BOXING

Saul Alvarez, the current unified super middleweight champion, has had a remarkable career since his very first knockout victory against Abraham Gonzalez in 2005. He was only 15 at the time.

However, after a series of victories over some formidable opponents like Jose Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley, Canelo Alvarez faced his first professional loss against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September 2013. Despite tasting defeat for the first time, the ‘Cinnamon’ went on to dominate the ring, winning 15 consecutive fights and securing titles across multiple weight classes. And with a victory over Jaime Mungia in May 2024, Canelo even extended his record for the most successful undisputed title defenses in the four-belt era to four.

So reflecting on that fateful night against Money Mayweather, the Guadalajara native recently opened up during a conversation on the Ring Magazine podcast. As he prepares for a potential bout with Terence Crawford later this year, he shared insights about his past experiences, including the lessons learned from his loss to Mayweather.

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ESPN’s Mike Coppinger noted that Canelo Alvarez was just 23 when he fought Floyd Mayweather at MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He mentioned that the Mexican superstar lacked the skills that come with more extensive experience. He further discussed how Alvarez had to give up weight concessions and rehydration clauses, which may or may not have impacted the fight’s outcome.

After more than 11 years, the 62-2 boxer, while acknowledging Mayweather’s superior skill and accomplishments in boxing, admitted, “He deserved the position in the moment.” He recognized that he was trying to make history himself but admitted that things didn’t unfold as planned. So the question is, what did he regret the most? The answer is clear. Reflecting on his career trajectory, Alvarez speculated that if he had fought seasoned opponents like Miguel Cotto before facing Mayweather, the outcome might have been different. “But you know, we never gonna know,” Canelo Alvarez lamented. “I learn from that fight. Things happen for a reason.”

To be honest, the fight itself was a masterclass from Floyd Mayweather. He showcased his defensive prowess and tactical brilliance to outclass Canelo over 12 rounds to claim a majority decision victory. Despite being the clear winner at the end of the contest, Judge C.J. Ross scored it a 114-114 draw, which baffled many of those in attendance, including Mayweather. Anyway, for Canelo Alvarez, this defeat became a catalyst for growth, making him the fighter he is today.

After Floyd Mayweather’s retirement in 2017, he took up the mantle of the face of boxing. Today, as Canelo Alvarez looks at his own retirement from the sport, a couple of years down the line, who will take up the mantle next? Coppinger decided to ask Canelo who he thinks can be the next big star in boxing. And the Guadalajara native had a few names in mind.

In the same interview, Alvarez pointed to two rising stars. He believed these fighters could emerge as the next faces of boxing. According to Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia‘s knockout power and strong social media presence makes him highly marketable. With KingRy’s suspension ending soon in April, Garcia is set to face Rolando Romero in May at the 147 lbs division. If Garcia wins this fight, he could line up a rematch with Devin Haney, provided Haney defeats Jose Ramirez. A victory over Haney would not only bolster his previous win-turned-no-contest but also set him up for a title fight with Jaron Ennis for Ennis’ IBF welterweight title in early 2026, enhancing his claim to being the next face of boxing. And who’s the other one? It’s Gervonta Davis.

Tank Davis despite his controversies outside the ring, remains a formidable competitor inside it. He has an upcoming fight against Lamont Roach Jr. on March 1st, a fight that could further cement his position as one of the top fighters in the sport. If Davis defeats Roach, he will continue to build momentum toward bigger bouts, potentially leading to a rematch with Garcia or WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in the future.

As Alvarez reflects on his legacy and the future of boxing, he emphasizes the importance of nurturing new talent to keep the sport thriving.

BOXING

The Winner Of Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Must Face Undefeated KO Artist To Keep Belt

Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol are set to face off for the second time in four months, with Beterbiev looking to retain the undisputed light-heavyweight title he gained in October of 2024.

Their first meeting was an elite-level display that saw Beterbiev go the twelve round distance for the first time in his pro campaign. In the eyes of two of the three scoring judges at ringside he did enough to win, with the other scoring it a draw.

Bivol has been gracious in defeat – his first in 24 fights – and landed a rematch quickly. Rather than criticising the decision, he has promised to train harder and leave no doubt this time around.

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Whilst both men have dominated the light-heavyweight ranks for some time, there are two recent additions to the division who fancy their chances of stealing the crown.

They are David Benavidez and David Morrell. Both recently moved up from super-middle after failing to land a fight with unified champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and, after one fight at the weight, will do battle on February 1.

The genuine bad blood between Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and Cuba’s Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) only adds to the intrigue of what is one of the most high-level and competitive bouts on the calendar. With Morrell putting his WBA Regular belt on the line and Benavidez his WBC Interim title, the fight has everything.

What’s more, the WBC has now confirmed that the winner will be ordered to face the winner of Beterbiev-Bivol.

“Interim champion David Benavidez will fight David Morrell on February 1. The winner will be the mandatory challenger of the division to fight the winner of Beterbiev vs. Bivol.”

With Beterbiev set to defend his belts just weeks after on February 22, the light-heavyweight division is worth keeping an eye on.

BOXING

Dmitry Bivol Rematch Endangered by Unresolved Issues as Canelo Alvarez Reopens Doors to Dream Fight

Unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez has revealed that he is open to a rematch against former WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.

The pair initially clashed back in May 2022, which ended in a major upset with Bivol emerging victorious with a unanimous decision win. A rematch was previously discussed, but nothing came out of it.

Today, Canelo is reportedly close to finalizing a fight deal with former undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford. Meanwhile, Bivol is slated to go toe-to-toe in a rematch against undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev on February 22nd. Amid all this, ‘Cinnamon’ appeared in the Ring Magazine podcast recently, sharing his thoughts on the long overdue rematch with Dmitry Bivol.

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“Yeah, why not?” he said when asked about the fight in the future. “I always have it in my mind. Always have that idea in my mind.” The Mexican superstar went as far as to reveal that he hopes Bivol wins his upcoming fight against Beterbiev, adding, “Maybe they have the three fights,” which according to him, makes their potential rematch “a difficult situation.”

However, he is hopeful that they will dance in the ring one more time, “We’ll see in the future. But I have it in my mind. Always have that little thing.” Despite Canelo’s willingness, things are indeed much more complicated than they seem. You see, Bivol is unlikely to come down to super middleweight anytime soon, a win against Beterbiev can’t change that.

It’s also unlikely that Canelo would climb back to 175 lbs following his last loss to Bivol in the division. But, more importantly, because of his potential fight against Crawford, Canelo is likely to remain at 168 lbs, at least for the time being. What’s even worse is that Dmitry Bivol had previously claimed he couldn’t come down to 168 because of his agreement with the Saudis.

Dmitry Bivol has cast doubt on the possibility of a rematch with Canelo Alvarez in the near future. “I don’t have him [Canelo] on my agenda… my mind is elsewhere right now. I have another route. Maybe in the future, we can face each other again, but not in the short term,” Bivol told Fight Hub last year in September.

Bivol revealed past efforts to arrange a rematch, even offering to fight at 168 pounds, but negotiations fell through. “We had the possibility of doing it for a couple of years, but his team and my team couldn’t come to an agreement,” he explained. Now, Bivol is prioritizing his commitments with Saudi Arabia and Matchroom Boxing.

I can still give 168 pounds, but… I see my future with the Saudis, and with the options I have in my contract with them, and it is not in the plans to go down to 168 pounds,” he concluded.

That said, it appears the weight class difference between Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol has become an obstacle in making their rematch.

BOXING

AJ vs Dubois II: How Anthony Joshua Can Get Revenge Over Daniel Dubois

Roy Jones Jr has spoken about Anthony Joshua‘s chances of getting revenge over Daniel Dubois.

Former two-time world champion Joshua has lost four times, one upset to Andy Ruiz which he avenged, two points losses to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk, and a shock stoppage loss to Dubois last September.

Joshua was caught early and never really recovered then rolled the dice in the mid-rounds as soon as he got close but was caught with a short right hand from the power puncher ‘DDD’ from which ended the fight.

READ: Oleksandr Usyk Finally Responds To Call Out From ‘The Only Man Who Can Beat Him’

Speaking to talkSPORTBoxing, former world champion Jones was asked for his view on the contest and started by assessing Joshua’s trainer’s advice.

“First of all, I’m not saying Ben Davison was a bad trainer, he’s a great trainer, but in that situation, I think he might have made a wrong move telling him to gamble cause gambling ain’t really the thing to do at that point, especially when the guy has hurt you once.”

He then got on to what might happen in a rematch with a different plan.

“I think Joshua can beat him if he wants to, he was in control of the fight at that point, but he got caught early. Then when he got in control he tried to close the door too fast.

“The most dangerous animal in the world is a wounded animal so I feel like the instructions should have been we’ve got him now but we can’t rush him. Take our time, we’re back in control, let’s just do this ’til we get him where we want him then we can get him out. So yes, if ‘AJ’ does the right thing, and is smart, he will beat Dubois.”

Joshua opted against an immediate rematch and has instead taken time out, with many hoping he will still be able to make an epic fight with British rival Tyson Fury, despite ‘The Gypsy King’s recent retirement announcement.

BOXING

‘Lies’ Exposed as Shakur Stevenson Throws Gervonta Davis Under the Bus With an Ultimatum

The boxing world is abuzz once again as Gervonta Davis seemingly targets Shakur Stevenson.

Last year, Tank Davis and Shakur Stevenson appeared close to finalizing a fight after the collapse of negotiations for a Vasyl Lomachenko matchup. Fans and pundits alike were optimistic about the potential showdown between the fighters, but the fight ultimately didn’t materialize. Why? Because both of them ended up taking different opponents.

However, the situation recently took a dramatic turn when Gervonta Davis accused Stevenson of avoiding the fight, claiming he had allegedly sent a contract that was ignored. In response, Stevenson wasted no time in addressing these accusations. In a clip from Shawn Porter’s ‘The PorterWay Podcast’ shared by Hassan, Stevenson responded to accusations hurled against him by Davis. The caption of the post read, “Shakur Stevenson doubles down and says Gervonta Davis is lying about sending the contract and if he did to post it 😳.”

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In the video, Shakur Stevenson was firmly denying Davis’ claims that a contract had been sent his way. In the clip, the interviewer asked, “People say they put a contract on your desk. You never signed it. I’ve heard all types of stuff.”

Stevenson, visibly confident, responded: “Somebody says they put a contract on my desk? … If he did, post it… When Tank and Lomachenko were in negotiations that shit was worldwide. It was public. Like Lomachenko said No. They publicly say, ‘Yo, Lomachenko turned down the fight. He’s a duck.’ Why didn’t that happen to me if that happened?”

Stevenson’s comments put Davis on blast, calling for tangible proof of the supposed contract. While challenging Tank to make the alleged contract public, he questioned why, if the contract was indeed sent, it wasn’t made public as was the case with the Lomachenko situation. This not only puts pressure on Davis but also places doubt on the authenticity of his claims. However, if you wonder where did all these start from, here is the answer.

The backstory of this feud goes deeper than just the recent contract allegations. Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson have long been rumored to be on a collision course, with the potential for a high-stakes showdown in the lightweight division. However, despite initial optimism, negotiations for the fight never came to fruition.

Tensions between the two fighters started to escalate when Davis accused Stevenson of dodging the fight, claiming he had sent a contract that Stevenson allegedly ignored. And a screenshot from Dantheboxingman on X only added fuel to the fire. In the screenshot, Gervonta Davis was seen commenting, “Ni***s sent him a contact he went elsewhere… get off my d**k you d**k eater.”

Stevenson, however, denied the allegations, stating emphatically that he had never received a contract. In a passionate interview with ‘Cigar Talks,’ he declared, “On my life, Tank a liar. If he sent me a contract, tell him to post that contract. Post that contract he sent me. That’s what I want to see.”

Shakur Stevenson did not stop there. He further criticized Davis’ resume, claiming that the Baltimore native has taken on less challenging opponents and used weight clauses to his advantage. “You’re taking the less talented fighters and putting them in the ring with yourself and making them look as though they are on this level, but they’re not,” Stevenson said. He also suggested that until Davis faces an elite-level fighter, he would remain uninterested in engaging in any further discussions about the rivalry.

Only time will tell if Stevenson and Davis can put their differences aside and focus on unifying the division. What do you think—Is Gervonta Davis lying about sending the contract, or is Shakur Stevenson avoiding the fight?

BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk Finally Responds To Call Out From ‘The Only Man Who Can Beat Him’

Oleksandr Usyk is running out of opponents having cleaned out the heavyweight division.

The Ukrainian cemented himself as the greatest heavyweight of his generation in December, defeating Tyson Fury for the second time to successfully defend his unified WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles.

After writing himself into the boxing history books with two victories over ‘The Gypsy King’, Usyk is now faced with making a decision on what route to take next in what has been an incredible career.

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Having already won the undisputed championship at cruiserweight and heavyweight, there surely can’t be much left to achieve for the Ukrainian superstar.

Step forward reigning IBF world cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, who has said he would ‘hands down’ take a fight against Usyk and offered him a chance to return to the division he dominated for five years or face him at heavyweight down the line. The 29-year-old from Australia is unbeaten in 27 contests, with two solid victories over Mairis Briedis in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

Opetaia’s promoter Eddie Hearn has made it clear the ‘long term focus’ is a clash against Usyk and believes his man is the only fighter who has a chance of ending the 38-year-old’s undefeated record.

“The medium focus right now is every belt in the division and the long term focus is to fight Usyk for the unified heavyweight world championship. I believe he is the only fighter who can give Usyk a real fight over the next 12-18 moths.”

Speaking to iFL TV, Usyk was asked if he would be interested in facing the Australian star.

“I don’t know, maybe. He’s [Opetaia] a great fighter.”

The Ukrainian was then asked what else he wanted to achieve in the sport, with the prospect of a rematch against Daniel Dubois also an option.

“Now, just rest. No think about boxing.”

Usyk defeated Dubois in August 2023, getting up from the canvas after a controversial body shot landed on the Ukrainian’s belt line.

‘Dynamite’ went on to capture the IBF heavyweight title last year, making his first defence in a shock victory over Anthony Joshua last September.

Dubois stormed the ring just minutes after Usyk’s win in December, as he targets a rematch against the Ukrainian which would give him an opportunity to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

BOXING

“I’m Telling The Truth”: Floyd Mayweather Sums Up Canelo’s Boxing Ability Honestly

It’s been twelve years since Floyd Mayweather handed Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez the first defeat of his career.

Mayweather fought Canelo in a WBC and WBA light middleweight title showdown in September 2013. It was the 45th contest of the American’s glittering career, coming up against the young Mexican who was facing his toughest challenge to date.

‘Money’ dominated the fight throughout, using his skills and expertise to outclass Canelo over 12 rounds to claim a majority decision victory. Despite being the clear winner at the end of the contest, judge C.J. Ross scored it 114-114, which baffled many of those in attendance, including Mayweather.

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Speaking to FightHype, the 47-year-old did not hold back when talking about Canelo’s boxing ability, initially summing up in three words how the fight went.

“He was nothing.”

Mayweather then explained further what he thinks of the Mexican’s ability.

“You can take a guy like Canelo. I’ll tell the truth about Canelo. The mo**erf**ker was easy. A cakewalk, easy. You’re all praising this dude. He was nothing. I was almost 40 and I cooked this dude, easy.”

After tasting defeat for the first time against Mayweather, Canelo went on to win his next 15 fights, winning world titles at middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight in the process.

The 34-year-old from Guadalajara, Mexico currently holds the unified WBC, WBA and WBO titles at 168lbs, as he looks set to defend his crown against fellow pound-for-pound superstar Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford later this year, in what could be one of the biggest fights in the long history of boxing.

Canelo’s only other career defeat came in 2022, when he was beaten comprehensively by the former WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.

BOXING

Canelo Alvarez Finally Reveals The Real Reason He Refuses To Fight David Benavidez

A fight between Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez and David Benavidez looks further away than ever.

Benavidez, the youngest super-middleweight champion in history, looked to win back a world title by fighting to a mandatory spot for Canelo, who has largely dominated the division since moving up in 2018.

Despite winning the WBC Interim belt, Benavidez failed to force the fight, with Canelo saying he ‘brings nothing to the table’ and slapping a $200 million price tag on the bout.

READ: Terence Crawford Made to Swallow Bitter Pill Over Canelo Alvarez Fight Conditions

In order to push forward in his campaign, Benavidez has now moved up to light-heavyweight and looks unlikely to drop back down. Though Alvarez has fought twice in that division, a jump up to face Benavidez looks unlikely for now. Why?

Speaking to The Ring Magazine, the unified super-middleweight champ was asked if ‘disrespect’ from Benavidez factored into his decision not to pursue the fight.

“Yeah. You know, at this point I fight with everybody, with champions, with all the best. When somebody approach you like that, and call you out like that, you don’t need to give them money. Like I say, I can do whatever I want. I just don’t like the way he approaches taking the fight.”

Benavidez calling Canelo ‘a f***ing pussy’ in his latest interview won’t help matters.

In contrast, the Mexican superstar believes Terence Crawford, who is now reported to be very close to landing the bout, has called him out in the correct way.

“He’s wanted the fight and being respectful. ‘I want Canelo.’ He’s saying nothing bad about me.”

Canelo did not rule out facing Benavidez in the future.

“You never know. Maybe someday I wake up and I say I want to beat this guy.”

For now, though, he appears to be closing in on announcing a fight against Crawford for later this year. The American will have to move up two divisions from his last outing for the pleasure.

BOXING

Terence Crawford Made to Swallow Bitter Pill Over Canelo Alvarez Fight Conditions

By Admin January 22, 2025

Maybe not in history. However, it will certainly be the biggest fight of the era – or even the decade – if the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford showdown becomes a reality.

For the sport, the new year has started on a positive note. Fans can look forward to a plethora of exciting matchups, including some they’ve been eagerly anticipating for months or even years. One of the most awaited has been the Canelo-Crawford fight.

Ever since Crawford demolished Errol Spence Jr.‘s challenge, talks of a showdown against one of the biggest names in boxing have been swirling. The narrative followed the familiar cycle of highs and lows – mostly lows – until last year. However, with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh finally intervening, the momentum apparently shifted in a positive direction. Reports confirm that talks are progressing toward a potential clash around the Mexican Independence Day weekend. Yet, doubts remain. Many experts and former champions are still uncertain about how Crawford will be able to leapfrog two weight divisions to face Alvarez. Among the skeptics is Mikey Garcia, the younger brother of Ring Magazine’s ‘Trainer of the Year’ award recipient, Robert Garcia.

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Fight Hub TV caught up with the former four-division world champion during his visit to Hamburg, Germany, for the WBC Convention. The reporter highlighted HE Turki Alalshikh’s statement. The Riyadh Season head had expressed his desire to make the Canelo-Crawford fight happen.

After reflecting for a moment, Mikey Garcia said, “I’m not a big fan of that fight.” His main concern centers around the significant weight disparity between Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Before Crawford moved up to 154 pounds, the difference was equivalent to three weight classes.

Robert Garcia’s brother also pointed out how Terence Crawford seemingly struggled against Israil Madrimov during their title fight in Los Angeles. Despite Crawford’s superior skills, Garcia believes the size difference will be the deciding factor in a potential showdown. The Mexican superstar’s power and size will likely give him the upper hand.

Appreciating Crawford’s stellar career, Garcia reiterated, “That’s why I’m not even a fan of that fight. I think Crawford has accomplished everything he had to accomplish, from 140 to 147 to now 154. That’s even greater for him.” If Crawford truly wants to push himself further, he could pursue the unified/undisputed route in his current division, he opined. However, there’s a catch: “But there’s no money in that.”

Mikey Garcia held a similar view regarding Canelo Alvarez. Garcia acknowledges that a fight between Canelo and Crawford would generate substantial revenue. But as a fight fan, he’s not in favor of the matchup. He would prefer to see Alvarez face fighters within his weight class or above, such as Artur Beterbiev or a rematch with Dmitry Bivol. “He wanted to challenge himself, move up to 175 again, and challenge himself against those guys. Yeah, not a smaller guy moving up you,” said Garcia.

Those are strong views from someone who has been in the ring. These opinions are shared by several prominent figures, including Mike Tyson. For boxing legend Roy Jones Jr., like Mikey Garcia, Terence Crawford’s skills are undeniable. However, dealing with Alvarez’s size could prove to be a daunting challenge. “If Terence can deal with the size, he will beat him,” the legend stated during an interview with ‘Mill City Boxing.’

BOXING

‘He’s lying’ – Shakur Stevenson explains exactly what happened in Gervonta Davis sparring sessions

By Admin January 22, 2025

Shakur Stevenson insists Gervonta Davis never hurt him in sparring, despite ‘Tank’ insisting otherwise.

The American lightweight titans have been on a collision course to meet each other in the squared circle for several years now but nothing has come to fruition as of yet.

For now, the only thing boxing fans have to go off is their sparring sessions during the fledgling stages of their respective careers.

READ: ‘I have a contract’ – Oleksandr Usyk lifts lid on shock career change plans after boxing retirement

As there is no footage of the rounds they shared on the internet, we are left with conflicting accounts of what happened.

Davis claims the last time they sparred he ‘cracked’ Stevenson and had the WBC lightweight champion running from him in the ring.

Meanwhile, Davis’ trainer Kenny Ellis affirms that Stevenson left their camp early after getting his tooth broken by his student.

When asked to set the record straight on these rumours, Stevenson told talkSPORT.com: “He’s lying, he never in his life hurt me. I’ve got a hell of a chin.

“The sparring sessions were good sparring sessions, after the last spar we had he came up to me and said ‘Bro, you have got so much better. Bro you are so good’.

“You can go back and look at clips of how he used to talk about me and then he changed.

“I’m not lying. He’s a hell of a fighter, I have got nothing to take away from him.

“But I’m a hell of a fighter myself and it was good work every time.”

Davis and Stevenson were in discussions to face each other last year in a WBA and WBC unification clash but talks subsequently fizzled out.

Stevenson is now set to square off against highly-touted prospect Floyd Schofield Jr on February 22 on the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II undercard in Saudi Arabia while Davis is headlining a show in Brooklyn on March 1 against Lamont Roach.

Providing both men get through their upcoming clashes unscathed Stevenson is hopeful Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh can make Davis an offer he can’t refuse.

“He’s the big superstar, he’s the big name, the biggest pay-per-view superstar in the sport of boxing so with him being the biggest name and attraction it’s on him [to make it happen],” said Stevenson when asked what has to happen to get their fight over the line.

“The ball is in his court. I can’t say ‘I’m going to send him an offer’. Turki [Alalshikh] can.

“Turki has got the money, I don’t have the money to send Gervonta Davis a big enough offer.

“I don’t know why it hasn’t happened, he is a weird human being.

“I don’t have much respect for him to be honest.”