Martin Murray-George Groves clash on Joshua’s undercard on 6/25

04/20/201604/19/2016 James Slater

According to British super-middleweight Martin Murray, he will likely face fellow Brit and fellow former world title challenger George Groves on the upcoming card that will see new IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua make his very first defence. The date penciled in is June 25th, but the card has yet to be announced officially.

But Murray, 32-3-1(15) and coming off a split decision loss to Arthur Abraham, told Sky Sports the fight between he and Groves, 23-3(18) and two wins removed from his points loss to Badou Jack, is likely to go ahead.

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Marvelous Marvin Hagler: boxing will never die, but we need a new superstar

04/19/2016 James Slater

Former undisputed and long-reigning middleweight king Marvelous Marvin Hagler was lucky, in that he fought during a golden era that was literally cluttered with stars and big marquee names. There was The Marvelous one himself of course, and Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. Hagler fought them all, along with other attractive names like John Mugabi, and this served him well – money-wise and fame-wise.

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Joshua’s first title challenger down to three likely names; Hearn says A.J wants “a real fight”

04/18/2016 James Slater

Newly crowned IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua is already back in training after his explosive yet easy 2nd-round stoppage of Charles Martin. A.J doesn’t quite know who he will be fighting in his first defence as champion, but he is taking no shortcuts in training as he gets ready for his maiden defence. And his promoter Eddie Hearn, in speaking with Sky Sports today, said the short-list now consists of three likely names – all of them American fighters.

“The IBF put out there new rankings today and we have to box someone in the top-15 of those rankings,” the Matchroom boss said. “We expect from those rankings the likes of Bermane Stiverne, Eric Molina, Dominic Breazeale. There has been big interest from US broadcasters. I think a US opponent makes sense. These are real guys and he wants a real fight.”

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Courageous Nick Blackwell Tweets how he is “on the mend,” gives thanks for the overwhelming support he’s had

04/18/2016 James Slater

In good news, Nick Blackwell has felt well enough to return to Twitter, for the first time in a month. As fans know, the gutsy middleweight engaged in a brutal fight with Chris Eubank Junior and was placed in an induced coma shortly after lapsing into unconsciousness after the 10th-round stoppage defeat. Thankfully, no brain surgery was needed and Blackwell, who regained consciousness a week after the fight, now says he is “on the mend.”

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Tyson Fury starts first day of training camp for Klitschko rematch, has plenty of weight to shift

04/19/201604/18/2016 James Slater

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has begun his training for the July 9th return fight with Wladimir Klitschko, with Fury entering camp for day-one earlier today. And the 27-year-old, by his own admission, really is a heavyweight, with plenty of excess weight to lose before the fight. Tyson will be training alongside his cousin, unbeaten prospect Hughie Fury, under the watchful eye of trainer and uncle Peter.

Peter Fury wrote in a Tweet earlier today how, “9th July the real journey begins,” and those who know how Team-Fury work have faith in Peter having his fighter fully focused and ready for the fight at hand. Still, Fury, a big man indeed at 6’9” and around 250 to 255-pounds when in top fighting shape, needs to lose close to a fifth of that weight for the rematch. As Tyson Tweeted a couple of hours ago:

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DiBella hugely impressed and excited by Errol Spence Jr

04/17/2016 James Slater

Promoter Lou DiBella, who has been involved in boxing for many years – working with the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Paulie Malignaggi and many other world champions during his tenure in the sport – is hugely excited about his newest star, Errol Spence Junior. Speaking at the post-fight press conference for Spence Junior’s very impressive 5th-round stoppage of the durable and experienced Chris Algieri, DiBella said the southpaw welterweight “has the potential to beat anyone in the world today.”

“What this guy just did is scary,” DiBella said as quoted by RingTV.com. “The talent that he has, this guy’s ceiling is higher than anyone I’ve seen in a long, long time.”

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Can Wladimir Klitschko become a three-time heavyweight champion?

04/17/2016 James Slater

There will be a lot on the line on the night of July 9th; for Tyson Fury and for Wladimir Klitschko. Reigning and defending heavyweight champion Fury will be out to prove his title-winning effort against Klitschko was not a fluke, while Klitschko will be shooting for revenge. And history. If 40-year-old Klitschko can regain the crown against Fury, he will become just the second three-time heavyweight ruler in boxing history (along with Muhammad Ali; Evander Holyfield being the only four-time champ at heavyweight) and Wladimir will become the third oldest heavyweight champ ever (after George Foreman and Vitali Klitschko).

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Errol Spence Junior calls out Kell Brook; finally a great fight for the IBF welterweight champ?

04/17/201604/17/2016 James Slater

http://youtu.be/4M0b_gucXe8

Unbeaten welterweight sensation Errol Spence Junior looked terrific in becoming the first man to stop Chris Algieri last night in New York. Fast, powerful, accurate and showing fine finishing skills, Spence Junior, now 20-0(17) passed the biggest test of his hugely promising career with apparent ease. Looking for all the world like a future world champion and superstar, Spence Junior seems to have that look the special fighters have.

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Iran Barkley speaks: “The Blade” on Hearns, Leonard, Duran, Benn and more

04/16/201604/16/2016 James Slater

As he is often fond of saying whenever he grants an interview, former three-weight champion Iran Barkley never had things easy during his career. The blood and guts warrior who gave his all in memorable battles with the likes of Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Nigel Benn and others, can come across as bitter at times – bitter over how he feels he was not paid the type of big money he should have been and bitter over how he feels he was “robbed” in some of his fights.

But Barkley always gives a good interview – with a career full of great fights, how could he not – and today, recently married, the 55-year-old comes across as more upbeat and cheerful. ESB has had the pleasure of speaking with “The Blade” on a number of occasions and each time he has been kind enough to grant some of his time, Barkley has proven a very interesting subject.

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Cotto won’t take a fight in June as planned, will return later in the year – rematch with Canelo possible

04/16/2016 James Slater

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com has reported how Puerto Rican great Miguel Cotto will not now be having a June 18th bout, as was originally planned. Cotto, who has not boxed since putting in a valiant but losing effort against middleweight champ Saul Alvarez, will now look at coming back towards the end of the year, ESPN.com reports, against a big name.

Cotto’s list of possible opponents for the now scrapped June date included James Kirkland and Diego Chaves, but neither guy was deemed suitable by HBO; either for a regular show or a pay-per-view headliner. Britain’s Kell Brook, the reigning IBF welterweight champion, was also a possibility but, depending on which source you choose to believe, either Cotto didn’t fancy the fight or Brook was unavailable on that particular date. In light of Brook’s recent and growing desperation to land himself a big and meaningful fight (his promoter Eddie Hearn was quoted as saying Brook would “walk to New York to fight Cotto”) it’s perhaps hard to believe the Sheffield man would have turned down the fight.

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