Carl Frampton Keen To Impress On US Debut

07/09/2015 Olly Campbell

IBF super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton will be looking to impress on American soil in 9 days time when he defends his title against Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in Texas, in what will be both his first fight in the US as well his debut under new advisor Al Haymon and the Premier Boxing Champions brand.

Frampton has been one of British boxing’s best for a while now and was sizzling last time out in February stopping brash American challenger Chris Avalos inside 5 rounds in his home city of Belfast.

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Ricky Burns Still Has More To Offer / Eyeing Championship Fights

07/09/2015 Olly Campbell

Scotland’s Ricky Burns still thinks he has plenty more to give the fight game, and is moving back down to lightweight, where he is a former WBO champion, to achieve it.

Burns, 32, who also held the WBO strap at 130 lbs, was considered by many to be finished going in as the ‘away fighter’ against tough Texan Omar Figueroa back in May on Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, yet gave a heroic account of himself in the wake of some questionable officiating. It was his second fight at 140 and 3rd loss in four fights.

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Shane Mosley and Ricardo Mayorga To Go At It Again!

07/09/201507/09/2015 Olly Campbell

He hasn’t been in a boxing ring since injuring his back in Australia against Anthony Mundine in November 2013, yet yesterday a deal was done for former 3 weight world champ Shane Mosley and bitter rival Ricardo Mayorga to repeat their September 2008 encounter, which Mosley won by knockout in the last couple of seconds of the fight.

Mosley, now 43, was ahead on two judges scorecards and that of ‘unofficial’ HBO judge Harold Lederman, yet there was still some dispute from Mayorga, who believes he was hard done by, and now, after a long social media battle, the rematch between the aging veterans is on.

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Terry Flanagan: ‘ The Better The Opponent, The Better I’ll Be ‘ – Flanagan v Zepeda

07/09/201507/09/2015 Olly Campbell

He’s perhaps not the most “media friendly” fighter, but Manchester’s undefeated lightweight Terry Flanagan, who fights American puncher Jose Zepeda on Saturday night in Manchester, prefers to do his talking in the ring, and ahead of his challenge for the vacant WBO lightweight strap, took some time out to speak to iFLtv about the contest, insisting whatever the Californian fighter brings to the table, it simply won’t be good enough.

“I was surprised really, I thought he’d be a lot bigger” said ‘Turbo’ after coming face to face with his opponent for the first time at today’s final presser.

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Jose Zepeda: ‘If The KO Comes, It Comes’ / Flanagan vs Zepeda

07/09/201507/09/2015 Olly Campbell

Big punching American knock-out artist Jose Zepeda comes to Manchester on Saturday night in an attempt to win the vacant WBO lightweight strap when he fights hometown hero Terry Flanagan – who will be seeking to emulate fellow Mancunian Ricky Hatton’s historic world title win against Kostya Tzsyu in the City, almost exactly 10 years to the day.

It’s sure to be a bear-pit atmosphere for the undefeated American, who boasts 20 KO wins in 23 contests, yet ahead of the fight, he spoke to iFLtv to insist he is more than ready to step up to the plate, and believes it will be he, and not Flanagan, who walks out with the title.

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Mikey Garcia Talks Continuing Legal Tussle With Top Rank

07/08/2015 Olly Campbell

It’s now been almost 18 months since we last saw Oxnard’s Mikey Garcia in a boxing ring, shutting out Juan Carlos Burgos back in January of last year.

The long term contractual dispute with his promoter, Bob Arum’s Top Rank, shows no sign of abating, despite recent assertions from the fighter and his brother/trainer Robert that he had hoped to be back in the ring before the end of the year.

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Klitschko: Fury Has A Big Mouth Just Like David Haye

07/08/2015 Olly Campbell

Fight fans won’t have to cast their minds too far back to Hamburg, Germany – July 2011 and the now infamous “Toe-Gate” saga that engulfed David Haye’s failure to back up his promises and dethrone Wladimir Klitschko. All the distasteful pre-fight talk and T-shirts depicting the severed heads of the two fighting brothers all amounted to a dodgy toe and an underwhelming performance in the end.

Since that night, the dominant champion has marched on ahead with his career and scalped a further 8 opponents, stopping or knocking out 5 of them – and ahead of his latest challenger, giant Brit Tyson Fury – whom he fights in October – Klitschko has spoken to ESPN to say he suspects the Brit fighter is going to be just like his countryman – all mouth.

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Lucas Browne: A Message For Fury / Echoes Frustrations At Inactivity

07/08/201507/08/2015 Olly Campbell

After recent social media “interactions” with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and the news that colourful heavyweight rival Tyson Fury has got his big shot at Klitschko, Australian heavyweight contender Lucas Browne has spoken out in a new social media video to air his frustration at 8 months of inactivity, as well as the perceived uncertainty surrounding his status as Commonwealth heavyweight champion – a belt it’s mooted Britain’s Anthony Joshua is to be fighting for in September.

Browne, who is looked after by Ricky Hatton and the former fighter’s promotional outfit, released a video entitled “Big Daddy thinking of Tyson Fury while on the toilet” – and used the opportunity, initially, to address the giant Mancunian.

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Keith Thurman: ‘I Wanted Khan, Got Collazo’

07/08/201507/08/2015 Olly Campbell

This Saturday WBA (reg) welterweight champion Keith Thurman fights Luis Collazo on the inaugural “PBC on ESPN” card, and has spoken out ahead of the contest vis fighthub, to attempt to put to bed some of the criticism he has received over the veteran New Yorker as an opponent, honestly confirming, ‘it’s what came with the timing of the fight.’

Fans have perhaps been harshly critical of “One Time”, who has been following a pretty consistent career arc over the last couple of years, culminating in his solid UD win over Robert Guerrero in March on the debut PBC card.

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Scott Quigg Ready For Kiko Martinez / Focused On His Own Path

07/08/201507/07/2015 Olly Campbell

On July 18th in Manchester, WBA (reg) super bantamweight champion Scott Quigg tops the bill when he defends his title against Spain’s Kiko Martinez, in what is sure to be a fight that will draw comparisons to that of IBF 122 lb champ Carl Frampton – and his own performances against the Spanish fighter.

The Northern Irishman took Martinez’s world title last September, having previously stopped him in the 9th to win the EBU belt the year before – and with negotiations between Quigg and Frampton for a UK super fight breaking down recently – all eyes will be on how the Bury man performs in anticipation of a possible future showdown with his Tiger’s Bay rival.

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