The Muhammad Ali Center announced that the museum and cultural center dedicated to the heavyweight legend will be indefinitely closed after a fire damaged some of the grounds in the early morning hours Wednesday.

Founded in 2005 and located in Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, the center contains a trove of artifacts, historical exhibits and interactive engagements – none of which were damaged in the fire, which reportedly originated from the attached parking garage.

“The HVAC system used for the Center was greatly impacted,” the facility said in a statement that was posted to its X social media account. “Additionally, some smoke from the fire entered the building. As a result, the Center will unfortunately be closed to the general public until further notice.”

The Muhammad Ali Center, a six-story, nearly 100,000-square foot structure located in Louisville’s West Main District, is a non-profit facility and organization that was founded by Ali’s wife, Lonnie, and the three-time heavyweight champion.

The center’s stated mission is to “mobilize Muhammad Ali’s legacy to foster respect, inspire generations of changemakers and advance social justice.” It’s unclear how and whether the damage to the facility will affect upcoming events, such as the annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards (scheduled for Nov. 9) and a presentation by Pashtana Durrani, a human rights activist, community development expert and founder of Learn Afghanistan (Nov. 22).

“We are currently developing a plan to fully reopen the Center that can be supported by your donations,” the Muhammad Ali Center noted in its statement.

#MuhammadAliCenter #AliLegacy #AliHumanitarianAwards #LouisvilleKY #AliCenterClosure #BoxingLegend #LonnieAli #PashtanaDurrani #AliSocialJustice #MuseumFire #AliCenterEvents #AliInspiration #LouisvilleFire #AliMuseum #HeavyweightChampion

There was a time when the IBF was, fairly indisputably, the least problematic of boxing’s major alphabet groups. Granted, that statement is 99 per cent backhand, 1 per cent compliment. It’s like celebrating the best abs at the pie-eating contest or the most natural-looking Kardashian.

But, still. It’s something. It’s preferable to the alternative.

After IBF President Bob Lee was found guilty in August 2000 of taking bribes in exchange for rankings, and the sanctioning group was required to operate under the supervision of a court-appointed overseer, its rankings and mandates frequently almost made sense. The IBF ratings and rules occasionally resembled a merit-based system.

And compared to the WBA, which was beginning to double its fees by splitting titles between “super” champions and “regular” champions; the WBC, which had a funny habit of doing whatever might make Don King happy and was nearly sued out of existence for awarding Graciano Rocchigiani a title and then taking it back and claiming his championship status was a typo; and the WBO, which ranked a dead man and then, while he remained dead, elevated him by two spots … well, the IBF was a relative bastion of integrity.

Fast-forward to 2024, though, and we’re forced to ask: Is that court-appointed overseer still available?

The IBF is now a blight on boxing again — even by boxing’s standards and by alphabet body standards.

(By the way, I made a decision as a member of the media some 23 years ago not to reference alphabet groups by name and give them free publicity and hints of legitimacy if I didn’t have to. But I make exceptions when (a) writing a story in which it’s vital to name the sanctioning bodies to explain a situation with clarity and accuracy, or (b) portraying a sanctioning body in a purely negative light. This article checks both of those boxes.)

The IBF’s tendency to turn undeserving boxers into mandatory challengers and to strip legit champions of their belts would be funny if it weren’t so straight-up damaging to the sport.

This Saturday, Daniel Dubois, who lost by KO to Oleksandr Usyk, will step through the ropes at Wembley Stadium and defend a belt Usyk won and never lost. And he’ll defend it against Anthony Joshua, a man Usyk defeated twice. And the IBF will try to tell us Usyk is not the undisputed heavyweight champion.

And this is probably only the third-most offensively asinine decision the IBF has made to screw over a star fighter in the last few months.

Let’s work our way from that bronze medal for stupidity and chicanery up to the gold. Usyk and Tyson Fury gave the boxing world what it demanded and very much needed, a bout to unify all the belts and crown an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. But everyone knew going in that whoever won would not be allowed to keep all the belts. The IBF announced prior to Usyk-Fury that the winner would have to defend against the Dubois-Filip Hrgovic winner, and there was just no way that made any financial sense over an Usyk-Fury rematch or, if Fury had won, a long-awaited Fury-Joshua fight.

So one month after winning the defining fight of his life, Usyk relinquished a belt and called it a “present” to the winner of a fight between two men against whom he is a combined 3-0. He said it with appropriate disdain, bordering on mockery, noting, “Anthony and Daniel, listen. I know the IBF title is important to you.” The implication, obviously, is that it isn’t important to Usyk.

Nor should it be. And the sentient among us will not fall into the trap of calling the Dubois-Joshua winner “heavyweight world champion,” because we already have one of those. But it is no less maddening that the heavyweight division had crystal clear waters after Usyk defeated Fury on May 18 and the IBF couldn’t wait to muddy them.

The silver medal for the IBF giving me IBS goes to what it did to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez — the biggest star in boxing and, like Usyk, an undisputed champ.

While I never support stripping a champion of his title if he remains active in the weight class and hasn’t been suspended for some form of cheating, I could maybe , possibly see a case for stripping Canelo if his mandatory challenger was David Benavidez and Alvarez was blatantly dodging his most dangerous and deserving contender. I still don’t think stripping would be appropriate in that instance. But at least there would be some degree of public support for the officious alphabet interference.

Unfortunately, Benavidez was not Alvarez’s mandatory. No, his mandatory was a Cuban boxer based in Germany named William Scull. A glance at Scull’s record shows he is 22-0 (9 KOs). That’s a fine start. And he does have one relatively substantive win on his resume, a unanimous decision over Evgeny Shvedenko, who was 15-0 at the time. Shvedenko has since gone 1-1-1 including a first-round KO loss, but hey, maybe Scull ruined him.

Anyway, that’s it. That’s all the wins over contender-ish guys on Scull’s resume. And since scoring that victory 26 months ago, he has fought three times. Two of them were eight-rounders and the other was a six-rounder.

And Canelo, the cash cow, the man who had acquired all the super middleweight belts, had to fight this unworthy, unproven, utterly anonymous dude or be stripped of his title. He chose instead to fight an unworthy, unproven, but not anonymous opponent, Edgar Berlanga, in a bout with a fighting chance of not bombing on pay-per-view, and so Canelo no longer has the IBF belt, and instead Scull will, in one month, face Vladimir Shishkin for it. Shishkin vs. Scull is a glorified ShoBox fight for a belt that rightfully belongs to Canelo Alvarez.

But at least Usyk and Alvarez don’t really need their IBF trinkets. They’re lineal champs, sure-shot future Hall of Famers. They’re bigger than the belts. The IBF is just costing itself money by stripping them (or inspiring them to vacate, which is the same thing as stripping).

Jaron “Boots” Ennis is not at that point in his career, only has one belt, and thus will suffer somewhat in terms of marketability and opportunity if he doesn’t have that belt. So the gold medal for IBF inanity goes to its rankings and rules enforcement at welterweight, where Boots must defend against Karen Chukhadzhian or be stripped.

Yep, that Karen Chukhadzhian — the very same Karen Chukhadzhian he shut out over 12 rounds just last year in an unwatchable stinker made so by Chukhadzhian’s refusal to engage. What has Chukhadzhian done since to warrant being the IBF’s No. 1 contender? Well, he beat Michel Marcano. (Who?) Then he topped Pietro Rossetti. (I’m not sure if that’s a boxer or a delicious sparkling wine.) And then he outpointed Harry Scarff. (That’s definitely not a boxer; that’s a sex act that’s illegal on three continents.)

This is appalling. The IBF is mandating a rematch that absolutely nobody desires to see — probably not even Chukhadzhian, given how clearly he didn’t want to be there the first time around — that is a waste of Ennis’ valuable time, but if he doesn’t engage in this absurdity, he loses his only belt. So, after failing to get an exemption by convincing any fellow beltholders to face him in a unification fight, it appears Ennis will indeed waste his time and everyone else’s against a man he already dominated for 36 excruciating minutes.

All because the IBF, an organization whose primary job is to rank fighters, apparently doesn’t have the first clue how to rank fighters.

Scull and Chukhadzhian’s rankings aren’t just a couple of isolated incidents. At cruiserweight, lineal champ Jai Opetaia’s IBF mandatory is Huseyin Cinkara, a 39-year-old from Germany who has beaten a grand total of zero legit contenders but whom Opetaia will eventually be forced to fight or else get stripped. At light heavyweight, Artur Beterbiev’s mandatory is one Michael Eifert, another German fighter who has beaten exactly one opponent you’ve heard of: Jean Pascal. In 2023. When Pascal was 40. 

And the IBF’s nonsensical behavior isn’t limited to the unworthy boxers it elevates and the mismatches it mandates. On Monday, it got weird with a fight on Saturday’s Joshua-Dubois undercard. Anthony Cacace just shocked Joe Cordina for the IBF junior lightweight title four months ago. He chose to make his first defense against Josh Warrington. But Warrington is not his mandatory. His mandatory is due by November 18 even though he just won his belt.

The IBF isn’t standing in the way of Cacace vs. Warrington. But it isn’t allowing it to be a title fight. Even though Cacace and Warrington are engaging in a scheduled 12-rounder with a weight limit of 130 pounds, if Warrington wins, he doesn’t get the IBF belt. But Cacace can still lose the belt. If Warrington wins, the title becomes vacant. Even though it’s a non-title fight.

Make it make sense. I dare you.

On the bright side, at least Cacace is saving himself a sanctioning fee this Saturday.

Look, alphabet groups doing what’s worst for fighters and fans alike is nothing new. It’s precisely why most people who’ve followed the sport for any significant amount of time gravitate toward lineal titles and try their best to ignore the acronyms.

But the sanctioning groups, sadly, after all these years of defiling the sport, still hold some power to dictate which fights do and don’t happen. Usyk and Canelo told the IBF where to shove that power, because those superstar fighters can. Boots, unfortunately, probably won’t end up doing likewise.

It’s high time for another IBF intervention. Even in the days when Bob Lee was talking about “Fuzzy Wuzzy” on secret recordings and people were testifying to buying rankings with envelopes stuffed full of cash, the IBF wasn’t as embarrassing as it is right now. This is an organization that has completely lost its way.

I didn’t think it was possible to make the WBC, WBA, and WBO look good, yet here we are.

To the folks running the IBF: Please do what you do best, and strip yourself of all involvement in the sport of boxing.

#IBFScandal #BoxingRankings #OleksandrUsyk #CaneloAlvarez #JaronEnnis #BoxingNews #BoxingPolitics #DanielDubois #IBFControversy #BoxingFans #HeavyweightChampion #BoxingProblems

Glendale, Ariz. – Jaime Munguia has many choices hovering over him following Friday night’s final bell, but before he gets there, he has to make all the right moves from the first bell on to defeat an aggressive opponent in Erik Bazinyan.

“There’s a lot of things – God willing – that are coming my way, but I’m concentrating 100 percent on right now. That’s the important thing,” Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) told BoxingScene after weighing in at 167.7 pounds while Canada’s Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs) was at 167.9 for the ESPN-televised super-middleweight bout at Desert Diamond Arena.

“I believe in my preparation. I believe in my team. It’s going to be a great fight. I need to concentrate on it, and then we’ll see what comes after.”

Munguia, 27, will need to choose whether he’ll remain with Friday night promoter Top Rank, who are already proposing exciting options for Canelo Alvarez’s recent title challenger, including a homecoming bout in Mexico, or Munguia could opt to return to Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

“There’s a lot of things coming,” said Munguia, and by “things,” he likely means multi-fight financial packages. “We have to see what happens. We’re going to do what’s best for me and my career.”

He seeks an impressive victory over Bazinyan (ranked anywhere from seventh to second by the four sanctioning bodies) to boost his own positions. 

For instance, Munguia is No. 2 in the WBC rankings behind unbeaten Christian Mbilli. Could Munguia leapfrog France’s Mbilli by defeating Bazinyan? Or does he move to a showdown with Mbilli, who’s also promoted by Top Rank, if Alvarez opts not to take his next-in-line mandatory?

Similarly, Munguia can shoot up from No. 5 in the WBO rankings considering Bazinyan, recent loser Edgar Berlanga and Mbilli, are between Munguia and top-ranked (and less-experienced) Diego Pacheco.

“Bazinyan has been bad his last couple of fights,” coming off a draw against little-known Shakeel Phinn in Montreal May 2, “and you’re only as good as your last fight,” Top Rank’s Hall of Fame matchmaker Brad Goodman said.

“Munguia brings a fan-friendly fighting style and he’s improved his boxing with (reunited trainer and Hall of Fame fighter) Erik Morales. He might be a little too aggressive when he fights. He gets hit. But it doesn’t seem to bother him.”

Munguia showed the reasons why another big crowd is expected after he filled Phoenix’s Footprint Center while stopping John Ryder in January and boosted his popularity by giving Alvarez an action bout in May before losing by unanimous decision.

On Friday, Munguia weighed in, flexed his biceps and roared, “Mexico!”

His spiraling popularity also makes him a strong candidate to fight whoever emerges from the IBF 168-pound title fight Oct. 19 in Germany between Cuba’s William Scull and Russia’s Vladimir Shishkin.

“First we have this big fight here,” Munguia said. “We have to win this fight to move forward and then see.

“Truth is, I feel very good – better than ever. It was an excellent weight cut. Now it’s time to rehydrate and recover and move forward.”

The ESPN portion of the card also includes 2021 U.S. Olympic heavyweight medalist Richard Torrez Jr. versus Joey Dawejko and Emiliano Fernando Vargas (11-0, 9 KOs) versus Larry Fryers in a 140-pound bout.

Vargas, 20, was joined by his trainer and former world-champion father, Fernando, at Friday’s weigh-in, and the elder Vargas soaked in the moment, confident that opening the ESPN is likely going to be the start of a special career from another talented Oxnard, Calif., fighter.

“We knew he would get here because he has better discipline than I had as a kid,” Fernando Vargas said. “He has everything necessary to be a world champion.

“He’s going to last a lot longer (than me) because he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t do drugs. He’s a disciplined fighter. The day I started (those vices) was the worst day of my life.”

Weights from Glendale:

Jaime Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) 167.7 pounds vs. Erik Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs) 167.9, super-middleweights

Richard Torrez Jr. (10-0, 10 KOs) 232.6 vs. Joey Dawejko (28-11-4, 16 KOs), 244.1, heavyweights

Emiliano Vargas (11-0, 9 KOs), 139.2 vs. Larry Fryers (13-6-1, 5 KOs), 138.2, junior-welterweights

Charly Suarez (17-0, 9 KOs), 129.4 vs. Jorge Castaneda (17-3, 13 KOs), 129.1, junior-lightweights

Alan Garcia (14-0, 11 KOs), 137.3 vs. Ricardo Fernandez (15-13, 1 KO), 137.2, junior-welterweights

DJ Zamora (13-0, 9 KOs), 130.7 vs. Gerardo Antonio Perez (12-5-1, 3 KOs), 133.2 (overweight), junior-lightweights

Steven Navarro (3-0, 2 KOs), 115.2 vs. Oscar Arroyo (3-2, 2 KOs), 114.4, junior-bantamweights

Jorge Garcia Perez (30-4, 25 KOs) 156.2 vs. Ilias Essaoudi (22-1, 15 KOs), 156.6, junior middleweights

Sebastian Hernandez (16-0, 15 KOs), 120.4 vs. Yonfrez Parejo (24-6-1, 12 KOs), 125.

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.

#JaimeMunguia #ErikBazinyan #MunguiaVsBazinyan #SuperMiddleweight #Boxing #FightNight #TopRank #GoldenBoyPromotions #BoxingNews #CaneloAlvarez #WBC #WBO #ESPNBoxing #BoxingFans #FightHype

Jaime Munguia is promising a new and improved version of himself Friday night when he takes Erik Bazinyan at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona headlining a Top Rank on ESPN card.

The super middleweight contender Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs) is looking to get back in the win column following the first professional loss of his career against fellow Mexican countryman Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in May. 

Munguia is heading into the matchup against the Armenian Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs) by returning to familiar circumstances. 

Munguia has been preparing for his Top Rank promotional debut by reuniting with Hall of Fame fighter turned coach Erik Morales. Munguia took a break from Morales, his head trainer since 2019, late last year due to Morales’ political obligations and linked up with Hall of Fame coach Freddie Roach. 

Munguia looked masterful in their first fight together in January, dropping John Ryder four times en route to a ninth-round stoppage win to earn the Alvarez fight. 

But during his career-defining opportunity, it was Munguia who was dropped. Despite the fourth-round knockdown, Munguia still crossed the finish line. In defeat, the Tijuana, Mexico native realized that training in Hollywood, California at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing gym was not the same as the San Bernardino Mountains of Big Bear two hours away at an altitude of nearly 6,700 feet. 

So Munguia returned to the isolated alpine wilderness to the famed gym he purchased last year from Abel Sanchez, Gennadiy Golovkin’s former trainer. 

“We had to make the changes after the Alvarez fight,” Munguia told BoxingScene through a Spanish interpreter. “I am not happy with the result. I think training in altitude would have helped in that fight … We wanted to return to the altitude, so principally, that was [why I left Roach]. The altitude is an extra advantage during training. Freddie is a great coach and a great person but he really doesn't leave Los Angeles. We wanted to return to the altitude. With Erik Morales, we've meshed really well and we've known each other for five years. We're a great team. Now we are here, and I’m looking forward to another great fight against Bazinyan.” 

Alvarez claimed he carried Munguia to save him from embarrassment, but Munguia has since debunked the myth . After a strong start, Munguia faded and lost the last nine rounds on two of three scorecards, while another judge only gave him one additional round. 

“I always saw Canelo as a strong fighter who prepares really well,” said Munguia. “It was a great fight for the fans, and obviously I'm going to keep learning and adjusting. Every day we work hard, so that if that fight were to happen again, I would get my hand raised.”

Munguia is looking to bounce back against Bazinyan to better position himself for bigger fights at 168 pounds against the likes of Edgar Berlanga, Caleb Plant, Christian Mbilli, and Diego Pacheco. 

“There are a lot of good fights in this division,” said Munguia. “As always, we will look for the knockout against Bazinyan.”

“Bazinyan is an undefeated fighter for a reason. He has a lot of good qualities,” said Munguia. “He’s a great fighter. He's strong and always comes to deliver a great show to the people, which is always what we look for. He's a big man for the division. He manages his distance well and has a good jab, right hand and uppercut. We have to be careful.” 

#JaimeMunguia #ErikMorales #FreddieRoach #MunguiaVsBazinyan #Boxing #TopRank #SuperMiddleweight #CaneloAlvarez #BoxingFans #FightNight #BoxingNews #Knockout #ESPNBoxing #BoxingTraining #BoxingCommunity

Hamzah Sheeraz has cut a reserved figure throughout the fight week build up to his European middleweight title fight with Tyler Denny which takes place at Wembley Stadium this weekend.

Sheeraz, 20-0 (16 KOs) clearly feels comfortable in his position. The 25-year-old established himself as one of the most promising fighters in the world by stopping Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams in June. He has no need to talk loudly at press conferences or push his own agenda; Sheeraz is happy to let his fists do the talking.

“Particularly being a Riyadh Season ambassador, there’s expectations there,” Sheeraz said. “People say, ‘Is it pressure?’ I wouldn’t say it’s pressure. I like having these expectations of me because I turn up, I show up, and I get the knockout.”

As Sheeraz’s status as an ambassador indicates, he has quickly become one of the favourites of Riyadh Season. However, while he brings name value and a lofty world ranking into Saturday’s fight, he will be playing the role of challenger.

Sheeraz will have to walk to the ring first and wait for Denny to make his entrance. The 33-year-old southpaw will relish every second of his ring walk. After a rocky start he has turned his career around and become one of British boxing’s feel-good stories. He looked better than ever when grinding down Felix Cash earlier this year.

Sheeraz was in no mood to heap praise on his rival. Instead, he chose to remind Denny that he has a far more serious challenge on his hands. 

“He does what he’s got to do. He turns up and he beats whoever’s in front of him - as an underdog and what not - but at the end of the day you’ve got to remember that I’m nothing like the last five fighters he’s upset,” he said.

“I go out to L.A and do my thing and if you speak to anyone - Ricky [Funez, his coach], or my team - you’ll understand that I‘m a very, very disciplined man and I understand the mission; what I’ve set out to do and how I want to achieve it. The buck stops with Tyler Denny and I’ve got to get him out of the way. “

Sheeraz is riding a remarkable fourteen-fight knockout streak and has designs on extending it. 

“Yeah, definitely, inshallah. That’s the plan. I’ve worked too hard.”

#HamzahSheeraz #TylerDenny #MiddleweightChampionship #Boxing #KnockoutPower #RiyadhSeason #FightNight #BoxingCommunity #BoxingTraining #Ambassador #DisciplineInBoxing #BritishBoxing #SportsNews #BoxingFans #WembleyStadium

Whilst all eyes are on this weekend’s Wembley showdown between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, one fight has flown under the radar and has now been announced for an unconventional Friday night event in just two weeks’ time, although the possible benefit and consequences of the world title contest are complex.

The middleweight division has been blown wide open over the last couple of years but the man who is attempting to takeover at 160lbs is Janibek Alimkhanuly – who reigns as both IBF and WBO world champion after a knockout win over fellow champion Vincenzo Gualtieri saw him pick up a second belt at the weight.

This July, Alimkhanuly was scheduled to meet with New Zealand’s IBF mandatory challenger Andrei Mikhailovich in a first defence of the unified straps, but the event was cancelled just before their weigh-in after the champion ended up in hospital because of dehydration.

It has now been confirmed that ‘Qazaq style’ will take on his vocal and undefeated rival on the rescheduled date of October 4th and following the announcement a confident Alimkhanuly predicted an early knockout – whilst giving a nod to the heroes of old from his native land, as per The Ring.Janibek Alimkhanuly-Andrei Mikhailovich Set For Oct. 4 In Sydney; IBF Title Only At Stake. Story (and details as to what the hell happened to the WBO title) by @JakeNDaBox: #JanibekMikhailovichhttps://t.co/kD6qT2rb3T

“In the Olympic Games in Sydney, two Kazakh boxers won gold,”

“Bekzat Sattarhanov and Yermakhan Ibraimov inspired many Kazakhs. I grew up with a dream to glorify my country like them and am very happy that I will box in Sydney. I want to show the world my flag in Sydney once again, as our Olympic champions did in 2000.

“The fight with Andrei is very important to me because he is an official contender for my title. He is like a cloud for me now. I must quickly get rid of the cloud to see the sun. Everyone knows and understands that he is easy work for me. I will knock him out very quickly!”Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez To Fight On Undercard In Next Fight As Date And Opponent Confirmed

Similarly, Russian-born but New Zealand raised Mikhailovich hoped to emulate the success of his Kiwi idols.

“I live in the present, but I certainly haven’t forgotten the past,”

“I respect him as the champion, but I know that he doesn’t respect me. It’s why I look forward to taking absolutely everything from him. I will be writing my name into the history books alongside Joseph Parker and Maselino Masoe as a world champion.

“This is my destiny, it’s my everything. I will stop at nothing to make sure the world remembers the name Andrei Mikhailovich.”

However, despite planning on taking ‘absolutely everything’ from Alimkhanuly, Mikhailovich will only be able to become IBF world champion with a victory, after the WBO refused to sanction the bout as a world title contest. Still, Alimkhanuly will lose the WBO strap as well as the IBF belt if the challenger is able to spring the upset, leaving the victor of Tyler Denny (WBO #2) vs. Hamzah Sheeraz (WBO #1) well poised for a crack at a possibly vacant title.

#JanibekAlimkhanuly #AndreiMikhailovich #IBFChampion #MiddleweightTitle #BoxingNews #WBO #SydneyFight #Boxing #Knockout #FightNight #ChampionshipBouts #KazakhstanBoxing #Undercard #BoxingHistory #MiddleweightDivision #WembleyShowdown

Ishmael Davis has had to cram his Riyadh Season experience into six days.

Davis, 13-0 (6 KOs), didn’t have to do hundreds of interviews at the launch press conference. He didn’t get to spend hours in a make-up artist’s chair before shooting a feature film style promotional video and he didn’t get the chance to take part in the obligatory head to head interview with his opponent.

Davies watched all the pre-fight build up at home and then, six days ago, received the call offering him the chance to step in and replace Liam Smith and fight Josh Kelly, 15-1-1 (8 KOs), at middleweight at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.

Davis certainly made up for lost time at Thursday’s press conference.

“I know what I’m about. There’s no bad blood but I hate people talking down about me,” Davis said, aiming his words directly at Kelly. “‘Oh yeah, I’m training for world level.’ When have you been world level? Never. I believe I’m going there so we’re gonna see because you’re in my way.”

Kelly sat calmly and managed to refrain from taking the bait and responding but Davis clearly felt the need to impose himself. The two couldn’t have had more different routes to this point. Kelly was a member of Team GB, competed at the 2016 Olympics, and was built for stardom. Davis, on the other hand, was a father of twin boys at 14, fell into gang life and flitted in and out of prison. He has, however, dedicated himself to the sport and become something of a breakout star, notching up impressive wins over Ewan McKenzie and Troy Williamson at super welterweight this year. 

“Laugh, bro. You’re not cut like me,” the 29-year-old said. “I’m telling you now. I’m fit. I ain’t here for no payday. I’m here because I believe I’m gonna knock you out. You ain’t making it to the twelfth, let me tell you.”

Davis’ rant may have been based on the fact that he has taken umbrage at Kelly’s tone in interviews since he stepped in to replace Smith. But hidden amongst the shouting he did raise one very salient issue which may just point to this being a much tighter affair than some may think.

“I’ve heard Josh Kelly’s interviews; he’s overlooking me. Let me just tell you, his best win is Troy Williamson, who I just beat as well,” he said. 

“Every time you’ve stepped up, you’ve been beat. Ray Robinson, you should have lost. David Avanesyan beat you. I’m the most progressive British boxer. No joke. You’re overlooking me but on Saturday night, you’re gonna be in there with hell.

“I dare you to meet me in the middle of the ring. I know what you’re gonna do: hit, move, hit. But I’m gonna be on you the whole way. You’ve never had it like me. You’re overlooking me. Your trainer knows. You can’t train for me. You’ve been training for Liam Smith but you can’t train for my style.”

#IshmaelDavis, #JoshKelly, #WembleyStadium, #Boxing, #Middleweight, #FightNight, #UKBoxing, #BoxingMatch, #KO, #Undefeated, #BoxingCommunity, #BoxingFans, #RiyadhSeason, #FightPreview, and #BoxingLife. Feel free to mix and match or modify as needed!

Some delayed press conferences are in the end worth waiting for, whereas others have you wondering, “What was the point of that?”

In the case of Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua, who met this evening (September 19) at a press conference in London, we fell more into the latter territory than the former. That said, given the two characters involved, expectations were pretty low to start and all anybody really needed from the press conference was one answer to one particular question.

The question, of course, centred around Don Charles, Dubois’ trainer, who has been conspicuous by his absence all week. All week, too, there have been various rumours floating around, as is boxing’s custom, with Charles’ absence the result of him either nursing the flu or falling out with Dubois’ father and therefore severing ties with the heavyweight he has trained for the past two fights. As always, your view on this situation will depend on what you read and who you believe, but ultimately the only person whose opinion matters is Daniel Dubois.

When asked about Charles this evening, he said, “Listen as long as he’s there in my corner on fight night I’m all right. Everything’s good.”

Nothing more was said after that and, in truth, nothing more needed to be said – about Charles anyway. Even when moving away from the subject of Charles, Dubois had very little to say.

“Everything has gone well,” he said. “Training camp has been brilliant. I am ready to fight. Let’s go.

“It’s a resurrection story, my career, and I’m just on a roll right now. I just want the biggest challenges and to make a name for myself and create history.

“I haven’t got too much to say right now. I’m just ready to go on Saturday. It’s going to be a great show and I can’t wait to go.”

Although in many respects the B-side in this fight, Dubois does bring with him the IBF heavyweight belt. This was a title he won against Filip Hrgovic in June and something he has used to lure Joshua into taking this fight. “I need to maintain it and hold on to it,” said Dubois, referencing the belt. “It’s a great thing to have. But now I need to legitimize myself by winning this fight by any means necessary; knockout, whatever way it comes.”

As for Joshua, he was a bit more open at the top table, but not much. He, too, is itching to go now and, like Dubois, has never given too much away, particularly during fight week.  

“It’s a blessing to be able to perform, prove to myself and prove to my team that I’ve listened to the instructions in training camp,” Joshua said. “We’re ready to rock and roll. I’m in supreme condition both physically and also mentally. Its great to be back (at Wembley) and I’ve been watching some of the old fights just to add some fuel to the fire; reminding myself of what I can do and what I am capable of.”

That, of all the things said in their opening statements, was perhaps the most interesting, if only because it revealed a certain self-awareness and an apparent desire on the part of Joshua to get back to what he does best. Maybe in recent years he has strayed away from what he considers the optimum version of himself and now, against Dubois, someone who will give him plenty of target to hit, the aim is to reawaken whatever bits of him have become dormant.

“I showed Daniel and his whole team the respect they deserve during training camp and that’s going to put me in good stead on Saturday,” said Joshua. “I’m tough, and so is he. May the best man win really.

“When I started boxing, I said I wanted to bring the heavyweight division back to life in the UK, and we’ve done that.”

#DanielDubois #DonCharles #AnthonyJoshua #HeavyweightBoxing #WembleyStadium #BoxingNews #IBFChampion #FightNight #BoxingTraining #BoxingLife #Knockout #BoxingFans #BoxingCommunity #UKBoxing #SportsNews

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It’s not every day that grizzled fight men approach you inside the boxing gym and ask, “How good looking is this kid? He looks like he’s going straight to a magazine cover shoot.’

The subject of that comment was young Emiliano Vargas, 20, who sweated through a media workout last week in Las Vegas for reporters who’d assembled near The Strip to cover Saturday’s Canelo Alvarez fight week.

A 140-pounder, Vargas (11-0, 9 KOs) impressively went through the rigors that included a smooth display of power-punching prowess by hitting mitts with his father.

In noticing who the father is, these first impressions that Vargas is a pretty boy quickly vanish. The father is Fernando Vargas, the tough hombre from Oxnard, Calif., who previously fought Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley.

Young Vargas laughed and shook his head no when asked if his movie-star looks mattered to him.

“Nah,” he answered in revealing his roots. “I’m a dog.”

Vargas returns to the ring Friday night in Glendale, Ariz., when he meets Larry Fryers (13-6-1, 5 KOs) in his second eight-round bout, positioned on the ESPN-televised undercard of recent super-middleweight title contender Jaime Munguia’s main-event return bout from his May 4 defeat to Alvarez.

“The whole world is going to see this – super grateful and super blessed for the opportunity,” Vargas told BoxingScene. “It’s going to be a show. This year, heading into 2025, is going to be a big breakout year. We’re stepping up the rounds, stepping up the opponents … Top Rank has made legends, noy just champions, and I’m young, hungry and I want the world.”

As Ryan Garcia has shown, looking the part matters.

Complementing that with lessons in grit taught by the stubborn father can take Vargas to amazing heights.

Fernando Vargas wasn’t in the mood to elaborate on his son’s talent during the workout, telling a reporter he needed to be somewhere. Maintaining the chippiness that was attached to his career, Vargas also rejected a follow-up request to do a telephone interview.

The elder Vargas can take or leave attention and fame.

What matters is he’s pounded the important principles the sport requires onto his gifted son.

“Just staying in the gym, staying focused, staying busy,” Emiliano Vargas said. “I feel I’m the most active fighter in the Top Rank stable and we’re looking to do two more fights after this one (this year), to finish the year with six fights. If we do five next year – 10 rounders – that’s 50 more rounds under my belt.

“I don’t get paid overtime, though, so we try to get them out of there as soon as we can.”

Vargas maintains a humble, curious demeanor about the sport. After posting a sixth-round knockout at his May 18 fight in San Diego, he exited the ring and went directly to Top Rank matchmaker Brad Goodman and others for a quick reflection over how he fared.

“The people whose opinion I care about are those around my circle,” Vargas said.

“Every time I step in the ring, I want to take the guy’s health away, knowing he’s trying to do the same thing. I know the way anyone I fight can make their name is to knock me out. I picture that, visualize that every night.

#EmilianoVargas #FernandoVargas #Boxing #CaneloAlvarez #JaimeMunguia #Knockout #TopRank #YoungFighters #RisingStar #BoxingTraining #BoxingLife #FightNight #Motivation #Determination #Sports

Erik Morales, a former four-division champion and now an elected representative to Mexico’s national legislature, knows something fundamental about boxing and politics.

You can’t play either. 

In terms of time and commitment, there’s not much difference between the fight for votes and the fight within the ropes.

Morales, Jaime Munguia’s trainer, left boxing for most of last year to run for the State of Baja’s District 07 seat in the Chamber of Deputies, Mexico’s version of Congress. 

He won that one by a reported 65 per cent of the votes, according to Mexican media.

During his days as a fighter known to be as ferocious as any in Mexican history, he won on most of the judges’ scorecards, too.

Now, he’s back in Munguia’s corner for the promising super middleweight’s first bout after his only loss in May to Canelo Álvarez, who has dominated Mexican boxing throughout the 12 years since Morales’ final fight — a knockout loss to Danny Garcia in 2012.

“It is good, good to be back,’’ Morales said though an interpreter this week before Munguia’s comeback date with Canadian Erik Bazinyan Friday night at Desert Diamond Arena in an ESPN-televised bout. “Jaime has been working very well. He looks good. I can see some differences in him. Mostly, I think he has matured."

Munguia, who grew up in Tijuana watching Morales emerge as a Mexican legend in his own right, found himself in good hands after Morales jumped into the political ring. 

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach took over for the next two fights. With Roach as his trainer, Munguia scored an impressive stoppage of John Ryder in late January in downtown Phoenix at Footprint Center, the Phoenix Suns’ home arena.

Munguia showed agile footwork, abundant patience and mostly power. Then tied to Golden Boy Promotions, Munguia stopped the durable Ryder in the ninth round. 

For the 27-year-old Munguia, it was a statement that he had arrived as a player at 168 pounds.

Canelo saw it and decided to fight him in May in a bout that proved to be learning experience for Munguia, who got up from a fourth-round knockdown and wound up losing a decision to the Mexican icon

“I look back at it, and I think I went into the ring more nervous than maybe I should have been,’’ said Munguia, who has since dismissed Canelo’s assertion that he carried him.

Morales agrees.

“Yes, I think he was,’’ Morales said. “But you mature because of that kind of experience.’’

There are questions about whether Munguia was too young for Canelo, now 34.

Had he waited a couple of more years, would a more seasoned Munguia had a better chance against Canelo? Then again, would Canelo have waited for him? Canelo has said he’ll retire when he’s 37. 

“Sometimes, you just have to take the opportunity when it’s there,’’ said Morales, who has watched Munguia fight in Tijuana since he turned pro as a 16-year-old. “It’s the kind of fight you can really learn from.’’

Canelo, himself, might not be the fighter he is today without the scorecard loss he suffered as a 23-year-old to the accomplished Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013.

Now reunited with his boyhood hero, Munguia confronts this fight against Bazinyan (32-0-1, 23 KOs), who is rated among the top 10 in virtually every 168-pound ranking, as a potential first step into his prime.

“Yes, of course,’’ said Munguia (43-1 34 KOs), who has a one-fight deal with Top Rank. “It’s just a great feeling to be back with Erik Morales. I went back to Big Bear (California) to train in the mountains. It feels right.’’

For Morales, it feels like home, a familiar corner and a place to stay.

“Until I run for El Presidente,’’ he joked.

#ErikMorales #JaimeMunguia #Mexico #ErikBazinyan #BoxingNews #Boxing #Prime

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez delivered an impressive display against Edgar Berlanga at the weekend, as he made yet another defence of the super-middleweight throne, despite the increasingly popular opinions that his ability is dwindling. Yet, regardless of whether he is declining in the ring, many argue that he remains as the arguable ‘face of boxing’ commercially and that theory was put to the test as he fought Berlanga at the same time as UFC 306 on a double-booked date in Las Vegas.

Canelo dropped the gigantic 190lb+ Berlanga in the third-round of the contest and the towering Puerto Rican unsuccessfully attempted to impose himself on the champion there after by using his superior size. Although, any glimpses from the challenger were soon nipped in the bud as Canelo dictated the entirety of the contest, deciding when and where the key exchanges would take place and forcing his young rival to fight a Canelo-style fight – clearly to his own benefit.

As a result, the tempo ebbed and flowed to Canelo’s liking as Berlanga danced to the 34-year-old’s tune and, whilst the latter showed moments of promise, they never threatened to be enough to bank the rounds needed to end the reign of the Mexican superstar.

Now that a few days have passed, Sport Business Journal have revealed that Canelo-Berlanga drew around 650,000 pay-per-view sales – a sizeable figure when considering that Berlanga was never given a serious chance during the build-up. Meanwhile, Dana White claimed that the UFC outperformed the event on the gate by an additional $5m, although it is likely that a portion of that can be attributed to the intrigue of the Las Vegas Sphere.

“Canelo Alvarez’s fight Saturday drew a gate of around $17M and about 650,000 PPV unit sales, a source said, as the boxer continues to draw big commercial numbers even when his opponent isn’t a fellow superstar.”

“Some in boxing had questioned Alvarez’s choice of Berlanga as his opponent, but [Tom] Brown (Owner of TGB Promotions) and [Bruce] Binkow (PBC consultant) were effusive in their praise of Berlanga, saying he and his managerial team had done everything they had asked to promote the fight.Reason Why Oleksandr Usyk Was Arrested Revealed

“The $17M gate for Alvarez-Berlanga compares to what UFC said was $22M for its card at the Sphere, meaning combat sports sold nearly $40M in tickets this past weekend in Las Vegas. Brown: “Commercially, it’s probably panned out better than we thought.”

In terms of how well Canelo-Berlanga performed in comparison to the champion’s recent events, the event sold more than Canelo’s previous two PPV clashes against John Ryder (250k) and Jaime Munguia (500k) – with last year’s underwhelming showdown with Jermell Charlo selling similarly to Berlanga.

Canelo has now gone the distance in six straight bouts and will but his performance at the weekend was possibly the best he has looked across those contests. As for Berlanga, the star power of ‘The Chosen One’ has inevitably grown through the Canelo fight, with the previously undefeated 27-year-old earning respect for the heart and will that he showed despite the one-sided loss.

#CaneloAlvarez #EdgarBerlanga #CaneloBerlanga #boxing #boxingnews #PPV #UFC

Josh Kelly likes to feel settled. He is not alone in wanting this feeling, of course, but on account of his career choice, finding this feeling is for Kelly more difficult than it is for most. In boxing, after all, the feeling of being surprised or even upended comes with the territory. It is why so many watch two people throw punches and fight. It is also why a fight, where everything is so wonderfully un settled, remains such a compelling and unpredictable spectacle until the ring clears.

When I first interviewed Josh Kelly in 2018, he was 24 years of age and 5-0 as a pro. We met at Adam Booth’s gym in Merstham and within minutes of us meeting he had labelled himself “the deepest thinker in the world”. Like most deep thinkers, Kelly said this with not an ounce of pride or self-importance. Instead, he almost winced as he said it, as if wishing he had been built some other way, given some other brain. He then explained to me that before a routine sixth-round stoppage of Jean Hamilcaro he had become obsessed with his opponent’s jab; obsessed to such a degree that he found himself watching it repeatedly on video, often while eating dinner or interrupting his fiancée’s favorite television programme. The scene, which he acted out for me, went something like this:

“Can he beat me?” Kelly would ask his fiancée. “He can’t, can he?” In need of a second opinion, he would then position his laptop closer to her. “Watch that jab. Go on, watch it.” He would now hit rewind on the video and together they watched the journeyman throw his jab, over and over again. “Look at that jab. That’s the slowest jab I’ve ever seen.”

“Josh,” his fiancée would say, “just eat your dinner.”

“He’s going to get torched off that jab. If he throws that jab, I swear to God…”

As expected, Kelly had no problem both negating Hamilcaro’s jab and getting him out there. But that is hardly the point, is it? The point, in fact, is if anything strengthened by the ease with which Kelly eventually stopped a man he had spent far too much time worrying about. The point is this: Kelly, the Kelly of old, saw danger at every turn. 

“He’s a worrier who becomes a warrior,” Booth said to me that day in Merstham. “A worrying warrior. He is fascinating. His weird thing is his sensitivity. He’s not a narcissist like some. I don’t think his challenges are in a fighting sense. I think it’s more to do with how well-suited his character is to this sport and this business.”

To remove any ambiguity Booth then explained this concern to Kelly. He said, “Because you have this ability to have such a high IQ in what you do (boxing), your brain is working at a level the average person can’t match. The normal brain function is this: eat dinner, watch a bit of telly, relax, brush my teeth, go to bed. But yours is different, and you need time to recover so it can act like that again.

“The way that will manifest is you will start to doubt everything because you’ll be looking for the reason in everything. When you feel like that, do one thing: don’t try and understand or think about anything. Just batten down the hatches, slow yourself down, and watch some TV. Don’t question anything, because in that state you won’t find answers. Eventually, you’ll be back where you want to be.”

Kelly, at last, felt understood, seen. He was not hearing from his coach anything he didn’t already know about himself, but it was encouraging all the same to understand why every situation and opponent seemed bigger and scarier to him than everyone else. 

“From the outside,” Kelly said, “you look at me and think I’m a show off or a certain kind of character. But I’ve got a split personality in the ring. When I’m warming up, I get this cocky thing about us. But when I go home, I’m just chilled. I’m the deepest thinker in the world. It can be a good thing or a bad thing. You can be good at analysing boxers and figuring them out quite quickly, which is good, but you can overthink things.

“Luckily, Adam knows me better than I know myself. Within a month he knew everything. He knew what I was thinking.”

To have someone know what you are thinking can offer a degree of comfort, absolutely. Yet still it is not nearly enough to stop the tendencies of those who overthink. Indeed, the single loss of Kelly’s career to date – a sixth-round stoppage at the hands of David Avanesyan – came as a result of not only his opponent’s ferocity but also Kelly’s own habit of overthinking and worrying unduly. Before that fight, you see, Kelly, having withdrawn from a previous date with Avanesyan, became convinced he was going to fall ill a second time and receive another wave of vitriol. So great was this fear, in fact, he soon became a “borderline hypochondriac”, gorging on Lemsip throughout training camp as though his survival depended on it. He even had antibiotics prescribed to him by a private doctor, despite having no reason other than fear to take them. “It was no good for me,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep and I was convinced I was getting ill. I thought, This is happening again .

“On fight week, I’m not exaggerating, I must have got, from the Monday to the Saturday, 13 hours sleep in total,” Kelly added. “I was just not sleeping. I was up thinking, What’s happening here? What’s happening here ? I couldn’t stop my mind no matter how much I tried. I couldn’t put my mind to sleep. It was just racing, racing, racing, racing. I was in a bad way. But I thought, I have to fight. I can’t not fight .”

Kelly did in the end fight, though perhaps not to the best of his ability, nor ideally how he would have wanted to fight if in the right frame of mind. He also suffered his first defeat as a pro, the trigger for a 16-month period of soul-searching and a switch – not of coach, or training team, but mindset. 

“Gradually, I have lifted a lot of pressure off my own shoulders,” he said. “I love boxing and when I’m in there doing it, I enjoy it so much. I’ve just got to enjoy it and not put pressure on myself – because what will be will be.

“As I’m becoming more mature, I’m starting to realise what really counts, and how much attention I spend on certain things, and what thoughts come to mind, and how much attention I give them. Because it’s not our choice, the thoughts that come into our mind. How much attention you give them, that’s our choice.

“So, I’m sort of riding free at the moment. I’m not letting anything on the outside affect me.”

What helped Kelly during those 16 months was the relationship he built with Steven Green, a mindset coach who, Kelly said, “brought us right down – right down to when I was a kid – and then built me back up again.” He described Green as the “missing piece in the puzzle” and claimed that he was no longer worried about anything, either in the ring or elsewhere. 

This is easy to say, of course, when you are as talented and as physically gifted as Kelly. He has also been aided in the quest to rediscover his self-belief by some of his opponents of late. The likes of Peter Kramer, Lucas Bastida, Gabriel Corzo and Placido Ramirez, for example, are not the kind to reawaken any trauma in Kelly or have him doubt himself at a time when he has only started to settle down and believe. They were instead the kind of faceless opponents a boxer prone to overthinking would choose if given the luxury.

Troy Williamson, on the other hand, the man Kelly beat in 2022 to take the British super-welterweight title, was a different proposition altogether. He, unlike the others, carried with him a belt, no small amount of ambition and, moreover, was a local rival of Kelly’s, meaning he spoke the same language and could use this language to get under Kelly’s skin. That Williamson ultimately failed to do so is a testament to Kelly’s progress and his maturation, with that 12-round thrashing of Williamson the finest performance of Kelly’s career to date. 

Next for Kelly, on Saturday (September 21), is Ishmael Davis, 13-0 (6), a Yorkshireman who outpointed Troy Williamson in his last fight. It was of course meant to be Liam Smith for Kelly at Wembley only Smith pulled out last week, creating a period of uncertainty and leaving Kelly, 15-1-1 (8), in need of a replacement. It is now in this switch of opponents much of the fight’s intrigue can be found. After all, for a boxer who loves nothing more than to be settled, surely the worst possible thing to have to endure is a switch in plans leading to a switch in opponent and style. Suddenly, having for weeks on end been preparing for one face and one body, now you must encounter – first in your mind, then in the ring – a different one altogether. This is a testing situation for even the most malleable and carefree of fighters, yet for a fighter like Kelly, someone whose confidence has historically been a result of knowing where everything is, an impromptu ambushing could be as much a threat as the opponent itself. 

That remains to be seen. For now, though, we can be sure of two things. We can be sure, for one, that a short-notice replacement is a more interesting development here, in this fight, than it ordinarily would be, when often deflation is the overriding feeling. And we can also be sure that Josh Kelly, a man who has in recent times learned to care a little less, has never been better prepared for change and unrest than he is right now.

#JoshKelly #IshmaelDavies #JoshuaDubois #boxing #boxingnews #LiamSmith

Anthony Joshua’s adult life, as he’s gone from petty criminal to amateur standout to Olympic gold medalist to professional king to ex-champ, and now to rejuvenated contender, says plenty about the levels of determination and dedication that lies within. Throughout the transitions, which thus far span 15 years, the man from Watford, England, has secured his financial future, become a crossover celebrity and sponsorship magnet, yet there is little evidence that Joshua is ready to call it a day.

On Saturday night the British superstar will headline Wembley Stadium for the third time in his career as a markedly wiser boxer than the one who appeared at the same venue for the first time in April 2017. Back then, though IBF champion, his experience at the top level was dwarfed by that of his opponent, Wladimir Klitschko. It was a fight and experience that we can now retrospectively identify as being a pivotal moment and, seven and a bit years later, he’s the comparative veteran alongside the rising Daniel Dubois.

However, though boxers do change and develop, certain fallibilities are all but impossible to kick and old weaknesses can never truly be eradicated. Here, in chronological order, are the five most revealing events from the professional career of Anthony Joshua. 

1. Clocked by Dillian Whyte 

One of those so-called grudge matches had been brewing between Joshua and Whyte since the latter had gotten the better of the former in an old 2009 amateur affair. They came together as professionals in December 2015, at London’s O2 Arena, with Whyte boasting a 16-0 (13 KOs) record and the favored and hyped Joshua, while amassing a spotless 14-0 ledger, had only once got as far as the third round. 

Joshua was determined to put on a show and looked only a few punches away from halting his rival early as Whyte felt their force in the opening round. As the frame ended, neither fighter held back, punches were exchanged after the bell as the entourages of both ended up in the ring, and the fighters had to be prised apart.

With battleplans forsaken in the name of bragging rights, Joshua opened the second with destruction at the forefront of his mind. While on the attack, carelessly and cockily, he was clocked by a counter left hook, his legs jerking and jiving beneath him. For several moments it looked like Joshua was ready to go and, though Whyte couldn’t quite find the blows to finish off his wounded foe, the sight of the Olympic champion tottering around the ring birthed concerns about his chin that remain today. 

By the fifth, Joshua had regained control and he won thanks to a brutal uppercut in the seventh. His susceptibility to heavy blows was clear, but his ability to land even weightier ones meant he came through his first genuine test. 

2. The Great Klitschko War

Though Joshua had graduated to IBF belt-holder, thrashing Charles Martin then defending twice against Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina, the step up to former king Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017 was a significant one. A sold-out Wembley Stadium was a nod to Joshua’s incredible appeal yet not even those paying top whack for ringside seats could have expected the thriller they would witness. 

Klitschko, who enjoyed playing the wise old master in the build-up, held his own until he was bundled to the mat early in the fifth. Joshua, while showcasing his lack of experience, roared in celebration – using up valuable reserves in the process – before an unhurt Klitschko regained his footing and turned the fight on its head. By the end of the session, a visibly exhausted Joshua was under fire and on the canvas in the sixth when his legs collapsed after he was jackpotted with every ounce of Klitschko’s considerable might. 

That Joshua not only got up, but also survived the resultant storm, was arguably every bit as revealing as the events that led to his fall. By the ninth, Joshua was back in it and bullishly went for the finish in the 11 th . A supreme uppercut from the Briton triggered the end, two Klitschko falls followed, before the veteran was rescued on the ropes. 

Joshua still references the hell he endured in this unforgettable contest as a place he never wants to revisit.

3. Andy Ruiz Jr. rivalry

Joshua was markedly more reserved after the Klitschko slugfest when stopping Carlos Takam late, out-prodding Joseph Parker and halting a fading Alexander Povetkin. Yet nobody foresaw the impending disaster that occurred against Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019 inside New York’s Madison Square Garden.

As is often the case with upsets, however, the clues were everywhere. Joshua seemed distracted throughout fight week as he answered questions about Deontay Wilder, appeared to be nursing a bruise under his eye and even let the unfancied Ruiz – not the most imposing physical specimen Joshua had encountered – borrow his belts for photos at the final pre-fight presser. 
 

Joshua scored a knockdown in round three, again dispensed with the required care and attention and found himself floored twice in the same session. It was all over halfway through the seventh as Joshua failed to respond to the referee’s instructions after two more trips to the mat.

To his credit, Joshua demanded an immediate return. It took place in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, six months later. The former champion, showing restraint and improved versatility, boxed perfectly to dominate Ruiz, winning a lopsided decision after 12 rounds. However, Ruiz spilling his blancmange belly all over his shorts as he removed his gown at the start remains the most memorable sight of the evening.

4. The Oleksandr Usyk effect

When it became clear that a showdown with Tyson Fury would have to be shelved, Joshua opted to fill his diary with the most dangerous of mandatories, Oleksandr Usyk. That desire to fight the best is a trait for which he deserves praise. 

The former cruiserweight king challenged Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September 2021 and though the heavyweight titlist was the favorite, it was clear in the early going that his plans to outbox the cultured southpaw was a mixture of poor planning and an overestimation of his own skillset. Joshua, clearly the bigger man, had his moments but was all at sea in the last round, clinging on to hear the decision rightly go against him.

Joshua, again, opted for a quick sequel to put wrongs right. It took place 11 months later, in Jeddah, and though the former champion put forth an admirable effort, one better than in London, Usyk was again clearly the superior fighter. After losing on the cards, Joshua – in a moment of concussed frustration – dumped the belts out of the ring and unleashed a rambling speech as he struggled to come to terms with another convincing defeat.

The restoration job

Let’s not forget how easy it would have been for Joshua to walk away after losing twice to Usyk. But 2023-24 was when Joshua, while juggling different teachers, decided to go back to school. After failing to impress against Jermaine Franklin in a forgettable 12-rounder, he put Robert Helenius to sleep in seven rounds then bludgeoned Otto Wallin in five. In March this year he exposed the credentials of Francis Ngannou, fresh off giving Tyson Fury a scare in a 10-rounder, with sickening ease.

The old swagger has returned and though his shortcomings are unlikely to have disappeared, it’s worth noting that his incredible will to win, alongside his exceptional strength, has seen him beat all but one opponent he’s shared a ring with. His power remains one of the most formidable weapons in the entire sport and that might well prove more revealing than any trouble he’s encountered.

#AnthonyJoshua #OleksandrUsyk #AndyRuizJr #DillianWhyte #WladimirKlitschko #boxing #boxingnews #heavyweights

Daniel Dubois is preparing to take on Anthony Joshua in the biggest fight of his life, hoping to make a first defence of his heavyweight crown, topple a giant of British boxing and in doing so prove himself to be worthy of his world championship status. However, concern developed on social media after whispers that head trainer Don Charles had been sacked, and now Dubois’ team has addressed those rumours.

‘Triple D’ appointed Don Charles as his lead cornerman but gave him a tough first assignment as he unsuccessfully challenged Oleksandr Usyk for the unified heavyweight world titles in Poland but gave a good account of himself until being stopped in the ninth-round.

Since then, Dubois has fought twice and has impressed on both occasions as he silenced those doubting his heart by fighting through the fire and trumping both Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in back-to-back career best knockout victories. Those performances have convinced the boxing universe that Dubois truly is one of the main players in the heavyweight division but whether he has the quality to mount a solid reign as a champion remains to be seen.

This weekend’s showdown with a resurgent Anthony Joshua will provide the 27-year-old with the perfect acid test but during the fight week thus far, Don Charles has been absent – leading to doubts as to whether he remains as a part of Dubois’ team.

Those murmurs then snowballed into genuine concern for Dubois when boxing media personality Spencer Fearon told that Dubois’ father has had a fall out with Charles and previously planned on removing the trainer from his son’s corner after suffering defeat to Usyk.🤬 Spencer Fearon 𝙂𝙊𝙀𝙎 𝙄𝙉 on the reported situation between Don Charles and Daniel Dubois.

“We haven’t seen Don Charles all week. You know why? Because I know that there has been some rift between Don Charles and the dad. Daniel Dubois is actually a lovely kid, but his dad is a scumbag, I have said it and I am not even telling it!”Anthony Joshua Responds After Tyson Fury Predicts That Daniel Dubois Will Beat Him

“No worker of inequity can get victory over Anthony Joshua! Daniel Dubois is a lovely kid, but his father? Nah, bro! You are not real, you are a fake. When Usyk beat your son, I begged for Don Charles not to lose his job. I begged for him.”

Yet, following Fearon’s comments, the situation was Charles was soon cleared up as Daily Star journalist Chris McKenna told social media that Charles has not been in attendance at fight week because of an illness and confirmed that the 62-year-old would indeed be by Dubois’ side this weekend.Don Charles has a flu/cold and has stayed away from media events this week. He won't be at press conference or weigh-in. But he will be in Daniel Dubois' corner this weekend

— Chris McKenna (@cmckennasport) September 19, 2024

“Don Charles has a flu/cold and has stayed away from media events this week. He won’t be at press conference or weigh-in but he will be in Daniel Dubois’ corner this weekend.”

Dubois and Anthony Joshua will headline a record-breaking event at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night, topping a bill that features a host of British talent.

#DonCharles #DanielDubois #AnthonyJoshua #Boxingnews

Roy Jones disciple Mandeep “MJ” Jangra has his 11 th pro fight tonight – his eight with Jones as his trainer – when he meets Nilo Guerrero for the vacant National Boxing Association (NBA) junior lightweight title. 

The 10-rounder is the main event  on the  Roy Jones Jr. Boxing  promoted card  on Thursday, September 19, at Legends Casino Hotel in Toppenish, Washington.

Jangra, 10-0 (7 KOs), was born and raised in India, and now trains at the Roy Jones Jr. training camp, on Roy’s farm, in Pensacola, Florida following an amateur career which included silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

“This is a great opportunity for me, and I am blessed to be here. I have always dreamed about becoming a world champion,” said Jangra. “I want to be an inspiration for the next generation of Indian boxers. They can learn from my hard work and dedication. India is an upcoming powerhouse for professional boxing. 

“Roy is a great mentor. I am so blessed that he gave me chance to work with him.”

Guerrero, also undefeated at 9-0 (7 KOs), was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua and now resides in Coachella, California. He debuted in 2021, fought his first six fights in Nicaragua and his last three in the USA.

“I’m happy to have this opportunity and I’m motivated for this fight,” Guerrero said. “My opponent is an excellent fighter and I know this will be a war. We are both fighting to stay undefeated. but I will do my job and get that victory no matter what. I know it will be the best fight of the night. In my mind, the objective is to come out on top, either by decision, TKO or KO.”

Also on the bill, Dominique “Lil Jalapeño” Roundtree (9-0, 6 KOs) from Augusta, Georgia, also trained by Jones, faces Mexican Roberto Canto (4-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round featherweight bout.

In a six-round bout at a catchweight of 151lbs, Keon “TheChosen1” Papillion. (9-0-1, 6 KOs) from Lafayette, Louisiana meets Duluth, Minnesota’s Rondale Hubbert (16-32, 10 KOs).

Keon is the son of two-time world title challenger Jason Pappilion. Jason, who trains Keon at his gym in Lafayette, had fought the likes of Keith Homes, Winky Wright, Kassim Ouma and Bronco McCart, while also being Roy Jones main sparring partner.

“It’s going to be a great card on Thursday at Legends Casino Hotel,” said Jones. “I have these three great guys on the card, two great prospects and the third fighting for a world [NBA] title. I love having them on this card. Roundtree, who many people have not seen, is a very interesting guy. Papillion is also an up and comer and of course the ever-loving Mandeep Jangra. Jangra always brings the action and he’ll be fighting for a world title which is very exciting for me.”

10 Rounds – junior lightweight

Mandeep “MJ” Jangra, 129.7 lbs. NBA Americas Champion, Kharian, India, 10-0, 7 KOs

Nilo Guererro, 129.7 lbs., Coachella, CA via Managua, NIC, 9-0, 7 KOs             

6 Rounds – junior middleweight - 151 lbs Limit

Keon “TheChosen1” Papillion, 150 lbs. NBA Cont. Welter Champion, Lafayette, LA, 9-0-1, 6 KOs

Rondale Hubbert, 150 lbs. Duluth, MN, 16-32, 10 KOs, 

6 Rounds – featherweight - 126 Lbs. Limit

Dominique “Lil Jalapeño” Roundtree, 126 lbs, Augusta, GA, 9-0, 6 KOs 

Roberto Cantu, 124.4 lbs.  Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico,  4-3, 3 KOs

4 Rounds – welterweight – 147 lbs.

Quinn McKenna, 144 lbs. Chicago, IL, Pro Debut

Margarito Hernandez, 145.6 lbs. Wapato, Washington, 3-8-2

4 Rounds – junior featherweight - 125 lbs Limit

Nelson Guererro, 127 lbs. Coachella CA. via Managua, NIC, 2-0, 2 KOs

Lavelle Whittington, 126.9 lbs. Chicago, IL, 2-2, 1 KO

Former welterweight titleholder Shawn Porter was unimpressed with Rolando “Rolly” Romero’s performance against Manuel Jaimes last Saturday.

Romero, a 28-year-old junior welterweight from Las Vegas, returned to winning ways in a unanimous decision victory over Jaimes, 24, of San Jose, on the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga undercard at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Although all three judges scored the bout 99-91 in favor of Romero (16-2, 13 KOs), Porter thinks the fighter failed to do anything significant against Jaimes. 

“I can say he underperformed,” said Porter on his “The PorterWay” podcast. “It seems like he didn't know how to set it. He doesn't know how to set up the things he used to be doing.”

Romero, a former 140-pound titleholder, was returning to the ring for the first time since losing his title to Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz six months ago. The fight with Jaimes was expected to build Romero’s confidence back up, and Porter had anticipated Romero maintaining his status as one of the best at 140.

“I knew it was coming in,” Porter said. “I was like, this is a perfect opponent for Rolly to show off and get back to being that one-hitter-quitter kind of guy. That, to me, is what he needed to stay at that top, elite level.

“His name and the fact that people are still looking forward to seeing him in press conferences and in big fights and stuff like that are going to keep him where he's at.”

Porter said he’s worried about Romero losing his spot at the top of the sport if he continues to produce such underwhelming performances. 

“Another fight like this, where it's pretty dry, you're not landing anything big and you're bouncing so far, the way that you won't let anybody else land anything … boxing ain't going to take too many more of those.”

Porter advised Romero to stick with respected Cuban trainer Ismael Salas to transform his talent. He believes Salas can help Romero improve on his technical abilities.

“If I had advice for Rolly today, I would say keep working with Salas and believe in what he's teaching you,” Porter said. “He's teaching you the fundamentals, how to add 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. How to do that fast math that we have to do in fights. And trust it, believe in it, and then take that.”

#ShawnPorter #RollyRomero #RolandoRomero #Boxingnews #ThePorterWayPodcast #IsaacCruz #CaneloAlvarez #EdgarBerlanga #IshmaelSalas #ManuelJaimes

Roy Jones disciple Mandeep “MJ” Jangra has his 11 th pro fight tonight – his eight with Jones as his trainer – when he meets Nilo Guerrero for the vacant National Boxing Association (NBA) junior lightweight title. 

The 10-rounder is the main event  on the  Roy Jones Jr. Boxing  promoted card  on Thursday, September 19, at Legends Casino Hotel in Toppenish, Washington.

Jangra, 10-0 (7 KOs), was born and raised in India, and now trains at the Roy Jones Jr. training camp, on Roy’s farm, in Pensacola, Florida following an amateur career which included silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

“This is a great opportunity for me, and I am blessed to be here. I have always dreamed about becoming a world champion,” said Jangra. “I want to be an inspiration for the next generation of Indian boxers. They can learn from my hard work and dedication. India is an upcoming powerhouse for professional boxing. 

“Roy is a great mentor. I am so blessed that he gave me chance to work with him.”

Guerrero, also undefeated at 9-0 (7 KOs), was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua and now resides in Coachella, California. He debuted in 2021, fought his first six fights in Nicaragua and his last three in the USA.

“I’m happy to have this opportunity and I’m motivated for this fight,” Guerrero said. “My opponent is an excellent fighter and I know this will be a war. We are both fighting to stay undefeated. but I will do my job and get that victory no matter what. I know it will be the best fight of the night. In my mind, the objective is to come out on top, either by decision, TKO or KO.”

Also on the bill, Dominique “Lil Jalapeño” Roundtree (9-0, 6 KOs) from Augusta, Georgia, also trained by Jones, faces Mexican Roberto Canto (4-3, 3 KOs) in a six-round featherweight bout.

In a six-round bout at a catchweight of 151lbs, Keon “TheChosen1” Papillion. (9-0-1, 6 KOs) from Lafayette, Louisiana meets Duluth, Minnesota’s Rondale Hubbert (16-32, 10 KOs).

Keon is the son of two-time world title challenger Jason Pappilion. Jason, who trains Keon at his gym in Lafayette, had fought the likes of Keith Homes, Winky Wright, Kassim Ouma and Bronco McCart, while also being Roy Jones main sparring partner.

“It’s going to be a great card on Thursday at Legends Casino Hotel,” said Jones. “I have these three great guys on the card, two great prospects and the third fighting for a world [NBA] title. I love having them on this card. Roundtree, who many people have not seen, is a very interesting guy. Papillion is also an up and comer and of course the ever-loving Mandeep Jangra. Jangra always brings the action and he’ll be fighting for a world title which is very exciting for me.”

#MandeepJangra #RoyJones #NiloGuerrero #Boxing #NBA #TitleFight #Undefeated #IndianBoxing #RoyJonesJr #BoxingPromoter #Sports #FightNight #Prospects #BoxingTraining #LegendsCasino

Daniel Dubois’ trainer Don Charles has been absent from fight week proceedings due to a cold and it is uncertain if he will be in the corner on fight night.

Dubois is heading into the biggest fight of his career to date, against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night, and might be doing so without his head trainer.

Speculation that there had been a rift in Dubois’ camp started earlier this week when Charles was absent from the team meetings and the open workout on Wednesday.

There were rumors that Dubois and Charles had gone their separate ways due to the introduction of Kieran Farrell – who had been added in recent months for his padwork – into the camp.

However, Team Dubois has confirmed that Charles’ absence is due to a cold, and they’re taking no chances to avoid spreading the illness this close to fight night. With uncertainty around whether Charles will be in Dubois' corner at Wembley Stadium, all eyes are on how this will affect the young fighter's preparation.

#DanielDubois #DonCharles #JoshuaDubois #AnthonyJoshua #training #coach #boxing #boxingfans #fightfans #fightnews #sports

Former heavyweight LaRon Mitchell, an Olympic alternate in the 2012 heavyweight division, experienced the fight game firsthand. Although he never faced the likes of Anthony Joshua or Daniel Dubois, he is well-equipped to assess their skills. Mitchell, who retired in 2018 with a professional record of 16-2 (14 KOs), sparred with top fighters, including Deontay Wilder.

Joshua will face Dubois for the latter’s IBF heavyweight title on Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.

Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs), entering as the challenger, remains one of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing. The 34-year-old, a two-time unified champion and a 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the super heavyweight division, has seen his losses to Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk (twice) overshadow his recent achievements. He is currently on a four-fight win streak, including a knockout victory over MMA-fighter-turned-boxer Francis Ngannou in March.

Mitchell believes Joshua is peaking at the right time.

“He’s in his prime right now,” Mitchell said. “It’s clear from how he looked in his past couple of fights, and his confidence is up. But Usyk is a monster.”

Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), after being stopped in August 2023, bounced back with two technical knockout wins, defeating Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and Filip Hrgovic. His win over Hrgovic earned him the interim IBF title, and he has since been elevated to full titleholder status.

Mitchell has noticed significant improvements in Dubois.

“Growth and confidence,” Mitchell said. “For him to beat Jarrell Miller the way he did, especially after how Miller looked against Andy Ruiz, really raised my thoughts on Dubois. He’s confident and strong. If the ref let that fight go, he would have knocked Miller out cold.”

As for the Joshua-Dubois matchup, Mitchell believes Joshua’s strategy will be key.

“Joshua can win a very strategic fight,” Mitchell said. “He showed that with Ruiz, in their second fight, and Jermaine Franklin. Joshua had to be smart in those bouts, and while he tried to box Usyk, you can't outbox Usyk. I see him doing that with Dubois – it's just a matter of finding that right hand, which is his best weapon right now."

Looking ahead, Mitchell sees another potential matchup on the horizon.

“Joshua and Tyson Fury would be a really good fight right now,” Mitchell said.

#LaRonMitchell #Olympics #DanielDubois #AnthonyJoshua #JoshuaDubois #heavyweight

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois are all of the talk in the United Kingdom right now as the two Britons prepare to descend upon Wembley Stadium for a third all-British heavyweight title affair in as many years. Now, one of the country’s most accomplished fighters has named what he believes will be the difference maker as former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis looked ahead to the weekend’s action.

As Daniel Dubois has risen through the levels, he has had to prove that he is more than just a devastating puncher and that he has both the ability and heart of a true world champion. Whilst many have slandered the IBF’s decision to upgrade ‘Triple D’ from interim champion to world champion, few can argue that he has shown as much spirit and determination as any fighter when stopping both Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, following criticism that Dubois lacked the grit to ever achieve world honours.
 

Now Dubois will appear on the biggest possible stage – a record-breaking clash against Britain’s long-standing poster boy – and the defending champion will be made to prove his worth once again.

Speaking with , Lennox Lewis declared that this fight is Dubois’ opportunity to finally earn the respect of the British public that he so craves.

“I think that this is a fight where he [Joshua] can actually put things together and it is a good test for him because Daniel Dubois has been on the outside for a while, and he wants to be at the top. He realises that Anthony Joshua has got that [respect] right now, Tyson Fury has got that right now, so he wants the people to be talking about him as well. In order for people to be talking about him, he has got to do the work and go in there, impress people, and win the fight.”
 

However, defeating a resurgent Anthony Joshua will be no easy feat for Dubois and the challenger will understandably step through the ropes as the favourite with the bookmakers, considering Dubois’ lack of head movement against Hrgovic and AJ’s recent knockout of the year contender against Francis Ngannou.Teofimo Lopez Confirms That He Is Working With A New Trainer “I’m Just Warming Up.”

In order to upset the odds, Lewis went on to claim that the winner of this meeting will be the man who is able to establish his jab, a philosophy that carried Lewis to tremendous success throughout his fruitful career.

“The person that secures his jab in the fight will win the fight because every great heavyweight had a great jab.”

Joshua-Dubois will take place on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium, topping a bill that features a number of 50/50 affairs that are likely to have world title implications for a host of British fighters across a variety of weight-classes, as Hamzah Sheeraz, Joshua Buatsi and Mark Chamberlain hope to edge closer to their own shots at world honours.

#JoshuaDubois #LennoxLewis #Heavyweights #boxing #boxingnews #boxingfans #AnthonyJoshua #DanielDubois