'I know it's going to be very challenging for me,' Ngannou told Sky Sports News. 'I don't think I will be frustrated because I'm not going there just expecting to hit him easily. I know it's going to be tough, it might even be tougher for me than for him, which is the case because he has a lot of experience. 'I'm prepared for that, my mind is ready for that. I have that information, even in my training camp, I'm preparing for someone who is tough, not easy to hit, very well-rounded as a boxer, very durable. 'It's about a delivery system. You can have a biggest weapon but you also need to aim at the right target and to hit. 'We are shaping that skill to be able to deliver on the proper direction so we can get the result.'
“Shout out to everybody for the love and support. I appreciate everybody coming out. Much love. And no matter how the fight goes, don’t forget, this motherf***** can’t really fight. Motherf*****. F*** you.”In response, Paul kept it straightforward. He began by mocking the crowd that was heavily booing him, but then shifted his focus to Diaz, delivering a stern final warning.
“Boo yourselves, virgins. Boo yourselves, virgins. They’ve been saying ‘Nate’s tough, Nate’s a dog.’ Well guess what, Ariel? Tomorrow, I’m dog-walking that b****! I’m putting him back on a leash and I’m sending him back to the cage! I’m f****** him up! I’m f****** him up!”
“When I knock out Nate Diaz and do what Conor couldn’t, it only makes sense for him to want that money fight. I don’t know how serious he’s taking fighting at all, and I don’t know how serious the fight world is taking him.”Regarding the potential bout with McGregor, Jake Paul said, I always said I'd fight him. I'm down. It's a big, massive event. However, he acknowledged that McGregor would need to seek approval from his UFC boss, Dana White, to make the fight happen. In contrast, Paul sees himself as his own boss and can decide his opponents without such restrictions.
“Who knows if he still has that same appeal. But look, I always said I’d fight him. I’m down. It’s a big, massive event. He obviously has to ask his boss Dana, if he can do that. I’m my own boss. I make my own decisions. I could fight whoever, whenever, wherever. So he’s tied up and even if he wants to do it, Dana might not let him do it.”While not ruling out the possibility of fighting McGregor, Jake Paul emphasized that he's currently focused on his upcoming Paul vs Diaz match. He mentioned that there are plenty of other significant names in the sport to fight, so he will continue seeking challenging opponents after the Paul vs Diaz fight.
“I think Nate was always the plan since he was getting out of the UFC. Right now, I’m just focusing on this fight, and we’ll see what happens moving on from here. There’s still a lot of big names, a lot of big fights to be made. And again, I’m just going to continue challenging myself and continuing to fight big names in the sport.”As for whether a fight between Jake Paul and Conor McGregor would be appealing, it's a matter of personal preference for fans. Some may be excited about the spectacle and potential entertainment value, while others may view it with skepticism given McGregor's established career in MMA and Paul's relatively short boxing background. Regarding UFC President Dana White allowing the fight, it's uncertain, as he ultimately controls the UFC fighters' matchups. He might have reservations about his star fighter facing a YouTuber-turned-boxer, especially if there's a risk of McGregor losing and potentially damaging his reputation. As for tomorrow's fight between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz, fight fans and boxing enthusiasts will undoubtedly be eager to watch. The match promises to be an exciting showdown, and there will likely be significant interest in seeing if Jake Paul can deliver on his goal of knocking out Diaz in the ring.
“You know who the bully is? That bouncer right there who I smacked with a beer the last time he thought he was tight. I f****** smacked that b**** in the face. “That’s who the bully is. F*** him, f*** you, and f*** MVP.”Seeing Nate, Jake Paul tried to make Nate talk his shit:
“Let’s go. I like it,” he said. “Nate’s alive. We woke the beast up. Let’s go Nate. I like it. Talk your s, Nate. Talk your s***." Further Nate said when asked about the outcome of the fight: “It don’t matter. Whatever happens, happens. It usually can go better or worse. It’s all good.”As the Paul vs Diaz press conference continued, tempers flared, and members of both teams engaged in a heated argument. While it's unclear who initiated the physical altercation, Jake Paul later revealed on the X app that Nate Diaz's team threatened him with legal action, claiming they were assaulted. According to Paul, the person who started the altercation ended up in the hospital receiving stitches.
"Nate's team has emailed my team trying to claim assault after his team swung first. Apparently the guy who swung first is at the hospital getting stitches. Hilarious these fake gangsters acting like this!" "All out warfare, eye for eye. You threatened MVPs co-founder [Bidarian] who has been a partner to you and your team every step of the way? "He’s put your best friend on over and over again. Stupid. Then your team wants to swing on us…so you got served a three piece and a biscuit. Punk. It’s time for goodnight."Although Nate Diaz has yet to publicly comment on the incident at the press conference of Paul vs Diaz, the press conference remained filled with taunts from Jake Paul, and at one point, Nate Diaz lost his temper. The emotions surrounding this bout are likely to be intense when the two fighters step into the ring to face each other. For Jake Paul, the stakes are high, as a loss could put his boxing career on the line. On the other hand, Nate Diaz seems to be enjoying his venture into boxing outside of mixed martial arts. In an interview after the final press conference of Paul vs Diaz, Nate expressed his intention to continue fighting in various sports for many years to come.
"I think my fighting from over the years promotes my fights," Diaz told ESPN. "I'm not gonna get in a little-kid argument with the guy and act like [it's] any realer than it is. Don't get no realer than this anyway. "If we're going to argue, we're gonna fight."Both Diaz and Paul had unconventional paths to this point in their careers. Diaz was one of the biggest MMA stars of his generation, known for doing things on his own terms. Paul, on the other hand, disrupted boxing with his major events outside the traditional promotion formula. Their distinct approaches and the genuine animosity between them led to this pivotal moment in their careers. Initially, Diaz and Paul had various options for potential fights, including matchups with Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul for Diaz, and Mayweather, KSI, and a Tommy Fury rematch for Paul. However, fate brought them together due to their shared heated history and the potential for a high-stakes matchup. This 10-round Paul vs Diaz boxing match on August 5 in Dallas would be a landmark event in the genre of crossover boxing that Jake Paul had pioneered. The outcome of this bout could significantly impact the future of both fighters' careers and the trend of influencers in combat sports. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, even speculated that this could be Paul's final boxing match, with the possibility of retirement if he were to lose to Nate Diaz.
"We had originally worked together for my first professional fight but he was super busy after that. When I lost, I went back to the drawing board and re-evaluated everyone in my team. I wanted to bring back some of the people I had originally worked with, it's been an amazing camp, he's been in this camp the whole entire time and has been very helpful."
“I don’t feel any different than yesterday to be honest. I’ve got a lot of people hitting me up but at the same time, the way I feel is no different than yesterday. “The fight is never easy, no matter how it looks to the general public. The fight is won in the gym, that’s where the hard part goes on. This fight was extremely hard, and I went through a lot of pain and suffering to get to that point.”During the debate, the topic of 'who's next' naturally came up, with conjecture about future rematches and new opponents. Crawford's contract requires him to fulfil certain commitments, including agreeing to a rematch if it is in his best interests. In reaction to this, he said:
“That’s my obligation in the contract and I have to honor that. I want to thank Errol Spence, because without him really wanting to fight and doing what he can do, along with me to get this fight done, we wouldn’t be fighting. “I would definitely choose Charlo. It’s a meaningful fight; there’s more history, more on the table.”Additionally, he put a kneel to the rumors of his potential fight with Canelo:
“Canelo is two, three, even four weight classes above me, depending on which fight you’re talking about. So, to be honest, Canelo doesn’t really interest me because of the size factor. “Canelo fighting at his weight doesn’t present the right kind of challenge I’m seeking. I’ve been asked this question many times before, and I’ve always had the same answer. I’m firm on my stance. “I stated and said that I will retire from boxing before I let boxing retire me. I feel as if I haven’t been fully appreciated in the sport of boxing in my career for some time, and I felt like once I retired, that’s where I would get my props. “That was a dope feeling. Shout out to Eminem for coming out and supporting me and showing me so much love. I never knew he was a big Terence Crawford fan.”The most interesting part of the discussion, though, was when Crawford explained his life outside of the ring. Specifically, the role of father. When asked about his dedication to his children, he stated:
“No matter what I’m doing in life, I make sure that I’m there for my children.”
“I guess it’s a good thing because now the fight can be made at some point, which it will. I don’t know when, but it will happen at some point in the UK, which is important. There was a lot of talks of it happening in the Middle East and that was something I didn’t really want to do because it’s such a huge fight out here.”Nonetheless, Eubank Jr remains firm in his opinion about Benn's situation. He asserts that regardless of legal proceedings and statements, Benn's claims of being absolved are not convincing. Eubank Jr is convinced that Benn was caught twice for a reason and believes the public will not forget it. Despite the controversy surrounding Benn, Eubank Jr is open to a future fight with him as he considers boxing to be a business. Currently, Eubank Jr is focused on preparing for a rematch with Liam Smith, whom he defeated earlier this year after their initial fight got canceled due to the Benn situation.
“Lawyers and court hearings and essays and Eddie Hearn saying all the things he’s saying – it doesn’t mean anything. The fact is you got caught twice and no-one’s ever gonna forget it. It doesn’t mean that you didn’t do what you did, cause you did do it.” You want to say ‘I’m absolved and it was all a big misunderstanding’, nah that’s bulls**t. Boxing’s a business and I still wanna fight him, so the fight will be made at some point.”Ultimately, the marketability of a potential future fight between Eubank Jr and Benn will depend on the outcome of Eubank Jr's upcoming match against Smith, scheduled for September 2.
“We are waiting for the board approval for the Derek Chisoa fight. We wanted to announce it a few days ago, but we were calling the board, waiting for approval, and will likely announce it anyway, subject to board approval today or tomorrow. “Yes, the plan is to have Derek Chisora fight on the main card. No, it’s a much better fighter than Mariusz Wach and quite a tough fight,” said Hearn, sounding mysterious. “I’ll wait for it to be announced.”Eddie Hearn confirmed that the Chisora-Washington fight is still awaiting board approval but expressed that it would be a tougher challenge for Chisora than his previous opponent. Other fights on the Joshua-Whyte 2 card include Filip Hrgovic vs. Demsey McKean, Johnny Fisher vs. Harry Armstrong, George Liddard vs. Radek Rousal, Maisey Rose Courtney vs. Gemma Ruegg, and Campbell Hatton vs. Tom Ansell.
“The question is, is Floyd going to come out of retirement and fight Crawford? I remember a statement where he said that if Terence beat Spence, then he would come out of retirement.” “That’s a good one because you’ve got the old great against the new great. The pay-per-views would be stupid!”The potential matchup between the old legend and the new superstar is tantalizing, and pay-per-view numbers would likely be off the charts. Even two-division world champion, Carl Frampton, chimed in during the live broadcast of the Spence-Crawford fight, predicting that a prime Terence Crawford would have the upper hand against a prime Floyd Mayweather in a welterweight bout. Despite the rumors, Mayweather has been actively participating in exhibition bouts, having fought in seven of them since retiring from professional boxing. Four of those exhibitions took place in the last twelve months. Speculation will continue to swirl about whether the five-division world champion could handle Crawford, but the big question remains: would Mayweather be willing to risk his flawless 50-0 record at this stage of his career? It might all come down to whether the financial incentives are too appealing to resist.
“I didn’t know I had a retina tear. But I do remember when it happened. When the guy hit me, I felt like little I heard a little pop. “Then I went to the corner like man, my eye or whatever, they looked at my eye. Then I actually came back out there and sparred like four-five more rounds. Two days later, I had sparred again.”Some on social media speculate that Spence may have cashed in on the Crawford fight before his eye condition worsened, raising doubts about his future in boxing. During the fight, it appeared as if Spence had difficulty seeing punches coming from Crawford, and there are fears about his eyesight for the rest of his life, especially considering Crawford's targeted strikes to the affected eye. While Crawford's victory is acknowledged, some observers felt that Spence didn't perform at his best, leading to discussions about the severity of his eye injury. In a previous interview, Spence admitted to experiencing a pop in his eye during a sparring session but continued to train without knowing about the retina tear. Later, doctors informed him that his retina was partially detached, preventing him from fighting at that time.
“I got some good news. I got some bad news. The bad news is that there’s no way you can fight. Then the good news is that it’s partially detached so that they can put it back on. But you know there’s no way you can fight.”Spence eventually returned to the ring and defeated Yordenis Ugas, but his defeat against Crawford raised further doubts about the true extent of his eye injury. Given these concerns, the seriousness of Spence's eye condition has become a topic of scrutiny in the aftermath of Spence vs Crawford bout.
“He’s basic. Remember in Spence’s last interview where he said he’s good at fundamentals, ‘I’m fundamentally sound?’ You can break that s**t apart, and then after the first round, he was slow as s**t. He’s got that will and determination, but if you keep going upside his head. He was slow. The counters were as fast as s**t, though. He was basic. “Look at all of his fights. He starts with a jab, and he hardly brings his feet with him when he goes to the body. This is where he f***ked up. His legs were too far apart,” said BoMac about Spence. “So he would bring his height down, and when you bring your height down, you start reaching the fighter because your legs are too far apart. “His feet were slow, his movement was slow, and his hands were slow. So that just made work perfect. In the second round, I said, ‘This [guy] isn’t as fast as you. Any chance you get to counter over the top, make it happen,'”BoMac suggested that Spence should consider moving up to a higher weight class, as competing at 154 pounds might not be enough to prevent another draining experience. However, Crawford is not willing to fight Spence at a weight higher than 154 pounds, leaving the welterweight division as the only option for a potential rematch.
“He countered over the top with a left hand and then came back with his jab, a 2-1, and that’s when he dropped him.” “Look at him. He was done. Go look at his balance when he got up. He was done. When he got up, and the bell rang, he was still shaky. If Bud would have had another minute, he would have stopped him.”In his praise for Crawford, BoMac highlighted his speed and excellent counter-punching abilities, which played a crucial role in securing the victory over Spence. He firmly believed that if Spence had not been weight drained, the fight might have turned out much differently. Despite offering some constructive criticism, BoMac expressed unwavering confidence in Crawford's abilities. He credited their strategic planning, which allowed Crawford to capitalize on Spence's weaknesses in their historic bout.
"It was a beautiful fight. It seemed like Errol Spence was a little drained tonight, and he couldn’t really do what he needed to do. Bud definitely took advantage of that. He made it look easy. Hats off to Terence, man. He fought a magnificent fight tonight. That's what it's all about. He proved that he was the best of them all. The way he did it, he did it with ease and calmness. He looked like he was in another dimension … I really think Errol over dehydrated himself. You could see it in his skin. You can see it in his eyes, and the way he was moving as well. But he fought the fight, and that's what it's all about – being strong and going all the way to the end.”Spence has been open about the difficulties of making the welterweight limit in his Spence vs Crawford fight. After the one-sided defeat, he expressed his desire for a rematch with Crawford at the 154-pound weight class. Although Spence can activate the Spence vs Crawford rematch clause within 30 days, Crawford will have the authority to decide the weight for the potential sequel. Despite his defeat, Spence was gracious in his post-fight statements, giving full credit to Crawford for his exceptional performance. He acknowledged Crawford's excellent use of the jab and admitted that his own timing was slightly off during the bout. Spence expressed his eagerness for a Spence vs Crawford rematch, believing he would perform better next time, and hoped that it could take place at the 154-pound weight limit in December or at the end of the year. Both fighters showcased their skills in an exciting match, leaving fans eager to see them square off again in the future.
“He was just better tonight. He was using the jab. My timing was a little bit off. He was just the better man tonight. “He was just throwing the hard jab. He was timing with his jab. His timing was just on point. I wasn’t surprised by his speed or his accuracy. It was everything I thought. “We gotta do it again. I’m going to be a lot better. It’ll be a lot closer. It’ll probably be in December and the end of the year. I say we gotta do it again. Hopefully, it will happen 154.”
“I dominated tonight, even though I hold my opponents in high regard, and he proved his skills today,” stated Cruz. “His constant clinching did annoy me a bit, felt like he was treating me to a birthday hug fest. “Cabrera’s tall frame didn’t bother me as much as the fact that I was coming off a significant period of inactivity,” admitted Cruz. “Regardless, I don’t make excuses, and I triumphed.”Both fighters displayed mutual respect, and Cruz stated that he would be ready for any future opportunities, including a chance to prove himself against Gervonta Davis once more.
“I have immense respect for Gervonta, and I believe I will get a chance to prove myself again,” responded Cruz. “When the opportunity presents itself, rest assured, I’ll be ready.”Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz's hard-fought victory over Giovanni Cabrera adds another chapter to his boxing journey, and he looks forward to future challenges and opportunities to showcase his skills on the grand stage.
“It’s something I’ve got to talk to my management about, but hopefully it’s at 154. ... (The weight cut) is always difficult, but I don’t make any excuses. The better man won tonight.”Despite some swelling, Spence stated that he didn't experience any vision problems during the fight. He felt physically capable and believed he could do enough to win, but Crawford's superior performance proved otherwise. Looking ahead, Spence expressed determination and resilience. He stated that he wouldn't dwell on the loss and would move forward to improve and grow as a fighter. He remained open to a rematch with Crawford and found solace in delivering an exciting fight to the boxing public. Spence acknowledged that he didn't perform at his best and believes he is much better than what he showed in the ring that night. He credited Crawford for being sharp and prepared, acknowledging the champion's 100 percent readiness for the fight. When asked about his thoughts after the second-round knockdown, Spence humorously remarked that his mindset was simply to fight back and defend himself. He expressed respect for Crawford's sportsmanship, with the latter praising him after the fight.
“Nothing really surprised me. He’s just like I thought. My timing wasn’t good today.
“I felt a little off physically, but most times I get through it. I thought it was going to be like the other times, but I couldn’t kick it up a notch.
“I got a feel for his power in probably the first or second round. He’s a strong dude, but everybody at the top level has some type of power. I think because my timing was off, he was catching me in between shots.
“No. I didn’t have any difficulty seeing at all.
“I felt cool. I felt I could do enough to win the fight. I felt good, like I said I’m not here to make any excuses. I’m a grown man. I agreed to the weight and to get down to it, and that’s what I did. No excuses. Hats off to the champion tonight.
“I’m not gonna stew over it at all. I did what I was supposed to do, regardless of the outcome. I promised everybody I was going to do it and I did it as a man. I’m not gonna sulk over this, I’ll get right back and get to it, hopefully at 154 lbs.
“Definitely. It was exciting. It’s something that I wouldn’t change for nothing. I’m definitely open to the rematch, and hopefully it’ll be at 154 lbs.
“I know I’m a lot better than what I showed tonight. I know that a lot of things were off with me. Even though Terence did what he was supposed to, he was sharp and he was on-point, and he made sure he was 100 percent ready in this fight.
“He just told me to keep my head up, I was off. He was trying to console me like he’s supposed to.
“Shit, uh, just fight back, I mean [laughing] — I mean, what you mean what was going through my mind? It’s a boxing match, so I was trying to block the shots he was throwing and come back with shots. Nothing really was going through my mind. Just the same stuff.
“He just said good fight, much respect, and that’s about it.”
“It was a good stoppage. I was on the verge. The referee did what he was supposed to do to protect the fighter. “If the fight happens again I am pretty sure the support will come out again for both of us.”Spence also expressed his openness to a rematch, believing he could perform better in a second encounter.
“We've got to do it again. I would be a lot better.”With the victory, Crawford not only added the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles to his existing WBO belt but also extended his knockout streak to 11 matches, making it the second-longest active stretch. At 35 years old, Crawford has already achieved success in multiple weight divisions, having won titles in super lightweight and lightweight before moving up to welterweight in 2018. He became the first male boxer to achieve undisputed champion status in two divisions during the four-belt era. Reflecting on his journey, Crawford shared that he had once only dreamed of becoming a world champion. He overcame skepticism during his rise but has since proven himself as a remarkable athlete.
“I only dreamed of being a world champion. I’m an over-achiever. Nobody believed in me when I was coming up, but I made everybody a believer. I want to thank Spence and his team because without him none of this would have been possible.”Spence admitted that Crawford was the better fighter that night, commending his opponent's powerful jab and impeccable timing.
“He was just better tonight,” Spence said. “I make no excuses. He was throwing a harder jab. He was timing with his jab, and he had his timing down on point.”The Spence vs Crawford event drew a star-studded crowd, with notable personalities like Cardi B, Andre 3000, Mark Walhberg, Damian Lillard, and Jerry Jones in attendance. Boxing legends such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Manny Pacquiao also graced the occasion. As Crawford made his entrance to the ring, Eminem's song "Lose Yourself" played, setting the stage for an electrifying showdown in front of a sold-out crowd of 19,990 at T-Mobile Arena. Terence Crawford's victory in Las Vegas marks a historic moment in boxing, solidifying his place as one of the sport's great champions. The welterweight division now recognizes him as the undisputed king, and fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in his illustrious career.
“After a hearing with the National Anti-Doping Panel and UKAD, I have now been vindicated for the second time. “Hopefully, the public and various media members can now understand why I have maintained my innocence so strongly all the way through. “The UKAD process has now formally ended. I remain free to fight. Naturally, I am pleased that I can now put this behind me once and for all.”In response to Benn's statement, UKAD released its own statement, acknowledging that Benn is no longer provisionally suspended under the UK Anti-Doping Rules. However, UKAD has decided to appeal the ruling, as it is allowed to do so within 21 days of receiving the decision.
“In April 2023, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) took the exceptional step of publicly disclosing details of Mr. Conor Benn’s provisional suspension and charge. This followed reports from the media and comments made by Mr. Benn himself. “UKAD’s statement also confirmed that the case would follow the Results Management process in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules. “UKAD notes that Mr. Benn has made further public comments today regarding proceedings before the independent National Anti-Doping Panel. UKAD can confirm Mr. Benn is no longer provisionally suspended under the UK Anti-Doping Rules. “The UK Anti-Doping Rules detail limited circumstances in which UKAD is able to make public disclosures about ongoing cases. “They also set out a clear process within which cases can be heard, and decisions can be handed down by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel. “Where case decisions are handed down by a panel, the Rules provide all relevant parties with a right of appeal. “Under the Rules, UKAD has 21 days from the date of receipt of a decision to file any appeal. UKAD carefully reviews all decisions in its cases before deciding whether to exercise its right of appeal. “UKAD is not able to make any further public disclosures in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules at this time.”It remains uncertain whether Benn will attempt to reapply for a British Boxing Board of Control license, given his past comments against the Board. The Board will likely wait until after any appeal to make any decisions related to Benn's licensing. Benn's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, plans to stage a comeback event for Benn in September, hoping to feature him against significant opponents. A potential clash with Chris Eubank Jr. didn't materialize, as Eubank is set to face Liam Smith again in Manchester on September 2.