Francis Ngannou has made a name for himself in two different sports.

The Cameroon fighter has main evented cards in both the MMA and boxing world.

A former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion, Ngannou is now signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

When he first made the transition from the UFC to boxing, many thought it was just a quick cash grab.

Whether that was the case or not, he put up a highly commendable performance against Tyson Fury – a fight that many thought the MMA star won.

Unfortunately, a dismantling by Anthony Joshua has put paid to his boxing career.

But for a while, he was being touted as a potential threat to the boxing heavyweight scene.

One of the factors that seemingly aided the career change of Francis Ngannou was due to money.

Boxing has become flush with cash since the interception of Saudi in the sport and, with both of Ngannou’s fights in being held in Saudi, it’s assumed that he made a lot of money to leave the UFC for those fights.

UFC CEO and president Dana White has responded to those claims and has stated that they’re not true.

Speaking to the press after the season premiere of Dana White’s Contender Series, White answered a question from an interviewer asking why he didn’t mention at the time that Ngannou would have made more fighting Jon Jones than going into boxing.

In a rather prickly response, White claims that he didn’t care enough about it at the time but it’s a fact.

This followed a video released by MMA reporter Kevin Iole in which White doubles down on the fact that Francis Ngannou would have made more in the UFC than boxing.

“That’s not necessarily true,” White said.Major opponent lined up for Nick Ball under one condition

“That’s the bulls*** publicly that people believe, but that’s not the truth. Total bulls***. Total bulls***.

“That’s that whole myth that makes everybody go, ‘Oh, let’s f*cking go to boxing!’ and all this bullshit.

“Boxing don’t work. Boxing does not work.

“What makes it work? You need a Saudi f*cking trillionaire to make f*cking fights.

“And even Saudi trillionaires get tired of the f*cking bullshit.

“It’s all a f*cking myth. It’s all a myth.

“Like the whole statement you just made is absolutely positively not true.

“It’s those types of f*cking statements and those type of quotes by the media that makes all this shit.

“All these fights are happening, it takes a Saudi f*cking trillionaire.

“Every f*cking guy that tries to do the boxing thing, they all end up losing shit-loads of f*cking money.

“The model doesn’t work.

“A Saudi unlimited amount of money pops up and that’s what makes these fights happen, and even guys with that kind of money get f*cking tired of the bullshit.”

Clearly, Dana White does not hold back on this.

Whether his claims are true or not, it seems that Francis Ngannou is content with his decision to move away from the UFC.

With a new start in the PFL, Ngannou seems to have found another space to fight that is not under the umbrella of White’s organisation.

#FrancisNgannou #DanaWhite #UFC #PFL #Boxing #TysonFury #JonJones #AnthonyJoshua #SaudiArabia #MMA #SportsNews #FighterLife #BoxingDebate #CombatSports #BoxingUpdate

Two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez recorded one of the most famous upset victories of the last decade and has since gone on to prove that the win was no fluke. Now, as ‘The Takeover’ hopes to secure another mammoth fight, he has made a shocking claim regarding his career earnings thus far.

Lopez dethroned unified lightweight champion and legendary amateur sensation Vasyl Lomachenko back in 2020 with a dominant win that shook the boxing world, bamboozling the supposedly unbeatable Ukrainian with a career-best display.

Although, the shoe was on the other foot in the fight that followed, as Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. sprung the upset on Lopez to put an early end to the New Yorker’s reign and prompt a move up to the super-lightweight division.

After two fights at 140lbs, Lopez earned himself a shot at the poster boy of the division in Scotland’s former undisputed champion Josh Taylor, who entered the bout as an undefeated champion but had vacated three of his four belts.

Once again, Lopez was able to pull off a surprising win, but he has failed to impress in two title defences against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett since – despite claiming unanimous-decision wins on both occasions.

Now, Lopez craves the big-name opponent that will motivate and bring the best out of him, and the pay day to match, calling for showdowns with the likes of Gervonta Davis, Terence Crawford and Devin Haney.Mike Tyson challenged by former undisputed world heavyweight champion

In an interview with the ‘It Is What It Is’ Podcast, Lopez shockingly revealed that he is yet to receive a million-dollar purse, despite defeating two pound-for-pound contenders.“Would you take less(money) to fight him(Gervonta Davis)”

Teofimo Lopez: “Ya, I’ve been doing that my last fights. I have yet to even make more than 1 million dollars in every fight. When I fought Loma I came home with 460K after everything(expenses). With Josh Taylor…I came… pic.twitter.com/9V1MaKSMrZ

— Danny (@dantheboxingman) October 1, 2024

“I have been doing that [accepting low offers to make big fights] in my last fights. I have yet to even make more than one million dollars in every fight.

“When I fought Lomachenko during Covid, everyone was talking about how he gave me $800k on top, no – never bid. I came home with about $460k after everything [expenses], fighting the number one pound-for-pound over [Terence] Crawford and Canelo [Alvarez].

“Then, when it came to Josh Taylor, I came home with around $700k – $800k.”

Jose Carlos Ramirez and Arnold Barboza are poised to battle it out for the position as WBO mandatory challenger on the November 16th ‘Riyadh Season’ card in Saudi Arabia, with the victor expected to become Teofimo Lopez’s next opponent for a fight in early 2025.

#TeofimoLopez #Boxing #Lomachenko #JoshTaylor #GervontaDavis #TerenceCrawford #DevinHaney #BoxingNews #Sports

The achievement of becoming an undisputed champion is one that is dreamt of by every fighter that laces up the gloves, but it is one only achieved by a select few. Now, one fighter from the elite group of four-belt undisputed champions is set to appear on an undercard in the United Kingdom next month.

Rising super-bantamweight contender and current IBO champion of the 126lb division, Liam Davies (16-0), was forced to pull out of his battle with fellow undefeated Brit Shabaz Masoud (13-0) back in July due to an illness. However, the pair have since rescheduled their meeting, and the Telford fan-favourite will now attempt to make a first defence of his IBO crown when he and Masoud go toe-to-toe next month.

A run of three consecutive stoppage victories has seen Davies rise in the world rankings in recent times, and the 28-year-old now sits as high as the #5 contender with both the WBC and IBF, hopeful of one day earning a shot at pound-for-pound number one and undisputed champion of the division, Naoya Inoue.

Yet, whilst Davies continues to call out one undisputed champion in ‘The Monster’, there is another previous holder of that mantle set to fight on his undercard. Queensberry Promotions has unveiled that Chantelle Cameron (19-1) will appear in the co-main event of the card. Cameron dethroned the legendary Katie Taylor in a famous win in Dublin last year but lost a controversial decision to the Irishwoman in their November rematch. This loss led to a fallout between Cameron and promoter Eddie Hearn, prompting a switch to sign for Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.

In her debut since signing with Warren, Cameron appeared on the same card that Davies-Masoud was originally scheduled for and secured the WBC super-lightweight interim title with a majority-decision win against Elhem Mekhaled. This also marked her first fight with new trainer Grant Smith since parting ways with Jamie Moore.

Northampton-born ‘Il Capo’ will take on former WBC super-welterweight champion Patricia Berghult as the highlight of the Davies-Masoud undercard next month in a first defence of the WBC interim strap, which Cameron hopes will eventually land her a shot at a trilogy bout against Katie Taylor.

Also appearing on the undercard is light-heavyweight operator Ezra Taylor (9-0) and European welterweight champion Ekow Essuman (20-1), who will face Austria’s Driton Isenaj (10-0) and undefeated Ben Vaughan (10-0) respectively on the November 2nd card at the BP Pulse Live in Birmingham.

#LiamDavies #ChantelleCameron #BoxingUndercard #IBOChampion #WBCChampion #DaviesMasoud #QueensberryPromotions #BirminghamBoxing #BoxingNews #SuperBantamweight

The undisputed light-heavyweight showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol remains as arguably the most enticing clash in the world of boxing, with the power of Beterbiev and the technical skills of Bivol making for a stylistic match-up that has boxing fans and analysts eagerly speculating. Here, we take a deeper look into the full card of one of the most anticipated fight nights in the history of the 175lb division.

Mohammed Alakel (debut) is a name that is understandably unknown to the vast majority, but it is one that fans may become familiar with over the next twelve months. Turki Al-Alshikh has always been keen to include a Saudi fighter on his high-profile bills, usually Ziyad Almaayouf, in an attempt to grow boxing in the Kingdom, and Alakel appears to be his latest prospect to get behind.

Once a member of the Clovenstone Amateur Boxing Team in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alakel has picked up development and district titles as an amateur and was also a junior taekwondo champion before making the permanent switch to boxing. Now trained by Joe Gallagher, Alakel will face Colombia’s Jesus Gonzalez (3-2) to kick off the bill with a four-round super-featherweight contest—just four months after Gonzalez was stopped by a body shot against rising British lightweight, Ibraheem ‘Spider’ Sulaimaan.

Just eight fights into his professional career, Ben Whittaker (8-0) is fast becoming one of Britain’s superstars, regularly going viral for his consistent showboating and controversial fight style. However, it’s not all fun and games for the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, and ‘The Surgeon’ will be keen to ensure he keeps his eyes on the prize in his toughest test to date. Is he the most entertaining fighter right now?

Whittaker takes a considerable step up in competition as he fights former Commonwealth champion Liam Cameron (23-6), fresh from a controversial defeat to IBO light-heavyweight title-holder Lyndon Arthur. After a five-and-a-half-year absence from the ring, Cameron has returned with a newfound sense of vigour and steely determination to achieve further success in the sport and represents a serious banana skin if Whittaker dares to overlook him.

Australia’s Skye Nicolson (11-0) seemed destined for world titles ever since her 2022 debut, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion delivered on her potential earlier this year, outpointing Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC featherweight title back in April. Since then, Nicolson has made one additional defence of the strap and will fight for a third time this year as she makes history by taking part in the first women’s world title contest on Saudi soil.

Nicolson has been tasked with undefeated Brit Raven Chapman (9-0) in what is not only a battle between two undefeated fighters but a showdown between rival promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren—a rivalry that has been dominated by Warren thus far in 2024. Chapman will hope to upset the odds and continue Queensberry’s winning streak as she challenges for world honours for the first time in her career.

Polarising middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. (33-3) remains one of the biggest draws in the United Kingdom despite failing to secure a recognised world title thus far in his 14-year career. After recently signing with Boxxer, the 34-year-old finally appears keen to secure a second world title challenge and could collide with current unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly in the near future should a long-awaited meeting with Conor Benn or another lucrative opportunity not materialise.

In the opposing corner is Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta (25-2-2), whose duo of defeats have come solely against world champions in Gennadiy Golovkin and Jaime Munguia. Szeremeta’s most recent appearance was a draw against Abel Mina in a scrap for the Republic of Poland super-middleweight title, but he will drop back down to 160lbs to square off against Eubank as a sizeable underdog.

Another man with mammoth opportunities on the horizon is IBF cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia (25-0), who has been vocal in his ambition to unify belts in the 200lb division before a move to heavyweight in the future. Knocking out three Brits in his last four outings, the Aussie has made a habit of delivering showstopping KOs and excelling on Turki Al-Alshikh cards of late. Opetaia will seek to continue that form and then move on to a three-belt unification bout against the victor of Riyadh Season’s November headliner, although he may have to fight again in the interim if he is to retain his belt.

The man hoping to spoil those plans is the game European champion Jack Massey (22-2), who remains confident of proving the bookmakers wrong in a first world title bid. Massey’s granite chin served him well in an unconventional step-up to heavyweight last year against Joseph Parker in a performance that is ageing like fine wine, but his career-best victory over Isaac Chamberlain is the one that has grabbed the most attention.

As many deem Opetaia as both the poster boy and most powerful puncher at cruiserweight, it remains to be seen whether Massey can do what Jordan Thompson and Ellis Zorro couldn’t and survive the inevitable early onslaught from the champion—in the hopes of capitalizing during the late rounds.

In the final and most intense scrap on the undercard, Fabio Wardley (17-0-1) and Frazer Clarke (8-0-1) will rematch for the British heavyweight title—six months on from their bloodied brawl on Easter Sunday, which will likely go down as one of 2024’s fight of the year contenders. In a traditionally contrasting match-up, the front-footed Wardley will seek to add to his 16 knockout victories to date and improve upon his finishing instincts after having Clarke hurt in their first encounter.

Meanwhile, challenging Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Clarke will hope that his amateur experience, of which Wardley has none, will shine through and that he can control the bout behind a strong jab—confident in the fact that he would have had his hand raised in his initial meeting with Wardley had he not suffered a point deduction for low blows.

Wardley-Clarke II will mark a second British heavyweight title clash in Riyadh within the last twelve months, but there lie further incentives this time around, as the victor will likely see instant progression to the world level, as well as the glory of a grudge match win.

Finally, we come to the main attraction, as Artur Beterbiev (20-0) and Dmitry Bivol (23-0) collide in an event that seemed near impossible to make until the intervention of Turki Al-Alshikh. The age-old head spinner of power versus skill, fans across the globe continue to struggle to pick a winner, and it is clear to see why.

The only world champion with a 100% knockout ratio, Artur Beterbiev is not just a hard-hitting brute but a masterful boxing mind, trumping the legendary Oleksandr Usyk as an amateur. Beterbiev claimed the IBF light-heavyweight world title in just his 12th outing as a professional and has since gone on to become a three-belt unified champion with stoppage victories over Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Joe Smith Jr.

His last two performances have convinced the British public that he is a force to be reckoned with, twice stepping up a gear and making in-fight adjustments to defend his titles against Anthony Yarde and Callum Smith without the help of the judges.

One drawback for the Canadian-Russian is that he was forced to postpone the originally scheduled undisputed meeting with Bivol earlier this year due to a knee injury, and at 39 years old, there are fears that father time may finally be catching up with the 2009 amateur world champion—regardless of the fact that he has shown no such signs inside of the ring.

In spite of the well-deserved plaudits that Beterbiev has received in the last couple of years, it is WBA champion Dmitry Bivol who is poised to step through the ropes as the favourite for the undisputed crown, a famous win over Canelo Alvarez likely being enough to swing the odds.

An opposite to the WBC, WBO & IBF champion, Bivol’s style is that of a smaller fighter, using his feet as much as his hands to comfortably defeat almost all of his opponents. A stoppage victory over the overmatched Malik Zinad on June 1st was a first win inside the distance since 2018 (nine fights) for Bivol, and the question mark for him is whether he will be able to keep Beterbiev off of him and not allow his fellow champion to cut off the ring and trap him in the corners—something Beterbiev does so well.

Still, Bivol’s footwork has been the basis of much of his success to date, and if the contest begins in a tense, tactical manner rather than the war that many hope to see, then he is the man you would have to favour—even if Beterbiev’s fear-striking training footage would convince many viewers otherwise.

When?

The card will take place in The Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, October 12th, with the undercard expected to begin around 7pm (BST), whilst Beterbiev and Bivol are poised to take centre stage around 11:30pm (BST).

#BeterbievBivol #Boxing #UndisputedChampion #LightHeavyweight #BeterbievVsBivol #DAZN #RiyadhFightNight #BoxingFans #BoxingNews #BoxingLife #FightNight

Over seven years ago, Conor McGregor stepped through the ropes to make his boxing debut in ‘The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History’ against pound-for-pound legend Floyd Mayweather. Now, after years of inactivity in both boxing and the UFC, the ‘Notorious’ one is being linked with a comeback against a polarizing Brit.

Mayweather-McGregor remains memorable as one of the most hotly anticipated and well-promoted events of all time, registering the second-highest number of pay-per-view buys ever (4.3 million), trailing only behind Mayweather-Pacquiao. However, the fight itself was less eventful, as Mayweather dominated the action and put on a boxing clinic before halting the Irishman in the tenth round, with glimpses of quality from the debutant quickly fading from memory.

Since that 2017 loss, McGregor has not re-entered the squared circle and has fought only four times in the Octagon, suffering stoppage defeats in three of those bouts. Nonetheless, a return to the sport has always been a possibility for high-profile figures in combat sports, with Terence Crawford and Jake Paul being recent names mentioned for a potential McGregor comeback.

In a recent interview on the 5 Live Boxing Podcast, middleweight title hopeful Chris Eubank Jr. revealed that there have been talks about a boxing match with the two-division UFC champion. Eubank Jr. expressed his interest, stating, “You know, there’s actually been talks of me and him having a boxing match at some point. The fans have said that they want to see that. How interesting that would be. That’s definitely something that I’m open to exploring.”

However, before Eubank Jr. can fully focus on a potential clash with McGregor, he must first get past Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta, whom he faces on October 12th on the blockbuster Beterbiev-Bivol undercard.

This matchup could reignite interest in McGregor’s boxing career and showcase whether he can still compete at a high level after a lengthy hiatus. Will fans see the ‘Notorious’ back in the ring soon?

#ConorMcGregor #ChrisEubankJr #BoxingComeback #MayweatherVsMcGregor #CombatSports #BoxingNews #UFC #BoxingFans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The WBO have

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

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

That date would have run out on September 28.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jake Paul has a lot on his plate right now.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

However, that has not been successful.

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

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

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

Not ideal preparation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“He is a jarring d***head, you know.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“They don’t change here.”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Former IBF featherweight world champion Luis Alberto Lopez was on the wrong side of one of the upsets of the year last month, but the belt was the least of the Mexican’s concerns during the aftermath. Seven weeks after the brutal defeat, Lopez’s team have spoken out in disgust.

‘El Venado’ upset the odds when he outpointed Josh Warrington on away soil in Leeds to pick up the featherweight strap in December 2022, but since then he has proven himself to be a worthy champion.

Lopez knocked out Michael Conlan in a first defence of his world title and would make a third defence in ten months when he stopped Reiya Abe back in March – a unanimous decision victory against Joet Gonzalez taking place in between.

Last month, Lopez headlined a card in New Mexico against former WBO super-bantamweight title-holder Angelo Leo and the fact that Leo had just eleven stoppages in 26 fights meant Lopez entered the contest as a heavy favourite – many believing Leo lacked the knockout power to be successful at 126lbs.

However, those assumptions were proved to be false when Leo landed a prodigious left-hook onto the chin of the champion and sent ‘Venado’ crashing into the canvas, unable to get back to his feet and beat the referee’s count, resulting in a contender for the both the upset and knockout of the year.LOOK AT THIS BRUTAL KO BY ANGELO LEO ONE MORE TIME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/aPy9PW697g

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 11, 2024

Shortly afterwards it was confirmed that Lopez has suffered a bleed on the brain as a consequence of the almighty blow, possibly ending the career of the 31-year-old but causing a significant time away from the ring as a minimum.

Speaking with Boxing Scene, Lopez’s co-manager Hector Fernandez de Cordova labelled Ernie Sharif, the referee of the clash with Leo, as a ‘butcher’, before revealing that the New Mexico Athletic Commission were reluctant to aid Lopez and his team with hospital treatment.

“It was one of the worst referees I’ve seen in my life in boxing,”

“A guy like that does not deserve to be in the ring at a world title level – or even with amateurs. He’s a butcher. As a referee, you need to protect fighters from each other and from themselves.”

“The commission was trying to convince me not to take him to the hospital,”

“They were like, ‘You don’t need to.’ But I was thinking, ‘If you guys don’t want to pay for it, it’s OK. I’ll pay for it. But we’re talking about my fighter’s health.’ He didn’t even know the fight was over.”

Fernandez went on to reveal his belief that the injury was caused by a punch to the back of the head from Leo rather than a trademark left-hook.

Whilst Lopez’s career is up in the air, Angelo Leo may well be poised for the opportunity of a lifetime, once again proving the drastic impact that a singular punch can have on the life of a boxer.

#LuisAlbertoLopez #AngeloLeo #BoxingUpset #KnockoutOfTheYear #BoxingInjury #FeatherweightChampion #IBF #BoxingNews #BrainInjury #HectorFernandezDeCordova #ErnieSharif #NewMexicoAthleticCommission #FightNight #BoxingControversy #BoxingFuture #TopRankBoxing

Mike Tyson was one of the biggest names in the world during the ’90s.

Forget about just boxing, ‘Iron’ Mike was one of the most recognisable names in the whole of the sports and entertainment worlds.

Due to that, anything that the boxer was associated with was big news.

His fights with the likes of Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis were probably the biggest fights in that decade.

That popularity is what has spawned such interest in his upcoming fight against YouTuber Jake Paul.

Despite being close to 60, folks fro around the world are looking forward to see the legendary boxer step into the ring once again.

One person who hasn’t faced off with Tyson is Hasim Rahman.

In 2021, Rahman shocked the boxing world when he knocked out Tyson’s previous conqueror Lennox Lewis and was crowned the undisputed world heavyweight champion.

The reign didn’t last long as Lewis won the titles back in the rematch and Rahman subsequently went on to lose to Evander Holyfield.

Hasim Rahman did go on to be win the vacant WBC heavyweight championship in 2005, but he never quite got back to the heights he hit in 2001.

In that list of 62 opponents for Hasim Rahman, the name of Mike Tyson is conspicuous by its absence.Hamzah Sheeraz next fight date revealed

Both boxers were active at around the same time, but they never crossed paths in their careers.

But it seems that Rahman is open to the idea and has indeed challenged Tyson for a fight.

Speaking on the FightHype YouTube channel, Hasim Rahman openly declares his wish for the bout.

“No doubt, there is only one name that comes to mind and that’s Mike Tyson,” said Rahman.

“That’s just one of the only fights that I didn’t get to fight in my era.

“I was supposed to fight Mike Tyson but it didn’t work out that way but I’m still hoping for the fight, yeah, I’m still hoping for the fight, Mike!

“So when you finish with Jake, when he’s finished with ‘Fake Paul’ then I’m available.

“I think it would still be a great fight, I’m in terrific shape, so let’s see how Mike do with Jake and I’m available”.

Could we see this fight take place between both men?

Never say never in this crazy new age of boxing exhibition matches.

It’s clear that, at least from his side, Hasim Rahman is keen to give it a go.

#MikeTyson #HasimRahman #JakePaul #Boxing #HeavyweightChampion #BoxingNews #FightAnnouncement #BoxingFans #ExhibitionFight #SportsNews #TysonVsRahman #LegendaryFighters #ReturnToTheRing #FightHype #BoxingLegends

Hamzah Sheeraz will be a world champion one day, and that’s something you can take to the bank. The 25-year-old sensation is currently undefeated at 21-0 and has held the Commonwealth middleweight title since 2022. But it seems this is just the beginning of what could be an extraordinary career in boxing.

In his last fight, Sheeraz stopped Tyler Denny to claim the European middleweight title while successfully defending his Commonwealth and WBC Silver middleweight titles. The buzz around Sheeraz is undeniable, and it looks like his next bout may finally be for that coveted world title.

Recently, it was revealed that Sheeraz is being advised by Gold Star Promotions, the same team behind Tyson Fury. With Gold Star backing him and Spencer Brown, who confirmed a fight date is already set for just after Christmas, Sheeraz is poised for a huge leap forward. Brown also mentioned in a recent interview with Boxing King Media that the next step is securing a world title fight, something Sheeraz’s promoter, Frank Warren, and his team feel is the natural progression.

Sheeraz, one of Queensbury Promotions' rising stars, has made it clear that 2024 could end with him vying for a world title. If that’s the case, it would be an epic conclusion to the year for this talented young fighter, who continues to prove himself as a dominant force in the middleweight division. The anticipation is building—#boxing fans everywhere are wondering if we’re witnessing the next big name in the sport.

Can Sheeraz claim a world title and cement his place among boxing’s elite? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: he’s on a path that could shake up the entire #middleweight division.

#KO, #HamzahSheeraz, #worldchampions,#BritishBoxing #Boxing #boxingfans #FightFans

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is set to make his second appearance of the year this December, with his opponent now officially confirmed. After being elevated from WBA (Regular) lightweight champion to full world champion last year, Davis made his first title defense in June, stopping Frank Martin in a knockout performance that earned wide acclaim.

While fans eagerly anticipated potential unification bouts against WBC champion Shakur Stevenson or IBF champion Vasyl Lomachenko, both fights appear to be off the table. Stevenson is gearing up to face mandatory challenger William Zepeda, and Lomachenko has declined the fight with Davis, citing a lack of motivation.

This left Davis searching for an opponent, and rumors swirled that WBA super-featherweight champion Lamont Roach would step up to the challenge. Today, the WBA confirmed that Roach has been granted special permission to move up to 135 lbs and face Davis on December 14th. Should Roach emerge victorious, he will have five days to decide whether to continue campaigning at super-featherweight or permanently move up to lightweight and keep his title.

This event, taking place on Amazon Prime Video PPV, will also feature David Benavidez’s confirmed undercard showdown against Jesse Hart.

#GervontaDavis #TankVsRoach #LightweightTitleFight #BoxingShowdown

Welterweight boxer Mylik Roashun Birdsong (15-1-1, 10 KOs) tragically passed away on Sunday, September 28, after being fatally shot outside his home in Los Angeles.

According to LAPD, Birdsong was standing outside his residence in the Florence-Graham area when a dark-colored SUV drove by and opened fire. The boxer attempted to run toward his home, but two suspects exited the vehicle and chased him, continuing to shoot. Birdsong was found by first responders in his driveway, having sustained seven gunshot wounds to the torso. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Nicknamed "Gifted Black Sheep," Birdsong held a solid record and had won a WBF International title. He was set to face Armenian Gor Yeritsyan on October 26 at Commerce Casino in LA. Just a day before his death, he had posted a video on Instagram, proudly showing off his new puppy.

The suspects fled the scene in the SUV, and the investigation is ongoing.

#MylikBirdsong #BoxingNews #TragicLoss #LAPD #BoxingCommunity #CombatSports #Welterweight 

Leigh Wood has established himself as a fan-favorite and a deserving featherweight world champion, showcasing some of the UK's most thrilling fight nights. As he prepares to move up to super-featherweight, a rising star has made ominous threats against the Nottingham-born fighter.

Initially seen as a contender stuck at the British and European levels, Wood’s impressive victories over Reece Mould and Xu Can propelled him to the position of WBA (Regular) champion, setting the stage for a bout with Leo Santa Cruz. However, the real hurdle was Ireland’s Michael Conlan. In March 2022, the two faced off in an unforgettable fight that earned the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year award, culminating in a dramatic final-round knockout for Wood despite being behind on the scorecards.

Wood's elevation to full champion came after Santa Cruz struggled to meet the weight limit. He controversially opted for a voluntary defense against the dangerous Mauricio Lara, known for his knockout of Josh Warrington. Unfortunately, Wood suffered a significant knockout defeat in that match but reclaimed his title in a rematch just three months later. Most recently, he demonstrated his resilience again with a knockout win over Josh Warrington, only to vacate his title later that month.

Now set to jump to 130 lbs, Wood aims to become a two-weight world champion. However, 22-year-old rising star Jadier Herrera (15-0), a recent signing with Queensberry Promotions, has issued a chilling challenge to Wood. Speaking to iFL TV, Herrera said, "I am ready for Leigh Wood. Send me a contract, bro, I will fing kill you. I will fing destroy your life, bro. Remember my f***ing name."

After previously fighting in Dubai, Herrera is looking to make a statement in Liverpool on the undercard of the Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios fight. Currently ranked #15 by the WBC, he hopes to climb higher with a win against Oliver Flores (31-5-2) this Saturday.

#LeighWood #JadierHerrera #BoxingRivalry #Featherweight #SuperFeatherweight #Knockout #FightNight #BoxingNews #BoxingLife #CombatSports

Bare-knuckle boxing is poised for a resurgence, thanks in part to Conor McGregor's recent involvement with the sport. The former UFC star's ownership stake in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) aims to elevate the sport's profile and compete with traditional boxing and the UFC.

One fighter making headlines is former WBA welterweight champion Austin Trout, who will defend his BKFC welterweight title for the first time next month against Rico "BonBon" Franco. Trout secured the title earlier this year with a fourth-round knockout of Diego Sanchez.

On October 12th, the BKFC will host an event in Spain for the first time at the Marbella Arena, traditionally a venue for bullfighting. The card features three world title fights, including a light-heavyweight bout between David Mundell and Danny Christie, alongside a lightweight title clash involving Franco Tenaglia and Tony "Loco" Soto, which is expected to headline the event.

Trout won't be the only boxing champion on the card; Scotland's Hannah Rankin, a former WBA and IBO super-welterweight champion, is set to make her BKFC debut against Iranian kickboxer Sahey Bayat. Known as "The Classical Warrior," Rankin hopes to follow in Trout's footsteps and aim for the BKFC featherweight title if she secures victory.

Fans can catch all the action live on DAZN as the BKFC continues to carve out its place in the combat sports landscape.

#BareKnuckleBoxing #BKFC #FightNight #ConorMcGregor #Boxing #BoxingNews #FightFans

It’s easy to overlook that Oleksandr Usyk is the reigning world heavyweight champion. While names like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and more recently Daniel Dubois often dominate media coverage, Usyk remains the man to beat in the division.

One of Usyk’s toughest challenges since moving to heavyweight came against Daniel Dubois in August last year. During that fight, Dubois landed a shot that the referee ruled as low, granting Usyk time to recover. Many observers believed the punch was legitimate and argued that Usyk should have received a ten-count to see if he could continue. Instead, he took his time and came back strong, winning by knockout in the ninth round.

Since then, Dubois has made headlines by knocking out Anthony Joshua, reestablishing his name in the heavyweight title picture. The question now arises: will Daniel Dubois face Oleksandr Usyk again?

Adding fuel to this rivalry, Dubois’ trainer, Don Charles, has launched a scathing attack on Usyk, labeling him a cheat for his reaction to the punch during their last bout. In an interview with talkSPORT, Charles expressed his feelings bluntly, stating, “Everything was stacked against us. This is actually personal. Mr. Usyk is fake. He’s an exceptional boxer, a masterful talent, but he’s also a liar and a cheat. He claims to be a God-fearing man, but if you believe in the same God that I do, one of the ten commandments is you cannot cheat. If you worship God, then you should not act the way he did when Daniel dropped him—he deserves an Oscar for that performance.”

These strong words from Charles indicate his belief that Usyk exaggerated the impact of the punch, potentially costing Dubois the win. Regardless of opinions on the comments, they are sure to escalate tensions between the two as they look toward a possible rematch.

#UsykVsDubois #HeavyweightChampion #BoxingRivalry #FightNight #BoxingDrama #BoxingNews #HeavyweightBoxing #Usyk #Dubois

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is shaping up to be quite the spectacle for Netflix. Scheduled for November 15, this bout is already generating significant interest and is poised to be a major hit for the streaming platform. Despite Tyson’s age, he remains a box office attraction, and with Paul’s large following, this event promises to deliver excitement.

The contest is expected to be a lucrative affair for both fighters as they step into the ring. Questions are swirling about whether Tyson, at 58 years old, can keep up with the much younger Paul, who is 27. One of the requests from Tyson’s team is to shorten the rounds to 2 minutes instead of the traditional 3, which could benefit Tyson by reducing the energy he needs to exert.

Jake Paul, however, has responded to this request as he ramps up promotional momentum for the fight. In an interview with the Daily Mail, he criticized Tyson’s request, stating that it won’t affect the fight's outcome. “I’m giving him everything he wants. I’m going to his playground, and I’m going to beat his a**,” Paul said, showcasing his confidence.

This matchup has not been without controversy, as many commentators question the fairness given the age difference. In the twilight of his career, Tyson suffered some heavy losses, while Jake Paul continues to impress with his punching power. At least the shorter rounds may mitigate the potential for serious punishment in what some are calling a glorified exhibition match.

#JakePaul #MikeTyson #BoxingMatch #NetflixFight #ExhibitionMatch #BoxingNews #FightPromotion #CombatSports #BoxingFans #CelebrityBoxing.