WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball is bringing big-time boxing to Liverpool on Saturday when he defends his crown against visiting Californian veteran Ronny Rios.

Ball, 20-0-1 (11 KOs), is following in the footsteps of the likes of Alan Rudkin, John Conteh and Tony Bellew in a city with rich fighting tradition and is an in-form fighter.

Ball’s last two fights have been in Saudi Arabia, a contentious draw against Rey Vargas and his title winning effort against Raymond Ford.

“I’m glad to be back, fighting in my home city, where it all started, fighting as a world champion,” said Ball, who this week has been featured on Liverpool FC’s socials and has felt the support of the city getting behind him. 

“That’s how it should be and that’s what it is,” added Ball. “We get behind our own. You see someone putting the hard work in, it pays off.”

Rios is more experienced, but Ball is on a roll. 

“He thinks he’s gonna go in there and push me back, that’s not gonna happen,” insisted Ball. “Once you get in the ring, it’s a different story. So good luck with that… It will be all-action from me.”

At today’s press conference, which was respectful all the way through, Rios said he knew he had a big task ahead of him.

“This is my third attempt, we’ve got a good fighter in front of us,” said the Californian. “These are the fights that I get up for. I have always wanted to test myself, and in my eyes Nick Ball is one of the best fighters at 126. I’m excited to test myself. We’ve had a great camp. Two more days and it’s here.” 

Rios, 34-4 (17 KOs), pledged to go forward and meet Ball head-on.

Rios is in town with famed manager/matchmaker Robert Diaz, who insisted Rios came back after a two-year break to return to the ring in April for the right reasons – to win a world title.

“You guys have a great champion, he’s undefeated, he’s done things right, he deserves his homecoming, unfortunately for him, they picked the wrong opponent,” said Diaz.

“You can’t fast-forward into experience… They’ll come straight at each other and the fans will get a great fight.”

Promoter George Warren, who also talked about the possibility of Naoya Inoue moving up to fight Ball, spoke highly of Ball and the potential of his impact on the city.

“He has taken the opportunities presented to him with both hands, and constantly shown what a world-class operator he is,” Warren said. “Some of those performances, people forget even before the fights in Riyadh, against [Isaac] Dogboe, and the performance in Riyadh against Vargas when he was robbed and deserved to come away with the WBC title that night, I think the judges got that seriously wrong, and to overcome that and, at 10 week’s notice, go in against a legit, quality world-class like Ray Ford and put on the performance that he did, this guy, is not just one of the most exciting boxers not just in this country but in the world.

#NickBall #RonnyRios #LiverpoolBoxing #WBAFeatherweightTitle #BoxingShowdown #BigTimeBoxing #FeatherweightBattle #LiverpoolFighter #GeorgeWarren #NaoyaInoue

On paper, Janibek Alimkhanuly has to be considered the best middleweight in the world.

I stress “on paper”, because it’s been a while since he’s made the nature of statement that earns a fighter that sort of title – which is partly due to a year passing since he last fought, because earlier in 2024 he failed to make weight.

It was in July when he was withdrawn from a fight scheduled with Andrei Mikhailovich, for the IBF and WBO 160lbs titles, in Las Vegas, because according to his manager Egis Klimas: “While the scans showed no kidney damage, he was severely dehydrated and in no condition to fight.”

Alimkhanuly-Mikhailovich is on course to instead happen on Friday, and in Sydney, Australia. There was a time Alimkhanuly looked excellent, but that struggle to make weight has to be a concern, and makes me wonder if the time’s approaching when we’ll see him campaigning at 168lbs instead – not least because he’s from Kazakhstan, and Eastern European fighters are typically among the most disciplined of all.

I commentated on a lot of his early fights on the undercards of Top Rank promotions. He methodically took opponents apart – even good journeymen, at that early stage. He was matched with opponents who were supposed to test him, but he’d tactfully disarm them, dismantle them, and break them down. He also recorded some good knockouts, but it was the way he took opponents apart, with a high boxing IQ, that most impressed. 

He’s also a southpaw, with a lengthy 71.5ins reach, and awkward. He looked excellent.

Even today, I’d make him the favourite against any other active middleweight. But not in the way I once would have. And if the time comes when we do see him at 168lbs, I’m also not convinced he has the frame to succeed there. 

Where he was once on course to be the world’s leading middleweight, at super middleweight he’d be beneath the elite. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez remains the number one; there’s also physical fighters like Jaime Munguia, Christian Mbilli and Edgar Berlanga. If they didn’t want to be in a boxing match with Alimkhanuly they could force their size on him, and he doesn’t have enough power to keep them off.

The Australian market strikes me as increasingly important to some of the world’s leading promoters, based on the way they appear to be attempting to stage a fight there or to sign a leading Australian fighter – which will be partly because of the untapped fan base that exists there. Mikhailovich might be from nearby New Zealand but Friday’s fight, which was announced at relatively late notice, doesn’t seem likely to make Alimkhanuly a crossover star, so it’s hard to define what it does for him from a business perspective.

In 2024 the middleweight division, which has for so long been one of the most celebrated of all, is unusually weak, contributing to Alimkhanuly continuing to be considered the number one. It’s when a weight division has more than one superstar that a unification fight is tough to make; in 2024 there are none – Hamzah Sheeraz seems the likeliest to change that – which should make the most appealing fights easier for all concerned. 

Also at 160lbs I respect Carlos Adames, and his physicality, but it’s Sheeraz who’s really caught my eye. Sheeraz not only has the physical gifts of his frame, length, strength, and power – as he showed when he stopped Tyler Denny in two rounds on the undercard of Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua, he’s continuing to improve. He looked excellent in June when he defeated Austin “Ammo” Williams – and Williams is another fighter I liked the look of. 

I’d be interested in Sheeraz fighting any of his divisional rivals, and based on his talent, the only reason he might lose at this stage is a lack of experience at the highest level – and even that might not be enough to hold him back. If he proves to have the mettle to complement his technique and athleticism, the time will come when he’ll beat them all.

Sheeraz’s fellow Briton Chris Eubank Jnr has crossover appeal in the UK, but a small profile in the US. It’s also difficult to truly consider him a leading middleweight, because even if it’s his natural weight division he seems most interested in fighting Conor Benn at a catchweight beneath 160lbs, or Canelo at 168lbs for the biggest paydays he can earn.

He sells a fight terrifically, and he also has talent. On October 12 he fights Kamil Szeremeta – who I’ve seen in the flesh against Gennady Golovkin – and I expect him to win convincingly, because he’s far too dynamic, skilled and strong for such a one-dimensional opponent who’s so easy to hit.

It concerns me that Alimkhanuly’s fighting in Australia because of his previous struggles to make 160lbs – travelling that far brings a lot of other factors into play. We’ve also seen strange things happen in fights in Australia before – including, relatively recently, Manny Pacquiao, one of the sport’s biggest ever figures, undeservedly losing via decision to Jeff Horn.

But if Alimkhanuly can make weight safely, he retains the potential to remind everyone why not so long ago he was so highly thought of. If he fights to the best of his abilities, he’s capable of dominating the undefeated Mikhailovich. Friday’s fight will tell us which weight division he belongs in – but it’s the middleweight division he ideally needs to be in, and which also needs him.

#ZhanibekAlimkhanuly #MiddleweightDivision #ChrisAlgieri #AndreiMikhailovich #HamzahSheeraz #BoxingShowdown #KazakhBoxing #SydneyFight #TopRankBoxing #BoxingComeback

Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao leads the way for the new names eligible for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2025.

Ballot papers have been sent to voters around the world and the announcement of inductees will be made in December ahead of the annual induction weekend between June 5-8 in Canastota and at the Turning Stone Casino nearby in upstate New York.

Along with Pacquiao, the names of Shawn Porter, Lucian Bute and Mikey Garcia have been added to the list in the Modern Category.

In the women’s category, Mexican Yessica Chavez and Canada’s Jessica Rakoczy appear on the ballot for the first time and in the “late era” old timer ballot, Italy’s Bruno Arcari, a 70-2-1 (38 K0s) junior welterweight and former junior flyweight champion Luis Estaba, from Venezuela, have been added.

On the women’s trailblazer list, undefeated bantamweight Shirley Tucker, 16-0 (10 KOs), is added, and English bareknuckler Owen Swift has been included on the pioneer ballot.

As non-participants, there is now the opportunity for veteran trainer/cutman Russ Anber to have his plaque on the museum wall, as well as referee Kenny Bayless and Italian promoter Salvatore Cherchi while, in the observer ranks, Argentine journalist Ernesto Cherquis Bialo is joined on the paper by Randy Gordon and Kevin Iole.

#MannyPacquiao #ShawnPorter #LucianBute #MikeyGarcia #YessicaChavez #JessicaRakoczy #BrunoArcari #LuisEstaba #ShirleyTucker #OwenSwift #RussAnber #KennyBayless #SalvatoreCherchi #ErnestoCherquisBialo #RandyGordon #KevinIole

There’s too damned much negativity in boxing columns. (Thank goodness you’ll never find a critical word said in any of mine .) So in this particular piece, I’m defying convention and propagating positivity. Three active boxers have caught my eye recently with the way they’ve conducted themselves and the decisions they’ve made, and I’m going to heap praise upon them.

(But be forewarned that I may graze some other boxers with negative shrapnel along the way. There are limits to one’s ability to exclusively spread sunshine and rainbows while covering this sport.)

I now heartily extend two thumbs all the way up for these three warriors:

Devin Haney

Many a boxer over the years has balled up his fists and described one as the judge and the other as the jury . This is a sport where athletes have the opportunity to settle business in the most old-fashioned of ways, where legal teams don’t need to be called in if left hooks can get the job done.

But Haney has gone the litigation route. He has sued Ryan Garcia for battery, fraud, and unjust enrichment.

It’s not the most “boxer-ly” thing to do. But it is entirely warranted and appropriate.

Nobody but Garcia knows his intent. He tested positive for Ostarine, and it’s not inconceivable that it got into his system without his knowledge. All we can say for sure is that he had a banned performance-enhancing drug in his system and he put a physical beating on Haney.

Boxers sign up for a form of battery, but within a certain framework of rules. Once those rules are breached, it is not the risk of battery they agreed to.

Haney is doing the right thing by taking legal action against Garcia — not just for himself, but for all of boxing. If we want to ever rid this sport of PEDs, the punishment for taking them has to go beyond a fine and a suspension.

Granted, this is a civil lawsuit, not a criminal suit. Garcia is not going to do jailtime even if found guilty. But Haney is pursuing consequences beyond the relative slap on the wrist every boxer who’s ever tested positive has received. It makes a statement merely to accuse Garcia of battery and fraud, and to open the door for him to be found liable. Maybe, just maybe, by pursuing legal recourse, Haney will discourage some other boxer down the road from opting to give himself or herself that most dangerous of unfair advantages.

The worst possible scandal the sport of boxing could ever confront would be if a ring fatality occurred and the winning fighter was found to have been on PEDs. Garcia — whether intentionally or not — flirted with that on April 20.

The world saw the way Haney reacted to his punches throughout the fight. He was hurt in the opening round. He was dropped in the seventh, 10th, and 11th rounds.

What part of the effect of Garcia’s punches owes to artificial enhancement? It’s impossible to say. Just as it’s impossible to say how much him blowing off the agreed-upon weight limit and buying a size advantage was a factor. There is no handy-dandy pie chart to break down what segments of Garcia’s success were due to legitimate factors and what segments were due to it not being a fair fight.

By the same token, when Haney’s father, Bill, told BoxingScene last week that the filing of the lawsuit “is all for the good of the sport,” we can’t quantify how true that is. Presumably, there are some selfish motivations at play here alongside any possibly altruistic ones.

Regardless, it was the right thing to do. Devin Haney is not satisfied with merely getting the loss erased from his record — nor should he be.

David Benavidez

If Saul “Canelo” Alvarez wants to keep finding excuses not to take on Benavidez, that’s his prerogative. And it’s Benavidez’s prerogative to shame Canelo for that.

He’s gone as far as he could in terms of verbal shaming. Now he’s taking the next step: shaming Canelo by example.

By making a fight offer to David Morrell, Benavidez is giving the most dangerous opponent one rung below him on the star scale precisely what Alvarez refuses to give Benavidez: an opportunity. The contrast speaks for itself. Benavidez is more deserving than any other fighter of a shot at Canelo … and Alvarez put his hand on the hot door and walked away. Morrell is more deserving than any other fighter of a shot at Benavidez … and Benavidez turned the knob and walked into the burning building.

We haven’t seen the offer sheet and the terms therein, so we can’t say for sure how serious and fair an offer it is. But, assuming it’s a legit offer that reflects an actual desire to make the fight, Benavidez is doing right by boxing fans — and potentially doing right by himself long-term. If he beats Morrell, he will have done at light heavyweight what he did at super middleweight, making himself the unofficial mandatory challenger to the lineal champ.

And that means whoever wins the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol fight can either defend against Benavidez soon thereafter or be branded a Canelo. (As great as Canelo is, in this case, that’s not a compliment.)

Benavidez is behaving as we wish all boxers would behave. He’s putting the zero on his record at risk and giving someone lower on the food chain a chance. He knows what it’s like to be on the opposite side of this dynamic and get snubbed. So he’s doing unto others as he’d have done to him, rather than as he has had done to him. That deserves to be celebrated.

Tim Tszyu

This is partially a retroactive heaping of praise, dating back to March, when Tszyu could have taken the easy way out of a fight with a no-contest, only to instead fight on and take his first “L.” But it’s timely some six months later because last week, on a media conference call, Tszyu doubled down on his decision to go down swinging (and bleeding) against Sebastian Fundora rather than make the prudent choice.

“For me it was: If you’re going to lose, you’re going to lose that way,” Tszyu said on the call . “I’m not going to try and survive. I was there to win, and the only way to win for me was trying to smash my opponent. To just pull out and forfeit, that’s not my thing. It’s not in my blood. I’d rather die in that ring. That’s the mentality I’ve got.”

Yeah, we know. This is a guy who was in a mandatory position to challenge Jermell Charlo and, instead of sitting on the ranking, fought three times in 2023 while waiting for Charlo, with two of the three opponents extremely dangerous on paper (Tony Harrison and Brian Mendoza). And after he lost his perfect record against Fundora thanks to Paul Bunyan dropping his axe on Tszyu’s head, the Aussie immediately signed to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. (a bout called off because the canyon in his cranium wasn’t healed in time)

Tszyu is the ultimate anyone-anytime-anywhere guy, and if, while looking like Carrie on prom night, he should lose a close fight that he could have wriggled out of before the end of the fourth round, hey, no regrets. He wouldn’t change a thing.

Boxing needs more Tszyus. It needs more Benavidezes. It needs more Haneys (even if some of the many tough guys who reside on the internet would dispute that last one).

Are any of them as heroic as Eddie Hearn, who over the weekend proposed starting all main events at 9 p.m. local time ? Probably not (unless Haney, Benavidez, or Tszyu pulled the “ seven-minute abs ” move and suggested an 8pm start time for main events).

Still, all three have my respect and admiration. They’ve made decisions that can benefit the sport of boxing and its fans. Hopefully, despite the risk involved, these three fighters will each share in that benefit as well in the end.

 #DevinHaney #RyanGarcia #DavidBenavidez #DavidMorrell #TimTszyu #SebastianFundora #CaneloAlvarez #Boxing #BoxingFans #PositiveBoxing #FightingSpirit #IntegrityInBoxing #Champions #BoxingCommunity #WinningMentality

LOS ANGELES – Surely you’ve heard of the insulting diss by now: “So-and-so has only beaten cab drivers.” 

Well, up until his most recent fight, Anthony Olascuaga was a cab driver – and a barber, to boot, to support his burgeoning boxing career.

But no more.

Olascuaga, a 25-year-old flyweight from Los Angeles, has pumped the brakes and cut both jobs from his life as he heads into his title fight against Jonathan Gonzalez on Oct. 14 in Japan.

That’s because Olascuaga is now a world titleholder, having won the WBO 112-pound belt after knocking out Riku Kano inside three rounds for the vacant crown in July. 

Although Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KOs) has challenged for a title before, losing to then-108-pound Kenshiro Teraji in April 2023, he is still not a known commodity in the sport, with just eight fights under his belt.

With Olascuaga notching a win against the always-game and reigning WBO junior flyweight titleholder Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 KOs), that will undoubtedly change.

“I need to solidify my name as a champion,” Olascuaga told BoxingScene during a recent training session at the LA Boxing Gym.

“I'm a little timid. I'm a little shy. I don't take the belt out of the house. I feel like after this fight, I will own my championship status. I feel like I’m coming into this fight still as a challenger. I see a great opponent like Gonzalez in front of me as the champion. But once I beat Gonzalez by knockout, it's going to be my real breakthrough and I’m going to feel like a champion. I'm ready to be a champion moving forward, and to tell everyone at 112 pounds that I’m here to stay.”

Olascuaga said he hasn’t yet experienced much of a difference in his life now that he is an active world champion – especially because he hasn’t yet cracked six-figure purses. He’s hoping promoter Tuto Zabala Jr. of All Star Boxing will change that as the wins keep mounting.

“I quickly went back into camp mode since beating Kano,” said Olascuaga. “I'm staying dedicated and focused on what got me here in the first place. I'm more zoned in now and dedicating my life to boxing full-time, instead of working Uber and seeing where my next meal is going to come from. It's put me in a better position to only focus on my boxing career.”

With just 25 amateur fights under his belt, Olascuaga has enjoyed world-class sparring as his baptism by fire into boxing throughout the years, facing the likes of Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, Carlos Caudras, teammate Junto Nakatani and even Teraji before he eventually fought him. 

Olascuaga got the Teraji fight as a late-replacement opponent simply due to the fact he was already in Japan training for another fight in South Korea. Olascuaga was knocked down twice and stopped in the ninth, suffering a TKO loss in the 108-pound title fight. 

“I won more than I lost in the Teraji fight because I made my name known,” said Olascuaga. “My promoter has since had more confidence in me, and I made a lot of fans. I thought I was already at a champion level, but losing to Teraji helped me want to get better. Teraji proved to me otherwise to have my tools ready.”

Olascuaga versus Gonzalez will be featured on teammate Nakatani’s undercard as part of a two-day Tokyo card featuring a combined seven title fights on ESPN+. The fight will mark Olascuaga’s fourth consecutive contest in Japan. 

“I have a lot of experience,” said Olascuaga. “I put in so much work with my head coach Rudy Hernandez, and he's given me that champion mentality since the first day I worked with him. I've lived with him since the age of 15. He's been a great example in my life. I have faith in him and am very appreciative for what he’s done for me and my career.” 

Olascuaga’s career-long coach Hernandez, who also trains Nakatani, has bestowed the peculiar nickname of “Princesa" on his blonde-haired charge. 

“It's because I always have to be looking pretty,” said Olascuaga. “I do my eyebrows and nails, and color my hair. He's old school, but I don't mind the nickname.”

Olascuaga was planning to dye his hair pink for his first title defense, but he ran out of time because he had to move camp to Japan for the last stretch of preparation.

Some passions away from boxing are just too hard to quit, but a highlight win against Gonzalez will put Olascuaga in the driver’s seat to better control his career moving forward.

#anthonyolascuaga #jonathangonzalez #wboflyweightchampion #losangelesboxing #cabdrivertochampion #flyweightboxing #boxingtitledefense #tokyofight #worldchampionshipboxing #rudyhernandez #rikukano #boxingnews #fightnight #espn #boxing

Former rivals Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez met for the first time since their two fights at the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame last weekend.

The event, which is becoming one of boxing’s annual must-attend attractions, saw the fighters reunite and embrace 15 years on from Martinez edging Williams by a majority decision in their first bout before the Argentine great scored one of the best knockouts of 2010 – if not all time – to stop Williams in two rounds in their 2010 return. Both fights were at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City.  

Williams had just two more contests before he was left wheelchair-bound following a motorcycle accident.

Fight fan Donovan Kasp attended the event. A regular at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota each year, Kasp said one of the highlights was meeting Marvin Hagler’s son, James Hagler, and then getting a candid picture of the son of the Marvelous one embracing former Hagler rival Roberto Duran and his daughter. 

“There were so many memorable things,” Kasp said of the weekend. “Hanging out with Nate Campbell, who broke my heart when he destroyed Kid Diamond, hanging out with Roberto Duran and stopping him from trying one of the world’s hottest sauces during our group challenge! Joking around with James Toney, but also having a personal conversation about both of our fathers passing away at the same age of 65. Playing the slot machine with Vito Antufermo, driving Michael Spinks and his wife, Flo, in my car. Sharing so many laughs with my boxing crew, making new friends and memories.”

Those inducted this year included Mario Maldonado, Martinez, Sharmba Mitchell, Mark Breland, Buster Douglas, Eva Jones-Young, Gerry Cooney, Tyrone Frazier, and Williams.

Special contributors who were enshrined included Randy Gordan, Sampson Lewkowicz, Buddy McGirt, Bruce Blair, Eric Bottjer and Guy Gargan, posthumous inductees were Howard Davis Jnr, referee Eddie Cotton and Jay Larkin and the Pioneers were Eric Seelig, George Godfrey and Joey Giardello.

It was the eighth annual Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame and was held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

#PaulWilliams #SergioMartinez #AtlanticCity #HallofFame #Boxing #boxingnews

It is a short walk from the dressing room to the ring at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.

After receiving the knock on the door and being told that it is time to go, the home fighters generally walk down a corridor, turn left and are then held behind a pair of double doors.

The corridors are usually filled with shouts and encouragement but those final seconds behind the door are quiet. There is nothing left to do but wait. 

Eventually, after another signal, the doors open wide and the fighter enters the arena.

This weekend WBA featherweight champion, Nick Ball, will make that walk and just behind him, as ever, will be his trainer, Paul Stevenson.

It appears that Stevenson is the first Liverpool born trainer to train a world champion. Not only that,  but Ball lives a short walk from the arena and they get to make the first defense of their world title in front of their own people. 

Stevenson isn’t the type of trainer to get taken in by the moment and allow his attention to drift from Ronny Rios and the task at hand but he must be anticipating being hit by a wave of pride and a feeling of personal accomplishment when those doors swing open. 

“Oh, no, no, I haven't even thought about that,” he told BoxingScene. 

“I don't think of it like that but I know what you're saying, and it is sort of big for me. TNT came down the other day .They asked something similar. They said, ‘What do you take out of it? You must have a lot of personal pride?’

“I said, ‘You know what, I don't really think of it like that, but then I said ‘Somebody said to me that I might be the first Liverpool-born trainer to train a world champion.’ So that sounds like a bit of history. That's good. 

“We're all doing things like that. Pride? Yeah, definitely, and at walking out with Nick. Our club's bringing championship boxing - world championship boxing -  right back to the city. We've done a lot of work. We haven't been given nothing and had to fight for everything.

“So, yeah, pride for us all.” 

Stevenson will make that walk more than once on Saturday night. Five fighters from his Everton Red Triangle Gym are competing on the bill. Ball is the leader of the group but dangerous British bantamweight champion, Andrew Cain, makes his latest appearance and Brad Strand and heavyweight hope Boma Brown, will get rounds under their belts. ABA champion, Lucas Biswana, will also make an eagerly awaited debut. Apparently, Biswana is vicious. 

Stevenson has produced a tight, uncompromising group of fighters who go about their business with mean intentions. With the exception of Peter McGrail who turned professional after competing at the 2020 Olympic Games, all of them have spent a good portion of their career in the shadows and Stevenson is delighted that they are now being given the platform to show what they can do. 

“We were all in the gym this morning and the gym was buzzing.,” Stevenson said. “Me and Anthony [Hamilton, his assistant] were in the office and we sent the lads out after they'd wrapped up. They’re all on the floor, and they're all in fight week. They’re all prowling and shadowboxing and getting ready for the session and I just said, ‘Look at that fucking group out there.’ 

“It was great to see. All of them ready. It was good.”

Ball turned up at ERT as an 18-year-old. He hadn’t boxed for three years but it quickly became apparent that he had chosen the right gym to fight professionally out of.

Over the years, he and Stevenson have perfected his style. Most people focus on Ball’s height and stocky build and immediately cast aspersions on his boxing ability but his size and aggressive style camouflage his skills. Opponents get into the ring with Ball fully aware of what he wants to do but they appear unprepared for how he goes about it. 

Ball has been effective throughout the levels. He figured out how to impose himself on the tall, experienced Rey Vargas in their WBC title fight and although Ray Ford offered a different type of challenge, Ball again found a way to force the clever southpaw to fight his kind of fight and snatched away his WBA belt.

“He's definitely getting better and better with each fight as he's getting that confidence. You’ll see a difference, Obviously, he's worked 100% anyway. I wouldn't say he's working any harder but he just improves with every fight,” Stevenson said.

“Every fight we give him different tactics. He has different sparring and he has had excellent opposition in the last couple of years, one after another, and he's just been learning and learning. He’s ready to be the king of that division now and dominate it and have a great reign.

“I'd say a lot of people have preconceived ideas about Nick and about what will work against him and they always get surprised. Nick is very, very clever at the inside game. Not just the strength, it's how he's doing it. It's taught and then he’s great on the outside.

“Look, I’m not saying any fighter's unbeatable - they said the Titanic was unsinkable and all that shit - but he's got a very difficult style to box against. I think a lot of people - Vargas, Ray Ford, top world level operators - thought, ‘I'll try this and I'll try that' and I think they found themselves wanting in the skill set department.”

On Saturday, Ronny Rios, 34-4 (17 KOs) will try to solve the problem. Rios is two-time world title challenger at super bantamweight although he is a whole hearted fighter, he will need to reach a level he has previously been unable to if he is to pull off a massive shock. 

“Do you know, this isn't the first time I've sat opposite Ronny Rios,” Stevenson said.

“It turns out that when I was coaching for England in 2007, we go on a trip to Minnesota. Britain versus America. I’m in the corner and one of the lads on the England team was an ABA champ called Brad Evans. He messaged me the other day and says, ’Paul, I don't know if you remember this trip. You were in my corner in America’  He said, ‘You know who we boxed? Ronnie Rios.’ He beat Brad on points, I think. So that wasn't the first time we've met.

“I like coincidences. It’s like the universe telling you that everything's good.” 

#NickBall #PaulStevenson #AndrewCain #BradStrand #RonnyRios #LiverpoolBoxing #BoxingNews #FeatherweightBoxing #WorldTitleDefense #BritishBoxing #EvertonRedTriangle #M&SBankArena #BoxingTrainer #ChampionshipBoxing #WBAFeatherweightChampion

Lightweight prospect Curmel Moton is preparing for his next fight on Oct. 12 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. The 18-year-old protege of Floyd Mayweather is still awaiting confirmation of his opponent, though he hinted that his opponent will be from Mexico. Moton originally hoped to face an unbeaten fighter with nine wins.

Moton (5-0, 4 KOs) will be stepping into the ring for the fourth time in 2024. Despite the short notice, he remains confident. "It's been great," Moton said in a YouTube interview with GHBTV about his training camp. "The fight came together quickly, but I stay in the gym, I stay ready."

Having fought on high-profile undercards for both Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez, Moton is accustomed to the big stage. The smaller venue for his upcoming fight doesn't concern him. "I feel relaxed," Moton said. Elite sparring in Las Vegas and fighting on major stages seem to have helped him mature quickly, despite his young age.

Moton’s most recent fight took place in August, when he scored a first-round knockout in Mexico over Victor Vazquez (5-3-1) on the undercard of Mayweather’s exhibition bout against John Gotti III, the grandson of the infamous mobster.

While the upcoming event may not be as grand, Moton remains focused on delivering another standout performance. "I’m going to perform regardless," Moton said. "The big crowds get me ready to put on a good show, but I feel like this crowd will be passionate, and that’ll do the same."

#CurmelMoton #FloydMayweatherJr #boxing #boxingnews 

Bill Haney has hit back at Teofimo Lopez Sr’s claim that his son Devin Haney doesn’t want to fight Teofimo Lopez Jr.

Haney was responding to Lopez Sr’s recent claim that Devin (31-0, 15 KOs) avoided a fight with Lopez Jr. (21-1, 13 KOs) when Lopez Jr. held the IBF and WBO lightweight titles.

According to Bill, Devin is not afraid of facing the WBO 140-pound champ Lopez Jr.

“Every opportunity to fight, we put it on the table for you, including an opportunity with Turki Alalshikh and your company Top Rank just a couple of months ago,” said Bill on FightHype.

“I'm gonna let you know, and the people, Devin Haney wants to fight you whenever, wherever, including right now. So, let's see what your fat mom, Danny, got to say about that.”

San Francisco’s Devin, 25, is yet to return to the ring – six months after his junior welterweight fight with Ryan Garcia – was declared a no contest. Devin had initially lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Garcia at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, but a random test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) found Garcia positive for the banned substance ostarine.

Despite denying the test results, Garcia was fined $1.1 million and suspended for a year with the fight changed to a no contest. Subsequently, Devin has sued Garcia for an alleged fraud, battery, and unjust enrichment against Garcia.

The lawsuit by Devin has led to many diverse opinions but Bill believes it is a justified part of the boxing business.

“And Oscar De La Hoya, everybody out. Gennadiy Golovkin sued you, and Ryan Garcia did threaten to sue you, and I don't need to sit down with you about nothing.

“I see you doing a lot of tweeting, but you ain't speaking. Maybe you're suffering from tweaking. The lawsuit stands.”

#BillHaney #TeofimoLopezJr. #DevinHaney #TurkiAlalshikh #GennadyGolovkin #OscarDeLaHoya #boxing #boxingnews        

Francis Ngannou has made a name for himself in two different sports.

The Cameroon fighter has main evented cards in both the MMA and boxing world.

A former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion, Ngannou is now signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

When he first made the transition from the UFC to boxing, many thought it was just a quick cash grab.

Whether that was the case or not, he put up a highly commendable performance against Tyson Fury – a fight that many thought the MMA star won.

Unfortunately, a dismantling by Anthony Joshua has put paid to his boxing career.

But for a while, he was being touted as a potential threat to the boxing heavyweight scene.

One of the factors that seemingly aided the career change of Francis Ngannou was due to money.

Boxing has become flush with cash since the interception of Saudi in the sport and, with both of Ngannou’s fights in being held in Saudi, it’s assumed that he made a lot of money to leave the UFC for those fights.

UFC CEO and president Dana White has responded to those claims and has stated that they’re not true.

Speaking to the press after the season premiere of Dana White’s Contender Series, White answered a question from an interviewer asking why he didn’t mention at the time that Ngannou would have made more fighting Jon Jones than going into boxing.

In a rather prickly response, White claims that he didn’t care enough about it at the time but it’s a fact.

This followed a video released by MMA reporter Kevin Iole in which White doubles down on the fact that Francis Ngannou would have made more in the UFC than boxing.

“That’s not necessarily true,” White said.Major opponent lined up for Nick Ball under one condition

“That’s the bulls*** publicly that people believe, but that’s not the truth. Total bulls***. Total bulls***.

“That’s that whole myth that makes everybody go, ‘Oh, let’s f*cking go to boxing!’ and all this bullshit.

“Boxing don’t work. Boxing does not work.

“What makes it work? You need a Saudi f*cking trillionaire to make f*cking fights.

“And even Saudi trillionaires get tired of the f*cking bullshit.

“It’s all a f*cking myth. It’s all a myth.

“Like the whole statement you just made is absolutely positively not true.

“It’s those types of f*cking statements and those type of quotes by the media that makes all this shit.

“All these fights are happening, it takes a Saudi f*cking trillionaire.

“Every f*cking guy that tries to do the boxing thing, they all end up losing shit-loads of f*cking money.

“The model doesn’t work.

“A Saudi unlimited amount of money pops up and that’s what makes these fights happen, and even guys with that kind of money get f*cking tired of the bullshit.”

Clearly, Dana White does not hold back on this.

Whether his claims are true or not, it seems that Francis Ngannou is content with his decision to move away from the UFC.

With a new start in the PFL, Ngannou seems to have found another space to fight that is not under the umbrella of White’s organisation.

#FrancisNgannou #DanaWhite #UFC #PFL #Boxing #TysonFury #JonJones #AnthonyJoshua #SaudiArabia #MMA #SportsNews #FighterLife #BoxingDebate #CombatSports #BoxingUpdate

There isn’t much that unites everybody in the partisan world of boxing, but Eddie Hearn’s announcement that Matchroom are considering the idea of starting main events at 9pm caused a joining of hands across the divides. 

No more 10.45pm video montages selling and promoting a fight you are already tuned in to watch. No more post-midnight finishes.

Earlier start times are a good thing and a step forward, but there is a balance to be struck, and it involves finding the sweet spot between keeping television viewers tuned in, ticket-buying fans engaged, and the right thing for the fighters.

Unless the cards are shortened significantly or start much earlier, a 9pm start time may be a little too early.

Yes, it will allow people at home to change channels and catch the start of Match of The Day, but, in the arena, it would have the effect of turning out the lights on fighters sat in the dressing rooms waiting to compete after the main event has finished.  

The YouTube army increasingly set up their tripods on press row the second the main event has been waved off, and getting instant reactions would take precedence over the action in the ring. Fans flock to ringside to pose for photos with fight figures, and casual fans would likely disappear off into the night. 

The fights would become background noise to the aftermath of a major main event.

I have been in arenas where undercard fighters have walked to the ring together and then boxed as the seating and lighting rigs are dismantled around them.

It must be heartbreaking for a young fighter who has spent the week believing their life was about to change to glance out of the ring whilst they are in a clinch and see the front row empty and the cameramen disassembling their equipment. 

The main-support bout used to be the plum spot on an undercard, but pushing the main event start time back further and further has turned some significant fights into glorified float bouts with those in attendance wishing the rounds away.

A 10pm start should provide the main-event fighters with an engaged crowd and primetime viewing figures, while also allowing plenty of time to get all of the undercard fights done. It would also allow the main event to bring the night to a natural conclusion. 

As changes seem to be afoot, here are a couple of other ideas.

‘I’ve Got Something Special Planned For My Ring walk’

If you can’t dance, nothing good has ever come from attempting it. 

It faces stern competition from shit-stirring pop-up YouTube channels and single use £1,000 fight kits but the introduction of the stage and ramp may just be my least favourite innovation in the way modern boxing is presented.

Boxing is increasingly becoming a star-driven sport, but if we are trying to create characters and help fighters to connect with the audience, giving them identikit ring entrances is a strange way to achieve it.

Boxing is a personal sport and each and every fighter has their own way of dealing with the final few moments before a fight.

Not every professional wants to learn awful choreography or awkwardly pace around while they wait for the floor manager to give them the nod to start a suddenly purposeful march to the ring.

Imagine Mike Tyson shadow boxing and shuffling while he waited for the beat to drop on Welcome To The Terrordome.

Ring walks are a major part of boxing, and no other sport can come close to replicating the tension and spectacle produced by that golden 15-minute spell before a major title fight, but the attention of a significant ring walk should be earned and a six-round catchweight contest with a late notice opponent isn’t worthy of such an elaborate build-up. 

Increasingly, a four-round novice can expect to be given a bells and whistles introduction at Wednesday’s open workout, and at Thursday’s press conference to answer 20 questions about the opportunity they are grateful to have been given. They are then welcomed to the scales to weigh-in on the Friday and then called to the ring like a world champion on Saturday. It is too much. 

For lower-profile shows, why not hold the pre-fight press conference in a local shopping centre rather than the widely disliked open workout? Giving passers-by a glimpse behind the curtain and letting them listen to fighters arguing and facing off would likely attract much more casual interest.

Ring walks for the entire card are here to stay but, surely, there has to be more imaginative ways of getting undercard fighters to connect with the crowd and get their story across rather than a stage-managed package?

Give the fighter a choice. Let them stamp their personality on the event. If a natural showperson wants to do an elaborate ring entrance, let them. It will work and feel more natural. If not, it isn’t beyond the realms of modern technology to piece together a one-minute long VT that either highlights the fighter’s character or tees up the upcoming fight. Play the video in the arena and on television and let them walk to the ring under their own steam. They can make their name once the bell rings. Promote individuality.

Yes, it is stealing a little from the UFC’s playbook, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

‘If You Aren’t Cheating, You Aren’t Trying To Win’

Skullduggery is part of every sport and, as long as it doesn’t involve the use of illegal substances – including red paint – or blatantly breaking the rules to alter the result, I’m all for it. 

In the 1990s, a football manager called John Beck was renowned for making life uncomfortable for opposing teams turning up to take on Cambridge United. Their warm-up balls would be soaked in water or under-inflated; the hot water in their dressing room would be turned off and the heating turned up and even the pitch was doctored to suit Beck’s preferred style of play, leaving the grass especially long in the corners. Great fun.

There are obviously potentially far, far more significant repercussions for bending the rules in boxing, but the sport would be a poorer place if it wasn’t for the wide array of characters and stories of them doing whatever they can to gain even the slightest advantage. 

We have all heard stories about promoters putting fighters in a hotel on the other side of town and then generously making sure they get a first-hand look at every set of roadworks as they are ferried around all week by a cab company that has suffered an unfortunate air-conditioning failure.

Promoters and managers will fight for days or weeks to try to secure the right sized ring for their fighter, the right number of ringside seats, and the biggest dressing room. We love the drama when pre-fight rumors fly around ringside that a fighter has been made to remove their handwraps.

The fun and games continue in the ring. We celebrate a journeyman beating a youngster by employing the dark arts. They clinch on the referee’s blindside. They hit the hips and jam uppercuts with their elbows. There are hundreds of ways an experienced fighter can make things difficult for a youngster and all are difficult – if not impossible – to police. They are part and parcel of a rough sport. 

But buying time by spitting out the mouthpiece is a clear form of cheating that can have a significant impact on the outcome of a fight. It is treated much less harshly than other blatant fouls like using the head or punching below the belt, but just ask Jose Luis Castillo about the effect it can have.

It also seems to be happening more and more regularly, yet there is a pretty simple and obvious way of stamping it out.

Why don’t we clip a water bottle on to the referee’s waistband? When a mouthpiece hits the canvas, they can quickly rinse it off and get the action back underway rather than leading the hurt fighter back to their corner where – if they know what they are doing – their trainer will accidentally drop it, forget where the water is and then struggle to get it back into their fighter’s mouth. 

.#Boxing #EddieHearn #SuperMiddleweight #MainEvents #FightNight #Undercard #CheatingInBoxing #RingWalk #BoxLife #Matchroom #Fighters #JoseLuisCastillo #MikeTyson #SportsNews #BoxingFans #BoxingUpdate

The WBA’s latest ratings update — released September 30 — includes the installation of two new top contenders, putting them in line for potential title shots.

The WBA’s latest ratings update — released September 30 — includes the installation of two new top contenders, putting them in line for potential title shots.

At super middleweight, Christian Mbilli replaced Edgar Berlanga as the number-one contender. 

Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) lost a unanimous decision to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September and is now ranked fourth. Mbilli (28-0, 23 KOs) was previously ranked second. In his past appearance, in August, he won a unanimous decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

The WBA super-middleweight titleholder is Canelo, who also has the WBC and WBO belts, and is the lineal champion.

At featherweight, Stephen Fulton replaced Bruce Carrington as the number-one contender.

Fulton was previously rated second. The former unified junior-featherweight titleholder otherwise officially arrived at 126lbs in September on the undercard of Canelo-Berlanga. He won a close split decision over Carlos Castro, and is now 22-1 (8 KOs).

Carrington (13-0, 8 KOs) dropped to second. He won a majority decision over Sulaiman Segawa.

The WBA featherweight titleholder is Nick Ball, who is scheduled to defend that belt on Saturday against Ronny Rios.

#ChristianMbilli #StephenFulton #CaneloAlvarez #EdgarBerlanga #BruceCarrington #NickBall #RonnyRios #BoxingNews #WBA #SuperMiddleweight #Featherweight #BoxingRankings #CarlosCastro #SergiyDerevyanchenko #SulaimanSegawa #WorldBoxing

Sunny Edwards has played down rumors that he will be trained by Adam Booth for his clash with Galal Yafai on November 30.

Edwards and Yafai will square off at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham for the WBC interim flyweight title, with the winner set to challenge for the full version. The pair have been longtime rivals after sharing the ring as amateurs and sparring countless rounds as professionals.

There have been suggestions that Edwards has made a big change heading into the must win clash -  splitting from his longtime trainer Grant Smith who has trained Edwards for the entirety of his professional career and the latter stages of his stint in the unpaid ranks.

The pair enjoyed significant success with Edwards winning the British title and the IBF world championship with Smith in his corner. Edwards had little to say on the rumors of a split: “Who knows? I might train myself for this fight,” when asked if Smith would be training him for his November fight with Yafai.

Edwards, however, had more to say on the rumors that he had linked up with Adam Booth ahead of the fight. “That’s rumors,” said Edwards. “When you hear rumors, when you assume, you make an arse out of you and me. So don’t be assuming.” 

#SunnyEdwards #GalalYafai #GrantSmith #AdamBooth #Boxing #Flyweight #WBC #IBF #BoxingNews #WorldChampionship #Rivalry #Birmingham #BoxingFight #Sports #WBCFlyweightTitle

Two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez recorded one of the most famous upset victories of the last decade and has since gone on to prove that the win was no fluke. Now, as ‘The Takeover’ hopes to secure another mammoth fight, he has made a shocking claim regarding his career earnings thus far.

Lopez dethroned unified lightweight champion and legendary amateur sensation Vasyl Lomachenko back in 2020 with a dominant win that shook the boxing world, bamboozling the supposedly unbeatable Ukrainian with a career-best display.

Although, the shoe was on the other foot in the fight that followed, as Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. sprung the upset on Lopez to put an early end to the New Yorker’s reign and prompt a move up to the super-lightweight division.

After two fights at 140lbs, Lopez earned himself a shot at the poster boy of the division in Scotland’s former undisputed champion Josh Taylor, who entered the bout as an undefeated champion but had vacated three of his four belts.

Once again, Lopez was able to pull off a surprising win, but he has failed to impress in two title defences against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett since – despite claiming unanimous-decision wins on both occasions.

Now, Lopez craves the big-name opponent that will motivate and bring the best out of him, and the pay day to match, calling for showdowns with the likes of Gervonta Davis, Terence Crawford and Devin Haney.Mike Tyson challenged by former undisputed world heavyweight champion

In an interview with the ‘It Is What It Is’ Podcast, Lopez shockingly revealed that he is yet to receive a million-dollar purse, despite defeating two pound-for-pound contenders.“Would you take less(money) to fight him(Gervonta Davis)”

Teofimo Lopez: “Ya, I’ve been doing that my last fights. I have yet to even make more than 1 million dollars in every fight. When I fought Loma I came home with 460K after everything(expenses). With Josh Taylor…I came… pic.twitter.com/9V1MaKSMrZ

— Danny (@dantheboxingman) October 1, 2024

“I have been doing that [accepting low offers to make big fights] in my last fights. I have yet to even make more than one million dollars in every fight.

“When I fought Lomachenko during Covid, everyone was talking about how he gave me $800k on top, no – never bid. I came home with about $460k after everything [expenses], fighting the number one pound-for-pound over [Terence] Crawford and Canelo [Alvarez].

“Then, when it came to Josh Taylor, I came home with around $700k – $800k.”

Jose Carlos Ramirez and Arnold Barboza are poised to battle it out for the position as WBO mandatory challenger on the November 16th ‘Riyadh Season’ card in Saudi Arabia, with the victor expected to become Teofimo Lopez’s next opponent for a fight in early 2025.

#TeofimoLopez #Boxing #Lomachenko #JoshTaylor #GervontaDavis #TerenceCrawford #DevinHaney #BoxingNews #Sports

Robert Smith has been a central figure in British boxing since he was appointed General Secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) in October 2008. While some promoters and broadcasters may seem more influential, Smith has maintained a pivotal role, especially after the BBBoC became the commission of choice for the General Entertainment Authority’s (GEA) Turki Alalshikh—arguably the most powerful figure in today’s boxing landscape.

Smith’s role has evolved significantly over the years. Reflecting on the past 16 years, it's clear that he has witnessed and overseen considerable change. Back in 2008, Alalshikh was just starting his career with the Saudi government; Eddie Hearn was still a poker promoter; Anthony Joshua was exploring a life of crime; and women were often seen as too delicate to fight. Pay-per-view was reserved for only the biggest fights, performance-enhancing drugs were seldom addressed, and press conferences attracted mainly traditional media rather than the social media spectacle we see today. Smith, who turned 62 on October 2, was relatively new to the boxing scene at that time.

After 16 years of navigating the complexities of boxing—from egotistical promoters and legal disputes to social media threats and the heartbreak of tragedies in the ring—Smith has developed a gruff, no-nonsense persona that’s essential in his line of work. As he reflects on his tenure, he candidly admits, “Common sense tells you I’ve got less time in the job than I’ve had.” He acknowledges that while he has been in the role longer than expected, the ongoing legal issues have made it less enjoyable. “I deal with more and more legal issues than ever before, which is very frustrating because I’m not a lawyer,” he states.

Born in England in 1962 to a Welsh mother and Scottish father, Smith has boxing in his blood. With a family history of boxing, including grandfathers who fought and a father who trained fighters, Smith’s connection to the sport was inevitable. Despite turning professional at just 18, injuries derailed his boxing career. He suffered multiple injuries, including dislocated shoulders and broken hands, which led him to reassess his path. After a brief stint in engineering in California, Smith returned to boxing but soon recognized he would not achieve the success he desired.

Smith’s record stands at 16 wins and 5 losses, with 11 KOs, before he left the ring in 1989. Following this, he returned to engineering, contributing to significant projects like the Canary Wharf development. However, he eventually took a pay cut to join the BBBoC, motivated by a desire to stay connected to the sport he loved.

In his current role, Smith has found his days filled with legal disputes and performance-enhancing drug issues. He admits he’s been criticized for how certain matters are handled, particularly the length of time it takes to resolve cases involving failed drug tests. He emphasizes that while the BBBoC handles fight bookings and testing through UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), the disciplinary process is beyond their control. “I will be the first to say it takes too long to get a decision,” he acknowledges.

The saga of Conor Benn illustrates the complexities involved. After two failed tests in October 2022, Benn's case remains unresolved, but Smith has remained steadfast in pursuing justice for the sport. He insists that the BBBoC is not intimidated by the financial clout of athletes who hire top lawyers, stating, “We’re either doing the job or we’re not.”

The emotional weight of his role intensifies when tragedy strikes in the ring. Smith has had to manage the aftermath of several fatalities, an experience he describes as the hardest part of his job. “Nothing is going to be any worse than that,” he reflects, highlighting the burden of informing families and dealing with the consequences of such tragedies.

The last year has also seen a remarkable shift in promoter relationships, particularly between Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren, who have set aside their past grievances in light of the financial opportunities brought by Saudi investment. Smith had hoped for greater collaboration among promoters, and the recent cordiality between Hearn and Warren indicates progress in that direction.

Initially cautious about Saudi Arabia’s influence, especially regarding events like Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou, Smith has since recognized the value of the partnership. The BBBoC has taken charge of medical and officiating standards at GEA events, ensuring safety and credibility in the new landscape.

Smith highlights the growth of boxing under the BBBoC’s jurisdiction, mentioning that they conducted 242 shows last year, with 80% of those being smaller events. He remains optimistic about the future, despite challenges like staffing. The BBBoC, with only 12.5 employees, is now increasing its staff due to the influx of events.

As he looks ahead, Smith admits he still has goals to achieve, particularly concerning ongoing legal cases. However, he expresses no immediate desire to step down, affirming, “I think we’re doing alright,” while acknowledging the realities of his position.

Ultimately, Robert Smith’s journey through the complexities of modern boxing reflects both the challenges and triumphs of governing a sport that remains as unpredictable as it is beloved.

#Boxing #BritishBoxing #RobertSmith #BoxingGovernance #PerformanceEnhancingDrugs #BoxingHistory #ConorBenn #BoxingNews #BoxingCommunity

The achievement of becoming an undisputed champion is one that is dreamt of by every fighter that laces up the gloves, but it is one only achieved by a select few. Now, one fighter from the elite group of four-belt undisputed champions is set to appear on an undercard in the United Kingdom next month.

Rising super-bantamweight contender and current IBO champion of the 126lb division, Liam Davies (16-0), was forced to pull out of his battle with fellow undefeated Brit Shabaz Masoud (13-0) back in July due to an illness. However, the pair have since rescheduled their meeting, and the Telford fan-favourite will now attempt to make a first defence of his IBO crown when he and Masoud go toe-to-toe next month.

A run of three consecutive stoppage victories has seen Davies rise in the world rankings in recent times, and the 28-year-old now sits as high as the #5 contender with both the WBC and IBF, hopeful of one day earning a shot at pound-for-pound number one and undisputed champion of the division, Naoya Inoue.

Yet, whilst Davies continues to call out one undisputed champion in ‘The Monster’, there is another previous holder of that mantle set to fight on his undercard. Queensberry Promotions has unveiled that Chantelle Cameron (19-1) will appear in the co-main event of the card. Cameron dethroned the legendary Katie Taylor in a famous win in Dublin last year but lost a controversial decision to the Irishwoman in their November rematch. This loss led to a fallout between Cameron and promoter Eddie Hearn, prompting a switch to sign for Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.

In her debut since signing with Warren, Cameron appeared on the same card that Davies-Masoud was originally scheduled for and secured the WBC super-lightweight interim title with a majority-decision win against Elhem Mekhaled. This also marked her first fight with new trainer Grant Smith since parting ways with Jamie Moore.

Northampton-born ‘Il Capo’ will take on former WBC super-welterweight champion Patricia Berghult as the highlight of the Davies-Masoud undercard next month in a first defence of the WBC interim strap, which Cameron hopes will eventually land her a shot at a trilogy bout against Katie Taylor.

Also appearing on the undercard is light-heavyweight operator Ezra Taylor (9-0) and European welterweight champion Ekow Essuman (20-1), who will face Austria’s Driton Isenaj (10-0) and undefeated Ben Vaughan (10-0) respectively on the November 2nd card at the BP Pulse Live in Birmingham.

#LiamDavies #ChantelleCameron #BoxingUndercard #IBOChampion #WBCChampion #DaviesMasoud #QueensberryPromotions #BirminghamBoxing #BoxingNews #SuperBantamweight

The undisputed light-heavyweight showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol remains as arguably the most enticing clash in the world of boxing, with the power of Beterbiev and the technical skills of Bivol making for a stylistic match-up that has boxing fans and analysts eagerly speculating. Here, we take a deeper look into the full card of one of the most anticipated fight nights in the history of the 175lb division.

Mohammed Alakel (debut) is a name that is understandably unknown to the vast majority, but it is one that fans may become familiar with over the next twelve months. Turki Al-Alshikh has always been keen to include a Saudi fighter on his high-profile bills, usually Ziyad Almaayouf, in an attempt to grow boxing in the Kingdom, and Alakel appears to be his latest prospect to get behind.

Once a member of the Clovenstone Amateur Boxing Team in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alakel has picked up development and district titles as an amateur and was also a junior taekwondo champion before making the permanent switch to boxing. Now trained by Joe Gallagher, Alakel will face Colombia’s Jesus Gonzalez (3-2) to kick off the bill with a four-round super-featherweight contest—just four months after Gonzalez was stopped by a body shot against rising British lightweight, Ibraheem ‘Spider’ Sulaimaan.

Just eight fights into his professional career, Ben Whittaker (8-0) is fast becoming one of Britain’s superstars, regularly going viral for his consistent showboating and controversial fight style. However, it’s not all fun and games for the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, and ‘The Surgeon’ will be keen to ensure he keeps his eyes on the prize in his toughest test to date. Is he the most entertaining fighter right now?

Whittaker takes a considerable step up in competition as he fights former Commonwealth champion Liam Cameron (23-6), fresh from a controversial defeat to IBO light-heavyweight title-holder Lyndon Arthur. After a five-and-a-half-year absence from the ring, Cameron has returned with a newfound sense of vigour and steely determination to achieve further success in the sport and represents a serious banana skin if Whittaker dares to overlook him.

Australia’s Skye Nicolson (11-0) seemed destined for world titles ever since her 2022 debut, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion delivered on her potential earlier this year, outpointing Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC featherweight title back in April. Since then, Nicolson has made one additional defence of the strap and will fight for a third time this year as she makes history by taking part in the first women’s world title contest on Saudi soil.

Nicolson has been tasked with undefeated Brit Raven Chapman (9-0) in what is not only a battle between two undefeated fighters but a showdown between rival promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren—a rivalry that has been dominated by Warren thus far in 2024. Chapman will hope to upset the odds and continue Queensberry’s winning streak as she challenges for world honours for the first time in her career.

Polarising middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. (33-3) remains one of the biggest draws in the United Kingdom despite failing to secure a recognised world title thus far in his 14-year career. After recently signing with Boxxer, the 34-year-old finally appears keen to secure a second world title challenge and could collide with current unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly in the near future should a long-awaited meeting with Conor Benn or another lucrative opportunity not materialise.

In the opposing corner is Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta (25-2-2), whose duo of defeats have come solely against world champions in Gennadiy Golovkin and Jaime Munguia. Szeremeta’s most recent appearance was a draw against Abel Mina in a scrap for the Republic of Poland super-middleweight title, but he will drop back down to 160lbs to square off against Eubank as a sizeable underdog.

Another man with mammoth opportunities on the horizon is IBF cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia (25-0), who has been vocal in his ambition to unify belts in the 200lb division before a move to heavyweight in the future. Knocking out three Brits in his last four outings, the Aussie has made a habit of delivering showstopping KOs and excelling on Turki Al-Alshikh cards of late. Opetaia will seek to continue that form and then move on to a three-belt unification bout against the victor of Riyadh Season’s November headliner, although he may have to fight again in the interim if he is to retain his belt.

The man hoping to spoil those plans is the game European champion Jack Massey (22-2), who remains confident of proving the bookmakers wrong in a first world title bid. Massey’s granite chin served him well in an unconventional step-up to heavyweight last year against Joseph Parker in a performance that is ageing like fine wine, but his career-best victory over Isaac Chamberlain is the one that has grabbed the most attention.

As many deem Opetaia as both the poster boy and most powerful puncher at cruiserweight, it remains to be seen whether Massey can do what Jordan Thompson and Ellis Zorro couldn’t and survive the inevitable early onslaught from the champion—in the hopes of capitalizing during the late rounds.

In the final and most intense scrap on the undercard, Fabio Wardley (17-0-1) and Frazer Clarke (8-0-1) will rematch for the British heavyweight title—six months on from their bloodied brawl on Easter Sunday, which will likely go down as one of 2024’s fight of the year contenders. In a traditionally contrasting match-up, the front-footed Wardley will seek to add to his 16 knockout victories to date and improve upon his finishing instincts after having Clarke hurt in their first encounter.

Meanwhile, challenging Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Clarke will hope that his amateur experience, of which Wardley has none, will shine through and that he can control the bout behind a strong jab—confident in the fact that he would have had his hand raised in his initial meeting with Wardley had he not suffered a point deduction for low blows.

Wardley-Clarke II will mark a second British heavyweight title clash in Riyadh within the last twelve months, but there lie further incentives this time around, as the victor will likely see instant progression to the world level, as well as the glory of a grudge match win.

Finally, we come to the main attraction, as Artur Beterbiev (20-0) and Dmitry Bivol (23-0) collide in an event that seemed near impossible to make until the intervention of Turki Al-Alshikh. The age-old head spinner of power versus skill, fans across the globe continue to struggle to pick a winner, and it is clear to see why.

The only world champion with a 100% knockout ratio, Artur Beterbiev is not just a hard-hitting brute but a masterful boxing mind, trumping the legendary Oleksandr Usyk as an amateur. Beterbiev claimed the IBF light-heavyweight world title in just his 12th outing as a professional and has since gone on to become a three-belt unified champion with stoppage victories over Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Joe Smith Jr.

His last two performances have convinced the British public that he is a force to be reckoned with, twice stepping up a gear and making in-fight adjustments to defend his titles against Anthony Yarde and Callum Smith without the help of the judges.

One drawback for the Canadian-Russian is that he was forced to postpone the originally scheduled undisputed meeting with Bivol earlier this year due to a knee injury, and at 39 years old, there are fears that father time may finally be catching up with the 2009 amateur world champion—regardless of the fact that he has shown no such signs inside of the ring.

In spite of the well-deserved plaudits that Beterbiev has received in the last couple of years, it is WBA champion Dmitry Bivol who is poised to step through the ropes as the favourite for the undisputed crown, a famous win over Canelo Alvarez likely being enough to swing the odds.

An opposite to the WBC, WBO & IBF champion, Bivol’s style is that of a smaller fighter, using his feet as much as his hands to comfortably defeat almost all of his opponents. A stoppage victory over the overmatched Malik Zinad on June 1st was a first win inside the distance since 2018 (nine fights) for Bivol, and the question mark for him is whether he will be able to keep Beterbiev off of him and not allow his fellow champion to cut off the ring and trap him in the corners—something Beterbiev does so well.

Still, Bivol’s footwork has been the basis of much of his success to date, and if the contest begins in a tense, tactical manner rather than the war that many hope to see, then he is the man you would have to favour—even if Beterbiev’s fear-striking training footage would convince many viewers otherwise.

When?

The card will take place in The Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, October 12th, with the undercard expected to begin around 7pm (BST), whilst Beterbiev and Bivol are poised to take centre stage around 11:30pm (BST).

#BeterbievBivol #Boxing #UndisputedChampion #LightHeavyweight #BeterbievVsBivol #DAZN #RiyadhFightNight #BoxingFans #BoxingNews #BoxingLife #FightNight

As the film “The Featherweight,” about the life of boxing great Willie Pep, enters wide release, each day this week – Tuesday through Saturday – a different BoxingScene contributor will reflect on a boxing biopic that resonates with them.

As far as critical pedigree is concerned, not many boxing biopics match the double-Oscar-winning film documenting the life and times of Micky Ward and his brother Dicky Eklund, “The Fighter.”

It was nominated for Best Picture in 2011, and Christian Bale, as Dicky, and Melissa Leo, playing the family matriarch, Alice, earned the top awards for Best Supporting Actors.

It is hard to argue with the critics.

Mark Wahlberg plays Micky Ward, and the movie was his brainchild. The actor had reportedly always wanted to be in a boxing film, and he and Ward had known one another for years.

“The Fighter” charts a section of Ward’s life and the ups and downs of his relationship with his trainer and brother, as well as his life in and out of the ring.

Bale was the man who stole the show of the nearly two-hour-long film, and those who looked for faults from a boxing perspective had a field day.

It was Hollywood – not a documentary, after all – which seemed senseless as the story of Micky and Dicky was dramatic enough.

The period of time the film captured also drew criticism. For instance, it stopped after Ward won the lesser-known WBU title with a victory over Shea Neary in London. It didn’t cover the period when Ward hit the height of his fame towards the end of his career for, notably, the trilogy with Arturo Gatti that is burned into the fabric of boxing history as one of the great rivalries. There is some archived fight footage from those wild bouts in the end credits, but that’s it.

And the fact that the storytelling missed out on that time frame always left a grain of hope that a sequel would be made – something Ward was keen for and that Wahlberg teased on occasion.

Alas, it was never to be.

But what remains is a superb biopic, one that falls under the umbrella of “based on true events,” documenting Eklund’s battle with addiction and Ward’s career as a hard-luck contender all played out in front of a chaotic family backdrop.

Eklund is conveyed as a likeable if infuriating rascal, which might pass as fair comment.

The brothers’ relationship was one in which they would help one another as best as they could in their own ways. It was as if Micky’s routine and discipline helped give Dicky structure, while Dicky, who had learned some of life’s harshest lessons, was able to impart the lessons of some of his many mistakes onto his younger brother, with a “do as I say, not as I do” feel to the shared wisdom.

Wahlberg puts in an underrated and understated performance as Ward. He is flawless, and arguably his job in the film was the hardest. How does one go about portraying an everyday guy who still paves roads for a living? How do you make it believable without making him jump off the screen? That is a challenge in itself because for all of Micky’s celebrity and his Fights of the Year with the likes of Emanuel Augustus, Gatti, and Neary, and despite the movie and having been played by an A-lister, Ward has never changed.

I met Micky in 2001, a couple of weeks after the first Gatti fight, visiting him at his home in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Over the next 20 or so years, I’ve created many great memories with Micky. I’ve been back to his house in Lowell a few times. Despite everything – the accolades, the movies, the success – he never moved. He never changed his number. He remains everything you would hope the blue-collar idol would be – self-deprecating, modest, and honest.

If anyone has watched “The Fighter” and felt inspired, Ward is not in the never-meet-your-heroes category.

In fact, after I left Micky’s house one day – and with my long journey ahead – he insisted on taking me out for food and a coffee.

On another trip to Boston, I visited Micky to record my “Boxing Life Stories” podcast with him, and what we recorded is a fair reflection of our friendship over the years, with some laughs and somber moments along the way. While in the area, Dicky and I went for lunch, and he and I recorded another episode of the podcast. I thought Dicky would go on about his wild life and misspent youth, but he was actually tough to pry open. I do remember him telling me that he wasn’t that bad back in the day, and he argued: “In the newspapers, they made me out to be Al Capone.”

We often meet at the International Boxing Hall of Fame. One year, I took my wife there on vacation, and we met Micky and Dicky in the since-bulldozed Graziano’s.

Micky and I went and sat in a booth to talk, while Dicky was left to woo my wife.

Micky’s path also crossed with mine when I wrote “Damage,” and I had read in his excellent biography, “A Warrior’s Heart,” that he had pledged his brain for research when he passes as part of a vital brain study for athletes and fighters in Boston.

As he always quips: “It’s not like I used it much!”

Of course, Ward is selling himself short, but brains are one thing, and heart is another thing entirely, and it is the latter he is best known for.

And it is that that “The Fighter” best demonstrates of Ward, in and out of the ring. Micky Ward always has been all heart.

It is why the title has been so poignant, too. There are no airs and graces about Micky. Never have been. He was and always will be The Fighter.

#TheFighter #MickyWard #BoxingMovies #Biopic #MarkWahlberg #BoxingHistory #WilliePep #BoxingLifeStories

Over seven years ago, Conor McGregor stepped through the ropes to make his boxing debut in ‘The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History’ against pound-for-pound legend Floyd Mayweather. Now, after years of inactivity in both boxing and the UFC, the ‘Notorious’ one is being linked with a comeback against a polarizing Brit.

Mayweather-McGregor remains memorable as one of the most hotly anticipated and well-promoted events of all time, registering the second-highest number of pay-per-view buys ever (4.3 million), trailing only behind Mayweather-Pacquiao. However, the fight itself was less eventful, as Mayweather dominated the action and put on a boxing clinic before halting the Irishman in the tenth round, with glimpses of quality from the debutant quickly fading from memory.

Since that 2017 loss, McGregor has not re-entered the squared circle and has fought only four times in the Octagon, suffering stoppage defeats in three of those bouts. Nonetheless, a return to the sport has always been a possibility for high-profile figures in combat sports, with Terence Crawford and Jake Paul being recent names mentioned for a potential McGregor comeback.

In a recent interview on the 5 Live Boxing Podcast, middleweight title hopeful Chris Eubank Jr. revealed that there have been talks about a boxing match with the two-division UFC champion. Eubank Jr. expressed his interest, stating, “You know, there’s actually been talks of me and him having a boxing match at some point. The fans have said that they want to see that. How interesting that would be. That’s definitely something that I’m open to exploring.”

However, before Eubank Jr. can fully focus on a potential clash with McGregor, he must first get past Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta, whom he faces on October 12th on the blockbuster Beterbiev-Bivol undercard.

This matchup could reignite interest in McGregor’s boxing career and showcase whether he can still compete at a high level after a lengthy hiatus. Will fans see the ‘Notorious’ back in the ring soon?

#ConorMcGregor #ChrisEubankJr #BoxingComeback #MayweatherVsMcGregor #CombatSports #BoxingNews #UFC #BoxingFans

The picture-perfect left hand that Peter McGrail sunk into Brad Foster’s body last weekend couldn’t have been timed any better. The shot caught Foster in the worst possible place at the worst possible time, bringing a swift end to the junior featherweight fight and reminding fans exactly what the 28-year-old Liverpudlian is capable of.

McGrail, an outstanding amateur, has seen his talent overshadowed by fans who quickly began taking his victories for granted. Last December’s shocking loss to the relatively unknown Ja’Rico O’Quinn was a major upset that raised eyebrows.

In April, McGrail (10-1, 6 KOs) returned from the defeat by outpointing the tricky Marc Leach in a comprehensive but cautious manner. He needed an eye-catching result, and he certainly delivered against Foster, a former British and Commonwealth champion who has been struggling lately.

The red ‘L’s’ on a fighter’s BoxRec page don’t allow much room for nuance, failing to capture how closely Foster lost to Jason Cunningham and Rhys Edwards. No one has come remotely close to doing what McGrail did to him.

“I felt it was on the cards, you know what I mean? He’s been body punching well lately in the spars, so it was good,” McGrail’s trainer, Paul Stevenson, told BoxingScene. “It was always going to be quite a hard fight because he [Foster] is good and he’s big at the weight and he's strong. He has good tactics. He’s clever and experienced and no one has done it to him before. And he was up for it.”

With this victory, McGrail has reignited interest in potential matchups against British and European champion Dennis McCann, who has been mandated to defend his titles against McGrail. Given McGrail’s amateur pedigree, the decision was quickly made to fast-track him through the world rankings, focusing on climbing the WBA ladder instead of navigating the British scene.

The prospect of domestic rivalries is suddenly much more appealing for McGrail. Not only would bragging rights be at stake, but fights with McCann and Liam Davies would have implications at the world level.

“With Riyadh Season, you can pay them properly, so it makes sense for everyone. Well, certainly for us,” Stevenson noted. “You can go on the British route, and you can have really hard life-and-death fights for not much advancement in the world rankings, and I’ve just never really loved that as a route.”

Stevenson believes they have the best fighter among the contenders mentioned, and they are willing to pursue whatever route offers the best advancements and finances for McGrail.

As Stevenson alluded to, Riyadh Season is becoming the place to be, and a fight between McGrail—represented by Matchroom—and Queensberry’s McCann appears to be a strong candidate for the next installment of the 5 Vs. 5 series, which pits fighters from promotional giants against each other.

“I don't think they want it. I think he was making a few noises because Pete didn't look on fire in his last fight, and he got beat the one before that,” Stevenson said. “But then, obviously, when he's seen him do that [to Foster], now Dennis McCann's making different noises.”

Regardless of the opponent, McGrail’s team is focused on advancing. “If not them, it'll be someone else. If it's not Saudi, it'll be somewhere else, but we’ll just keep advancing, and Pete can be a world champion in 12 to 18 months. Just see what happens.”

#PeterMcGrail #Boxing #RiyadhSeason #BritishBoxing #WBA