Breaking
Tag

BOXING

Browsing
BOXING

‘CANELO IS LOOKING FOR EASY PICKINGS’ – CANELO TOLD TO VACATE ALL HIS BELTS

By
Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford David Benavidez

Paulie Malignaggi has called on Canelo Alvarezto vacate his super middleweight titles. 

Malignaggi made the comments after Canelo chose not to box his then-WBC mandatory David Benavidez. Canelo was undisputed then but chose to vacate his IBF belt after being ordered to face William Scull. He now has the WBA, WBC and WBO belts, which he will defend against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 during Mexican Independence Weekend.

The fight has received mass criticism since a Benavidez fight would have gone down well on the date to decide the best Mexican of this era. Benavidez will now box at 175, ending hopes of that fight.
There are other alternatives Canelo could have taken instead to reduce the criticism towards him. There are fights with Christian Mbilli and David Morrell Jr.

Canelo Alvarez is likely to face Terence Crawford or David Benavidez in his next bout according to reports

JUST IN: Jake Paul confronts Mike Tyson on major rule change, as Iron Mike coldly warns ranting YouTuber to ‘be careful’

Mbilli is 28-0, with 23 KOs and has come off a win against Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Before this fight, he called out Canelo and expressed his desire to face the best after beating Derevyanchenko. Morrell Jr. is also another option. The Cuban is a knockout artist with an 11-0 record and nine KOs. The failure to face big names is seen as holding up the division, leaving Malignaggi unhappy.

“I don’t care who Canelo fights if he would vacate his [168-lb] titles. I’ve been saying this for two years. I think Benavidez runs him over like a train, like a car stuck on the train tracks. His [Canelo] apprehension to fight his mandatory continuously only further cements my opinion of that. I don’t think he’s going to fight Benavidez. The only reason I want him to fight Benavidez is for the belts because I don’t even think it would be a good fight,” Malignaggi said 

Malignaggi was also critical of a potential Terence Crawford fight. Crawford has been chasing Canelo for some time, even calling him out after his win over Israil Madrimov. The win made Bud the WBA champion at 154 in his first fight at the weight class. However, Crawford’s punch power at the weight class was not what it was at 147 when he stopped all his opponents.

Madrimov also tagged Crawford numerous times, landing more power punches. There is a feeling that Crawford would bite off more than he can chew if he moved up to 168. Jermell Charlo did the same, coming up from 154 to face Alvarez last year. He was not the same fighter as Canelo, who won a comfortable unanimous decision. Malignaggi felt Canelo was simply looking for bigger paydays.

“I’m not crazy about it. Canelo is looking for easy pickings for later in his career..I think he would possibly consider Crawford, but he wants a crazy amount of money. He [Canelo] sees the kind of money Turki Alalshikh pays, and he’s trying to take advantage of it, which rightfully offended Turki Alalshikh. I’m not crazy about it. Weight classes exist for a reason. Crawford has been amazing. His talent has been something that has overcome the weight class deficit, but at a certain, you start to see that,” Malignaggi stated

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Jake Paul confronts Mike Tyson on major rule change, as Iron Mike coldly warns ranting YouTuber to ‘be careful’

By
Jake Paul Mike Tyson

Jake Paul confronts Mike Tyson on major rule change the boxing legend personally requested for their upcoming fight, as Iron Mike coldly warns ranting YouTuber to ‘be careful’

Jake Paul has revealed the reason for the shorter 2-minute rounds in his upcoming fight with Mike Tyson.

At the pre-fight press conference in New York, Paul and Tyson engaged in a heated exchange, with the 27-year-old YouTuber disclosing that the former world heavyweight champion requested eight rounds of two minutes each.

Mike Tyson 'ready' for rescheduled Jake Paul fight - BBC Sport

READ: ‘Anthony Joshua beware’…‘He shook me to my core’ – Anthony Joshua sent alarming warning about Daniel Dubois

The conflict followed another intense conference, during which Paul compared himself to Muhammad Ali and was later shoved by Tyson.

Previously, the fight was postponed due to Tyson suffering from an ulcer flare-up.

However, Tyson has now stated he is in good physical form for the fight on November 15, threatening Paul with the words: ‘Be in shape, be in good shape because your health depends on it.’

It was just a matter of time before Paul would grab the mic and respond to the boxing legend’s statement: ‘You’re the one that wanted eight, two-minute rounds,’ said the Youtuber, revealing Tyson’s demands for the fight.

He later confidently claimed that he was willing to increase the duration of each round: ‘Want to make it eight or threes? Don’t talk to me about shape.’

In response, Tyson said calmly to ‘be careful.’

Paul then countered: ‘That’s the thing, everyone is all talk. I’ll do whatever, wherever, whenever, it’s all talk.

‘Put it on the line. I’m stating facts, he’s s*** talking.’

The boxing clash – shown exclusively by Netflix, which gained broadcast rights – will endure another rule modification in addition to the change in round duration.

Paul and Tyson will be wearing 14oz gloves instead of the standard 10oz gloves used by professional boxers.

Their fight was sanctioned under the auspices of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations with a revised rule set.

Despite the criticism surrounding the match, Tyson was warmly received at Fanatics Fest NYC, while his opponent was infuriated by boos and offensive chants from the crowd.

That prompted Paul to turn on the fans, shouting: ‘F*** you, New York. ‘You’re just like Mike Tyson, you were good 20 years ago.’

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

‘Anthony Joshua beware’…‘He shook me to my core’ – Anthony Joshua sent alarming warning about Daniel Dubois

By
Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois

Daniel Dubois has been handed a glowing reference by sparring partner Johnny Fisher ahead of his showdown with Anthony Joshua.

Johnny Fisher has issued a warning to Anthony Joshua ahead of his upcoming face-off with Daniel Dubois. Fisher, known as ‘The Romford Bull’, delivered an intriguing breakdown of the fight between the two fighters.

Despite favouring Joshua for the win, Fisher warned that it won’t be a walk in the park for AJ. In an interview with Seconds Out, the 25-year-old reflected on his own sparring experiences with Dubois, admitting one punch from the 26-year-old left him staggered.

Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: IBF champion tells AJ he is a 'king slayer' - BBC Sport

READ: VIDEO – ‘I will prove on November 15 all the haters wrong’: Jake Paul and Mike Tyson officially announce rescheduled fight

Fisher said: “Dubois can seriously whack you – I’ve sparred him loads, the right hands could shake you to your absolute core, like they shake you. I remember I got hit by one, it was like an electric shock going through my body.”

Despite ample respect for Dubois’ strength, Fisher is placing his bets on Joshua emerging with the win. When asked who will take the title, he said: “Definitely Anthony Joshua. But not the margin that people would suspect. I reckon it’s like a 55/60 to a 40/45 split in favour of Anthony Joshua.”

“I haven’t sparred Joshua and I know how hard he can hit just from who he’s knocked out and what he’s done to people,” Fisher continued.

“But the jab of Dubois as well is like a right hand so – I can’t speak about sparring Joshua, I know that Dubois isn’t no joke and is coming off great ones like Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgović. Hrgović has been a sort of bogey man after the last two to three years, so to deal with him is [good].

“It’s not going to be an easy night for Joshua but one thing that makes me think Joshua will win – the amount of right hands Hrgović hit Dubois with, Joshua if he lands these right hands then it’s going to be night-night.”

Dubois has prepared to face Joshua with victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, after he was knocked out by Oleksandr Usyk in a controversial fight. The British fighter hit Usyk with a punch that was deemed a low blow by referee Luis Pabon – who gave the Ukrainian more time to recover, allowing him to fight back and beat Dubois in the ninth round.

Since two consecutive losses to Usyk, Joshua has gone 4-0 with wins against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou. Joshua and Dubois are set to go head-to-head on Saturday, September 21 at Wembley Stadium, where they’ll be battling it out for the IBF heavyweight title.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

‘I’ll be king forever’: Edgar Berlanga on a win over Canelo Alvarez

By
Edgar Berlanga Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

Edgar Berlanga may laud what Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has accomplished, but he says all respect will go out the window when the two meet on Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This isn’t to say that Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) is underestimating the Mexican superstar ahead of their super middleweight unification bout. But unlike prior opponents Jaime Munguia and Jermell Charlo, whom Berlanga believes were too reverent of the super middleweight king, Berlanga says he’s coming to win.

That much was apparent when the war of words began during a recent press tour to announce their Mexican Independence Day Weekend headliner, with things heating up in Los Angeles. While Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) promised an emphatic eighth-round knockout win, Berlanga, 27, vowed to utilize his ring IQ to upset the Mexican superstar.

Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga: A Clash of Titans in the Making – Traze Boxing

JUST IN: VIDEO – ‘I will prove on November 15 all the haters wrong’: Jake Paul and Mike Tyson officially announce rescheduled fight

“I saw a maricón,” Berlanga said of their heated face-off. “And he knows he didn’t see no fear [in me]. He knows he saw himself. You know how Tony Montana says in the movie ‘Scarface,’ the eyes never lie? You never saw me looking around. I looked straight, right into his soul. I saw everything in his body. When I went to L.A. and he had 100 guys with him, and it was only five of us, I kept that same energy in his face. I don’t fear any man at all.”

Berlanga is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation for Alvarez, moving camp from New York to Colorado. The Brooklyn-born Boricua says he began training well before the fight was announced and has only increased the intensity since.

“This is the first time being away this far from home, logging and being in the mountains and stuff,” Berlanga told BoxingScene. “I just wanted to put in a little bit more. We’re facing a legend, he’s in the mountains, so that’s why I wanted to be in the mountains.

“We’re not going to find a guy that fights just like Canelo, but we got guys in the gym that have experience, the same height, that are strong and come forward and that also sort of mimic the things that he does in the ring. That’s the type of sparring [trainer Mark Farrait] is bringing in. We’re not bringing in guys who don’t listen. They got to follow what we want to do – what Canelo is going to be doing on Sept. 14.”

Berlanga has also re-enlisted the help of strength and conditioning coach Ángel “Memo” Heredia.

“This is our second fight together. He’s a great strength and conditioning coach,” said Berlanga. “He’s a great human being, too. We brought him on board my last fight. He definitely came in and helped us with a lot of strength and fine-tuned a lot of other things for my performance. I need to be explosive. It’s going well, man.”

Even so, Canelo remains a significant favorite to retain his unified 168-pound belts. Berlanga says that while Canelo is great, he isn’t invincible – and at age 34, with 65 pro fights, he is past his best.

“The jab is his kryptonite, and that’s what’s going to be in his face the whole night. A great jab,” Berlanga said. “He loads up on his punches too much. He’s not the old Canelo we saw at 154, the one who used to throw a lot of combinations. Now, the maximum number of punches he throws is maybe two – jab and a right hook, double jab and uppercut. But he’s throwing them hard because he wants to beat up on your shoulders and your arms so that later on you let your guard down and he starts hitting your face. He likes to throw a lot of good body shots as well. We’re ready for that.”

Alvarez is a significant step up for Berlanga. After winning his first 16 bouts via first-round KO, Berlanga went the distance in his subsequent five bouts before scoring a sixth-round KO over Padraig McCrory last February. A win over a legend would not only be a huge upset but perhaps the greatest win for Puerto Rico in its rivalry with Mexico.

“I’ll be a legend after I beat Canelo,” Berlanga declared. “I’ll be the king of Puerto Rico forever. Me having my first title shot for three belts versus a guy that was an undisputed Mexican legend. He’s a superstar, so if I beat him, it’s over, man. We got to walk through him on Sept. 14. I got to break his will.”

Many fight fans remain unconvinced, something Berlanga is all too aware of.

“I don’t pay any mind to people’s opinions. Just keep writing me off. I’m used to people doubting me and saying I’m going to get knocked out. That’s just going to make the victory even sweeter. That’s gonna make the celebration even bigger and that’s going to shake the whole boxing world come Sept. 14.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

VIDEO – ‘I will prove on November 15 all the haters wrong’: Jake Paul and Mike Tyson officially announce rescheduled fight

By
Jake Paul Mike Tyson

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will have their headlining boxing event this fall.

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson is back on following a postponement back in May due to medical issues from Tyson. Both Paul and Tyson held an official press conference in New York to discuss the fight which is now set for November 15 on Netflix, and Paul took on the heel role quickly.

JUST IN: Anthony Joshua ‘won’t sleep at night’ until he beats Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk winner to become undisputed

“Making history, this is what it’s all about for me,” Paul said to a rain of boos from the New York crowd. “New York, you’re just like Mike Tyson, you were good 20 years ago,” Paul shot back at the hostile crowd. “F—k you, New York.”

Shortly after Paul would take aim a Tyson for having their fight postponed as he dealt with some health issues.

“You had to go on your little menopause break and postpone the fight, so yeah, what about that, dog? I was ready before, you needed a little break. Your tummy hurt still?

“He’s vicious, he’s a killer, I know all of these things. He has one punch knockout power, he’s the greatest heavyweight of all time, but I will prove on November 15 all the haters wrong.”

Paul would continue to goad Tyson and tell him that he has absolutely no fear about what they’re about to get into, and you can check out some video highlights from the press event at the link at the top courtesy of Fight Hub TV.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Anthony Joshua ‘won’t sleep at night’ until he beats Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk winner to become undisputed

By
Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Anthony Joshua has once again set his sights set on becoming undisputed heavyweight champion, according to Barry Hearn.

The Watford powerhouse faces Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on September 21, while Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk duke it out for the other three major sanctioning body world titles (WBC, WBA and WBO) on December 21.

Providing he beats ‘Triple D’, a fight against the winner of Usyk vs Fury 2 for all the marbles is expected to come next.

Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

READ: Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: Beating AJ will make me ‘legit champion’ – Dubois

British boxing fans will be hoping Fury can avenge his split decision defeat to Usyk and set up the long-awaited domestic showdown between him and AJ.

However, Joshua is just as motivated by a trilogy bout with the Ukrainian slickster after dropping a pair of decisions to him in 2021 and 2022.

“He wants to beat Usyk,” Hearn Sr told Sky Sports. “Because the first fight he had with Usyk, frankly he came out second best.

“He went away, he regrouped, he learned, he studied and he still got beat in the second fight. That’s why he got so disappointed in the second fight.

“It’s a split decision and it was close, but Anthony Joshua’s a very special type of sportsman. The money’s great.

“He’s got more than enough money, you could float a battleship if you put all his cash in one locker. But they want to win.

“These people want to win and they want a legacy. I don’t think Anthony Joshua will sleep at night until he is unified.”

Even if ‘The Gypsy King loses the rematch, there is a chance Joshua vs Fury could happen next.

“Joshua against Tyson Fury in early 2025 is the fight that we have a responsibility to deliver and we don’t walk away from our responsibilities,” Hearn added.

“Yes, I think it’s all of our duty, those involved. We have to keep delivering the very best product.

“We need to do that fight. I think personally that Usyk beats Fury in the rematch.

“It’s easier to make if Fury beats Usyk, because then if Joshua has beaten [Daniel] Dubois then you’ve got the unification fight because Joshua will hold the IBF belt.

“Usyk is a top-class world champion as a boxer, but doesn’t have the commercial appeal of Tyson Fury.

“So whatever happens in Fury-Usyk still assuming that AJ has won – and mustn’t get carried away with that, it’s not a foregone conclusion – assuming that AJ is victorious in that fight, there is no bigger fight in the world still than Fury and AJ.

“It’s the one the world’s waiting for. There isn’t a venue big enough to stage the number of people that would like to attend that. It will be colossal.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

“Crawford is the best-known fighter at 154″: Why does Terence Crawford have Canelo Alvarez tunnel vision?

By
Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford

He’s less than a month away from a grueling victory, so maybe Terence Crawford should be afforded a deeper reflection before his immediate reaction becomes written in stone.

Yet, judging by the fighter’s response relayed by Saudi Arabia’s fight maker Turki Alalshikh, Crawford is only interested in a Saul “Canelo” Alvarez bout as his 37th birthday arrives next month, and the possible pursuit of becoming an undisputed 154-pound champion is not happening.

Nebraska’s four-division champion Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) escaped with a narrow unanimous-decision victory over Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov Aug. 3 in Los Angeles by virtue of winning the final two rounds, as his trainer, Brian McIntyre, breathed a sigh of relief to start the post-fight news conference.

Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

JUST IN: The Canelo-Crawford Superfight Is Dead: Eddie Hearn Explains Why Alvarez Lost Interest

And now that four-division champion Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has discouraged interest in fighting Crawford, Alalshikh proposed a bout against new WBC interim junior-middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr., who just edged Serhii Bohachuk by majority decision Aug. 10.

Crawford, according to Alalshikh, responded that he only has interest in Alvarez.

“Crawford’s only looking for a big-money fight based on popularity, legacy,” former welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi said on Friday’s edition of ProBox TV’s “Top Stories.”

“He realized these top 154-pound guys are no joke. He had to dig deep to pull out the win over Madrimov, and the 154-pound division is full of guys like Madrimov. He’s thinking, ‘At this stage, I didn’t build my reputation to fight these young, hungry destroyers who are salivating in hunger.’

“… I understand why he wouldn’t want to fight these other guys.”

Crawford could still achieve a significant legacy play by fighting Canelo. Not only have the pair competed as pound-for-pound kings during the past decade, Alvarez wears three super-middleweight belts as he heads to a Sept. 14 bout as a prohibitive favorite against unbeaten WBA mandatory Edgar Berlanga.

If he could win – and Crawford would be a pronounced underdog – the Nebraskan could stand as a five-division champion.

Meanwhile, the 154-pound crop includes a slew of opponents that could pose problems, including Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs), former champion Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) and Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs).

Crawford continues to have the option to invoke a mandatory shot at current WBO/WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) by the end of the year.

A boxing official familiar with that situation frowned upon that fight ever happening, given the disdain that exists between Fundora side, Premier Boxing Champions, and the occasionally prickly Crawford.

All of the top 154-pound fighters are at least seven years younger than Crawford.

“You can’t blame (Crawford), although I’m not sure that (Alvarez) fight will happen, or if Turki Alalshikh is interested in it,” Malignaggi said. “It doesn’t interest me. I like competitive fights. It allows Crawford to pad his bank account. It doesn’t do anything for me.

“I enjoy hungry fighters fighting to be the best.”

Fellow “Top Stories” analyst and former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri said Crawford has the right to be “all about the money” at this point in his career.

“He’s already the most accomplished fighter of the four-belt era,” Algieri said. “He’s been undisputed (at 140 pounds and welterweight) and was a 100 per cent knockout guy, but he goes to 154 and realizes that to try and collect these belts is not easy.”

So why not restrict the focus purely to the cash cow of the sport?

“Crawford is the best-known fighter at 154, anyway,” Malignaggi said. “Canelo might not be as hungry, either.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

The Canelo-Crawford Superfight Is Dead: Eddie Hearn Explains Why Alvarez Lost Interest

By
Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Sadly for boxing fans, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh couldn’t be the genie they were looking for.

In an interview, the head of Matchroom Boxing and a close partner to the Saudi Royal, Eddie Hearn, put the final nail on a potential fight between Canelo Alvarez and former undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford.

You see, the entire thing began during the Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov bout earlier this month. His Excellency went live on air to reveal he had reached out to Canelo’s team with an offer. However, in a later post, he claimed he was no longer interested in hosting such a bout. This received a response from Canelo, who claimed he really didn’t care about that fight to begin with, starting a back-and-forth with Alalshikh on social media. Still, people were hoping for a reconciliation. But after Hearn’s statement, it seems even a reconciliation won’t be of any help.

Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez Turki Alalshikh

JUST IN: ‘IMAGINE WHAT HE DOES’ – FURY WILL GET BULLIED BY USYK

While appearing in an interview with Seconds Out, Hearn was asked to share his thoughts about a potential Canelo-Crawford fight after the public feud between His Excellency and Canelo Alvarez. Hearn, who has promoted some of Canelo’s fights in the past and will be part of his upcoming bout against Edgar Berlanga in the role of Berlanga’s promoter, seemed confident in his response: “No.”

He explained, “I don’t think Saul is really that interested in that fight, if I’m honest. He’s kind of made that clear. He told me that a while ago.” He then repeated what Canelo Alvarez has been saying about facing Crawford, claiming he doesn’t see any benefit in fighting someone who climbed from the 147-pound division.

Hearn even highlighted that Canelo would like to face opponents who come forward to fight, rather than Crawford who would, “box a crafty fight in that fight.” He continued, “Saul knows that and he [doesn’t] think he’d get credit for beating a 147-pounder or 154-pounder now.” Also, reflecting on the feud between Canelo and Turki Alalshikh, Hearn said, “I think you just got two very powerful people in the world of boxing that sort of wanted their own way.”

As Hearn says, the potential fight might just be in the grave, but this didn’t stop Crawford from expressing his thoughts about Canelo refusing the Saudi Royal’s deal.

Terence Crawford is calling out Canelo Alvarez for his excuses about a possible fight between them. After his win over Israil Madrimov, Crawford didn’t hold back on Canelo’s size and money issues. “It’s crazy, and it makes me laugh,” Crawford said on The Porter Way Podcast. “Canelo’s been fighting smaller guys his whole career… And I’m a threat to him and I’m a threat to his legacy.” 

Crawford also accused Canelo of being hypocritical, pointing out that the Mexican champ has fought smaller opponents before but is now demanding a huge payday for a fight with him. “If I was easy work, then you would take all that money he’s offering you,” Crawford added. Plus, Crawford wasn’t happy with Eddie Hearn’s claim that Canelo’s name was used to hype up the Crawford vs. Madrimov fight. “We didn’t have to use Canelo’s name to promote s***,” Crawford stated bluntly.

Sadly for boxing fans, who were hoping to see Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford in the ring together, it appears even His Excellency couldn’t convince the Mexican superstar to take the fight. But who knows?

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

‘IMAGINE WHAT HE DOES’ – FURY WILL GET BULLIED BY USYK

By
Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury will get bullied and lose to Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch on December 21. 

That is according to Tony Bellew. Usyk won the first bout to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion in a split decision win. While it was a split decision, the consensus was that it should have been unanimous. Usyk almost knocked out Fury in round nine, only for the referee to impose a standing eight count. Fury was outfought, aside from the middle rounds, in impressive fashion.

Usyk was fighting on the front foot, attacking the body, and pushing Fury back. This was despite being 40 pounds lighter and having a seven-inch reach disadvantage. That was a departure from the tactics expected. There was a perception that Fury would try to impose his size on Usyk, who would look to fight off the back foot.

Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Heavyweight Champion

READ: BOXING RUMOUR: GGG REPORTEDLY OFFERED THE CRAWFORD FIGHT

When Bellew fought Usyk, he sought to counter him and stay with him until the full distance. However, he did not have the stamina to do so. Bellew felt Fury would now play into Usyk’s hands by changing tactics as the Ukrainian is better on the back foot.

“If I’m being totally honest, do I think he’ll win? No. I think he’ll lose again. And this time, I think he’ll lose really, really clearly. Because Usyk this time will go on the back foot. And that is the worst nightmare for Tyson Fury because that’s one that he can’t control. You’ve got to understand, he pressed the whole fight. He walked the 6ft 9ins, 20 stone man down. He walked him down and bullied him,” Bellew said 

Fury entered the fight in the best condition of his career. He had been training for the fight since his win over Francis Ngannou. That was a timeline from November to May to get ready for that bout. There were no excuses heading into the fight, with suggestions Fury did not train properly for Ngannou as he may have overlooked him.

Fury also was the favorite coming into the fight, full of confidence. He claimed he would bully a ‘middleweight’ and called him a rabbit. He also said he would retire if he lost to Usyk. Another loss to Usyk may well do that. His brother, Shane Fury, wants him to retire after the Usyk bout, regardless of the result. Given how much punishment Fury took in the first fight and the stamina required to stay with Usyk, they could not see how the Gypsy King would do that.

“Imagine what he does when he fights to his attributes and fights to his best. Because his best is fighting on the back foot. Anyone who studies him and knows Usyk the way I know him, and I studied him, you’ll know that you’ve got to bring him to you.

“And that’s the way to beat him. But you’ve got to counter him and feint and you’ve got to be able to sharpshoot with him. You’ve got to be able to box with him. You’ve got to be able to offset him. But you’ve got to be able to continuously do all these things round after round. I couldn’t,” Bellew stated

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

BOXING RUMOUR: GGG REPORTEDLY OFFERED THE CRAWFORD FIGHT

By
Gennady Golovkin Terence Crawford

Gennady Golovkin has reportedly been offered a fight against Terence Crawford for next year in Saudi Arabia.

GGG has not boxed since losing to Canelo Alvarez in 2022. That capped off their trilogy as Golovkin was arguably deprived of a historic win in their first bout, which was declared a draw. Since then, Golovkin has been weighing up his future. The Khazak admitted that he has not officially retired and will return if the right fight presents itself. This has created the narrative that Golovkin would return for a mega purse now that he is 42, as a world title is unlikely. A fight in Saudi Arabia would do that.

READ: Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford given lifeline as Turki Alalshikh reveals message from Mexican superstar

“I’m not retired. I never announced my retirement, and it’s not my nature to announce things like that. I think to me, life is moments, and if an opportunity arises or something comes up, yes, we might see Gennady Golovkin in the ring again,” Golovkin said

Crawford had been chasing a fight with Canelo. That would require him to move up two weight classes to chase Canelo’s WBA, WBC and WBO belts. Alvarez has shown a reluctance to take the fight. He reacted negatively to the Saudis contacting him about that fight, saying he was not overlooking Edgar Berlanga ahead of their bout on September 14. Reports also suggested that Crawford could retire if he does not get the Canelo fight.

“I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo. We [will] give him an offer for [Vergil] Ortiz, [but] I don’t know if he’ll take it or not. We have an agreement to do [a] big fight for Ortiz if Crawford doesn’t take the fight. I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo,” Turki Alalshikh said 

GGG would be an alternative. He is a big name, even at the latter end of his career. It also allows Crawford to challenge himself against a 160/168-pounder. If he comes through that, it would tell fans much about whether he could deal with Canelo. But that is a very risky fight. Fighters have shown previously that weight classes are important.

Kell Brook jumped up two weight classes from 147 to face GGG. It was not the best move for his career, as Brook was stopped. He broke his orbital bone as the former IBF Welterweight Champion was no longer the same fighter. There is a risk that Crawford could bite off more than he could chew and ruin his legacy. He is undefeated as a two-weight undisputed champion.

He has also won titles in four weight classes, making him a future ‘Hall of Famer.’ However, since Crawford is 36, he is in the latter stages of his career. There will not be many opportunities to secure big paydays with the Saudis’ help. Taking on bigger and riskier fights will help him do that. If a Canelo fight cannot be made, then a GGG bout may be the next best thing.

Keep Reading
By
Verified by MonsterInsights