“Smokin’” Joe as Clubber Lang! It almost happened says Sly Stallone

03/13/201703/12/2017 James Slater

Joe Frazier’s loss became Laurence Tureaud’s gain. According to Sylvester Stallone, the legendary former heavyweight king was all set to take the part of Clubber Lang in the third installment of the fantastic “Rocky” series, only for “Smokin’” Joe to suffer a flashback in pre-movie sparring with Sly, hitting him with a shot that opened up a nasty cut, requiring six stitches.

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Did Yuriorkis Gamboa fail his audition for a Vasyl Lomachenko fight?

03/13/201703/12/2017 James Slater

Cuban talent and one-time pound-for-pound star Yuriorkis Gamboa returned to the ring on last night’s David Lemieux-Curtis Stevens card in New York, but unlike the main event, Gamboa’s decision win over Rene Alvarado failed to electrify the crowd. Boxing for the first time since December of 2015, former featherweight king Gamboa had to make do with a reasonably wide ten round UD.

Now aged 35 and a Golden Boy fighter, Gamboa improved to 26-1(17) but he failed to impress; even suffering a flash knockdown late on in last night’s bout. Gamboa had been hoping for a big fight with reigning WBO super-featherweight champ Vasyl Lomachenko (and probably still is) but it’s unlikely the Cuban defector did much to increase his chances.

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David Lemieux unloads vicious KO of The Year contender with crushing of Curtis Stevens

03/13/201703/12/2017 James Slater

It might only be March, but we surely saw The KO of The Year last night in New York. Fans were braced for something special as soon as the middleweight collision between David Lemieux and Curtis Stevens was signed – and did the fight deliver!

The two heavy-handed bangers, who had exchanged plenty of trash-talk in the run-up to the battle, went at it right from the opening bell; the faster, sharper Lemieux getting much the better of it. Stevens was content – or maybe he simply had no other choice – to cover up and attempt to weather the storm, coming to life more in the second round when he got home with some decent shots of his own.

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Has Gennady Golovkin even seen the contract De La Hoya has sent him for Canelo super-fight?

03/11/2017 James Slater

While boxing fans, often the most loyal and patient fans in all of sports, remain hopeful the Gennady Golovkin-Saul Canelo Alvarez mega-fight will indeed go ahead this coming September as planned, there is much cause for concern. Most troubling are the recent comments unbeaten middleweight king Golovkin made regarding the contract for the fight, the one Canelo’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya sent to him.

In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, GGG said he has yet to lay eyes on said contract!

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Floyd Mayweather: “I’m officially coming out of retirement” – again calls out Conor McGregor

03/11/2017 James Slater

Floyd Mayweather, who is currently in the UK on a tour to meet the fans, has officially ended the retirement he had been in since his September 2015 win over Andre Berto – so that’s 18 months if you’re keeping count.

Talking to the fans and media in attendance at Liverpool’s Auditorium last night, the 40 year-old star said he is “tired” of the excuses MMA star Conor McGregor is making with regards to making a fight with him, and Floyd said he has “officially” ended his retirement as he aims for McGregor.

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“Irish Mexican” Jamie Conlan thrills again with points win over dangerous Yader Cardoza

03/11/2017 James Slater

Irish warrior Jamie Conlan did it again last night: he overcame adversity in a thrilling action fight and somehow managed to pull out a win. In edging tough, dangerous and experienced Yader Cardoza of Nicaragua via 12 round split decision – Conlan prevailing by scores of 115-113, 114-113, the third judge having it 115-112 for the visiting fighter – “The Irish Mexican” improved to 19-0(11).

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Tyson Fury admits he weighs 350 pounds, but says “getting the weight off has never been a problem!”

03/10/2017 James Slater

Tyson Fury admits he is weighing a whopping 25 stone, or 350 pounds right now, but the former, unbeaten, heavyweight champ insists he has beaten depression in “the hardest fight” of his life and is more than ready for a fresh start. It could be a long road back for the 28 year-old who has not boxed since sensationally upsetting defending champion Wladimir Klitschko in November of 2015, and he has yet to obtain a license to box in the UK.

Fury, who is absolutely adamant he is a clean fighter and has never taken steroids or any other performance-enhancing drugs, will face a full investigation from VADA in May. But before then, the hard training will start and Fury has all that weight to shift. But, as he said via twitter, Fury says losing the weight will be no real problem for him.

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If Shawn Porter beats Andre Berto in April, we could get Thurman-Porter II

03/10/2017 James Slater

Keith Thurman wants to fight the best and give the fans what they want to see; ditto Shawn Porter. And when the two welterweight stars faced one another in June of last year, we witnessed a classic. Ever since the close decision that was awarded to Thurman, fans have craved a rematch.

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Artur Beterbiev: The lethal puncher nobody wants to fight? Barrera fight off

03/09/2017 James Slater

Gennady Golovkin? Guillermo Rigondeaux? Artur Beterbiev? Just who is the most avoided fighter in the world today?

In light of the breaking news story that tells us how the scheduled, hoped for, IBF final elimination bout between 175-pounders Beterbiev and Sullivan Barrera is now off, we can only assume it’s probably the latter.

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Tony Bellew says a fight between he and Tyson Fury “can happen”

03/09/2017 James Slater

Tony Bellew really did open up the possibility of all manner of big heavyweight fights for himself with his shock win over David Haye. We’ve heard talk of a possible title shot, against heavyweight champs Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker and now, believe it or not – a Bellew-Tyson Fury fight is being suggested.

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