Nick Blackwell Retains / Hughie Fury Victorious In Derby

08/01/201507/26/2015 Olly Campbell

British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell (18-3-1, 8ko) produced the goods in Derby last night to retain his title with an emphatic stoppage victory over the previously undefeated Damon Jones (now 13-1, 3ko), live on Channel 5.

The ever improving Blackwell is still only 24 years of age and his 3 defeats have all come at the hands of solid European and world level fighters in Martin Murray (2011), Billy Joe Saunders (2012) and former EBU champion Max Bursak (2013) in fights he arguably took too soon.

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Sergey Kovalev Will Return in Moscow, November 28th / Wants Beterbiev, says Duva –

07/26/2015 Olly Campbell

WBA/WBO & IBF light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev was at this destructive best last night in Las Vegas, effortlessly blowing away French mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi inside 3 rounds, demonstrating exactly why most right-thinking boxing fans consider him the premier fighter at 175 lbs ahead of lineal WBC champion Adonis Stevenson.

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Kovalev Keen To Keep On Improving & Getting Better

08/01/201507/25/2015 Olly Campbell

Photo: David Spagnolo/Main Events – Sergey Kovalev fights his mandatory (IBF) challenger, Frenchman Nadjib Mohammedi tonight on HBO/Boxnation in the UK and has warned there is still much more to come from him in the future, as he is learning every day.

The Russian knockout artist hit the big time with his WBO 175 lb title win over Welshamn Nathan Cleverly in 2013 and has since added the IBF and WBA titles by beating future Hall of Fame Inductee Bernard Hopkins by UD last November, with Hopkins being one of the few to actually hear the final bell against the “Krusher.”

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Klitschko: At Least 5 More Fights Left In Him

08/01/201507/25/2015 Olly Campbell

At the press conference to officially announce their October 24th world heavyweight title fight in Dusseldorf, Germany, Tyson Fury (24-0) referred to long-dominant champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-3) as “old and grey,” insisting that the now 39 year old champion is past-best and that it is he who is heir to the heavyweight throne.

Either way, win or lose in October, it will not spell the end for Klitschko, who has confirmed he has no plans to retire yet, extending his contract with long time German broadcaster RTL by five more fights.

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Lee/Saunders Could Be Hagler/Hearns-esque Says Adam Booth

08/01/201507/25/2015 Olly Campbell

Andy Lee’s trainer Adam Booth, who oversaw David Haye’s rise to cruiser and heavyweight stardom, is looking forward to September’s bragging rights fight between his man and Billy Joe Saunders, which sees two men from the travellling community contesting a version of a world title for the first time in history.

There has already been something of a boxer/puncher narrative unfolding regarding the fight between the two southpaws, and speaking to Sky Sports, Booth suggested he wouldn’t be surprised to see tactics thrown out of the window on the night in much the same way Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns threw out the rule book in their legendary 3 round war in 1985.

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Dereck Chisora Set To Face Lucas Browne? / Wants Helenius or Teper

08/01/201507/25/2015 Olly Campbell

Last night saw the ring return of rejuvenated heavyweight contender Dereck Chisora, now split from long-time former trainer Don Charles, taking on Georgia’s Beqa Lobjanidze, who had been knocked out in 4 rounds by Brixton’s Dillian Whyte back in February.

It was a brief warm up for Chisora who had not been in the ring since he was soundly beaten last November by Tyson Fury, yet it took all of 30 seconds to shake off the rust and dispose of Lobjanidze with a clubbing overhand right in the 1st round that sent his foe crumpling helplessly to the canvas.

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Carl Frampton Reflects On US Debut / Calls Out Scott Quigg

07/24/2015 Olly Campbell

Last Saturday, Northern Ireland’s IBF 122 lb champion Carl Frampton survived two 1st round knockdowns and some early heat in his US debut against Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez Jr, only to dig deep, refocus and boss his way back into the fight, eventually claiming the unanimous decision victory.

Immediately following the fight the Tiger’s Bay native and new Al Haymon signing was perhaps overly critical of his performance, with trainer Shane McGuigan even going as far as to suggest that a potential move up to 126 lbs could be on the cards after “The Jackal” struggled more than ever to make the 122 lb limit.

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Nadjib Mohammedi: ‘The Fight Will End By KO, For Me Or For Him’ – Kovalev v Mohammedi

07/24/2015 Olly Campbell

Saturday night on HBO in the US and Boxnation in the UK, Sergey Kovalev will defend his IBF/WBO and WBA light heavyweight titles against French mandatory challenger (IBF) Nadjib Mohammedi, who will be entering the fight as a heavy underdog.

The Frenchman will bring a 37-3, 23ko record to the ring, though hasn’t mixed in anywhere near the level of class as his Russian opponent. British fans may remember him from a 2010 loss to Welshman Nathan Cleverly, himself destroyed by the Russian in 2013, yet Mohammedi is in confident mood regardless.

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Bad News For Kid Galahad / Doping Ban Upheld

07/24/201507/24/2015 Olly Campbell

Unbeaten British 122 lb prospect Barry Awad aka Kid Galahad has had a 2 year ban for doping upheld by the UK anti-doping agency after testing positive for a banned steroid following his win over Adeilson Dos Santos in September of last year.

Galahad, a product of the famous Wincobank gym in Sheffield that has produced the likes of Naseem Hamed and current IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, had claimed that a protein drink had been spiked by his brother – currently in prison – who provided a sworn affadavit to that effect – although the claim was rejected by the UKADA appeals panel.

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Gennady Golovkin & David Lemieux Camps In Provisional Talks

07/24/201507/23/2015 Olly Campbell

There seems to be a consistent struggle for big-hitting WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin to find a suitable opponent, with him being linked to a number of names from Andre Ward and (previously) Carl Froch at 168, through now to newly crowned IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux, in what would be a true battle of the bangers should it take place.

After his exciting victory over Hassan N’Dam in Canada last month, Lemieux’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya had said his fighter would be looking to face his (unnamed) mandatory challenger next, although the Golden Boy has this week said to ESPN that provisional talks between the respective camps for a unification bout are now underway.

“We’re exploring options for David Lemieux and discussing things with Tom Loeffler (Golovkin’s promoter from K2 Promotions)”

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