Olly Campbell

The Return of Antonio Margarito?

The Return of Antonio Margarito?

He may now be 37, yet Mexico’s controversial former welterweight champion, Antonio Margarito (38-8, 27ko), has signalled that he intends to return to action after four years away from the sport.

Margarito hasn’t been seen since his brutal 2011 rematch loss at the hands of Miguel Cotto, who took great delight that night in avenging his controversial defeat to the Mexican 2 1/2 years previously; a fight that will be forever called into question after ‘Margarito was embroiled in the famous ‘loaded gloves’ saga against Shane Mosley in his very next bout. [an offence for which he served a ban].

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No Shane Mosley/Liam Smith Fight for Now

No Shane Mosley/Liam Smith Fight for Now

After a degree of chatter across social media and various reports in the British press suggested the contrary, Shane Mosley will not be coming to the UK any time soon to fight Liverpool’s new WBO 154 lb champion, Liam Smith.

An ‘in-principle’ deal for the two to fight on the Queensbury promotions ‘X-mas Cracker’ show on Dec. 19 had reportedly been reached, although an immediate rematch clause -as well as a clash over top of the bill status – have ended talks for now; at least according to Mosley, who has been openly discussing the back and forth status of the fight on his twitter feed.

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Bradley: Teddy & I Have the Perfect Plan for Rios

Bradley: Teddy & I Have the Perfect Plan for Rios

WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (32-1-1, 12ko) is confident that the corner switch to Teddy Atlas from long-time former trainer Joel Diaz, has been the right one ahead of next month’s defence against Brandon Rios in Las Vegas.

Bradley claims he is looking to box a smart fight against Rios, who has himself claimed he will box in his trademark, aggressive style and draw ‘Desert Storm’ into a toe-to-toe war – a notion the champion rejects, despite famously getting drawn in when not needed in the past.

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Rigondeaux Stripped by the WBO for Inactivity

Rigondeaux Stripped by the WBO for Inactivity

Cuban former amateur standout and 2x Olympic gold medalist, Guillermo Rigondeaux (15-0, 10ko), – widely considered one of the best fighters P4P in the world – has this week been stripped of his WBO super-bantamweight title for inactivity by the sanctioning body.

Rigondeaux, who is still WBA (super) 122 lb champion, hasn’t defended the title since last December’s fight with Hisashi Amagasa in Japan, and the decision was taken unanimously by the WBO’s 28 strong championship committee – at their annual convention in Florida – to strip the Cuban given he still doesn’t have a fight scheduled.

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Tony Thompson: Wants Wilder Then ‘3rd Time Lucky’ Shot at Klitschko

Tony Thompson: Wants Wilder Then '3rd Time Lucky' Shot at Klitschko

Veteran American heavyweight contender, Tony Thompson (40-5, 27ko), has claimed that he wants a WBC title clash with maligned champion, Deontay Wilder, using the green belt he hopes to win to entice Wladimir Klitschko into a 3rd and final clash.

Thompson fights 35 year old fringe contender, Malik Scott (37-2-1, 13ko) tomorrow on a PBC on Bounce TV card that is bizarrely being billed on fight posters as for the “World Heavyweight Championship” – a slogan that no doubt suggests we’ll be seeing those independent PBC titles established good and proper soon.

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Matchroom Target Potential DeGale/Murray Unification

Matchroom Target Potential DeGale/Murray Unification

Matchroom boxing boss, Eddie Hearn, has one eye on a huge UK super-middleweight unification between IBF champion, James DeGale and recent signing Martin Murray, provided both come through their next outings.

Murray challenges for Arthur Abraham’s WBO 168 lb strap in Germany on Nov.21, while DeGale defends his IBF strap a week later against former champ, Lucian Bute in Canada, and the Beijing 2008 gold medalist has stated that unification fights are on his mind for the future – including one against Murray should he prevail.

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Fury: Klitschko Needs to ‘Catch Me Cold Early’ to Win

Fury: Klitschko Needs to 'Catch Me Cold Early' to Win

WBO mandatory challenger, Tyson Fury, believes that he has not only the physical advantage over Wladimir Klitschko, but a psychological one, claiming that the dominant champion needs to catch him early in order to stand any chance of winning next month’s big fight.

The 6’9″ Fury has claimed the original postponement that moved the card back a month (thanks to a Klitschko calf strain), was actually a blessing in disguise as he had been feeling out of sorts with a virus, a problem that has been resolved thanks to the delay, meaning he will come in on fight night 100% and ready to win the WBO/WBA/IBF titles.

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Jessie Vargas to Sit Out Rest of 2015

Jessie Vargas to Sit Out Rest of 2015

After turning down a fight with unbeaten New Yorker, Sadam Ali (22-0, 13ko), welterweight contender Jessie Vargas (26-1, 9ko) is to sit out the rest of the year, having boxed just the once in 2015.

The solitary outing for the Top Rank promoted Vargas, is of course June’s (interim WBO) challenge to Tim Bradley (who has since been upgraded to full champion), a fight in which Vargas was comfortably out-pointed until some last minute drama in which the final bell sounded 10 seconds early, just at the moment Vargas had Bradley rocked back and stunned.

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Roy Jones vs Enzo Mac on Dec. 12 in Russia for WBA 200 lb Strap

Roy Jones vs Enzo Mac on Dec. 12 in Russia for WBA 200 lb Strap

It’s been confirmed this morning [Weds], that long faded, 46 year old Roy Jones Jr (62-8, 45ko), will square off against former world cruiserweight champion, Enzo Maccarinelli (40-7, 32ko) in Moscow, on December 12.

Despite neither man being in the latest WBA 200 lb rankings, they will contest the organization’s top tier, ‘super’ belt, much to the bemusement of many fans across social media this morning.

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Colon: Improving but Remains in Coma

Colon: Improving but Remains in Coma

Puerto Rican welterweight, Prichard Colon, is showing small signs of improvement after undergoing surgery to relieve pressure on the brain, following his Oct. 17 fight with Terrell Williams, promoter Lou DiBella has revealed.

Colon was taken ill backstage after the PBC fight with Williams, vomiting and complaining of dizziness before collapsing and being rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and slipped into the coma he remains in.

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