Joseph Parker is growing impatient in regard to his next opponent. The New Zealander, in London to be ringside for the Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua showdown, defeated Deontay Wilder in December and Zhilei Zhang in March but is still none the wiser on who comes next.

"I was told there was there was a fight in September, then October, and now I'm told there was a fight in December," Parker said at the Wembley open workouts. "I’ve been training since April and I’ve put on about 20 pounds… of muscle, I hope. I’m ready to fight anyone, anywhere, seriously. I’m in great shape and I’m ready to go."

After outpointing Wilder, Parker did the same to Zhang. It has long been reported that "Big Bang" will trigger his right for a return but Parker indicated there are other names in the mix to face him on the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury undercard. 

"Zhang wants the rematch, he has that rematch clause," Parker said. "I’m not sure what everyone else wants. I think there’s talk of Agit Kabayel, [Martin] Bakole, there’s lots of names. I’d like it locked in so I know who I’m training for."

Parker believes that Fury will get his revenge over Usyk on December 21. "He’s a lot more focused and I think it will change everything," Parker said of Fury. "He’s more determined to put on a better performance."

As for Dubois-Joshua, Parker likes the man who outpointed him in 2017. "I feel like Joshua in the first five or six rounds, he’s looked very dangerous in his last fights," Parker said. "I feel [if] Dubois [wins it will be] late rounds, he showed a great chin against Filip Hrgovic and great determination – and that power in the late rounds. He’s a live underdog and he’s got a lot to prove.

"Joshua has the power in the right hand but he can also box. When I fought him he was able to nullify what I was doing."

Dubois has been on the crest of a wave, most notably while walking through the best that Filip Hrgovic could muster in March and winning via stoppage.

"Joshua has a lot more power than Hrgovic," Parker observed. "I feel like if he lands like Hrgovic landed, Joshua will stop him. But if Dubois lands clean, he will test AJ’s chin – and can AJ then show the grit and determination to come back and win after being hurt."

Whoever wins, 32-year-old Parker, who has earned a title shot, hopes to be ready and waiting. "I would love to fight the winner. I feel like, now, I’ve got a lot more power. I feel like I could knock people out."

#JosephParker #ZhileiZhang #AgitKabayel #MartinBakole #BoxingNews #FightTalk #BoxingUpdates #HeavyweightBoxing #BoxingCommunity #FightPredictions #BoxingFans #BoxingWorld #BoxingShowdowns #FightNight #BoxingEvents

The pound-for-pound top three in the sport seems set as Oleksandr Usyk, Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue, although if there were any fighter to penetrate that trio it would likely be rising super-flyweight sensation, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. Yet, in spite of his budding superstar potential, it has now been confirmed that the WBC super-flyweight champion will next appear on an undercard.

‘Bam’ announced himself onto the world stage when he defeated Carlos Cuadras on just six days’ notice to claim the WBC 115lb crown aged just 22-years-old but since then he has proved that his victory was no fluke. Rodriguez trumped both Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Israel Gonzalez before dropping down to flyweight and becoming a two-division world champion by defeating Christian Gonzalez Hernandez for the WBO strap.

However, it was last December where the Texan established himself as a threat to the pound-for-pound throne, stopping previously undefeated Briton Sunny Edwards in a title unification that many had deemed as a 50/50 affair during the build-up.

This year, success has continued for Rodriguez, and he showed even further improvement as he dominated and halted the legendary Juan Francisco Estrada to reclaim his WBC super-flyweight title – a win that convinced promoter Eddie Hearn that the now 24-year-old is right amongst the cream of the crop, as per World Boxing News.

“The problem with the lower weight classes is they often don’t get the respect of the higher ones. For me, Jesse should be mentioned with Terence Crawford, Inoue, Usyk. He’s gone through Cuadras, gone through Rungvisai, stopped Edwards, KO’d Estrada. He’s already on the pound-for-pound list, but I think he is top five pound-for-pound now. He’s 24 years old, he has another four or five years of his prime, and we’re honoured to represent him.

“You saw the crowd in there, we’re in Phoenix, not in San Antonio, and as many Mexicans as there were in there, Bam had huge support and he’s a real star. The rematch is there, there’s opportunities in Japan, there’s opportunities to go back to San Antonio and also to come back to Phoenix. The future is bright, he wants to try unify the division, El Gallo has the option to rematch and we’ll see how that plays out.”Anthony Joshua Responds After Tyson Fury Predicts Daniel Dubois Beat Him

Yet, despite those plaudits from Hearn, Rodriguez will fight on an undercard for his second outing of the year, as he faces WBC interim flyweight champion Pedro Guevara, as confirmed on the latter’s Instagram.

The bout is expected to be the co-main event on a Jaron Ennis undercard on November 9th in Philadelphia, assumably when ‘Boots’ defends his IBF welterweight title in a rematch against Karen Chukhadzhian. Although, Hearn failed to win the purse bid for that contest and will therefore need to agree a deal with Chukhadzhian’s team to stage the event in Ennis’ hometown, unless the 147lb poster boy is planning to vacate the belt and move up to super-welterweight to face an alternate opponent on that date.

#JesseBamRodriguez #BoxingNews #FightAnnouncement #BoxingFans #UndercardFights #FightDate #BoxingUpdates #NextFight #BoxingCommunity #FightTalk #BoxingEvents #UpcomingFight #BoxingWorld #FightNight #BoxingHeadlines

Willy Hutchinson has predicted an easier fight against Joshua Buatsi than the night he defeated Craig Richards.

The Scot, 26, revived his career when in June, as the underdog, he earned scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 119-109 to defeat Richards and record his finest win.

Victory that night means that on Saturday at Wembley Stadium, on the undercard of the IBF heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, he will fight the respected Buatsi for the WBO interim light heavyweight title.

An even more significant and high-profile a victory would put him on course to challenge the winner of October’s contest, for the undisputed title, between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, but he is again the underdog against the 31-year-old Buatsi – Buatsi defeated Richards via narrower scores in 2022 – regardless of his conviction that he will again win.

“Buatsi’s good,” the 26-year-old told BoxingScene. "He’s a good, strong fighter, but he’s on similar lines to Craig Richards. I said it about Craig Richards and I’m going to say it about Buatsi – I’m going to punch absolute holes in him. 

“I really don’t [think Buatsi’s better than Richards]. In fact, for styles, I think Richards is better. I think Richards was the more awkward fighter. Buatsi will come and engage, and I’ll knock him out.

“I’ve never really watched him box. I’ve never seen him box. When he went to the [Rio 2016] Olympics, I can remember watching him when he got the bronze and when he got beat. That’s the only fight I ever watched. 

“It’s all in God’s hands. We’ll see.”

The typically composed Buatsi demonstrated that he dislikes Hutchinson when in June they came face to face to promote Saturday’s fight.

“I know him,” Hutchinson continued. “We was meant to be friends; we sparred. We sparred together.

“I did [like him] until we were fighting. I wanted to shake his hand, and he tried to act the hard man when he’s supposed to be a born-again Christian. I thought, ‘Man, what you doing that for?’ I don’t know what crap was coming out of his mouth.

“He’s very, very upset because I busted him when I was a little boy. When I was 20 year old I give him the biggest hiding of his life. This was in sparring. But sparring’s sparring – it means nothing. 

“It was that long ago, I just remember beating him up – and that’s the truth.”

#WillyHutchinson #JoshuaBuatsi #BoxingNews #FightPredictions #BoxingFans #FightTalk #BoxingUpdates #BoxingCommunity #PunchingPower #BoxingRivalry #FightNight #BoxingEvents #BoxingWorld #FightStrategy #BoxingHeadlines

As Wembley Stadium prepares to host the highly anticipated heavyweight clash this weekend, Anthony Joshua has delivered his response to Tyson Fury's prediction that Daniel Dubois will retain his IBF heavyweight title against him.

In a gripping all-British heavyweight showdown, Joshua is aiming to become boxing’s fifth three-time world champion in the division. The former unified champion faces Dubois, who recently won the IBF title by halting Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic. Despite Dubois' impressive form, Fury, his fellow heavyweight rival, has voiced confidence that Dubois will prevail.

Fury’s endorsement of Dubois’ chances came directly from an interview with Dubois' promoter, Frank Warren, who confirmed that both Fury and Warren believe Dubois will successfully defend his title. This prediction has added an extra layer of intrigue to the bout, with many questioning whether Joshua’s revamped style under trainer Ben Davison will be enough to counter Dubois’ power.

Joshua, however, appears unfazed by Fury’s prediction. In a candid interview with Sky Sports, he addressed the challenge head-on, stating, “Yeah, he is a good fighter is Dubois, so it is a 50/50. I think that certain people are going to back him and some are going to back me and I can’t take anything from it. I have just got to focus on myself and prove myself right.”

This fight marks a significant moment in Joshua’s career, especially after his recent transition to working with Davison, which has revitalized his performance and confidence. The former champion, who faced criticism following defeats to Oleksandr Usyk and underwhelming victories over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius, is now seen as a top contender once again.

As the fight week excitement builds, tonight’s undercard at Wembley Arena will feature Cameron Vuong, Chris Kongo, and Nathan Lugo, setting the stage for a thrilling main event. With a record-breaking attendance anticipated, all eyes will be on Joshua and Dubois as they prepare to settle their score in the ring.

#TysonFury #AnthonyJoshua #BoxingFans #FightFans #boxing #boxingnews #news

Trainer John Pullman weighed in on the upcoming Anthony Joshua-Daniel Dubois fight, highlighting the timing and growth of both fighters as factors that make the matchup “really interesting.”

The IBF heavyweight title will be on the line Saturday at Wembley Stadium in what serves as a crossroads for Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) and Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs). Dubois, 27, is coming off victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, while Joshua, 34, is on a three-fight knockout streak since teaming up with trainer Ben Davison.

The bout not only has major implications for the British heavyweight scene but also adds clarity to the global heavyweight division. Pullman, who previously worked with heavyweight contender Gerald Washington, said: “This fight is really interesting, especially considering the point it’s happening in both fighters’ careers. Dubois seems to be growing up after that tough loss to Joe Joyce. Usually, when a fighter gives up in a bout, mentally and spiritually, it’s hard to come back. But Dubois seems to have taken a hard look in the mirror, surrounded by strong people like his father and new trainer Don Charles, who dragged him through the mud, if you will.”

Pullman pointed to Dubois’ resilience in his recent bouts as evidence of his maturity.

On Joshua, Pullman noted a similar up-and-down career trajectory but credited his recent form to his partnership with trainer Ben Davison.

When asked about the potential impact of Dubois’ controversial loss to Oleksandr Usyk, Pullman acknowledged the psychological challenge of thinking you’ve won a fight, only to realize you haven’t.

As for keys to victory, Pullman emphasized the importance of Dubois’ defense.

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.

Oleksandr Usyk, the unified heavyweight champion and one of boxing’s brightest stars, encountered an unexpected hurdle last night when Polish authorities detained him. The incident occurred as Usyk was attempting to board a flight to Valencia, Spain, where he is set to prepare for his highly anticipated rematch with Tyson Fury on December 21.

Usyk, who has achieved monumental success in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, was travelling with his trainer, Sergey Lapin. The duo had just completed an exhausting 14-hour journey from Kyiv, the capital of war-torn Ukraine. This grueling trip included a lengthy 557-mile (896 km) drive.

According to ESPN, the complication arose when an airline official deemed Usyk and his trainer unfit to travel. Despite Usyk’s explanations that their fatigue was due to the extensive travel rather than any impairment, a language barrier exacerbated the situation. Their insistence that they were capable of flying did not initially sway the officials, leading to Usyk's detention.

On social media, Usyk addressed the situation, expressing gratitude for the support he received and clarifying the misunderstanding. “A misunderstanding took place,” Usyk said. “It was quickly resolved. Thanks to all who got concerned. Thanks to Ukrainian diplomats for the efficient support. And respect to Polish Police for conducting their obligations with no regards to height, weight, reach, and regalia.”

The incident has been swiftly resolved, and Usyk is expected to begin his training camp in Valencia shortly. His focus is now on preparing for the rematch against Fury, aiming to defend his undisputed heavyweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Despite the hiccup, Usyk remains a respected figure in boxing, not only for his in-ring achievements but also for his sportsmanship and dedication. As he gears up for one of the biggest fights of his career, fans and supporters continue to rally behind him, looking forward to what promises to be an electrifying clash with Fury.

#OleksandrUsyk #BoxingFans #FightFans #boxing #boxingnews #news

Anthony Joshua revisited his reinvention as a fighter as he prepares for the biggest test of his partnership with Ben Davison against Daniel Dubois.

On Saturday at Wembley Stadium the heavyweight seeks to reign as champion for the third time after potentially concluding the most difficult period of his career.

It is since recruiting Davison that he has rediscovered some of the instincts and confidence that once made him the world’s leading heavyweight, and that means that he represents the favorite to win Saturday’s fight. 

A closer examination of his performances and form under the trainer regardless demonstrates that in Otto Wallin he defeated a considerably less dangerous opponent than the 27-year-old Dubois, and in Francis Ngannou fought an amateurish mixed martial artist.

That Joshua’s confidence was previously so fragile – partly as a consequence of his successive defeats by Oleksandr Usyk – in less convincing victories over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius suggests that the expectation that he should defeat his leading domestic rival and reclaim what was once his IBF title will provide him with another significant test to overcome.

Before the first of his fights with Usyk he sought to reinvent himself into a more cultured boxer instead of relying on the explosive qualities that had served him so well, and largely because in the first of his fights with Andy Ruiz Jnr he inexplicably neglected to use his size. He looked as lacking in identity in a later victory over Kubrat Pulev as he did in victory over Franklin and his first defeat by Usyk, but spoke at Tuesday’s grand arrivals at Leicester Square like a fighter convinced, or attempting to convince himself, that the struggles he experienced are firmly in his past. 

“I’m tense,” he told DAZN. “I’m tense. The fight’s around the corner – I don’t forget that the fight’s around the corner. This is chilled though. We’re not fighting today so I’m chilled, but in terms of where I’m at, there’s a time when I was doing what I was doing, and in front of everyone, on the live stage – I was changing my style. 

“I was trying to develop a different style of boxing. It weren’t so much of a fan-friendly style either. Then I teamed up with Ben Davison again, and we were on the same page, and we changed style again, but we changed for the better. It’s not just me doing it of my own accord – Ben’s got a good eye for detail, and he gets it, and I get it as well.

“It was something more personal. I fought for the championship in my 16th fight [stopping Charles Martin in 2016], so I was really early in my career. Even though I was winning, I’m at a level where I’m going to consistently fight people at this level, and people that are coming up to my level as well. ‘I gotta get better – and if I don’t start now it’s going to be too late.’ So I went on that journey trying to improve – when I fought Usyk I tried to change style the first fight; then I changed it again for the second fight. Pulev I was hands in the air; loose shoulders. I was trying to develop in different aspects, and then Ben pulled it all together at the last minute. 

“When you’re doing something so long, sometimes you just have to remember how good you are. Sometimes we forget that. You’ve just got to look back and say, ‘I’m actually good at what I do’. I was watching some of my amateur fights. I had some skills, you know, when I was coming through. ‘Show them how good I am – let them see my skills’, and I started putting it all back together again and that’s where I’m at. I want to show myself I’m actually good at what I do, and let me express that.”

Before moving to work with Davison – those around him were denying at the time that that was what he was doing, and said that he planned on continuing to work with Derrick James – Joshua identified James as the trainer he needed to revive his career. James lasted two fights, after replacing Robert Garcia in the one fight he and Joshua had together – when he impressed in the ultimately unsuccessful rematch with Usyk.

Garcia had succeeded the evolved combination of Rob McCracken, Angel Fernandez and Joby Clayton that had started as McCracken alone. McCracken had previously succeeded Tony Sims; the 34-year-old Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn, similarly, have questioned the make-up of the Don Charles-led Dubois’ training setup ahead of Saturday’s fight.

“My mentality is if I draw a line and put fear on one side and confidence on the other, I’m still going into the ring – what one am I going to choose?” the heavyweight continued, also aware that a long sought-after fight with Tyson Fury is potentially at stake. 

“I’m confident. I believe in myself, and I think that’s the right mentality to have.

“We were talking and saying, ‘Let’s now watch a fighter on YouTube’, and I’m thinking, ‘He’s amazing’. So I said to myself, ‘Why can’t I look at myself, take myself out of the situation personally, and say I’m going to be in that situation on Saturday – why don’t I be everything I dream of being?’. Why do I have to look at someone else and say they’re amazing? Why can’t I step up to the plate and be amazing myself? So I’ve been trying to level up and get that little bit closer to my greatness.

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about. An experience – I’m going to be walking into that ring and I’m going to be a certain mentality that is going to be unstoppable. I don’t want to look back on Sunday morning and be, ‘If only I’d done that’. I’ve got a chance to make it happen, so why not?”  

Video footage of three-belt heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in handcuffs and being escorted by police at John Paul II International Airport in Krakow, Poland, set off alarms, but has been quickly followed by statements that Usyk is freed.

“Dear Friends: A misunderstanding took place. It was quickly resolved. Thanks to all who got concerned. Thanks to Ukrainian diplomats for the efficient support,” Usyk wrote in a statement sent to BoxingScene and other news outlets by his manager, Egis Klimas.

“And respect to Polish police for conducting their obligations with no regards to height, weight, reach and regalia. Thanks God for everything.”

Usyk’s wife also posted on Instagram that “everything is fine. Oleksandr will explain everything later. Nothing criminal.”

In the brief video footage, as many as four police officers are seen escorting the handcuffed Usyk toward an elevator.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on "X" that he was involved in Usyk's freedom, posting, "I spoke with Oleksandr Usyk on the phone after he was detained. I was disappointed by this attitude towards our citizen and champion.

“I instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, to immediately look into all the details of the incident at Kraków airport. Now, everything is fine, our champion has been released, and he is no longer being detained. In the photo, he is with our Consul General in Kraków right after being released.”

Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs) was reportedly traveling to London to attend Saturday’s IBF heavyweight championship fight between two fighters he’s previously defeated, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Usyk, after surrendering his IBF belt earlier this year rather than fight his mandatory contender, is headed to a Dec. 21 rematch with former WBC champion Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia.

BoxingScene has reporters in London, and will have more on this matter as details emerge.  

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.

Sometimes on a bad day all you need is acknowledgement. No matter how it comes, or where it comes, all you need is to be noticed, appreciated, and reminded of your relevance at a time when you yourself may have started to doubt it. This is true when at work and perhaps never truer than when travelling to or from a place of work; when trains have been delayed or cancelled; when you find yourself sitting among fellow commuters wrestling with similar thoughts. 

Kieran Farrell, while on his way home one Thursday in September, came to understand this. He had earlier that day been in the boxing gym, his office, training Daniel Dubois, yet was now stuck on a train, surrounded by passengers as desperate as him to get home and as vexed by their inability to do so. There were delays, then there were cancellations, and all of a sudden Farrell, sedentary and fed up, was in need of a reminder; a reminder that no journey is wasted and that Dubois’ next fight, against Anthony Joshua on September 21, meant something in the world beyond the four walls of the gym on Don Charles’ farm. Get it, this sign, and it would be considerably easier for Farrell to ignore the fact his train home had been terminated four times and that he wouldn’t get home until six o’clock, three hours after he had held pads for Dubois. 

“It was good, though,” says Farrell, the type to always find a silver lining, “because on the train everyone was talking about Dubois and AJ. I had my Dubois tracksuit on and someone asked me if I boxed. I said, ‘No, I’m helping train Daniel Dubois for the AJ fight,’ and then suddenly I had the whole coach talking about the promo that came out that day.”

Whereas some people would have likely made that moment all about them, Farrell would extract from it a different kind of satisfaction. It was, to him, not a moment to shine or boast but instead an opportunity to remind himself why he made this same trip every day and why, even when the trip was inconveniently prolonged, it was still worthwhile and exciting. This, after all, was now Kieran Farrell’s job. For now, the dream job. 

“I needed a right-hand man,” says Don Charles, Dubois’ head coach. “I needed a coach who wasn’t going to come and dismantle what we were building. We needed someone who would recognize the good habits he (Daniel Dubois) has and also recognize the bad habits; to then build and develop the good and reduce and eventually eradicate the bad. 

“When we brought in Kieran, he understood our ethos of boxing. We like pressure fighters but encourage it safely, not recklessly. He works within that same perimeter and he not only has the same approach as us but he is a very fast pad man. We needed that to add to what the fighter has. He has also been in the ring since he was a child and understands a fight. 

“I have known him since he was a boy, when he used to come and spar people at my gym, so it’s nice to have come full circle now and be working together. He has great energy and brings to the gym positive vibes which you need. It was a really good addition.

“I’m getting old now – I’m 63 in December – and Kieran is basically a younger version of me. With his speed and knowledge, and with my knowledge and technique, it’s a winning combination. The fighter benefits massively from this partnership.”

Born and raised in Manchester, Farrell, the latest addition to the Dubois camp, only relocated to Brentwood, Essex last year; a move motivated by a desire to have his children grow up in a nicer area and attend better schools. He had no idea at the time where the journey south would ultimately lead. 

“I came down here and then Joe Gallagher (a fellow coach) got in touch with me and offered me a job at the Mike Tyson boxing gym in Saudi Arabia,” Farrell explains. “I was there for about seven weeks. It was good but different. It was hard to get used to being away from my family and it wasn’t for me. My missus was actually six months pregnant while I was over there and I didn’t really want to be in Saudi Arabia at that time. My son got a bit poorly, too, so I came back and a week later Daniel Dubois messaged me on Instagram. He said, ‘I’ve heard you’re pretty good at doing the pads. Fancy coming to do some work with me?’ I said, ‘Yeah, sound,’ but I’m thinking, This is fucking mental. It’s mad . I saw him at a show four years ago and I took a picture with him and wrote, ‘The future of heavyweight boxing.’

“Also, I didn’t know how working together would go because Daniel Dubois is like six-six and a killer. I know I’ve done a lot of pads for a lot of pros, but I can safely say I’ve never held them for someone as big as Daniel Dubois; or someone who hits as hard as Daniel Dubois.”

More than just a pad man, Farrell has experience as a pro boxer, with his own four-year career brought to a sad and premature end by an injury suffered in a loss – his only loss – against Anthony Crolla in 2012. Since then, he has carried the same infectious enthusiasm he displayed in the ring into his work in the gym, where he has for the past decade trained all manner of fighters – from young amateurs right through to title-winning pros. He has, by the age of 34, sampled every taste the sport has to offer, both the sweet and the sour, and is therefore now blessed with a unique combination of boyish eagerness – to please, to thrive – and a mature, knowing eye. 

“I’ve always been a fan of Dubois and, even as a fan, there were things I wanted to implement in his boxing,” Farrell says. “For starters, I wanted him to move his head a bit more. 

“When I went there, I spoke to Don Charles, who I’ve known for about 12 years now, and Don said to me, ‘Just freestyle,’ because they wanted to have a look at me. It was a bit of a trial basically. They had had a few people come up and do the pads and Don said they were all trying to change his style. But what he really wanted was just a few things implemented. When I came and did my freestyle, he was like, ‘Fuck me, this is what I want.’ 

“That was in March. Daniel Dubois’ dad then texted me and said he had two fights planned: (Filip) Hrgovic and then, if he beats Hrgovic (which Dubois did, stopping him in eight rounds), he gets AJ. I was buzzing.” 

To say Farrell’s first day on the job was memorable would be an understatement. He didn’t just leave the gym that day with ideas and inspiration. He left with marks.

“It was painful,” he says, laughing, “but I enjoyed it. Me and my wife were talking before it and she was like, ‘You’re going to have to buy some high heels and get bigger pads.’ But no, I turned up with my trainers on, and my thin little Winning pads, and it went well. 

“The back of my hands were killing, though. It was like when you have been doing a triceps press and have sore arms the next day.” 

It was the same process Charles, the man driving the Dubois train, had already gone through himself. Brought on board before Dubois challenged Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023, Charles naturally had things he wanted to say, changes he wanted to make, and tricks he wanted to try. Yet he also understood the importance of drip-feeding information to a fighter and not overwhelming them with too many new ideas. He was just as keen to assess exactly what he had at his disposal before even considering taking it apart. 

“Every new coach, when they link up with an athlete, will always have their own ethos and ideology,” he says. “In some cases, there may be things that don’t need changing. But there are always areas for improvement. A new coach will identify those areas and try to work on them. You have to recognize the style of the boxer and try not to ruin them or change things for the sake of it. 

“Daniel was already an established fighter when I inherited him. I wouldn’t say my work was easy but it was easi er because I wasn’t having to build him from scratch. He was a ‘regular’ WBA champion, so he came with a lot already. He’s probably the most recognized and established boxer I’ve inherited in the 20 years I’ve been doing this. Because of that we were able to accelerate him and within 12 months he is the official IBF world champion.

“He didn’t have an extensive amateur career; he turned pro at 19 and he’s 27 now. He’s been learning on the road, on the job. If you look at the calibre of fighters he has beaten, for a kid who didn’t have an extensive amateur career he has done remarkably well.”

In truth, part of the reason why Dubois, 21-2 (20), has been fast-tracked owes to the current lack of depth at heavyweight, evident once you scratch beneath the three or four elite heavyweights at the top. Yet another reason why Dubois has been able to move quickly, and stay active, has more to do with his punch power, which was detected in him early and gives the man known as “Dynamite” an ability to finish proceedings before a sweat, never mind a fight, has broken out. 

“I noticed the power before I even started working with him,” says Charles. “You’ve only got to see some of his knockouts to understand how hard he punches. His knockout percentage is something like 97.5 per cent. That tells you everything. Then I started training him and, yeah, you could see why. I’ve trained a lot of heavyweights and he’s right up there at the top in terms of power. He has freakish power. 

“But he’s got so much to his game aside from that power – and some elements of that he hasn’t shown yet. Daniel can do all different types of styles and actually has quite a lot of flair. Every so often he demonstrates that in the gym and I’ll be like, ‘Yes, do that again, Dan! Do that again!’”

The idea of Daniel Dubois showing flair, or anything beyond power and aggression, seems at odds with the heavyweight we have grown accustomed to seeing in recent years: bowling ball shoulders, blank expression, stiff posture, stiffer punches. But it is perhaps a mark of the Londoner’s willingness to learn, not to mention his athleticism, that he can now, at 27, do things besides simply hitting a static target and waiting for this target to disintegrate in front of him. It is also a testament to the work both Charles and Farrell have done with him in just a short space of time.

“I think I’ve helped with his footwork and how he throws certain shots,” says Farrell. “We work a lot on the speed of the shots. I’ll be honest, I just do what I do, and when I come and bring what I do, people say to me, ‘F**k me, I’ve never done the pads so fast in my life.’ But it doesn’t feel fast to me. I’m used to it.”

Farrell adds: “Daniel Dubois is just like me and that makes it easy to work with him. He just lives the sport. He doesn’t do anything else, man. He just loves it so much. Don’s the same as well. But when I look at Daniel Dubois it’s like looking in a fucking mirror. He’s just a much bigger version of me really. He’s been boxing since he was seven, like me, and he trains four or five times a day now. There’s no getting away from it. If anything, you have to tell him to stop training. You have to say, ‘Listen, bro, slow down.’ He’ll want to do sprints before a day of sparring and you have to tell him no.

“Also, people are seeing him come out of his shell now. Daniel is a fucking really good lad, man. He’s a good laugh as well. People just haven’t seen that before from him.

To get through to Daniel Dubois, or indeed any fighter, a coach must first understand them and their ways. They must understand what makes them tick and what drives them. They must understand, too, that no two fighters are the same. 

“He’s a fine young man,” says Charles. “He’s a very, very unique young man. A unique personality. A unique fighter. What more can I say? He’s a very pleasant person to work with. 

“In the gym, it’s a very professional environment. He’s a very serious and quite intense character when it comes to his boxing. It is his profession. We all gel really well because once we are there (in the gym) we are there for one thing and that’s to work. 

“Daniel is a very regimented individual. For a young man he has great discipline in the way he approaches what he does. He has a no-nonsense sort of attitude. He comes to train. There is no chit-chat or messing around. He just wants to work and put a shift in. I like that. I’m a guy with great discipline. I grew up like that. Away from boxing I’m very disciplined and I apply that to the boxing. Coincidentally Daniel also comes from a very strict background. All the (Dubois) children have discipline; they have manners. When you apply that to your profession, no matter what it is, it works out well, and that discipline and that focus stands you in good stead. It’s refreshing, to be quite honest.”

If power does end up being a deciding factor against Joshua this weekend, of equal importance will be discipline and focus. In fact, history would indicate that discipline and focus usually help a fighter not only guard themselves against the power of an opponent but also, when the time comes, execute the kind of attack – or shot – they will have practised for weeks in the gym. 

“Daniel can punch as hard as anyone at heavyweight,” says Farrell. “If he touches anyone on the chin, they can go to sleep, it’s as simple as that. But it works both ways. If AJ catches Dubois, he’s got the same chance – the same sort of power. That’s why it’s a really good fight.”

“It’s going to be the fight we want it to be,” stresses Charles. “Joshua is a fantastic fighter; a top operator. You only have to look at what he has achieved to see the quality. He is a top-level fighter and this is our hardest fight. 

“It’s going to be explosive and aggressive, but it will be controlled aggression. He (Dubois) will follow the game plan as closely as he possibly can and we’ll definitely be victorious in this fight, I have no doubt. We’re all working hard and we’re all doing what we can to aid Daniel on the night.”

As well as power, controlled aggression, focus and discipline, another key factor on the night will be experience. That is something all the men involved are forever accruing, whether they find themselves in the middle of the ring or in one of its corners, and something, in the context of stadium fights, Joshua in particular has in spades. 

“I’ve been there before, so I’m kind of used to it,” says Charles. “Experience is a great thing. I’ve been in a lot of big fights as a coach, so I am well-seasoned. Daniel has had some big fights, too. We fought abroad (Poland) in a big stadium – 45,000 people – against Usyk. He also fought at White Hart Lane on the undercard of (Tyson) Fury versus (Derek) Chisora. He’s used to those occasions. In the last 14 months he has come through adversity and now he’s on a roll. He is now like a boat, sailing nicely.” 

“We all share the same dream in that gym and we all want to beat AJ at Wembley,” says Farrell. “It doesn’t get any bigger. You look across Don’s farm and you can see the big arch of Wembley. It’s madness. Every time I get in the car to go back to the train station, I look at that and I’m like, ‘Fucking hell, in two weeks’ time there will be 90,000 in there and I’ll be in the corner.’ 

“For Daniel, for Daniel’s family and team, it doesn’t matter. It could be behind closed doors for all we care. It’s about Daniel and AJ in the ring. It doesn’t matter where the ring is. All that matters is what happens inside it on the night. For every fan watching it, either in the stadium or at home, all I’ll say is this: it’s going to be some fucking fight.”

At last, they are ready to move, no more delays. With a full carriage, Don Charles, Kieran Farrell, and everyone else seated on the Daniel Dubois train have some forward motion. The track has now cleared. They know their next stop. They know, more importantly, the final destination.

Tyler Denny has criticised the “weird agendas” he believes means observers want Anthony Joshua to fail.

Joshua, on Saturday at Wembley Stadium, challenges Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on the occasion of the 27-year-old Dubois’ first title defence.

Not unlike when at the same venue Joshua so entertainingly stopped Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povektin, a crowd in the region of 90,000 is expected to be present – meaning that Denny, when he defends his European middleweight title against the promising Hamzah Sheeraz, enters his highest-profile fight.

Denny and Sheeraz, 25, will therefore become just the latest fighters to benefit from Joshua’s profile and influence, contributing to Denny questioning why the former world heavyweight champion is not treated with greater respect.

After avenging his defeat by Andy Ruiz Jnr, the 34-year-old Joshua has lost only to the great Oleksandr Usyk, and in the event of victory over Dubois on Saturday, in an even bigger occasion he could finally fight Tyson Fury next.

“He gets so much unnecessary stick,” Denny, 33, told BoxingScene. “For what he’s done, just for boxing in general – he got the stadium fights regularly. He’s a massive name. He’s probably bumped everyone’s money up as well. 

“He’s made boxing bigger. The amount of stick he gets for losing against Usyk – maybe he might not get so much now [Usyk’s] beaten Fury. He might leave off him in a bit. It’s hard when you’re at the top like them guys. But people have weird agendas. They like to see people fail for some reason. I’ve never really got that. I suppose you get it the same with high-level footballers as well.

“There must be a lot of pressure on his shoulders in certain fights. But you look at his CV – he takes big fights. 

“I don’t think you can really win, can you? He’ll beat Dubois and it’ll be, ‘He shouldn’t be a world champion; Dubois was never a world champion.’ You can never win, can you?”

WBO super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez is set for a major 2025 as he gears up to either become a unified champion at 140lbs or progress to the welterweight division in the hopes of becoming a three-division title-holder. However, ‘The Takeover’ may proceed with a new man by his side.

Lopez has always trained under the guidance of his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr., and the duo were able to pull off one of the most impressive title fight upsets in recent memory when Lopez outpointed Vasyl Lomachenko to become the unified champion at a time when the Ukrainian appeared invincible.

The career of Lopez has been a rollercoaster one since, suffering a shock defeat of his own against George Kambosos Jr. before moving up to 140lbs and dethroning super-lightweight poster boy Josh Taylor, but underwhelming in two outings against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett since.

At 27-years-old, Lopez still has plenty of time to improve his consistency and his skills will surely develop even further with added experience, but his next step could be a career defining one. A similar performance to his latest outings in a super-lightweight title unification or welterweight title challenge would likely see Lopez handed a second career loss, although his ability to turn up when motivated on the big stage is one that simply cannot be taught.

With potential there for all to see, Lopez has turned to one of the most lauded trainers in the game, telling iFL TV that he has been working with Canelo Alvarez’s team and most notably Eddy Reynoso, but maintaining that his father will remain by his side and in his corner regardless of whether the move to Reynoso is made permanent.

“My father and Reynoso are talking together, and I think that is the best part. I don’t move nowhere without my father and my father has definitely pushed this move for me to go to Canelo’s camp. My father was there, and it has been great, so let’s see what happens.Heavyweight Who Dropped Daniel Dubois Three Times Breaks Down Anthony Joshua Clash

“It is beautiful [working in Reynoso’s camp] because it is two great fighters, myself and Canelo. We talk, we exchange knowledge and things that he has learnt, things that I have learned and we go back and forth on it. I think that the best thing that I learned about it is that I am just warming up.

“It’s not just ego’s or pride getting involved, it is just two guys wanting to one-up the other and trying to learn from each other. Whether you want to say that that is the Latin community coming together, it is big and I am grateful Canelo accepted me to go to the camp and has done many times before.”

Lopez continues to hint at a move to 147lbs but should he remain at super-lightweight, it is likely that he would be forced to make a mandatory defence of his WBO crown against either Jose Carlos Ramirez or Arnold Barboza Jr. before unifications could become possible.

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Junior lightweight Robson Conceicao, who captured Brazil’s first Olympic boxing gold at the 2016 Rio Games, now holds the WBC junior lightweight title after three previous failed attempts. Conceicao will face former titleholder O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) in a rematch on November 2 at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York.

Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs), 36, signed with Top Rank after the Atlanta games and reflected on his Olympic success, saying: “Every punch I threw in that fight was a battle won against the challenges I faced from the start of my career. I’m grateful to everyone who believed in me and contributed to this historic journey."

In the 2016 Olympic lightweight final, Conceicao defeated France’s Sofiane Oumiha, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, in front of an ecstatic Brazilian crowd. Conceicao described the victory as the culmination of years of hard work.

“When they announced my name and I felt the crowd’s energy, my determination grew. I knew that was my moment. Behind this medal is a story of overcoming challenges. I am proof that sports can transform lives.”

Now, as Conceicao prepares to defend his title after a controversial split-decision victory over Foster earlier this year, he hopes to inspire a new generation of Brazilian athletes, moving beyond the country’s traditional dominance in soccer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

“I’m very proud to know that many children look up to me,” Conceicao said. “This medal is for them too, to show that with focus and determination, anything is possible.”

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.

On Friday afternoon, Josh Warrington will step onto the scales beneath the famous arch that loops over London’s Wembley Stadium and weigh in ahead of his fight with the IBF junior lightweight titleholder Anthony Cacace. 

The last time Warrington weighed close to the junior lightweight limit was all the way back in 2011 when he scaled 129¼ pounds for a four-rounder with Steve Gethin at the Doncaster Dome.

How times change.

In those early days, Warrington would need to eat his way up to featherweight but although he was small, he and his team made the decision for him to compete at around 126 pounds and get used to fighting bigger, stronger men. Warrington matured and went on to become a two-time IBF titleholder and arguably the fittest, strongest featherweight in the world.

Over the years, the 126-pound weight limit became doable but increasingly difficult, and a move to 130 pounds became an inevitability.

Although the opportunity to fight Cacace came around relatively quickly, Warrington has certainly had time to build himself up to his new weight. He hasn’t boxed since losing to Leigh Wood last October.

Ordinarily, a 15-year-veteran moving up to a higher weight class on the back of a knockout loss would sound alarm bells, but Warrington appeared to be back to his marauding best until Wood put together what proved to be a fight-ending combination as the bell sounded to end the seventh round. The 33-year-old Warrington will go to his grave believing that he should have been allowed to sit on his stool and gather himself during the minute break rather than being stopped on his feet.

Four additional pounds may not sound a lot, but it translates to around two liters of water – a godsend during fight week – and makes an enormous difference to a fighter’s mood, energy levels and robustness throughout a long, stressful training camp. 

Warrington (33-3-1, 8 KOs) knows his body, and after spending years depleting himself, he has recognized the benefits of having a few thousand extra calories worth of fuel.

“I think I'm feeling it now already.” he told BoxingScene. “Normally, I'd start feeling a bit weaker in sparring, but I'm feeling fucking bang-on. My diet has been really good – as it always is – but the weight seems to have dropped really easily.

“I don't know if it's down to training. I don't know if it's down to nervous energy, in terms of what’s on the line in the fight. But, yeah, I'm in a very good position.”

That nervous energy isn’t something that shows up on any tale of the tape or in any technical breakdown, but it is something that is as important to Warrington as a solid jab. He was at his ferocious best amid the red-hot atmosphere generated by his world title fights with Lee Selby and Carl Frampton but a shadow of himself during a subdued, behind-closed-doors loss to an unknown Mauricio Lara and during the first half of his IBF title defeat to Luis Alberto Lopez in 2022. 

The prospect of fighting Cacace has reignited the spark that has been missing since he was given a fight with Kiko Martinez and the chance to regain his IBF title more than two years ago. 

“I wasn't scared of Wood,” Warrington said. “Regardless of what anyone said, I wasn't scared of him. I didn't fear him. Obviously, you fear losing, but I didn't feel like he could hurt me.

“I didn't feel like he could outbox me or anything like that, so I didn't fear him in that sense, whereas I fear Cacace because I know he's a big boy and I know he's coming for a win, and it was a pretty impressive one over [Joe] Cordina.

“I’d say the last time [I felt this energy] was maybe Kiko Martinez II, because I'd been in there with Kiko before; or Mauricio Lara II, when I was having the rematch at Headingley [Stadium].”

Cacace, 35, has endured more than his fair share of bad luck and frustration. Having beaten Cordina to win the title, he has quickly become accustomed to life as a champion. After beginning to doubt whether he would ever reach this level, he will be determined to capitalize on his success. 

Warrington rode the momentum generated by his title-winning night against Selby directly into that memorable win over Frampton. He knows just how difficult it could be to stem the tide this weekend, but he will happily do whatever it takes to make sure that his own career has a special ending.

“Cacace's a new champion, and a new champion is always a dangerous man because they know what it's like to be a champion and they don't want to lose that,” he said.

“His career’s had a big resurgence, and he's already told me he's willing to do anything it takes to keep hold of that belt, so I know where we need to go and I'm already mentally prepared to go there. I know it's not going to be nice, but it's where I have to go to make sure I get the win.”

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It was the worst retirement ever. 

Joey Dawejko laughs, knowing that statement is correct, considering that since he walked away from the sport in 2022, he’s had eight fights and eight one-rounders for the Team Combat League. 

What happened?

“I was always working during my training back in the day and I knew I had to figure something out to do above and beyond boxing,” Dawejko explains. “I started a roofing company and I was just focusing on that, but I would still go to the gym here and there. And one night I was talking to Russell Peltz and he said, ‘Joe, why don't you just train and fight in front of your hometown and fight back at home? You’ve been on the road for a long time, why don’t you just fight at home?’ I was like, you know what, that’s a good idea because most of my career was away from Philadelphia. So fighting back at home meant a lot to me because I have a lot of fans, a lot of friends and family, and they would still be able to come see me fight. That’s what kind of brought me back.”

So, after back-to-back knockout losses to Zhan Kossobutskiy and Stephan Shaw that dropped his record to 21-10-4, the retirement that lasted all of eight months was over in September of 2022 when he stopped Mike Marshall in four rounds at Parx Casino, about 40 minutes outside of his native Philadelphia. 

There was no talk of title runs, big money fights or anything else that used to consume his days. He was just fighting, because that’s what it always was about.

“I'm the type of fighter that never asked who I was fighting,” he said. “I always asked how much I was making (Laughs), but the thing was, I never turned a fight down. And sometimes I was a little too tough for my own good because some fights that I should have never taken I did because I’m a fighter. And I enjoy fighting. I guess that’s why a lot of people like me in the boxing world, because you don't get that anymore. People want to pad their record and become 30-0 and do this and do that. That don’t matter to me, man. I just want to fight.”

Now 7-1 since his “return,” Dawejko will be going out of town for a fight in Phoenix this Friday against unbeaten Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. It’s the kind of contest that’s seen as a showcase for Torrez, but, at the same time, it could be a game changer for the 34-year-old father of four.

“I've been in this situation before, and every time I always looked ahead and said, ‘You know what, if I win this, I could do this or I could do that,’” said Dawejko, who has been in with Shaw, Jarrell Miller, Charles Martin, Frank Sanchez and Bryant Jennings during a career that began in 2009. “And honestly, I'm taking this fight as serious as I’ve taken probably any fight in my career because I know what it could do for me. And even though I was retired not that long ago, I still feel like I have a lot left in the game and I could still make some money. I’m more focused than anything right now and I know that after I win this fight, it could be big.”

It would be. Dawejko (28-11-4 with 16 KOs) represents what’s right about boxing. He’s a blue-collar family man, a ticket seller in a day and age when those fighters are rapidly dwindling, and he shows up to fight when his name is called. The owner of Tank’s Knockout Roofing also tells me he’s a pretty fair roofer, as well. So while there’s usually only the negatives spewed about the Philadelphian: He’s too small for heavyweight at 5-foot-10, he gets into too many wars, etc., he knows that the only one showing up with a cup and mouthpiece on fight night is him. And he also credits his TCL run with not just keeping him busy, but adding some new wrinkles to his game thanks to the promotion’s one-round format.

“The first fight, I went in there and everything changed,” Dawejko said. “Usually, I’m fighting eight or 10 rounds and nobody’s trying to get you out of there that fast. So the pace of the fight was different to me and I adapted to it. But after fighting all of those fights in Team Combat League, when I had a regular fight back in April, the pace transitioned with me, too. Back then, I wasn’t as busy as I should have been, but now I feel like I’m a busy fighter because of that. In April, I came out in the first round, and I was like, wow, I threw a lot of punches. I did what I was supposed to do.”

With his foot firmly on the gas, Dawejko stopped 7-1 prospect Walter Burns in three rounds at Liacouras Center in Philly, and then made the drive home to his fiancée and his girls. He won’t have that kind of commute this week, which doesn’t sit too well with the ladies, but dad promises that a trip to Target when he gets home will soothe any hurt feelings.

“When I told them that I was fighting in Arizona, they got a little upset because they think that it’s going to happen again, like how it was before, because I used to train in California,” he said. “I hated every second of it, but that’s where I had to be to keep pursuing my dreams. But they understand. They know that they will get a Target trip out of this, so it’ll be good.”

As for dad’s dreams, where do they stand before he boards a flight for the biggest fight of his career? 

“I know that I could still make money in boxing, but my dream now is for my children to live a great life and keep building with my fiancée, Maria, and just go on and live a great life. That’s my dream now, to be able to take care of my family.” 

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The criticism of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s competition, if it hasn’t already peaked, is sure to reach a deafening pitch after his dismantling of Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas on Sunday. For all Alvarez’s post-fight defiance, literally no one has claimed he doesn’t take on younger fighters – and smacking around a 27-year-old Berlanga nevertheless accomplished precious little toward proving Canelo’s frequent claim that he is the best fighter in the world.

Still, is that the ultimate goal for Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs)? Sure, he wants respect. But he has made it abundantly clear that he also likes money. And whether fans appreciate it or not, he’s savvy: Canelo, 34, undoubtedly considers his longevity through the lens of both legacy and career earning power. So where does he go from here? After denying David Benavidez for so long, is now the time for Alvarez to make a date with his former super middleweight mandatory? Does Canelo instead go after Terence Crawford, a potentially lesser threat with a grander profile? Also seemingly on the table: a rematch (and potential revenge) against Dmitry Bivol; a meeting with Artur Beterbiev, if he were to beat Bivol on Oct. 12; and lower-hanging fruit such as Christian Mbilli, Diego Pacheco and others.

And so we set the question to our staff at BoxingScene: Who is the wisest choice for Canelo Alvarez’s next opponent?

Matt Christie: The wisest choice, from Team Canelo’s point of view, would be to keep their man at super middleweight, where he can likely reign for a few years yet. He’s now 10-0 in the weight class, and though we might moan and groan about his choice of opponents, history will likely be kind to his long-standing divisional reign in years to come.

However, he surely senses the desire from observers to see him test himself.

Perhaps another defense down at 168 – against someone like Mbilli – before setting his sights on the Beterbiev-Bivol winner in a win-or-bust expedition.

A loss won’t hurt Alvarez’s legacy like a defeat to Crawford, Benavidez or David Morrell – something of which he’s no doubt acutely aware. As a fan, however, I’d favor any of those three fights over all other options.

Eric Raskin: I know Canelo is convinced that fighting Crawford is a no-win situation for him, but I believe he’s wrong about that. It’s currently a gap of two weight classes. Was fighting Kell Brook a no-win situation for Gennady Golovkin? Not at all. And Crawford just happens to be an all-time great (unlike Brook) who has never been defeated. You hand an all-time great his first loss? That’s an accomplishment, regardless of the size differential.

All that said, Canelo would be a favorite over Crawford, which would not be the case against the Bivol-Beterbiev winner, and may not be the case against Benavidez. This is a fight he’s reasonably likely to win, which would earn him an enormous paycheck, and that fans will be thrilled for, especially on the heels of a fight in which Canelo was a -1800 favorite. Canelo-Crawford would attract mainstream attention. It would be an event .

Sounds like a wise choice to me.

Kieran Mulvaney: Whomever he faces, Canelo will earn many dollars more than most of us will earn in a lifetime. Crawford brings upside but massive potential downside, Benavidez huge upside but very big risk. Looking at choices in potential opponents purely in terms of what’s smartest for Canelo, I’ll say Mbilli. Alvarez can mollify critics by rightly painting Mbilli as the best super middleweight challenger available to him right now; but although he is strong and highly capable, he doesn’t bring anything Canelo hasn’t seen before. It would probably be an entertaining fight for the fans and another UD12 for Alvarez.

Declan Warrington: Crawford is the biggest fight, but he’s too small to test Alvarez – we didn’t need to see him against Israil Madrimov to know that. Which means there’s only one fight for him – Benavidez. Benavidez is not only his most dangerous opponent but the one most capable of enhancing the legacy he often mentions (and which will be undermined if he continues fighting opponents of the caliber of Edgar Berlanga). He also might have timed his most dangerous, and second-most lucrative, remaining fight in the same way Floyd Mayweather Jnr did with him in 2013 – Benavidez will struggle to make 168 pounds after moving up and staying at light heavyweight, ensuring everything would be in Alvarez’s favor. Which is something Alvarez likely knows. If he doesn’t fight him this time, he’ll deserve all of the criticism he had been certain to receive.

Bernard Neequaye: I’ll go with Benavidez. At this stage in Canelo’s career, I believe it’s the only fight that’s missing on his resume. Even though he doesn’t need it to prove his Hall of Fame status, it’s the fight that every boxing enthusiast wants to see at 168.

A Crawford fight, by comparison, wouldn’t be very competitive, given Crawford’s recent (ordinary) performance against Israil Madrimov at 154 pounds.

Canelo also spoke of wanting a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, and I’m sure he has his reasons for wanting that fight. But what boxing needs more right now is Canelo-Benavidez, just as it needed Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao back in 2015.

Lucas Ketelle: Alvarez faces a dilemma in picking his next opponent. While fans clamor for certain matchups (like Benavidez), the smartest choice may not align with popular demand. Amid Canelo's tensions with Turki Alalshikh, my proposal – though it’s likely to be dismissed – promises the biggest spectacle with minimal risk and maximum exposure and revenue.

Boxing and MMA fans have always been divided, with little crossover between the two. Alalshikh just backed the UFC, which held an event at The Sphere on the same night as Canelo’s triumph over Edgar Berlanga. Taking a cue from Mayweather, a bout against Conor McGregor could ignite buzz and intrigue, regardless of the outcome. Sometimes, the shrewdest decision isn't the crowd-pleaser but is undeniably the one that makes the most headlines.

David Greisman: The wisest choice for Canelo is the winner of Beterbiev-Bivol. If it’s Beterbiev, Canelo can try to slay the giant of the 175-pound weight class. If it’s Bivol, then it’s a chance for revenge, and perhaps Canelo can leverage his star power into a catchweight that disadvantages Bivol. Canelo has spoken of lose-lose scenarios (as with the Crawford fight). Beterbiev or Bivol would be no-lose scenarios. Even in defeat, Canelo could conclude that light heavyweights are too big for him and finally shut the door on Benavidez, who may not be able to squeeze his body down to 168 anymore. That being said, I think a fight with Crawford is the most lucrative match available for Canelo, who has been playing hard-to-get in order to drive up his price tag. Unless MMA’s McGregor dons the boxing gloves again.

Owen Lewis: As a fan, what I want more than anything is for Canelo to fight someone with a tangible chance of beating him. The man himself clearly feels differently. My guess is that he remains intent on seeking the fights imbued with the lowest risk for the most reward, regardless of what he’s saying about a Bivol rematch. (Had he been willing to take that fight in his best weight class, instead of 175, it would have happened already.) David Benavidez remains the best fight to make, but after five straight foregone conclusions, I suspect exasperated fans would accept anybody risky.

Jason Langendorf: When it comes to the moral and existential crisis surrounding whether Alvarez is “coasting,” I come from the Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard School of Philosophy: I don’t care . The men and women who punch and get punched in the face for our entertainment get to use whatever leverage they have to optimize their careers, and fans get to choose whether or not to show up with their Modelos and DraftKings apps to watch. Them’s the rules.

Still, if I’m Canelo and I’m strategizing how to maximize my remaining paydays while also striving for greatness, I start with Crawford. Alvarez is 34 years old and 66 fights deep into his career, which means cash-out time is near, if not here. A Crawford fight would be a massive spectacle and moneymaker of a fight, the risk for physical damage is low(ish), and in the event of a loss, Alvarez could still set up and knock down the Mbillis of the world to play out the string and pad his pocketbook. If he wins? A subsequent fight with the Beterbiev-Bivol winner is turned up to 11. And if he wins that one ? Canelo makes bank, appeases his critics and etches himself into boxing history as an unimpeachable all-time great.

Tris Dixon: It doesn't have to be, but, it has to be Benavidez. Canelo is not going to get any better, Benavidez is. Benavidez has just been up to 175, so drag him back down to a catchweight of 166, stack the deck in your favor and make it happen.

I see the size of the Crawford fight. I see the benefit of trying to avenge the defeat by Bivol. I'd give him enormous credit for facing Beterbiev. He'd even merit praise for going after low-hanging title fruit at 200lbs, but adding the name of Benavidez to his resume will be the finest addition to his legacy.

#CaneloAlvarez #Boxing #FightNight #BoxingNews #NextFight #BoxingFans #CaneloVs #BoxingMatch #FightPrediction #BoxingWorld #CaneloUpdates #BoxingDebate #AlvarezFight #BoxingAnalysis #FightChoice

When analyzing the long arc of middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara’s career, context is everything. To casual fans, he may be just another fighter. But to the hardcore fight crowd, the 41-year-old Lara is quite literally a national treasure.

That Lara (31-3-3, 19 KOs) picked up a ninth-round TKO over 36-year-old Danny Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) on Saturday at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena was a notable development, but it’s not the lead. The most significant takeaway from the matchup is that Lara, even at 41, is still a problem. For most of his career, opponents dodged him, and now, even in light of his diminished mobility, his challengers are no more eager to face him. He might still be the best middleweight in the world.

Lara’s journey started inside Cuba’s legendary boxing system. He was a favorite for the 2008 Beijing Olympics before defecting – twice. After a failed first attempt following the Pan American Games, he finally made it, in February 2009, crossing to Mexico by boat – a story straight out of Hollywood. But Lara’s story offers substance and drama. His pro career began in Turkey, transitioned through Germany and finally landed in Primm, Nevada. Early Lara? Slick defense, constant movement and a lethal left hand. Critics called it “running,” but if you pressed too hard, Lara would put you to sleep. This is a theme of his career, by the way.

His first big moment came in 2011 in a controversial draw against Carlos Molina. Not many watched it live on “Friday Night Fights,” but those who did still debate the result. Molina outlanded Lara, but the fight ended in a majority draw – a trivia question more than a highlight, and one of Lara’s three career draws.

The fight that truly put Lara on the map? His 2011 bout with Paul Williams. Williams, a 6-foot-1 southpaw who threw 1,000 punches a fight, and who had to move up and down weight classes to find fights, was coming off a knockout loss to Sergio Martinez. Lara outboxed him, plain and simple, but the judges somehow saw fit to hand Williams the win, in what is still one of the most egregious decisions in modern boxing history.

From there, Lara’s career became a frustrating mix of missed opportunities and avoided challenges. He had a technical draw with Vanes Martirosyan and a wild brawl with Alfredo Angulo, who dropped Lara twice before getting stopped in the 10th round. Lara then soundly outpointed Austin Trout, one of the most underrated fighters of the era, setting up his biggest test yet: a 2014 pay-per-view clash with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. While many thought Lara won, his cautious style let Canelo dictate the action with body shots and pressure. The judges favored aggression, giving Canelo the nod.

That fight solidified Lara’s reputation as boxing’s boogeyman – a high-risk, low-reward proposition for opponents. Over his next six bouts, Lara faced names like Ishe Smith, Delvin Rodriguez, Jan Zaveck, Martirosyan (again), Yuri Foreman and Terrell Gausha – solid fighters, but not the marquee matchups he had rightfully earned. In the process, he won the WBA junior middleweight title. Fighters weren’t necessarily afraid of him, but they knew that a fight with Lara meant looking bad, win or lose. It’s no wonder Gennady Golovkin passed on a bout with Lara in favor of bigger paydays, like the eventual Canelo fight.

In 2018 and 2019, Lara hit a rough patch. Jarrett Hurd defeated him by split decision, taking his WBA junior middleweight title using size, volume and brute force. Brian Castano held him to a draw, leveraging simple fundamentals and relentless pressure to keep Lara from taking control.

Lara continued on, stopping Canelo’s brother Ramon Alvarez, knocking out Thomas LaManna for the WBA middleweight title and dispatching Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan, Michael Zerafa and now Garcia. The list of Lara’s opponents lacks wattage, but that speaks more to the reluctance of star-caliber foes to face him rather than any decline in Lara’s skill.

Like countryman Guillermo Rigondeaux, Lara walks a fine line between boring and brilliant, as capable of dazzling displays as they are of stretches in which they stink up a fight. Cuba, often stereotyped for mass-producing boring fighters, doesn’t get enough credit for having produced more than its share of defensive masters. And lately, it has also delivered the likes of lightning strikes such as Andy Cruz and David Morrell, who appear to be in the process of breaking the old mold.

What often gets overlooked in Lara’s story is that he has been more entertaining than is often remembered. His fight with Canelo – which came 10 years ago, by the way – was dramatic. His bout with Angulo, in 2013, was one of the year’s best. His war with Hurd in 2018? A genuine thriller. For a fighter pegged as boring, Lara can stake a claim to two Fight of the Year candidates and several Knockout of the Year-worthy moments. Martirosyan, an outstanding amateur who lost only to Lara, Demetrius Andrade, Jermell Charlo and Golovkin, was another underrated win during that era. Add to that Lara’s nine successful title defenses across two weight classes, and the picture starts to change.

After his latest win, Lara likened his performance to fine art.

“I felt I boxed beautifully,” Lara said after the Garcia fight. “It was a work of art, like a Picasso. I negated everything Danny had. He’s a great fighter and a Hall of Famer, just like me. I used lateral movement and a long jab, just like they teach at the Cuban school of boxing.”

So, what’s next? Lara has talked about unifying titles, but WBC titleholder Carlos Adames has already stated he won’t fight Lara, out of respect. Meanwhile, Janibek Alimkhanuly, the WBO and IBF belt holder, has a mandatory defense on the horizon. Lara remains unfazed. He’s not chasing paydays or making wild callouts – at 41, he still believes there’s plenty left in the tank.

Lara’s win over Garcia wasn’t a barnburner, but it was another reminder of just how overlooked he is. Could his ultimate goal be to break Bernard Hopkins’ record as the oldest champion, at 46? Five more years of Lara isn’t impossible, and judging by his demeanor at the post-fight press conference, he certainly doesn’t sound like a man thinking of retirement. Yet, that is all just speculation.

“I’m ready for the next challenge,” Lara said. “I’m here to stay. I have a lot of boxing left in me.”

#ErislandyLara #Boxing #Middleweight #BoxingNews #LaraVsGarcia #BoxingLegacy #FightNight #BoxingFans #LaraCareer #BoxingAnalysis #CubanBoxing #BoxingHistory #FightPrediction #BoxingUpdate #LaraEndgame

As he surveys his list of champions, one in particular is special to World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman.

Unbeaten super-flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez “is a sensational, out-of-this-world phenomenon,” Sulaiman told BoxingScene hours after it was revealed at the weekly WBC news conference that Rodriguez will defend his belt Nov. 9 in Philadelphia against WBC interim champion Pedro Guevara of Mexico.

Guevara (42-4-1, 22 KOs) announced that he’ll meet the 24-year-old Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) at the WBC event, with Ring Magazine reporting the news first on Tuesday.

Rodriguez trainer Robert Garcia confirmed that his fighter is already in the Riverside, Calif., gym for the bout.

After debuting as a light-flyweight and fighting at less than 110 pounds in late 2021, Rodriguez jumped at the chance to fight for the WBC super-flyweight title in early 2022, knocking down veteran former world champion Carlos Cuadras to win by decision, then moving on to score a sixth-round TKO four months later against another of the division’s best fighters, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

“If you look up the last decade of the super-flyweight division, it was like they had their own version of the ‘Four Kings,’ with Cuadras, Sor Rungvisai, (Juan Francisco) Estrada and (Roman ‘Chocolatito’) Gonzalez … ‘Bam’ has taken on three of them already and now he goes after another solid veteran in Guevara,” Sulaiman said. “It’s an unbelievable pace.”

Rodriguez went back down to flyweight to win and unify there against Cristian Gonzalez Hernandez and Sunny Edwards, and then, on June 29, he knocked out Estrada with a vicious seventh-round body punch.

Rodriguez prepared for Estrada by sparring with four-division champion Gonzalez in sessions that could’ve justified $1,000 ringside seats.

Fighting in Philadelphia seems an odd choice considering the interest Rodriguez had in fighting next either at home in San Antonio, back in Arizona or in Las Vegas.

A Matchroom Boxing fighter, Rodriguez’s all-action style is needed for a card expected to be headlined by unbeaten welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis in a highly criticized IBF mandatory title defense against Karen Chukhadzhian, whom Ennis defeated by three 120-108 scorecards in January 2023.

In Mexico’s Guevara, 35, Rodriguez meets a fighter coming off a May 12 split-decision triumph over Andrew Moloney in Perth, Australia, that caused Moloney to retire.

Estrada was empowered to invoke a rematch against Rodriguez, but instead opted to move up to the bantamweight division.

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.

Adam Azim believes a win over Ohara Davies on October 19 will elevate him to world level.

Azim, 22, fights Davies at London’s Copper Box Arena in his first big step-up since winning the European junior-welterweight title. He is familiar with his opponent after sharing a gym with him when he was a child. 

They have stayed in touch since spending time together at the Peacock Gym in London and have so far remaing respectful in the build-up to their contest. Davies, 32, has regardless taking aim at Azim's promoter Ben Shalom and trainer Shane McGuigan.

The fighter appeared at the launch press conference for their fight wearing a t-shirt with the image of Carl Frampton – a fighter McGuigan has had well-documented legal issues with. Azim is too familiar with Davies’ antics, and said that it changes nothing between them.

“Look, you know with Ohara he's got unpredictable behavior,” said Azim. “Like he can bring out whatever he wants. I can't stop that, you know. I know Ohara really, really well and I know how he comes across. Obviously, I've got full respect for him, and he's got respect for me. Look, I just respect everyone, that's it.”

In his past fight Davies was stopped in the first round by the 41-year-old Ismael Barroso. Azim, however, believes that he can’t take anything from that performance, and instead will be focussing on himself.

“In boxing you can get caught early, you can get caught late, anything can happen,” he said. “Ohara Davies was fully prepared for that fight, but look, it happens for a reason. Ohara Davies, I’ve known him for a while, I don't really take anything from that fight. I just know him as a person. For me, I don't really look at the fights, I just look at what I need to do.”

After only 11 professional contests, Azim is already eyeing world titles. He has dreams of becoming the UK’s youngest champion and believes a win over Davies will propel him on to the world stage. 

“I've always had this mindset that I will become a world champion at a really young age,” he said. “Ohara Davies has been at world level, and this is a great way for me to step up and become a world-level fighter.”

Azim also dnamed some of the division’s best fighters when asked who was his ideal opponent to face for a world title.

“Teofimo Lopez; Devin Haney,” he answered. “I've got George Kambosos, Regis Prograis in my mind as well. They’re all tremendous fights, and one day I'll get a chance to get my title.”

Shocking footage has surfaced showing Oleksandr Usyk, the Ukrainian heavyweight champion, being detained by authorities at Krakow Airport. The video captures Usyk being led away by uniformed officers with his hands behind his back, sparking immediate concern and confusion among fans and the boxing community.

The circumstances surrounding Usyk's detention initially remained unclear, prompting speculation. However, those close to the fighter were quick to reassure fans. Usyk's wife, Kateryna, took to social media to calm the situation, stating, "Everything is fine, everything is fine. Oleksandr will explain everything later. Nothing criminal, goodnight everyone." His coach and friend, Serge Lapin, also commented, suggesting the incident was due to a customs issue: "Don't worry, everything's fine. The customs control service is neglecting its duties."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also intervened, expressing his frustration with the situation. "I was outraged by this attitude towards our citizen and champion," Zelenskyy said in a statement. He further instructed Ukrainian ministers to investigate the incident. Following their inquiries, it was confirmed that Usyk had been released and that there was no ongoing detainment.

Shortly after the incident, Usyk himself issued a statement to clear the air, saying, “All is well, my friends. There was a misunderstanding that was quickly resolved. Thank you to everyone who was worried. Thank you Ukrainian diplomats for your support. And respect to Polish law enforcers, who perform their duties despite height, weight, arm range, and regalia.”

Usyk was en route to London to attend the highly anticipated fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium. The event is expected to draw over 90,000 fans, with Joshua aiming to become a three-time world champion as he faces Dubois for the IBF heavyweight world title.

Dubois was recently upgraded to the full IBF champion after Usyk vacated his title to facilitate this matchup. Usyk has previously defeated both Joshua and Dubois and is now focused on his upcoming rematch with Tyson Fury, scheduled for December 21 in Riyadh. Usyk claimed victory over Fury on May 24 in Saudi Arabia and aims to repeat that success this winter.

Speaking about his rematch with Fury, Usyk said, "From the last fight with Tyson Fury, I learned a lot about him, a lot of the things that I saw in the fight I didn't see on TV with all the fights that I saw of Tyson Fury. So we will prepare even better, and God willing, with God's victory, we will show our best shape again. I have incredible motivation."

Despite the brief scare at Krakow Airport, Usyk has now moved past the incident and is focusing on his training and the next phase of his career.

#OleksandrUysk #boxing #boxingfans #boxingnews #news #boxingdrama #arrest #arrested

As Leicester Square, London, bustled with fight fans, boxers from the undercard of Saturday’s showpiece card at Wembley Stadium – headlined by the heavyweight clash between IBF champion Daniel Dubois and challenger Anthony Joshua – made their grand arrivals.

The fighters took turns to talk to the media and world middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz, 20-0 (16 KOs) who meets in form European champion Tyler Denny, said: “I’m very well. Looking forward to putting on a great performance Saturday night, I just want to thank my team, thank His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and yeah, I’m buzzing.

“No pressure. I don’t feel pressure at all, to be fair. I’m blessed to be in the situation I am, and I’ll make good use of it for sure.

“It gives me the opportunity to perform in front of the people who couldn’t come out to Riyadh.”

Southpaw Denny is 19-2-3 (1 KO) and coming off a June victory over Felix Cash.

“I’m buzzing for it, man. Buzzing for it,” said Denny. “This is crazy, isn’t it? I’m just enjoying myself, and embracing it.

“It’s very different. There’s more people here than have been at some of my fights earlier on. I’m grateful for it and appreciate it.

“I enjoy it, them calling me the underdog. I’m used to it now. I’ve been underdog for, probably, the last six or seven fights, and I keep coming out on top, and it’ll be no different Saturday. 

“When I get the win on Saturday… I don’t know [what’s next]. I’ll leave that to everyone else. But the progress is mad… world titles? Let’s sort Saturday out first.”

Belfast southpaw Anthony Cacace, 22-1 (8 KOs), will meet Josh Warrington at junior lightweight, but Warrington won’t be able to win Cacace’s IBF title, even if Cacace can lose it in defeat.

“I’m feeling great. Look around,” said Cacace, soaking in the occasion. “It’s unbelievable. It’s great to be part of this Riyadh Season again.”

Cacace burst onto the title scene with an emphatic stoppage of Joe Cordina – as the underdog – in June. He is expected to defeat Warrington, but many cite the contest as a potential show-stealer.

“[Being the] favorite means absolutely nothing. I know Josh, he’s a great fighter, but I believe I’m a better fighter and it’s just my time,” said the Irishman.

“I know the style Josh brings, I know what I bring, I believe it’s going to be the best fight of the night.”

The experienced Warrington, 31-3-1 (8 KOs), will likely bring several thousand fans from his Leeds stronghold and he is no stranger to boxing in stadiums.

“It’s an honor to be part of such a spectacle, and such a show. I’ve done many, many big shows up in Leeds – arenas, and stadiums – but this is a [new] level… What it comes down to is me, and the man in front of me. I’ve experienced being in big shows, but it’s just about me and Anthony and that’s what I’m focused on.

“Throughout my career the chips have always been stacked against me, for whatever reason. But when my back’s against the wall it seems to bring the best out of me. My last fight [against Leigh Wood], even though I come away on the wrong side of the fight, it were a fight I were dominating. So this one – people might be overlooking me a little bit, but I’m fully focused, and I’ve got enough to get the [win]. 

“I can’t cry over spilt milk, but I probably should have done it [moved up in weight] a few years ago. These extra few pounds – it might not sound a lot to a lot of people, but I feel absolutely fantastic. The best I’ve felt in a long time. 

“I think so [we’ll steal the show]. We’ve been respectful throughout, Anthony and his team have been very good. We’re going to prove that you don’t need to trash talk or talk absolute bollocks – it’s about letting the fists do the talking. I think we’re both gonna deliver on Saturday night.”

Up at light heavyweight, Scotland’s Willy Hutchinson, 18-1 (13 KOs), will be hoping to pick up from where he left off when defeating Craig Richards earlier in the year. He meets undefeated contender and former Olympian Joshua Buatsi, 18-0 (13 KOs), in a fight that boasts bad blood between the fighters.

Asked about getting into Buatsi’s head before the fight, Hutchinson said: “It’s just me being me. I’m living the dream.

“Listen, once he’s knocked out, the statement is there itself. There’s nothing else to say.”

Also predicting victory, Buatsi said : “It’s been a long time coming, but we’re a couple of days away and I’m looking forward to it.”

The big stage has only added to Buatsi’s motivation. 

“It does, man, look. Everybody’s going to be watching it and I’m looking forward to it myself.”

Last week, former WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith withdrew from his scheduled fight against Josh Kelly, 15-1-1 (8 KOs). Flashy Kelly remains on the bill, with undefeated Ishmael Davis, 13-0 (6 KOs), stepping in to face the gifted former Rio Olympian. 

“[I’m] Feeling blessed,” said Kelly. “UK do it properly. I can’t wait to do it in front of these fans.”

Kelly said he was unperturbed by the change of opponent and added: “I just switched off. As soon as the opponent thing happened, I switched off social media and locked in, I’m grateful, I’m grateful to the guy taking the fight.”

Davis, who is managed by former IBF champion and flyweight star Sunny Edwards, said:  “I’m feeling good. I belong here and I’m going to show it Saturday night. I’m always ready. ‘BP’ [his nickname is Black Panther] don’t get tired.

“This is massive, it will change not only my life but my kids’ lives, so I won’t be taking it lightly.”

Portsmouth lightweight Mark Chamberlain, a 16-0 (12 KOs) southpaw contender, has become a firm Riyadh Season favorite and said of the occasion: “It feels the same [as Riyadh]. Just, the weather isn’t with us. Other than that, it’s great to be part of another big platform and I’m looking forward to it. 

“I’ve done it a couple of times now. The big platforms – it’s what I wanna get used to, because I always want to be welcome back on them, so I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and no doubt I’ll be part of these big shows in the future.

“I’m not looking past Saturday. It’s an unbeaten fighter in front of me. But I’m pretty confident we’ll get the job done within the distance, and I’m looking forward to it.”

The man he’s facing, 14-0 (4 KOs) Josh Padley, called the grand arrivals “amazing.”

“Look at what we’ve put on – I’m excited to be a part of this. 

“Completely different [to fight weeks I’ve been involved in]. I’m used to the small shows, so none of this glitz and glamour, so I’m just soaking it all in and taking it in my stride. 

“This is what I’ve been missing in my career – exposure like this. So I had to take it. 

“I’m alright. My nerves go as soon as I get in the ring, so let’s get to it.”

#DanielDubois #AnthonyJoshua #HamzahSheeraz #TylerDenny #AnthonyCacace #JoshWarrington #WillyHutchinson #JoshuaBuatsi #JoshKelly #IshmaelDavis #Boxing #FightNight #Wembley #LeicesterSquare #RiyadhSeason