Breaking
Tag

BOXING

Browsing
BOXING

‘I Broke His Nose Twice’: Bakole accuse Anthony Joshua of ducking

By
Martin Bakole Anthony Joshua

Martin Bakole has bashed Anthony Joshua, accusing him of ducking. 

Bakole is considered one of the most dangerous boxers in the heavyweight division. He secured an upset win over Jared Anderson in his last fight. Anderson was considered as the future of the heavyweight division. But Bakole dropped him numerous times before getting a stoppage in the fifth. However, Bakole has struggled to get a big fight. He has called out Joshua on numerous occasions.

He said previously that he hurt Joshua while sparring. Meanwhile, the same was said when it came to Daniel Dubois. Now, Bakole has responded to AJ, who allegedly backed Efe Ajagba to beat Bakolie in their IBF title eliminator. Efe is 20-1-0 with 14 wins by knockout. His biggest win so far has arguably been Frank Sanchez. Bakole is his biggest test, raising questions over whether he can deliver. Bakole hit back at Joshua’s claims.

Bakole Threatens To End Joshua's Career - 'I Broke His Nose Twice'

JUST IN: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua disagree as Deontay Wilder ‘prepares announcement’

“Hey, Anthony Joshua this video is for you. I called [you] out, I wanted to knock you out, and now you’re saying Ajagba is going to beat me. Shame on you. How many times did I call you out? How many times did I ask you to fight in Africa? You should feel ashamed of yourself. I want to fight you. Look at Daniel Dubois – I broke his nose twice [in sparring] and he knocked you out cold. I will knock you out in the first round. You’re talking about Ajagba? Ajagba is a baby, wait till you see how I’m going to knock him out,” Bakloe said

But Joshua’s focus is on facing Tyson Fury following the Dubois loss. Dubois dropped him three times on his way to a fifth-round stoppage. There were talks over a rematch, but it never happened. Dubois will now face Joseph Parker on February 22. A Joshua-Fury fight is the biggest bout out there, meaning Bakole may not get his shot.

Joshua will likely secure his career-highest purse for that fight, which could be his last. He also has more incentive to run things back with Dubois. Bakole does not offer Joshua any belts. But if Bakole becomes an interim champion for the IBF, he will be in a position to face Dubois. But for now, Joshua is eying Fury with a possible Dubois rematch. Eddie Hearn said as much.

“I think Tyson Fury is still potentially at the peak of his powers, just not good enough to be Oleksandr Usyk tonight. But for me, AJ against Fury is the one, it’s the one at Wembley, I’m going to be pushing His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] to make the fight, but that’s maybe one for another day, tonight belongs to Oleksandr Usyk. But Fury will struggle with this, I think. All fighters do, AJ struggled with the Dubois defeat as well, you’re a winner and when you get beat it hurts and this will hurt Fury,” Hearn said

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua disagree as Deontay Wilder ‘prepares announcement’

By
Deontay Wilder Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

Deontay Wilder is reportedly planning a major return to boxing – a move that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua disagree on.

At 39, the Bronze Bomber holds a remarkable record of 43-4-1 in the squared circle, having clinched the WBC heavyweight crown in 2015, and defended it 10 times before ultimately relinquishing it to the Gypsy King. The two men initially met in December 2018, with Wilder defending his WBC belt via an incredibly tight split draw, before coming to blows again in February 2020.

This time, Fury saw his hand raised via a seventh-round TKO to take the title from Wilder before an eleventh-round knockout in their trilogy fight the following year in Fury’s favour diminished any hopes of the American putting himself in the championship picture. Wilder was once one of the world’s most feared heavyweights, but he now finds himself on a two-fight skid in 2025, which has left Fury calling for his retirement.

Tyson Fury loves the fight with Anthony Joshua - rejects the trilogy with Deontay Wilder - Telegraph - Telegraph

JUST IN: ‘The country would stop to see it’: Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua doesn’t need a title

Wilder suffered a unanimous decision loss to Joseph Parker in December 2023 at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena before finding himself on the receiving end of a fifth-round TKO at the hands of Zhilei Zhang last June at the same venue. As a result of his back-to-back losses, Fury told the Pound 4 Pound podcast: “Being truthful, I’d like to see poor old Deontay retire from boxing.

“Obviously, he lost the three fights to me. We took a lot of years off of each other’s lives. That war that ended in the 11th round by knockout, that takes a lot out your tank and you don’t recover from fights like that. Between me and Wilder in our trilogy there were 10 knockdowns. It takes a lot out of a fighter.

“Even when he’s come back and had a couple of fights since against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, he’s only a shadow of his former glory. The only thing left of Deontay is his name. And that’s it. So I’d like to see him retire for sure before he does damage to himself.”

Despite Fury’s assessment, Wilder is reportedly posed to announce his return to the ring – with boxing journalist Manouk Akopyan reporting that he’s looking at April for his next fight against an opponent who will be named in the near future.

Akopyan wrote on X: “I’m told @BronzeBomber will return for a comeback fight in April on BLK Prime. Wilder and manager Shelley Finkel will meet with the media in Los Angeles on Saturday to announce the opponent.”

The Gypsy King’s long-time rival Joshua has a different view on Wilder and whether he should retire from the sport. Speaking to DAZN about the prospect, AJ said: “It’s completely up to him, I can’t say.

“I just look at and say, ‘If you want to do it, do it’, it’s not a big deal boxing, if you want to fight, fight on, and if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it any more, it’s just where your heart’s at. He went in there against a good fighter in Zhilei, he’s an Olympian, Zhilei, people forget that.

“He’s come through, he’s got a great style. I fought him before in the Olympics and he’s still doing what he does now, so many years on. He was in with a real good, seasoned professional with a great pedigree. It doesn’t matter, come again if you want, and if you don’t, you’ve got your family there. There’s another life outside of boxing for him.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

‘The country would stop to see it,’: Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua doesn’t need a title

By
Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fighting without a title on the line would not detract from the scale of the event, says Top Rank’s Todd DuBoef.

Fury and Joshua have a long-running rivalry but the two Britons are yet to box each other. Both have been heavyweight world champions previously, though failed to reclaim titles in 2024.

Oleksandr Usyk repeated his points victory over Fury in their December rematch, while Daniel Dubois knocked out Joshua in a September clash for the IBF championship.

anthony joshua Tyson Fury

READ: Boxing Insider: Why Anthony Joshua Targeting Tyson Fury in 2025 Is Not Good News

Nevertheless, 2025 could be the year when Fury and Joshua finally box, even without a world championship belt on the line.

Todd DuBoef, president of Top Rank which co-promotes Fury, told Sky Sports: “It’s still two great fighters in the ring. The end.

“I think the brands are so strong,” he continued. “In the UK, the country would stop for an hour to see what happens and I think that’s a wonderful thing.

“They’ve created an incredible fanbase and passion towards who they are. So I always think it lives there.”

But first, DuBoef says, both Fury and Joshua must choose, not just whether they want to box each other, but whether they want to box at all.

“That everyday hard training, that discipline,” he said. “They have to decide if that’s what they want to do.”

DuBoef explained: “I think they both have to decide if they want to fight, let alone each other. I’ve always said for years the two brands and the two fanbases for both of them are so big and so wonderfully connected to them, that fight is always there.

“And I still believe that fight is always there. They’re like peanut butter and jelly, Joshua and Fury, they go together.

“I think it’s always there but they have to dig deep and decide if they want it and not it but if they want to get in the ring. Do they want to go back to training?”

Joshua has signalled his interest in fighting his British rival. “2025, I am targeting Tyson Fury,” Joshua said on a trip to meet Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

Reflecting on the Dubois fight, he added: “Makes me hungry, makes me want to work harder. Time is of the essence, time is limited, so I just want to put in more work.

“When I look back, I believe I could have done more in 2024. I have another chance in 2025 to do more and I am going to make sure I take every opportunity that comes my way.

“I should have won but I didn’t and I am going to go again.

“My life is up and down so I have to get used to the turbulent times and keep riding the wave.

“I can’t stop now. I have to keep going until I reach my destination.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Boxing Insider: Why Anthony Joshua Targeting Tyson Fury in 2025 Is Not Good News

By
Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury

Winning a major boxing match often opens new doors for a fighter, but in the case of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, the dynamic appears reversed.

The former unified heavyweight champion recently revealed his intent to pursue a showdown with the former WBC heavyweight champion. However, boxing insider Rick Glaser doesn’t seem too happy about it.

As you may know at this point, ‘The Gypsy King’ lost his rematch to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in December via a unanimous decision. This comes after Fury lost their initial fight back in May via majority decision. The same scenario unfolded for ‘AJ’ when he faced Oleksandr Usyk in back-to-back bouts in 2021 and 2022. Not to mention, Joshua’s loss to Daniel Dubois.

anthony joshua Tyson Fury

JUST IN: Reason Why Crawford Can’t Beat Canelo – ‘Canelo Is A Big Bad Wolf’

Even with the losses, the excitement about a fight between the two Englishmen hasn’t died down, especially in the United Kingdom. The pair have been linked for a fight for years at this point, but nothing ever went past discussion for various reasons. However, with both of their records painted in red, it appears the fight is possible.

Earlier this week, Boxing Scene reported that while speaking in Lagos, Nigeria, where Joshua visited President Bola Tinubu, he said about a Tyson Fury fight, “We’ll see, let’s get in the ring. Only God knows, but for me, we’ll see in the future.” Later, while Joshua was speaking to the State House Correspondents, he revealed much more about his plans for 2025.

“Time is of the essence, time is limited,” Joshua said. “So, I just want to put in more work. In 2024, when I look back, I believe I could have done more and I have another chance in 2025 to do more. I’m going to make sure that I take every opportunity that comes my way. I’m going to go again.”

“Ups and downs, they happen. To some people, it is always up. My life is up and down, so I have got to get used to the turbulent times and keep riding the wave. I can’t stop now; I have to keep going until I reach my destination.” Regardless, in response to this revelation, Rick Glaser offered his candid perspective on the potential matchup.

“Anthony Joshua with no punch resistance left is targeting Tyson Fury,” Glaser wrote on X. “Can’t make this s**t up!!! Wembley Stadium sells out for what will be AJ’s last fight.” Meanwhile, Joshua’s promoter Matchroom honcho feels there’s only one fight left of Tyson Fury.

Eddie Hearn has strongly advocated for a fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, calling it the “biggest fight in the history of British boxing.” Despite both fighters coming off losses, Hearn insists the matchup would be a box office smash. He told DAZN, “The reality is there’s only one fight for Tyson Fury and that’s Anthony Joshua. Everyone will want to see it.”

Hearn also addressed Fury’s performance in the Usyk rematch, stating, “That wasn’t a Tyson Fury who looked finished… He didn’t look gun-shy or like his punch resistance was in question.” He believes Fury is still at his peak, just not good enough to beat Usyk. Hearn is pushing for the fight to take place at Wembley this year, with a potential return to Riyadh following that.

That said, it appears 2025 will be the year fans not only in the UK but all over the world will see two of the best heavyweights of this generation clash in the ring. However, it’s worth noting that nothing has been officially announced.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Reason Why Crawford Can’t Beat Canelo – ‘Canelo Is A Big Bad Wolf’

By
Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Demetrius Andrade does not believe that Terence Crawford can beat Canelo Alvarez.

The fight has been talked about as Canelo’s next bout. The Mexican has said if the terms were right, he would be willing to take the fight. Crawford has been linked with the fight since beating Israil Madrimov in his last fight. The fight would require Crawford to move up two weight classes from 154 pounds.

Canelo has already beaten Jermell Charlo, who also jumped up two weight divisions to 168. Canelo beat Charlo in a one-sided unanimous decision. There is a feeling Canelo would do the same to Crawford. But Crawford’s team have said they can outbox Canelo and secure a historic win. But Andrade does not see that happening.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford timeline: Will undisputed boxing champions fight one another in 2024? | Sporting News United Kingdom

JUST IN: VIDEO: Gervonta Davis Undergoes Brutal Training for Title Defense

“Canelo is a big bad wolf and he can run the whole night. I think Crawford has the skills, but when it comes to Saul getting shots and blocking his power shots, Canelo knows how to move, too. He has agility. Not like a robot. I mean, it’s gonna be tough. I don’t think Crawford can beat Canelo. But I still think he can give him a good fight.

“And I’ll be sitting there fuming for Canelo all day. That’s a huge fight. A lot of fans wanna see it. Like, a lot of trainers I’ve spoken to have said and feel that Terence can bridge the gap between weight and make it even because he’s so damn good with his IQ,” Andrade said

However, reports indicate that Canelo could faceWilliam Scull next. Alvarez was meant to box him before he faced Edgar Berlanga. Scull was Canelo’s IBF mandatory. But Canelo opted to vacate for Berlanga. Scull faced Vladimir Shishkin for the vacant title, beating him in a unanimous decision. Canelo now has the chance to become a two-time undisputed champion at 168 by beating Scull again. But that fight would not go down well with fans.

A Crawford fight is seen as more competitive and a compromise for fans who do not see the David Benavidez fight happening. Benavidez moved up to 175 after failing to get the Canelo fight. He will now face David Morrell Jr. on February 1. That leaves Crawford with a chance to get the Canelo bout. Dmitry Bivol has said that Canelo had strong power. Given that Bivol is a seasoned 175-pounder, Crawford would have a tough task.

“I felt his power. He has really good power. He has good speed, good power, good sense, but some people are born with the power. I don’t have that type of power. I can throw a power punch if I want to put the power into my punch, I can do it intentionally and some other boxers, they have power in every punch.

“They can just throw a punch and it’s already powerful. To be honest, as a light-heavyweight, I didn’t feel like he had that power that you get from birth, I felt like he was just putting everything he can into every punch and trying to make it powerful,” Bivol stated 

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

VIDEO: Gervonta Davis Undergoes Brutal Training for Title Defense

By
Gervonta Davis

Gervonta Davis has begun his first day of training, shutting down rumors that he will not fight Lamont Roach Jr. 

Davis is scheduled to face Roach on March 1 in a defense of his WBA Lightweight Title. But Tank ruffled a few feathers by saying the fight was off. This raised alarm bells from the boxing community since Roach said the fight is still happening as far he is concerned. Tank had also said he was retiring in 2025 once he boxed three more times. But now it seems Davis is locked in. The following video shows him going through various training drills as he pushes himself to the limit. Roach will face a tough task since the WBA champion is moving up from 130. Hector Garcia did something similar but failed to beat Davis, getting stopped.

READ: Floyd Mayweather Cleared of Bankruptcy Rumors as Insider Reveals Details of LA Gym Protest

But Tank is facing criticism for not facing the big names. He has been linked with a unification against the WBC Lightweight Champion Shakur Stevenson. The latter will face Floyd Schofield on February 22. Davis has given mixed comments about the fight. He has said he would face Stevenson at some point. But he has also downplayed the fight, stating that Shakur has no special skills. This is despite Shakur being an undefeated three-weight champion. Tank could equally pursue a fight with Devin Haney or Teofimo Lopez at 140.

The latter two are two-weight world champions, and the fights would generate a lot of attention. But Tank’s insistence appears to be on facing Ryan Garcia, someone he has already beaten, rather than those names. Leonard Ellerbe came out to defend Davis’ retirement decision. Tank was clear he wanted to leave the sport to focus on his real estate portfolio and his newborn son. But if he leaves at his peak without facing the best, there will be an asterisk on his legacy.

Ellerbe Reacts

“I can understand where he’s coming from. Things are different when you have kids. It changed your life. It completely changes your life. He looks at things differently than six or seven years ago. If that’s what he said [he’s retiring] and we all heard him. No, not at all. It’s never good enough what you do, and sometimes that can be frustrating. There’s more to life than something you do for a living. You have respect for fans who pay their money to see you fight, but you have a life outside of boxing.

“They want you to continue to do this, and they really don’t care about your health afterward. Boxing is a brutal sport. You see a lot of fighters from before; they were taken advantage of in a lot of different ways. They went through a lot of health issues, a lot of permanent stuff. I understand the philosophy that you come into the sport and make your mark, and then you leave it at that. Everybody’s opinion is different, and everybody has different goals in life,” Ellerbe said 

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

“Usyk Did Not Get $60 Million”: Insider Blows the Lid Off Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 Fight Purses

By
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury

Just over ten days have passed since Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury faced each other once again in the ring.

With Usyk emerging victorious, discussions have naturally shifted toward future matchups. For the Ukrainian champion, there has been clamor for a rematch with Daniel Dubois. For Fury, it is back to the much sought-after clash against fellow Briton Anthony Joshua.

However, amidst the discussions, fresh insights on the Usyk-Fury rematch have appeared. A recent take from an insider digresses on the money part of the showdown. To some, the revelation might be startling. Seven months after their first encounter at the Kingdom Arena, Usyk and Fury met again on December 21 to settle their rivalry. Unlike their initial clash, Usyk secured a decisive win, retaining his unified titles. Alongside his belts, the Olympic gold medalist reportedly earned an unprecedented payout as well. However, Chael Sonnen has cast doubt on the rumored figures surrounding the fight.

JUST IN: Floyd Mayweather Cleared of Bankruptcy Rumors as Insider Reveals Details of LA Gym Protest

“Usyk was rumored to have gotten 60 million to fight Tyson Fury. 3 weeks ago Usyk did not get 60 million,” said Sonnen. According to him, these numbers are exaggerated. The claim is fabricated for publicity.

Though far from the inflated figures, Tyson Fury’s actual earnings were slightly higher than the $40 million he acknowledged nevertheless. With a realistic ceiling of $100 million for the rematch, he seemed to suggest that even the biggest boxing matches, including those featuring the sport’s top heavyweights, failed to generate anywhere near the rumored sums.

Actually, Chael Sonnen’s discourse was more about the rumored boxing match between Conor McGregor and Logan Paul. Revealing a potential matchup against Jake Paul‘s elder brother, ‘The Notorious’ shocked everyone last month. Reportedly, both McGregor and Paul could take home an astronomical amount of $250 million each from the exhibition fight in India.

Expressing his doubts, Sonnen, however, suggested that under no circumstances would anyone splurge such an astronomical amount. “There’s not a single piece of that that’s true,” he said, adding, “To hand to a guy that’s 0 and 1 in boxing against the current WWE star, there is no part of that story that’s true.”

Sonnen also drew comparisons to other high-profile bouts, including the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. While Tyson’s rumored earnings of $20 million might hold some truth, Sonnen dismissed claims of an equally substantial payout for Jake Paul. He further noted that even hypothetical superfights, like Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford, would likely struggle to reach the suggested extravagant sums.

Reportedly, the December 21 rematch saw a total payout of $190 million, split 55-45 in favor of Usyk. This marked a shift from their first encounter, where Fury claimed 70% of the $150 million purse. While the exact amount Usyk received remains unclear, it seems that both fighters walked away with substantial earnings.

Chael Sonnen’s perspective offers valuable insight into the economics of combat sports. Fans may continue to debate the feasibility of rumored matchups like McGregor vs. Logan Paul. However, his arguments serve as a reminder to approach such claims with skepticism.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Floyd Mayweather Cleared of Bankruptcy Rumors as Insider Reveals Details of LA Gym Protest

By
 Floyd Mayweather

Former five-division champion Floyd Mayweather was in the spotlight a few days ago when employees of the Mayweather Gym in Los Angeles staged a protest outside the facility on Highland Avenue over non-payment of wages.

However, the latest update on the matter has absolved the undefeated legend of the sport from any wrongdoing.

A report from the Daily Mail highlighted that the employees claimed they hadn’t been paid by the boxing legend’s ‘Money Team’ company for weeks. In retaliation for the alleged nonpayment of wages, disgruntled staffers brought out signs and shouted during the protest to raise awareness of their situation, as they were unable to cover their daily expenses.

JUST IN: How Claressa Shields can match Oleksandr Usyk’s achievement by becoming an undisputed heavyweight champion

One sign at the protest said, “modern-day slavery” while the other read “The $ Team has no $,” accusing Mayweather’s money team of bankruptcy. “We’re out here just letting everybody know that they have not been treating us right,” one employee told Daily Mail.

“Even if you work for a different company and you ain’t getting paid, you’re scared to show up and say something because you know how businesses do. They silence you and they fire you because everything’s ‘at will.’”

They accused the Mayweather of Boxing and Fitness group of violating the California Labor Code. However, boxing insider Rick Glaser hopped on X today to shed light on the reality of the matter. “Allegations of non-payment of wages against @FloydMayweather are false,” Glaser wrote. “This Mayweather Gym in LA is a franchise that Floyd gets a franchise fee for.”

Glaser also added, “Floyd himself has nothing to do with thee assets or liabilities of this. These reports are misleading, & defamatory.” It’s also worth noting that the staffers staging the protest had claimed that they were not aware whether Mayweather himself was in the loop about their situation.

However, this isn’t the first time a Mayweather Gym has faced the threat of closure. Last year in May, Mayweather’s gym in Elk Grove was shut down due to a breach of contract involving $30,000 in unpaid rent. In the meantime, the bankruptcy allegations never really made any sense because the boxing legend was spending millions some time ago.

Mayweather started investing in real estate in October by spending $402 million to purchase a portfolio of more than 60 buildings in New York City. He went on to invest an unspecified amount in the 601W Companies, which have a collection of 18 buildings and 10 million square feet of space worth a staggering $10 billion.

While money was leaving Mayweather’s accounts, he sold his home in Miami’s Biscayne Bay for $22 million. The boxing legend also acquired a stake in the former Versace Mansion—it has been transformed into a luxury hotel in Miami Beach. He then entered into a joint venture with Go Partners by investing $100 million into a sprawling portfolio in New York, featuring both luxury and market-rate housing.

That being said, the nonpayment of wages issue seems to be unraveling, as Rick Glaser has come out in Floyd Mayweather’s support. He calls the gym a franchise and clears Mayweather of any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Mayweather himself hasn’t addressed the situation.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

How Claressa Shields can match Oleksandr Usyk’s achievement by becoming an undisputed heavyweight champion

By
Claressa Shields Oleksandr Usyk

Claressa Shields ‘stands among’ elite champions such as Oleksandr Usyk ahead of her bid to unify the heavyweight division, says promoter Dmitriy Salita.

The American star has already been crowned as a world champion in five weight divisions and can match Oleksandr Usyk’s achievements when she bids to become an undisputed world title holder at heavyweight next month.

Usyk defeated Tyson Fury in May last year to secure all the major belts in the top division and defended three of them in a rematch win over his British rival last month, while Shields battles Danielle Perkins for the WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO titles in Michigan on February 2.

Claressa Shields will attempt to make boxing history Aug. 17 in Flint - mlive.com

READ: VIDEO: ‘The Fire Inside’ chronicles Claressa Shields’ gold medal road with immersive boxing

“Boxing is an individual sport, making it incredibly challenging to compare the unique and remarkable accomplishments of these two great fighters,” Dmitriy Salita, who promotes Shields, told Sky Sports.

“What sets Claressa apart from everyone else in boxing – past or present – is her ground-breaking achievements as a pioneer in women’s sports.

“She has been the first to accomplish many feats, breaking barriers and opening doors for equality while remaining utterly dominant in the ring.”

Both Usyk and Shields previously excelled in the amateur ranks, with the Ukrainian claiming gold at the 2012 Olympic Games, and Shields also took gold in London and in Rio four years later.

The 29-year-old avenged the only loss on her record, a World amateur Championship loss to Savannah Marshall, with a unanimous decision win to become undisputed super-middleweight champion in front of a huge televised audience and packed out crowd at The O2.

“Claressa is undoubtedly an all-time great, not only because of her unparalleled list of achievements but also due to her unwavering belief and determination,” said Salita.

“Growing up as a young girl in Flint, Michigan, one of the most challenging environments in the United States, she had the resilience to rise above her circumstances and prove that neither her surroundings nor her gender could define her limits.

“For these reasons, Claressa is a generational talent and stands among the all-time greats in the world of sports.”

Shields can extend her 15-bout unbeaten record against Perkins, who is undefeated in five fights.

Lauren Price, the WBA welterweight champion, has admitted she would welcome a fight against Shields at the Principality Stadium in front of her home support in Wales.

“It’s hard to put anything past Olympic champions. She won the Olympics 2021,” Shields, who has fought one division above at super-welterweight, told Sky Sports last year.

“I feel like when you’ve been all over the world and you’ve boxed and you’ve won World championships, it’s kind of destined for you to be great in the pros. I wish her the best of luck.”

But Price must first overcome Natasha Jonas in their world title unification fight at Royal Albert Hall on March 7.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Canelo Alvarez in talks with lesser-known champion to fight for world title he was stripped of

By
Canelo Alvarez IBF

IBF super middleweight champion William Scull claims he has been approached by Canelo Alvarez’s team regarding a unification clash.

Canelo was stripped of the IBF title in July after refusing to fight Scull, who was his mandatory at the time.

Instead, Canelo opted to take on Edgar Berlanga in September while Scull was matched up against Vladimir Shishkin in a vacant IBF world title fight in October, which he won, albeit controversially, via unanimous decision.

JUST IN: ‘It Makes Me Hungry’: Anthony Joshua admits to ‘turbulent times’ after Daniel Dubois defeat

The other three major world titles (WBA, WBC and WBO) all remain in Canelo’s possession so if the fight gets over the line then it will be for undisputed supremacy at 168lbs.

Scull claims that both his and Canelo’s team will sit down and have a meeting on January 10 to discuss the fight, although the Mexican superstar isn’t his only option.

“The truth is that there are three offers: to Berlanga, to Canelo and at the time there was talk of [Christian] Mbilli but I think that was left behind because the offer was not very good,” Scull told Punos Cubanos.

“But we are aiming to unify with Canelo Alvarez. And now on January 10 we will speak over the phone and they will tell us more later.

“I will keep you informed on what is coming because this is going to be a great year.

“That will be a good fight for me [with Canelo] to continue dreaming and continue making history.”

Esteemed boxing journalist Jake Donovan confirmed that contact had been made between Scull and Canelo team’s but also added that the Cuban boxer is one of ‘several options’ being explored and is ‘not necessarily first or even second choice’.

Donovan didn’t mention the other names in the hat, although it is understood that a super fight with Terence Crawford remains a possibility for Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas.

The fight has been at the top of Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh’s wishlist for some time now and despite a breakdown in communication in August last year, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority is ready to make Canelo an offer.

“Yo Turki, tell them we are going to go for Canelo next,” said Crawford on an Instagram live video following Canelo’s dominant win over Berlanga four months ago.

The camera was then turned to Alalshikh, who replied: “Yes. Let’s go! Canelo, come on. We are ready.”

Crawford added: “You heard it from him. Just put me in the game b****.

“Canelo-Crawford, the biggest fight in boxing. But we stay ready though.

“We stay ready, that way we ain’t got to get ready.”

Crawford is the current WBA champion at super welterweight, two weight classes below Canelo’s super middleweight division.

It is likely both men will meet at a catchweight, although Crawford insists he is willing to move up to 168lbs for the fight.

Keep Reading
By
Verified by MonsterInsights