“My fight got cancelled over turkey dogs!!!”MoDeen also expressed sadness over the situation, as he had hoped for the opportunity to face Stein in the ring and teach him a lesson. He later learned that the hotdogs were indeed turkey and not pork, but it was too late to salvage the fight.
“I feel heartbroken because my fight is getting cancelled because of someone else’s actions, and I’m not getting the chance to smash this guy’s face in. We found out it was not pork, it was some chicken or whatever, so that’s calm. As long as it wasn’t, then that’s not that deep. They told me the fight’s cancelled. I wanna smash his brain, but they’re telling me it’s cancelled. That’s not fair.”Despite the Hotdog Controversy, the Happy Punch event proceeded as scheduled in Nashville, but with one less fight on the prelims portion of the undercard. The altercation between Stein and MoDeen served as a reminder of the importance of respecting religious beliefs and cultural sensitivities in sports and public events.
“Losing was something that was definitely not fun or easy. But I think it was good for me for the long run and it made me a stronger man and built a stronger foundation,” said Paul. “It made me have to look at everything, including myself to reassess and reconfirm my beliefs about what I am doing in this sport. I learned a lot about myself, my mental strength, and what I am capable of pulling through. Now I feel that I am even more mature in many ways because of the loss.”
“Daniel Dubois can knock him out, so Usyk has dropped a clanger [by not accepting Fury fight]. Going up against an eighteen stone, six-foot-five heavyweight, who can punch, for peanuts compared to what he would get against Tyson? I don’t know where they [Usyk’s team] are going with that. Craziness.” “They’ve [Dubois’ team] have got to have the right tactics, the right game plan and some b***ocks. That’s all that’s needed to take the cruiserweight down. But, if you try and box him, you are playing into his hands, fighting his fight. You’ve got to get rough and tough with him and you have got to be able to sustain attacks and then you beat Usyk, easy.” “Without sustained, two-phased attacks, power shots and bullying him, using your size, forget about it. If you’re going to try and out-jab him, a cruiserweight, forget about it, you’ve got to hit him with everything but the kitchen sink and keep it going.”The highly-anticipated Usyk Vs Dubois match is scheduled for August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland. UK viewers can watch it live on TNT Sports pay-per-view, while US viewers can tune in on ESPN+.
"The WBC ratings committee decided to remove Conor Benn due to the 15-month inactivity which is part of the ratings criteria. It seems there is no scheduled fight at this moment but Conor may contact the WBC to explain his case and his ranking situation may be addressed as a rating appeal [in] its process."Benn had expressed his relief at being reinstated by the WBC in a post on his Instagram account, though he also seemed to disagree with some parts of the sanctioning body's statement. He mentioned feeling frustrated with the ruling, as it led to further questions and negative speculation.
"The manner in which I've been cleared has seemed to create further questions and add further fuel to baseless negative speculation"It has been a while since Conor Benn's last fight, which was a stoppage victory over Chris van Heerden in April 2022. Altough, he showed pure dominance in the fight, he was unable to carry this momentum and inactive since been. On the other hand, Chris Eubank Jr, who was initially set to face Benn, has since moved on from that saga because of the problems around Conor Benn. Eubank Jr suffered a loss to Liam Smith in January but has a rematch scheduled with him on September 2 at the AO Arena in Manchester.
"Ngannou stands no chance against Fury, giving him zero possibility of victory."It is worth noting that although the fight will be officially sanctioned and recorded on the fighters' records, Fury's WBC world title will not be at stake. The sanctioning body has granted him "special permission" to temporarily set aside his champion duties for this event. Ngannou, known for his knockout power in MMA, will be making his professional boxing debut against Fury. He follows in the footsteps of Conor McGregor, who faced a similar challenge against Floyd Mayweather in 2017, ultimately being outclassed. Ngannou is reportedly seeking guidance from former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis as he prepares for the fight on October 28. In the Fury Vs Ngannou event that Ngannou surprises the odds and emerges victorious, he claims there is a rematch clause in place. However, if Fury wins as expected, boxing fans will likely anticipate negotiations between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for a potential undisputed bout, assuming Usyk still holds the other three world titles.
"It's a heavyweight fight. He has a puncher's chance at the end of the day. If he lands that punch, Tyson might not get back up. I do believe if he thinks correctly and he goes back to watch the Conor McGregor fight with Floyd [Mayweather], he's going to try to last as long as he can and somebody who does that is going to have his power throughout the entire fight, like Charles Martin did."Earlier this month, Anderson came out victorious from his toughest challenge to date, securing a unanimous decision over former IBF world champion Charles Martin in a ten-round battle. Always looking for more opportunities to spar, Anderson is already lined up to square off against Andriy Rudenko next month, on August 26, in the aftermath of the Fury Vs Ngannou event. Anderson said:
"If I could fight every month I would. In my opinion, I don't think it's an old-school mentality, I think it's a mentality everyone should have." "I think people get better as they go through the necessary fights and bright lights and everything. People have got to experience fans, crowds, lights, stuff like that enough times to know that they can be very comfortable under them. So I feel like if you fight more you will perform better."
"I can’t see him [Usyk] walking onto, what would probably have to be, a sucker punch from Dubois and getting beat. But, it’s heavyweight boxing, it’s a two-horse race, anything can happen. This fight is definitely more exciting than watching Fury and Ngannou, who is making his debut."While Usyk will put his three heavyweight titles on the line against Dubois, it is unlikely that Fury's WBC crown will be at stake in his match against the Cameroonian. Ngannou has confirmed that the fight will be added to both fighters' professional records and dismissed any rumors of a "no knockdown" rule. In the event of a significant upset, it is believed that a rematch clause is in place for a potential future encounter between the two. While talking to talkSPORT, Froch further added about Fury-Ngannou fight:
“He [Fury] sent me a message saying, ‘Listen, it’s about the money. It’s the biggest fight in heavyweight boxing,’ that’s what he said to me. I said, ‘You’re gonna be getting paid more for this fight than any other fight you would’ve taken? A bigger fight than Oleksandr Usyk?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, it’s a bigger fight, I’m getting paid more than I would’ve got.”A few months ago, the highly awaited world heavyweight championship unification match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was put off owing to a breakdown in negotiations between their respective camps. The match was initially set for April 29 at Wembley Stadium. Fury, the WBC champion, hoped to take all three titles now held by Usyk, who is the WBA, IBF, and WBO champion. Negotiations between the two camps were stymied when Usyk's side asked for a 50-50 split of the payment, which Fury openly refused on social media. The fundamental cause of the delay seems to be the demand for an equal share. Usyk's promoter, Alex Krassyuk, claimed that they were not seeking a precise monetary amount, but rather a split, which did not work out when Fury demanded more money. Usyk's team eventually agreed to a 70/30 split in Fury's favour after first requesting a 50-50 split. However, Fury refused to commit to a rematch clause. As the talks progressed, Usyk's side made a final offer of a 60-40 split, with the winner receiving the greater part. Unfortunately, Fury refused the offer, forcing the highly anticipated match to be cancelled.
“I’m not suing him for money, he’s not suing me for money. I just want him to honor my boxing contract. That’s it."He strongly urged Garcia to fulfill his contractual obligations and expressed his desire for Garcia's success. De La Hoya showed regret over the deteriorated relationship following Garcia's defeat to Davis, with Garcia alleging a lack of support and accusing his team of betrayal. De La Hoya, in response, publicly advised Garcia to show resilience instead of expressing disappointment. De La Hoya confessed to feeling disheartened but recollected former Top Rank promoter Bob Arum's advice not to take such setbacks personally. Currently, the legal conflict seems to be at a deadlock, with De La Hoya blaming Garcia's inner circle for creating a rift. However, he still holds onto the possibility of conducting business with Garcia in the future:
“Yeah, absolutely. I still have several years in this contract.”Meanwhile, De La Hoya's ongoing feud with Eddie Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing, revolves around their shared contracts with DAZN, the streaming platform caught in the middle of the antagonism. Over the past year, the two have clashed over various professional matters, including the subject of Canelo Alvarez and potential bouts. De La Hoya declined to divulge the root cause of the discord but criticized Hearn's understanding of the American market and his promotional strategies:
“Just let me do my job here, and let me take care of business. Because obviously he doesn’t know the market here."Despite criticizing Hearn's approach, De La Hoya did not entirely shut the door to future collaborations. He suggested that Hearn could learn from the way co-promotion was handled in the past on platforms like HBO. He expressed his confidence in navigating the U.S. market and indicated a willingness to work with Hearn provided he understands and adjusts to the market's nuances.
“September. If he’s cleared he will fight September 23rd. A f***ing massive fight."Hearn further speculated:
“It might be Manny Pacquiao. Or it might be Josh Taylor. I am particularly fond of the Josh Taylor fight. Do we postpone it until October? Perhaps. Eubank is prepared to fight on September 23rd."Numerous fighters worldwide have called out Connor Benn. Even if a match with Chris Eubank doesn't materialize, it's not the end of the world. It will still be a thrilling fight and a significant one for both fighters. However, until Benn gets clearance, the specifics regarding Connor Benn's Ring Return remain unclear.
“As amateurs, we copied his moves. We faced disapproval in the gym since we were banned from doing so. They stated that it looked like we were losing our focus, our concentration, and that we seemed out of control. However, I continued to include these movements, even during competitions.”A Boxing professional who sparred with both Usyk and Dubois predicts a knockout. Upon sharing this news, 'Prince Nas' laughed and questioned,
“Who’s going be able to copy them moves?”Undoubtedly, Usyk is one of the most agile and difficult heavyweights ever to grace the boxing ring. His next challenge is defending his triple world titles for the second time against Daniel Dubois in Poland, another milestone in Usyk's rise to the top. In 2018, Usyk etched his name in history by becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion, securing all four major titles in the World Boxing Super Series. In the final match, he confronted Murat Gassiev, who held the IBF and WBA titles. Usyk dominated the fight, clinching a unanimous victory. This triumph cemented Usyk's rise to the top, making him the first cruiserweight in boxing history to hold all four major world championships—the WBO, WBC, WBA, and IBF titles. His ultimate dream remains a head-to-head battle with Tyson Fury for undisputed supremacy, despite the ongoing tension between both teams. Meanwhile, Fury is gearing up for a fight with former MMA champion Francis Ngannou, as Usyk's rise to the top continues.
“When I looked at Mayweather he had two phases of his career – Pretty Boy and then Money May. And he just became smarter, so I was just trying to get smarter as a fighter, that’s all. Once I faced defeat at the hands of Ruiz, I acknowledged my health setbacks, but it was becoming increasingly clear that at some point, I might falter. Why? Because I didn't feel like I was progressing. I was engaged in fights but not gaining knowledge. Thus, after the first showdown with Ruiz, I decided to overhaul my approach. I entirely transformed my fighting style – maintain distance, dodge, strike, and avoid being hit. This strategy was then incorporated into my subsequent matches with Usyk. He is the ultimate expert in that arena.”Post his second loss, Joshua made the switch from Robert Garcia to Derrick James in Dallas, confident that he had finally found the right fit. This new collaboration will play a crucial role in his journey towards Joshua's redemption. Joshua compared his training under the Texan coach with that of McCracken's.
“Yes [I wish my path had crossed with Derrick James earlier.] Rob’s a really good coach, the only thing I’ll say though is look at Froch’s nose. He just didn’t teach me defence. And in heavyweight boxing, the level of competition I was facing at that stage of my career, I was getting hit way too much with clean shots. During the preparation for the Ruiz fight in Miami, I was training with Solomon Dacres and Lewis, the tall six foot five individual, whilst Ruiz stands at only five foot. Meanwhile, Rob was in Japan for the Olympics, returning just seven weeks before the match. This level of involvement just doesn’t cut it for me. Derrick to me is like Rob but seems to be more committed … Rob was overly dedicated to the Olympic team, not the professional one. I devoted my prime years to Rob, and now I have to strive to reclaim them.”Joshua's next match under the guidance of James is scheduled for August 12, where he will be pitted against Dillian Whyte. This bout presents a significant opportunity for Joshua's redemption, as he aims to prove his mettle and reignite his career under the tutelage of his new coach.
"This is the fight that everybody has been yearning for years. It’s one of the biggest fights in the past decade that I can think of. So yeah, it’s pretty big. Since I was a little kid, my dad always told me you don’t have no friends in the ring, and you don’t play boxing. So when I go in the ring, it’s simple. I’m going to win."Crawford's previous victories over lesser-known fighters raise questions about his performance against Spence, a well-respected contender. Crawford on Spence fight, stated his competitive nature:
"This is the biggest fight of my career today to date, and you’re not about to be like, ‘Oh, man, I beat you. No. I’m going to be like, ‘I beat you’ because that’s how competitive I am. It’s not fun to me, losing. That’s what makes the game fun, winning. I’m prepared to do whatever I have to do on July 29th to make sure that I bring all those titles back to Nebraska."Crawford further dispelled rumors of dodging this fight during a commentary on the Spence match:
"This is a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time. This is a fight that a lot of people have been saying that I’ve been running from, scared of. We’re here now, and I’m going to show the world that I’m the best fighter in the world.”It is uncertain whether Crawford will decide to engage Spence directly, like Ugas, Porter, and Garcia did, considering Spence's evident dominance in the ring. On the other hand, Spence believes a unique quality separates certain boxers from others, stating:
"It’s something that certain fighters got, and other fighters don’t got, and it shows in the ring."As they prepare to fight for welterweight supremacy, both undefeated fighters exhibit immense confidence. In his final commentary, Crawford on Spence fight, talked about the fight as an opportunity to solidify his status as one of the world's best fighters. Meanwhile, Spence views the match as his chance to prove himself as the world's top pound-for-pound fighter, stating:
"I have all the ability, and I’m going to beat one of the best fighters in the world. That will settle the deal of who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world once I beat Terence Crawford."
"Usyk has come along and he’s done his thing, but Tyson Fury is still there, Tyson Fury is still number one."With candid expressions, he asserted his demand for this highly anticipated match, saying,
"These guys are the heavyweight champions of the world – let’s see them fight! I want to see them fight man, I’m sick and tired of all this bull****!"Tyson Fury, seen as the number one heavyweight, and Oleksandr Usyk have been in the boxing world's spotlight for a substantial period, with fans eagerly anticipating their potential face-off. However, this defining fight has remained elusive due to various obstacles, predominantly concerning contractual negotiations. Negotiations for a potential match had surfaced previously, stirring up the boxing world. The talks started, involving both parties in a dialogue to arrange the much-anticipated fight, though these negotiations often encountered obstacles. This is despite the clear interest from both sides, who both aspire to be recognized as the number one heavyweight. The financial aspects of the deal were a significant sticking point. Both Fury, the current number one heavyweight in many people's eyes, and Usyk are at their career peaks, and agreeing on a fair purse split was a challenge. The parties could not reach an agreement that satisfied everyone, leading to the discussions falling apart. The issue of scheduling also played a role. Both Fury and Usyk, both top-level boxers and contenders for the number one heavyweight title, have full fight calendars. The task of finding an appropriate date for the match, without conflicting with their other professional engagements, became another notable barrier. This eventually led to more delays and ultimately the talks' cancellation. Despite these hurdles, the dream of this match is not completely lost. The boxing community continues to hold onto the hope of a future showdown between Fury, the potential number one heavyweight, and Usyk. Despite the widespread demand for a Fury vs Usyk fight, including from Prince Naseem, Fury's next bout will not involve Usyk or another professional boxer. Instead, he is scheduled to fight former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on October 28th in Saudi Arabia, with his WBC title not at stake. The upcoming match between Fury and Ngannou has been a hot topic for over a year, ever since Ngannou stepped into the ring following Fury's victory over Dillian Whyte last April. Ngannou, known as one of the hardest hitters in MMA history, has a record of ending 12 out of his 17 victories early, showing that he could match the power of any top-ranking boxing heavyweight. However, his speed, technique, and ring IQ are expected to be outclassed by Fury's skills and experience, who is considered by many as the number one heavyweight.