Skye Nicolson and Raven Chapman have been circling each other for months. 

On Saturday, they will finally come to blows. 

WBC featherweight champion, Nicolson, and Chapman will engage in the first female world title bout to take place in Saudi Arabia. They are also the first women to be given a slot on a star-studded Riyadh Season show. 

Women’s boxing has flourished in recent years but precious few fights are given as significant a stage as this.

Chapman, 9-0 (2 KOs), understands the gravity of the event, but she is determined not to allow the occasion to dwarf her. Chapman is intent on using the opportunity to show boxing fans exactly what she is capable of. 

“It feels amazing. I’m so grateful for this opportunity on such a great show as well,” she told Queensberry. “A big stage, a big platform to really show what I’m about and show why I’m going to be champion and why I’m going to be a great champion as well. Show everyone what I’m made of. How tough I am. How strong I am. How relentless I am. How violent I am.”

Nicolson, 11-0 (1 KO), has proven an expert at avoiding violence to this point in her career.

She has described the fight as “a great clash of styles” which gives as clear an indication as you can get that she is planning on employing her usual style of boxing: jabbing, moving, and negating everything Chapman tries. None of Nicolson’s previous opponents have come close to figuring her out, instead becoming increasingly desperate and ragged as the two-minute long rounds fly by, allowing the Australian to find the target more and more easily.

Chapman has proven to be a strong, fit and well rounded fighter so far but there has never been a boxer who has stepped into the world-class level without a couple of unanswered questions hanging over their head. 

Nicolson hasn’t yet needed to prove that she has the mettle to fight her way out of a dark corner. Chapman needs to show that she has the imagination and skill to take her there. 

Chapman insists that she has always had the qualities she needs to solve the complex puzzles Nicolson sets but that she hasn’t needed to display them yet. 

“She hasn’t been in with Raven Chapman. She’s had fights picked that are very good for her style. I’m not a cherry picked fight. You’ll see a different Raven - well, not a different Raven - it’ll be me but you’ll see just how good and technical I am. How much I’ve got that I haven’t had to show yet because I haven’t needed to. My opponents have been there and wanted to come and fight so I’ll fight them,” she said.

“I’ve barely lost a round in my pro career, just like Skye’s barely lost a round in hers. That’s why it’s such a great fight. We’re both two of the best in our division and we’ll show why we are that on fight night and I’ll show why I’m even better.”

For a while now, boxing fans have been wondering when Terence Crawford and Sebastian Fundora would get in the ring and face one another.

Crawford last fought in August and it seemed his victory had set him on to the path to a mega fight with Canelo Alvarez.

Alvarez himself only fought in September, so the likelihood of that fight happening soon was a little farfetched.

In the meantime, a title unification fight between Terence Crawford and Sebastian Fundora was next on the cards.

Fundora, the current WBO and WBC light middleweight champion, instead wanted to step in the ring with Errol Spence Jr.

Are you keeping up so far?

Now there seems to have been some resolution on the matter.

After the WBO had given Terence Crawford and Sebastian Fundora time negotiate their fight, it has now seemingly been resolved for the time being.

According to Mike Coppinger from ESPN, Crawford has agreed for Fundora to first fight Errol Spence Jr.

The idea is that a future fight between the pair would be much bigger if Fundora was to beat Spence Jr.Team GB star signs with boxing advisor

Sebastian Fundora and Errol Spence Jr. are now expected to meet in early 2025.

This is an intriguing match up just because of all the possibilities that it opens up.

Spence Jr. lost to Crawford last year and there has not been a rematch so far.

If he beats Fundora, that may be back on the table.

Once it progresses to the next phase of this plan, Crawford beating either of those fighters must surely put him in a conversation for a clash against Canelo Alvarez.

A face off between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez is something that all boxing fans would love to see and would be a big time bout for 2025.Ahead of tomorrow’s WBO deadline, Terence Crawford and Sebastian Fundora reached a resolution to allow Fundora to proceed with a voluntary defense with the understanding the junior middleweight title unification will be explored afterward, sources told ESPN. This paves the way…

Gervonta Davis’ return to action against Lamont Roach Jr. has been highly criticized, with ‘Tank’ believed to be comfortably better than his naturally smaller opponent. However, if the main event has left you wanting more, then luckily it appears as though an exciting rematch will also take place on the bill.

The WBA lightweight champion had been linked to unification bouts against either Shakur Stevenson (WBC) and Vasyl Lomachenko (IBF) but both men were recently ruled out, forcing the self-proclaimed ‘face of boxing’ to search for a suitable challenger for his title.

As far as lightweight options were concerned, WBA #2 Floyd Schofield and WBA #3 Edwin De Los Santos (16-2) were each calling for the opportunity to challenge for world honours, yet Davis instead opted to face WBA super-featherweight champion, Roach.

News of the selection underwhelmed many, but whispers that David Benavidez could fight on the undercard raised hopes for the December event, until it was confirmed that ‘The Mexican Monster’ will take part in a mammoth main event of his own in January – ruling him out of the December show.

Although it does not feature Benavidez, the co-main of the card does seem to be an intriguing one, ESPN have reported that Stephen Fulton will fight for a second time as a featherweight as he collides with fellow former super-bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa once again – over three years since Fulton scored a controversial split-decision win over the Texan.World title clash rumoured for David Benavidez vs. David Morrell event

“Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa will meet in a featherweight rematch on the Dec. 14 Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach undercard in Houston, sources told ESPN.”

Fulton debuted at 126lbs last month with yet another eyebrow-raising split-decision win, being knocked down by Carlos Castro but just doing enough to get the nod on the scorecards in a first outing since his brutal knockout defeat to Naoya Inoue.

Meanwhile, Figueroa has fought thrice since moving up from 122lbs and also faced Castro on his first featherweight appearance – scoring a sixth-round stoppage win.

Since then, ‘The Heartbreaker’ has defeated Mark Magsayo for the WBC interim title and then defended the belt against Jessie Magdaleno, leaving the victor of his rematch with Fulton well poised for a shot at Rey Vargas’ WBC world title.

Tank-Roach will take place on December 14th in Houston, Texas, as a PBC event that will be available to purchase on Amazon Prime Video PPV, with further details expected to be announced imminently.

G-Squad Entertainment, the upstart promotion led by Gabe Flores Sr., is back for its third event on Saturday, and it is putting thought into more than just the boxing.

The father of lightweight contender Gabriel Flores Jr. is pulling out all the stops, turning Adventist Health Arena (formerly Stockton Arena) into a Halloween-themed spectacle.

In true G-Squad fashion, the 10-round main event will feature Flores Jr (22-2, 10 KOs), against Mexico’s Dennis Contreras (24-14-1, 22 KOs). But that isn’t the only attraction. According to the promotion’s press release, fans will be treated to contortionists, stilt walkers, and even a fire breather, all part of their effort to make the night a "Halloween spectacular." Flores Sr is staying true to his mission of providing family-friendly entertainment for Stockton. Costumes are encouraged, and candy will be handed out to the kids. The venue is also labeled as a haunted house. 

“We wanted to give back with this promotion, but boxing is only part of what we do,” Flores Sr. told BoxingScene. “We’re creating a safe space for people to enjoy live events. After two shows, this is our most ambitious one yet, and it will set the tone for what’s coming next year.”

At Flores Sr.'s side is Julio Sanchez, the company’s president and his jack-of-all-trades, who used to be the team photographer. Sanchez explained that a lot of thought goes into these events without tipping his hat to what the tricks of the trade are. “We want the fans to not just be at the show, but part of it,” Sanchez said while juggling two phones speaking with BoxingScene. “This event is the first step in that direction.”

Flores Jr, now based in Las Vegas, has consistently stated that fighting in front of his hometown crowd gives him a "superpower." With two victories in Stockton already this year, the 22-year-old is eager to finish 2024 on a high note. Contreras, 32, is stepping in as a last-minute replacement after the original opponent, Daniel Bailey (15-2, 8 KOs), withdrew from the bout. 

"The original fight was set with Daniel Bailey," said Flores Sr. "Two to three weeks out, Bailey overpriced himself." 

Now, with this last-minute matchup in place, Flores Jr. is focused on making the most of the opportunity.

The undercard tells a deeper story about the grit required to succeed in today’s boxing landscape. Lightweight prospect Lorenzo Powell (2-0, 1 KO), 22, will face fellow unbeaten fighter Adrian Serrano (3-0-1), 20, from Salinas, Calif. Women’s welterweight Jennah Creason (1-0), 18, will be tested against India’s Archana Sharma (3-1, 2 KOs). And an intriguing junior lightweight clash pits unbeaten Dominique Francis (15-0, 9 KOs) against Julio Carrera Lugo (18-0-1, 14 KOs) in a battle of unbeatens. Rounding out the card is local fighter Tatiana Almaraz (0-4) from Concord, Calif., who will face Vickie Zhao in her pro debut. 

“We want to put on a good fight card,” said Flores Sr. “People are spending their hard-earned money, and we want to make sure they’re seeing a first-class event, from their seats to social media. This card reflects that.”

With a press conference Thursday, a weigh-in Friday, and the big fight Saturday night, G-Squad is going all in to give Stockton a true “big fight” feel. “We’re blending boxing with family attractions,” Sanchez added. “It’s a delicate balance, but we’re focused on the details to ensure fans leave satisfied.”

With just a few days until the undisputed light heavyweight championship between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, trainer Marc Ramsey is already excited.

Ramsey, who trains three-belt 175-pound champ Artur Beterbiev, expects a very technical fight against titlist Dmitry Bivol on Saturday. The two dynamos are expected to offer the boxing world a mouthwatering and thrilling encounter in a bout that should surely cement the winner’s Hall of Fame status.

To Ramsey, the fight promises to be a thriller, especially when both fighters have such different styles in the ring.

“It's a good challenge. He's a champion first of all,” Ramsey said of Bivol in an interview with Pro Boxing Fans. “He's very good at what he does, but it's going to be technical, mechanical and very sharp. What he does, he does it well. But let's see if he can do some other stuff than what he's doing right now.

“We have a fighter who can box, and we definitely have a fighter who can fight. Let's see if the other side can follow through.”

Ramsey recounted how he met Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) at the World Amateur Championship in Chicago in 2007, before bringing the Russian to Montreal for discussions. The Canadian trainer revealed that Beterbiev was already a world amateur champion before Ramsey became his cornerman.

“At that time, it was very hard to approach a Russian fighter for a Canadian promoter, but we had somebody that knew both sides and at one point we reached each other,” Ramsey said. “Physically, he was very gifted already, very strong – but I knew that before he came to my gym the first time.

“I followed him a lot as an amateur fighter, and he was very well educated, technically, from the Russian amateur boxing team. And I just had to work on a couple of little details just to make sure that we have the right pro style.”

The duo has gone on to chalk many successes at light heavyweight, winning Beterbiev's first title in 2017 and adding further belts two years later, when he recorded a 10-round stoppage of Oleksandr Gvozdyk . On Saturday, Beterbiev faces the toughest test of his career against Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs).

Yet Beterbiev, even at 39, is no slouch himself. He remains in exceptional shape due to a spartan lifestyle, says Ramsey. Still, the trainer refuted claims that Beterbiev had been knocking out and hospitalizing sparring partners.

“When we have sparring partners in Montreal," Ramsey said, "we try to protect them. We ask them [to spar], like, two or three rounds in a row. We never ask them to go to beat 12 rounds or some stuff like that.

“But Artur, of course, he's powerful, and he is hurting people. Right now, in the gym, we don't see any sign of him slowing down – like, his metabolism or even the power or stuff like that. You have to know that Artur has never drunk alcohol in his life. He goes to sleep early every night and he eats well.

“Every single decision that he has made in his life is in direction to his boxing career, and that's why I believe at that age, he’s still accurate like that."

#BeterbievBivol #LightHeavyweight #Boxing #Undisputed #BoxingFans #SaudiArabia #ArturBeterbiev #DmitryBivol #FightNight #BoxingNews

Glen Jennings, manager of junior middleweight Tim Tszyu, has no intention of letting his fighter slow down after a tumultuous year that saw the Australian sidelined by injury and a loss to Sebastian Fundora.

At a media workout in Las Vegas, Jennings outlined Tszyu’s comeback plan, with the 29-year-old Tszyu set to face IBF titleholder Bakhram Murtazaliev on October 19 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando. The bout will be the first Premier Boxing Champions event aired on Amazon Prime without a pay-per-view barrier and Jennings hinted that it may not be Tszyu’s last fight of the year.

“We don’t ever say no to anything, so the door’s always open,” Jennings said.

Tszyu, 24-1 (17 KOs), a former junior middleweight titleholder, will step into the ring against Murtazaliev, 22-0 (16 KOs), after suffering a split-decision loss to Fundora in which a bad cut on his scalp changed the course of the fight. Reflecting on the injury, Jennings explained how it delayed their plans.

“Everyone watched the bloodbath with Fundora, and we had that awful injury,” Jennings said. “We got Tim sorted with that, took him back home, and had it checked. We were due to go in with [Vergil] Ortiz, but couldn’t get clearance on the wound. It wasn’t right. About a month later, we got clearance, and here we are today. So we’re excited – very excited.”

Tszyu has been training in Las Vegas since the summer in preparation for his return. While this year has seen setbacks, Jennings emphasized that in boxing, nothing is ever guaranteed.

“You can plan and prepare all you want,” Jennings said. “You’ve got to be ready to roll with whatever comes your way.”

Despite the obstacles, Jennings made it clear that Tszyu’s drive remains unwavering.

“Tim’s one of those athletes that won’t sit around. If I don’t get him a fight, it’s non-stop. ‘When am I fighting?’ he keeps asking. And I do absolutely everything I can to keep him busy.”

#TimTszyu #BakhramMurtazaliev #BoxingNews #JuniorMiddleweight #Comeback #PBC #OrlandoFight #FightNight #BoxingFans #PremierBoxingChampions

In this week’s mailbag, we tackle your thoughts on one fight that’s just been announced (light heavyweight contenders David Benavidez vs. David Morrell), one fight that’s being imagined (featherweight titleholder Nick Ball vs. junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue), one fight that’s been ordered (unified middleweight titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. top contender Hamzah Sheeraz), and one fight that should’ve happened in the past (heavyweights Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua).

Want to be featured in the mailbag? Comment or ask a question in the comments section below. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. We also may select readers’ comments from other BoxingScene stories.

BENAVIDEZ AND MORRELL LEARNED THEIR LESSONS AND ARE DONE WAITING

These guys (David Benavidez and David Morrell) needed to fight each other, Time to make their own legacy and not just wait around to get picked.

David Greisman’s response: This is the second-best fight that could be made at light heavyweight — Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol is of course #1 — and is the right fight at the right time for Benavidez and Morrell.

When they were super middleweights, both were in line for shots at Canelo Alvarez. Benavidez in particular was made to wait — though, to be fair, he didn’t just sit around while waiting. He was already the top remaining contender after Canelo defeated the three titleholders (Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders, Caleb Plant). Then Benavidez won the WBC interim title to try to get more leverage for the fight to be made. Then Benavidez defeated Plant to re-assert his claim as the best available challenger at 168. And then Benavidez did what Canelo refused to by facing and dominating Demetrius Andrade.

NICK BALL’S RECENT FIGHTS SHOW THAT HE CAN’T BEAT NAOYA INOUE

Nick Ball really went to war with 34-year-old Ronny Rios, who was inactive for three ears. This is the fourth time in a row that Ball went life and death in his fight. Ball is completely one-dimensional, with no power. He is getting brutally knocked out by “The Monster” Naoya Inoue.

Tris Dixon’s response: I’d say “life and death” was a stretch, although Ball’s face certainly paid more tribute to Rios’ industry than the commentators did.

Ball is ferocious and a handful. He’s had tough fights in good company. No one has had it easy with him and, frankly, I’d say he’s one of the fighters of the year.

Inoue is a different beast — of course he is. But Inoue’s power might be maxing out where he is right now. Look, I’m not going to make a case for Ball, nor would I. But this is why we fight the fights, and I also can’t help but think it could be a very entertaining fight.

HAMZAH SHEERAZ ISN’T READY YET FOR JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY

I think that Janibek Alimkhanuly will be too much for Hamzah Sheeraz at this stage. Although Sheeraz is a KO artist, Janibek seems to have an iron chin (like Gennadiy Golovkin) and so he would probably break Sheeraz down eventually like most of his opponents. Still, I'd like Sheeraz to use his WBC mandatory next against titleholder Carlos Adames and for Janibek to fight Erislandy Lara before having the eventual winners face off in an undisputed clash in Saudi Arabia. Hopefully that’s Janibek-Sheeraz, which is the best fight in the division.

-HisExcellency

Lucas Ketelle’s response: Janibek Alimkhanuly’s middleweight career feels like something out of a dystopian novel. He’s got the talent, the belts, and the skills to be a star. But outside his camp? Nothing. Since unifying titles with an IBF win over Vincenzo Gualtieri, he’s basically been fighting in his own orbit — no buzz, no real momentum. It’s almost like the sport collectively shrugged its shoulders.

Here comes Hamzah Sheeraz, the knockout artist who might just be the guy to wake up the division. Janibek’s been drifting aimlessly. But Sheeraz? He’s the dude people will actually tune in to watch. You outlined the potential matchups on the table: Sheeraz could fight with Adames for the WBC title, and Janibek could square up with Erislandy Lara to unify the IBF, WBA and WBO belts. 

Sounds great, right? Except, this is boxing, where making obvious fights is like rolling the dice. Or even making fights in general is hard.

Sheeraz is also the WBO’s No. 1 contender. The WBO has ordered Janibek and Sheeraz to fight . And Janibek holds that belt, so the fight seems inevitable. This is a division that used to belong to stars like Golovkin and Canelo — remember that time? — and it’s been gasping for air ever since. Janibek vs. Sheeraz could finally be the spark that reignites the division, or we could hope.

As for Janibek’s iron chin, here’s a thought: What puncher has he really faced? Right now, he feels like a more polished Viktor Postol: solid but untested in a division that's light on top-tier talent, especially big punchers (he has been calling people out, though). Sheeraz can punch, but is there a ceiling to his power? There’s only one way to find out. Put them in the ring and let’s see who’s still standing.

DON’T MAKE TYSON FURY VS. ANTHONY JOSHUA!

A fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua absolutely should not happen! It’s a mismatch at this point. 

Eddie Hearn chased this fight for the last four years, and Fury was busy playing diva-like games. Fury fumbled the bag and shouldnt be handed this payday regardless if he wins or loses vs Oleksandr Usyk.

-Super-X 

Matt Christie’s response: Though I recognize the sentiment of your comment, I’m not convinced it’s either a mismatch or an unappealing fight. In the U.K., Fury versus Joshua would still do monstrous business — there isn’t a fight that could compare to it in terms of interest among general sport fans. 

But the crux, and the point to which you allude, is that this fight should have occurred years ago when it really meant something.

Back when we thought it was going to happen (when it should have happened), it was a story I followed closely, speaking regularly to the promotional teams of Joshua and Fury. And for a few weeks it did seem nailed on — right up until Deontay Wilder triggered his contractual right for a third fight with Fury. Dates and venues were set and so forth, press releases had been written. Even so, it’s hard to think of a bigger miss in British boxing history than the collective failure to make this fight, and those at the heart of the mess should hang their heads in shame. In that regard, I do hear you.

Whether Joshua is conclusively “done” is another matter. Perhaps he simply got caught cold by Daniel Dubois early in their fight and never really recovered. Though I agree his best days are logically in the past, I certainly think it’s too early to write him off completely. 

We don’t know what Fury has left, either. Though he looked terrific in spots against Usyk, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him fall apart in the rematch. The way he was stumbling all over the place in the ninth round should be a cause for concern.

There is still life in Fury versus Joshua — but only just.

Want to be featured in the mailbag? Comment or ask a question in the comments section below. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. We also may select readers’ comments from other BoxingScene stories.

International Boxing Hall of Fame electors received their 2025 ballots in the mail this week. The “modern” category page features one absolute sure-shot, slam-dunk, if-he-doesn’t-get-voted-in-we-riot candidate in Manny Pacquiao. And it includes 41 other nominees who can’t reasonably feel confident until the phone call from Ed Brophy comes.

On the morning of October 13, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev will be divided into the same two groupings.

They meet this Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to unify all light heavyweight titles , lineal and alphabet. Whoever wins will, like Pacquiao, waltz into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, three years after he retires. Whoever loses will, barring a future legacy-altering victory, someday find himself on that Hall of Fame ballot, uncertain of his fate.

Bivol vs. Beterbiev has all the stakes.

Two perfect records on the line? Check.

Clear top two in the division determining undisputed supremacy for the moment? Check.

All-time greatness, a place in future rankings of the best in division history, and a plaque on the wall in Canastota? That’s the cherry on top.

That’s not to say that the HOF candidacies of Bivol and Beterbiev are identical, mind you. Let’s explore each individually, because one definitely has more wiggle room in case of a loss this Saturday than does the other.

Bivol is the man for whom the difference between victory and defeat in Riyadh is less stark.

Win, and he’s in — end of story. He will have improved his record to 24-0, he will have unified the division and claimed the lineal title, and he will have added Beterbiev’s name to a resume that already includes one no-brainer first-ballot Hall of Famer in Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Assuming Bivol beats Beterbiev in some valid fashion — not a robbery on the scorecards, not a fluky injury surrender before the fight has a chance to heat up — there isn’t a world in which Hall of Fame voters aren’t overwhelmingly supporting him.

If he loses to Beterbiev, well, he’s a big ol’ maybe.

Bivol will have enjoyed a nice, long, seven-year alphabet title reign — but with only one of the belts, a belt he never truly won in the ring (he beat Felix Valera for “interim” status, then was elevated to the full title between his wins over Cedric Agnew and Trent Broadhurst, and those names ought to tell you everything you need to know about how the alphabet groups have cheapened the word “champion” and, with it, the entire sport of boxing). Throughout Bivol’s tenure, there was always someone else in possession of the true lineal championship.

As for the quality of the names on Bivol’s record, Canelo alone gets him IBHOF consideration, but it falls off considerably from there. He outpointed 36-year-old former champ Jean Pascal, who had lost three of his previous seven, but was not a completely spent bullet. He dominated credible contender Joe Smith Jr. He easily decisioned previously undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. And that’s about it — after that, we dip into the Sullivan Barreras and Isaac Chilembas.

Is that the body of work of a Hall of Famer, if he comes up short against Beterbiev? It depends how much weight defeating Canelo carries with voters. It’s surely enough to get Bivol on a ballot that runs 42 names deep, but it’s tough to promise him any more than that.

That said, his story wouldn’t necessarily be finished after a loss to Beterbiev. Bivol is 33 years old. That’s barely middle-aged for a modern light heavyweight. He will have time, post-Beterbiev, to bolster his credentials.

Beterbiev, on the other hand, likely will not. The Bivol fight will be his last while in his 30s — he turns 40 in January. And he hasn’t exactly been the healthiest 30-something. He’s had repeated knee problems: a ruptured meniscus that prevented the Bivol showdown from happening on June 1, and what his camp termed a “minor knee surgery” that postponed a fight in 2022. He also had a bone infection in 2023 that forced him to undergo jaw surgery.

In short, if he loses to Bivol, it could easily be his last opportunity for a legacy-making fight, or perhaps even his last fight, period.

Still, even if he was to lose to Bivol and never fight again, there could be a Hall of Fame case to make for Beterbiev. It would largely be powered by two numbers. The first number is 20 — the consecutive knockout wins with which he started his career. The second number is five — the years he reigned as lineal light heavyweight champion of the world.

It’s tough to deny any fighter who ruled a division for five years or more. The hitch is that if Beterbiev loses to Bivol, it retroactively changes the perception of that reign. Yes, Beterbiev held the true title. But if Bivol beats him now, it suggests Beterbiev was second best all along.

The biggest thing holding back Beterbiev, however, is his opposition. He has defeated several very good light heavyweights. He has not defeated anything close to a great light heavyweight. There is nobody on his record who has even a faint chance of landing on the Hall of Fame ballot, never mind getting voted in. Bivol has Canelo. Beterbiev has … Gvozdyk? Callum Smith? Joe Smith Jr.? Anthony Yarde? Marcus Browne? Faded Tavoris Cloud and Gabriel Campillo?

Even after starting his career 20-0 (20 KOs) and holding the legit championship for five years (and an alphabet title for seven), if he’s 20-1 (20 KOs) a week from now, it’s not a Hall of Fame BoxRec page.

That doesn’t mean he can’t get the votes, of course. It just means he’d be leaving it in the hands of the voters to debate and decide, whereas if he defeats Bivol, there’s nothing to debate.

Even as the figurative goalposts shift and the IBHOF becomes gradually less exclusive than it once was, Pacquiao is the only fighter among the “moderns” on this year’s ballot who removed all debate from the voters’ minds. Everyone else is somewhere between “borderline Hall of Famer” and “lucky to be on the ballot.”

Electors are instructed to vote for up to five boxers, with the top three getting in. So — pardon me if I’m wielding inappropriate influence before the voting window has closed — that means voting for Pacquiao and up to four others, with Pacquiao and two others gaining entry.

In addition to Pacquiao, the other three first-timers on the ballot are Lucian Bute, Mikey Garcia, and Shawn Porter. I don’t mean to be disrespectful. They were all fine and brave fighters. But, remember that “lucky to be on the ballot” note two paragraphs ago? Either Bivol or Beterbiev could get KO’d in the first round on Saturday and never fight again and they’d probably have a slightly better HOF case than any among that trio.

But the ballot is loaded with fighters in a range similar to where either Beterbiev or Bivol would be after absorbing a loss in Riyadh. I see reasonable cases for and against voting for (listed alphabetically): Nigel Benn, Joel Casamayor, Chris Eubank, Genaro Hernandez, Santos Laciar, Michael Nunn, Veeraphol Sahaprom, Israel Vazquez, Wilfredo Vazquez, or Pongsaklek Wonjongkam. And I’m sure other boxing media members I respect can make cases of their own for a handful of other names on the ballot.

What are you looking for? Pure numbers? Then you may lean toward Pongsaklek, who retired with a record of 91-5-2 (47 KOs), including one alphabet title reign that featured 17 successful defenses. Or perhaps Veeraphol, who went 66-4-2 (46 KOs) and had one reign that stretched 13 defenses.

Need a guy with wins over Hall of Famers? Diego Corrales was inducted last year, and Casamayor beat him twice in three tries. Hernandez had a tremendous victory over an aging Azumah Nelson. Vazquez scored two wins in his extraordinary series with Rafael Marquez.

It is called the Hall of Fame , so perhaps popularity matters to you — it undoubtedly helped Corrales and Ricky Hatton get over the line last year. These resumes may be lacking in certain regards, but the likes of Vinny Paz and Fernando Vargas are on the ballot and were beloved in ways few fighters are.

Whoever wins Bivol vs. Beterbiev will instantly have a stronger argument in favor of Hall induction than any of those fighters mentioned above save for Pacquiao — to the point that there won’t be any reasonable argument against them.

But whoever loses lands somewhere in that hazy zone, where fans are left debating their longevity, their quality of opposition, and their dominance at their peak.

Beterbiev, the puncher in Saturday’s matchup, has never in his career left it in the hands of the judges. Bivol, the boxer in Saturday’s championship bout, has let the judges decide in nine of his last 10 fights.

One of them will take determinations about his legacy out of the judges’ hands. The other will have to sweat it out until the final scorecards are read.

Eric Raskin is a veteran boxing journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering the sport for such outlets as BoxingScene, ESPN, Grantland, Playboy, Ringside Seat, and The Ring (where he served as managing editor for seven years). He also co-hosted The HBO Boxing Podcast, Showtime Boxing with Raskin & Mulvaney, The Interim Champion Boxing Podcast with Raskin & Mulvaney, and Ring Theory. He has won three first-place writing awards from the BWAA, for his work with The Ring, Grantland, and HBO. Outside boxing, he is the senior editor of CasinoReports and the author of 2014’s The Moneymaker Effect . He can be reached on X or LinkedIn , or via email at RaskinBoxing@yahoo.com.

Pushing two-belt junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora beyond the WBO-imposed deadline to negotiate a three-belt unification bout, Terence Crawford on Wednesday balked, agreeing to let Fundora move on to another bout.

“The only one hurt by this is Fundora and his interest in fighting in December,” Fundora promoter Sampson Lewkowicz told BoxingScene minutes after the resolution was struck. “They waited until the last day. It’s disgraceful.”

ESPN.com first reported the agreement.

Four-division champion Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) was enabled as a WBO “super” champion to request the bout against WBO/WBC champion Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), who won the belts March 30 in a bloody affair with former champion Tim Tszyu.

Crawford, 37, has maintained since winning the WBA 154-pound belt from Israil Madrimov on Aug. 3 that he has his attention affixed on a superfight against fellow four-division champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who wears three super middleweight belts.

Yet Crawford’s attorney won an extension to continue negotiations with Fundora beyond a late-September deadline.

“Fundora was the only one willing to fight,” Lewkowicz said.

The development frees Fundora to revisit meeting with former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs), who in the ring  expressed interest in fighting Fundora on the night of the Tszyu fight.

Lewkowicz says he hasn’t negotiated with anyone from the Spence camp but is prepared now to discuss the possibility of a late-January or early-February fight with Spence, possibly at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas.

Both fighters are under the Premier Boxing Champions banner.

The agreement between Fundora and Crawford is that they will revisit talks following Fundora’s next bout.

But Lewkowicz isn’t certain Crawford will fight if he didn’t jump at the opportunity now.

“Who knows if he will be there or if he’ll fight again?” Lewkowicz said.

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.

Former junior welterweight titleholder Subriel Matias will return to the ring on November 9 in a 10-round bout against Roberto Ramirez at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The event will be broadcast on PPV.com and iN Demand.

Matias (20-2, 20 KOs), from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, will be making his first appearance since losing his IBF title to Liam Paro in a unanimous decision upset last June. The 32-year-old Matias will seek to deliver the win for his home crowd that he was unable to produce against Paro.

Ramírez (26-3-1, 19 KOs), a 31-year-old from Mexico, is returning from an 11-month layoff. He is on a three-fight win streak following a stoppage loss to William Zepeda in 2020 and has fought just once per year in the last three years.

In the co-main event, two-time world champion Emmanuel "Manny" Rodriguez (22-3, 13 KOs) of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, will face unbeaten Jose Salas (15-0, 10 KOs) of Mexico in a 12-round IBF bantamweight title eliminator. Junior welterweight champion Alfredo "Ojo" Santiago (15-2, 6 KOs) of Fajardo will defend his title against Mexico’s Pedro "La Roca" Campa (36-3-1, 24 KOs). Additionally, bantamweight Jeyvier Cintrón (12-1, 6 KOs) of Bayamon will face Rashib Martinez (23-3-1, 11 KOs) of Mexico.

The pay-per-view price for the event is $39.95.

Jake Paul, known for his extravagant challenges, has launched a new bet for his upcoming fight. The controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer is offering an additional $5 million to Mike Tyson if the former champion can last more than four rounds in their bout. The fight, set for November 15, was already surrounded by criticism. With this bet, Paul aims to add even more spectacle to an already media-fueled match.

The offer adds to the $20 million Tyson is projected to earn for his participation in the fight. However, Paul didn’t stop there. In a video posted on Tuesday, the young boxer took it a step further by proposing a consequence if Tyson fails to last more than four rounds. “Mikey Mikey, if you can last more than four rounds with me, I’ll give you an extra $5 million… But if you don’t, then you have to get a tattoo that says, ‘I love Jake Paul,’” Paul declared in a challenging tone.The most talked-about fight of the year

The bout between 27-year-old Jake Paul and 58-year-old Mike Tyson has become one of the most talked-about events in the boxing world. The fight will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be broadcast live on Netflix, which has heavily promoted the event. Experts have expressed divided opinions about the fight. Many have called it a “spectacle” and a “farce,” given the significant age and experience difference between the two fighters.

Despite the criticism, some believe Tyson still has a chance. Although he’s no longer the fighter who once dominated the boxing world, the legend remains feared for his punching power. If Tyson manages to land a solid punch, he could put Paul in serious trouble. On the other hand, Paul, who has received both praise and criticism for his transition into boxing, seems confident. During the promotion of the fight, he has focused on fun and provocation, something he has showcased on his social media platforms.Jake Paul’s show continues to rise

Although the fight may seem like a circus to many, Jake Paul is expected to earn a substantial amount of money. Estimates suggest his earnings could exceed $40 million, further solidifying his place in the entertainment boxing business. Paul has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to capture the public’s attention, whether through his victories in the ring or his self-promotion tactics.

November 15 will be a decisive date for both fighters. While the outcome of the fight is uncertain, the $5 million bet has undoubtedly raised expectations. Tyson, who has shown intense training on his social media, will not only aim to last the four rounds but also to reaffirm his legacy. Meanwhile, Jake Paul is confident that, in the end, he will emerge victorious, with or without a tattoo involved.@betr Deal or no deal 🤔 #miketyson#jakepaul#boxing#paultyson♬ original sound – Betr

The fight between Bruce Carrington and Dana Coolwell has been added to the preliminary card of the November 15 PPV event, headlined by the bout between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. This information was confirmed by sources close to ESPN. Carrington, ranked as ESPN’s tenth featherweight, is coming off a notable victory over Sulaiman Segawa. The fight, set for eight rounds, promises to be one of the night’s most exciting matchups.Bruce Carrington, known as “Shu Shu,”

His last fight took place on September 27, 2024, when he defeated Segawa by majority decision in the tenth round. The American boxer holds an impeccable record of 13 wins, no losses, and no draws. With this unbeaten streak, Carrington has established himself as one of the brightest prospects in the featherweight division.

Dana Coolwell, on the other hand, is a rising Australian talent with a record of 13 wins and 2 losses. His last fight was on March 23 against Fernando Tagpuno Jr., where he dominated, winning by unanimous decision with scores of 100-90 on two cards and 99-91 on the third. Coolwell has been compared to a young Paul Fleming for his fighting style. His skill and talent make him a worthy opponent for Carrington.

This featherweight clash not only adds excitement to the card but also balances an event that has stirred controversy. The main event between Mike Tyson and YouTuber Jake Paul has been criticized by several boxing personalities and media outlets. However, with matchups like Carrington vs. Coolwell, fight fans are anticipating a quality show.Bruce Carrington will fight Australia’s Dana Coolwell in an eight-rounder on the Nov. 15 Mike Tyson-Jake Paul PPV undercard, sources tell ESPN. Carrington, ESPN’s No. 10 featherweight, is coming off majority-decision victory over Sulaiman Segawa last month. Like Tyson, “Shu Shu”…

Chris Eubank Jr, dressed in native Saudi dress and alongside new coach Johnathon Banks, unleashed the odd bead of sweat at the open workouts in Saudi Arabia to promote this Saturday’s Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol event. Eubank takes on Kamil Szeremeta on the undercard.

“This is the outfit of the Saudis,” he said when asked to explain his outfit choice. “It’s a privilege to be here and it’s an excuse to sweat it out, I still need to lose a few pounds.

"I’ve trained hard for a long time for this fight.”

Eubank Jr is reported to be in the running for a showdown with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez but must first get past 34-year-old perennial middleweight contender Szeremeta, who lost to Gennady Golovkin in 2020.

Eubank has been out of the ring since beating Liam Smith last September, avenging defeat from eight months previously in the process. The acknowledgement about still having weight to shift is either a nod to the aging process or some gameplay – he’s always prided himself in making the middleweight limit without a problem.

“It took me extra time to get back,” he said. “I’ve been off for a year but I’m here I’m fully focused, I’m fit and I’ve still got a couple of pounds to lose for this fight. We’re ready to go.”

Now for the vaguely interesting stuff.

When asked why he is now trained by Johnathon Banks, Eubank said: “I like Johnathon Banks’ philosophy, his mind set, and his teaching. I like everything that he says and the things that he does in training. He also trained GGG for this exact opponent. He’s got the ingredients and the knowhow how to beat this man.”

From the time he started boxing as a six-year-old, Dmitry Bivol has drawn inspiration by wondering what it’d be like to be considered the best boxer in the world.

As he lifted himself up the fight game’s proverbial ladder, he paused to observe the seemingly effortless brilliance of his favorite fighter, Roy Jones Jr., who fittingly dominated the light-heavyweight division where Bivol reigns today.

“If it wasn’t for Roy Jones, maybe I would not be here, because I learned from, and enjoyed, his fights,” Bivol told BoxingScene and ProBox TV in a Monday interview.

“I watched him and enjoyed how light he was in the ring, how much he enjoyed being in the ring. It was a joy for him to be in there. He was not just going in there to survive, was not working hard, having drama. No, he was enjoying the fight. I liked seeing this.”

Those who prepare best, Bivol reasoned, are the ones who take the hardness out of an otherwise brutal night in the ring.

“I’m trying to enjoy the process as well,” Bivol said.

That explains how effectively Bivol previously dissected four-division champion Canelo Alvarez two years ago, refusing to wilt in the face of Alvarez’s best punches while repeatedly peppering the face of boxing with a steady dose of hard right hands that dictated the bout and paced the unanimous-decision victory.

And now comes the next step up, Saturday’s showdown in Saudi Arabia for the undisputed light heavyweight championship against unbeaten three-belt champion and Russian countryman Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs).

To realize that childhood dream, Bivol trained in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan for nearly a month, then kept things rugged with a 45-day camp in Turkey.

Savage. Brutal. Intimidating.

All words that describe Beterbiev.

And all the attributes of a training camp that Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) conquered, hoping it will allow him to prevail in the style he so long has admired of Jones.

“To be honest, all my skills should be at the highest level. Not only speed. Not only movement. Everything. My jab. My right hand. My strength. To be aware of danger,” Bivol said. “Everything needs to be at the highest level.”

Bivol arrives at the fight in peak shape. He was due to fight Beterbiev June 1, but the three-belt champion suffered a ruptured meniscus in early May, prompting Bivol to take a replacement fight against Malik Zinad, whom he finished by sixth-round TKO.

Beterbiev is saying he’s fully healed from the knee injury and doesn’t feel any ill effects of being 39 years old. Beterbiev produced a patented, destructive showing in his most recent bout, dismantling former super-middleweight champion Callum Smith with power shots to set up a seventh-round TKO victory in Quebec City.

Knowing how Beterbiev repeatedly beats down his opponents systematically, he was asked how he will handle an onslaught.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Bivol said, chuckling. “We will see. Of course, I can see how he’s done what he’s done and I’ve tried in training to be ready for all of this. I’ve been practicing. In training, we talk a lot about the fight: How it will go on, what I need to be ready. The real fight will show.”

Does Bivol need to taste the famed Beterbiev power to know if he can withstand it?

Smartly, he says he’s rather avoid that.

“It’s not nice to get punched. Believe me, it’s not good to take a punch … just to understand whether I can take a punch or not,” Bivol said.

“Even an easy punch can be dangerous. Strong punches might not bury you.”

In a dual-meaning response that follows Bivol being criticized by his wife, Kate, for depriving his two children of financial support, the fighter said, “Like in life, the hardest punch is the one you’re not expecting.”

Although his knockout percentage is lacking by Beterbiev’s 100% standard, Bivol said his answer is knowing he’s fully prepared for a 12-round fight.

“I’m not an amazing puncher like him, but still I have some punch,” he said. “I could land some good ones on him.”

Should he emerge victorious, Bivol will be hailed as an undisputed champion, a conqueror of Canelo, a pound-for-pound elite, and he’ll have his choice of accepting an Alvarez rematch (if Canelo truly wants it), taking on the winner of the just-announced battle of unbeaten light heavyweights David Benavidez-David Morrell (with Benavidez standing as his WBC mandatory challenger) or making a move to cruiserweight.

“If everything goes to plan and we’re successful, we’ll be in position for another big fight,” Bivol manager Vadim Kornilov said. “I always knew from the time I met Dmitry that he was never a boxer fighting only to be a champion. Dmitry is after challenges. To know him, I’d expect that he’ll go after whatever’s the toughest challenge, whichever fight that may be.

“Benavidez and Canelo are the two toughest fights after this fight.”

Kornilov thinks it’s ominous that unified super-middleweight champion Alvarez did not immediately take a Bivol rematch after losing to him, and then proceeded on a path that has led him to fight former junior-middleweight champions Jermell Charlo and Jaime Munguia before meeting Edgar Berlanga (in his first title fight) in September.

“He didn’t want to redeem himself or he would’ve came and spoken to us,” Kornilov said of Alvarez. “I do believe that Canelo – now that he doesn’t have too many options left – may be interested, but I think Canelo is just playing that card as he needs to. But I don’t believe it’s his priority.”

Bivol declined to even mention a future opponent.

“I don’t think about any fight other than Beterbiev. I have nothing in my mind about planning something else,” Bivol said. “I know if everything goes well I will have other fights, much easier than [Saturday’s]. That’s why I’m focusing on nothing other than Beterbiev.”

Kornilov said the Alvarez fight is proof that the sport’s best challenges bring out the best in Bivol.

Bivol concurs, noting the additional incentive of fighting to stand as the king of kings.

“Yes, it will be great for my ego, my [legacy], to be [considered] the best in this game, in boxing. I want to be the best and get the respect from the boxing society and fans,” he said.

“I always have conversations in my head that I deserve to be the best. From six years old, I’ve worked hard. I beat a lot of good fighters. I have good skills. Because I’ve wanted to be the best. I will not win this fight just because I’m Dmitry. I have to work hard and work right. Then, I will have the chance to be a winner. This is what I have in my head.”

In a recent interview with @BoxNation_TV, promoter Frank Warren revealed he turned down a big-money offer for Hamzah Sheeraz to fight Canelo Álvarez earlier this year. Warren said, “We were offered the Canelo fight early this year, but I said no, not yet. It was really good money. An offer was made.”

Sheeraz, now 24 with an impressive record of 21-0, recently defeated Tyler Denny by TKO, continuing his rise as a top middleweight contender. Meanwhile, Canelo, one of boxing’s biggest stars, holds a record of 61-2-2 and recently won against Edgar Berlanga. Warren emphasized that while Sheeraz has the talent, it's not the right time to face someone of Canelo's caliber—but the matchup could happen in the future.

Will we ever see this blockbuster fight?

#BoxingNews #CaneloSheeraz #HamzahSheeraz #CaneloAlvarez #Middleweight #FutureChampions #Boxing

British boxer Anthony Joshua has seen his mentality come under scrutiny following a painful knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last month. At Wembley, the heavyweight lost convincingly, sparking concern within the boxing community about his future in the sport. Several legends have suggested that Joshua, a two-time former world champion, consider retiring after his latest setback in the ring.

Joshua, 34, had accumulated a streak of four consecutive victories before his fight with Dubois. The bout was seen as an opportunity to solidify his comeback following a knockout win over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. However, despite being the favorite, Joshua struggled to find his rhythm during the fight.Daniel Dubois dominated the bout, knocking Anthony Joshua down four times before delivering a devastating knockout in the fifth round.

With this victory, Dubois retained his IBF title, while Joshua dropped to seventh in the world heavyweight rankings. This defeat has led to calls from prominent boxing figures for Joshua to retire, although others believe he still has the potential to return to the top.

One who believes Joshua has more to offer in boxing is fellow British heavyweight David Adeleye. In a recent interview with Mirror Fighting, Adeleye expressed that Anthony Joshua’s mentality before the fight “was wrong.” According to the young prospect, something in the preparation didn’t work in the former champion’s favor.

“It was a one-sided fight,” commented Adeleye. “I’ve got a lot of love for AJ, but yeah, it was a one-sided fight. I just think maybe the mentality going into the fight was wrong, and maybe something was wrong in the preparation, so it just didn’t favor him.”

Adeleye also believes that, despite the criticism, Joshua still has much to offer boxing. Among the possibilities for Joshua’s future is a matchup with Tyson Fury, a long-anticipated bout for fans. Although the two have had talks over the years, the fight has yet to materialize.Team GB star signs with boxing advisor

Furthermore, Adeleye maintains that, despite the loss, Joshua remains boxing’s “golden goose.” Interest in a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury still exists, although perhaps not at the same level as in previous years. Nonetheless, Adeleye believes that this clash, which would determine who is the best British boxer of his era, remains significant.

Tyson Fury, for his part, has also shown interest in fighting Joshua. In a recent interview, Fury stated that a fight between the two will happen before the end of their careers, regardless of Joshua’s recent defeat. “Joshua knows he’s getting it,” Fury assured. “Even if we’re 50 years old, he’s got to fight me. There’s no escaping it.”

Daniel Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, has revealed that his client’s next fight is scheduled for early next year. A rematch between Joshua and Dubois could take place on February 22 in Riyadh, according to forecasts. In the meantime, uncertainty about Joshua’s future continues to be a topic of debate in the boxing world.

As discussions about Anthony Joshua’s future and the possibilities of a rematch or a showdown with Fury continue, the boxing world eagerly awaits to see if the British fighter can rise from his recent defeats and prove that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.

A team GB boxer is making the transition to the professional game.

For most boxers that compete at The Olympic Games, one of their goals is to give it a go at the professional level.

The professional game is where the big money is and it provides boxers the opportunity to make some life changing money.

And it’s also a path well trodden in the past.

Names like Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Anthony Joshua are just some of the names that competed at the Olympics before going on to becoming world heavyweight champion.

A young hopeful from England will be hoping to do the same.

Pat Brown, a young British boxer, will turn professional after reaching an agreement with Sam Jones, an advisor in the boxing world.

Sam Jones, for those unaware, handles the career of Jack Catterall.

For those who don’t know him, Pat Brown is a 24-year-old British amateur boxer from Sale, Greater Manchester.Lawrence Okolie vacates his title to move up a division

He has competed in various amateur fights and gained recognition in the boxing scene, standing out for his dynamic style.

His journey in the 2024 Summer Olympics was cut short when he lost in the round of 16.

Brown began boxing at the age of 11 and has had 70 amateur fights to date.

Pat Brown has been considered one of the most promising prospects in British boxing, with expectations that he will succeed in the professional ranks.

According to NoSmokeBoxing, a promotional agreement is being worked on for Brown, as several boxing promoters have stated their desire in signing the fighter after he competed for team GB at the 2024 Olympic Games.

One of those is believed to be Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn.

It will be interesting to see what the future holds for this emerging talent as he enters the professional boxing scene.

“I tell people this all the time and they think I’m kidding,” laughs former 154lbs titlist Ishe Smith. “I practically had a 20-year pro career. I had no injuries really. I’ve only been cut in a couple fights, cut in the gym. Nothing really major, nothing serious that would hold me out for an extended period of time. But being a mailman, I’ve experienced more injuries on that job in five years than I ever experienced boxing.”

The Contender alum laughs at the incongruity of someone who spent two decades and change being punched in the face suffering his worst physical setbacks delivering mail in his native Las Vegas. He has been doing that for about five years now, since retiring from the ring following his one and only stoppage loss, to Erickson Lubin in 2019.

He admits that he had not anticipated spending his post-boxing years walking seven miles a day handing people bills and packages, he hadn’t in fact given much thought to reentering the workforce in any capacity. But he has four children now, three of them by his first wife, Latoya, who was murdered when they were young; unsurprisingly, they have experienced some mental health issues in the aftermath of that trauma, and working for the United States Postal Service does at least provide good health insurance.

Besides, he says, he enjoys it.

“Everybody’s been great,” he says. “I see locals and people on my station, and they recognize me and say hi. It’s been great.”

When he retired from boxing with a record of 29-11 (12 KOs), he did have some money saved up, but the COVID pandemic saw several investments – in restaurants, apartment buildings, and similar entities – go south rapidly.

“There’s only a select few people that actually make enough [from boxing] to where they can retire comfortably for the rest of their life,” he says. “And yeah, it’s a very hard hustle. So to the new generation coming up, I would definitely say invest your money. Be very smart with your money. Put some away. Trainers typically get 10 per cent; take about another 10 to 15 percent of your money and put it in an IRA. You know, definitely invest it. And be a little bit smart with your money, because it comes to an end.”

Smith, the first Las Vegas-born boxer to win a world title, made his bones fighting at club shows at The Orleans casino off the Strip, on monthly cards that were put together by future Hall-of-Fame matchmaker Brad Goodman for Guilty Boxing and that were hugely popular among the Vegas boxing scene.

“That’s how I started, making $1,000 for a four-rounder, $1800 for six, $2500 for eight, and $5000 for 10,” he recalls. “To go from that and then wind up headlining shows on the Strip is pretty amazing.”

They were largely happy days, he recalls, not least because they were relatively uncomplicated. As he began to work his way up the ladder, the income grew but so too did the expenditures.

By 2002, Smith had a record of 10-0 with 6 KOs; eight of those fights had been at The Orleans, and he was also gaining a reputation as a sparring partner, which is what punched his ticket to the major leagues. He had been helping Fernando Vargas prepare for Oscar De La Hoya, and when Vargas name-checked him during an interview on HBO, it piqued the interest of Vargas promoter Gary Shaw, who promptly signed Smith and began placing him on ShoBox shows.

Victories over Sam Garr, Sal Lopez, and David Estrada moved him from prospect to contender status and earned him a shot at hard-hitting junior welterweight veteran Randall Bailey.

But there was a catch.

“I said, ‘Well, how much?’ And they said, ‘Oh, it’s going to be $10,000.’ I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I just beat David Estrada for $10,000 and you’re coming at me with the same.’” 

His manager Shelly Finkel managed to procure an extra thousand dollars, “take it or leave it.”

“I’ve got kids, I've got responsibilities, so I said, ‘Alright, give it to me,’” he says. “So I took the fight.” In a tough fight, he dropped Bailey early but had to hang on down the stretch for a unanimous decision win in his first 12-rounder. Then he went back to the locker room and was handed a check for $3600.   

“It was like, ‘Yeah, sanctioning fees, training expenses, this, that.’ And I looked at that check and I was almost busting into tears. I hadn’t even paid my team yet. After I did that, I was down to just under $2000 and I was thinking, ‘You gotta be kidding me.’”

Unable to pay his bills, he filed for bankruptcy, which dissolved his contractual relationship with Shaw, to the promoter’s fury. The move did not go down well with the boxing community, which by and large felt Smith had pulled a cynical move to escape his contract. For the first time in his career, Smith found himself at a crossroads.

And then he received an unexpected call.

I had met Smith in Big Bear in 2003 at Shane Mosley’s training camp, and we had kept in touch; one day, after his bankruptcy, I was hanging out at The Orleans on a Guilty Boxing fight night when he came up to me and asked my advice. He had been approached by the producers of a new boxing reality series, in which 16 up-and-coming boxers would live together and compete with each other. 

Immediately disqualifying myself from a career as a business manager, I replied that I thought it sounded dumb. Smith, too, was unconvinced, but returned the call and ended up appearing on the first season of The Contender , alongside the likes of Sergio Mora, Alfonso Gomez, and Peter Manfredo. An early favorite and a stand-out personality, he did not advance as far as he had hoped, losing a decision to Mora in the quarter-finals.

Even so, he looks back on the show as a positive experience. 

“I kid you not, more people recognize me from that show than from the rest of my boxing career,” he says. “And it aired 20 years ago! I always say it was ahead of its time. Just imagine if that show had been on during the social media age.”

The years after The Contender weren’t kind, however. Wins against the likes of Pawel Wolak were offset by close and often ugly decision losses to opponents such as Sechew Powell and Joel Julio. And meanwhile, his life outside the ring was falling apart. He and Latoya divorced. He spent evenings alone at home, looking at his gun collection and contemplating using it on himself. At one point, his sister called paramedics to go to his house, so convinced was she that he was on the verge of suicide.

He pulled himself back from the brink, he says, by thinking of his children. 

“I realized how growing up without a dad impacted my life,” he says. “And I felt like if I had killed myself, I would have been doing the same thing to my kids that he did, right? So that was the only thing that saved me, because at that time, I really didn’t care about myself but I did care about the three kids I had at that time, and I decided I wanted to live for them.”

He lost interest in boxing, focusing instead on coaching soccer, when he received another unexpected call. Floyd Mayweather was looking for sparring in advance of his 154 pound title fight with Miguel Cotto; was Smith available? Oh, and Mayweather could put him on a card the night before at the Hard Rock Casino.

One fight for Mayweather Promotions became two, and the third saw him take on Cornelius “K9” Bundrage for a junior middleweight title on Showtime. Smith won a majority decision and promptly collapsed to his knees in tears, clutching his youngest child, as the pain and depression of the last several years, and the realization of how close he had come to no longer being around, washed over him.

His title reign did not last long. He surrendered the belt in his first defense, a dreadful fight with Carlos Molina. He lost to Erislandy Lara and Vanes Martirosyan – who became the first opponent to drop him – and his career seemed to be petering out. 

And then his life was upended by the shocking murder of ex-wife Latoya.

On March 19, 2017, Latoya was sitting on a wall outside a Dollar General store, waiting for a ride, when 55-year-old drifter Frank Campis pulled up behind her in his van, got out, shot her in the back of the head, and drove away. A couple of hours later, Campis posted a video from the MGM Grand sports book, bemoaning the tough day he had just had.

Latoya and Campis had never met or exchanged even a pleasantry. When he was arrested, Campis offered only that he was in the “wrong place at the wrong time.” 

Campis was sentenced to life in prison, where he died last year. Smith was forced to pick up the pieces; since remarried, he and wife Valerie have a child of their own and co-parent a blended family. It is to Smith’s immense pride and joy that his children are making a strong start to life.

“It is, bar none, the greatest gift I could ever ask for,” he says. “They’re better than me. They went to college. They got better grades than me in high school, they graduated college with honors, and they lived out their dream. My son is playing college football. I got another son playing college soccer. I have a daughter who graduated and has my grandson now. They’re more stable at their ages than I was. I was still trying to find my way at that age.  You know, that’s where I get joy from. Everything else I did is just great, but I did it for myself. I’m more proud of them than I am of anything I ever accomplished.”

Which is not to say he doesn’t have any pride in his career, a career that was recognized this year with induction into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. 

“I never thought I was a shoo-in to get in there,” he says.  “I was the first amateur to ever qualify for the Olympic trials from the city. And then once I found out they never had a world champion, I wanted to be the first to do that. But we had some really great fighters growing up. And the state and the city are so rich in boxing history.”

To make it all the more poetic, the induction ceremony was at The Orleans, in the very ballroom where he had fought eight times to kick his career into gear.

“It was unbelievable,” he says. “It was like the climax to a great book. There’s nothing better than to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and just ride off into the sunset and live my life now and just be thankful for everything I’ve done.  

“It was just a great night and a great event, and to have my kids there to see that, to experience it. It was a true definition of it’s not where you start, it's where you finish.”

A polarizing fighter at his peak, he continues to divide opinion in retirement, but now he is able to laugh off the social media attacks.

“I think somebody said on Twitter today, ‘How did he get inducted?’ I was like, ‘Well, don’t worry about it. You know, that’s like worrying about my penis size. Sit on your couch, relax and keep criticizing people that have done what you can only dream about. Man, I accomplished everything I wanted in the sport. I have no regrets. I’ve fought on every network that you can possibly follow. I started as a kid at The Orleans and headlined my own show at The Palms. So many people play sports for a living without ever winning a title. And I fought for a world title twice and I won it once. I couldn’t be more happy about it.”

Chris Eubank Jr., British boxer and son of the legendary Chris Eubank Sr., has publicly revealed that his father is no longer involved in his life. Eubank Jr. reflected on his father’s absence in his personal and professional life, following years of close collaboration.

Eubank Sr. was a key figure during the early years of his son’s career, always present at press conferences and training sessions. However, this relationship has drastically changed in recent years, marking a distance between them.

“He doesn’t have a role, which is pretty crazy because for a huge part of my career, he was a massive part of everything,” confessed Eubank Jr. in an interview with Mirror Fighting. The boxer explained that, for much of his career, his father was an integral part of both the business and sporting aspects of his life. “The business side, the press conferences, the training… he was always there, and now he’s not there for any of it,” he pointed out.The distancing between father and son seems to be related to Chris Eubank Jr.’s need to forge his own path.

According to Eubank Jr., the time had come to take full control of his career without relying on his father’s figure. “I felt it wasn’t working, and as my own man, I had learned enough and done enough in the game to do my own thing,” he added.

Their relationship has further complicated due to the challenges Eubank Sr. faces in separating his role as a father from his involvement in the boxing business. “I think it’s going to take me being out of boxing for him to come back into my life,” explained Eubank Jr., who believes his father may need to step away from boxing to restore their family relationship.

Despite the rift, Eubank Jr. expressed his gratitude for everything his father had taught him. “I’m very appreciative of everything he did and everything he taught me throughout my life and my career, but I want to be my own man, and that’s what I’m doing now,” he affirmed.A family tragedy that changed his life

The distance from his father is not the only trial Chris Eubank Jr. has faced in recent years. The Eubank family suffered a tragic loss when Sebastian, Chris Jr.’s younger brother, passed away three years ago in Dubai after suffering a heart attack. This tragedy transformed Eubank Jr.’s life, as he took on the role of a father figure for his nephew Raheem, Sebastian’s son.Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach react differently to fight announcement

“I became a father overnight,” confessed Eubank Jr. about his new family responsibility. Despite the painful loss, the boxer highlighted that his love for his nephew has been a source of strength. “Now it’s my duty and my honor to step in and fulfill that father figure role for his son Raheem, my nephew, whom I now consider a son,” he explained. “It was a horrible thing that happened, but I’ve used the love I have for Raheem to strengthen and focus on what I’m doing.”

Eubank Jr. also emphasized how this experience has changed his perspective on life and his career. “You become more aware; there’s a lot more on the line now. When kids get involved, you want to make sure you’re there for their entire life,” he noted. This new responsibility has led the boxer to adjust his priorities and be more mindful of the decisions he makes in his career.The future of Chris Eubank Jr. in the ring

Amid these personal changes, Chris Eubank Jr. remains focused on his boxing career. On Saturday night, he will face Kamil Szeremeta in Riyadh, a fight marking another step in his journey toward solidifying himself in the elite of world boxing. Without his father in his corner, Eubank Jr. has focused on his independence, relying on the lessons he has learned throughout his life and career to guide him.

Eubank Jr. has made it clear that, although he misses the closeness with his father, he is determined to follow his own path. With new challenges both inside and outside the ring, Chris Eubank Jr. has shown he is ready to face the future with determination and maturity.

In a recent interview with the YouTube channel BOXING NOW, Dave Allen made strong statements about his upcoming fight against Johnny Fisher. This bout has been added to the undercard of the highly anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, which will take place on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Dave Allen, known as “The White Rhino,” dismissed the criticism predicting a quick outcome in favor of Fisher.

“I see a lot of comments on social media saying it will be a one-round fight. I don’t know what they’re basing that on,” said Allen. He also highlighted that his experience is significantly greater than that of his opponent. “I’ve boxed with three Olympic medalists, two world title challengers, a WBA world title holder who I knocked out in 3 rounds. I’ve never been (knocked down) as a pro or amateur,” he added.

Johnny Fisher, known as “The Romford Bull,” has built his reputation with an aggressive style and devastating knockout power. He has knocked out 11 of his 12 opponents, including Alen Babić in his most recent fight. However, despite his rising career, Fisher has yet to face a fighter with Allen’s experience and toughness.

It’s worth noting that Allen has

On the other hand, Fisher enters this fight with the confidence of youth and the momentum of his growing popularity. Though seen as the favorite, his aggressive style could work against him when facing Allen’s tactical experience. Fisher has been criticized for relying too heavily on brute force, which could leave him vulnerable if the fight goes beyond the early rounds.

For many, this fight symbolizes a potential generational shift in British boxing. Fisher, with his youth and power, is the favorite to secure victory. However, Allen has a chance if he can stretch the fight and test his opponent’s stamina. Despite the prediction of an early knockout in Fisher’s favor, Allen believes his experience and toughness could surprise many.Hamzah Sheeraz ordered for mammoth world title shot

The fight promises to be a clash of styles, with Johnny Fisher looking to impose his pace from the start and Dave Allen attempting to take the battle to more tactical grounds. While most analysts predict a Fisher victory within five rounds, the uncertainty surrounding the young fighter’s endurance and defensive strategy adds an exciting layer to this matchup.

This undercard bout will be part of a historic event, headlined by the much-anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. The fight between Allen and Fisher could potentially steal the spotlight if both fighters live up to expectations.👀 ALLEN SEES “GLARING HOLES” IN FISHER