The veteran American, who has never been stopped in his 36 professional fight career – looked calm and composed as he met Joshua’s stare and said;
Johnson Says He Will Knock Joshua Out/AJ Unfazed
Olly Campbell
The Future Is Bright (And Cotto?) For Canelo After Slaughtering Kirkland
Well – I wrote yesterday that a couple of rounds of toe-to-toe action filled with drama would be better than 36 minutes of May-Pac and unless you are a total purist – I was proven correct. It was what we hoped for, albeit it for slightly longer maybe?
Though from the hurtful, venomous punches the Mexican star threw repeatedly how was Kirkland ever going to last? It looked like he was being used as a heavy bag by Alvarez whose mother, as always, cheered enthusiastically on from the sidelines.
You Have To Feel For Ricky Burns – But Boy Is He Back!
After last night’s contest in Texas- as part of Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions brand – the history books will always say Ricky Burns (37-5, 11ko) lost 3 of his last 4 fights. Yet in my humble opinion, the former 2 weight world champion was extremely unlucky as the traveling fighter against Omar Figueroa (25-0-1, 18ko) – dropping the decision in a fight where he wasn’t just fighting his opponent but also the referee and the odds in general.
Some might say, in a different ring, with a different ref, had the action all been the same – Burns may well have walked out the victor. Or at least battled to a hard earned draw.
“War” From Buglioni & Markham – “Striking Distance” Card Review Feat. Skeete/Smith
In the end it was Enfield’s Buglioni and his fight with old amateur rival Lee Markham that stole the show in a hard fought, blood and guts domestic battle that going in was tipped to be the Fight Of The Night.
Tyson Fury Seeks To Dethrone Klitschko – Peter Fury Talks
Wladimir Klitschko needs to cement his legacy. At 39 and surely needing to go out with a bang, the long dominant lineal heavyweight champion was anything but true to his promise of excitement in his most recent fight – a voluntary defence against American prospect Bryant Jennings – in which the relative novice gave a fantastic account of himself against a guy who was supposed to blow him out of the ring.
In his first fight on American soil in many years, Wladimir – as part of his HBO television deal – promised the fans excitement – and for those gullible enough to believe him, the contest went the distance and left something of a bad taste in the mouth.
Canelo Vows To Bring The Action May-Pac Didn’t / Wants To Fight The Best
Mexican star Saul” Canelo” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31ko) has vowed to “bring it” when he faces James Kirkland (32-1, 28ko) in Texas on Saturday, filling the action void the casual fans in particular feel was missing from last weeks May-Pac fight.
The 24 year old, who is still struggling with his English, has spoken out via interpreter/Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez ahead of Saturday’s clash. Speaking at the various media events this week he said;
“It motivates me that so many people have come out and I want to do the best I can for my fans. They are responding greater with every event we have here. From the fight fair to the workout – and more are showing up. When the fight comes…..this is the real Cinco De Mayo weekend.”
Golovkin Fancies The Mayweather Fight
Murderous punching 160lb champion Gennady Golovkin has become the latest fighter to throw his name into the hat for a possible bout with Floyd Mayweather, yet the Kazakh fighter remains realistic at the chances of the clash happening in September for Mayweather’s “final” fight.
The unbeaten KO artist, who must first take care of business on May 16 against Willie Monroe Jr told Sky Sports;
“Of course that is my dream fight. Obviously Floyd is a great champion with a bit of a different style.”
Froch Stripped Of WBA Title – Retirement On The Cards?
It’s not been a great week for British 168lb boss Carl Froch (33-2, 24 ko). After being widely mocked online for his fawning over Floyd Mayweather in that cringe inducing star-struck Sky interview – the Cobra – (whom everybody now knows knocked out George Groves in front of 80k at Wembley) – has now been stripped of the WBA (reg) title that he won back in 2013 in his rematch with Mikkel Kessler.
It has been a year since he last boxed and the WBA have ordered Felix Sturm and interim WBA champ Fedor Chudinov to instead fight for his title this weekend in Germany.
Broner v Porter Rumours Gathering Pace
Multiple sources online and across social media are beginning to talk about a potential match-up between former IBF 147lb champion Shawn Porter (25-1-1, 16ko) and Floyd Mayweather wannabe Adrien Broner (30-1, 22ko).
The fight, potentially being talked about as a catchweight contest at 144lbs is sure to be an intriguing match-up should it take place and a June 20th date is being mooted by RingTV and in Boxrec’s forum.
Broner has had an easy time of things since dropping a decision to Marcos Maidana some 18 months ago. His last bout, against an out-of-sorts John Molina was a comparitive stroll in the park compared to that fight and the test the strong, stocky and marauding Porter is likely to present.
Felix Sturm v Fedor Chudinov – A Look Ahead
It feels like a long, long time since Germany’s Felix Sturm (39-4-3, 18ko) fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 and announced himself on the world scene in a fight many felt he was hard done by to lose. In the intermittent years the German has remained a dominant champion although he has never again traveled outside of his home country.
British fans in particular will remember he had good back to back fights with both Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray in 2011 who were sadly unsuccessful in their challenges to his title. In Macklin’s case especially, Sturm had a karmic helping hand winning a SD – if he was unlucky in Vegas against De La Hoya – It was Macklin who was hard done by that night.