“August 12 could be the last part of this heavyweight story because I’ve got absolutely no idea where the loser goes.” “The fact these two go back years inside the ring means that we’ll get the best possible versions on the night, and both will know exactly what’s at stake. Some questions were asked of both men after their respective battles with Franklin, but everything will be answered here because this is two fighters who won’t give an inch on the night because of their long history and because of what lies in front of them.”Bellew gives Joshua the edge, citing Whyte's aggressive style as a potential weakness. Joshua previously stopped Whyte in their professional bout, and Bellew believes Joshua is better when opponents come to him. He anticipates that Whyte's approach could play into Joshua's strengths and lead to his downfall.
“As it stands, Joshua must start the favourite. He holds a stoppage win over Whyte in the professional game and he knows he can hurt him when the time comes. The Whyte we didn’t see against Fury is what I expect to see next month but does that version play into Joshua’s hands? I’ve always said that Joshua is better when opponents come to him. That’s how I see Whyte approaching the fight and I believe it could be his downfall.”The fight is scheduled for August 12 in London, and fans eagerly await the outcome to see which fighter will rise to the top once again.
“I think there’s gonna be a massive announcement in the next week or so. I might be coming back in the ring again. I might be fighting again. It’s not gonna be a small fight, it’ll be like a super fight as well. The deal was that big I couldn’t turn it down. So that’s why I’ll get myself back in the gym again, train again. It’ll be a massive fight. We’ve kept it very quiet at the moment. I can’t announce anything just yet, but it’s one of the biggest names in boxing who I’ll be in the ring with. This fight was talked about so many times before. Dubai, in my opinion, they’ve made it happen. We are 99% there. Agreements have been signed from both parties, and I think this week hopefully, the opponent – I don’t know if I should call him opponent or should I call him champion as well – they will be flying into Dubai and hopefully we’ll be doing a conference to announce it.”While Floyd Mayweather Jr. is currently one of the main figures in the exhibition circuit, Khan and Mayweather never fought during their careers despite coming close to it. They share a notable opponent in Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez. Other boxing stars like Manny Pacquiao have also participated in entertainment contests, engaging in one with Thai boxer Buakaw Banchamek in early 2024. As Khan's plans progress, more information will likely be revealed in the upcoming weeks. Fans are eager to see who the big-name opponent will be for his much-anticipated return to the ring.
The bout between Fulton and Inoue is set to headline a major event, streaming live on Lemino in Japan and on ESPN+ in the U.S. The majority of experts have predicted Inoue, the unbeaten former three-division champion, to come out victorious and potentially become a four-division champion. Interestingly, Fulton did not address the hand-wrapping allegations himself, and it was Rahim who spoke up on his behalf. The trainer claimed that Fulton had asked him not to raise the issue, but Rahim felt it necessary to ensure his fighter's safety. The controversy involved the threat of not allowing Fulton, who is fighting in Japan for the first time, to enter the ring if the hand-wrapping matter wasn't resolved. However, it is worth noting that the technique used by Inoue—wrapping his hands with tape on the skin, followed by gauze, and repeating the process—is within the rules of the Japanese Boxing Commission. This method is also allowed in several commissions in the U.S., although some refer to it as 'stacking.'“Don't suck it up. Just Fight.”
“Japan has its own local rules. Even in the United States, there are local rules depending on the state, and the [wrapping] method is different. Our fight will be held in Japan on 25th, so of course I will follow the Japanese rules.”In response to the debate, Inoue emphasized that different regions have their own specific rules when it comes to hand-wrapping, and he intends to follow the Japanese rules for his fight on the 25th. Inoue is no stranger to championship glory, having previously held titles at junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, and bantamweight. His remarkable knockout victory over Paul Butler in December of the previous year made him the first boxer to fully unify the bantamweight division in the multi-belt era and the first Asian fighter to achieve such a feat at any weight class. A win in the upcoming Fulton vs Inoue match would grant him the distinction of being Japan's first boxer to claim unified title status in two or more weight divisions.
“I’m used to ups and downs in my life,” Whyte told BBC 5 Live Boxing. “Obviously, it’s a shame being one of the top fighters in the world, I’m still struggling like I was [earlier in my career]. It’s the same. “It’s been tough. I haven’t been treated the way I should’ve been treated and getting the right respect. It’s life, man. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade. I must be a lemonade master by now. “I’m a happy soul, anyway. Even if I beat AJ, I’m still not going to get the respect I deserve. If I beat him, they’re gonna say, ‘Oh, he was diminished. He was losing his mind. He was this, he was that.’ There’s going to be some nonsense being said.”
"Serhii is prepared for a world title opportunity"Tom hinted towards a potential showdown of Bohachuk with Jermell Charlo or a match for the vacant WBC world title. Meanwhile, the outcome of the Bohachuk vs Allotey match has given Patrick Allotey his fifth loss. The Ghanaian boxer's record now stands at 42 wins, 32 by KOs. In the undercard match, Omar Trinidad emerged victorious against Roberto Meza, enhancing his record to 13-0-1, 10 KOs. The boxing results further confirmed that Umar Dzambekov overcame Kwame Ritter, taking his record to 6-0, 4 KOs in the process. In the bantamweight category, Narek Abgaryan achieved a sixth-round knockout victory over Manuel Manzo, updating his record to 16-1, 7 KOs. Daniel Barrera triumphed over Eduardo Alvarez in the opening round of their flyweight bout, while Jorge Maravillo emerged victorious against Terry Fernandez in an off-air contest.
“I thought it was a robbery. I thought Maxi boxed well and I thought he was the better fighter. I think that the judges should be held to a higher criteria. I think they should be as focused as the boxers, and I think they need (to do) a lot more to become a judge. “I feel like they’re not watching the fights and they’re not really paying attention to the fights, and I think it’s messing up boxing.”Stevenson expressed his concern after Kambosos vs Hughes match that the judges were possibly not as attentive to the matches as they should be, which could potentially harm the sport's integrity. On the subject of possibly taking on Kambosos (21-2, 10 KO) in the future, Stevenson (20-0, 10 KO) downplayed the idea, implying that Kambosos might not be the caliber of adversary he's seeking. Stevenson voiced his ambition to square off against the crème de la crème of the boxing world, expressing doubt that Kambosos currently belongs in that echelon. He named fighters such as Lomachenko, Devin Haney, and Gervonta Davis as his desired opponents while talking to media after Kambosos vs Hughes bout. If Stevenson were to face Kambosos in the ring, he confidently predicted that he would outclass him. However, he maintained his belief that Kambosos doesn't compete at the same level as him. He finished by saying that if circumstances left him with no other option and Kambosos became his next hurdle, he wouldn't hesitate to defeat him too.
“I wanna fight the best of the best, so as of right now, Kambosos is not on my level. I want to fight the Lomachenkos, the Devin Haneys, Gervonta Davis,” he said. “Those are the fights I’m looking for. If you see me fighting Kambosos, you know I’m gonna stop him. That’s how I feel about it. I don’t feel like he’s on that level. “But if I don’t got no choice, and he’s the next step, I’ll beat him up, too.”
“We won the fight by many rounds,” Kambosos said. “That’s no discredit to Maxi Hughes. He had a couple good rounds, but a couple good rounds don’t win you the fight. We won a majority of the rounds.”This Kambosos vs Hughes match marked Kambosos's first win since his upset victory over Teofimo Lopez in November 2021. Although Kambosos had been defeated by the undisputed lightweight champion, Devin Haney, in 2022, he returned to the ring as the favorite against Hughes. In spite of Hughes being the underdog in seven of his past eight matches, he had a six-win streak before the Kambosos vs Hughes bout. After the match, Hughes expressed his disappointment, yet maintained respect for Kambosos's victory. Regardless of the outcome, Hughes demonstrated his worthiness to compete in the top league during the challenging fight.
“It was a bit of a kick in the bollocks, to be honest. Now I feel pretty stupid standing here in a cowboy hat,” he said with a smile. “But yeah, I’m absolutely devastated. Nobody knew who I was. I wasn’t supposed to be in George’s league. I came and showed, I should have had my hand raised. But I don’t want to take George’s moment. “My footwork, making him miss, making him pay, landed the cleaner shots. You know, I don’t want to sound like a sore loser, but when I watch it back, assess it — everybody here now knows who Maxi Hughes. Thank you, Oklahoma. “I thought I was doing enough, listening to instruction. I was just doing what I felt. I don’t know what the judges were seeing, but I did what I was asked. “I want to earn the dollars to provide for my family. Show everybody who Maxi Hughes is and show everybody how good I can be. And earn the money. That’s what I want to do, but we’ll see what’s next.”
“I talked to Fulton about my concerns, and he asked me not to discuss my concerns. Fulton said, ‘I don’t care if he has bricks in his gloves. I will still win. “As I admire his courage, I have to do my job and look out for his safety. In previous fights, Inoue and his team have wrapped his hands with an excessive amount of tape on his skin and then put gauze and more tape, which creates a cast. “This is not an assumption. I have proof. We could also wrap our hands in the same fashion, but where is the level of safety for the fighter? If this issue isn’t resolved, I will not allow my fighter into the ring. “We are already behind enemy lines. We have made no requests, nothing at all. We have not even asked for a rematch clause. This is the only request that we had made. I would like for the hand wraps to be wrapped in a safe manner, not with tape on the hands or on the skin.”
“I can’t see it no. I can’t see it. I think Usyk will find it too easy to land on Daniel Dubois. Again he’s another where his attack is the best form of defence but I don’t think he’ll have what it takes to land clean and often on Usyk.”According to Price, Usyk's superior movement and activity in the ring will likely lead to him landing more frequently on Dubois in the Usyk Vs Dubois bout, possibly leading to a late stoppage. While acknowledging that it's a massive opportunity for Dubois, Price believes Usyk is on another level and continues to improve as a fighter. Price wishes Dubois luck and encourages him to give his all in the Usyk Vs Dubois bout, regardless of the outcome. He emphasizes that as long as Dubois goes into the ring and performs to the best of his abilities, he will come out a winner.
“Usyk’s too busy, too mobile, and I think he’ll land too often on Dubois and I think he’ll probably stop him late. It’s a massive opportunity for the lad and he’s done great to come back from where was with Joe Joyce fight, but Usyk’s the next level and we haven’t seen anything that he’s starting to fade or get old or water, he’s betting better all the time. Win, lose or draw, so long as [Dubois] goes into that fight and comes out knowing he’s given everything and performed he’ll come out a winner no matter what. Good luck to him.”The Usyk Vs Dubois fight will be available for viewers in the UK on TNT Sports Box Office (formerly BT Sport) and on ESPN+ in the US. Boxing fans around the world are eagerly anticipating this clash of two talented heavyweights.
“My fight got cancelled over turkey dogs!!!”MoDeen also expressed sadness over the situation, as he had hoped for the opportunity to face Stein in the ring and teach him a lesson. He later learned that the hotdogs were indeed turkey and not pork, but it was too late to salvage the fight.
“I feel heartbroken because my fight is getting cancelled because of someone else’s actions, and I’m not getting the chance to smash this guy’s face in. We found out it was not pork, it was some chicken or whatever, so that’s calm. As long as it wasn’t, then that’s not that deep. They told me the fight’s cancelled. I wanna smash his brain, but they’re telling me it’s cancelled. That’s not fair.”Despite the Hotdog Controversy, the Happy Punch event proceeded as scheduled in Nashville, but with one less fight on the prelims portion of the undercard. The altercation between Stein and MoDeen served as a reminder of the importance of respecting religious beliefs and cultural sensitivities in sports and public events.
“Losing was something that was definitely not fun or easy. But I think it was good for me for the long run and it made me a stronger man and built a stronger foundation,” said Paul. “It made me have to look at everything, including myself to reassess and reconfirm my beliefs about what I am doing in this sport. I learned a lot about myself, my mental strength, and what I am capable of pulling through. Now I feel that I am even more mature in many ways because of the loss.”
“Daniel Dubois can knock him out, so Usyk has dropped a clanger [by not accepting Fury fight]. Going up against an eighteen stone, six-foot-five heavyweight, who can punch, for peanuts compared to what he would get against Tyson? I don’t know where they [Usyk’s team] are going with that. Craziness.” “They’ve [Dubois’ team] have got to have the right tactics, the right game plan and some b***ocks. That’s all that’s needed to take the cruiserweight down. But, if you try and box him, you are playing into his hands, fighting his fight. You’ve got to get rough and tough with him and you have got to be able to sustain attacks and then you beat Usyk, easy.” “Without sustained, two-phased attacks, power shots and bullying him, using your size, forget about it. If you’re going to try and out-jab him, a cruiserweight, forget about it, you’ve got to hit him with everything but the kitchen sink and keep it going.”The highly-anticipated Usyk Vs Dubois match is scheduled for August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland. UK viewers can watch it live on TNT Sports pay-per-view, while US viewers can tune in on ESPN+.
"The WBC ratings committee decided to remove Conor Benn due to the 15-month inactivity which is part of the ratings criteria. It seems there is no scheduled fight at this moment but Conor may contact the WBC to explain his case and his ranking situation may be addressed as a rating appeal [in] its process."Benn had expressed his relief at being reinstated by the WBC in a post on his Instagram account, though he also seemed to disagree with some parts of the sanctioning body's statement. He mentioned feeling frustrated with the ruling, as it led to further questions and negative speculation.
"The manner in which I've been cleared has seemed to create further questions and add further fuel to baseless negative speculation"It has been a while since Conor Benn's last fight, which was a stoppage victory over Chris van Heerden in April 2022. Altough, he showed pure dominance in the fight, he was unable to carry this momentum and inactive since been. On the other hand, Chris Eubank Jr, who was initially set to face Benn, has since moved on from that saga because of the problems around Conor Benn. Eubank Jr suffered a loss to Liam Smith in January but has a rematch scheduled with him on September 2 at the AO Arena in Manchester.
"Ngannou stands no chance against Fury, giving him zero possibility of victory."It is worth noting that although the fight will be officially sanctioned and recorded on the fighters' records, Fury's WBC world title will not be at stake. The sanctioning body has granted him "special permission" to temporarily set aside his champion duties for this event. Ngannou, known for his knockout power in MMA, will be making his professional boxing debut against Fury. He follows in the footsteps of Conor McGregor, who faced a similar challenge against Floyd Mayweather in 2017, ultimately being outclassed. Ngannou is reportedly seeking guidance from former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis as he prepares for the fight on October 28. In the Fury Vs Ngannou event that Ngannou surprises the odds and emerges victorious, he claims there is a rematch clause in place. However, if Fury wins as expected, boxing fans will likely anticipate negotiations between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for a potential undisputed bout, assuming Usyk still holds the other three world titles.
"It's a heavyweight fight. He has a puncher's chance at the end of the day. If he lands that punch, Tyson might not get back up. I do believe if he thinks correctly and he goes back to watch the Conor McGregor fight with Floyd [Mayweather], he's going to try to last as long as he can and somebody who does that is going to have his power throughout the entire fight, like Charles Martin did."Earlier this month, Anderson came out victorious from his toughest challenge to date, securing a unanimous decision over former IBF world champion Charles Martin in a ten-round battle. Always looking for more opportunities to spar, Anderson is already lined up to square off against Andriy Rudenko next month, on August 26, in the aftermath of the Fury Vs Ngannou event. Anderson said:
"If I could fight every month I would. In my opinion, I don't think it's an old-school mentality, I think it's a mentality everyone should have." "I think people get better as they go through the necessary fights and bright lights and everything. People have got to experience fans, crowds, lights, stuff like that enough times to know that they can be very comfortable under them. So I feel like if you fight more you will perform better."
"I can’t see him [Usyk] walking onto, what would probably have to be, a sucker punch from Dubois and getting beat. But, it’s heavyweight boxing, it’s a two-horse race, anything can happen. This fight is definitely more exciting than watching Fury and Ngannou, who is making his debut."While Usyk will put his three heavyweight titles on the line against Dubois, it is unlikely that Fury's WBC crown will be at stake in his match against the Cameroonian. Ngannou has confirmed that the fight will be added to both fighters' professional records and dismissed any rumors of a "no knockdown" rule. In the event of a significant upset, it is believed that a rematch clause is in place for a potential future encounter between the two. While talking to talkSPORT, Froch further added about Fury-Ngannou fight:
“He [Fury] sent me a message saying, ‘Listen, it’s about the money. It’s the biggest fight in heavyweight boxing,’ that’s what he said to me. I said, ‘You’re gonna be getting paid more for this fight than any other fight you would’ve taken? A bigger fight than Oleksandr Usyk?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, it’s a bigger fight, I’m getting paid more than I would’ve got.”A few months ago, the highly awaited world heavyweight championship unification match between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was put off owing to a breakdown in negotiations between their respective camps. The match was initially set for April 29 at Wembley Stadium. Fury, the WBC champion, hoped to take all three titles now held by Usyk, who is the WBA, IBF, and WBO champion. Negotiations between the two camps were stymied when Usyk's side asked for a 50-50 split of the payment, which Fury openly refused on social media. The fundamental cause of the delay seems to be the demand for an equal share. Usyk's promoter, Alex Krassyuk, claimed that they were not seeking a precise monetary amount, but rather a split, which did not work out when Fury demanded more money. Usyk's team eventually agreed to a 70/30 split in Fury's favour after first requesting a 50-50 split. However, Fury refused to commit to a rematch clause. As the talks progressed, Usyk's side made a final offer of a 60-40 split, with the winner receiving the greater part. Unfortunately, Fury refused the offer, forcing the highly anticipated match to be cancelled.
“I’m not suing him for money, he’s not suing me for money. I just want him to honor my boxing contract. That’s it."He strongly urged Garcia to fulfill his contractual obligations and expressed his desire for Garcia's success. De La Hoya showed regret over the deteriorated relationship following Garcia's defeat to Davis, with Garcia alleging a lack of support and accusing his team of betrayal. De La Hoya, in response, publicly advised Garcia to show resilience instead of expressing disappointment. De La Hoya confessed to feeling disheartened but recollected former Top Rank promoter Bob Arum's advice not to take such setbacks personally. Currently, the legal conflict seems to be at a deadlock, with De La Hoya blaming Garcia's inner circle for creating a rift. However, he still holds onto the possibility of conducting business with Garcia in the future:
“Yeah, absolutely. I still have several years in this contract.”Meanwhile, De La Hoya's ongoing feud with Eddie Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing, revolves around their shared contracts with DAZN, the streaming platform caught in the middle of the antagonism. Over the past year, the two have clashed over various professional matters, including the subject of Canelo Alvarez and potential bouts. De La Hoya declined to divulge the root cause of the discord but criticized Hearn's understanding of the American market and his promotional strategies:
“Just let me do my job here, and let me take care of business. Because obviously he doesn’t know the market here."Despite criticizing Hearn's approach, De La Hoya did not entirely shut the door to future collaborations. He suggested that Hearn could learn from the way co-promotion was handled in the past on platforms like HBO. He expressed his confidence in navigating the U.S. market and indicated a willingness to work with Hearn provided he understands and adjusts to the market's nuances.
“September. If he’s cleared he will fight September 23rd. A f***ing massive fight."Hearn further speculated:
“It might be Manny Pacquiao. Or it might be Josh Taylor. I am particularly fond of the Josh Taylor fight. Do we postpone it until October? Perhaps. Eubank is prepared to fight on September 23rd."Numerous fighters worldwide have called out Connor Benn. Even if a match with Chris Eubank doesn't materialize, it's not the end of the world. It will still be a thrilling fight and a significant one for both fighters. However, until Benn gets clearance, the specifics regarding Connor Benn's Ring Return remain unclear.
“As amateurs, we copied his moves. We faced disapproval in the gym since we were banned from doing so. They stated that it looked like we were losing our focus, our concentration, and that we seemed out of control. However, I continued to include these movements, even during competitions.”A Boxing professional who sparred with both Usyk and Dubois predicts a knockout. Upon sharing this news, 'Prince Nas' laughed and questioned,
“Who’s going be able to copy them moves?”Undoubtedly, Usyk is one of the most agile and difficult heavyweights ever to grace the boxing ring. His next challenge is defending his triple world titles for the second time against Daniel Dubois in Poland, another milestone in Usyk's rise to the top. In 2018, Usyk etched his name in history by becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion, securing all four major titles in the World Boxing Super Series. In the final match, he confronted Murat Gassiev, who held the IBF and WBA titles. Usyk dominated the fight, clinching a unanimous victory. This triumph cemented Usyk's rise to the top, making him the first cruiserweight in boxing history to hold all four major world championships—the WBO, WBC, WBA, and IBF titles. His ultimate dream remains a head-to-head battle with Tyson Fury for undisputed supremacy, despite the ongoing tension between both teams. Meanwhile, Fury is gearing up for a fight with former MMA champion Francis Ngannou, as Usyk's rise to the top continues.