larger achievement. Fawaz left Birmingham with his belts after turning a moment when his stamina was being questioned into the decisive attack.
James now has a different kind of defeat to recover from. Previous points losses allowed him to finish the fight; this time, Fawaz’s power took that option away.
About the author
Boxing News 24 Desk
BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.
Boxing
Odel Kamara Secures Victory in Debut Fight Despite Struggling in Final Round
Published
4 hours agoon
October 3, 2026
Odel Kamara (1-0) won his professional debut with a third-round stoppage of Thodoris Ritzakis (5-6-1) tonight at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, but the junior middleweight prospect looked raw despite the quick finish.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has high hopes for the 22-year-old Liverpool fighter. Against Ritzakis, however, Kamara swung for the fences, left himself open, and took punches from an opponent brought in to give him a successful start.
The finish came with Ritzakis near the ropes. After the fighters clinched and the referee moved in, Kamara landed a short uppercut in close, prompting an immediate wave-off. No official stoppage time was available.
Matchroom talked up the uppercut, but ringside observers viewed the stoppage as early. The Sweet Science called it a gift, though another outlet credited Kamara with an opening-round knockdown to applaud his debut.
Kamara secured the win, but his power didn’t look threatening against this caliber of opponent. He threw full force into his punches without generating serious pop. Overcommitting on those big swings only opened the door for Ritzakis to counter him cleanly.
Kamara gets the STOPPAGE #WhittakerWallace | Live NOW on DAZN ▪️ pic.twitter.com/vgRh4z2UKL
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 3, 2026
That is something Kamara needs to address before the opposition gets better. A stronger junior middleweight could punish those openings much more severely, especially if Kamara cannot discourage him with his punching power. Shorter combinations and a quicker return to his guard would give him a more reliable approach.
His height presents another question. At 5’8″, Kamara will often be giving away reach at 154 pounds, making his entries particularly important. He cannot afford to rush forward throwing wide shots against taller fighters who can catch him coming in.
Welterweight looks like the better weight class for Kamara, yet his thick frame raises questions about whether he can squeeze down to 147 without draining himself. For now, learning to keep his hands up matters far more than hunting for another quick knockout.
Far more alarming was how quickly Kamara faded. By round three, he looked like he was running on empty, exposing glaring conditioning problems even factoring in first-fight adrenaline and the leap from three-round amateur sprints.
Loading up on every single punch clearly drained his tank, substituting wild, explosive swings for controlled rhythm. Put him in with a tough veteran capable of taking those shots and firing back, and that premature fatigue will get him stopped well before the final bell.
About the author
Boxing News 24 Desk
BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.
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