Fight fans around the world have surely heard the news by now: heavyweight great Wladimir Klitschko has officially announced his retirement from boxing. At age 41, the former king who ruled for the best part of twenty long years – his unbeaten 2006 to 2015 run seeing the giant at his peak – announced how he had achieved his dreams and is ready to move on to his next career.
James Slater
Talks begin for Horn vs Pacquiao rematch
While the sport of boxing has lost one big rematch with the retirement of former heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko, it seems there is a good chance we will see a Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn rematch even if we will not now see an Anthony Joshua-Klitschko II.
According to Top Rank boss and Pac Man promoter Bob Arum, who spoke with The Manila Times, talks have begun for the rematch, and Arum says it’s likely the sequel to one of this year’s biggest boxing upsets will take place in the same place: Australia.
With Klitschko rematch now out, Anthony Joshua targets IBF mandatory defence against Kubrat Pulev
Thank goodness for a Plan-B. Now that former heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko has retired, thus forever ending any talk of a rematch with Anthony Joshua, AJ is looking at his next fight. And Eddie Hearn, in speaking with Sky Sports, said a fight between AJ and his IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev is already in place.
Though glitzy Las Vegas is almost certainly out – Joshua-Pulev having nothing of the Big Fight factor to it that Joshua-Klitschko II had – it’s good that Joshua will not have to waste time searching for a replacement challenger.
Vasyl Lomachenko says he’s frustrated – “It’s hard to get fights”
How can former amateur sensation Vasyl Lomachenko prove his greatness at pro level? Already a two-weight world champ, this despite having had just nine fights in the paid ranks, the gifted southpaw wants much more.
Lomachenko, in action against whopping outsider Miguel Marriaga this Saturday night (some odds-makers have the defending WBO 130 pound champ listed as an enormous 100/1 favourite over the Colombian challenger) told ESPN, the network that will carry his fight, that he is “frustrated” right now.
Bellew-Haye II “Virtually Dead” says Hearn
Those fight fans who want, and have wanted since March, to see bitter British rivals Tony Bellew and David Haye fight a rematch will likely be disappointed. Though the two heavyweights engaged in talks after the March fight, won by Bellew in an upset, they have come to nothing; much to the chagrin of promoter Eddie Hearn.
Bellew, who stopped Haye late – this after the big favourite had severely damaged his Achilles, reduced as he was to basically a one-legged fighter – reportedly demanded the lion’s share of the purse going into a return, and Haye has not been forthcoming. This is one way to look at the collapse of the fight anyway.
Joshua hoping for Klitschko return next, then a Deontay Wilder fight
Unbeaten heavyweight star Anthony Joshua, the reigning WBA/IBF champ, is hoping his next fight will be signed and sealed before the end of the month, but at the same time he is urging Wladimir Klitschko to get a move on and confirm if he will be his next opponent or not.
Errol Spence “chasing world title fights,” says he has wanted a fight with Keith Thurman since he was 15-0
In the opinion of some good judges, unbeaten Errol Spence Junior, the reigning IBF welterweight king, has already proven himself as the best 147 pounder in the sport today; others need further proof. And the gifted southpaw who relieved the long-reigning Kell Brook of his IBF belt just over two months ago is fully intending on providing this proof.
The 27 year old from Texas with the 22-0(19) record spoke with Sky Sports recently, and “The Truth” made it clear he intends to prove his bold nickname is one he is worthy of carrying. Spence wants all the titles at 147 and he wants them asap.
Jimmy Lennon Jr: You never knew what to expect with Tyson and really I don’t know what’s going to happen with this one
MC Jimmy Lennon Junior, who learnt the trade from his late father, is used to introducing big names in big, big fights. Over the course of his long career, Lennon has introduced superstars such as Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather.
And Lennon will be the man on the microphone as Mayweather and Conor McGregor get ready to trade leather in their hugely hyped August 26 fight. Lennon, who is as much a fight fan as the rest of us, spoke recently with Sky Sports – who will of course televise the fight in the UK via their Box Office platform – and he said that he is totally unsure of what to expect once the bell rings inside The T-Mobile Arena later this month.
30 years ago today: Mike Tyson unifies the WBC/WBA/IBF heavyweight titles with win over Tony Tucker
Was it really thirty years ago – three full decades; a generation – when a peak Mike Tyson put all the heavyweight belts around his 34” waist? It was indeed, as hard as it may be to believe for fight fans who were mere teenagers at the time.
It was August 1st, 1987 when a 21 year old “Iron” Mike met 28 year old Tony “TNT” Tucker in Las Vegas. The fight between the two unbeaten heavyweights was dubbed “The Ultimate,” and with everything but the lineal heavyweight title on the line, such a tag-line was apt.
Confirmed: Mayweather Vs. McGregor will be televised by Sky Sports Box Office in the UK
It has today been announced how the big, heavily hyped “Super Fight” between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor will be televised in the UK by Sky Sports Box Office. Sky defeated BT Sports, Box Nation and ITV to bag the exclusive rights to the August 26 bout in Las Vegas and big numbers are expected to be generated despite the fight being set to take place at around 5AM UK time.