Top Rank are seeking a new co-feature to Keyshawn Davis-Gustavo Daniel Lemos on November 8 after an injury suffered by Brian Norman Jnr forced the cancellation of his fight with Derrieck Cuevas.

BoxingScene understands the 23-year-old Norman Jnr, the WBO welterweight champion, has injured his left hand. His promoters plan to schedule a new date with Cuevas, 29 and of Puerto Rico, for the first quarter of 2025.

Norman Jnr had previously agreed to fight Cuevas when there had existed the opportunity for him to fight the IBF champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis in a unification contest. Ennis has since agreed to fight his mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9.

Top Rank intend on issuing a statement confirming the development when they have succeeded in replacing Norman Jnr-Cuevas at the Scope Arena in Norfolk.

#BrianNormanJnr #DerrieckCuevas #KeyshawnDavis #GustavoDanielLemos #TopRank #JaronEnnis #KarenChukhadzhian #WBOChampion #IBFChampion #WelterweightBoxing #ScopeArena #NorfolkBoxing #BoxingNews #PuertoRicoBoxing #InjuryUpdate #FightPostponed

KRYSTAL ROSADO, the first fighter signed by Puerto Rican legend AMANDA SERRANO, will take center stage on the undercard of the MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS 9 event on October 11 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Rosado (4-0, 2 KOs) will face Mexico’s PERLA LOMELI (6-2) in a six-round junior featherweight clash. This exciting night of boxing will be headlined by an undefeated featherweight showdown between JAN PAUL RIVERA (10-0, 6 KOs) and ANDY “SKELETOR” BELTRAN (8-0, 5 KOs).

Rosado has been rising quickly in her career, making her professional debut in 2023. Her latest victory was a swift knockout against VERONIKA DMITRIYEVA in July 2024. Now, she looks to continue her perfect record in front of her home crowd.

In addition to Rosado’s fight, the event will feature a number of rising Puerto Rican talents, including 20-year-old ELIJAH FLORES (8-0, 3 KOs), who will go up against OMAR ROSARIO (13-1, 4 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight contest. Other exciting matchups include WILLIAM “YEYO” COLÓN (4-0, 2 KOs) battling JAN “EL PESCADOR” POMALES RIVERA (7-3, 4 KOs), and an intense heavyweight clash between HERICH RUIZ (5-0, 4 KOs) and TRAVORUS BARNES (6-0, 5 KOs).

The event, co-promoted by UNIVERSAL PROMOTIONS and BOXLAB PROMOTIONS, marks MVP’s first show in Puerto Rico. This partnership with AMANDA SERRANO and JORDAN MALDONADO promises to be a showcase for the next generation of Puerto Rican boxing stars.

#KrystalRosado #PerlaLomeli #JanPaulRivera #AndyBeltran #ElijahFlores #OmarRosario #WilliamColon #JanPomalesRivera #HerichRuiz #TravorusBarnes #AmandaSerrano #UniversalPromotions #BoxlabPromotions #MVPBoxing #PuertoRicoBoxing #NextGenBoxing

There has been a lot of speculation in regards to what happens next with Terence Crawford.

Promoter Eddie Hearn speculated recently that the 37-year-old may never fight again.

Canelo Alvarez refused to rule ‘Bud’ Crawford out for his next opponent.

In the meantime, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) mandated Sebastian Fundora as the next opponent.

Terence Crawford is the reigning WBO Interim Jr. Middleweight Champion.

Fundora, on the other hand, is the WBO Jr. Middleweight Champion.

The fight was to terminate the interim status and determine who would emerge as the king of the middleweight scene.

But now it seems that the wait will go on a little while longer.

The WBO have

On August 28, the WBO ordered the fight and gave both sides 30 days to strike a deal.

It’s notoriously difficult at times to get boxers to negotiate what the split will be on the revenue for each fighter.

That date would have run out on September 28.

However, according to the communications from the WBO, an email communication by Attorney Mr. Harrison Whitman, on behalf of Terrence Crawford, requested a 10 day extension of the negotiation period to continue discussion on the matter.

On the same day, Fundora’s promoter Mr. Sampson Lewkowicz agreed to the extension.

Therefore, there is now an additional 10 days for the two sides to come to an agreement.

The release is signed by the chairman of the WBO, Luis Batista Salas.

So it seems that both fighters need a little more time to work out the details for the fight.

With the 10 day extension now in place, the date for the fight will likely be available in just over a week’s time.  

#TerenceCrawford #SebastianFundora #WBO #BoxingNews #MiddleweightBoxing #BoxingFans #FightNight #TitleUnification #CrawfordFundora #BoxingUpdates #BoxingShowdown #NegotiationExtension #WBOChampion #CrawfordVsFundora #BoxingHype

British super-bantamweight champion LIAM DAVIES has brushed off any concerns about his upcoming fight with rising star SHABAZ MASOUD. Davies, known as “The Dog,” remains confident as he prepares to defend his title, dismissing Masoud’s abilities with little hesitation.

Davies, who has gained a reputation for his aggressive fighting style, isn’t worried about the challenge ahead. When asked about Masoud, Davies said he’s not impressed and doesn’t see him as a real threat. “I’m not concerned about him at all,” Davies stated confidently.

Meanwhile, SHABAZ MASOUD, also known as “Maverick,” remains focused on proving himself as a worthy contender. Masoud, who is known for his speed and technical ability, sees this fight as an opportunity to showcase his skills and silence the critics.

With both fighters exchanging verbal jabs, fans are eagerly anticipating this clash between the experienced champion and the hungry challenger. The upcoming bout promises to deliver fireworks as these two fighters look to make a statement in the super-bantamweight division.

The fight is set to take place soon, and all eyes will be on Davies and Masoud as they settle their differences in the ring.

#LiamDavies #ShabazMasoud #SuperBantamweight #BritishBoxing #BoxingNews #BoxingChampion #Maverick #TheDog #FightNight #BoxingShowdown #UKBoxing #TitleDefense #BoxingUpdates #FightPreview #BoxingFans

Jake Paul has a lot on his plate right now.

The YouTuber is gearing up for his clash with boxing legend Mike Tyson in November.

Promotion is building for that clash as viewers gear up to see what will happen when the two set into the ring.

But that’s not the only thing that Jake Paul has to worry about right now.

There’s also the little case of a defamation lawsuit that he’s also got in the background.

Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn is currently in the midst of suing the Cleveland native.

London based Hearn did not take too kindly to some of the accusations that came his way from Paul.

For those unaware, Eddie Hearn sued Jake Paul in September 2022.

That’s due to Paul accusing the promoter of bribing boxing judge Glenn Feldman to score fights in favour of his boxers.

The two specific boxers and fights that Paul referred to were Katie Taylor against Amanda Serrano and Anthony Joshua against Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch bout.Mike Tyson challenged by former undisputed world heavyweight champion

Needless to say, Eddie Hearn did not take too kindly to these words and subsequently sued.

In response, Jake Paul and his legal team filed a motion to get the suit dismissed.

However, that has not been successful.

According to ESPN reporter Mike Coppinger, a New York judge has denied this motion and has said it needs to move ahead.

The judge has now set the date for the lawsuit hearing to October 16.

That’s less than a month from when Jake Paul faces ‘Iron’ Mike for their clash.

Not ideal preparation.

As things stand right now, the next two months are going to be very busy for Jake Paul both in and out of the ring.A New York judge denied Jake Paul’s motion to dismiss a defamation suit filed by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, per records obtained by ESPN.

Hearn sued Paul in September 2002 after he was accused of bribing Glen Feldman to score fights in favor of Katie Taylor (vs.…

#JakePaul #EddieHearn #MikeTyson #BoxingLawsuit #DefamationSuit #GlennFeldman #KatieTaylor #AmandaSerrano #AnthonyJoshua #OleksandrUsyk #BoxingNews #BoxingPromotion #MatchroomBoxing #MikeCoppinger #BoxingUpdates

Terence Crawford’s legal team have asked the WBO for 10 more days for an agreement to be struck between the WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora and Crawford, who holds their Interim title.

On August 28, the WBO’s committee ordered both parties to negotiate the fight and both sides were given 30 days to agree a deal or purse bids would be called, in accordance to WBO rules.

Crawford had been allowed to fight for the Interim title as Fundora had to have time off having sustained injuries in his March bloody fight with Tim Tszyu.

Crawford won the belt against Israil Madrimov in August in his first fight at 154lbs.

On September 30, Crawford’s legal counsel asked for 10 more days, and Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, agreed to the extension via email.

The respective teams have until 4pm on October 10 to strike a deal, or the committee will order purse bids.

#SebastianFundora #TerenceCrawford #WBO #JuniorMiddleweight #BoxingNews #FightNegotiations #IsrailMadrimov #SampsonLewkowicz #PurseBid #BoxingUpdates #FightTalk #154lbs #TimTszyu

It was always going to be a tough act to follow: Wembley Stadium, 90-something-thousand fans, a heavyweight upset, a stunning one-punch finish. And yet, one week after Daniel Dubois came of age against Anthony Joshua, boxing fans were treated to three female fights in the space of 24 hours, all of which did their bit, in terms of both controversy and action, to continue the sport’s recent run of compelling storylines. 

On Friday (September 27), we saw the return of Alycia Baumgardner, the women’s super-featherweight champion who had been inactive since beating  in July 2023. Baumgardner, 15-1 (7), remains the owner of the WBC, IBF and WBO belts, having failed but then overturned a positive performance-enhancing drug test, and on Friday defended them in a fan-friendly fight against Belgium’s Delfine Persoon. It was a fight Baumgardner started well, even dropping Persoon in round one, yet disappointment was to follow – shared, mutual – when Baumgardner caught Persoon with her head after overshooting a right hand. This resulted in a cut above Persoon’s eye and the fight being stopped in round four due to an accidental head clash. “A no contest,” said referee Laurence Cole, reminding Persoon, bloodied and apoplectic, that for there to be a winner the bout required four completed rounds. “An accidental injury.”

As is often the case in these situations, neither boxer went home content, much less happy. Baumgardner, having started so well, left the venue in Atlanta with her belts in her bag but without the feeling of any lost time being clawed back. Persoon, meanwhile, someone who likes to warm into fights and start motoring in the second half, was cut down in her prime and now exited Lux Studios looking different than how she had entered it. 

In New York that same night, Britain’s Sandy Ryan entered another venue, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, feeling differently than how she would have expected. She had, by that stage, cleaned from her body all traces of the red paint that had been thrown at her as she exited her hotel, but still the impact of it stuck around, if just now on her mind rather than body. 

Suddenly, having for days visualised the fight and what would happen on the night, Ryan’s head was a mess of conflicting thoughts and emotions, torn between animal instinct and the cool detachment a fighter requires, like either gloves or a mouthpiece, before the first bell. Whereas before she could imagine and focus only on one enemy, now she had another, one whose identity was a mystery and one whose motive was every bit as elusive. 

That, for a boxer heading into a fight, is maybe the worst thing to experience. After all, with them already preparing to go into the unknown, this place of cruel uncertainty, the last thing a boxer wants is to be hit with a puzzle – or simply a ricket in the routine – en route to their destination. 

Alas, that is exactly what Ryan experienced on Friday. No sooner had she left her hotel than she was ambushed outside by a stranger and now, as a consequence, would spend too many subsequent minutes and hours wondering both who and why. Even in brief moments when she may have forgotten about it, and returned her focus to her opponent, Ryan found it difficult not to connect the two: the paint job and Mikaela Mayer, the opponent. She said, when asked about the incident by ESPN’s Mark Kriegel, “It’s got to be (connected to Mayer). Who else would it be? I’m from the U.K. Who’s going to hit and run me? Who knew what time I was coming down from my hotel to the venue? Who knew? Someone from her team was saying, ‘She’s coming now.’ They knew what time.”

All Ryan could do in the aftermath was try to convince herself that an incident like that could somehow prove to be a motivation rather than a distraction. “I’m here now,” she said. “Keep throwing things at me. That’s what they’re trying to do. I’ve been professional. I’ve done my job. They’re still trying to ruin my mindset. But I’m here to fight.”

In the end, nobody can say with any degree of certainty whether “paint-gate” derailed Sandy Ryan on Friday night and led to her losing her WBO welterweight title, but that is ultimately what happened. Mayer, a former rival of Baumgardner’s, got her own career back on track to the tune of a majority decision (97-93, 96-94, 95-95) and has now claimed a world title in a second weight class after previously thriving as a super-featherweight. 

Between those two weight classes sits lightweight, of course, and it was in this division that Terri Harper wrote a redemption story of her own when outpointing Rhiannon Dixon to grab the WBO belt on Saturday (September 28). This fight took place in Sheffield, England and sparked into life in its second half, by which point Dixon, the champion, had started coming on strong, even hurting Harper in round six, and Harper, the more experienced of the two, was being forced to dig deep and not give any ground. 

It was not a fight on the same level as Ryan-Mayer, either in terms of quality or drama, but it was no less engaging and still featured plenty in the way of momentum shifts and two-way action. In fact, coming as it did after Ryan-Mayer and Baumgardner-Persoon, the fight between Harper and Dixon was yet another reminder of just how consistent and competitive top-level women’s boxing tends to be whenever it is permitted to take center stage. (These three fights were all headliners, by the way.)

Often, though it may not boast the one-punch, blink-and-you-miss-it drama of a heavyweight fight involving two men, there is a kind of magic produced whenever two women butt heads over 10 two-minute rounds. Frantic and ferocious, there is by the very nature of its construct no time to mess around, settle down, or buy time in a top-level fight between two females. What you get instead is a constant feeling of urgency and the need to do more, something conducive to ample leather being thrown and almost as many swings in momentum. That is perhaps why fights between women are touted as Fight of the Year contenders with increasing regularity these days and why the format of 10 two-minute rounds persists despite some female boxers pleading for sanctioning bodies to give them 12 three-minute rounds and therefore a little more room to breathe. 

Certainly, there is a solid argument for that, particularly given the dearth of eye-catching knockouts in the women’s game and the importance of them when it comes to winning over fans and sustaining their interest during a fight. Reduce the potential for this knockout and occasionally a fight can meander, or the attention of the viewer can, and there becomes almost an assumption that the fight will go the distance and that every round will resemble the one that preceded it. In such instances fights, although action-packed, can sometimes lack the edge-of-the-seat drama that becomes a feature and indeed selling point of something like Dubois vs. Joshua, for example. It can leave a fan thrilled to see so many punches thrown but wondering at the same time when one of these punches will change the course of the fight or deliver them the emphatic finish both they, and likely the boxers, covet, removing as it does the need for any scorecards. 

Equally, however, the 10 two-minute round format seems, for now, to get the best out of female boxers and showcases them at their most intense and entertaining. It separates them somewhat from their male counterparts and gives fights between females a different feeling and flavour, one that is not altogether unpleasant. If anything, it is closer to a palate cleanser. It offers many things you don’t get in a fight between men and rarely does a fight between two women drag or feel as though it has killed the momentum of a fight card. Quite the opposite, in fact. For boxing, a sport forever at risk of dereliction, it has in recent years provided a fresh lick of paint.  

#AlyciaBaumgardner #DelfinePersoon #SandyRyan #MikaelaMayer #TerriHarper #RhiannonDixon #WBC #IBF #WBO #Boxing #WomenInSport #FightNight #RedPaint #FightControversy #BoxingDrama

Puerto Rican junior middleweight Xander Zayas is targeting a top-five opponent after a dominant unanimous decision win over Damian Sosa on Friday at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Zayas, 22, won all 10 rounds on the judges’ scorecards against Sosa, with each judge scoring the fight 100-90.

After the fight, Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) expressed his desire for higher-ranked competition: “Whoever’s in the top five,” he said.

Zayas is ranked No. 3 by the WBO, No. 6 by the WBC and No. 7 by the IBF. Potential opponents include Charles Conwell, Israil Madrimov, Jesus Ramos Jr., Serhii Bohachuk and Erickson Lubin. Vito Mielnicki Jr., ranked in the WBA’s top five, fought on the same card and has discussed facing Zayas.

Zayas acknowledged Sosa (25-3, 12 KOs), who recently handed unbeaten prospect Marques Valle his first loss, for helping him level up.

“I told him he pushed me and elevated me to the next level,” Zayas said. “Now I feel like I’m ready. Before, I thought I was, but tonight I showed everyone that I’m ready for the elite names.”

Zayas has fought twice so far in 2024, winning both bouts by unanimous decision. Earlier this year, he defeated former titleholder Patrick Teixeira. Known for his knockout power, Zayas has now gone the distance in consecutive fights for only the second time in his career. He neutralized Sosa’s usual high output by limiting him to fewer punches.

“They said he usually throws 84 punches per round, but tonight, I did my job,” Zayas said. “Now I’ll relax and see what’s next.”

The WBA bridgerweight champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (4-0), of Russia, defends his title against Germany’s Leon Harth (22-5-1) on October 17 in Ufa, Russia. 

The fight represents the first defence of the title Gadzhimagomedov won on July 12 when stopping Zhaoxin Zhang.

The annual – and the 16th edition – Ben Bril Memorial Event will be staged at Theater Carré in Amsterdam on October 21. The welterweight Xavier Kohlen (13-2-1) again headlines, and will fight Anthony Loffet, (12-3).

Willy Kyakonye (8-0) fights fellow heavyweight Ali Kiydin (16-5) in a scheduled eight-round contest, which is the chief support to Kohlen-Loffet.

The 48-year old Italian Emiliano Marsili (43-1-1) beat Eber Tobar (12-5-3) of Colombia in his farewell fight after 21 years as a professional fighter.

He was the EBU lightweight champion from 2013 to 2015 and from 2022 to 2023. His sole defeat of a 45-fight career came against Gavin Gwynne in 2023, when he had to retire with a shoulder injury.

Fabio Wardley went toe-to-toe in one of 2024’s fights of the year when they met on Easter Sunday under the spotlights of the O2 Arena – battling to a draw upon a blood-stained canvas. Now, the pair are set to meet again, and both men appear confident that they can make the necessary adjustments to come out on top this time around.

After turning professional without any amateur fights to his name, Wardley went the distance on his debut but knocked out all 16 of his opponents thereafter and claimed the British heavyweight title with a victory over Nathan Gorman before an impressive stoppage win in a defence against David Adeleye.

The Ipswich fan-favourite was then tasked with his toughest opponent when he was matched up against Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Frazer Clarke and the pair went to war in an instant classic that was scored as a split-draw.

Ahead of their rematch next weekend, a confident Wardley told BoxNation that he will have improve finishing instincts on this occasion and that he will stop ‘Big Fraze’ within six rounds.

“[I will end the fight] within six [rounds], I think.

“I have just analysed the fight, I hurt him countless, countless times. It was just my follow up that was wrong, that was all. No big deal.

“I put a lot of work in and damaged him in a lot of different areas and then I saw it [the opening], chased him the wrong way and just kind of let him off of the hook.

“When I knocked him down in the fifth round, if that is the first minute of the round and not the third – I will get him out of there.

“There is no time in my career where you have seen someone hurt and I have knocked them down and I have not got rid of them. You have never seen that from me.

“Every opponent that I have ever faced has hit the canvas, so that speaks for itself in terms of being able to get people out of there.Luis Alberto Lopez’s team fume after severe injury: “He is a butcher.”

“It’s perfectly within my realm, it is perfectly within my capabilities. I just need to be a bit more tidier in a couple of places and I have got it covered.”

In response, Clarke dismissed Wardley’s prediction and believed it to be nothing more than arrogance.“𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗔 𝗝𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗**𝗞𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗!”

“He is a jarring d***head, you know.

“I can tolerate it at times but I just feel like he think he is world level. He thinks he is way above the level which he is at.

“I don’t know where it has come from – yeah he has knocked over a few people and he has done a good job but he is not as good as he thinks he is.”

“He thinks he can just walk in there and take me out in six rounds? Not a prayer. He is delusional.”

Wardley-Clarke II will take place on October 12th on the blockbuster Beterbiev-Bivol undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will be available to watch live on DAZN PPV.

Birmingham, England, is Galal Yafai’s hometown – and it’s where the Olympic gold medalist will face former flyweight titleholder Sunny Edwards on Nov. 30.

“I disagree,” Edwards told iFL TV . “I know I’ve got more people in Birmingham than him, in my opinion. I was there [at] his last show. When I boxed in Sheffield [against Felix Alvarado in 2022], I sold over 100, 150 tickets to people from Birmingham. That’s like one of my second cities. I’ve spent a lot of time there. I’ve got a big network there. I’ve got a lot of Birmingham support – much more than people think.”

Edwards, a 31-year-old from London, won a world title in the 112-pound weight class in April 2021, outpointing Moruti Mthalane. Edwards made four successful defenses before losing a unification bout to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, stopped in the ninth round in December 2023.

Edwards returned in June, taking a cut-shortened technical decision over Adrian Curiel to move to 21-1 (4 KOs). That fight was the second of two consecutive appearances in Arizona for Edwards. This will be his first bout back in the U.K. since June 2023.

“I didn’t want it per se in Birmingham. I wasn’t petitioning for Birmingham,” Edwards said. “But the fight, there was zero chance it was happening where I wanted, which was Sheffield. There was no negotiation on that from their side. They had to go to Birmingham. so we’ve got Birmingham. I was never really too bothered about it. I just asked for one condition: Matchroom helped give [a fighter I manage] an opportunity that he desperately needs, and they’re working on it.”

Yafai is 31 years old as well, and is 8-0 (6 KOs). He triumphed in the 2020/2021 Olympics, then turned pro in 2022. In recent outings, Yafai outpointed the 22-2 Rocco Santomauro last December, stopped the 21-1 Agustin Gauto in eight rounds in April and then won a stay-busy fight this past weekend, dispatching the 9-8 Sergio Orozco Oliva in three rounds.

WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball is preparing for a homecoming fight in Liverpool this weekend, making a voluntary defence of his title against California’s Ronny Rios. Should he win that contest and make a first defence of the belt, there is now a mammoth opportunity around the corner.

Ball announced himself onto the featherweight scene when he knocked out Isaac Lowe on the Fury-Whyte undercard at Wembley Stadium in April 2022 but since then his reputation has grown ten-fold.

A string of stoppage victories for the small but fearsome scouser saw 5’2” Ball rise up the rankings and a points win over Isaac Dogboe granted Ball the chance to challenge for world honours.

A contentious draw with WBC champion Rey Vargas on the Joshua-Ngannou bill impressed viewers and the world stage but it was against America’s Raymond Ford where Ball finally got his hands on a world title – edging a razor-thin split-decision.

Now, as world champion, Ball finds himself with a target on his head and the imminent move up in weight from pound-for-pound number one Naoya Inoue has got British fight fans hopeful of seeing ‘The Monster’ travel to fight in Old Blighty.

Meanwhile, Stephen Fulton, who lost his super-bantamweight titles to Inoue last year, has also recently made the move up and was victorious on his 126lb debut against Carlos Castro last month.

Today, the WBA have confirmed that ‘Cool Boy Steph’ has been installed as the #1 contender and the mandatory challenger for Ball’s title – teeing up a showdown between the front-footed ‘Wrecking’ Ball and the slick Philadelphian, as per Boog Williams.@coolboysteph is the new WBA #1 Contender and Mandatory Challenger Featherweight

— Boog Williams (@Ovajay) October 1, 2024Terence Crawford makes shock allegations that airline stole clothes

“@Coolboysteph is the new WBA #1 Contender and Mandatory Challenger Featherweight”

Speaking with Boxing News, before his split-decision win against Castro, Fulton outlined that Ball was his target and admitted that he felt the aggressive style of the WBA champion was a perfect match-up.

“That [Ball] is the one that I want because that is the weight-class that I am number one for and this is an eliminator for that belt.

“They were close fights [against Rey Vargas and Ray Ford], close fights should go to the champion but it happens. S**t happens.

“We will see, once we get past this, if we can line that up.

“[We would match up] perfect [stylistically] because he comes off as an aggressive, strong fighter and what we have been working on in camp is perfect for that.”

Before Ball can look towards a scrap with Fulton, he must overcome Rios this Saturday night at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool – where he tops a bill featuring a host of domestic talent that can be watched live on TNT Sports.

As for Inoue, the Japanese sensation could look towards IBF featherweight champion Angelo Leo, before a potential unification bout against the victor of Ball-Fulton in late 2025.

The status of a unified champion is one that is craved by so many fighters but achieved by so few, whilst that of an undisputed champion is one that can define a legacy. Now, there is one man closing in on the undisputed crown after picking up two belts with ease, although he has put himself at a major risk of losing it all.

The skill of Janibek Alimkhanuly was realised years ago and the Kazakh was quickly deemed as the bogeyman of the middleweight division despite limited experience as a professional.

However, in recent times, the middleweight division has been blown wide open after the reigns of Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade and Gennadiy Golovkin were each brought to a close by the respective sanctioning bodies rather than worthy opponents.

That left ‘Qazaq’ style well poised in a position to capitalize and pick up the world titles and that is exactly what he has done, being elevated to WBO world champion and then knocking out Vincenzo Gualtieri to add the IBF trinket to his collection.

Yet, Alimkhanuly has ran into a new issue that may prevent him from becoming the undisputed champion – his weight.

The 2013 amateur world champion fainted ahead of a title defence against Russian-New Zealander Andrei Mikhailovich due to a strenuous weight cut back in July and caused the bout to be rescheduled for this Friday night in Sydney.

Now, the undefeated southpaw is tasked with an additional concern after it was revealed that he will only arrive in Australia on Wednesday, failing to allow his body to adjust to the 17-hour time difference between Sydney and his residence in California.

Mikhailovich’s promoter, Marco Rose, admitted that news Alimkhanuly’s seemingly ill-prepared travel arrangements was a ‘shock’, speaking with Fox Sports.Oleksandr Usyk accused of cheating

“I don’t know if it’s over confidence or a lack of respect for Andrei but I’ve never had an international fighter request to fly here so late.

“(Laughs) Normally, they’re arguing with us about trying to get Down Under weeks earlier so that they can shake the jet lag and acclimatise. So I’m absolutely shocked Janibek is only arriving on Wednesday.”

“Especially given the fact that he’s coming off those issue where he didn’t make weight last time.

“You’d think you would be doing everything possible to make sure his weight is right this time around because I can assure him, Australia’s scales are the same as the ones he missed on in the US.

“They don’t change here.”.

“Janibek will be dealing with all that jet lag while also trying to cut weight.

“That’s not a preparation I’d be advising for any of my fighters.”

Whilst Alimkhanuly reigns as the unified WBO & IBF champion, it will only be his IBF crown on the line when he takes on Andrei Mikhailovich on Friday at The Star in Sydney, in an event that can be watched live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom with ringwalks expected around 13:00 BST.

Chris Billam-Smith has upset the odds on multiple occasions to become an established and proven world champion but now he has the chance to etch his name further into the history books on the biggest of stages. Ahead of his biggest fight to date, the Bournemouth fan-favourite revealed that he is hoping to emulate.

‘The Gentleman’ shook up the cruiserweight division when he trumped the previously undefeated Lawrence Okolie and picked up the WBO world title in a showdown at the Vitality Stadium, home of his beloved A.F.C. Bournemouth, last May.

After a hard-fought win in a first defence against Mateusz Masternak, CBS returned to another U.K. football stadium when he rematched Richard Riakporhe on the away soil of Selhurst Park in an attempt to level the scores – Riakporhe being the only man to have defeated Billam-Smith during a 21-fight professional career.

Contrary to what the bookmakers predicted, Billam-Smith comfortably outpointed Riakporhe in London to reaffirm his status as a worthy world champion and set him up for potential unification showdowns.

In spite of rumours that he would take on IBF champion Jai Opetaia, who has knocked out three Britons in his last four outings, it was instead confirmed that Billam-Smith would meet WBA title-holder Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez atop a Riyadh Season card billed as ‘Latino Night’.

As he has become accustomed to, Billam-Smith will step through the ropes as the underdog as he attempts to become the cruiserweight division’s eighth unified champion since its introduction in 1979.

Speaking with the BBC, the 34-year-old explained that he is hoping to match the achievements of the only other Brit to have held multiple titles at the weight, David Haye, and bring both belts home.Oleksandr Usyk accused of cheating

“I’m just glad it’s a unification fight. The last Brit to unify at cruiserweight was David Haye, who is someone I looked up to massively in terms of fighting style and how he dismantled his opponents.

“It would be an honour to be a British unified world champion.”

“I’m confident in fighting him [Ramirez] but I’m not that experienced in fighting southpaws. He brings lots of different attributes, he’s super-tough and has a really good punch output.

“I’d say I have more of an advantage being settled at the weight, but he has his advantages too as he’ll be used to faster guys as he’s come up through the weights.

“It makes for a really intriguing fight and it’s a massive challenge for me. [Trainer] Shane [McGuigan] and I are already working on a gameplan. People saw a different side of me in my last fight but this time there will be even more surprise in what people see.”

Ramirez-Billam-Smith will take place on November 16th at The Venue in Riyadh, topping a stellar undercard which features an additional world title unification contest.

If you were to ask somebody to name Nick Ball’s best qualities, it would be a pretty safe bet that they would instantly point to the WBA featherweight titleholder’s relentless work rate and clubbing power.

But the Liverpudlian’s biggest asset may just be his mental strength.

Over the past 12 months, few fighters in the world have been as active, at such a high level, as Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs).

This time last year, Ball was beginning preparations to take on Isaac Dogboe in a final eliminator for Rey Vargas’ WBC title. Now, he is established as one of the world’s best featherweights and is just days away from defending his WBA belt against Ronny Rios, from Compton, California.

Preparing for fights at the world level is grueling both physically and psychologically, but Ball hasn’t wavered throughout an exceptional 12 months.

In March, he traveled to Saudi Arabia for his shot at Vargas. Ball bullied the awkward, experienced Mexican over the second half of their fight but was forced to settle for a controversial draw despite dropping the tough Vargas twice.

Rather than crying about the result, Ball accepted a quick-fire offer to fight WBA titleholder Raymond Ford on the Queensberry vs. Matchroom “5 vs. 5” show and got back to work.

Ball produced an even better performance in his second attempt at winning a title and was awarded a deserved split decision victory.

Over the past 12 months, the 27-year-old Ball’s life has changed dramatically, but he knows he must maintain his focus.

“The money’s a bonus,” Ball said during Queensberry’s “Locked In” show. “As a kid, your dream is to become a world champion, isn’t it? That’s every boxer’s dream. That’s what everyone wants to do, but as I’ve said before, I haven’t worked this hard my whole life to get to this point and let someone take that from me now. It’s definitely not going to be happening.

“It’s frustrating what happened, but there are worse things going on in the world. It is what it is. I’m lucky enough to have a solid team around me and a promoter in Frank Warren who got me another opportunity for a world title. That took the edge off it as well. You can’t sit around feeling sorry for yourself.

It’s one of them things. It’s in the past, I can’t change it, so brush it off and on to the next. There’s always more to come, so focus on that rather than dwelling on the past.”

Ball will face an entirely different mental challenge Saturday against Rios. For the first time since last May’s victory over Ludumo Lamati, he enters a fight as a prohibitive favorite. Rios is a solid fighter who has acquitted himself well at the highest level of the junior featherweight division, but he couldn’t quite get over the hump and claim a world title – despite performing bravely against Vargas and Murodjon Akhmadaliev. On form, there isn’t a better featherweight in the world than Ball, and he is in no mood to let the prize he fought so hard for slip away.

“He’s just another opponent, to be honest,” Ball said. “He’s a fighter coming over – which I respect – to try and take my world title from me. It’s an opportunity for him, so he’s going to be trying to take it with both hands, but that’s not going to be happening when you’re facing me.”

#nickball #Boxing #boxingfans #FightFans #boxingnews #news

The undercard for the "Hollywood Fight Nights" event scheduled for Oct. 26 in Los Angeles has been announced by 360 Promotions .

The fight card,  headlined by Omar Trinidad vs. Hector Sosa at the Commerce Casino Events Center, will be  broadcast live globally on UFC Fight Pass.

Gor Yeritsyan (18-1, 14 KOs), of Los Angeles, will return to action in an eight-round welterweight bout against an opponent to be determined. Yeritsyan, trained by Freddie Roach, most recently lost a 10-round split decision to Aram Amirkhanyan in a controversially scored bout in July.

Yeritsyan had been scheduled to face Mylik Birdsong, who was tragically shot and killed Sunday night in Los Angeles. Birdsong will be honored with a ceremonial 10-count on fight night.

Additionally, junior bantamweight Daniel "Chucky" Barrera (7-0-1, 4 KOs), of Eastvale, California, will battle Angel Mesa Morales (8-1-3, 6 KOs), of Ensenada, Mexico, in a scheduled eight-round bout. Fighting for the fourth time this year, Barrera, 22, will attempt to follow up on his career-best performance against world title challenger Christian Robles in June. Morales hopes to add to his two-fight winning streak after a sixth-round knockout of Nelson Magalianes in May.

Light heavyweight Umar Dzambekov (9-0, 6 KOs), of Los Angeles, will face Eric Robles (10-4, 9 KOs), of Tijuana, Mexico, over eight rounds. Dzambekov stopped Edward Jeramie Ortiz in the fourth round on Aug. 31, while Robles knocked out Jesus Montenegro on June 22.

Fan favorite "Right Hook" Roxy Verduzco (2-0), of Los Angeles, will be back in a scheduled women’s six-rounder against Sarah Click (2-7). Verduzco, a former amateur standout, outboxed Colleen Davis in her "Hollywood Fight Nights" debut on July 26. Fighting on Aug. 20, Click won a unanimous decision over undefeated Lindsey Ellis.  

Lupe Medina (7-0, 2 KOs), of Maywood, California, will try to stay perfect in a six-round bout against Katherine Lindenmuth (6-3, 2 KOs), of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 20-year-old Medina will fight for the fourth time this year, having most recently defeated Ashley Felix in June. Lindenmuth is returning from a hard-fought 10-round contest against Kim Clavel in May in Montreal.

Also seeing action in separate bouts will be featherweight Abel Mejia (5-0, 4 KOs), of Orange, California, and San Diego bantamweight Adan Palma (9-0, 5 KOs).

#OmarTrinidad #HectorSosa #360Promotions #HollywoodFightNights #GorYeritsyan #FreddieRoach #MylikBirdsong #DanielBarrera #AngelMesaMorales #UmarDzambekov #EricRobles #RightHookRoxy #SarahClick #BoxingNews #UFCFightPass

Tragedy struck the boxing world when Mylik Birdsong, a 31-year-old emerging welterweight, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. Birdsong, who turned professional in 2017, had a promising career ahead of him with a record of 15-1-1 and 10 knockouts. His next fight was scheduled for October 26 at Commerce Casino against Gor Yeritsyan.

The shooting happened at around 4:50 p.m. on 87th Street. According to the LAPD, Birdsong was standing outside a vehicle with his girlfriend when a car approached. Two suspects got out, chasing him while shooting. Birdsong was hit seven times and collapsed in a nearby driveway. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.

Birdsong was coming off a victory over Jerry Bradford in March, bouncing back after his only career loss in November 2023 to the unbeaten Jose Quintana. His future in boxing looked bright, but it was cut short in this tragic incident.

The police are still searching for the suspects and working to uncover the motive behind the attack. Birdsong's death has left the boxing community in shock, and many are mourning the loss of a fighter who had so much potential.

As the investigation continues, the boxing world reflects on the career that could have been.

#MylikBirdsong #GorYeritsyan #CommerceCasino #BoxingNews #JoseQuintana #JerryBradford #LAPD #LosAngelesShooting #Welterweight #BoxingCommunity #TragicLoss #DriveByShooting #BoxerKilled #InsideTheRopes #JusticeForBirdsong #BoxingWorld

For a coach, perhaps the only thing better than a fight going exactly as expected is for the same fight to end up being even easier than they expected, or indeed hoped. 

That was the experience of Don Charles and Kieran Farrell the night their man, Daniel Dubois, took on Anthony Joshua in front of around 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. It was a fight in which Dubois, despite holding the IBF heavyweight title, was not only made to walk to the ring first, but treated by most beforehand as no more than an underdog; an afterthought. He was, according to the script, the man Joshua was supposed to stop within a few rounds before positioning himself for a fight against the winner of the December 21 rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. 

As it turned, however, on September 21 Dubois was everything Charles and Farrell said he was. Within just 30 seconds he had steadied Joshua with a hard left jab and a couple of minutes later he had put the former heavyweight champion on the deck. By the end of round five the fight was over. 

“We did it relatively easier than we thought we would do it, I’ll be honest with you,” Farrell, who after the fight retired to his hotel room to drink tea and eat a chocolate brownie and some ice cream, told BoxingScene. “But we’ve been there every day, dedicated to this. We were on Don’s farm every day for 12 weeks and Daniel put the work in. You do something every day for that length of time and it can get boring, but the enthusiasm Daniel has for training – he doesn’t show that. It’s great. He enjoys it. They say a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter and you saw proof of that against Joshua.”

Another boxing adage along similar lines is that a hurt fighter is a dangerous fighter. This appeared to ring true in round five of the bout. That was the round in which Joshua had his first and only success, when landing a right hand out of nowhere, and yet rather than deter Dubois or swing the fight back in the Watford man’s favour all that punch conspired to do was make a focused man even more focused. Suddenly Dubois, whose power had already troubled Joshua, simply stepped back and allowed Joshua to get excited and have his moment. He then found the fight-ending shot – a right hand thrown short and with no small amount of power and conviction. 

It was, looking back, a sign once again of Dubois’ composure and his coolness under fire – something apparent as early as round one when he approached Joshua and shoved his first jab in his face. “The first thing we said to Daniel was ‘Go out and give him something so that he knows he’s in the ring with you’; that’s exactly what he did,” said Farrell. “He went out there and slammed that jab down and that jab is like a fucking back hand. It’s a powerful weapon.”

To launch this weapon is often easier said than done, of course. Against Joshua, Dubois had to first get himself into position to fire it and do so without taking anything in return. Before that, and before even entering the ring, he had to manage the nerves with which all fighters are riddled when awaiting the first bell. This time, too, there were more eyeballs on Dubois than ever – enough to cause some fighters to shrink beneath the pressure. Not Dubois, though. Too big and seemingly unflappable for that, he stood tall and wore throughout the fight a mask of total indifference; blank in the very best way. 

“It was relaxation,” said Farrell. “It sounds simple and it is. I don’t want to make it over-complicated. If you look at the body language of both lads going into that fight, you’ll see the difference. ‘AJ’ looked like it was his first time going into the ring in front of 98,000 fans. Daniel was fired up; he was loose. We kept reminding him to stay loose and never stand still. We wanted him moving and on his toes before going out there and then we wanted him to keep the same thing going when AJ was doing his big ring walk and the introductions were going on. 

“We were expecting the ring walk to be about 20 minutes long but it was pretty short and sharp in the end. Then, once in the ring, AJ stood still. I wouldn’t say he looked scared but he looked very nervous. 

“When we then caught him with a back hand over the top in the first round, and he went down, I was like, ‘Wow, this is mental’. Everyone thought Daniel was going to be the one getting caught by the back hand and it’s turned out Joshua is getting caught with it. It was a nice moment really. We couldn’t have got off to a better start. Now we just had to keep it going and force the finish – and we did it. Daniel boxed perfectly.”

Now, with Joshua defeated, comes the small matter of a rematch. This, for Joshua, will give him the chance to get his revenge and prove the first fight was merely an aberration, whereas for Dubois it should give him the opportunity to play in this fight the role he should perhaps have played first time around. He will also go into any potential rematch as a man who not only believes he can beat Anthony Joshua, as was the case before, but as a man who in fact knows he can beat Anthony Joshua. 

It is for this reason, among many others, Farrell suggests that rematching Dubois could be the biggest mistake Joshua can make at this juncture in his career. 

“If I was advising Joshua, I wouldn’t be telling him to jump back in with Daniel Dubois – a young, hungry, 27-year-old lion,” he said. “What I see day in, day out, I know what he is capable of, and Joshua does too now. If Daniel has somebody hurt, they ain’t going to see the final bell. He’s a devastating puncher and I’m only talking facts here. He’s like a modern-day Mike Tyson. But a bigger version. 

“There are other fights there for Joshua. He can do the [Deontay] Wilder fight. That would be a good fight between two massive names who both need a big win right now. A win for either of them in that fight would give them a load of confidence. They’ve been linked together for a long time and are both now coming off defeats. It would make sense to do that fight.” 

#DanielDubois #AnthonyJoshua #KieranFarrell #DonCharles #BoxingNews #WembleyStadium #HeavyweightBoxing #IBFChampion #DeontayWilder #AJVsDubois #BoxingCommunity #HeavyweightFight #BoxingCoach #KnockoutWin #FightNight #Rematch

This weekend promises to deliver exciting boxing action, as JANIBEK ALIMKHANULY and NICK BALL put their world titles on the line. On Friday, Alimkhanuly faces undefeated challenger ANDREI MIKHAILOVICH in Sydney, Australia, while Ball defends his WBA featherweight belt against veteran RONNY RIOS on Saturday in Liverpool. These two title fights are the must-watch highlights of the week.

Alimkhanuly, who holds both the IBF and WBO middleweight titles, is coming off a dominant performance against Vincenzo Gualtieri. However, only the IBF title will be at stake in his bout against Mikhailovich. The Kazakh fighter will look to remain undefeated and move closer to potential unification bouts with CARLOS ADAMES or ERISLANDY LARA. His opponent, Mikhailovich, brings an undefeated record of 21-0 (13 KOs) and hopes to cause an upset.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Nick Ball looks to defend his WBA featherweight title for the first time against Ronny Rios. Ball is fresh off a split-decision win over RAYMOND FORD in June and is eager to prove himself as a dominant force in the division. Rios, making his second comeback after retiring briefly, will seek redemption after suffering defeats against top competition, including MURODJON AKHMADALIEV and REY VARGAS.

Fans can expect these bouts to be packed with high stakes and excitement as the fighters aim to solidify their status in the boxing world.

 #JANIBEKALIMKHANULY #NICKBALL #RONNYRIOS #ANDREIMIKHAILOVICH #CARLOSADAMES #ERISLANDYLARA #RAYMONDFORD #MURODJONAKHMADALIEV #REYVARGAS #WBA #IBF #BOXING #TITLEFIGHT #FEATHERWEIGHT #MIDDLEWEIGHT #SYDNEYBOXING

Twenty-three years ago, Bernard Hopkins delivered a masterclass performance by defeating Felix Trinidad to become the undisputed middleweight champion. At 36 years old, Hopkins stunned the world by taking apart the previously unbeaten Trinidad, who was considered a powerhouse after his domination in the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions. Hopkins' victory, in front of a grief-stricken crowd still recovering from the 9/11 attacks, marked a turning point in both fighters' careers.

The fight had a heated build-up, with Hopkins instigating chaos by disrespecting the Puerto Rican flag at a press conference, nearly causing a riot in San Juan. He knew how to play the mind games and used that tension to his advantage, ensuring that the pressure was on Trinidad heading into the fight. Despite the tension, the fight was delayed after the attacks of September 11, but it was rescheduled two weeks later.

On fight night at Madison Square Garden, Hopkins executed a near-perfect strategy. He used his experience and intelligence to counter Trinidad’s aggressive style, staying calm under pressure. Throughout the fight, Hopkins maintained control, landing precise punches while avoiding Trinidad’s powerful combinations. The bout ended in the 12th round when Hopkins knocked Trinidad down, forcing the stoppage.

For Trinidad, the loss marked the beginning of the end of his illustrious career. While he went on to fight a few more times, he was never the same fighter. Hopkins, on the other hand, solidified his place as one of the greatest middleweights of all time. He went on to have a legendary career, fighting until the age of 51 and adding more titles to his collection.

This victory for Hopkins remains one of the greatest moments in his career, showcasing his ability to outthink and outfight a prime opponent. The fight will forever be remembered as a defining moment in the middleweight division.

#BernardHopkins #FelixTrinidad #BoxingHistory #UndisputedChampion #MadisonSquareGarden #BoxingMasterclass #DonKing #OscarDeLaHoya #KeithHolmes #WilliamJoppy #September11 #MindGames #SugarRayRobinsonTrophy #KnockoutVictory #MiddleweightChampions #HallOfFame