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Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: Dubois could have had the “wake up call” he needed to beat Joshua

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Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois

Daniel Dubois could have had the “wake up call” he needed to beat Anthony Joshua, suggests top trainer and boxing expert Adam Booth.

Dubois will fight Joshua for the IBF world heavyweight championship at Wembley stadium on September 21.

Now upgraded to world champion, after Usyk had to vacate the title, Dubois was the IBF’s Interim belt-holder after his June victory over Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic.

Heavyweight Who Was KOd By Joshua And Dubois Has No Doubt Who Hit Harder: "I Lost My Senses" - Seconds Out

READ: ‘THEY DID STUFF THAT WASN’T FAIR’- FRANCIS NGANNOU SAYS PROMOTERS OF USING DIRTY TACTICS TO HELP ANTHONY JOSHUA

It wasn’t an entirely routine victory for Dubois, but Adam Booth believes that could make him more dangerous in his fight with Joshua.

“The fact that Hrgovic found the right hand so many times could be the wake up call for Daniel that he needed to make that adjustment. You’d have to be a fool not to realise that you need to take Anthony Joshua’s right hand away from him,” Booth told Sky Sports.

There is a factor that both Joshua and Dubois do share, as well as their respective punch power. Both boxers are settling in with new trainers, Joshua with Ben Davison and Dubois with Don Charles.

Joshua has looked impressive in consecutive stoppage wins over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou, as has Dubois who ground down both Jarrell Miller and Hrgovic.

Their new-look corners do make them unpredictable.

“Although we know more about AJ at that level, because there’s much more of a body of work, working with a new coach there’s always going to be a slight change. I think that Dubois is actually on the up because his last two performances I think are going to make him a much better fighter,” Booth said.

Booth, renowned for his work with David Haye, understands high-profile heavyweight fights from the inside.

“In the heavyweights with a big rivalry and a big stadium sometimes it’s the one that can keep their head when these little moments of the firefight kick off or when the dangerous shots are being looked for, it’ll be the one that keeps their head,” he said.

“AJ has proven that he can make the mistakes but still keep his head and that’s still for Daniel to prove.”

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‘I’M CLEAN, FURY IS LIKE A YETI’ – USYK DENIES USING PEDS TO BEAT FURY

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Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Heavyweight Champion

Oleksandr Usyk has denied rumors that he used PEDs during his fight with Tyson Fury. 

The Ukrainian beat Fury via a split decision as Usyk became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Usyk dominated the fight early on, while Fury returned in the middle rounds. However, Usyk almost knocked out Fury in round nine, only for the referee to give a standing-eight count. But during this period, Usyk was seen in his corner taking a big gulp of air. As he did so, his cornerman put something near the Ukrainian’s mouth.

This led to suggestions that Usyk had used an inhaler. Inhalers are banned in boxing. After this moment, Usyk turned up the pace, with some feeling he had gotten an unfair advantage. But when the footage was received, it clearly showed that Usyk had kissed his cross. Usyk is known for being heavily into his Christian faith, which ultimately helped him get over the line. He shut down those accusations of using PEDs.

JUST IN: ‘STILL BEATS MOST ACTIVE 147 FIGHTERS’ – MAYWEATHER SHOWS OFF INSANE HAND SPEED AT 47

“Stupid people. Listen, I never used any substance. Never. I’m clean. The cross, it’s my doping. My belief is my doping. Jesus, my family, my team, my country – this my doping,” Usyk said

That was not the only thing Usyk addressed. He also turned his attention to Fury, who suggested that he had won the fight. After Usyk’s win, Fury alleged that the Ukrainian was only given the decision due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Even after Fury watched the fight, he felt he had done enough to win, calling Usyk an amateur boxer.

“I’ve watched the fight back lots of times and still got the same answer – I thought I won the fight. Usyk knows he didn’t beat me. I thought I boxed the head right off him for most of the rounds. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it’d be, the Usyk fight. “My problem in that fight was I probably had too much fun. It was probably too easy. It was like I was in there with a local amateur,” Fury stated

Fury also alleged that he had broken Usyk’s jaw. While he did have some discomfort, Usyk denied suggestions his jaw was broken. He expects Fury to be a tough opponent in their December 21 rematch.

“Oh my God, no way! Okay, no problem. The next fight will be easy [for him too]. For me, my fight will be hard because Tyson Fury is big man, a good boxer, with a good boxing IQ. But if Tyson says for him it will be easy, okay, no problem. I see for Tyson Fury, I see for the eyes of Tyson Fury, it’s not easy. It will be hard, very, very hard.

“Tyson (looking directly into the camera) don’t be afraid – I will not leave you alone (blowing a kiss and laughing) No, not break my jaw. Yes, I have a little bit of a problem but I have problems with my fist, my back, my whole body because it’s a hard fight, 47 minutes. You see Tyson Fury, he’s like a yeti. It’s hard. But my face is good, beautiful,” Usyk stated

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‘STILL BEATS MOST ACTIVE 147 FIGHTERS’ – MAYWEATHER SHOWS OFF INSANE HAND SPEED AT 47

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Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather showed off his impressive skills on the boxing pads ahead of his exhibition on August 24. 

Mayweather faces John Gotti III in a rematch. Their first fight ended in a brawl after the referee stopped the bout after both boxers refused to stop using expletives. Then Gotti swung at Mayweather after the fight as a brawl broke out. The bad blood continued on social media, resulting in a rematch. Mayweather showed off his boxing skills at the age of 47 in the following clip. Mayweather lets his hands go and moves around as he remains in top shape.

JUST IN: Canelo Alvarez ‘is stripped of his IBF super-middleweight title’

While Mayweather’s career as a professional is over with a 50-0 record, his closes rival Manny Pacquiao could make a return. Pacman will have his exhibition on July 28 against Rukiya Anpo at a RIZN 3 event. It is a three-round bout, with suggestions that Manny could then come out of retirement. He has been linked with a fight against the WBC Welterweight Champion Mario Barrios. A win makes him the oldest welterweight champion at 45, beating his previous record of 40 when he beat Keith Thurman.

There had been talks over a Mayweather rematch with Manny when the latter announced it last December. However, Mayweather rejected those claims, as they never materialised. Their only fight in 2015 brought in around $500 million in revenue. Although an exhibition would not top that, it could earn both men a big payday. Promoter Nobuyuki Sakakibara said a rematch would be possible if it made sense.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if anything happens these days so I the possibility is still there. We still have a good relationship with Floyd but he’s not thinking of coming back to real competitive fights. I understand that there isn’t no interest from his side on the rematch in non official bout, and Manny is interest. So it all comes down to the timing. And when everything aligns perfectly, I’m sure that rematch will happen,” Sakakibara said

Nevertheless, both boxers risk injury if they continue to fight at this late stage of their career. Evander Holyfield’s 2021 comeback against Victor Belfort ended in disaster after the fight was stopped in the first round. It was clear that Belfort’s reaction times were no longer the same. Father time does catch up with everyone. While Mayweather is only doing an exhibition against a non-pro boxer, it only takes one punch to change everything. Mayweather’s family has also had dementia within the family, with his father, Floyd Sr., suffering from it. Mayweather admitted that he could have some issues with his memory.

“My grandmother died from it, my uncle Roger died from it. My daddy’s going through it so I’m only human, so if I can have a little memory loss, it’s possible. I built generational wealth for my children and my family. So, if I am going through that, they’re going to make sure that I am okay,” Mayweather stated

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Canelo Alvarez ‘is stripped of his IBF super-middleweight title’

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Canelo-Alvarez Edgar-Berlanga

Canelo Alvarez ‘is STRIPPED of his IBF super-middleweight title’ as he prepares to defend his other 168-pound crowns against Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas on September 14

Canelo Alvarez is reportedly being stripped of one super middleweight crown as he prepares to defend his three others against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 in Las Vegas.

Alvarez’s mandatory IBF title defense against that governing body’s No. 1 contender, William Scull, is overdue, ESPN reports.

Boxing: Canelo Alvarez has lost respect: Easy work, not at his best anymore | Marca

READ: Floyd Mayweather Promises Two Lucky Fans a Trip to Mexico for John Gotti III Rematch, Find Out How to Participate

The IBF will reportedly order a fight between Scull and Vladimir Shiskin.

‘Once we officially notify the involved parties we will issue a statement,’ IBF president Daryl Peoples told ESPN.

The unified champion (61-2-2, 39 KOs) will put the WBC, WBA and WBO versions of the 168-pound title on the line in the bout at T-Mobile Arena, which will be available by pay-per-view on Prime Video.

The Mexican superstar has had a number of his biggest bouts around his country’s holiday, including all three of his fights against Gennady Golovkin.

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) won his first 16 pro fights by first-round knockout, though hadn’t shown the same explosive power since moving up in weight until stopping Padraig McCrory in February in his most recent bout.

The New York native who represents Puerto Rico is ranked No. 1 by the WBA at 168 pounds.

Erislandy Lara will defend his WBA middleweight title against Danny Garcia, a former champion at 140 and 147 pounds, in the co-main event.

The Berlanga fight comes after Alvarez’s failure – or reluctance – to strike a deal with contender David Benavidez, who has since moved up to light heavyweight with a win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk earlier this month.

Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) continues to hold out hope for a battle with Alvarez.

‘That’d be a big fight,’ said Benavidez on July 15, adding that needs to take some time off for his hand to heal. ‘Now I´m at 175 these are some big boys, I´m looking forward to what´s next in the division. I still can make 168, I have a lot to prove.

‘If I can go down to 168, there are big fights at 168. I want the opportunity … if it´s Canelo or whoever, I want the opportunity to be a four-time world champion.’

Alvarez is coming off a ho-hum win, overcoming a somewhat slow start to dominate and hand Jaime Munguia (43-1) his first loss on May 5.

The champ took full control after knocking down Munguia in the fourth round before the announced crowd of 17,492, which was fairly evenly split between the two competitors.

This marked the second straight time that Alvarez left no doubt who was the better fighter and showing why, even at 34, he remains one of the sport’s all-time greats. Alvarez also had his way with Jermell Charlo in September to win by even wider margins.

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“Hungry Lion” Terence Crawford Can Knockout Canelo Alvarez, Says Olympic Medalist

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Who can give the 2-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford a legacy-defining big-money fight?

At thirty-six, Terence Crawford is looking for a bout that would set him up nicely for retirement. Now, Crawford only has his eyes on one man: the undisputed super-middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. “Canelo is going to bring way more to my legacy; way more to my bank account. At the end of the day, when boxing is done with, what will we have? I wanna have a legacy that people talk about for ages, and not only that, I want a bank account that will last for ages,” the former undisputed welterweight champion told Ariel Helwani.

Crawford is gradually working to reduce the weight gap between himself and Canelo. On August 3, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, the Nebraska native will move up to Light Middleweight to challenge WBA champion Israil Madrimov for the title as part of the massive Matchroom Boxing event. Depending on the outcome of the Madrimov fight, Crawford will go to great lengths to entice Canelo into a bout, potentially next year. Most boxing experts have high confidence in Crawford’s chances of defeating the current face of boxing. Keyshawn Davis, a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and an emerging star in the Lightweight division is also backing Terence Crawford to pull off an upset win against the super-middleweight kingpin, Canelo Alvarez.

Terence Crawford: American boxer to face Israil Madrimov in bid to win world title at fourth different weight - Eurosport

JUST IN: ‘THEY DID STUFF THAT WASN’T FAIR’ – FRANCIS NGANNOU SAYS PROMOTERS OF USING DIRTY TACTICS TO HELP ANTHONY JOSHUA

While in a conversation with Fight Hype TV, the 25-year-old was asked about the outcome of a potential showdown between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Without hesitation, the Olympian chose Crawford to do a number on the Mexican if they were to fight it out in the ring. On top of that, he didn’t rule out Crawford’s chance of even knocking out ‘Cinnamon’. “Size don’t mean everything in a fight… I think he can knock out Canelo. Yes. For sure. If he does that, that would be crazy. This guy is a young, hungry lion. This guy not coming here just to lay down. He really fights. This guy got real IQ,” Davis said.

‘The Businessman’s’ opinion differs from those who feel that weight would play a significant part in Terence’s downfall against Canelo. The Mexican boxer, who will not be budging from his natural weight class, is being touted to inflict serious damage since Canelo is much more attuned to fighting at 168 than Crawford. But, Davis feels that Crawford’s superior boxing IQ will reign supreme.

Doubling down on his prediction, the twenty-five-year-old boxer further remarked, “Terence about to outbox him like he got to do. Terence about to knock him out like he got to. Whatever, he gotta do to get the win, it’s gonna be crazy. This matchup is just crazy to even get into.” 

Interestingly, Crawford has a higher KO rate than Canelo at 77.5%, ending 31 of his 40 fights via knockout. Meanwhile, Canelo’s KO percentage stands at 63.93%, with him preferring to go the distance with his last four opponents.

Reportedly, Canelo will be going up against the 27-year-old undefeated boxer Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger. Berlanga has never fought a world title fight. Right now, it seems Canelo is looking for easy fights that wouldn’t mess up his impressive boxing record. At the tail end of his career, Canelo will be demanding a humungous sum of money to enter into the ring against elite competitors like Terence Crawford or even David Benavidez.

Meanwhile, Canelo’s former promoter Eddie Hearn revealed why the Mexican legend wouldn’t be willing to take up the Crawford fight.

In an interview with talkSPORT in May, Eddie Hearn said Alvarez is likely to turn down the Crawford fight due to the gulf in weight classes between the two fighters. He further stated that Canelo is more likely to fight someone close to his weight class, at a hefty price of course! Does Canelo’s $200 million price tag set on the Benavidez fight ring a bell?

“When I met Saul, he wasn’t crazy on that [Crawford] fight. He just felt that you have got a welterweight coming up to light-middleweight, going up to super-middleweight and that he wouldn’t get any credit for that win. I think that he would pick Benavidez over Crawford because he knows he would get the credit for that victory, whereas he might not for fighting a guy that is three or four divisions lower,” Hearn asserted.

Notably, Canelo started his career at light welterweight and slowly made his way up to light-heavyweight. So, for Terence Crawford to make that leap in weight classes isn’t an unimaginable task. But, Canelo’s comfortability in the super-middleweight division cannot be factored out. After all, a sudden jump from 147 to 168 for Crawford could affect his mobility and the quickness of throwing punches.

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‘THEY DID STUFF THAT WASN’T FAIR’ – FRANCIS NGANNOU SAYS PROMOTERS OF USING DIRTY TACTICS TO HELP ANTHONY JOSHUA

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Francis Ngannou Anthony Joshua

Francis Ngannou has slammed boxing promoters for giving Anthony Joshua an unfair advantage in their fight. 

Ngannou was knocked out in the second round in his second boxing bout, much to the disappointment of fans. He failed to follow up on his impressive showing against Tyson Fury. The Predator dropped Fury in the third round while managing to last the distance in an impressive debut. Despite losing a split decision, many felt Ngannou had done enough to win. But when it came to facing Joshua, Ngannou was unhappy with the scheduling.

He recalled how he was made to wait for the media obligations that ran beyond the scheduled times. Ngannou also referred to how the fight happened much later than planned. He had prepared to box Joshua for around 1 am, while the fight started much later at 3:30 am. Ngannou recalled feeling tired before he entered the boxing ring. Given that Matchroom and Queensbury were responsible for the scheduling, Ngannou was unhappy.

JUST IN: Floyd Mayweather Promises Two Lucky Fans a Trip to Mexico for John Gotti III Rematch, Find Out How to Participate

“Not to say Anthony Joshua couldn’t beat me. I think if there’s somebody that you can lose against, he’s the guy, he’s one of the best doing it. This is definitely not on him, because he wasn’t the guy that was sending all those emails, organizing. So I’m not blaming him for anything. But the organization, they did quite some stuff that wasn’t fair.

“His team was part of the organization because it was Queensbury (Promotions) and Matchroom (Boxing), those emails were coming to me from them. Those were the people that were sending the schedule, and every day they send everything, the pickup time, the program, the schedule,” Ngannou said

Nevertheless, Ngannou has earned enough money to set him up for the rest of his career. He is now in a position where he does not have to fight unless it is for the right bout. The Predator is the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, meaning he has beaten the best in the MMA world. He has also been appointed Chairman of PFL Africa, giving him a career outside of fighting.

The organization will hold its play-off season next year, as the best African talent faces off against each other. Ngannou is expected to make his PFL debut this year. However, the passing of his son did complicate matters. His 15-month-old son, Kobe, died, raising question marks over whether Ngannou would fight again. PFL Chairman Donn Davis first hoped that Ngannou would fight in the summer. While Ngannou still expects to fight, the timing has now been moved.

“It’s working pretty good, we have a good relationship. Perhaps, I will be fighting by the end of the year. I think Renan Ferreira is the guy [I will fight next]. He’s dangerous, I think [that fight will be in Saudi Arabia], that’s what the PFL is working on. [It will likely take place] in October. They’re working on October, it’s not finalized yet but they were talking about October 19th [as the date],” Ngannou stated 

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Floyd Mayweather Promises Two Lucky Fans a Trip to Mexico for John Gotti III Rematch, Find Out How to Participate

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Floyd Mayweather John Gotti III Mexico City

All your life you admired Floyd Mayweather‘s boxing. You often wished you saw ‘TBE’ in action live! However, you could never afford the tickets. But, what if Mayweather himself now decided to treat you and sponsor a visit to his next exhibition? Sounds interesting, right?

Well, Floyd Mayweather cannot help but be generous. After taking 34 people to Super Bowl LVII by spending one million, Mayweather now wants to provide two lucky fans with the time of their lives! How? He wants to make sure they catch his rematch with John Gotti III live in Mexico City. Bang on!

In June this year, Floyd Mayweather announced that the rematch with John Gotti III was taking place at Arena CDMX, Mexico City, on August 24th. Additionally, it was revealed that Victor Ortiz was returning against Rodrigo Damian Coria. So, the card is not going to be boring at all. Meanwhile, since the last fight between Mayweather and Gotti III ended in chaos with Gotti III willing to attack Floyd even after the official stoppage, one can expect at least full-fledged entertainment from the rematch if not excellent boxing. But, how to be one of the two lucky fans?

John Gotti III suspended in Florida after Floyd Mayweather Jr. brawl - Los Angeles Times

READ: ‘Tank’ Davis fight is a phone call away – Shakur Stevenson’s co-manager

While we await more details, Floyd Mayweather took to Instagram and, in one of his stories, wrote, “Two people will win an all-inclusive trip to Mexico for my next exhibition.” For more details, it has been advised to keep an eye on his Instagram account. Soon, he also posted some training videos, showing him preparing for the Gotti III rematch.

Now that the tickets are on sale, Floyd Mayweather is devoting most of his time to training. Although he had out-performed John Gotti III in their first match, Mayweather does not want to take the rematch lightly as he understands that “anything can happen in a fight.” So, he has teamed up with Crystal Thomas! With an Instagram video, Mayweather introduced Thomas to the world.

“As you guys know, I’ve been working for a while. I’ve been working for like thirty minutes or forty minutes. I don’t know the exact time,” said Floyd Mayweather, taking a break. “My trainer, I chose her for a reason. She works extremely hard. Anytime you call, she shows up,” he said about Crystal.

“And she’s got great energy. It’s all about having a person who has great energy. That’s why I chose her. She’s from the Detroit area,” Mayweather added before resuming the session. With that said, do you want to see Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III live? Then keep an eye on Mayweather’s activities on Instagram.

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Tyson Fury makes Oleksandr Usyk fight decision after John Fury jibes

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Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury’s manager has confirmed that there’ll be no changes to the Brit’s corner during his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury, 35, tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career in May after a split-decision result. Although their rematch hasn’t been given an official date, the ‘Gypsy King’ is expected to have a second chance at downing the Ukrainian this coming December, with the winner likely to take on either Anthony Joshua or Daniel Dubois in March 2025.

During the loss, there was notable change in Fury’s corner. Traditionally, only one person speaks to a fighter between rounds, yet in Riyadh, Fury’s father John, SugarHill Steward and Andy Lee were all seen giving him advice.

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury by split decision to become the undisputed heavyweight champion

JUST IN : “I wanna see him fight the best in the division”: Terence Crawford Draws Out Plan for Shakur Stevenson to Sweep the Lightweight Division

Some of that was contradictory, leading to criticism of having too many voices. Nevertheless, manager Spencer Brown says that Fury won’t be changing tack.

“There’ll be changes, not in management or his team, there’ll be some other stuff that he’ll be looking at training-wise,” Brown told Sky Sports. “With the closeness of the fight last time, it could have gone either way. Some people will say Usyk was three rounds in front, some people won’t, it’s your opinion on boxing – that’s why we love it,” reports the Mirror.

Ex-heavyweight boxer and former sparring partner to both Usyk and Fury, Dave Allen, didn’t mince his words when criticising Fury’s corner. He told Boxing Social: “[There were] just too many voices in the corner really, I thought tactically through halfway was spot on case he boxed him and he had to box him because Usyk was so sharp, but you know you cut to the corners.”

Referring specifically to Fury’s trainer, SugarHill Steward, he added: “SugarHill in the corner, he’s the only voice for me but he’s getting advice from John as well, after the knockdown in round 10 get on your bike and have a rest but 11 and 12 you need to win them rounds, he was trying to steal it. They’re telling him if you win the last round you’ve won the fight no, by this point you need a knockdown you need to get him out of there.”

When it comes to Fury’s upcoming rematch with Usyk, the pressure is certainly on for the British heavyweight to bring home the victory. But Brown remains optimistic about his odds, stating: “Tyson Fury will be back. He’ll be firing and we’ll see a new, better, improved Tyson Fury.”

Concluding his thoughts, he remarked: “At his age, I don’t know how much you can improve but there was very, very little in the fight between them, so let’s back our British guy and I’m sure he will win and then we’re going to talk about the next stage.”

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“I wanna see him fight the best in the division”: Terence Crawford Draws Out Plan for Shakur Stevenson to Sweep the Lightweight Division

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Terence Crawford Shakur Stevenson

Shakur Stevenson has been trying to get bigger fights in the lightweight division for the past few years.

However, it has not gone his way, and he has become one of the most ignored fighters in boxing. But, one legendary boxer believes Stevenson is headed in the right direction for greater success. Two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford has prepared a plan to help Stevenson get to the top of the lightweight division.

Stevenson extended his unbeaten record to 22-0 earlier this month against German boxer Artem Harutyunyan. Despite Stevenson’s victory, fans deemed it as a boring fight. Additionally, it was his last fight with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, and he has not signed another promoter yet. But the news of him being a free agent has created a buzz online.

Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson spar, gearing up for next fights - Bad Left Hook

JUST IN: Why David Benavidez Puts Canelo Alvarez Dream to Rest Decides to Remain at 175 Explain

Fans have criticized Stevenson for being a boring combatant. He uses a fairly defensive style of play. However, ‘Bud’ prefers that the young boxer continue doing what he is doing and make no changes to his style. During his conversation with sports journalist Ariel Helwani, Crawford stated, “I would like to see Shakur Stevenson do exactly what he’s doing now. Keeping his name out there in the media, people are talking about him. Ultimately, I wanna see him fight the best in the division.”

Additionally, Crawford added, “I wanna see him unify the division and shut these guys up who are saying, ‘he’s not this great fighter they think he is’. I wanna see those guys get in the ring with him.”

Stevenson has been waiting for a long time to take on top boxers such as Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Gervonta Davis. But to no avail.

However, he feels these boxers will eventually have to fight him for the title given that he currently holds the WBC lightweight belt. Moreover, another sports icon shares the same thoughts as ‘Bud’.

Joe Cordina, a former two-time super featherweight champion, admired Stevenson’s boxing abilities. The Welsh boxer was a rival to Stevenson before, but he still admires the latter’s talent. While talking to BoxingScene, Cordina said, “It’s mad, because I see loads of people giving him stick. But if you love the art of boxing, you can’t knock it. How can you knock that? He hits and doesn’t get hit. He’s smart.”

The 32-year-old further mentioned that Stevenson is among the best defensive fighters today. Cordina stated that he genuinely doesn’t understand why the Newark native is getting so much hate. He explained, “It’s people that just don’t see the art of boxing. All they want to see is knockouts.”

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Why David Benavidez Puts Canelo Alvarez Dream to Rest Decides to Remain at 175 Explain

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David Benavidez Canelo Alvarez

Perhaps the grass on the other side is indeed greener. 

David Benavidez might have sensed that a fight with either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol makes more sense than the prolonged wait for long-time divisional rival Canelo Alvarez. ‘The Mexican Monster’s callout of the Mexican icon has now entered boxing folklore. With Alvarez showing no signs of interest in fighting the 168-pound interim champion, it seemed more prudent for Benavidez to test the waters elsewhere.

So, on to the 175-pound division. To announce his arrival, a quick dispatch of Oleksandr Gvozdyk followed. It was time to wait and watch. Either go back home and wait for Canelo Alvarez to accept the mandatory challenge, or face the division’s other big names, such as his namesake David Morrell or Edgar Berlanga. Otherwise, stay back at light middleweight. The division is set for its biggest upheaval when champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol finally clash for the undisputed title. So, why not become a mandatory challenger here rather than face a protracted delay at super middleweight, where Canelo Alvarez shows no sign of abdicating his throne anytime soon?

Boxing: David Benavidez bashes Canelo once again: 'He knows I'm the biggest threat at 168' | Marca

JUST IN: ‘Tank’ Davis fight is a phone call away – Shakur Stevenson’s co-manager

The landscape of the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions seems to be settling down, at least for the time being. According to an update posted by talkSPORT’s Michael Benson, David Benavidez has seemingly decided to stay at 175 pounds.

So, he will become the mandatory challenger to the winner of the October 21 Riyadh Season showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. However, the move comes at a price. Currently the WBC’s ‘interim’ super middleweight champion, he will have to relinquish the belt, rendering his status as Canelo Alvarez’s mandatory challenger redundant.

Needless to say, the news has drawn a myriad of reactions from fans and followers. The overall vibe and theme raked of Canelo Alvarez ‘ducking’ Benavidez, thus resulting in such a move from the latter. One fan wrote, “Benavidez vs. Dmitry Bivol would be a good fight! Since it seems we’ll never get Benavidez vs. ducker Canelo.”

But in hindsight, one must consider whether it is a prudent move from ‘The Mexican Monster’.

From what it appears, Canelo Alvarez’s second fight of the year may take place around the Mexican Independence Day weekend. According to available reports, Edgar Berlanga, the WBA’s mandatory challenger, appears the strongest candidate to stand opposite him. So what if the undisputed champ decides to consider a fight with Benavidez? Chances are it may not happen until September 2025. One must consider the ongoing talks about a potential matchup with Terence Crawford under Riyadh Season’s auspices.

So, does it make any sense to stay put and wait for his next payday, risking possible ring rust? Now, as a light heavyweight challenger, he will have to await the outcome of the October 21 clash in Riyadh. Artur Beterbiev is nearing forty. Hence, if he wins, there are chances he might pursue another high-profile fight against a big name such as David Benavidez. That might well be his swan song.

If Dmitry Bivol wins, then, thanks to their sparring sessions, as he stated before, Benavidez knows the fighting style of the Russian-Kyrgyz boxer. Given the confidence he expressed in knocking out Bivol if ever there was a fight, his dream of becoming an undisputed champion could be close enough. The die has been cast. The light heavyweight division is going to witness some high-class, edge-of-the-seat action in the coming months. Perhaps fans might as well be happy with ‘The Mexican Monster’s decision.

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