Women's boxing historian Malissa Smith offered her perspective on Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the sport and its implications for female fighters as the country prepares to host another bout featuring women on October 12.

The presence of Riyadh Season in boxing is growing—some are delighted, and some are skeptical. Skye Nicolson and Raven Chapman agreed to fight there in the first women’s title fight, with Nicolson’s WBC featherweight title on the line, marking only the second women's fight in Saudi Arabia, on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol.

Smith is skeptical about the future of women’s boxing on these cards.

“It sometimes feels like a token gesture, like they’re saying, ‘Look, we have women on the card,’ but the bigger picture is concerning,” Smith told BoxingScene. “We’ve seen some women’s bouts, like when Ramla Ali fought on an Anthony Joshua card.”

Smith questioned whether this involvement would genuinely support women’s boxing, expressing concerns that those believing the Saudi Arabian influx of capital could run boxing in the short term might overlook the future of female fighters.

“The Saudis are talking about launching a boxing league, signing major promoters, and putting the sport on the map,” Smith said. “Where are the women in these discussions? This league is all about men. There’s no mention of women at all.”

The world has always been tougher for women, but it’s even harder for those who are fighters. Smith raised concerns about the impact on female fighters.

“What happens when all the top male fighters are fighting under this league, and the women who typically share fight cards with them are left out?” Smith asked. “Will promoters step up and give women their own platforms as main events? I doubt it.”

Reflecting on the broader challenges for women's boxing, Smith pointed to the limited opportunities for marquee female bouts. She noted that the U.S. boxing schedule isn’t the most plentiful in 2024.

“Even with fights like Claressa Shields versus Savannah Marshall, which was one of the most exciting match-ups we’ve seen, getting a rematch has been a struggle,” Smith said. “If promoters cared about women’s boxing, we’d see a woman on every fight card.”

Smith concluded by expressing frustration with the current state of the sport, pointing out that Daniel Dubois stopping Joshua is another missed opportunity for a talented fighter to get a major chance.

“Take Daniel Dubois’ sister Caroline—she’s an incredible talent, a future Hall of Famer, but she wasn’t on the same card as her brother's big fight,” Smith said. “That makes no sense. The truth is, they don’t care about women’s boxing. If they did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” 

#WomensBoxing #SaudiArabia #RiyadhSeason #BoxingHistory #FemaleFighters #BoxingConcerns

LOS ANGELES – Junto Nakatani will defend his WBC 118-pound title for a second time against Petch Sor Chitpattana as the last leg of a two-day Tokyo card featuring a combined seven title fights on ESPN+ on October 14.

A much more meaningful master plan, however, could be there for the taking for Nakatani should the three-division world champion remain undefeated.

Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs) co-promoter Top Rank plans to pit the power-punching Japanese southpaw on the undercard of a Naoya Inoue showcase event in the United States next year, followed by a super fight between Inoue and Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

The undisputed junior featherweight champion Inoue has indicated that Nakatani should first fight his younger brother Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KOs), a bantamweight contender and former 118-pound titlist, before he considers moving up in weight to fight him.

Nakatani agrees with the idea.

"I'm going to do what I have to do for now,” Nakatani told BoxingScene through a translator after a recent training session at the LA Boxing Gym. "If there is a chance, I will. I would like first to fight his brother Takuma and then Naoya.”

The 26-year-old Nakatani believes a fight against the elder, more dominant Naoya, 31, will be the biggest fight in Japanese history.

“TJ Doheny was a high-class opponent in his last fight and Naoya still knocked him out, so we have to give him credit,” said Nakatani. "We're going to try to make that fight happen.”

Nakatani – No. 10 on BoxingScene’s pound-for-pound list – said he considers the four-division champion Inoue the No. 1 P4P fighter in the world.

Nakatani, who is trained by career-long coach Rudy Hernandez in Los Angeles, plans on sticking around at 118 pounds to unify titles in the division and move up to 122 pounds sometime next year once the Inoue fight becomes available.

His ultimate plan is to become a six-division champion by winning additional titles at 122, 126, and 130 pounds. He would even welcome a bout against Jesse Rodriguez in the interim if “Bam” decided to move up to 118 pounds.

But before the mouthwatering matchups can materialize, Nakatani must first step past Sor Chitpattana (76-1, 53 KOs), a 30-year-old southpaw who has fought just once outside of his native Thailand, suffering a unanimous decision loss to Takuma Inoue in 2018 for the WBC interim bantamweight title.

“Sor Chitpattana is a good contender, but I’m focused on training and what I am doing,” said Nakatani. “I feel stronger at 118 pounds since I don't have to cut the extra weight. My speed helps trigger knockouts.”

#NakataniVsSorChitpattana #BoxingTitles #SuperFight #InoueNakatani #WBCChampion #FightNight

Chris Colbert has a plan to become a world champion by moving down in weight to 130lbs.

The Brooklyn native, 28, is scheduled to fight on ProBox TV for the first time against the 24-year-old Omar Salcido Gamez of Mexico in a lightweight contest 10 months after suffering a sixth-round knockout loss to Jose Valenzuela. The defeat by Valenzuela came in the rematch that followed him previously winning a unanimous decision over 10 rounds.

Colbert came close to fighting for the WBA junior-lightweight title against the then-champion Roger Gutierrez in February 2022, but the titleholder pulled out two weeks before fight night due to a positive COVID-19 test. Gutierrez was replaced by the underdog Hector Luis Garcia in what became a WBA 130lbs title eliminator.

In an upset, Garcia dominated the favorite Colbert and won a 12-round unanimous decision via scores of 119-108, 118-109, and 118-109.

Ahead of the fight with Gamez (19-1, 13 KOs), Colbert (17-2, 6 KOs) says he’s ready to prove his worth on his return to the ring.

“I was supposed to have been a world champion if I could afford the guy I was supposed to fight and then take a last-minute replacement, but it's life,” Colbert told BoxingScene.

“Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes in life, they say when you want something, God might not give it to you because you might not know how to handle it when he gives it to you. He’s gonna give it to you when he's ready, and this is just a part of it.

“I'm not complaining. I'm going down in weight to 130 to challenge for honors there.”

Colbert has spent most of his professional career at junior lightweight. His only lightweight outing came in the two fights with Jose Valenzuela. On October 9, he’s billed to face Gamez at 135, but Colbert believes the 130lbs division remains his surest bet at realizing his world-title dream.

“I've been off the ring for too long, and I can’t jump back down just a bit to 130,” he said. “I will be fighting at 135 on October 9 but will surely move down.” 

#ColbertVsGamez #BoxingDreams #MoveTo130 #ProBoxTV #BoxingNews #FutureChampion

An undisputed women’s flyweight bout is set for November 2 in Las Vegas, pitting IBF flyweight titleholder Gabriela Fundora against WBC, WBO, and WBA titlist Gabriela Celeste Alaniz.

The fight was announced on the WBA Boxing website as part of its upcoming schedule.

Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs), 22, from Coachella, California, and the sister of junior middleweight titleholder Sebastian Fundora, will be making her third appearance of the year. She scored a stoppage victory over Christina Cruz in January and followed it with a unanimous decision win against Daniela Asenjo in August.

Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs), 28, from Argentina, unified her titles in April with a split decision win in a rematch against Marlen Esparza. Alaniz avenged a majority decision loss to Esparza in July, securing her belts in Fresno, California. She has not fought since.

Golden Boy Promotions will promote the event, which is expected to land on the undercard of a Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield-Rene Tellez Giron bout. Fundora is signed to Golden Boy, while Alaniz has appeared on Golden Boy cards in her last two outings

#WomenInBoxing #UndisputedChampionship #FlyweightFury #FundoraVsAlaniz #BoxingMatch #GoldenBoyPromotions

ProBox TV CEO Garry Jonas and Jamie Conlan will be working together to bring the ProBox TV ethos of “evenly-matched action fights” to the UK, starting on November 1, with a big show in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Another event will follow a month later in Waterford, Ireland, on December 7, before Jonas and Conlan head to the England and Scotland in 2025.

The first show, at the SSE Arena, sees 18-1 (9 KOs) Irish light heavyweight Padraig McCrory meet Spain-based Colombian Leonard Carrillo, 17-5 (6 KOs), former Irish amateur star Kurt Walker, 11-0 (2 KOs), takes on Rudy Garcia, 13-1 (2 KOs), from Los Angeles, and Liverpool’s Robbie Davies, 23-5 (15 KOs), coming off a 10-round decision loss to Sergey Lipinets on ProBox TV earlier in the year, takes on 38-4-1 (27 KOs) Dominican southpaw Javier Fortuna at junior middleweight.

There is more to come on the bill, and in the future between ProBox TV, a US-based boxing channel that streams globally – and owns BoxingScene – and Conlan Boxing.

“From day one, it’s been in our plans to go to the UK market,” Jonas said. “It’s the home of boxing. These are the best and most knowledgeable fans in the world. The USA may be the best market for the biggest fights due to the sheer population but per Capita the UK is by far the best English speaking boxing market in the world.”

Jonas said the 2025 plans are due to begin in Liverpool, as they then start to make their way through the United Kingdom.

“We are a boxing channel not a promoter,” Jonas explained, “with a very distinct philosophy about the type of fights we make. Evenly matched action fights is what the true fan really wants to see; good fighters in great fights. We don’t back a certain fighter; every fighter has a fair shot to win. We had to seek out a promoter in the UK willing to adhere to these guidelines and we are very pleased to announce that Conlan Boxing will be that promoter for us across the pond. Jamie and Michael Conlan are amongst the best young promoters in Europe, and we are confident they are the right people to help us develop the ProBox TV fight series throughout Europe.” 

Jamie Conlan, former pro and now Conlan Boxing boss, said he had no hesitation linking up with the Florida-based network.

“I’ve been very aware of ProBox TV for a while now,” said Conlan. “Their fortnightly midweek boxing has been constantly impressing me, all-action competitive fights with notable names. So I got to listen to Garry’s vision for moving the ProBox TV model to the UK/Ireland and wider Europe I jumped in. Consistent competitive fights that gave fans value for their money, sign me up.”

It begins on Friday, November 1

“Starting in Belfast with Pody McCrory in a complete shootout with Leonard Carrillo and Robbie Davies Jnr-Javier Fortuna in a real 50/50 crossroads fight, throw in undefeated former Olympian Kurt Walker the toughest test of his career against Rudy Garcia and a rematch of the Irish Fight of the Year in Rudy Farrell vs Conor Kerr, this is a great way to kick off the series in Belfast.

“Then onward to Waterford in December with an intriguing all-Irish affair between Dylan Moran and Tyrone McKenna.”

Conlan said there are plans in place “to move hot and heavy next year” with the new collaboration targeting monthly shows, producing “a steady stream of competitive fights that everyone will appreciate.”

For those wanting to tune in on November 1, the ProBox TV app is available in all app stores and also on smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku – and it’s free. Visit probotv.com for more details.

Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai faced off today at the launch press conference of their November 30 fight in Birmingham.

The contest, which will be held at the Resorts World Arena, will be for the WBC interim flyweight title, with the winner fighting for the vacant title in 2025. Edwards and Yafai are familiar foes, having shared the ring with each other 10 years ago as amateurs and spending years on the GB squad sparring countless rounds.  

Since the pair's first meeting a decade ago, both men have been on a collision course. Edwards took the professional route and picked up the IBF title with a standout win over Moruti Mthalane, while Yafai stuck around on the GB setup and won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“People don’t really know but we fought 10 years ago, this has been bubbling for years,” Yafai said. “He went on to win a world title, I went on to win Olympic gold. We both did our bit, and we are here now at a crossroads. Trust me, I don’t want to lose to Sunny Edwards, and he doesn’t want to lose to Galal Yafai.”  

Edwards believes that it is the experience that both men have picked up since they last fought has prepared them for such an occasion and after sharing the ring countless times in sparring, believes the fans are in for a treat on November 30.  

“We’ve both spent the last decade going around the world and facing the best challengers,” Edwards said. “I don’t fear losing, I don’t fear the harm another person can do to my body – especially not someone my size. Galal is probably one of the best and has been for a few years now. He’s shown that he’s taken the pro game like a duck to water.

“My footwork, my IQ, my decision making, my engine, my activity during rounds [will win me this fight],” he continued. “I’m very hard to win rounds against. He’s a fantastic fighter, and operator. The best thing about this fight is it’s going to give the fans something to watch back. The only fight that I’ve had is when I lost against Bam [Rodriguez]. I’m trying to have that fight worth watching back that I win. Against Galal we just start having it out straight away, we’re never too far away from each other.”  

Yafai was asked what the fans could expect from the fight after sharing the ring with Edwards in sparring over the years and agreed with his rival that the fight would deliver an entertaining affair.

“If anyone has seen the spars, they know it’s a proper fight,” Yafai replied. “This is no bullshit fight. I know we’re flyweights, we’re small and people don’t care as much about our weights. But this is a proper fight, I’ve not come to lie down and take the money and run.  

“I’m stubborn. Do you think I’m going to let Sunny come to Birmingham and run rings around me? Do you think he’s going to let me pressure him and beat him up? It ain’t going to happen. We’re both going to do what we can to win.”  

During Yafai and Edwards’ time on the GB squad their rivalry first took shape. Yafai was selected to fight in a 2016 Olympic qualifier ahead of Edwards, a decision Edwards believes GB head coach and Yafai’s now trainer, Rob McCracken, made because of external factors and not based on talent. Yafai would go on to qualify for the 2016 Olympics and eventually win a gold medal at Tokyo 2020.

“My questions [of the decision] was never whether Galal was good enough or should have gone or shouldn’t of,” said Edwards. “My questions were more about the system. The same person who was training his brother [Kal Yafai] was making the decision about who got to go where and when during the Olympics, to qualifiers, and whatnot.

“It’s also the same person who’s negotiating with Eddie Hearn about this fight and the same person who’s going to be in the ring on fight night and they’re still training in the same gym. To me, it just seems like the game is a bit skewed.”

“It paid off, I won gold,” Yafai jokingly responded.

#SunnyEdwards #GalalYafai #EdwardsYafai #WBCFlyweight #FlyweightTitle #BoxingShowdown #OlympicGold #IBFChampion #BoxingRivals #ResortsWorldArena #BirminghamBoxing #UKBoxing #BoxingLife #FightNight #BoxingNews

It was the best New Year’s Eve ever. Chris van Heerden and his lady, Ksenia Karelina, were in Istanbul, not just celebrating 2024’s arrival, but a love that had blossomed in the previous months. It’s not easy in this day and age, but the couple was happy.

Van Heerden, then 36, was on the verge of retirement, thinking about one more fight after a loss in April 2022 to Conor Benn, and for Ksenia’s 33 rd birthday he bought her a ticket to see her family in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

By January, all good thoughts of their time in Turkey had vanished when she was arrested. The charge? Treason. The reason? She made a $50 donation to a New York-based charity aiding Ukraine.

The sentence? Twelve years in a Russian penal colony.

It’s been the nightmare neither of them has been able to wake up from.

“I think, ‘What world am I living in?’” Van Heerden told BoxingScene. “How did everything go from being so amazing? We were together for New Year's in Istanbul, and we had the best couple of days there as a couple. And it was magical. And now I catch myself and I say, is this a dream? What am I living right now? What are the chances? I'm just a boxer. I'm not into politics. I'm not into any of that. What are the chances that I'm living this dream?”

It baffles the mind, but it not making sense doesn’t help resolve the situation in a positive manner. So Van Heerden has done the only thing he knows – he fights. And the fight now is to get Karelina declared wrongfully detained on the United States side. Once that happens, she becomes a priority when and if there’s a prisoner swap between the US and Russia, and the hope is that her status gets upgraded as soon as possible.

“We've met all the criteria, and right now I'm in conversation with the State Department and they say, ‘Okay, we need nothing else from you,’” said Van Heerden.

So now, they wait. 

“Right now, we've done everything,” he said. “All I need to do is pray, and all we need is just to share what I share on my social media and keep this story alive. That's the best thing we can do.”

As for Karelina, a dual citizen, her sentence was appealed, so she hasn’t been transferred to the penal colony yet, and she is able to receive visits from her family and letters from Van Heerden.

“We can write letters to each other twice a month,” he said. “So I write a letter to the prison, they read it, they scan it, they give it to her, she writes back, they read it, they scan it, they send it back to me.”

Any way you slice it, it’s a horrible way to have a relationship, and with everything going on, it sped up Van Heerden’s decision to retire in August.

“I wanted to have one more fight this year, but a big part of why I retired is because this is the toughest fight I've been in, fighting for this girl's freedom,” he said. “It's taking so much of my time, it's taking so much of my energy that I have no time to really focus on boxing right now. I just don't. Someone is depending on me, and I'm in a tough fight right now, but it’s one I'm very confident we're going to win, and soon we'll celebrate and soon she'll be back, and we'll be able to share our story. It's a beautiful love story.” 

Van Heerden tries to stay positive, but it’s a situation where he’s helpless to solve this on his own. It’s the same thing as when his father, Daniel, was tragically murdered in 2018. He fights on, though, putting his own grief to the side in order to push forward. And it’s given him a drive he hasn’t had since 2018.

“Every single day, I have something to do, emails to get back to, I'm on a call with either the state department or my team,” he said. “I'm busy fighting for this girl’s freedom. When I lost my father, I lost my fire. I lost my passion. I lost my will to win. I lost my love for boxing, but I still went on fighting. Now when I lost to Conor Benn in 2022, I made peace with it. I said, ‘You know what? I'm 35 years old, I don't want to do this. I’m not lying to everyone’. And I woke up every single morning and I asked myself, what is my purpose? 

“Fast forward to January 27th when my girlfriend was arrested. I wake up every single morning with a purpose now. I'm alive. I'm fighting for someone's freedom. It's a horrible situation, but I'm alive and I feel like I have a purpose and that is, I got to get this girl out. And then people say, but Chris, how much can you do? Let me tell you how much I'm doing. I am literally the one guy that can help getting Ksenia out.” 

That’s because, as of last week, there’s been no contact with her by US officials, despite Karelina having been a citizen of the United States since 2021.

“Russia does not recognize the dual citizenship,” said Van Heerden. “Russia says she's not an American because she's Russian, and they are blocking all Americans to see her. So, the State Department, the White House, they get the information from me because I am in contact with her lawyer and I'm in contact with her mom and dad every day. I am literally the guy in the middle connecting these dots and it's exhausting. But, like I said, I feel more alive and I have a purpose.” 

As for Karelina, Van Heerden recognizes that there were, understandably, some rough moments over the past several months, but now she’s optimistic that this nightmare will eventually be coming to an end. Once she gets that wrongfully detained status, then it could just be a matter of a phone call with little notice that says a swap is taking place. And the couple is hopeful that the call comes sooner rather than later, making New Year’s 2025 even better than 2024.

“I’ve got fight in me, and I know I'm going to push through it,” said Van Heerden. “And I believe that, at the end of the day, we're going to have something to celebrate and that some good will come out of it. I believe it.” 

#ChrisVanHeerden #KseniaKarelina #FreeKsenia #BoxingLife #StateDepartment #FightForFreedom #WrongfullyDetained #Justice #PrisonerSwap #Freedom #StateDept #Russia #Treason #BoxingNews #NeverGiveUp #NewYearsEve #LoveAndFight

Top Rank are seeking a new co-feature to Keyshawn Davis-Gustavo Daniel Lemos on November 8 after an injury suffered by Brian Norman Jnr forced the cancellation of his fight with Derrieck Cuevas.

BoxingScene understands the 23-year-old Norman Jnr, the WBO welterweight champion, has injured his left hand. His promoters plan to schedule a new date with Cuevas, 29 and of Puerto Rico, for the first quarter of 2025.

Norman Jnr had previously agreed to fight Cuevas when there had existed the opportunity for him to fight the IBF champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis in a unification contest. Ennis has since agreed to fight his mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9.

Top Rank intend on issuing a statement confirming the development when they have succeeded in replacing Norman Jnr-Cuevas at the Scope Arena in Norfolk.

#BrianNormanJnr #DerrieckCuevas #KeyshawnDavis #GustavoDanielLemos #TopRank #JaronEnnis #KarenChukhadzhian #WBOChampion #IBFChampion #WelterweightBoxing #ScopeArena #NorfolkBoxing #BoxingNews #PuertoRicoBoxing #InjuryUpdate #FightPostponed

KRYSTAL ROSADO, the first fighter signed by Puerto Rican legend AMANDA SERRANO, will take center stage on the undercard of the MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS 9 event on October 11 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Rosado (4-0, 2 KOs) will face Mexico’s PERLA LOMELI (6-2) in a six-round junior featherweight clash. This exciting night of boxing will be headlined by an undefeated featherweight showdown between JAN PAUL RIVERA (10-0, 6 KOs) and ANDY “SKELETOR” BELTRAN (8-0, 5 KOs).

Rosado has been rising quickly in her career, making her professional debut in 2023. Her latest victory was a swift knockout against VERONIKA DMITRIYEVA in July 2024. Now, she looks to continue her perfect record in front of her home crowd.

In addition to Rosado’s fight, the event will feature a number of rising Puerto Rican talents, including 20-year-old ELIJAH FLORES (8-0, 3 KOs), who will go up against OMAR ROSARIO (13-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight contest. Other exciting matchups include WILLIAM “YEYO” COLÓN (4-0, 2 KOs) battling JAN “EL PESCADOR” POMALES RIVERA (7-3, 4 KOs), and an intense heavyweight clash between HERICH RUIZ (5-0, 4 KOs) and TRAVORUS BARNES (6-0, 5 KOs).

The event, co-promoted by UNIVERSAL PROMOTIONS and BOXLAB PROMOTIONS, marks MVP’s first show in Puerto Rico. This partnership with AMANDA SERRANO and JORDAN MALDONADO promises to be a showcase for the next generation of Puerto Rican boxing stars.

#KrystalRosado #PerlaLomeli #JanPaulRivera #AndyBeltran #ElijahFlores #OmarRosario #WilliamColon #JanPomalesRivera #HerichRuiz #TravorusBarnes #AmandaSerrano #UniversalPromotions #BoxlabPromotions #MVPBoxing #PuertoRicoBoxing #NextGenBoxing

There has been a lot of speculation in regards to what happens next with Terence Crawford.

Promoter Eddie Hearn speculated recently that the 37-year-old may never fight again.

Canelo Alvarez refused to rule ‘Bud’ Crawford out for his next opponent.

In the meantime, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) mandated Sebastian Fundora as the next opponent.

Terence Crawford is the reigning WBO Interim Jr. Middleweight Champion.

Fundora, on the other hand, is the WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion.

The fight was to terminate the interim status and determine who would emerge as the king of the middleweight scene.

But now it seems that the wait will go on a little while longer.

The WBO have

On August 28, the WBO ordered the fight and gave both sides 30 days to strike a deal.

It’s notoriously difficult at times to get boxers to negotiate what the split will be on the revenue for each fighter.

That date would have run out on September 28.

However, according to the communications from the WBO, an email communication by Attorney Mr. Harrison Whitman, on behalf of Terrence Crawford, requested a 10 day extension of the negotiation period to continue discussion on the matter.

On the same day, Fundora’s promoter Mr. Sampson Lewkowicz agreed to the extension.

Therefore, there is now an additional 10 days for the two sides to come to an agreement.

The release is signed by the chairman of the WBO, Luis Batista Salas.

So it seems that both fighters need a little more time to work out the details for the fight.

With the 10 day extension now in place, the date for the fight will likely be available in just over a week’s time.  

#TerenceCrawford #SebastianFundora #WBO #BoxingNews #MiddleweightBoxing #BoxingFans #FightNight #TitleUnification #CrawfordFundora #BoxingUpdates #BoxingShowdown #NegotiationExtension #WBOChampion #CrawfordVsFundora #BoxingHype

British super-bantamweight champion LIAM DAVIES has brushed off any concerns about his upcoming fight with rising star SHABAZ MASOUD. Davies, known as “The Dog,” remains confident as he prepares to defend his title, dismissing Masoud’s abilities with little hesitation.

Davies, who has gained a reputation for his aggressive fighting style, isn’t worried about the challenge ahead. When asked about Masoud, Davies said he’s not impressed and doesn’t see him as a real threat. “I’m not concerned about him at all,” Davies stated confidently.

Meanwhile, SHABAZ MASOUD, also known as “Maverick,” remains focused on proving himself as a worthy contender. Masoud, who is known for his speed and technical ability, sees this fight as an opportunity to showcase his skills and silence the critics.

With both fighters exchanging verbal jabs, fans are eagerly anticipating this clash between the experienced champion and the hungry challenger. The upcoming bout promises to deliver fireworks as these two fighters look to make a statement in the super-bantamweight division.

The fight is set to take place soon, and all eyes will be on Davies and Masoud as they settle their differences in the ring.

#LiamDavies #ShabazMasoud #SuperBantamweight #BritishBoxing #BoxingNews #BoxingChampion #Maverick #TheDog #FightNight #BoxingShowdown #UKBoxing #TitleDefense #BoxingUpdates #FightPreview #BoxingFans

Jake Paul has a lot on his plate right now.

The YouTuber is gearing up for his clash with boxing legend Mike Tyson in November.

Promotion is building for that clash as viewers gear up to see what will happen when the two set into the ring.

But that’s not the only thing that Jake Paul has to worry about right now.

There’s also the little case of a defamation lawsuit that he’s also got in the background.

Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn is currently in the midst of suing the Cleveland native.

London based Hearn did not take too kindly to some of the accusations that came his way from Paul.

For those unaware, Eddie Hearn sued Jake Paul in September 2022.

That’s due to Paul accusing the promoter of bribing boxing judge Glenn Feldman to score fights in favour of his boxers.

The two specific boxers and fights that Paul referred to were Katie Taylor against Amanda Serrano and Anthony Joshua against Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch bout.Mike Tyson challenged by former undisputed world heavyweight champion

Needless to say, Eddie Hearn did not take too kindly to these words and subsequently sued.

In response, Jake Paul and his legal team filed a motion to get the suit dismissed.

However, that has not been successful.

According to ESPN reporter Mike Coppinger, a New York judge has denied this motion and has said it needs to move ahead.

The judge has now set the date for the lawsuit hearing to October 16.

That’s less than a month from when Jake Paul faces ‘Iron’ Mike for their clash.

Not ideal preparation.

As things stand right now, the next two months are going to be very busy for Jake Paul both in and out of the ring.A New York judge denied Jake Paul’s motion to dismiss a defamation suit filed by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, per records obtained by ESPN.

Hearn sued Paul in September 2002 after he was accused of bribing Glen Feldman to score fights in favor of Katie Taylor (vs.…

#JakePaul #EddieHearn #MikeTyson #BoxingLawsuit #DefamationSuit #GlennFeldman #KatieTaylor #AmandaSerrano #AnthonyJoshua #OleksandrUsyk #BoxingNews #BoxingPromotion #MatchroomBoxing #MikeCoppinger #BoxingUpdates

Terence Crawford’s legal team have asked the WBO for 10 more days for an agreement to be struck between the WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora and Crawford, who holds their Interim title.

On August 28, the WBO’s committee ordered both parties to negotiate the fight and both sides were given 30 days to agree a deal or purse bids would be called, in accordance to WBO rules.

Crawford had been allowed to fight for the Interim title as Fundora had to have time off having sustained injuries in his March bloody fight with Tim Tszyu.

Crawford won the belt against Israil Madrimov in August in his first fight at 154lbs.

On September 30, Crawford’s legal counsel asked for 10 more days, and Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, agreed to the extension via email.

The respective teams have until 4pm on October 10 to strike a deal, or the committee will order purse bids.

#SebastianFundora #TerenceCrawford #WBO #JuniorMiddleweight #BoxingNews #FightNegotiations #IsrailMadrimov #SampsonLewkowicz #PurseBid #BoxingUpdates #FightTalk #154lbs #TimTszyu

It was always going to be a tough act to follow: Wembley Stadium, 90-something-thousand fans, a heavyweight upset, a stunning one-punch finish. And yet, one week after Daniel Dubois came of age against Anthony Joshua, boxing fans were treated to three female fights in the space of 24 hours, all of which did their bit, in terms of both controversy and action, to continue the sport’s recent run of compelling storylines. 

On Friday (September 27), we saw the return of Alycia Baumgardner, the women’s super-featherweight champion who had been inactive since beating  in July 2023. Baumgardner, 15-1 (7), remains the owner of the WBC, IBF and WBO belts, having failed but then overturned a positive performance-enhancing drug test, and on Friday defended them in a fan-friendly fight against Belgium’s Delfine Persoon. It was a fight Baumgardner started well, even dropping Persoon in round one, yet disappointment was to follow – shared, mutual – when Baumgardner caught Persoon with her head after overshooting a right hand. This resulted in a cut above Persoon’s eye and the fight being stopped in round four due to an accidental head clash. “A no contest,” said referee Laurence Cole, reminding Persoon, bloodied and apoplectic, that for there to be a winner the bout required four completed rounds. “An accidental injury.”

As is often the case in these situations, neither boxer went home content, much less happy. Baumgardner, having started so well, left the venue in Atlanta with her belts in her bag but without the feeling of any lost time being clawed back. Persoon, meanwhile, someone who likes to warm into fights and start motoring in the second half, was cut down in her prime and now exited Lux Studios looking different than how she had entered it. 

In New York that same night, Britain’s Sandy Ryan entered another venue, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, feeling differently than how she would have expected. She had, by that stage, cleaned from her body all traces of the red paint that had been thrown at her as she exited her hotel, but still the impact of it stuck around, if just now on her mind rather than body. 

Suddenly, having for days visualised the fight and what would happen on the night, Ryan’s head was a mess of conflicting thoughts and emotions, torn between animal instinct and the cool detachment a fighter requires, like either gloves or a mouthpiece, before the first bell. Whereas before she could imagine and focus only on one enemy, now she had another, one whose identity was a mystery and one whose motive was every bit as elusive. 

That, for a boxer heading into a fight, is maybe the worst thing to experience. After all, with them already preparing to go into the unknown, this place of cruel uncertainty, the last thing a boxer wants is to be hit with a puzzle – or simply a ricket in the routine – en route to their destination. 

Alas, that is exactly what Ryan experienced on Friday. No sooner had she left her hotel than she was ambushed outside by a stranger and now, as a consequence, would spend too many subsequent minutes and hours wondering both who and why. Even in brief moments when she may have forgotten about it, and returned her focus to her opponent, Ryan found it difficult not to connect the two: the paint job and Mikaela Mayer, the opponent. She said, when asked about the incident by ESPN’s Mark Kriegel, “It’s got to be (connected to Mayer). Who else would it be? I’m from the U.K. Who’s going to hit and run me? Who knew what time I was coming down from my hotel to the venue? Who knew? Someone from her team was saying, ‘She’s coming now.’ They knew what time.”

All Ryan could do in the aftermath was try to convince herself that an incident like that could somehow prove to be a motivation rather than a distraction. “I’m here now,” she said. “Keep throwing things at me. That’s what they’re trying to do. I’ve been professional. I’ve done my job. They’re still trying to ruin my mindset. But I’m here to fight.”

In the end, nobody can say with any degree of certainty whether “paint-gate” derailed Sandy Ryan on Friday night and led to her losing her WBO welterweight title, but that is ultimately what happened. Mayer, a former rival of Baumgardner’s, got her own career back on track to the tune of a majority decision (97-93, 96-94, 95-95) and has now claimed a world title in a second weight class after previously thriving as a super-featherweight. 

Between those two weight classes sits lightweight, of course, and it was in this division that Terri Harper wrote a redemption story of her own when outpointing Rhiannon Dixon to grab the WBO belt on Saturday (September 28). This fight took place in Sheffield, England and sparked into life in its second half, by which point Dixon, the champion, had started coming on strong, even hurting Harper in round six, and Harper, the more experienced of the two, was being forced to dig deep and not give any ground. 

It was not a fight on the same level as Ryan-Mayer, either in terms of quality or drama, but it was no less engaging and still featured plenty in the way of momentum shifts and two-way action. In fact, coming as it did after Ryan-Mayer and Baumgardner-Persoon, the fight between Harper and Dixon was yet another reminder of just how consistent and competitive top-level women’s boxing tends to be whenever it is permitted to take center stage. (These three fights were all headliners, by the way.)

Often, though it may not boast the one-punch, blink-and-you-miss-it drama of a heavyweight fight involving two men, there is a kind of magic produced whenever two women butt heads over 10 two-minute rounds. Frantic and ferocious, there is by the very nature of its construct no time to mess around, settle down, or buy time in a top-level fight between two females. What you get instead is a constant feeling of urgency and the need to do more, something conducive to ample leather being thrown and almost as many swings in momentum. That is perhaps why fights between women are touted as Fight of the Year contenders with increasing regularity these days and why the format of 10 two-minute rounds persists despite some female boxers pleading for sanctioning bodies to give them 12 three-minute rounds and therefore a little more room to breathe. 

Certainly, there is a solid argument for that, particularly given the dearth of eye-catching knockouts in the women’s game and the importance of them when it comes to winning over fans and sustaining their interest during a fight. Reduce the potential for this knockout and occasionally a fight can meander, or the attention of the viewer can, and there becomes almost an assumption that the fight will go the distance and that every round will resemble the one that preceded it. In such instances fights, although action-packed, can sometimes lack the edge-of-the-seat drama that becomes a feature and indeed selling point of something like Dubois vs. Joshua, for example. It can leave a fan thrilled to see so many punches thrown but wondering at the same time when one of these punches will change the course of the fight or deliver them the emphatic finish both they, and likely the boxers, covet, removing as it does the need for any scorecards. 

Equally, however, the 10 two-minute round format seems, for now, to get the best out of female boxers and showcases them at their most intense and entertaining. It separates them somewhat from their male counterparts and gives fights between females a different feeling and flavour, one that is not altogether unpleasant. If anything, it is closer to a palate cleanser. It offers many things you don’t get in a fight between men and rarely does a fight between two women drag or feel as though it has killed the momentum of a fight card. Quite the opposite, in fact. For boxing, a sport forever at risk of dereliction, it has in recent years provided a fresh lick of paint.  

#AlyciaBaumgardner #DelfinePersoon #SandyRyan #MikaelaMayer #TerriHarper #RhiannonDixon #WBC #IBF #WBO #Boxing #WomenInSport #FightNight #RedPaint #FightControversy #BoxingDrama

Puerto Rican junior middleweight Xander Zayas is targeting a top-five opponent after a dominant unanimous decision win over Damian Sosa on Friday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Zayas, 22, won all 10 rounds on the judges’ scorecards against Sosa, with each judge scoring the fight 100-90.

After the fight, Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) expressed his desire for higher-ranked competition: “Whoever’s in the top five,” he said.

Zayas is ranked No. 3 by the WBO, No. 6 by the WBC and No. 7 by the IBF. Potential opponents include Charles Conwell, Israil Madrimov, Jesus Ramos Jr., Serhii Bohachuk and Erickson Lubin. Vito Mielnicki Jr., ranked in the WBA’s top five, fought on the same card and has discussed facing Zayas.

Zayas acknowledged Sosa (25-3, 12 KOs), who recently handed unbeaten prospect Marques Valle his first loss, for helping him level up.

“I told him he pushed me and elevated me to the next level,” Zayas said. “Now I feel like I’m ready. Before, I thought I was, but tonight I showed everyone that I’m ready for the elite names.”

Zayas has fought twice so far in 2024, winning both bouts by unanimous decision. Earlier this year, he defeated former titleholder Patrick Teixeira. Known for his knockout power, Zayas has now gone the distance in consecutive fights for only the second time in his career. He neutralized Sosa’s usual high output by limiting him to fewer punches.

“They said he usually throws 84 punches per round, but tonight, I did my job,” Zayas said. “Now I’ll relax and see what’s next.”

The WBA bridgerweight champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (4-0), of Russia, defends his title against Germany’s Leon Harth (22-5-1) on October 17 in Ufa, Russia. 

The fight represents the first defence of the title Gadzhimagomedov won on July 12 when stopping Zhaoxin Zhang.

The annual – and the 16th edition – Ben Bril Memorial Event will be staged at Theater Carré in Amsterdam on October 21. The welterweight Xavier Kohlen (13-2-1) again headlines, and will fight Anthony Loffet, (12-3).

Willy Kyakonye (8-0) fights fellow heavyweight Ali Kiydin (16-5) in a scheduled eight-round contest, which is the chief support to Kohlen-Loffet.

The 48-year old Italian Emiliano Marsili (43-1-1) beat Eber Tobar (12-5-3) of Colombia in his farewell fight after 21 years as a professional fighter.

He was the EBU lightweight champion from 2013 to 2015 and from 2022 to 2023. His sole defeat of a 45-fight career came against Gavin Gwynne in 2023, when he had to retire with a shoulder injury.

Fabio Wardley went toe-to-toe in one of 2024’s fights of the year when they met on Easter Sunday under the spotlights of the O2 Arena – battling to a draw upon a blood-stained canvas. Now, the pair are set to meet again, and both men appear confident that they can make the necessary adjustments to come out on top this time around.

After turning professional without any amateur fights to his name, Wardley went the distance on his debut but knocked out all 16 of his opponents thereafter and claimed the British heavyweight title with a victory over Nathan Gorman before an impressive stoppage win in a defence against David Adeleye.

The Ipswich fan-favourite was then tasked with his toughest opponent when he was matched up against Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Frazer Clarke and the pair went to war in an instant classic that was scored as a split-draw.

Ahead of their rematch next weekend, a confident Wardley told BoxNation that he will have improve finishing instincts on this occasion and that he will stop ‘Big Fraze’ within six rounds.

“[I will end the fight] within six [rounds], I think.

“I have just analysed the fight, I hurt him countless, countless times. It was just my follow up that was wrong, that was all. No big deal.

“I put a lot of work in and damaged him in a lot of different areas and then I saw it [the opening], chased him the wrong way and just kind of let him off of the hook.

“When I knocked him down in the fifth round, if that is the first minute of the round and not the third – I will get him out of there.

“There is no time in my career where you have seen someone hurt and I have knocked them down and I have not got rid of them. You have never seen that from me.

“Every opponent that I have ever faced has hit the canvas, so that speaks for itself in terms of being able to get people out of there.Luis Alberto Lopez’s team fume after severe injury: “He is a butcher.”

“It’s perfectly within my realm, it is perfectly within my capabilities. I just need to be a bit more tidier in a couple of places and I have got it covered.”

In response, Clarke dismissed Wardley’s prediction and believed it to be nothing more than arrogance.“𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗔 𝗝𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗**𝗞𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗!”

“He is a jarring d***head, you know.

“I can tolerate it at times but I just feel like he think he is world level. He thinks he is way above the level which he is at.

“I don’t know where it has come from – yeah he has knocked over a few people and he has done a good job but he is not as good as he thinks he is.”

“He thinks he can just walk in there and take me out in six rounds? Not a prayer. He is delusional.”

Wardley-Clarke II will take place on October 12th on the blockbuster Beterbiev-Bivol undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will be available to watch live on DAZN PPV.

Birmingham, England, is Galal Yafai’s hometown – and it’s where the Olympic gold medalist will face former flyweight titleholder Sunny Edwards on Nov. 30.

“I disagree,” Edwards told iFL TV . “I know I’ve got more people in Birmingham than him, in my opinion. I was there [at] his last show. When I boxed in Sheffield [against Felix Alvarado in 2022], I sold over 100, 150 tickets to people from Birmingham. That’s like one of my second cities. I’ve spent a lot of time there. I’ve got a big network there. I’ve got a lot of Birmingham support – much more than people think.”

Edwards, a 31-year-old from London, won a world title in the 112-pound weight class in April 2021, outpointing Moruti Mthalane. Edwards made four successful defenses before losing a unification bout to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, stopped in the ninth round in December 2023.

Edwards returned in June, taking a cut-shortened technical decision over Adrian Curiel to move to 21-1 (4 KOs). That fight was the second of two consecutive appearances in Arizona for Edwards. This will be his first bout back in the U.K. since June 2023.

“I didn’t want it per se in Birmingham. I wasn’t petitioning for Birmingham,” Edwards said. “But the fight, there was zero chance it was happening where I wanted, which was Sheffield. There was no negotiation on that from their side. They had to go to Birmingham. so we’ve got Birmingham. I was never really too bothered about it. I just asked for one condition: Matchroom helped give [a fighter I manage] an opportunity that he desperately needs, and they’re working on it.”

Yafai is 31 years old as well, and is 8-0 (6 KOs). He triumphed in the 2020/2021 Olympics, then turned pro in 2022. In recent outings, Yafai outpointed the 22-2 Rocco Santomauro last December, stopped the 21-1 Agustin Gauto in eight rounds in April and then won a stay-busy fight this past weekend, dispatching the 9-8 Sergio Orozco Oliva in three rounds.

WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball is preparing for a homecoming fight in Liverpool this weekend, making a voluntary defence of his title against California’s Ronny Rios. Should he win that contest and make a first defence of the belt, there is now a mammoth opportunity around the corner.

Ball announced himself onto the featherweight scene when he knocked out Isaac Lowe on the Fury-Whyte undercard at Wembley Stadium in April 2022 but since then his reputation has grown ten-fold.

A string of stoppage victories for the small but fearsome scouser saw 5’2” Ball rise up the rankings and a points win over Isaac Dogboe granted Ball the chance to challenge for world honours.

A contentious draw with WBC champion Rey Vargas on the Joshua-Ngannou bill impressed viewers and the world stage but it was against America’s Raymond Ford where Ball finally got his hands on a world title – edging a razor-thin split-decision.

Now, as world champion, Ball finds himself with a target on his head and the imminent move up in weight from pound-for-pound number one Naoya Inoue has got British fight fans hopeful of seeing ‘The Monster’ travel to fight in Old Blighty.

Meanwhile, Stephen Fulton, who lost his super-bantamweight titles to Inoue last year, has also recently made the move up and was victorious on his 126lb debut against Carlos Castro last month.

Today, the WBA have confirmed that ‘Cool Boy Steph’ has been installed as the #1 contender and the mandatory challenger for Ball’s title – teeing up a showdown between the front-footed ‘Wrecking’ Ball and the slick Philadelphian, as per Boog Williams.@coolboysteph is the new WBA #1 Contender and Mandatory Challenger Featherweight

— Boog Williams (@Ovajay) October 1, 2024Terence Crawford makes shock allegations that airline stole clothes

“@Coolboysteph is the new WBA #1 Contender and Mandatory Challenger Featherweight”

Speaking with Boxing News, before his split-decision win against Castro, Fulton outlined that Ball was his target and admitted that he felt the aggressive style of the WBA champion was a perfect match-up.

“That [Ball] is the one that I want because that is the weight-class that I am number one for and this is an eliminator for that belt.

“They were close fights [against Rey Vargas and Ray Ford], close fights should go to the champion but it happens. S**t happens.

“We will see, once we get past this, if we can line that up.

“[We would match up] perfect [stylistically] because he comes off as an aggressive, strong fighter and what we have been working on in camp is perfect for that.”

Before Ball can look towards a scrap with Fulton, he must overcome Rios this Saturday night at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool – where he tops a bill featuring a host of domestic talent that can be watched live on TNT Sports.

As for Inoue, the Japanese sensation could look towards IBF featherweight champion Angelo Leo, before a potential unification bout against the victor of Ball-Fulton in late 2025.

The status of a unified champion is one that is craved by so many fighters but achieved by so few, whilst that of an undisputed champion is one that can define a legacy. Now, there is one man closing in on the undisputed crown after picking up two belts with ease, although he has put himself at a major risk of losing it all.

The skill of Janibek Alimkhanuly was realised years ago and the Kazakh was quickly deemed as the bogeyman of the middleweight division despite limited experience as a professional.

However, in recent times, the middleweight division has been blown wide open after the reigns of Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade and Gennadiy Golovkin were each brought to a close by the respective sanctioning bodies rather than worthy opponents.

That left ‘Qazaq’ style well poised in a position to capitalize and pick up the world titles and that is exactly what he has done, being elevated to WBO world champion and then knocking out Vincenzo Gualtieri to add the IBF trinket to his collection.

Yet, Alimkhanuly has ran into a new issue that may prevent him from becoming the undisputed champion – his weight.

The 2013 amateur world champion fainted ahead of a title defence against Russian-New Zealander Andrei Mikhailovich due to a strenuous weight cut back in July and caused the bout to be rescheduled for this Friday night in Sydney.

Now, the undefeated southpaw is tasked with an additional concern after it was revealed that he will only arrive in Australia on Wednesday, failing to allow his body to adjust to the 17-hour time difference between Sydney and his residence in California.

Mikhailovich’s promoter, Marco Rose, admitted that news Alimkhanuly’s seemingly ill-prepared travel arrangements was a ‘shock’, speaking with Fox Sports.Oleksandr Usyk accused of cheating

“I don’t know if it’s over confidence or a lack of respect for Andrei but I’ve never had an international fighter request to fly here so late.

“(Laughs) Normally, they’re arguing with us about trying to get Down Under weeks earlier so that they can shake the jet lag and acclimatise. So I’m absolutely shocked Janibek is only arriving on Wednesday.”

“Especially given the fact that he’s coming off those issue where he didn’t make weight last time.

“You’d think you would be doing everything possible to make sure his weight is right this time around because I can assure him, Australia’s scales are the same as the ones he missed on in the US.

“They don’t change here.”.

“Janibek will be dealing with all that jet lag while also trying to cut weight.

“That’s not a preparation I’d be advising for any of my fighters.”

Whilst Alimkhanuly reigns as the unified WBO & IBF champion, it will only be his IBF crown on the line when he takes on Andrei Mikhailovich on Friday at The Star in Sydney, in an event that can be watched live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom with ringwalks expected around 13:00 BST.