The scene at the AT&T Arena in Arlington, Texas, was tough for many boxing fans to witness. Legendary former champion Mike Tyson, now 58, stepped into the ring but fell short in his fight against Jake Paul.

Despite initial hopes that Tyson might channel his iconic ‘Iron’ performances from years past, he was outpaced and ultimately defeated in a one-sided match. Tyson’s speed was notable for his age but only lasted through the early rounds. Across the eight 2-minute rounds, he managed fewer than 100 punches, landing just 18.

For Jake Paul, the fight was relatively easy, allowing him to throw punches freely—a scenario many had feared. However, Paul did not go for a knockout and only threw a few combinations, likely influenced by the use of 14oz gloves, which reduced the potential for heavy damage.

It remains unclear whether Paul held back to avoid injuring Tyson or if there was a pre-fight agreement to keep the intensity in check. While the fight left many fans underwhelmed, Tyson avoided any significant health issues.

The event faced harsh criticism from within the boxing community. Terence Crawford, WBA super-welterweight champion and one of today’s pound-for-pound greats, voiced his thoughts on social media.

“I love Mike Tyson, but they giving him too much credit. He looked like trash, to train that long and only throw 97 punches the whole fight is crazy. I’m just glad he didn’t get hurt out there,” Crawford wrote.

Crawford, who is currently without a set return date after his victory over Israil Madrimov, has been linked to a potential super-fight with Canelo Alvarez, as indicated by Turki Alalshikh’s interest in making it happen.

In one of the most criticized contests of all-time Jake Paul headed into a showdown against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson with the goal of leaving his mark on the professional record of a living legend. However, as many anticipated, that seemed easier to achieve than fans had hoped.

‘Iron Mike’ showed limited flashes of his former self, predominantly in the opening couple of rounds, adopting his trademark peak-a-boo style to bring a smile to the millions of viewers tuning in to the Netflix live event.

Although, that was about as much nostalgia as was brought to the table, as the one-time ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ showed understandably limited fitness and output throughout the eight-round affair, throwing less than 100 punches and scoring with just 18.11/15 Netflix- Paul W 10 Tyson. Paul cruised to victory. Props to Tyson for going the distance. pic.twitter.com/nGfhpLZGkl

— CompuBox (@CompuBox) November 16, 2024

As for Paul, many were watching his most high-profile clash through their fingers and grimacing on each occasion that the social media sensation landed a shot, fearful that Tyson could sign off from professional boxing in the saddest possible manner – laid out on the canvas by a man not fit to lace the boots of the former undisputed champion.

Yet, to his credit, Paul showed little intent to do too much damage to what was really a sitting duck, restricting himself to throw few combinations and instead land the eye-catching punches to win the rounds but not ones to end the fight.Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson ringside highlights pic.twitter.com/CIq2bWsp45

— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) November 16, 2024New number one heavyweight contender named

It will never be known whether the YouTuber-turned-boxer took this approach as a result of a possible pre-fight agreement, or out of respect for his veteran opponent, but the fact that Paul refused to jump upon Tyson and seek to capitalize on the lack of footwork of the two-time heavyweight champion was a saving grace in an ultimately underwhelming main-event.

As for the undercard, Katie Taylor retained her undisputed super-lightweight throne with a unanimous-decision win (95-94 x3) in a close fight against Amanda Serrano, although the Netflix commentary team would leave you to believe that the Irishwoman had robbed her rival.

Meanwhile, Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos fought to a surprise draw in their WBC welterweight world title bout in one of the fights of the year, both men hitting the canvas in a display of boxing that put the headline attraction to shame.

Worryingly, Tyson refused to rule out a return to ‘action’ in his post-fight interview but his performance should deter fans from encouraging a 58th career fight, whilst Paul refused to call out Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in the aftermath, despite labelling him as his next target beforehand.

The fact that he earned a reported $2.22 million per punch that Tyson landed may have convinced him to steer clear of more active opposition and milk the cow that boxing has become whilst he can.

Richard Riakporhe failed in a world title bid in his lone outing of 2024 thus far, picking up the first defeat of his professional career. Now, his return has been confirmed, but it is set to take place in a bizarre location in just a few weeks’ time.

‘The Midnight Train’ had defeated current WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith prior to their rematch this June and headed into their second encounter as a sizeable favourite, seeking a dream title win at Selhurst Park – the home of his beloved Crystal Palace Football Club.

On top of his previous win over ‘The Gentleman’, Riakporhe was on a streak of five consecutive knockout victories, including an eye-catching stoppage of former world champion Krzysztof Glowacki, which appeared to prove that the Londoner had the ability to be a successful and possibly long-reigning title-holder.

Yet, it was Billam-Smith who was able to spring the upset and retain his WBO crown and did so with relative ease, never really looking in danger in what turned out to be a comfortable unanimous-decision win on away soil.

After underwhelming on the big stage, many have doubted whether Riakporhe truly is world champion material and his abilities have come into question and, with a change clearly needed, Riakporhe has opted to leave trainer Angel Fernandez.

Instead, the 34-year-old has decided to appoint Scotland’s Billy Nelson, trainer of heavyweight bogeyman Martin Bakole, as his lead cornerman and it has now been announced that the pair will fight with one another for the first occasion in three weeks’ time.Mike Tyson points at what initiated Jake Paul slap

However, despite campaigning at cruiserweight and fighting in the United Kingdom throughout his almost eight-year career, Riakporhe will take on David Jamieson in the bridgerweight division as a part of an undercard in Equatorial Guinea, promoted by Boxium Promotions.✅️Boxium Promotions have announced Richard Riakporhe vs David Jamieson on December 7th in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

The fight will be on the undercard of the WBC Welterweight Eliminator between Souleymane Cissokho and Egidijus Kavaliauskas pic.twitter.com/ycWQWqRNY2

Jamieson famously gave Mikael Lawal a run for his money when they met for the British cruiserweight title in 2022 but was halted by Chev Clarke in a less impressive performance the year that followed.

That all-British bout will appear as a part of an undercard in the African nation that is headlined by a WBC welterweight eliminator involving Souleymane Cissoko and Egidijus Kavaliauskas on December 7th at the Sipopo Congress Center.

In one of the upsets of 2024, Anthony Cacace was able to claim super-featherweight gold and assume the position as much-needed man to get behind in the proud fighting city of Belfast. Now, the Ulsterman is poised to return for what will be a second defence of his world title.

Cacace was able to dramatically knock out Joe Cordina on the Fury-Usyk undercard back in May, handing the Welshman a first career defeat and dethroning the man whom many deemed to be the top player in the 130lb division.The moment Anthony Cacace became a World Champion 🙌#FuryUsyk | #RingOfFire | #RiyadhSeasonpic.twitter.com/pteDtcl2vF

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 19, 2024

On yet another mammoth card, this time at Wembley Stadium, ‘The Apache’ made a first defence of his world title against two-time featherweight champion Josh Warrington, dominating the contest from the opening rounds onwards and proving that his victory over Cordina was no fluke with unanimous-decision win.

In the two months that have passed since, it has become clear that Cacace must face IBF mandatory challenger Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (28-1), a well-respected Mexican who has stopped his opponent in each of his 28 career wins.

As a result, Cacace has been rumoured to be considering a move up in weight to the lightweight division, hopeful that his IBF strap would enable him a lucrative challenge against pound-for-pound superstar Vasyl Lomachenko.Anthony Joshua voices concerns for Mike Tyson in upcoming Jake Paul boxing fight

However, after the purse bids for Cacace’s meeting with Nunez were continuously pushed back, it was revealed that Thursday’s purse bids for the clash had been cancelled.

According to Uncrowned Combat, this is because a deal has been reached between the pair to stage a fight, rendering the purse bids unnecessary.

It remains to be seen whether Cacace-Nunez could see Cacace fight on a third consecutive ‘Riyadh Season’ card or whether he will headline his own card in a homecoming event in Belfast, or if such a proposal would be better suited to a possible meeting with Nottingham fan-favourite Leigh Wood.

Regardless of Belfast’s prowess as one of the greatest boxing cities on the planet, a Northern Irishman has not won a world title contest in the capital since Ryan Burnett’s 2017 win over Zhanat Zhakiyanov, with Paddy Barnes and Jamie and Michael Conlan each being knocked out in the three world title fights in their hometown since.

The heavyweight division is primed for a shake-up in 2025, with the winner of the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury likely to splinter the unified title. In the wake of this, contenders are scrambling for top positions, and one man is emerging as the frontrunner.

After Usyk dropped the IBF title post-undisputed win over Fury in May, Daniel Dubois was elevated to world champion. A few months later, Dubois defeated Anthony Joshua in a dominant performance at Wembley. Now, multiple challengers are eyeing vacant belts in the WBC, WBA, and WBO rankings.

Martin Bakole currently sits atop the WBA rankings, with Joseph Parker holding the WBO interim title and Agit Kabayel ranked #2 with the WBC. Bakole was set to face Kabayel in an IBF final eliminator, but Kabayel’s dramatic pullout from purse bids has altered the landscape.

Bakole’s trainer, Billy Nelson, revealed that Bakole will be upgraded from #4 to #1 in both the IBF and WBA rankings, making him a top contender in two major sanctioning bodies. If Bakole defeats Zhilei Zhang, he’s all but guaranteed a world title shot in 2025—whether that’s against Dubois for the IBF title or a potential WBA challenger remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Charr holds the WBA (Regular) heavyweight title, potentially setting up a clash for a vacant WBA belt. Michael Hunter, the only fighter to have defeated Bakole, sits at #3 in the WBA rankings.

Mike Tyson has dominated press conferences throughout his illustrious career, often attempting to intimidate his opponents and regularly having the same effect on viewers of the pre-fight pressers. However, tasked with a social media star who thrives in front of the microphone, it was always going to be a tough task to strike fear into his rival and ‘Iron Mike’ instead resorted to a physical slap – but it has now been revealed what triggered the viral act.

Whilst many believe that his showdown with Paul is becoming a heated one, this contest pales in comparison to the intense build-up of Tyson’s clash with Lennox Lewis in 2002, where ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ initiated a brawl between he and the legendary British-Canadian.WHAT A SHOT. @jakepaul KOs Woodley in round 6 😳#PaulWoodleypic.twitter.com/oTV3xeNtfg

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) December 19, 2021

Tyson would go on to lose that contest and then on two further occasions before hanging up the gloves in 2005 following a defeat to Ireland’s Kevin McBride but after almost two decades of inactivity the two-time heavyweight champion is set to make a return to professional fighting.

His dance-partner is one that is 31 years younger and although he may not have the accolades that a man of Tyson’s status can boast, Jake Paul will enter the ring as the favourite and has lofty ambitions in the sport of boxing.

Thus far, Paul has fought on eleven occasions and won on ten of those outings, with a maiden loss coming against Tommy Fury.

Nevertheless, his ability to handle the pressure on the big stage is something that should not be overlooked – trumping a plethora UFC stars who had been more regularly under the spotlight and accustomed to the combat sports environment.WHAT A SHOT. @jakepaul KOs Woodley in round 6 😳#PaulWoodleypic.twitter.com/oTV3xeNtfg

— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) December 19, 2021

As such, ‘The Problem Child’ has proven that he is at least a capable professional boxer and his sparring partners believe he could have what it takes to become a world champion in the future.

Although, his career would assumably come crashing down if he were to lose to a 58-year-old, regardless of whom that 58-year-old may be.Chris Billam-Smith targeting Jai Opetaia fight

At the weigh-in, the tension between the American duo was palpable and eventually boiled over when Mike Tyson slapped Paul on stage.This photo of Mike Tyson slapping Jake Paul will go in the history books 😭 pic.twitter.com/3pNqc9ehf2

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 15, 2024

Yet, it has now been discovered that Tyson was not the initiator on this occasion and that Paul instead stepped on his foot, showing a lack of respect for the former undisputed champion, and the heavyweight fan-favourite can be seen pointing this out following the slap, in what looked like an attempted body punch upon first viewing.‼️ Mike Tyson SLAPS Jake Paul in the face in their final face-off…

[🎥 @MostVPromotions] pic.twitter.com/WjDYpjLrxf

— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) November 15, 2024

Paul-Tyson will top an intriguing card in Arlington, Texas and both have hit the scales at what seems to be their desired respective weight, Paul scaling 227.2lbs and Tyson weighing-in at 228.4lbs, six pounds lighter than he weighed when fighting Lennox Lewis.

There’s been an uneasy feeling about Mike Tyson coming out of a two-decade-long retirement to fight Jake Paul at the age of 58.

The "Baddest Man on the Planet” wants you to rest easy, however, even after a scary ulcer flare-up postponed his originally planned July 20 date to November 15. 

On Friday, the fight will finally hit the road at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Netflix with custom rules: eight, two-minute rounds and with 14-ounce gloves. 

“Thank you very much for being concerned, but I’m fighting and I'm going to be OK,” Tyson told BoxingScene in an interview. “What am I worried about? There is nothing I can think of, or nothing that I am contemplating.

“I was born to do this. I was built for this stuff. I was born to sell out stadiums. This is what I always wanted to do my entire life.”

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs), once the youngest heavyweight champion of all time, last fought professionally in 2005 and retired after getting knocked out by journeyman Kevin McBride. 

“Times change,” said Tyson. “I was a different person then. I was using narcotics and alcohol back then. I’m not that person anymore. I see a better picture of myself. I see light. I see the world from a different perspective now. It’s time for me to come back. I did the Roy Jones exhibition and now I want to fight again.

“Cus D'mato would be so happy that I’m doing this and proving to the world that age is nothing but a number.”

Tyson tasked himself to test his titanium spirit against the YouTuber-turned-knockout artist Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) after putting the content creator on his undercard during the Jones event in 2020. 

"Iron" Mike warned the 27-year-old to take their fight “very seriously.” 

“He's good enough to get to the level to fight me,” said Tyson. “My intentions are to go in there, fight hard, and hurt him.” 

One of the most devastating knockout artists in boxing history promised an electric fight for as long as it lasts. 

“[I’m coming out in the first round] like a rocket,” said Tyson. “I'm going the distance every day in the gym. I'm prepared. I'm in condition.”

Chris Billam-Smith doesn’t believe that Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’s promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins have ever watched him fight – but he continues to take inspiration from Hopkins.

De La Hoya and Hopkins, of Golden Boy Promotions, will be ringside on Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Billam-Smith and Ramirez will contest the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles.

Not unlike the great Hopkins, the 34-year-old Billam-Smith is recognised as making the most of his abilities via his discipline and professionalism, and if he is to defeat the WBA champion on Saturday he will partly have done so because of the example Hopkins once set.

Mexico’s Ramirez, 33, fights also to win from his British opponent the WBO title and potentially the opportunity to fight Jai Opetaia in 2025. Billam-Smith regardless believes that for those around Ramirez he remains little known – which is perhaps another trait he shares with Hopkins, whose threat was so often overlooked. 

“I doubt either of them have watched me fight,” he told BoxingScene. “I genuinely don’t believe either of them have watched me fight – and I get it. They’re so long in the tooth in this sport. I’m not a big name – especially in America. So, why would they? Why would they watch me? 

“You’d think they might watch me now, but as long as the [fighters’] teams are happy they probably still haven’t watched me – and I’m sure plenty of British people in boxing probably haven’t watched much of Ramirez. That’s just the way it is. 

“He’s a big name in boxing, but he’s not a big name, big name – an A lister, as such. Oscar’s more of an A-lister celeb than [Ramirez] is, even post-career. I doubt either of them have watched me, but I’m sure I’ll earn their respect on fight night.

“I just said ‘Hello’ to Oscar, and shook Bernard’s hand – maybe after the [first] press conference. But I loved watching both of them, stylistically. 

“I had so much respect for Bernard, because him fighting – winning world titles at [over] 40 years of age, I remember thinking that that dedication that he has is something I really admired and wanted to take into my own career. Watching him adapt from ‘The Executioner’ to ‘The Alien’, and the style change – it was so clever, how he did it. Just one of those legendary fighters, really – a hall of famer who just showed so much in the ring. 

“He was always exciting to watch – you always wanted to watch Hopkins fight, even later on in his career. I just loved watching him, and how he went about his business.”

Defeat for Ramirez would prove damaging for Golden Boy in a way that it wouldn’t have shortly after De La Hoya’s and Hopkins’ retirements, but Billam-Smith – promoted by Boxxer – said: “I don’t think about it. I don’t know their business, or how it’s going or anything like that. I just focus on doing my job, which is to go out there and beat ‘Zurdo’.” 

British middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz has exploded in the past year with some sensational performances, catapulting him to be one of the countrys greatest young fighters. As a result of his excellent showings of skill, speed and power, he has set himself up for a world title shot already. Now he has provided an update on his dream of achieving this.

Sheeraz has had a phenomenal year defeating Liam Williams, Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, and Tyler Denny all by knockout.

Moreover, due to his latest two outings on ‘Riyadh Season’ cards impressing Turki Alalshikh so much, he has become an ambassador for ‘Riyadh Season’.

He is the number one ranked middleweight in Great Britain and he is ready for his shot at a world title.

This week it was confirmed that he will get his shot at world honours, etching his name in history, on February 22nd.

It was then revealed that a fight between Sheeraz and WBO champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly could not be agreed between the respective teams, therefore it would go to purse bids.

These purse bids have been set for November 18th.

Alimkhanuly holds both the IBF and WBO world middleweight titles and is widely regarded as the best in the division.

Much like Sheeraz, he has recorded stoppage victories in his last three outings against Steven Butler, Vincenzo Gualtieri and Andrei Mikhailovich.Dillian Whyte fight date and location rumoured as comeback imminent

However, despite the talk of world honours, Sheeraz has taken to his Twitter/ X account to confirm his thoughts on the situation.

”Lots of rumours of potential fights. I leave all negotiations to my promoter Frank Warren and my advisors in Spencer brown and Adil Ditta while I grind away in camp. One thing I can say is come February I will be a world champion In Sha Allah”

Sheeraz has said that he does not negotiate himself and he leaves that to his team.

Nevertheless, he has said that he will become world champion come February.

The Brit has shown that he will fight anyone and the way he fights is brilliant to watch from a fans perspective.

If his world title shot is against Alimkhanuly, then it should be one of the fights of the year.Lots of rumours of potential fights. I leave all negotiations to my promoter @FrankWarren and my advisors in Spencer brown and Adil Ditta while I grind away in camp. One thing I can say is come February I will be a world champion In Sha Allah 👊🏼👊🏼

— Hamzah Sheeraz (@sheeraz_hamzah) November 14, 2024

Jake Paul takes on Mike Tyson tomorrow night in a controversial but captivating clash in Texas but at 58-years-old and having not fought in almost two decades – the unknown quantity that is present day ‘Iron Mike’ is obviously difficult to prepare for. Although, American heavyweight DaCarree Scott has been trying his best to emulate that famous, impetuous style.

The one-time ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ has mellowed out during recent years but that old-school ruthlessness and intimidating killer mindset has reared it’s ugly head during the build-up towards Tyson’s comeback against the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

Still, having not fought professionally since Paul was an eight-year-old child, it is the physical attributes and stamina of the two-time heavyweight champion that are being questioned rather than his mentality.

Therefore, the assumption is that Paul will be in danger for perhaps the first and second of the eight two-minute rounds before Tyson begins to fade, likely resulting in both a high intensity start to the contest and an aggressive approach from Tyson – although that is hardly out of character from the Brownsville-born bruiser.

To prepare for this, Paul has opted to bring in WBA #14 heavyweight, DaCarree Scott, commonly referred to as ‘MacTruck’, and in an exclusive interview with , the former NABA heavyweight champion admitted his pride at being seen as comparable to a legend such as Tyson.

“I believe I was chosen because of my height and because when we sparred I was giving him that Tyson look. Yeah, that was so cool to be compared to a legend. Mike Tyson was doing this before I was born, so for me to remind our generation and the people who were watching him of greatness is awesome.”

“This will not be the first time that Scott has been a part of a training camp with ‘The Problem Child’, adding that he was brought in to help with the originally scheduled fight, which eventually turned out to be a class with Mike Perry.”

Although there are obvious differences between Perry and Tyson in both size, skill and weight, as well as the differing rules for this contest, Scott, who has been paid double by Paul for his immense efforts in training, went on to reveal that there has been little change between the two camps, despite Paul recently claiming otherwise.

“I was in camp with Jake for the first fight before it was postponed. Then I stayed in Puerto Rico for the Mike Perry fight. When he started this camp I was there and kept working with him so [it has been] about 4 months.”The Mike Tyson Influence: Three heavyweights set to make comebacks following Paul-Tyson

“To be honest the training hasn’t changed. Everything still 3 mins. If there was change from this camp compared to last camp, more sprints and shorter distance runs.”

After sharing numerous rounds with the polarising social media sensation, heavyweight title hopeful Scott credited Paul for his skills and declared that ‘he is better than people give him credit for’, before laying out his fight prediction.

“Jake is better than people give him credit for. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was an early knockout. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jake slept him late, or if he outboxed him to the decision.

“Jake Paul for the win! To be honest, [I think Paul will stop him in round] 5.”

If Paul is able to get past Tyson unscathed, he has already made clear his plans to call out unified super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez during the aftermath, and Scott refused to rule out the chances of the 28-year-old becoming a world champion.

“Jake works hard. He trains hard and he takes boxing serious. If he keeps working, he has a good team around him and he can become world champion. With hard work it takes time but he can do it.”

Whilst all eyes are understandably on the intriguing Paul-Tyson card, Scott has made quiet progress to navigate his way into the WBA heavyweight top 15 after just ten professional contests and will be hoping to climb the ratings further in 2025.

When asked of his ambitions for next year, ‘MacTruck’ was clear and concise, stating he simply wants to ‘be active’ and ‘fight more than once’, a feat he has not achieved since 2022.

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will be focused on securing a victory at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Friday evening, but both women are also aware of the influence their trailblazing careers will leave behind.

“The greatest part about this journey is just being able to inspire and impact the next generation of female fighters,” Taylor, 23-1 (6 KOs), said at the final prefight press conference at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving on Wednesday. “When I started boxing at nine or ten years old, there [were] no female fighters at all in the boxing gyms in Ireland. But every single boxing gym I walk into now is packed with female fighters… that’s what legacy is all about, really.”  

 “My goal is to motivate and inspire these young girls, the new generation in this sport, that you can do anything you put your mind to,” added Serrano. “If you believe in yourself, have a great team, you can go far… When I say how much I make, it’s not bragging, it’s to show these women that we can make it. We are capable of making it. We are capable of breaking records and just strive for excellence and you will achieve it.”

Taylor and Serrano,  47-2-1 (31 KOs), engaged in a ten-round war at Madison Square Garden in April 2022. Serrano had Taylor badly hurt and seemingly in trouble in the fifth round, but the Irishwoman recovered to eke out a split decision and retain her lightweight titles. 

“I think for every single fighter, we’re always prepared for moments like that,” said Taylor. “That’s why we train so hard. When you’re in shape, when you’re fit, you recover so well from those moments. And I take a lot of reassurance and a lot of confidence from that because I took her biggest shots and […] I wasn’t moved. I won the second half of that fight. So I take a lot of reassurance going into the rematch because of that.” 

Even so, there was no shortage of observers who felt that Serrano had done enough to edge the contest. Taylor, unsurprisingly, was firm in her conviction that she deserved her victory.

“I believe that I won the last fight clearly and I’ve just got to go in there Friday night and beat her again,” she said. “I put my body through the trenches over the last few months and it’s an absolute privilege to be here on the same card as a legend in the sport. It’s absolutely an amazing opportunity that we both have, and I just can’t wait to step in there and showcase what I can do again and get another win.”

Their first fight was for Taylor’s lightweight crown; the rematch, which is the co-main event to 58-year-old Mike Tyson’s quixotic attempt to defeat 27-year-old Jake Paul, will be for her undisputed 140-pound championship. After making one more defense of her lightweight crown, Taylor moved up a division to challenge champion Chantelle Cameron in May 2023, but fell short and suffered her first professional defeat before avenging it with an impressive performance six months later.

Serrano, who has won titles in seven weight classes, dropped back down to featherweight, where she is unified champion, and will be making a sizeable weight jump to take on Taylor again.

“A lot of people don’t acknowledge that I am going up through three divisions being the unified featherweight champion,” she said. “It’s always hard for me and uncomfortable when I have to leave my weight class where I feel comfortable at. [I’ve had] to eat a lot more protein, a lot more carbs just to make sure that I feel good at the weight. I’m hoping that I can make at least the 138 tomorrow, but it is what it is. I’m chasing greatness and that’s going up three divisions to face Katie Taylor once again, and I will be victorious.”

Despite the confident talk on both sides, there is clearly mutual respect and a recognition that the two are forever yoked together – and that, for a younger generation of female pugilists in particular, they are an inspiration.

“I think what me and Amanda have done over these last few years, inspiring that generation of young fighters, is the best thing we could leave behind in this sport,” said Taylor. “An absolute privilege.”

Since Daniel Dubois’ demolishing of Anthony Joshua, there has been a lot of talk about who the champion will face next. However, it now looks like there is a front runner for his next opponent.

Instaneously after Dubois’ special night at Wembley, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said the rematch would be the priority for his man.

The rematch was aimed to take place in February, however it was revealed that an injury to ‘AJ’ would rule him out of any immediate bout.

Therefore, there have been many fighters who have thrown their name into the hat to face the IBF champion.

Martin Bakole is a man who has claimed fighters have avoided him for years and so it should be his turn to fight for the chance to become a world champion.

Fabio Wardley, after brutally knocking Fraser Clarke out in a single round has called for it to be his chance, however he has been warned against this.

Instead, Wardley’s promoter Frank Warren has talked up the chances of him facing Joshua next.

exclusively revealed that Zhilei Zhang wants his shot at the belt.

Furthermore, Joseph Parker’s trainer Andy Lee said that his fighter is ready to step up too.Anthony Joshua “could retire”

Last month, the IBF ordered a final eliminator between Martin Bakole and Agit Kabayel to determine the next mandatory for Dubois’ belt.

Despite this, today Agit Kabayel has pulled out of purse bids for this fight.

This could potentially be because he has been offered to fight Dubois next.

Kabayel is coming off two impressive knockout victories against Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez.

Moreover, the German is clearly a favourite of Turki Alalshikh’s as his last two fights have been on Riyadh Season cards.

Therefore, it could well be that his next fight may take place in Saudi Arabia again, against Daniel Dubois for the IBF world heavyweight championship of the world.

Dubois will also have a keen eye on Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury’s rematch as he looks to claim all the belts in the division.

Frank Warren ruled out the Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua rematch a few weeks ago due to an injury sustained by ‘AJ’. A lot of the the talk since has been about who Dubois will face next, however, the IBF world champion’s promoter Frank Warren has offered Joshua another man from his stable for his comeback fight.

We are nearly two months on since Daniel Dubois shocked the world by demolishing Anthony Joshua in 5 rounds, in front of a record 96,000 people at Wembley Stadium.

Following this brutal defeat, ‘AJ’ picked up an injury, preventing him from facing Dubois in a rematch straight away.

Therefore, Warren has been looking for potential replacements for Dubois.

Martin Bakole has been mentioned and he has said he is up for the fight.

Fabio Wardley wants it to, however he has been warned to wait and build his name before going straight for world honours.

exclusively revealed that Zhilei Zhang wants the fight.

Many have said that if anyone deserves a shot at Dubois’ IBF belt, it is Joseph Parker.

However, Joshua is not focused on this, he needs to win his next fight to put himself among boxings elite once again.Guillermo Rigondeaux scores first-round knockout and calls out Naoya Inoue

At now 35 years old, the Londoner does not have much time left in the sport, therefore looking for the biggest fights possible is essential.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Queensbury’s Frank Warren has suggested who ‘AJ’ should fight next.

“If AJ wants a fight, maybe fight Fabio.”

Warren has suggested that Anthony Joshua can fight Fabio Wardley next.

Wardley is coming off his rematch with Fraser Clarke, in which he demolished his opponent within a single round.

Whilst this in theory could be a good comeback fight for Joshua, the risk of it may outweigh the reward.

Moreover, he will have a keen eye on Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, as a victory against his fellow Brit, albeit later in their careers would go a long way to establishing his legacy.

In a 12-month period dominated by ‘Riyadh Season’ few fighters have been as successful under the bright lights of Saudi Arabia as Germany’s Agit Kabayel. Yet, despite being on the verge of a world title shot, the undefeated heavyweight has now pulled out of purse bids for his IBF final eliminator against Martin Bakole.

Agit Kabayel has been ever-present in the heavyweight division for the last decade, claiming a decision win against Derek Chisora back in 2017 and remaining undefeated since, but at no point threatening to succeed beyond the European level until the intervention of Al-Alshikh.

On the famous ‘Day of Reckoning’ card back in December, Kabayel was presented with the opportunity to fight Russian knockout artist Arslanbek Makhmudov and to the amazement of viewers around the globe, Kabayel was able to halt Makhmudov in just four rounds.Kabayel punishing Makhmudov 💥🥊 pic.twitter.com/NP6uiNNkIC

— Chris Le Gabach (@Chris_Le_Gabach) December 27, 2023

After that upset win left the jaws of boxing fans agape, Kabayel was once again invited to fight on a Riyadh Season bill and took on another undefeated bogeyman in Cuba’s Frank Sanchez, with many believing that his win over Makhmudov could be exposed as a fluke.

Yet, it was Kabayel who once again sprung the upset and stopped Sanchez in round seven to announce himself as a serious threat to the heavyweight throne and put himself in a strong position to mount a world title challenge in 2025.

It was then confirmed that Kabayel would be tasked with Congo’s Martin Bakole in an IBF final eliminator to determine whom will become the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois’ heavyweight title.Mike Tyson reveals gory details of injury that caused Jake Paul fight postponement

However, it has now been announced that Kabayel and his team have made the decision to avoid the showdown and have pulled out of purse bids, as Bakole’s trainer Billy Nelson took to social media to No addl info provided for HVY title elim but seems natural fit for Feb 22 #RiyadhSeasonCard.

— Jake Donovan (@JakeNDaBox) November 14, 2024

“Unfortunately I’m hearing Ajit Kabayal will be joking [joining] the long line of top fighters who don’t want to fight Martin, real shame has it would have been a good fight.”Unfortunately I’m hearing Ajit Kabayal will be joking the long line of top fighters who don’t want to fight Martin, real shame has it would have been a good fight.

— Billy Nelson (@L2Box1) November 14, 2024

As a result, it is expected that Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang will assume Kabayel’s position in the final eliminator and edge one step closer to a maiden world title shot, with Bakole the only man standing in between the 40-year-old Chinese veteran and a challenge for Dubois’ IBF crown.

Bakole-Zhang is expected to take place in Spring 2025 but is not expected to take place on Dubois’ February 22nd undercard.

Tomorrow night in Arlington, Texas at the AT&T Stadium, Jake Paul will face boxing legend Mike Tyson in one of the most controversial fights of all time. Many have been critical of it, including Paul’s arch-rival KSI.

KSI, like Jake Paul, was originally a YouTuber and has turned to boxing as well as music to further establish himself.

He recently was defeated by Tyson Fury’s brother Tommy in an event that incredibly did over 1.3 million PPV buys, showing the huge interest in ‘misfits’ boxing.

Paul was also defeated by Tommy Fury in February 2022. He has since gone on to fight the likes of Nate Diaz, Michael Perry, and Andre August.

However, this fight is different, he is facing one of the best that this sport has ever seen.

‘Iron’ Mike Tyson whilst he was once the most feared man in the sport, now is 58 years old and is nowhere near what he was.

It is set to be a professional fight, with 8 2-minute rounds.

The fight is expected to be witnessed live by 65,000 people, making it the largest crowd Tyson has fought in front of ever.Mike Tyson reveals gory details of injury that caused Jake Paul fight postponement

27-year-old Paul due to his age, actually has a chance, which many have said is a sad state of affairs.

One of these critics is KSI.

On his Twitter/ X account he tweeted, “Jake Paul will knock out Mike Tyson. This will not be close at all. Boxing is a young man’s game and Mike is 58 years old. They’re sending a lamb to the slaughter and it’s disgusting.”

KSI has said that he expects Paul to knock Tyson out and that he is horrified that the fight is even taking place.

KSI and Jake Paul are yet to face off against each other but is expected that this will eventually happen due to the huge demand for it.

The fight whether boxing purists like it or not, will be one of the most watched fights of the year.

https://twitter.com/ksi/status/1857064122199765239?s=61

On Saturday night, Chris Billam-Smith rolls the dice once again against Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in a unification showdown in the cruiserweight division. Ramirez’s trainer Malik Scott had labelled this fight a total “mismatch”, however Billam-Smith’s trainer Shane McGuigan has since fired back at these claims.

Billam-Smith will enter the ring as the bookie’s underdog (31/14) on Saturday night, something he has done many times before.

The Bournemouth man won his WBO title in his beloved Vitality Stadium, defeating former stablemate Lawrence Okolie in a scrappy, at times hard to watch contest back in May last year.

He has since defeated Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe – the latter significantly resulting in him avenging the only professional defeat of his career to date.

His opponent, after sharing the ring with the likes of Dmitry Bivol, will enter the ring as the favourite.

Having moved up weight following the defeat to Bivol, Ramirez has won two fights in the cruiserweight division, picking up his WBA belt against Arsen Goulamirian in his latest outing.

‘Zurdo’ has made it clear his aspiration is to win this fight, defeat Jai Opetaia to become undisputed champion, and then take a shot at eternal glory against Oleksandr Usyk.

Coming into this fight, Ramirez’s trainer has backed his fighter’s claims and has added that he does not think this Billam-Smith is at the same level, even labelling the Brit as a “one trick pony”.Chris Billam-Smith targeting Jai Opetaia fight

However, speaking to Boxing News, Shane McGuigan, Chris Billam-Smith’s trainer, has shut these calls down.

”I don’t know how he’s still got a job after the business he’s done with Deontay Wilder.”

”He’s just a guy who talks a lot of s**t.”

”He hasn’t trained anybody to win any fight of merit.”

”I’m not being arrogant, I’ve been in this sport for 14 years.”

”If someone is going to call me out like Malik Scott, just go back and look at the track record.”

McGuigan has said that there should be little substance in what Scott has to say, therefore dismissing any talks of this fight being too challenging for his fighter.

After Billam-Smith’s fight on Saturday, Shane McGuigan will be looking forward to watching his dad appear on the new series of ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Friday night plays host to the eyebrow-raising showdown between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson who top a strong card in Texas that can be watched live on Netfllx. However, whether by influence or coincidence, Mike Tyson is not the only heavyweight of the 1990’s to be returning in the coming months – with a trifecta of pre-millennial powerhouses set to join him.Ike Ibeabuchi

When the great heavyweights of the 1990’s are mentioned, the likes of Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis understandably stick out. However, amongst those superstars there was a plethora of under-appreciated talent beneath, none more so than Ike Ibeabuchi. Now, at 51-years-old, ‘The President’ is set to make a shocking comeback to professional boxing.

Regarded as one of the strongest punchers amongst the star-studded crop of heavyweights at the time, Ike Ibeabuchi was honing in on a shot at the heavyweight world title after winning his first 16 professional contests and scoring numerous eye-catching knockout wins along the way.

Then, in 1997, the Nigerian jumped up in competition and stepped through the ropes for his toughest task to date, going toe-to-toe with fellow title hopeful David Tua in what turned out to be a heavyweight classic.

Ibeabuchi and Tua broke the record for punches thrown in a heavyweight bout covered by CompuStat, throwing 1,730 total punches between them, 975 being thrown by Ibeabuchi (avg. 81 per round) – that being an individual record for a heavyweight.David Tua vs Ike Ibeabuchi. June 7, 1997. pic.twitter.com/2BUBhk7lj4

— b0xingfan (@b0xingfan) August 4, 2023

As a result, it was Ibeabuchi who claimed the unanimous-decision win and proved himself as a worthy contender for the WBC heavyweight world title, held by Lennox Lewis at the time.

Instead, Ibeabuchi attempted to gain further experience at the world level and scored a trifecta of increasingly difficult knockout wins against Tim Ray, Everton Davis and Chris Byrd to better prepare himself for a title shot – although it would never come.

In July 1999, Ibeabuchi was arrested and eventually sentenced to prison for battery with intent to commit a crime and attempted sexual assault, leaving him imprisoned until his release in November 2015.

Five months later, Ibeabuchi was arrested once again after violating the conditions of his probation, ending hopes of a comeback to boxing as he was forced to serve an additional four years behind bars until release in September 2020.

Four years on and it seems as though Ibeabuchi (20-0) will finally get the boxing comeback that he has been craving, officially scheduled to take on 47-year-old Ayman Farouk Abbas (4-10-1) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria on December 7th in a six-round affair.

Farouk’s most notable result is a split-draw against America’s Christopher Lovejoy (20-1) in Egypt last year, despite being knocked down and appearing to lose all six rounds.In what can only be called a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender, Christopher Lovejoy knocks down Farouk in a thriller where he is robbed on the scorecards with a ‘draw’ 🙄 @TimBoxeo@LovejoyBoxingpic.twitter.com/du3tTv0mFV

— No Nonsense Boxing (@NNBoxing) March 19, 2023

Ibeabuchi will be hoping that he gets a fairer shake than Lovejoy received when he and Farouk meet next month. Although, if Ibeabuchi is half the fighter that he was the last time he fought professionally, the judges will not be required.

Fabled heavyweight knockout artist Shannon Briggs has been prevalent in the influencer boxing scene since hanging up the gloves but now seems set to go one step further and make a comeback to the ring. Now, the 52-year-old has revealed a date for when he expects to make his ring return.

After winning a national championship as an amateur, Briggs turned professional in 1992 and went on to defeat his first 25 opponents, winning by knockout on 20 occasions, before he was halted by Darroll Wilson in 1996.

However, four consecutive stoppage wins earnt ‘The Cannon’ a shot at beloved heavyweight veteran George Foreman, who he defeated by majority-decision in what turned out to be Foreman’s final contest.

That victory thrust Briggs into a world title shot against WBC title-holder Lennox Lewis but the American came up short and was stopped in the fifth-round and would not return to the title picture for many years to come.

Eight-and-a-half years later, after a streak of 11 straight victories, Briggs was finally able to get his hands on a world title when he pulled off a dramatic final-round knockout against WBO champion Siarhei Liakhovich whilst behind on the scorecards.With ONE SECOND LEFT in the 12th round and behind on all three cards, former lineal king @TheCannonBriggs knocks out (WBO titlist) Siarhei Liakhovich!!!

[November 4, 2006] pic.twitter.com/fTlN3bXfne

— Lineal Boxing Champion (@LinealBoxChamp) May 27, 2024

Briggs would lose his belt without making a defence and was outpointed by Vitali Klitschko to a final challenge for world honours in 2010, before registering 10 straight wins and hanging up the gloves in 2016.

Yet, despite hanging up the gloves, Briggs is often seen at fight nights across the pond and famously trained YouTuber Logan Paul for his fight against KSI in 2019.

Now, Briggs has confirmed that he is actively pursuing a comeback to boxing, whether that be as a professional or with Misfits, he told Fred Talks Fighting.‼️ Shannon Briggs is hoping to fight by March 🔜🥊

[Via – @fredpdbeck on YT] pic.twitter.com/VjsY1pjAzd

— IFN (@IfnBoxing) November 9, 2024

“I miss it actually, I am looking to get back into shape. I have been in the gym and I’m looking to hopefully be ready to fight again by March.

“I am going to fight again.

“[I would fight on Misfits] if the money is right, yeah, but I am getting back in shape and I’m back in the gym, I am hitting hard, I am strong.”

“I am just as fast as I was.”

The former WBO heavyweight champion is yet to receive an official fight date but has called out the winner of Paul-Tyson – which would line up with a return in Spring 2025.Oliver McCall

The Paul-Tyson event is one that is being criticized by the masses and the return of the aforementioned fighters is likely to be treat similarly given their age. Yet, despite being the oldest of the quartet, McCall’s return is probably the one that causes the least concern.

What separates Oliver McCall from the pack is that his latest outing was as recent as 2019, meaning the granite chinned 59-year-old will end a five-year spell of inactivity, just a fraction of the quarter of a century since Ibeabuchi last stepped through the ropes.

Trained by legendary champion Joe Frazier, McCall had a tough start to life in the heavyweight division and lost his second official contest to Joey Christjohn, before eventually losing an additional four fights prior to his shot at the heavyweight crown.

Consequently, McCall entered the ring to take on undefeated WBC champion Lennox Lewis as a major underdog, but ‘The Atomic Bull’ pulled off a monumental upset to halt the British-Canadian within just two rounds and become a shock champion back in 1994.30 years ago, Oliver McCall defeated Lennox Lewis by TKO in round 2 of 12 to win the WBC heavyweight title. Big upset. pic.twitter.com/r4tV4jXvqv

— 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒔 (@KOJournals) September 24, 2024

McCall would defend the belts against an ageing Larry Holmes the following year but his reign came to an end at Wembley Stadium when he was outpointed by Frank Bruno in a famous moment in British boxing history.

The Chicago-born big man would later lose the 1997 rematch to Lewis in confusing fashion in a second world title challenge and never returned to the heavyweight throne, but remained in the division for years to come, banking wins against lowly contenders.

In 2014, McCall became one of, if not the only fighter, to avenge a defeat of his sons, a testament of his insane longevity, although in 2019 McCall decided that enough was enough and called time on his 34-year career.

Yet, McCall has since decided that he is not done yet and will return to action to fight Stacy Frazier (16-22), who has also not fought since 2019, in a four-round bout on a card in Nashville.View this post on Instagram

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Former opponent of IBF super-middleweight champion William Scull, Sean Hemphill (16-2) will also appear on the ‘Country Box’ card, on Tuesday November 19th, with tickets available for purchase here.

Heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson is set to return to professional boxing and take on Jake Paul tomorrow night as the headline attraction of a controversial event that may well out-perform the undisputed heavyweight title contest between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. However, November was not the original plan for Paul-Tyson and ‘Iron Mike’ has now revealed further details regarding the injury that caused the postponement.

Tyson was expected to collide with ‘The Problem Child’ back on July 20th, ending a run of almost two years without a professional bout and hoping to pull off the upset against a rival who is over 30 years younger.

Yet, the two-time heavyweight champion was made to wait for his chance to silence Paul after he was forced to withdraw from their July clash due to an injury, described as stomach ulcers at the time of the announcement.

Paul would go on to proceed with the date and replace Tyson with Mike Perry – who was halted in six rounds and the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s meeting with ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ was re-announced for November 15th.

Speaking with New York Magazine, Mike Tyson provided the graphic detail as to why he could not overcome his health concerns and fight back in July, raising further questions as to whether he will have fully recovered by Friday night.

“I was in the bathroom throwing up blood,”

“I asked the doctor, ‘Am I going to die?’ He said, ‘We have options.’ Options? I couldn’t believe it.Oliver McCall set to become latest former heavyweight champion to make a comeback

“I had, like, eight blood transfusions. The doctor said I lost half my blood. I almost died.

“I lost 25 pounds in 11 days. Couldn’t eat. Only liquids. Every time I went to the bathroom, it smelled like tar. Didn’t even smell like shit anymore. It was disgusting.

“It threw me off [when I continued training]. All my coordination, stamina, everything was hectic getting back. I was peaked already. I could have fought him that day. Now I got to start from scratch.

“I just don’t give up. I’m an asshole sometimes. I’m a dick. If I haven’t outlived my enemies, I’ve turned them into my friends.”

Despite not having the accolades of his older dance-partner, Jake Paul will step through the ropes as the bookmaker’s favourite and hopes to call-out an even more frightening opponent should he get through Tyson unscathed.

Former WBC heavyweight title challenger Dillian Whyte finds himself estranged in the heavyweight division but the Brit is hopeful of returning to the big stage in the near future. Now, after competing in just three rounds since 2022, it appears as though Whyte may have a fight date.

Whyte famously defeated Anthony Joshua as an amateur and their rivalry continued into the professional ranks, but the Jamaican-born, Brixton-based heavyweight was less successful when the pair came to blows at the O2 Arena – suffering a brutal knockout defeat.

That loss put an end to Whyte’s 16 fight undefeated streak since turning over but ‘The Body Snatcher’ was able to get back to winning ways and emerge as a serious title threat in the years that followed, defeating the likes of Joseph Parker, Derek Chisora and Oscar Rivas until a shock loss to Alexander Povetkin.On this day 4 years ago Alexander Povetkin sparked Dillian Whyte out COLD😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/nPJ1cbY3Ga

— On The Record Boxing (@OnTheRecordBox) August 22, 2024

The Londoner then avenged the Povetkin loss at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar in a career-best display before jumping into an eventually unsuccessful title challenge against Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium, bouncing back later in the year with a majority-decision win against Jermaine Franklin in late 2022.

However, in 2023, Whyte’s career was completely derailed by news of a positive drugs test during the build-up to his rematch with ‘AJ’.Chris Billam-Smith targeting Jai Opetaia fight

It was later concluded that this result was caused by a contaminated supplement but still Whyte’s name remains a tainted one, with his only fight since being a non-televised one against Christian Hammer in Castlebar, Ireland, which was brought to a close after three rounds.

According to The Stomping Ground’sCharlie Parsons, Whyte will once again fight on an unconventional card, returning to Gibraltar in four weeks’ time.Hearing Dillian Whyte will return to the ring on Sunday December the 15th in Gibraltar. 🇬🇮

— Charlie Parsons (@CharIieParsons) November 13, 2024

“Hearing Dillian Whyte will return to the ring on Sunday December the 15th in Gibraltar.”

The size and promoter for the card remains to be seen, as do details regarding whether the event will be broadcast, although any bill in Gibraltar would be just the third in the country’s history.

This Saturday plays host to the latest instalment of ‘Riyadh Season’, where Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez collides with Chris Billam-Smith in a battle for the unified cruiserweight world titles. Just days before the pair meet, one fight on their undercard has received a significant update.

As is the case in the main-event, each contest on the ‘Latino Night’ bill features a fighter of Latino heritage, with the likes of Oscar Collazo, William Zepeda and Oscar Duarte all scheduled to appear on the card.

However, in one of the closest affairs of the event, two Latino’s will go head-to-head as Jose Carlos Ramirez and Arnold Barboza Jr. meet in a clash that will likely provide the victor with a world title shot during 2025 – or so it was thought.

The fight between Ramirez and Barboza Jr. was scheduled to be a 12-round contest in an eliminator for the WBO super-lightweight title, with Barboza currently holding the WBO Inter-Continental strap and positioned as the mandatory challenger for Teofimo Lopez’s world title – who he has been demanding to fight during 2024.

Yet, it has now been confirmed that Barboza has refused to pay the WBO sanctioning fees due to frustrations at the WBO, who have not yet enforced his mandatory shot at Lopez.The Jose Ramirez-Arnold Barboza fight has been downgraded from a 12-round title eliminator to a 10-rounder. Barboza told @DAZNBoxing that he had no interest in paying @WorldBoxingOrg sanctioning fees, citing the WBO’s refusal to mandate his title shot.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 13, 2024New fight date touted for David Benavidez vs. David Morrell

During Golden Boy Promotions’ live stream for the media workout this week, Barboza explained his decision.

“I haven’t had issues [with the WBO] personally, but in the past four or five fights I have paid sanctioning fees and I haven’t got a title shot. I fought Alex Saucedo, I fought who I had to fight, and I haven’t got a title shot.”

“I hope that I can get a title shot from any organization, but it got to the point where, I mean that is actually money coming out of my pocket for my kids.”

Meanwhile, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has since told Boxing Scene that the fight was ‘never ordered or sanctioned’ as an eliminator in the first place.

As a result, Ramirez and Barboza Jr. will instead meet in a 10-round bout on Saturday night as one of the highlight attractions on the intriguing Ramirez-Billam-Smith card.