The first fight between Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa was very close and highly competitive, even with two of the three scorecards reading 116-112 in Fulton’s favor after 12 rounds were completed. (The third judge saw it a draw at 114-114.)

Figueroa, a 27-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, is 25-1-1 (19 KOs). He won his first world title at 122 in May 2021, knocking out the previously unbeaten Luis Nery in seven rounds. Then came the Fulton loss, after which Figueroa moved up to 126.

“He feel like he won.  His family told him he won. I clearly landed the clearer and cleaner shots,” Fulton said. “It is what it is. We back. I don’t want to hear nothing else after this.”

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod . He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast . David’s book, “ Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing ,” is available on Amazon.

Bakhram Murtazaliev has played down Tim Tszyu’s performance against Sebastian Fundora, when he fought on for 10 rounds with blood pouring from his head.

Tszyu’s vision was inhibited by the blood that ran from his scalp that was the consequence of Fundora’s elbow, contributing to him recording, via split decision, his first defeat.

Unusually for a previously undefeated fighter losing for the first time, he emerged from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in March with his reputation enhanced.

That he is challenging for the IBF junior-middleweight title in his following fight, having sacrificed to Fundora his title from the WBO, is a reflection of not only the tenacity he demonstrated throughout such a dramatic evening but the impression made by the images of his blood-soaked face.

Murtazaliev won the vacant title when defeating Jack Culcay in April, and while he respects the 29-year-old Tszyu’s performance against Fundora emphasised not only that he lost, but that Fundora’s injuries have been overlooked.

“He fought very well,” the Russian told BoxingScene. “He was in a good exciting fight. But you’ve got to look at it like this – we’re fighters and we get blood every single day, almost. We get blood in sparring; we get bloody ever since we were kids. So we’re used to this. 

“If you’re a swimmer that’s very scary for you. But when you fight over 300 fights in your lifetime, it’s normal.

“It’s better to fight smarter than fight like an ‘old-school’ fighter. 

“They have to have excuses somehow, right? They have to come up with excuses somehow. He lost clearly. They both were injured; they both were smashed, and one won.”

Murtazaliev, 31, was then asked what he believes his opponent – who he fights on Saturday at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida – does well.

“Goes forward and takes punches to his face,” he responded.

“[The way he] moves,” he then said when asked what the Australian needs to improve.

“I’m focused on my fight. I don’t care what anybody thinks or what everybody’s going to say. I’m tunnel vision on the fight; focused, 100 per cent. I don’t care what everybody says or thinks. 

“We’ll see [on Saturday]. Just like any other opponent – [whether] he’s a good fighter. Just like all of the other ones – we have to go in the ring and find out.”

Sam Gilley produced a clinical display and stopped Jack McGann in four rounds at the York Hall in London, England. 

McGann, 31, had stepped in as a late replacement after Gilley, 30, was originally scheduled to rematch Louis Greene for the British junior middleweight title. The 18-1 Gilley (9 KOs) made clear the huge difference in preparation with his sharp counters. He displayed greater speed and when McGann pressed forward to try and turn the tide, he landed a powerful right hand that eventually led to the referee waving off the action in round four.

Gilley started the contest well, countering to the body and then bringing up a sharp uppercut. Gilley’s success continued in the second, in which he followed up a double jab with a perfect right hand that left McGann flat on his back. The brave McGann returned to his feet but was hurt again before the round ended.

McGann fought back in the third, pushing Gilley back to the ropes. Gilley, however, countered well on the backfoot and continued his attack on McGann’s body. Gilley again elected to counter from the ropes in the fourth. This time he switched his counters upstairs and a sharp right hand dazed the oncoming McGann. 

Gilley pressed on, determined to finish the job and unloaded a barrage of shots with McGann stumbling around the ring. Referee Darren Sarginson jumped in with McGann about to fall after taking another right uppercut. The time of the stoppage was 58 seconds of Round 4.

Earlier, 12-0 junior lightweight prospect Royston Barney (6 KOs) made light work of 13-2 Carlos Rayo (7 KOs). It was clear from the beginning that Barney-Smith, still only 20, had the superior skills. He used his southpaw jab and left to the body to push the retreating Rayo around the ring. 

In the second, Barney-Smith landed a beautiful lead right hand to the body that saw Rayo crumble to his knees. The Colombian stayed down for the full 10 count, with the time of the stoppage coming at 1:25 of the second round. 

Nick Webb stopped the previously unbeaten, now 5-1 Courtney Bennett (2 KOs) to win the Southern Area heavyweight title. Bennett started fast and pushed Webb back to the ropes with hard shots. 

The experienced Webb, 18-3 (14 KOs), never panicked and in the fifth the tide started to turn. Webb started to press the action and the tiring Bennett was getting caught more and more. At the start of the eighth, the exhausted Bennett spat out his gum shield to take a break from Webb’s pressure. His corner, however, had seen enough and called off the contest after 44 seconds of Round 8.

Milans Volkovs caused an upset against cruiserweight prospect Tommy Fletcher earlier in the night. The 11-3 (6 KOs) Volkovs used his size and strength to push the much slimmer Fletcher around the ring. The Latvian unleashed powerful shots to the head and body of Fletcher, 8-1 (6 KOs) forcing him into each corner. Volkovs was awarded a well-deserved 79-72 decision for his efforts.

The middleweight 3-0-1 (1 KO) Sam King got back to winning ways with a disciplined performance against Dmitri Protkunas, who is 7-14 (1 KO). King, coming off a draw with Artjom Sparta in April, used his superior fundamentals to outbox Protkunas and take a 39-37 decision on the referee’s scorecard. 

Super middleweight prospect Lloyd Farrington, undefeated in six fights (2 KOs) put on a two round beatdown of Jesus Lobeto—1-6-1 (0 KOs)—to pick up his second stoppage win. Farrington came out at the sound of the first bell with the intention of knocking his man out. The end came in the second, when Farrington’s hard shots finally broke down Lobeto and he slumped to the canvas. He returned to his feet only to be dropped again with the action being waved off at 1:52 of Round 2.

Junior middleweight Ishtvan Herzheni, now 2-0 (0 KOs), beat the awkward 7-4 (1 KO) Ryan Maycock in a hard-fought contest. Herzheni was able to deal with the lunging punches of Maycock well and won the contest 39-37 on the referee’s scorecard.

Victorious debutant Elliot Elimasi (1 KOs) made light work of 10-7 (7 KOs) Jairo Nutes, winning by knockout in his first professional contest. The time of the stoppage came at 1:24 of Round 2.

Frank Warren, promoter of Queensbury Promotions, has strongly responded to Ben Shalom’s statements, who implied that the gloves used by Fabio Wardley in his victory over Frazer Clarke deserve to be investigated. In a recent interview with BoxNation, Warren dismissed the accusations as unfounded and ridiculous, labeling Shalom’s comments as a “stupid and slanderous statement.”Frank Warren clarified that the “Fly” gloves used in the fight are approved by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).

According to Warren, these gloves were provided by the event promoter, Queensbury Promotions, which organized the event in Riyadh. Warren explained in detail the process of glove selection and supervision, from their sealed delivery to the final inspection in the dressing rooms, where they were placed in front of the opposing team and reviewed by the referee in the ring.

In Warren’s words, “If Ben had such a problem with the gloves, why didn’t he attend the rules meeting and bring it up?” He also noted that Clarke’s coach was the only one present at the meeting, and while he initially expressed that he didn’t like the “Fly” gloves, he accepted that they were approved, thus ending the matter.

Additionally, Warren lashed out at Shalom, calling him “Inspector Clueless” and criticizing him for raising the issue of the gloves without having evidence or an ongoing investigation. “Frazer acknowledged he was beaten fair and square, and that should be the end of it. It’s madness,” Warren added. He also called the situation an unnecessary distraction that took attention away from what was a great night of boxing in Riyadh.

Warren revealed that Fabio Wardley and his team are upset by the cheating insinuations, as they directly affect his reputation. “If someone cheated, that’s worse than PEDs. It’s an outrageous statement,” Warren emphasized, adding that Shalom will have to publicly apologize for discrediting the sport and those involved in the event.

The British Boxing Board of Control, according to Warren, has already declared that there is no ongoing investigation regarding the gloves. “What investigation is Clueless doing? He doesn’t even have the gloves,” added the promoter. At the same time, he assured that Frazer Clarke, who lost by technical knockout, has not supported any of Shalom’s statements.

“I also want to make it clear that Frazer Clarke hasn’t said any of this. He’s an absolute gentleman, not stupid. He knows he was beaten fair and square on the night,” said Warren.When asked if he would take Ben Shalom to the Board, Frank Warren hinted that they are taking steps beyond legal measures, without specifying if they will proceed with a lawsuit.

“You heard what he said. He’s claiming there was something wrong with the gloves, and we as promoters are responsible. We were responsible for the event,” Warren commented, reminding that Queensbury was in charge of managing the event on behalf of Sauerland and the Riyadh Season.

Finally, Warren showed little interest in speculating about Shalom’s motivations, suggesting that his comments might be an attempt to discredit Wardley’s victory. “Listen, Shalom had four fighters that night—two of them lost. One was lucky not to be beaten when he fell out of the ring. It was a great night in Riyadh, and that’s what we should be talking about, not this garbage,” Warren noted.Current world champion leaves long-term trainer in bizarre fashion

Despite the controversy, Warren remained focused on what’s next for Fabio Wardley, hinting that a fight against Jared Anderson could be on the horizon and even mentioning the possibility of a clash with Deontay Wilder.

“Yes, it was mentioned, but I said I have no problem with that fight. Fabio even said he’d fight Wilder next. I think people would buy into that, don’t you?”

In his own words, Frank Warren assured that there is no rush to decide Wardley’s next fight, but made it clear that interest in a high-profile fight is growing.

“But no rush. Always make the right moves at the right time,” Warren concluded.

Adam Azim is already eyeing the scalp of former junior welterweight champion Regis Prograis after his fight with Ohara Davies this Saturday at London’s Copper Box Arena.

Azim, still only 22, has breezed through his opposition so far, picking up the European title in just his 10th fight. He will, however, take his biggest step up to date when he faces Davies, a fighter who has boxed the likes of former undisputed 140-pound champions Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall. 

Azim has watched Davies’ career with a close eye after they spent time together in the Peacock Boxing Gym when the pair were amateurs. Azim is respectful of his former stablemate and friend Davies but insists he will strictly be an opponent on fight night.

“It’s a big, massive fight, but I’ve got respect for him,” Azim told BoxingScene. “I’ve got respect for him before the fight, I’ll have respect for him after the fight. But when the lights switch on, I switch on – I’m in to fight mode. 

“He’s always still an opponent to me, he’s also a friend to me, but look, I’m always switched on. I’m fighting like he’s got a world title.”

Davies was considered one of the leading contenders in the junior welterweight division before he suffered a stunning stoppage defeat to Ismael Barroso earlier this year. Davies was caught with a huge left hand and stopped in the first round. Azim, however, isn’t looking into that performance too much.

“I can’t really take nothing from that fight,” said Azim. “Anything can happen in boxing, he fought a former world champion and got clipped. Anything can happen in the sport, if you get caught clean then there are consequences.”

Azim has been linked with a potential domestic dust-up with fellow 140-pound prospect Dalton Smith since the pair were mandated to fight each other for the British and European titles. The bout was not made, but Azim is refusing to rule out a future fight. 

“After Ohara Davies, I can’t look past that,” he said. “He can wait his turn. The fight is going to happen. I’ll probably talk more after the Ohara Davies fight, I don’t want to say much yet because I’m not looking past Ohara.”

Azim will have one eye on another big fight in his division next Saturday when fellow Briton Jack Catterall takes on former world champion Regis Prograis in Manchester. Azim is open to a fight against both men eventually and even revealed he would be happy to face Prograis next. 

“Jack Catterall, I think will beat Regis Prograis on points, he could even stop him,” Azim said. “Devin Haney kind of broke him down and beat him quite easily, and I think Jack Catterall will do the same thing. 

“Regis would be a good name [to have on my record], Catterall would be a good name one day when I’m ready to step up. Regis is definitely a good name, that could be after this, maybe after Ohara Davies I could fight Regis. There are a few super lightweights who are former world champions I could fight.” 

Tim Tszyu has vowed to remain independent and to continue resisting the overtures of the General Entertainment Authority and Turki Alalshikh.

The Australian, who on Saturday challenges Bakhram Murtazaliev for the Russian’s IBF junior-middleweight title, previously angered the chairman of the GEA, whose frustration with Tszyu led to him condescendingly saying: “I will not work with Tim Tszyu; let him do his way; he doesn't understand.”

Tszyu’s comfort in his relationships with promoters Premier Boxing Champions and No Limit, complemented by the size of his support in his home country, have contributed to him resisting the temptation to pursue positions on extravagant promotions overseen by the GEA.

A victory on Saturday at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida would represent the start of his second reign as a world champion, and therefore enhance his influence—and his ability to continue steering his career in his own way.

“I just sort of laughed at [Alalshikh],” the 29-year-old told BoxingScene. “It kind of felt like a young kid that didn’t get a lollipop. ‘Oh well.’ You just ignore it.

“I’ve got a good team behind me, and I’m happy with everything. I don’t need to depend on anyone else; thinking there’s going to be some god and saviour of boxing who’s going to come and fix everything, you know?

“I think part of it is being able to create your own revenue, and not be dependent on others, and not have to bow down. Be loyal to who supported you from the start. 

“Money, I guess. That’s the only reason [to be like that]. We’re in the sport for a short period of time, so whatever opportunity people are getting there, they’re jumping on it, and the opportunity that I got is currently here, with PBC and No Limit.” 

Tszyu’s commitment to the path he is following has contributed to plans for him to relocate from Sydney to Las Vegas, because of the sparring and other opportunities to progress his career the move would present.

His celebrated father Kostya, the retired junior welterweight and Hall of Fame inductee, is in Orlando to witness one of his fights for the first time since his professional debut in 2016. Unlike then, Tim doesn’t expect him to attempt to guide him through Saturday’s fight against Murtazaliev, 31.

“I think he’s more than ready,” Tszyu said. “He’s more excited. It came from him. I’ve never invited anyone. I’ve never given anyone the expectation I want them there – besides my coach. 

“I think another world title – a big opportunity [is why he wanted to be here]. It could be [because I lost to Sebastian Fundora in my past fight].

“I went to Thailand recently with him, but my brother [Nikita] hasn’t seen him in 11 years. It’s unbelievable [him being here]. It’s a good feeling. 

“It’s just a little soft feeling. But darkness will come again [pre-fight].”

Bakhram Murtazaliev and Tim Tszyu weighed in comfortably under the junior-middleweight limit for Saturday’s IBF title fight at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

The 29-year-old Tszyu fights for the first time since his first defeat, via split decision to Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas in March. 

Saturday’s fight also represents Murtazaliev’s first defence of the vacant title he won in April with victory over Jack Culcay.

“This is my moment,” said Australia’s Tszyu. “This is vengeance. Simple. 

“Vengeance, and something painful [is coming Murtazaliev’s way].”

“Tomorrow we will fight,” said Murtazaliev, 31 and of Russia. 

Junior middleweight – 12 rounds 

Tszyu (153.4lbs) vs Murtazaliev (152.8lbs)

Junior middleweight – 10 rounds 

Yoenis Tellez (153.8lbs) vs Johan Gonzalez (153.4lbs)

Middleweight – 10 rounds 

Cesar Mateo Tapia (160.0lbs) vs Endry Saavedra (159.8lbs)

In a recent interview on the Boxing News YouTube channel, Jack Catterall revealed his interest in facing the winner of the fight between Liam Paro and Richardson Hitchins. This bout will take place on Saturday, December 7, at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Paro will make the first defense of his IBF super lightweight world title against Hitchins.

The British boxer talked about the possibilities of facing the winner of the Paro vs. Hitchins fight. Catterall analyzed the situation of the division, stating that it is completely open. He also did not hold back in praising Paro, whom he expects to see win. He expressed his willingness to face Paro next year.

“I think the division’s wide open. I’ll be keeping a close eye on that fight. I know I’ve got a big job next Saturday, but I love that Paro fight. Again, I expect him to beat Hitchins. I don’t expect it to be straightforward, but I would expect a victory, and I welcome that fight next year,” said Catterall.

The interviewers also referred to a previous attempt by Jack Catterall to secure a fight with Liam Paro. Catterall added that aside from the world champions, he considers Regis Prograis a good option at this time.

“I’m not aware of the reason this fight got proposed. I’m told there wasn’t an immediate shot at the world title, so I needed a big fight, something that would get me up for it. Aside from the world champions, I believe Regis [Prograis] is that,” Catterall stated.The conversation turned to Ohara Davis, a former opponent of Jack Catterall, who will face Adam Azim on Saturday night.

Catterall expressed uncertainty about this fight. He recalled Davis’s recent loss, where he was defeated in 30 seconds, leading him to call the situation curious. Despite this, Catterall wished Davis the best, hoping he stays in shape and healthy.

“I don’t really know what to make of it. Ohara is still building; he’s kind of like a gatekeeper towards the top domestic level. He got splattered in his last fight in about 30 seconds, so it’s a funny one. Listen, I wish him all the best and hope he stays fit and well,” Catterall expressed.On another note, Jack Catterall

He pointed out that, in his opinion, Beterbiev won by one round and does not believe there was a draw. He also commented that it was an excellent fight and was very close.Fabio Wardley gloves under investigation after brutal Frazer Clarke KO

“You know what, I was scoring it at the time, and I think I gave it to Beterbiev by a round. You couldn’t have argued with a draw. I think there was one scorecard that was a bit shocking, but it was such a tremendous fight and a very close one,” Catterall said.

Finally, Jack Catterall explained, according to his view, what made the difference in the outcome of the fight.

“It’s a difficult one. It depends on what you prefer, what you like. I saw Beterbiev chipping away constantly. He gave away a few of the rounds, but I think he finished strong as well,” Catterall concluded.

Trainer Robert Garcia has described a possible David Benavidez versus David Morrell as one of the best fights to expect next year.

Benavidez, 27, and 26-year-old Morrell have reportedly agreed to fight in January, with the winner expected to get a shot at Artur Beterbiev’s undisputed titles.

With the contest yet to be announced, Garcia is already looking forward to what he believes would be one of the greatest fights today.

“That's gonna be another one that the boxing world's gonna be waiting for just like we were waiting for Bivol versus Beterbiev,” Garcia said in an interview with Fight Hub TV. “I think that another is gonna be just as good or even better.”

Arizona’s Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) made his debut at 175lbs four months ago against Oleksandr Gvozdyk of Ukraine, recording a 12-round decision win and annexing the WBC interim light heavyweight belt in the process.

Benavidez was forced to move up in weight following Canelo Alvarez’s decision to defend his unified IBF, WBC, and WBO belts against last May. However, the Arizona native could land himself a shot at Artur Beterbiev’s undisputed light heavyweight title if he’s able to go past Cuba’s Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs).

Garcia expects an action-packed fight between the two young fighters.

“Can't wait for that one. Honestly, whatever we get, I think it's gonna be exciting. This is gonna be an instafight. It's gonna be a war. This will be a fight that’s gonna have everybody screaming and on their feet, jumping because there's gonna be a fight full of action.”

Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at bernardneequaye@gmail.com .

The Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney rivalry has just gone up a notch.

Tension has been building between the pair for quite a while now.

Shortly after their fight, Garcia failed a drugs test.

Since that point, things have escalated quickly.

Devin Haney filed a lawsuit against Ryan Garcia in a somewhat unprecedented move.

As with anything, when tensions run high, there are always others looking to get involved.

One of the individuals who also has had their say is Bill Haney.

Bill is the father of Devin and a boxing trainer in his own sense.

Just a couple of days ago, Bill Haney trolled Ryan Garcia online and it’s clear the message has gotten to Garcia.

It has not taken long for Garcia to respond and he’s done so in dramatic fashion.

Not only has Ryan Garcia put out a response to Bill Haney’s earlier rant but he’s actually called for someone to book a fight between the pair.

“I landed a hook in the first 30 seconds”, Garcia tweeted on his Twitter / X account.

“Bill haney explain that, how would ped’s ever give me the timing and accuracy to land that hook that quick off Devin Haney making a minor mistake

“The denial you have for the loss is the reason why you probably will continue to take L’sFabio Wardley gloves under investigation after brutal Frazer Clarke KO

“People would respect you and your son way more if you just took this L on the chin instead you make every excuse in the book

“You tell me to get on vada, but you forgot it ain’t on your terms who the fuck are you.

“I already agreed to them randomly testing me. So you can shove it up your defiled bootyhole

“I’m ready to show I’m great and I always have been since the amatuers. In all my years of fighting I’ve never tried any steroids my supplements were tainted

“Stop complaining and shut up now and for all.

“If you don’t we can run an exhibition between your self and I

“RYAN GARCIA VS BILL HANEY BOOK IT”.

The chances of anyone actually booking the fight is seriously low.

Ryan Garcia is a 26-year-old boxer at the peak of his physical strength.

Whereas Bill Haney is not.

But this does show that Garcia has been riled by the comments from Bill Haney and the rivalry with Devin Haney seems to be ratcheting up more and more.I landed a hook in the first 30 seconds

Bill haney explain that, how would ped’s ever give me the timing and accuracy to land that hook that quick off Devin Haney making a minor mistake

The denial you have for the loss is the reason why you probably will continue to take L’s…

— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) October 18, 2024

In an announcement made on his official X account, Turki Alalshikh confirmed a new “strategic partnership” between Riyadh Season and boxing promoter BOXXER. This collaboration makes Riyadh Season the official partner of all BOXXER events in the UK and Ireland. The agreement aims to promote boxing on a global scale.

“#RiyadhSeason teams up with BOXXER for an exciting new partnership 🎉The collaboration kicks off with the ‘High Voltage’ event in London this Saturday, featuring rising stars Adam Azim and Ohara Davies. Get ready for electrifying fight nights across the UK, Ireland, and beyond, as Riyadh Season takes boxing to the next level🥊✨,” wrote Turki Alalshikh on X.

The new alliance will be officially launched during the “High Voltage” event on October 19, 2024. This event will take place at the Copper Box Arena in London and will feature boxer Adam Azim and standout fighter Ohara Davies. This event is expected to serve as a key platform to demonstrate the strength of this new collaboration.

Riyadh Season will be responsible for integrating pre-event promotions as well as creating unique experiences for fans in the UK and Ireland. This collaboration aims to continue positioning Riyadh Season as a key player in the boxing world, following its successful advancements in Saudi Arabia over the past 12 months.

The press release issued by both organizations emphasizes the importance of this agreement for the future of boxing. Riyadh Season is committed to supporting high-profile events that not only captivate local fans but also international audiences. With this partnership, BOXXER will strengthen its presence in the global boxing landscape.

BOXXER, founded in 2018 by Ben Shalom, has rapidly grown in the boxing world. With events broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, and international deals including broadcasts on NBC in the United States, BOXXER has established itself as one of the most prominent promoters. The alliance with Riyadh Season promises to take the brand to a new level.Chris Colbert suffers shock defeat as title plans derailed once again

Ben Shalom, founder and CEO of BOXXER, expressed his enthusiasm for the new partnership with Riyadh Season. Shalom mentioned that this agreement will benefit not only both parties but also boxing fans worldwide. Additionally, he hinted that more BOXXER events will be announced in the coming weeks, starting with this Saturday’s event in London, which promises to be a great night of British boxing.#RiyadhSeason teams up with BOXXER for an exciting new partnership 🎉 The collaboration kicks off with the “High Voltage” event in London this Saturday, featuring rising stars Adam Azim and Ohara Davies Get ready for electrifying fight nights across the UK, Ireland, and beyond,… pic.twitter.com/wOqaZc6Wyk

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) October 18, 2024

.@boxxer and @RiyadhSeason are delighted to announce an Official Partnership, designed to collaboratively drive and elevate the promotion of world-class boxing events 🤝

Ahead of a series of event announcements in the next fortnight, starting with this Saturday’s clash headlined… pic.twitter.com/8gdpDvM7l7

— BOXXER (@boxxer) October 18, 2024

On Saturday night, Fabio Wardley dismissed Frazer Clarke’s title challenge with surprising ease, although his performance has since come into question following comments from Clarke’s promoter, Ben Shalom. Now, after Frank Warren labelled Shalom as ‘disrespectful’, the BOXXER promoter has responded.

Wardley and Clarke went to war in one of the fights of the year on Easter Sunday, battling to a bloodied split-draw at the O2 Arena that captivated fans as much as any bout for the coveted Lonsdale Belt should.

Yet, it was a different story when the pair met in Riyadh on Saturday night, as Wardley scored an emphatic and brutal first-round knockout win that left ‘Big Fraze’ requiring surgery.

During the aftermath, Ben Shalom cast a cloud of uncertainty over Wardley’s gloves, after hearing from a doctor that the amount of damage dealt to Clarke is beyond what should be capable from a regular boxing glove.

Yesterday, Frank Warren claimed that Shalom was attempting to tarnish Wardley’s win and threatened to take his rival promoter to the Board for ‘bringing the sport into disrepute’.

“It’s a disgrace Shalom has tried to tarnish Fabio’s win and reputation with such a dangerous suggestion.

“The British Boxing Board of Control checks and approves all gloves at the Friday meeting – which is filmed these days – and no issues were raised.

“I will be taking Shalom to the Board for bringing the sport into disrepute with this libellous allegation and questioning the integrity of the Board and everybody involved in the Riyadh show.”Artur Beterbiev ordered to fight new challenger instead of Dmitry Bivol

Today, ahead of the weigh-in for tomorrow night’s fight between Adam Azim and Ohara Davies, Shalom admitted to that he was not an expert on the subject of gloves – adding that he was simply passing on concerns that he had heard during the fight week.Ben Shalom discusses the comments he made regarding Fabio Wardley’s gloves.

🎥 https://t.co/xII9dlNip4#Boxingpic.twitter.com/HHwQPI6PhB

— (@boxing_social) October 18, 2024

“In no way is this a justification or an excuse [for Clarke’s loss] or anything. I have said so many times and given Fabio Wardley so much credit for what he did on Saturday night.

“We’ve all seen Frank’s reaction and this and that, ultimately I am not a regulator, we just pass on concerns that we get.”

“I am not an expert on that side of things [gloves] and ultimately I was asked about it and I said ‘yes there has been questions’ and I passed on those questions. I’m not the authority, the British Boxing Board of Control is the authority.”

“It’s quite clearly not an excuse for the defeat, we are not accusing anyone of any wrongdoing but when I get questions as a promoter, I have a responsibility to pass those questions on.”

A spokesperson for the British Boxing Board of Control has confirmed that there will be no investigation into Fabio Wardley’s gloves.

Anthony Yarde returns to the ring this weekend, on the Boxxer show at London’s Copper Box Arena, and the bill lists Yarde’s AY Promotions as a co-promoter. 

The 33-year-old Londoner faces Ralfs Vilcans, a Latvian with a record of 17-1 (7 KOs), but the visitor is not expected to spoil the party. 

“AY Promotions is a promotional company I’ve launched,” Yarde explained. “If people weren’t paying attention, it was at the [Artur] Beterbiev fight [when he fought Beterbiev in Wembley Arena last year]. It’s just something again, dreams and aspirations of mine, as I’m growing, is to grow something to grow with me.

It is a build, however, and Yarde expects to focus on it more when he is no longer an active fighter.

”Definitely,” he said. “I compartmentalise things like that to focus on one thing at a time, so right now I’m an active fighter, but again, my dreams and aspirations are to keep on going.”

Since Beterbiev in January 2023, Yarde has blasted out Jorge Silva in two rounds and Marko Nikolic in three. Now, he wants to focus on remaining active while waiting for more big fights, like he experienced against Sergey Kovalev and Beterbiev. 

“That’s the main thing, hitting the nail on the head. It’s activity,” Yarde told BoxingScene on the eve of facing Vilcans. “I’m not gonna be one of those fighters whose career is defined by what the public want because the public want what they want and there’s an end goal. But in between I’m allowed to and I’m going to try my best to stay active. The only difference between now and years ago is now everything’s televised. I’m a television fighter.

“Someone like James Toney, if you go back and look at their records, look at the great [Julio Cesar] Chavez, they’d have a pay-per-view fight, live on TV, and then two months later while they’re waiting, they’d have a fight off-TV. Go and look at their records. You’ll see they fought these massive fights, and then there was like three fights in between. You’re like, ‘What were those fights? Why hasn’t that guy got much of a record?’

Kovalev stopped him in the 11 th of a hard fight, while Beterbiev halted him in the eighth of a contest that was awarded the Fight of the Year by the British Boxing Board of Control.

The knock-on Yarde early on was he swept through subpar opposition. Then, when he went in deep, he was in too deep. He split two fights with Lyndon Arthur, but the first bout, which Yarde lost a lackadaisical split decision, came as Yarde struggled to focus having lost a series of family members in the pandemic.

A more psychologically-prepared Yarde made the rematch far more straightforward, stopping Arthur in four.

On Saturday, Yarde served as a guest analyst on Sky Sports covering the Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol blockbuster and Yarde, 25-3 (24 KOs), hopes his path will cross with those fighters in the future.

“100 per cent. I’m a person who doesn’t mind being the underdog, limited in experience but takes on all challenges. Someone that, throughout my career, I’ve never shied away from challenges, never shied away from nobody.

“I enjoyed the fight. I saw it as Bobby Fischer was playing Magnus [Carlsen] in a chess match. It was a sensational, brutal chess match. That’s why it was such a close fight. Everyone knew it would be – unless someone got caught with something heavy – but they were both so switched on and focused and it was such a close fight.”

Yarde still wants the challenges. He wants the spotlight and he wants to be the main event. Activity is key, too.

“When I was going to Russia, some people were saying I was crazy for going to Chelyabinsk to face Kovalev, some in a good way but at the same time some of them had that mean face like, ‘Are you sure you wanna go Russia? To fight Kovalev?’ But it just shows my character. I will literally go after my dreams. My dream is to become world champion, and eventually undisputed.”

It seems possible that due to the narrow nature of Beterbiev’s victory over Bivol, the two top 175-pounders might go again in 2025. That means Yarde’s wait for a title could continue but he still has an eye on big fights.

Him versus Joshua Buatsi, mooted for years, would do big business in London.

“There’s records to show it.”

Nicklaus “Nico” Flaz will face Christian “Ninote” Gomez in a 10-round junior lightweight bout at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, on November 9. 

The event, promoted by ProBox TV, will begin at 7pm. ET (4 PT) and stream on the ProBox TV app.

Flaz (13-2 with 9 KOs), from Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, looks to extend his win streak to five after recent victories over notable prospects, including Brian Ceballo, Jahi Tucker, Luke Santamaria, and Alfredo Escarcega. The 28-year-old Flaz faces the 30-year-old Gomez (23-4-1, 21 KOs), from Guadalajara, Mexico, who is coming off a fifth-round TKO over Jesus Acosta Zazueta in April.

In the co-main event, welterweight Jesus Saracho (14-2-1, 11 KOs), originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, but fighting out of Auburn, Washington, will face Fernando Bunch (13-1, 6 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Saracho, 23, is coming off a split-decision win over Alberto Palmetta on ProBox TV in July. Meanwhile, Bunch, 33, from Augusta, Georgia, is looking to bounce back after suffering his first career loss, a split-decision defeat to Rashad Bogar in January at Atlantic City.

Other notable bouts include a junior middleweight clash between Darrelle “Blast” Valsaint (11-0, 9 KOs) of Orlando, Florida, and Angel “Relampago” Ruiz (18-3-1, 13 KOs) of Los Angeles, California, in a 10-round contest. Valsaint, 24, is riding a four-fight knockout streak and stopped Pachino Hill in June in his only fight this year.

Lightweight  Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz (33-6-1, 15 KOs), 31, from Downey, California, takes on Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas (23-2-2, 16 KOs), 33, of Miami, Florida, in a 10-round bout at lightweight. Diaz recently faced setbacks, including a split-decision loss to Jesus “Ricky” Perez and a knockout by Oscar Duarte earlier this year.

Other notable matchups on the card include:

Junior lightweight Dominic Valle vs. Abraham Montoya – eight rounds

Junior middleweight Pablo Valdez vs. Eudy Bernardo – eight rounds

Welterweight Emiliano Moreno vs. Chris Velez – eight rounds

Middleweight Weljon Mindoro vs. Marcos Osorio-Betancourt – eight rounds

Light heavyweight Ariel Perez vs. James Weissman – six rounds

Welterweight Terrence Williams vs. TBD – six rounds

DAZN has picked up the global broadcast rights for the vacant IBF super middleweight title fight between William Scull and Vladimir Shishkin, covering the US, UK, and Latin America.

The action takes place tomorrow at Stadthalle in Falkensee, just outside of Berlin, and starts on DAZN at 3pm ET/Noon PT.

Scull (22-0, 9 KOs), an undefeated Cuban-born fighter, trains in Germany, and has been waiting for this IBF title shot for more than two years since beating Evgeny Shvedenko in a No. 1 contender fight back in July 2022. 

He’s fought three times since, with his latest bout an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Sean Hemphill as a part of the non-televised portion of the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Jaime Munguia pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With Alvarez vacating the title, the fight is for the vacant belt.

Shishkin (16-0, 10 KOs) is the No. 2 contender according to the IBF and is promoted by Salita Promotions. He last stepped into the ring in March, stopping Mike Guy. A former ShoBox: The Next Generation alum, Shishkin has notable wins over former titleholder Jose Uzcategui and Sena Agbeko.

The young British boxer Ben Whittaker finds himself in a delicate condition following his troubled fight against Liam Cameron. Ben Shalom, the promoter of the event where he participated, described Whittaker’s defeat as “the turning point” in his career. Whittaker faced Cameron in an intense fight that took place on the card headlined by Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol.

The fight between the two ended unexpectedly when both fighters fell over the ropes and out of the ring. Whittaker took the worst of the fall, which left him seriously injured, forcing him to leave the ring in a wheelchair. As a result of the incident, he was diagnosed with neck and ankle injuries, which will require a lengthy recovery. The fall left him in worse condition than his opponent, and many are now calling for an immediate rematch.

In an interview with talkSPORT, Shalom spoke about the impact of that night, saying it was a frustrating experience for Whittaker. “It was a bad night for Ben,” he commented. “I have never seen Ben Whittaker perform like that.” According to Shalom, it was evident from the first round that Whittaker wasn’t in his best shape.

“I knew from the first round he wasn’t right. His energy levels, his timing, and he was getting hit with shots he never normally gets caught with,” Shalom noted. The promoter emphasized that Whittaker, with his usual mentality, should not have had trouble facing Cameron. However, he acknowledged that the unexpected pressure on Whittaker, who has become a recognized figure in the sport, may have affected his performance. “I feel for him in a way,” added Shalom. “He is in a bad way, and he is a perfectionist. He will make of this exactly what he should, and he will be back,” said Shalom.As for Ben Whittaker’s return to the ring, Shalom confirmed that it won’t happen in 2024.

“He’s not going to fight this year,” he clarified. It was initially planned for him to return in December, but his injuries will keep him out until at least early next year. Whittaker is being evaluated in the UK and continues his rehabilitation.

For his part, Liam Cameron has wasted no time demanding an immediate rematch. The national fighter was critical of Ben Whittaker, accusing him of quitting the fight. In statements to talkSPORT, Cameron expressed his frustration with the outcome of the fight. “There was a game plan to slowly break him down,” he commented. “He was calling me slow and saying my body was like a potato. He said he was going to make me a meme, and now he’s the meme.”

The pressure for a rematch is also coming from fans and sports experts. Simon Jordan, talkSPORT presenter, is one of those advocating for Whittaker to take the rematch as soon as possible. Jordan pointed out that the best way to show Whittaker’s true level will be when he faces Cameron again and delivers the performance expected. “The way that you’ll know where Ben Whittaker is, is when he takes the rematch against Liam Cameron and does what he said he was going to do in the first fight,” said Jordan.

Ben Whittaker, who has so far been reluctant to make public statements, remains one of the most promising talents in British boxing. However, his career is at a critical moment, and his ability to recover from this setback could define his future in the sport.

Thirty-five years on from the International Boxing Hall of Fame first opening its doors and beginning the process of determining the inductees for its inaugural 1990 class, there is one — and only one — thing about the IBHOF that everyone with an interest in the museum in Canastota, New York can agree on: Manny Pacquiao deserves to, and will, go in next June.

Every other detail regarding the process and the people under consideration for entry is up for debate.

And in certain cases, and when it comes to certain folks with a passion for the sport, fierce debate.

Boxing is not a sport in which statistics tell the bulk of the story. There’s no 500-homer or 3,000-hit benchmark; there’s a lot of “eye test” involved when you’re talking about a ballot that includes some athletes who competed professionally on fewer than 30 occasions. In boxing, if an individual contest goes the distance, subjective interpretations separate winner from loser. So how could deciding who gains entry in the sport’s Hall of Fame be anything but an exercise in subjectivity?

Halls of fame take a variety of different approaches to induction. Baseball, requiring that 75 per cent or more of the voters tick off a name, is considered by many to not be inclusive enough. Basketball is widely considered too inclusive, its honoree list dotted with players who weren’t among the very best of their own time, never mind all-time. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ought to either change its criteria or its name, because Dolly Parton, Jay-Z, and the Bee Gees sure as hell ain’t rock and roll.

The bottom line is that deciding who goes into any hall of fame isn’t an exact science, and it’s impossible to please everyone.

That said, with IBHOF ballots currently in voters’ hands, due by the end of October, the time seems right to take a close look and explore possible changes to the process that could inch us ever so slightly closer to pleasing everyone.

There are seven different categories of inductees, but for this article, in the interest of keeping things under 10,000 words, we’re going to focus mostly on the “Men’s Modern Boxers” category, which honors fighters whose last professional bout took place no earlier than 1989. Here is this year’s ballot:

The previous year’s ballot saw four in this category inducted (it’s usually three, but there was a tie for third place), opening up four spots this year. A boxer becomes eligible for the Hall three years after his final fight, and three of these four ballot openings were filled by newly eligible boxers who last fought in 2021: Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, and Mikey Garcia. The fourth went to Lucian Bute, who’s been retired since 2017 but hadn’t made the ballot yet.

Who determines the new fighters on the ballot? A nominating committee made up of three historians drives the conversation, though input from other experts is solicited and IBHOF Executive Director Ed Brophy has oversight. Don Majeski — New York-based historian, journalist, agent, and matchmaker — was part of that committee since near the very beginning of the IBHOF, alongside Hank Kaplan and Herb Goldman for many years, until Brophy and the Hall decided to make a change a few years ago and bring in a new group.

“You would always start by looking at the pool of boxers who just became eligible for the first time,” Majeski told BoxingScene this week when asked to explain how the committee approached the task. “In the early days, in the 1990s, you would have certain fighters where it was self-evident — when a Marvin Hagler became eligible, or a Sugar Ray Leonard became eligible. But there was a lot more to discuss and debate a level below them. Like, should we put Ken Oberlin or Ceferino Garcia on the ballot? Or, should we put on Billy Soose or Holman Williams?”

BoxingScene reached out to a current member of the screening committee as well, but he considered it a conflict of interest to offer public comments while still actively on that committee. But one can safely assume similar conversations took place as this year’s ballot was being formulated. With Pacquiao, like Hagler or Leonard three decades ago, there was surely nothing to discuss. Bute, Garcia, and Porter presumably emerged from a list many names longer at the conclusion of careful consideration of assorted pros and cons.

But not everyone agrees with those non-Pacquiao selections.

“When I see the guys on this ballot, in the first year of eligibility, I want to throw up,” veteran boxing writer Dan Rafael, formerly of USA Today and ESPN and now authoring the “ Fight Freaks Unite” newsletter on Substack , said.

OK, some context for that quote is required.

Rafael has taken issue with the way that, if a boxer doesn’t land on the ballot in their first year or two of eligibility, it’s an uphill climb to ever get on (Bute proving a rare exception this year). Rafael has been stumping for years for 1992 U.S. Olympians Chris Byrd (last fight: 2009) and Vernon Forrest (last fight: 2008), and neither has ever appeared on the ballot, even though their resumes compare favorably to at least some of the nominees. “I’m not saying that these are guys that should be elected,” Rafael noted, “but I think most people would agree at the very least they should get the opportunity to get the up or down vote.”

Rafael said he’s similarly advocated for the likes of Jose Luis Castillo and Marlon Starling, to no avail. Another veteran boxing writer pointed out how hard to fathom it is that Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn have been on the ballot for years but Steve Collins, who went 4-0 against that duo, can’t get a look.

It’s in that context that Rafael’s gag reflex kicked in when he saw Bute, Garcia, and Porter — none of whom he will be voting for this year — had made the cut.

Promoter J Russell Peltz, a 2004 inductee, took it a step further with his feelings about the names on the ballot: “I only voted for Manny Pacquiao,” he said. “You can vote for up to five, but that’s the only one among the moderns that I think deserves to get in.”

Whatever one may think of the new names added to the ballot in a given year, there’s a healthy debate to be had over the fact that, once added to the ballot, there are only two ways to come off of it: getting elected to the Hall, or having the time stamp separating “Modern” from “Old Timer” adjusted such that, based on the date of your final fight, you no longer qualify as Modern.

The Baseball Hall of Fame has rules in place that oust ex-players from the ballot: Anyone who is named on fewer than five per cent of ballots is removed, as is any player who’s been on the ballot 10 times without being elected. 

Those rules are designed to prevent nominees with little to no chance of induction from remaining on the ballot in perpetuity. But on the IBHOF ballot, we have fighters like, say, Sven Ottke, who last fought in 2004, who’s been eligible since 2009 (it was a five-year wait after retirement back then), and who may or may not have ever broken five per cent of the vote (numbers are never made public), but whose name still stares back at voters after 15 years.

Rafael believes there should be some rule in place — whether it’s 10 years of trying or something else — that helps refresh the ballot. Majeski feels differently, saying he doesn’t believe one fighter needs to be subtracted in order to add another; he’d rather simply see the ballot expanded to include more nominees.

The more contentious issue, though, is not the number of fighters on the ballot each year, but the number of inductees. Starting in 2006, that number was reduced from four (plus ties) to three (plus ties), a wise adjustment in the eyes of those who felt the Hall was becoming watered down.

But if you compare it to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where induction is based on reaching a percentage threshold — sometimes resulting in zero new players going in — it remains watered down with the three-fighter guarantee.

“I would like to see them go to a percentage in the modern category,” Majeski said. “If we went to a simple 50 percent at this point, everybody in there would be truly great.

“Look, in any institution, there are going to be different levels. If I say, ‘Name the 100 best fighters in the Hall of Fame,’ the 100th one you name is not going to be as good as the first. Number one is Sugar Ray Robinson, and 100 is, let’s say, Julian Jackson. It’s just the nature of the situation. But you want to draw a line somewhere. If we went to percentages, say 50 per cent, you’re going to always get Pacquiao, you’re going to get Canelo Alvarez, you’re going to always get Mayweather, but you're not going to get anybody who makes you say, ‘Oh, that guy’s mediocre.’”

Rafael also would prefer a percentage-based system. “Maybe baseball’s 75 per cent is too high, so you can make it 70 per cent,” he said. “And I’m not married to that number. But, it stands to reason that there have been years that have gone by, when a class was perceived to be a bit weaker than others, that the fighters elected could be appearing on just 30, 35 percent of the ballots.”

Executive Director Brophy, however, indicates the pro-percentage crowd should not hold its breath.

“There’s nothing in the near future that we’re having a conversation about changing. Three each year, we feel very comfortable with that, it has seemed to work very well,” Brophy said. “That number, we feel it’s proper for the sport. Boxing is international — you’re talking about a large number of boxers to choose from. Some sports are just athletes who compete in the United States. This is international.”

There’s a commonly held belief that the IBHOF, from a business perspective, needs several inductees each year to make sure Induction Weekend attracts visitors. But Brophy refutes that.

“There certainly are funds that are needed to operate a facility like the Hall of Fame, but that has no reflection on the induction process,” Brophy said. “The majority of the needed fundraising is done with different methods apart from the induction weekend. The induction weekend is the celebration. The funding is totally separate and apart from what the purpose of the Hall of Fame is — the purpose is to honor those who have excelled.”

Whatever the methodology for deciding how many fighters get voted in, the system is only as strong as the people casting votes. Peltz sees big flaws on that front — albeit with an emphasis on categories beyond just the Moderns.

“Honestly, you have guys that just don’t know shit,” the promoter, historian, and author of Thirty Dollars and a Cut Eye said. “And because they’re members of the Boxing Writers Association, they get a vote. I mean, if you want to make them eligible for the Moderns, OK, but get them off everything else. Get them off the Observers. Get them off the Non-Participants. Get them off the Old Timers. They vote for their friends, or if they see a name they recognize, they vote for them. It’s just sad.”

Echoed Majeski, succinctly: “If you have to ask who that person is, you shouldn’t be voting in that category.”

In past years, Boxing Writers Association of America members Lee Groves, Cliff Rold, and Springs Toledo tried to alleviate that problem for voters by posting bios of all nominees online. The practice was discontinued, however, leaving it up to voters to do their own research before mailing their ballots back. 

It would be nice to think they all take that responsibility seriously and properly explore all options before signing their ballots. It would be nice. Probably a bit naïve, but nice.

Still, the great majority of the voters surely do appreciate the gravity of their responsibility, in part because of their love for boxing and for the Hall of Fame.

“I’m a fan of the Hall of Fame,” Rafael said. “I grew up not that far from the Hall of Fame. I love the institution. And that is why I want to see some changes. Things don’t have to be radically changed. There are just a few things that could be done a little bit differently.”

“People say I’m a hater,” Peltz said. “But it all comes from how much I love boxing. I see who’s getting in today, and it takes something away from what the Hall of Fame is, but I still care about it and love boxing.” 

“I think it's the greatest institution we’ve ever had in boxing,” Majeski said. “I think it’s a wonderful thing. The fact that you get so many people with opinions, it shows how much people in the industry really care.”

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.

In keeping with the style of today, there was a suggestion on October 12 that Ben Whittaker had SWALLOWED his light-heavyweight fight against Liam Cameron and that his DECISION not to continue after a CRAZY tumble out of the ring left his opponent and many others OUTRAGED!

Now it goes without saying, whether using big letters or small, that for Whittaker to fall out of the ring and suffer injury was not an ideal way for an intriguing 10-rounder to end. It did, however, serve as catnip for media outlets with an affection for capitalising all the words they wouldn’t want us to miss. For them, a finish like the one on Saturday was precisely what they were after, the bizarre nature of it giving rise to myriad opinions and theories, each and every one delivered from a position of ignorance. 

After all, in the final analysis there is only one man who really knows whether the impact of that fall in round five was enough to warrant the fight ending. That man does not host a podcast, or a radio show, or tweet his unsolicited opinions about boxing scorecards in his underpants. He is instead the man whose ankle was apparently sprained; the ones whose heart was subsequently then called into question. His name is Ben Whittaker. 

His opponent, meanwhile, Liam Cameron, is the only other man whose opinion on the matter is even worth hearing. He wouldn’t have felt the extent of Whittaker’s pain, no, but in sharing the ring with him for five rounds, and being privy to elements of a fight the rest of us are not, would have a far better idea of Whittaker’s mental state than anyone else. 

“He was spent,” said Cameron afterwards. “The public know, when they watched that fight, he was absolutely gone. He was tired from round two. I was saying to him (in round five), ‘There’s still five rounds left.’ I was sticking my tongue out at him. I broke his heart. That’s experience. He was constantly holding me to get a break. I could hear his trainer saying, ‘Hold him! Hold him!’ He then did a backflip on the ropes. It’s like (Artur) Beterbiev says: ‘They’ll see.’”

In reality, no amount of re-watching the fight, or even that particular incident, brings a person any closer to deciphering (a) what happened or (b) whether Whittaker’s pain was enough to lead to the fight being called off. All we really know is that it was unfortunate and that Whittaker himself deemed the pain he was experiencing sufficient to travel from the ring back to his changing room in a wheelchair. 

That image, in isolation, certainly gave the impression of him being hurt, incapacitated. Yet Cameron of course would likely argue that that was the whole point and that Whittaker’s response to the incident, much like his career, was carefully thought out and to some degree manufactured. He would suggest that the only way a fighter could leave a fight like that following an incident like that is to pretend the damage done was so severe they could not even stand, much less walk.

In that respect, Whittaker, by choosing to take a seat and have someone wheel him back to the changing room, became a man above questioning. Who, after all, would see a man in a wheelchair and expect them to box? 

And yet the wheelchair only fixed the immediate problem. Beyond that Whittaker will have known to expect a backlash and a backlash he received, too, with many people convinced that he had not only BOTTLED the fight against Cameron because he was RATTLED and SHATTERED but also that he had, in taking the so-called EASY WAY OUT, demonstrated a MENTAL WEAKNESS from which there is no coming back. This, again, might seem a little presumptuous, and maybe unfair, but it became the post-fight narrative nevertheless. Cameron pushed it, the fans helped, and soon it was difficult to find anyone with a viewpoint to counter this. 

Yet how strange it is to be so certain of something about which we know so little. We all know pain, yes, or some strand of it, but nobody knows how it feels to fall the way Whittaker did on Saturday, nor does anybody know how he felt when writhing around on the canvas. That is not to say he didn’t milk the moment, or even look at what happened with the bigger picture in mind, but there are surely some events that are beyond us as outsiders and therefore best left alone. 

Contentious scorecards are one thing. We can each pretend we know what we are talking about when it comes to scoring fights and keeping count. However, the pain threshold of a professional fighter – which, by the way, differs from one man, or woman, to the next – is something we cannot comprehend, particularly if having never boxed or experienced what these athletes feel in the heat of battle. 

Some, of course, fight on, always. They fight on with dislocated shoulders, lacerations, fractured jaws, and snapped tendons. Some even look back at these injuries having turned a fight on its head with pride, relieved that they didn’t give up or surrender to common sense. 

For most, though, that is not the case. Most fighters who persevere with an injury do so only for fear of facing the kind of criticism Whittaker has encountered and often come to rue the decision when the pain of defeat is compounded and the rehabilitation time is extended. These men, as brave as they appear, can do nothing with the faint praise they receive on the way to the hospital. 

Perhaps putting Whittaker in the same bracket as other injured boxers forced to leave the ring prematurely is foolish. Perhaps it gives him too much leeway and too much benefit of the doubt. There have, it’s true, been far worse accidents, and indeed far worse injuries, and one could argue that in that sort of company Whittaker does not belong. Yet it is true all the same that only the boxer himself knows the pain of Saturday night and it is true, also, that only Whittaker knows whether the fight finishing the way it did was planned – that is, an option he elected to take – or instead the only conceivable option in light of his pain. 

His injury, like any other, will in time heal, get better. But what Ben Whittaker knows of that night will, for better or worse, forever stay with him. It won’t be written in capital letters, or tweeted at him, but will instead be delivered in lower case, almost a whisper. It will be that voice you can’t escape. The one you hear at night just before sleep comes along and rescues you from yourself. 

The highly anticipated showdown between Tim Tszyu and Bakhram Murtazaliev for the IBF super welterweight title will take place on October 19 in Orlando, Florida. With the official weights now confirmed, both fighters are in top condition for the PBC main event on Prime Video this Saturday.

Tim Tszyu, aiming to climb back to the top of the super welterweight division, registered an official weight of 153.4 pounds. Meanwhile, the defending champion Bakhram Murtazaliev, ready to defend his title, weighed in at 152.8 pounds. Although the ceremonial weigh-in will be held later, both fighters have already met the category’s limits, leaving everything set for the fight.Tim Tszyu seeks redemption after his last loss.

Tim Tszyu enters this fight with a record of 24 wins, 1 loss, and 0 draws. The Australian boxer faced a tough setback in his last ring appearance on March 30, 2024, in Las Vegas. On that occasion, Tszyu lost by split decision to Sebastian Fundora in a 12-round fight.Murtazaliev, undefeated and ready to defend his title.

Bakhram Murtazaliev, with an impeccable record of 22 wins, 0 losses, and 0 draws, seeks to cement himself as the best in the super welterweight division. His most recent fight took place on April 6, 2024, in Falkensee, Germany, where he faced Jack Culcay. Murtazaliev won convincingly by technical knockout in the eleventh round.

The bout between Tszyu and Murtazaliev will be a battle of opposing styles and divergent career paths. While Tszyu looks for redemption after his only loss, Murtazaliev will try to maintain his unbeaten streak and his status as a world champion.

The IBF super welterweight title is on the line, and only one will emerge victorious in this showdown.⚖️We have a fight!⚖️

Murtazaliev was 152.8 pounds

Tszyu was 153.4 pounds

Ceremonial weigh in later today 4PM ET on PBC YouTube.

Per Dan Rafael#Boxing#BOXINGnBBQ#TszyuMurtazalievpic.twitter.com/MeevX0z3v6

— BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) October 18, 2024

DAZN have certainly shaken up the boxing world over the past few years.

The streaming platform entered the sport in a big way when they signed a broadcast deal with Matchroom Boxing in 2018.

Since then, DAZN have become synonymous with the world of boxing.

Fighters including Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin have all had bouts featured on the broadcaster.

Not only mainstream boxing, but YouTube boxing has also found a partner in DAZN.

Misfits Boxing signed an agreement with the broadcaster in 2022 and the two have since been closely associated with one another.

Having another broadcaster involved in the world of boxing is only good news for the sport.

And today has been an example of why.

The DAZN Boxing Twitter/X page has tweeted to confirm that a world title fight will be available to view on the platform tomorrow.

IBF World Super Middleweight title will be up for grabs as William Scull takes on Vladimir Shishkin to be crowned new champion.EXCLUSIVE: Ben Shalom puts Frank Warren on blast after viral outburst

Earlier this year, Scull was named mandatory contender for the title that was held by Canelo Alvarez at the time.

Alvarez decided to relinquish the title and this fight will crown a new champion.

Shishkin was the number two contender for the title, so the top two are facing each other off.

For a while now, the fight had been announced but there was no global broadcaster confirmed.

That’s where DAZN have stepped in and fight fans will be able to watch the contest on their platform.

The fight will be taking place at the Stadthalle in Falkensee, Germany where Scull is now based.World Title 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 👑

William Scull takes on Vladimir Shishkin for the IBF World Super Middleweight Title live on DAZN in the US, UK & Latin America 🍿#ScullShishkin | Oct 19 | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/1ENwhilz0B

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 18, 2024