The career of Luis Alberto Lopez is in jeopardy after he suffered a brutal 10th-round knockout at the hands of Angelo Leo in August.

The knockout, delivered by a lead left hook that sent Lopez’s IBF featherweight title to Leo, occurred at Tingley Coliseum and left Lopez with a brain bleed, casting serious doubt on his future in the ring.

What is thus far the greatest night of Leo’s career may wind up being Lopez’s final moment in the ring.

Lopez’s co-manager, Hector Fernandez de Cordova, did not hold back in his criticism of the bout’s handling, particularly singling out referee Ernie Sharif.

“It was one of the worst referees I’ve seen in my life in boxing,” Fernandez said. "A guy like that does not deserve to be in the ring at a world title level – or even with amateurs. He’s a butcher. As a referee, you need to protect fighters from each other and from themselves.”

The situation escalated further after the fight, with Lopez’s team claiming it faced resistance from the New Mexico Athletic Commission to ensure Lopez follow-up medical attention.

“The commission was trying to convince me not to take him to the hospital,” Fernandez said. “They were like, ‘You don’t need to.’ But I was thinking, ‘If you guys don’t want to pay for it, it’s OK. I’ll pay for it. But we’re talking about my fighter’s health.’ He didn’t even know the fight was over.”

Lopez was eventually transported to the hospital, where he stayed overnight for observation. “The neurologist told us the bleed stopped, but we’ll need another MRI in six months,” Fernandez said. “If Lopez still wants to continue fighting, I’m going to reject any offer until we get that MRI. For me, it’s not about money or legacy; it’s about the life of the fighter. They’re like my kids, my siblings. I wouldn’t put them in any danger.”

Fernandez also clarified that Lopez’s injury was not caused by a legal punch attempt. Instead, he believes the brain bleed resulted from rabbit punches, explaining that the doctor informed him the bleed was at a 72-degree angle over Lopez’s left ear.

When reached for comment, Leo defended his performance, insisting his actions were within the rules. “I don’t consider myself a dirty fighter,” Leo said. “I would never aim for the back of the head due to the damages I have seen it do to other fighters.”

Leo acknowledged the physical nature of the bout but maintained that his punches were legal. “I think a lot of the action was on the inside,” Leo said. “We were both throwing hooks to the side of the head, which are legal blows. I was warned once for a rabbit punch because he was dipping low, but other than that, I don't think it altered the fight’s course.”

Adding complexity to the situation is the IBF’s 10-pound weigh-in limit on the morning of the fight, which requires fighters to weigh within 10 pounds of their previous day’s weight. Lopez, who has fought as heavy as lightweight, may have struggled with the weight cut, potentially weakening him before the fight – an issue that has yet to be widely addressed.

Despite these concerns, the most pressing issue remains Lopez’s brain injury, a stark reminder of the risks fighters take and the thin line between triumph and tragedy in boxing.

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.

O’Shaquie Foster lost his WBC junior lightweight title via split decision to Robson Conceicao in July - a result that didn’t sit well with many observers, particularly Foster’s trainer, Bobby Benton. 

The 30-year-old Foster is set for a 12-round rematch with Conceicao on Nov. 2 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York, with Benton confident that his fighter doesn't need to make drastic adjustments.

"Everybody keeps telling me, 'Oh, he's gotta knock him out.' I'm like, why? We won the fight easy,” Benton said. “All we need are competent judges. That fight was one of Shock's easiest. It was either a shutout or a 11-1 win, whatever you want to call it. So why should we have to do anything different?"

Foster (20-3, 12 KOs), originally from Orange, Texas, but now residing in Houston, is known for his high ring IQ and adaptability, will enter the rematch with Benton’s full trust in his abilities. 

“Shock’s the smartest fighter I've ever trained in my life," Benton said. "He’s like a video game cheat code. Once he figures out what you're doing, he’ll shut it down.

"Shock might be more aggressive this time around, but he shouldn't have to be," Benton explained. "He’s a smart guy, and if something's wrong, he listens. His ring IQ allows him to do whatever he wants in there."

Benton also emphasized that while Foster’s training camp for the first fight was rigorous, they intentionally made slight changes, ensuring he was fresh for fight night. “We didn’t even take a deep breath during the fight,” Benton noted, “it was easy for him.”

The rematch against the 35-year-old Brazilian Conceicao (18-2, 8 KOs) will be a critical test for Foster, but Benton believes his fighter’s intelligence and preparation will be enough to reclaim the title, as Benton and his team believe they already beat Conceicao before. 

"With Shock, I really don’t have to say much, just when he's making a mistake," Benton said. "You can over-coach, but with him, you just let him do his thing. He’ll figure everything else out."

With a Monday negotiating deadline with four-division champion Terence Crawford arriving, Sebastian Fundora’s promoter is poised to submit a Premier Boxing Champions-backed bid to stage the bout within the 90-day window that the World Boxing Organization has ordered.

Sampson Lewkowicz, the promoter for WBO/WBC junior-middleweight champion Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), said Crawford representatives have not reached out to him to negotiate the bout during this 30-day September window the WBO provided.

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) turned 37 this week, and he’s expressed a near single-minded desire to next fight the sport’s most popular fighter, Mexico’s three-belt super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, after needing to win the final two rounds on the scorecards Aug. 3 to emerge with a unanimous-decision victory over Israil Madrimov, taking his WBA 154-pound belt.

“He’s too big now,” Lewkowicz said of Crawford. “He has no chance to defeat Sebastian Fundora, who is in the gym now and who lives in the gym.”

While a WBO official said Crawford has the right to request a negotiating extension period by Monday’s deadline, Lewkowicz said the Crawford team’s unwillingness to communicate during this negotiation period is telling, meaning the WBO should force the fighter to confront the 10-day period to express whether he’s interested in fighting Fundora or not.

If Nebraska’s Crawford withdraws from the Fundora talks, it’s expected Southern California’s Fundora will turn to meet former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs), who appeared in the ring with Fundora following his March 30 two-belt victory over badly bloodied Tim Tszyu.

Lewkowicz isn’t interested in discussing the Spence possibility right now.

He wants an answer from Team Crawford.

#SebastianFundora #TerenceCrawford #BoxingNews #WBO #PurseBid #FightNegotiations #CaneloAlvarez #ErrolSpence #BoxingCommunity #CombatSports

Legendary promoter Bob Arum believes it might be the end of Anthony Joshua following his defeat to Daniel Dubois last Saturday - unless he fights Deontay Wilder.

Joshua, 34, was knocked out in five by the 27-year-old Dubois in an all British affair at Wembley Stadium for the IBF heavyweight championship. In a thrilling encounter, Dubois dominated and recorded a deserved one-sided win over Joshua to end the latter’s dream of becoming a three-time champ.

In an interview with Fight Hub TV, the Hall of Fame promoter Arum said the defeat could sound the final bell on Joshua’s career.

“No, you don't have an off night getting out of you that way,” said Arum. “I just think AJ has been through a lot of wars. I think it's over for him as well as over for [Deontay] Wilder.”

Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight titlist, has managed just one win in his last five fights which include losses to Joseph Parker, Zhilei Zhang and two to Tyson Fury.

After losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua recorded a four-fight winning streak before the defeat to Dubois. A showdown with Wilder would still do big business.

“Maybe they can fight each other,” Arum said, “that'd be good.”

Over the past twelve months, Shakiel Thompson has been quietly improving and building momentum. Last night, he planted himself firmly on the radar of every British middleweight. 

On Friday night, the Sheffield middleweight put in a dominant display to stop River Wilson-Bent in three rounds and position himself for some major fights. 

Wilson-Bent is a solid domestic operator who has never quite been able to get over the line and claim the type of victory which would have taken him to the next level. He has boxed Tyler Denny twice - earning a technical draw and losing a split decision - and was stopped in two by Hamzah Sheeraz and in eight by Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams. 

The way Thompson, 13-0 (9 KOs), dealt with Wilson-Bent, 17-5-2 (7 KOs), suggests that he also has what it takes to compete for major titles.

The 27-year-old southpaw stands 6ft 3in tall and  makes use of every inch of his frame, boxing out of a wide stance and bearing down on his opponents. Over the past year he has developed the useful habit of making his presence felt quickly and grabbing hold of a fight from the first bell. He did exactly the same to Wilson-Bent, imposing himself from the getgo and hurting the man from Coventry with a right hand in the opening round. 

Thompson began to hurt Wilson-Bent with long left hooks to the body in the second but switched his attack upstairs and floored him heavily with a pair of short left hooks as the bell sounded to end the round.

Thompson’s right hook did the damage in the fourth. An outgunned Wilson-Bent was put over three times with the shot and the fight was stopped with just a couple of seconds of the round left. 

There are times when the quietly spoken Thompson forgets to move his head and gets caught with unnecessary shots as he sets himself to get his own punches off but he is a dangerous fighter with good variety and has developed into a major threat to all the domestic middleweights.  

Earlier in the evening, Hughie Fury, 29-3 (16 KOs), continued to rebuild with a useful eight round decision victory over Christian Thun at heavyweight.

The towering Thun, 9-2 (7 KOs) tried to take the center of the ring but rather than employing his usual hit and move tactics, a newly aggressive Fury took the fight right to the German. He planted himself inside, landed short shots to head and body and stunned Thun with a huge right hand as the opening round drew to a close.  

Thun is a giant of a man but, for reasons best known to him, barely throws a straight punch. Fury walked into range whenever he wanted and fired away to head and body but, as the fight wore on, Thun got better and began to put together his own short combinations.

The quality came from Fury and he fully deserved to have his hand raised but Thun provided him with a good workout. 

Fury has never been shy about testing himself against quality opposition but on last night’s evidence, he is still a step or two away from competing with one of the heavyweight division’s many contenders. One suspects, however, it won't be long before a big fight comes his way if he can continue to progress.

John Evans has contributed to a number of well-known publications and websites for over a decade. You can follow John on X @John_Evans79

French heavyweight Tony Yoka continued his rebuild in Swindon, a small town in the U.K. a fortnight ago and a week before his stablemate, Daniel Dubois, defended his IBF heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua on a huge night in Wembley Stadium.

Both train under Don Charles. Yoka is 13-3 (11 KOs) and recently signed with promoter Frank Warren and the 2016 Rio Olympic gold medalist has won his last two after three consecutive losses, to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam, and Ryad Merhy.

Charles maintains high hopes for the 32-year-old from Paris.

“He’s the next one, coming through silently in the background,” said Charles. “Again, he’s with Frank Warren, who’s an architect and an engineer, this is an Olympic gold medalist, and when Tony first started working with myself, one of the first meetings we had, I said to him, ‘Do you want to go down in history as the third boxer to have won the Olympic super-heavyweight gold and not gone on to become a heavyweight world champion?’ There have been two, previously, Tyrell Biggs and Audley Harrison, so Tony Yoka, I don’t want him to fall into that category of being only one of three to have won Olympic super-heavyweight gold and not converted it to being world champion.

Charles admitted he wanted Yoka to get some reps under his belt away from the bright lights, so the Frenchman has boxed an eight-rounder against Amine Boucetta, whom he stopped in four rounds in Tolworth in July, and he defeated Lamah Griggs in two rounds in Swindon on September 7.

“That was the whole idea,” Charles said, of Yoka’s quiet build under his tutelage. “When you become a superstar overnight, which is what happened to him when he won gold in Rio for France, he will be the first to admit, he bought his own hype.

Yoka and Dubois have been able to bring one another on, too, sparring ahead of their respective fights. 

“It was very helpful,” Charles admitted of having both in camp. “Anthony Joshua being a gold medalist, super heavyweight, so we had an Olympic gold medalist, super heavyweight, in camp sparring Daniel. And he’s a brilliant technician, Tony Yoka. He’s got everything, and he was very instrumental in our prep. We had Frazer Clarke, a bronze medalist from Tokyo.” 

With Nick Campbell, Boma Brown, Franklin Ignatius and Hosea Stewart also in camp, Charles said they’ve had “the right personnel”.

“They gave us a lot of good, competitive rounds, which aided Daniel to do what he did last Saturday.”

Jai Opetaia has indicated that Turki Alalshikh is working behind the scenes to line up a cruiserweight unification fight with the winner of the upcoming showdown between WBA titlist Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and WBO belt-holder Chris Billam-Smith.

Opetaia, the IBF boss, had been chasing a unification with Billam-Smith ever since regaining his title with a victory over Mairis Briedis in May (Opetaia had been stripped of his belt after defending it against Elis Zorro, against the IBF’s wishes).

Billam-Smith, however, chose to unify his title against WBA belt holder Ramirez in November instead. This has now left Opetaia to defend his belt against European champion Jack Massey on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev-Dimtry Bivol on October 12.

Opetaia insists that his focus is now firmly on Massey after the Billam-Smith fight fell through and that he holds nothing against the Englishman for taking another route.

“Man, we're busy, we're staying busy,” Opetaia told BoxingScene. “It's still a good fight. Obviously, we were chasing that unification fight, but it is what it is. I'm not taking Jack Massey lightly at all, you know, I'm expecting a real hard fight, so it should be good.

“I've got nothing against Chris Billam-Smith, I think he's a good dude, he's a good champion. He always holds himself well. He never trash talks. I'm not chasing Chris Billam-Smith as an individual. I'm chasing the belt. So, that's just how boxing works. I'm chasing unification fights, and he's got a belt, so let's get it on.

“I feel like [Ramirez] is a hard fight,” he continued. “But you know he always proves people wrong. I know he's got a lot of heart. He's got that will to win. You know it's hard to beat someone that doesn't want to lose. You know he's always got something to prove. I think it's a great fight.”

Billam-Smith will take on Ramirez on November 16 as the main event on a Riyadh Season card promoted by Alalshikh. Opetaia has revealed that conversations have started with the Riyadh Season boss to make a three-belt unification fight between himself and the winner.

“We actually had a meeting yesterday [with Turki Alalshikh] after the press conference,” Opetaia said. “We had a sitdown and that fight is the smartest thing to do. We want to fight the winner of Ramirez and Chris Billam-Smith and then we want to collect the rest of the belts. So it's all doable, we just need these guys to accept the fight.”

Former world champion Terri Harper used all her experience and ring nous to take the play away from Rhiannon Dixon during most of the 10 rounds they shared in Sheffield tonight (September 28). She then took away Dixon’s WBO lightweight belt, winning a decision by scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 96-94.

Harper, a one-time champion at super-featherweight, got off to the better start and immediately her footwork was giving Dixon, the more aggressive of the two, all manner of problems.

It was, in truth, a messy affair early, with too many clinches and too much stalling, but Harper was the one doing the cleaner work on the whole.

Dixon’s best moment arrived in round six when she caught Harper with a solid right hook counter from the southpaw stance. Suddenly Harper’s mind flashed back to when she was stopped by Alycia Baumgardner with a similar shot. Caught high, she froze momentarily, and this allowed Dixon to follow up with further shots, landing several right hooks soon after.

From that point on the quality of the fight improved, with both women tired but now doing a lot less clinching. It was almost as if the nervous energy had dissipated in the second half and with it went the need to hold on or kill time.

In the end, though, despite Dixon coming on strong in round six, as well as in a couple of subsequent rounds, there was always a feeling that Harper was the one dictating the pace and flow of the fight.

“That’s the best win of my career,” Harper, now 15-2-2 (6), said afterwards. “This camp’s been a long one but I’ve become a new fighter mentally and physically.

“We saw that Rhiannon likes to lead off so we worked a lot on counters. There was one point where I got caught by a good shot and I had to really dig deep. But I managed to regain my senses and get back to work.

“This is what I needed. I’d probably fallen out of love with the sport and I needed that bit of fire to get me going in the gym. For me to get this is everything I have ever wanted.”

WWE has had a long standing relationship with the world of boxing.

WrestleMania 1 had Muhammad Ali as the referee for the main event.

Iron Mike Tyson was the ring enforcer for Stone Cold Steve Austin’s win against Shawn Michaels for the WWE title.

And Floyd Mayweather competed against and beat the Big Show at WrestleMania 24.

Today, there are still those from the boxing world competing in the world of professional wrestling.

Logan Paul was, until recently, the WWE United States champion and Anthony Ogogo has been working for rivals All Elite Wrestling (AEW) since 2019.

So it’s no surprise when another boxer is linked to swap one squared circle for another.

And it seems as if the next name in that list has been identified.

Delicious Orie is a British amateur boxer who won gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 European Games.Brian Norman Jr. vs. Derrieck Cuevas World Title Fight In Jeopardy After Injury Reported

Unfortunately for Orie, he didn’t get past the first round for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, but he’s proven his fighting credentials already.

At 27-years-old, the Russia born Brit is likely deciding what to do next with his career.

Daily Star are now reporting that the WWE have approached Orie about competing for them.

The super heavyweight has been scouted by their recruitment team and was invited to Orlando to get acquainted with their NXT brand.

As part of that, Orie got to meet WWE hall of famers Shawn Michaels and Booker T.

Speaking about the possibility of him competing in both worlds, Orie was upbeat about the possibilities.

“It’s something we could think about. I want to be an inspiration for people. I know wrestling would increase my profile so much and I want to be a global star, that’s the aim to be known all over the world. Boxing is still something I believe I can be a huge success in.”

Will we be seeing Delicious Orie facing off against the likes of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton in the near future?

He definitely seems to have all the tools to make it a success in that world if he wishes to pursue it.

Not only did Galal Yafai take a risk and come through unscathed tonight (September 28) in Sheffield, he also received news that his next fight, a November 30 battle against Sunny Edwards, will in fact be a WBC interim flyweight title fight.

There were many eyebrows raised when it was confirmed that Yafai would still go ahead with tonight’s fight against Sergio Oliva despite announcing a November 30 date with Edwards. Some feared he would pick up a cut or an injury and that the fight against Edwards would be postponed as a result.

However, despite these fears, Yafai had things all his own way against Oliva and finished the bout with an impressive combination in round three. To start, he landed a nice southpaw one-two, leading with the jab, and then he followed these shots with a right uppercut and a long left cross, both of which snapped back Oliva’s head and saw him slump back into a corner. The fight was duly stopped at the 1:49 mark of the third round.

“He’s (Yafai) been second in every single spar and every single round we’ve shared,” said Sunny Edwards afterwards. “Deep down I think he knows. But at the same time there nowhere else to go. When you get to the end of the road of your contract, it’s either like it or lump it. I think they had to like it.”

Yafai, whose record now reads 8-0 (6), will fight Edwards, 21-1 (4), at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena on November 30.

Elsewhere on tonight's Sheffield card, middleweight prospect George Liddard, taking part in his first 10-rounder, stopped George Davey in round five. Davey, Liddard’s best opponent to date, had no answer for the 22-year-old’s speed and punch variety and found himself stopped on his feet. Liddard, from Billericay, moves to 9-0 (5) with the win.

Although many will have picked Peter McGrail to defeat Brad Foster tonight (September 28) in Sheffield, few will have predicted him to do so with a body shot and end the fight as early as the second round. Yet that is exactly how and when McGrail finished proceedings, digging a left uppercut into Foster’s body at the one minute and eight seconds mark in round two.

With that, the fight was over and McGrail, a decorated former amateur star, produced the best win of his pro career against arguably his best opponent. Better yet, at a time when some were saying McGrail’s biggest weakness could be a lack of power as he moves up the levels, in stopping Foster in the manner he did McGrail showed that he has the ability to end a fight with one punch.

Foster, a former British and Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion, did his best to rise from the shot in round two, but pulled himself upright a second too late. By then the referee had waved the fight off and McGrail had secured his career-best win.

As for where he goes next, there is talk that McGrail may fight Dennis McCann for the British and European titles.

“I honestly think that’s one of the best fights in British boxing,” said Eddie Hearn, McGrail’s promoter. “The British and European titles have been ordered and we’ve already spoken to Queensberry (McCann’s promoter). That’s one of the top, top fights in British boxing and I think he’s ready. The winner of that will probably go on and challenge for world titles.”

“That’s the fight we want,” said McGrail, now 10-1 (6). “I just hope he doesn’t vacate those two belts because I’m coming for them.”

Gervonta Davis hasn’t been quiet when it comes to his very public beef with Ryan Garcia.

The pair have been going back and forth ever since they fought back in April 2023.

In that bout, Davis knocked Garcia out in the seventh round with a body shot to the abdomen.

Despite that decisive win, things haven’t settled down between the pair.

Garcia has even claimed that he’d beat Davis if they ever had a rematch.

Of course, Ryan Garcia is known for being vocal and outspoken, especially on his social media.

His most tangle, however, has been with Devin Haney.

News emerged last night that Haney has sued Garcia after it emerged that ‘King Ry’ had tested positive for drugs.

And now, Gervonta Davis has chimed in on the recent developments.Brian Norman Jr. vs. Derrieck Cuevas World Title Fight In Jeopardy After Injury Reported

Davis, on his Twitter/X account, has quote tweeted a post from user @EricPark22 that reads, “Didn’t Bill Haney say they were sending in Devin Haney to kill Ryan Garcia? Said he really wants Ryan to die in the ring ? Now team Haney is saying they could’ve died and wanting to sue lol b**** move.”

Adding on top of that, Haney makes a simple four word addition.

“Crazy how life works..”

Gervonta Davis is not the only person from his camp to comment on the matter.

Rick Glaser, Davis’ trainer, criticised ‘The Dream’ for making the whole matter legal.

Criticising both Gervonta and his father Bill Haney, Glaser wrote on social media that with the legal action, Gervonta Davis’ credibility in the fighting community has taken a serious hit.

So it seems that the super lightweight division is all about the lawsuit that has begun and others involved in the division are having their say on the matter now also.Crazy how life works.. https://t.co/mt1wHRZVSi

— Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) September 28, 2024

Eddie Hearn believes that trainer Ben Davison is not at fault for the tactics that led to Anthony Joshua being knocked out by Daniel Dubois.

Joshua was stopped by Dubois in the fifth round of their clash for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on September 21. Having been dropped in the opening round, the former champion never seemed to recover. 

After going down twice more, Joshua had his best round in the fourth and caught Dubois just before the bell. During the interval between the fourth and fifth rounds, Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davison, instructed his fighter to follow up his jab with a right uppercut. 

Dubois’ former trainer, Shane McGuigan, who was commentating on the fight at ringside for BBC, heard these instructions and was quick to point out that Joshua would be open to a counter right hand. McGuigan’s prediction later virally came to light and Joshua was dropped heavily moments later by a short right hand that put him down for the full 10-count. 

Hearn - Joshua’s promoter and long-time friend - believes that the blame cannot be laid at the feet of Davison after the trainer received high praise for his wins over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou. He instead believes that Joshua failed to follow instructions and the knockout was the consequence of rolling the dice after having Dubois hurt.

“I mean [Davison] gets all the praise for his last couple of performances,” Hearn told BoxingScene. “AJ did things that Ben didn't tell him to do, he pulled back in a straight line with his chin in the air, his hand position, you know, all this kind of stuff. 

“What happened at that point is he started to recover but he was still very low in the tank, and that wasn't going to change. What you don't want to do is be nine, or 10 rounds in and be damaged goods. This is the chance here [when he hurt Dubois in Round 5]. You've got your feet back, you buzzed him in the fourth round, roll the dice. I think it should be commended. 

“Now Shane’s analysis, which actually came at the time, normally it comes after, so it was smart from Shane. But, of course, if you don’t throw the uppercut correctly and you keep your hands low when you’re throwing it, you are open to the right hand and that is something to learn on. But you know I think Ben [Davison] and Lee [Wylie] do a great job, have done a great job, he just didn't perform, and you know I think as a team they’ll regroup and come again.”

Hearn believes that past experiences, like losses to Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk, have led to Joshua being able to handle defeat better and that he is eyeing another shot at becoming a three-time world champion. 

“I mean he’s definitely gutted,” said Hearn. “But obviously, when you've lost before, like anything it’s not that you want to get used to it, but you know just how to experience and handle the emotions. 

“I think that one of the things that I told him was, ‘although you boxed poorly and you made mistakes, you couldn’t have done anything more, you couldn’t have tried anymore, you couldn’t have given any more, you couldn’t have been braver. And by the way, when you got knocked out, you were trying to knock him out because you’d hurt him.’

“‘So, you should be proud of what you've done’,” Hearn continued. “[He] had a stinker, didn’t box well at all, he boxed great, Dubois. That’s it, and you know he’s very frustrated because of the work that he put in more than anything, but he’s also very determined to fight back and to get another shot at the world heavyweight title.” 

Hearn confirmed that Joshua’s one remaining fight with Riyadh Season could be a rematch with Dubois or a long-awaited showdown with his domestic rival Tyson Fury

After 10 rounds, Rhiannon Dixon stood in center ring and waited for confirmation that she had outpointed Karen Carabajal to win the WBO lightweight title.

When the announcement came, Dixon smiled and hugged her team, posed for her photos and left the ring. Those watching might have put the understated reaction down to a mixture of tiredness, relief and pride at years of hard work coming to a glorious conclusion.

Dixon (10-0, 1 KO) has a far simpler explanation.

“Because I think I was rubbish,” Dixon said at Thursday’s press conference, ahead of Saturday’s title defense against former WBC junior lightweight titleholder Terri Harper (14-2-2, 6 KOs). “I got out of the ring and was like, ‘That was so embarrassing,’ and [Anthony Crolla, my trainer] was like, ‘Yeah, you were rubbish,’ too. I think I’ve got a point to prove now. I think I didn’t show half of what I can do.

“Ant says I’m a bit of a perfectionist. Sometimes I can’t enjoy what I’ve actually achieved. I’m excited to show everything that I’ve learned since then.”

It is often said that becoming a champion improves a fighter by 25 percent. The exact percentage may be open to debate, but there is no doubt that a fighter stands that little bit straighter whenever they have their belt slung across their shoulder, and the knowledge of what it takes to win a championship fight generally causes them to ramp up their standards in the gym.

Dixon is a talented boxer who has taken every opportunity presented to her, but the lightweight division is one of the strongest in women’s boxing and Dixon is now campaigning at the very top of it.

Now that she is competing with some of the biggest names in female boxing, she will need more than natural ability; she will need an unshakeable self-belief in that ability. Winning a world title has certainly had an effect.

“I think it’s boosted my confidence massively,” she said. “I think when I was on Matchroom [shows], at first, I had a bit of imposter syndrome. I had seven white-collar fights, and you had all these other amateurs on the stage saying they’ve won this and won that. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve literally fought in nightclubs and now I’m up on stage with these people.’

“Since winning the world title and going from Commonwealth to European to world titles, it’s boosted my confidence, and now I know I belong on this stage.”

Harper is a former WBC junior lightweight titleholder who has enjoyed mixed fortunes since losing her belt to Alycia Baumgardner back in 2021. She jumped up to the junior lightweight division, drew with Cecilia Braekhus and hasn’t boxed since Sandy Ryan stopped her after four one-sided rounds of a WBO welterweight title fight in March. 

Whereas Dixon’s self-assurance is growing, Harper has admitted to struggling with her own confidence in the past. She will be hoping for some early success to help banish the memories of her struggles against Ryan.

Harper has spoken about beating Dixon inside the distance, but her prediction was greeted with disdain by the 29-year-old Dixon, who is insistent that the challenge of facing a former champion will bring out the best in her and set her up for some major fights.

“Like she said with saying she was going to give Sandy the hardest fight of her life … with peace and love, I think she says a lot of things she doesn’t actually, genuinely believe,” Dixon said. “When she said she was gonna stop me, I laughed because I thought, ‘Well, it’s not gonna happen, is it?’

“This is definitely my toughest fight. I’m under no illusion that it’s gonna be my toughest fight, but it’s a fight that I’ve been ready for for a long time. It’s a fight that I’m really excited for, and when I win on the weekends, these big British fights are a massive trajectory and it shoots you into the massive fights, so that’s something I’m really excited for.”

John Evans has contributed to a number of well-known publications and websites for over a decade. You can follow John on X @John_Evans79 .

As far as omens go, getting splashed with a can of red paint after leaving her hotel was hardly a good one for Sandy Ryan last night (September 27) in New York. She was just two and a half hours from fighting Mikaela Mayer in defence of her WBO women’s welterweight title and now suddenly she had an altogether different problem on her hands – and down her legs, and across her stomach. Now Ryan was trying to work out who had ambushed her outside her hotel and what it all meant.

By the time she reached Madison Square Garden, the venue of their fight, never had Ryan been so determined to both compete and beat her opponent. Yet that doesn’t mean she was in the right frame of mind to do either of those two things. Agitated and angered, some would even suggest she was in the worst possible frame of mind to enter a ring, execute a game plan, and defend her world title.

Later, Ryan would leave the ring without her belt, losing a majority decision by scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 95-95. She also left the venue with the same confusion and frustration she had taken into MSG a couple of hours earlier.

“Still trying to come to terms with what happened last night,” Ryan, now 7-2-1 (3), wrote on social media today (September 28). “I know I shouldn’t have fought after I was attacked leaving my hotel but I couldn’t let them win like that. I was fighting off empty and still felt I won the fight.

“We have obtained the CCTV (footage) and are in contact with the NYPD (New York Police Department). Pretty obvious what happened and the truth will be set free shortly. You tried to ruin my career but trust me it’s only just begun.”

Mayer, meanwhile, has denied any involvement in the paint incident and stressed in an interview with Sky Sports that it had nothing to do with her or any member of her team. She is now a world champion in a second division, having previously ruled at super-featherweight, and moves her record to 20-2 (5).

Sandy Ryan’s promoter Eddie Hearn said the New York Police Department has launched an investigation into the former WBO welterweight champion getting splashed with red paint as she left her hotel to defend her belt against Mikaela Mayer at Madison Square Garden Friday night.

Hearn said police have secured the closed-circuit security footage of the incident, which England’s shaken-but-determined Ryan speculated in a pre-fight ESPN interview was orchestrated by “someone from her team.”

“Her” is Mayer, the new WBO welterweight champion from the U.S. who edged Ryan by majority decision scores of 97-93, 96-94, 95-95 at the MSG Theater. 

A spokesman for Mayer promoter Top Rank said the company was involved in obtaining the security footage.

“It’s a horribly unfortunate incident that happened to Sandy,” Top Rank spokesman Evan Korn said. “Top Rank and Mikaela strongly condemn it. Hopefully, whoever did this gets caught and prosecuted.”

Ryan said as she was waiting outside her hotel for a car someone charged at her and splashed her sweatpants and right side of her body below the chest, ran back to a car and speeded away.

“If that paint gets in her eyes, it could’ve blinded her,” Hearn said.

Ryan and Mayer feuded throughout fight week over Mayer’s allegation that Ryan “stole” trainer Kay Koroma away, and the pair engaged in heated words at the news conference and face-offs.

When ESPN’s Mark Kriegel asked Ryan if she believed someone connected to Mayer threw the paint, Ryan answered, “It’s got to be. 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 my hotel to the venue? Who knew? Someone from her team saying, ‘She’s coming now.’ They knew what time.”

Ryan became defiant in the conversation.

“I’m here now. Keep throwing things at me,” she said. “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.”

The bout itself ranked as a frontrunner for women’s fight of the year, as the pair exchanged brutal head shots, with neither wilting.

Hearn said “the whole thing looks like a setup … if you don’t think that was a targeted attack, you should get your brain examined,” and he urged the WBO and Top Rank to move swiftly to order and agree to a rematch between Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) and Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs).

“It’s a disgrace what’s happened to Sandy Ryan … she should get the immediate rematch,” Hearn said. “I can’t believe she had to go through with that fight. Emotionally and mentally, she wasn’t ready. She still put on a performance like that.”

Anthony Joshua hasn’t had the best of weeks.

After going in as favourite for his fight against Daniel Dubois, the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion was stopped in brutal fashion.

It was a stunning display by Dubois, the current IBF world heavyweight champion, as he dominated Joshua in a manner that no previous boxer has been able to.

In a thoroughly deserved victory, Dubois showed that he should not have been underestimated as he had been.

For Anthony Joshua, it asked more questions for him at this stage of his career.

Does he want to continue boxing?

Or should this be the end of the road for the Olympic gold medalist?

The latest news emerging for Joshua is likely not what he wants to hear right now.

That’s because the British Boxing Board of Control has handed out a 28 day suspension to Anthony Joshua.

Before anyone panics, this is a pretty standard procedure to British boxers when they suffer a stoppage defeat.

This rule is primarily there for the safety of the boxers.

Boxers face further medical examinations before they may re-enter the ring and that’s what is happening with Anthony Joshua at this moment in time.

The good news is that the suspension finishes on October 19 and it’s highly unlikely that Joshua plans to fight before that period in any case.

The British heavyweight is likely to look at 2025 as the next time for when he is set to step back in the ring and get his career back on track.

It is believe that his options will largely centre around the result of Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch against Tyson Fury on December 21.

Sandy Ryan lost her WBO welterweight title to Mikaela Mayer by majority decision last night.

In a fantastic main event in New York, the Derby based boxer lost the title she won in April 2023.

But that’s not what many boxing fans are talking about this morning.

Tensions had been building up in the lead up to the fight.

Los Angeles based boxer Mayer accused Ryan of poaching her long-standing coaching team, which Ryan denied.

In response, Ryan had said she did not respect her opponent, accusing her of talking trash.

But it all took a dramatic twist when Sandy Ryan was splashed with red paint ahead of the fight.

Ryan went in to battle at Madison Square Garden as scheduled, despite her trainers advice to pull out of the contest as a result of this incident.

Just now, the boxer has taken to social media to make a statement about what happened last night.Brian Norman Jr. vs. Derrieck Cuevas World Title Fight In Jeopardy After Injury Reported

Writing on her Twitter/X profile, Ryan has come out with some fighting talk that seems directed to her assailant.

Sharing an image of the paint on her body, Ryan states that the matter is now with the police.

“Still trying to come to terms with what happened last night, I know I shouldn’t have fought after I was attacked leaving my hotel but I couldn’t let them win like that. I was fighting off empty and still felt I won the fight. We have obtained the CCTV and are in contact with the NYPD. Pretty obvious what happened and the truth will be set free shortly. You tried to ruin my career but trust me it’s only just begun”.

It’s quite clear that Sandy Ryan is confident that she knows who is behind the attack.

With police now involved, it seems like a criminal charge is heading towards someone very soon.

Ryan will likely be looking to get a rematch with Mikaela Mayer soon and will be hoping to have a more serene build-up to that fight.

With everything that has happened so far, it’s likely unlikely that the tension between the fighters is going to be lowered any time soon.pic.twitter.com/O2nr5A1DB8

— Sandy Ryan (@sandyryan93) September 28, 2024

Boxing is an incredibly dangerous sport.

Many remarked that the sport is an artform when done correctly.

But that doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s an incredibly dangerous way to make art.

There have been countless examples of boxers who have suffered when entering into a boxing ring.

A recent example of this can be seen through current International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.

In 2020, Dubois stepped into the ring with fellow British heavyweight Joe Joyce.

Joyce stopped Dubois in round ten and it subsequently emerged that he’d suffered a fractured eye socket and also sustained nerve damage in the fight.

Medical professionals had subsequently informed Daniel Dubois that he could have lost all sight in his eye if he’d continued fighting.

It was no joke.

Boxers, when they do step in the ring, know the risk they’re taking.

Yet, it’s still jarring to see a strong fighter suffer in a serious way.

Last night, a fighter who was making his professional boxing debut had a serious scare.Oscar De La Hoya Guns For Shane Mosley Ahead Of Return To Boxing This Weekend

Hasnan Ali, a 22-year-old tipped for big things in the sport, made his professional debut on the Charlie Edwards vs Thomas Essomba card.

Ali had no opponent until 24 hours before the fight when Tommy Sams stepped in for the bout.

Sams had an undefeated 3-0 record, but had only one fight since 2019.

A stunned York Hall then watched as Sams dismantled Hasnan Ali within 40 seconds.

Following a flurry of shots in the opening round, Ali’s legs buckled as he looked out on his feet from Sams’ onslaught.

The referee stepped in to stop the fight and grant Tommy Sams the victory.

Shortly after the bout ended, images were captured of Hasnan Ali getting treated with an oxygen mask by medics.

Fortunately, the youngster was eventually able to get back to his feet and return to the changing room.

Hasnan Ali will look to forget his debut fight very quickly and hope that his future efforts in the ring turn out to be much more successful for him.WHAT A WAY TO CAP OFF THE NIGHT

The undefeated @sams_boxer beats the debuting Hasnan Ali in devastating fashion.

A true blink and you miss it match.#EssombaEdwards | @WassermanBoxingpic.twitter.com/jLaPmXxCWI

— Channel 5 Sport (@Channel5Sport) September 27, 2024

Junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. won a majority decision over Khalil El Harraz in the marquee undercard bout Friday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Mielnicki (20-1, 12 KOs), ranked No. 4 by the WBA, was tested by Italy’s 33-year-old El Harraz (16-6-1, 2 KOs), who employed a patient counterpunching strategy, limiting Mielnicki’s options.

At the end of 10 rounds, judges scored the fight 95-95, 100-90 and 98-92 in favor of Mielnicki.

The first two rounds saw Mielnicki, a 22-year-old who fights out of Roseland, New Jersey, show superior athleticism, but El Harraz began to find his rhythm, landing a few right hands. Mielnicki maintained distance, fighting a calculated and patient bout, but El Harraz’s educated pressure made it clear he was there to win.

Mielnicki’s best work came at the end of the third round with a series of body shots. By the fourth, Mielnicki was more active, but El Harraz had already taken the crowd (many there to see the local favorite Mielnicki) out of the fight. The fifth round slowed to a sparring-like pace, with both fighters landing shots but neither seizing control.

El Harraz landed his best punch, an overhand right, in the sixth round, but the fight lacked intensity as it moved into the later rounds. In the final round, the crowd chanted “Let’s go Vito,” as both fighters had their moments. The overall pace, however, remained sluggish.

Mielnicki has called for a bout with fellow Top Rank middleweight Xander Zayas, who fought in the co-feature. Despite Mielnicki’s solid win, his performance fell short of igniting the crowd, as El Harraz proved to be a tough, durable opponent who had never been stopped – and which didn’t change on this night.

Bantamweight Floyd Diaz (13-0, 3 KOs) outlasted Mario Hernandez (12-5-1, 4 KOs), winning a unanimous decision with scores of 78-73, 78-73 and 77-74. Diaz, 21, nicknamed “Cashflow,” is a longtime Las Vegas resident, while Hernandez, 33, hails from Teocaltiche, Mexico.

Diaz has undergone significant changes in his training. No longer working with his father, Mike Diaz, he has transitioned from Brian “BoMac” McIntyre to now training with Cromwell Gordon, with assistance from his girlfriend, professional boxer Czarina McCoy.

In the ring, Diaz fought with composure, as the pressure fighter Hernandez continuously moved forward. Diaz landed sharp counters in the second round but found himself on the ropes toward the round’s end. Hernandez pressed forward, landing a solid right hand in the third, as Diaz retreated and focused on landing precise counters and pot shots. The clash of styles made for a unique fight, with Diaz relying on accuracy while Hernandez sought to overwhelm him with aggression.

Diaz dropped Hernandez in the fifth round with a counter right uppercut, leaving him visibly rocked. Though Hernandez beat the count, he was staggered twice more before the round ended.

In the final round, Diaz’s mouthpiece came out during an exchange, and after the break Hernandez pushed hard to the final bell – but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Junior welterweight Elvis Rodriguez (17-1-1, 13 KOs) secured a unanimous decision victory over veteran Kendo Castaneda (21-7, 9 KOs), with scores of 100-90, 100-90 and 99-91.

Rodriguez, 28, trained by Freddie Roach in Hollywood, California, found himself in a tentative bout with the 30-year-old Castaneda, from San Antonio. Known for their action-packed styles, both fighters started cautiously, with the pace ramping up by the end of the second round as Rodriguez's left hand became a key weapon. A left hook to the body in the third round set the tone for Rodriguez, who systematically targeted Castaneda’s body throughout the fight.

Normally a pressure fighter, Castaneda was on the back foot for most of the fourth round. He attempted to press forward in the fifth, but a sharp right uppercut from Rodriguez in the final minute forced him back and opened a cut under his left eye.

The eighth round saw the fighters exchange punches up close, though the pace of the bout, which was never fast, slowed even further. Castaneda landed a right hand that briefly got the attention of Rodriguez, who responded aggressively. Rodriguez attempted to pick up the pace in the ninth, but despite a strong left hook to Castaneda’s body in the final round, he couldn’t put together enough punches to score a stoppage.

Junior welterweight Delante “Tiger” Johnson (14-0, 6 KOs) earned a unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rico's Yomar Alamo (22-3-1, 13 KOs). Johnson, 26, from Cleveland, was tested by the 29-year-old Alamo. The judges scored the bout 78-74, 78-74 and 77-75 in favor of Johnson.

Alamo landed a glancing right hand in the second round that forced Johnson to tie up until the bell. Johnson rallied in the third, though Alamo continued pressing forward, making the round difficult to score. In the fourth, Alamo tested Johnson's power, staying aggressive and forcing exchanges. The fifth round saw both fighters trade punches at close range, with Johnson landing the cleaner shots in a rough, grueling contest.

By the sixth, Johnson showed signs of wear with an abrasion under his left eye. In the final round, Alamo threw more punches and appeared confident in victory, but Johnson's effective counterpunching secured the win.

In the opening bout, junior welterweight Rohan Polanco (14-0, 9 KOs), fighting at welterweight, stopped Marcelino Lopez (37-5-1, 22 KOs) in the sixth round at 2:08.

Polanco, 25, a 2020 Olympian from the Dominican Republic who trains with Hector Bermudez, beat down Argentina’s 38-year-old Lopez en route to an impressive victory. A left hook to the body hurt Lopez in the second round, forcing him on the defensive. Polanco dropped Lopez with a perfectly timed right uppercut at the end of the third and even helped him back to his corner after the bell rang.

In the fourth, an overhand right – partially blocked by Lopez – caused him to take a knee. The sixth round saw Lopez stumble from another overhand right, forcing him to take another knee. Referee Eddie Claudio halted the fight after Lopez took several more punches and went down again. 

Before the bout, Lopez had never been knocked down or stopped in a fight.

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.