Shannon Briggs ready, says “Fres Oquendo must fall” on June 3rd

03/16/2017 James Slater

Former two-time (lineal and WBO) heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs turned 45 in December, he has not fought since May of last year (a one-round blowout) and his critics say he should never, ever have fought again after the brutal 12-round hammering he took at the hands of Vitali Klitschko back in late 2010.

But Briggs believes he is on the verge of making history, his fight with Fres Oquendo, for a portion of the WBA heavyweight title, set for June 3rd at The Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. Briggs took to social media a few hours ago to announce the fight:

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Dillian Whyte calls out Bellew, says he is “a bigger name in Britain than Joseph Parker, Deontay Wilder”

03/16/2017 James Slater

As fans know, Tony Bellew is never shy to get involved in a grudge-fight; he’s had trash-talk run-ins with Nathan Cleverly, Adonis Stevenson and, most recently, David Haye. Dillian Whyte is also no stranger to a grudge-match; his pre-fight escapades with Anthony Joshua and Dereck Chisora proving memorable.

And now, with British heavyweight champ Whyte calling out “fake heavyweight” Bellew, these two could be locking horns in a venomous grudge-fight with one another. Bellew may need surgery on the hand he broke in his winning fight with Haye before he can box again, but Whyte, in speaking with Sky Sports, called the WBC cruiserweight champ out, claiming, “me versus Bellew will make more money than any other fight he can get at the minute.”

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Legend Sugar Ray still can’t bring himself to watch his last fight against Hector Camacho

03/16/201703/15/2017 James Slater

Of all the sad, even shocking endings to a great boxing career, the way the once untouchable Sugar Ray Leonard went out against Hector Camacho (RIP) has to rank pretty highly in the doom and gloom stakes.

It was no Muhammad Ali taking a prolonged beating at the hands of Larry Holmes (this fight, not Ali’s last, but often thought of as such; Ali actually having another sad affair, against Trevor Berbick a little over a year later), but the sight of “feather-fist” Camacho hammering what was left of Sugar Ray – the man who had stood up to anything and everything great punchers like Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran were able to put on him – into the canvas inside five rounds was disturbing viewing all the same.

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Still no official word on who, or where Manny Pacquiao will fight next

03/15/2017 James Slater

Things seem to have gone pretty quiet regarding superstar Manny Pacquiao’s next fight. First it was Australia’s Jeff Horn in Australia in April, then it was British star Amir Khan in the UAE in May, and now…….nothing.

As Top Rank boss Bob Arum explained a few days back, the money failed to appear for the Khan fight to go ahead, much as he expected all along, and the search began anew for Pac-Man’s next opponent. But it seems the Khan fight is not quite dead in the water yet. Arum has now said that, “Hopefully that fight [Pacquiao-Khan] can happen in November.”

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Mikey Garcia aiming big for his next fight, says he’d fight Keith Thurman in July

03/15/2017 James Slater

Due to the explosive and wholly impressive way he dealt with his last opponent, fight fans are eager to see Mikey Garcia’s next fight. In what is great news, the reigning WBC lightweight champ who crushed Dejan Zlaticanin to take the belt back in January is as eager to fight as his fans are to see him fight.

The unbeaten, now three-weight champ is aiming big for his next few fights and, in speaking with FightHype, Garcia called out recently crowned WBC/WBA welterweight champ Keith Thurman. Garcia said he would jump up to 147 for a fight with Thurman as soon as this coming July.

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Tom Loeffler on Golovkin: If there’s an opportunity for him to fight in June, he will

03/15/201703/14/2017 James Slater

Tom Loeffler, promoter of middleweight king Gennady Golovkin, is as anxious as his fighter is to have a more active 2017 compared to last year. Frustratingly, for GGG himself and the fans, Golovkin boxed just twice in 2016, seeing less than seven rounds of action.

This year, with his defence against Danny Jacobs first, this Saturday, GGG aims to be a whole lot more active, with three fights being the goal. Loeffler, as quoted by RingTV.com, told the media that if there is an opportunity for Triple-G to fight in June, he will indeed do so. There is talk that GGG may fight reigning WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders in his home country of Kazakhstan in June.

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Golovkin – Jacobs: Can GGG keep the middleweight brutality going, or will Jacobs turn the tables?

03/15/201703/14/2017 James Slater

Unlike this past Saturday’s non-title middleweight clash between punchers David Lemieux and Curtis Stevens, this coming Saturday’s showdown between 160 pound sharpshooters Gennady Golovkin and Danny Jacobs is not an even, 50/50, pick ’em fight.

Lemieux proved to be way too good and powerful for Stevens, scoring an epic KO of The Year candidate, now, fans are wondering if GGG can top his former victim’s display of punching prowess by taking out Jacobs in even more stunning fashion in their world title match. Then again, there are those fans who feel Jacobs, himself an effective hitman, might be the man who winds up scoring the highlight reel KO in New York.

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Tony Bellew to “100 percent fight again this year”

03/14/2017 James Slater

Promoter Eddie Hearn has announced how his heavyweight star Tony Bellew will “100 percent fight again in 2017.” Speaking with Sky Sports News HQ yesterday evening, Hearn said that “Bomber” will have the final say on his next move but that a big fight rematch with David Haye is among the options for the Liverpool warrior.

Bellew suffered a hand injury in the shocking fight with Haye, Haye of course tearing his Achilles, but Hearn is sure he will be fighting again this year.

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Who next for KO King David Lemieux?

03/13/201703/13/2017 James Slater

KO King David Lemieux? Well, in light of the chilling display of accuracy, timing and power we witnessed from the hands (or, the left hand in particular) of the Canadian contender and former IBF champ, yes, Lemieux deserves the unofficial nickname.

Lemieux’ nasty knockout of Curtis Stevens, in what was pretty much a 50/50 shootout going in, both thrilled and disturbed fight fans. A genuine KO of The Year contender, the 3rd-round icing of Stevens will likely keep fans talking for some time. Right now though, fans are wondering who Lemieux, 37-3(33) may fight next.

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Deontay Wilder to be immortalised with statue in Alabama

03/13/2017 James Slater

While congratulations have to go out to reigning WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, who is going to soon see unveiled a statue of his likeness in his honour, some fight fans are sure to wonder whether or not the honour is a little premature. Wilder is an exciting fighter and, with his punching power, a threat to anyone – but a statue; after arguably just one solid ring victory (over Bermane Stiverne, the man Wilder decisioned to win the crown)?

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