Home/Sports/Boxing News/20 June 2024/In This Issue
Boxing News|20 June 2024A league of their ownMark Butcher@KOwritingEditorTHIS week news of a Saudi Arabian boxing league hit the fight game. Like a weekend away break with a Victoria’s Secret model, it seemed a fantastic idea, but perhaps just as realistic.In theory, a league concept would finally allow boxing’s best to fight each other on a regular basis without financial and promotional encumberment and, potentially, the shackles of sanctioning bodies (Gilberto Mendoza is now shifting uncomfortably in his gold-plated seat down in Panama).Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has reportedly held exploratory talks with leading promoters to unite boxing’s elite in a ‘league’ with the concept possibly launching next year. Big numbers have been tossed around – $2 billion, according to The New York Times – and the Saudis would apparently take a minority stake in a move…5 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024GET OUTElliot Worsell@ElliotWorsellSenior WriterI AS Euros fever sweeps the nation, you will find it harder and harder to forget that for Toni Kroos, one of Germany’s star players, this will be his last assignment in a Germany shirt. It is a nice story, after all, and Germany’s hope, with this being a home tournament for them, is that Kroos will go out in style, providing the story with its perfect ending; the very ending Kroos himself would write if granted the opportunity.Then again, by virtue of him being in a position to retire when he can, it could be argued that Toni Kroos already has his storybook ending. Still just 34, it was only a few weeks ago that Kroos was helping Real Madrid win the Champions League; the fifth medal…4 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024PARO ON POINTAS the match unfolded, it seemed that the deck was stacked against Australia’s Liam Paro in his bid to lift the WBO super-lightweight title from Puerto Rico’s favoured Subriel Matias at Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu (Matchroom promoted).Not only did Paro have to endure the roar of the crowd every time the champion landed a punch, but there was the constant harassment from referee Luis Pabon who continuously warned Paro for infractions that were not obvious.Finally, in the seventh round, Pabon shamefully took a point away which could have been crucial at the end. Thankfully, it wasn’t, as Paro finished strongly to win unanimously on the scorecards of the judges - Carl Zappia and Gerardo Martinez 115-112, and John Basile 116-111.Boxing News had it slightly closer at 114-113 for the…2 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024MAJOR FIGHT SCHEDULEJun 21LYNDON ARTHUR vs LIAM CAMERONToughsheet Community Stadium, BoltonCHANNEL 5RAFAEL ESPINOZA vs SERGIO CHIRINOFontainebleau, Las VegasSKY SPORTS/ESPN(WBO featherweight title)Jun 22TYLER DENNY vs FELIX CASHResorts World Arena, BirminghamDAZN(European middleweight title)Shannon Ryan vs Emma Dolan(British and Commonwealth super-flyweight titles)Lewis Crocker vs Conah WalkerJun 28PIERCE O’LEARY vs DARRAGH FOLEYSSE Arena, BelfastTNT SPORTSConor Quinn vs Conner Kelsall(Commonwealth flyweight title)Jun 29JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA vs JESSE RODRIGUEZFootspring Center, PhoenixDAZN(WBC super-flyweight title)Sunny Edwards vs Adrian CurielYamileth Mercado vs Ramla Ali(WBC super-bantamweight title)TEOFIMO LOPEZ vs STEVE CLAGGETTJames L. Knight Center, MiamiSKYSPORTS/ESPN(WBO super-lightweight title)Robeisy Ramirez vs Brandon Leon BenitezJul 06JOHNNY FISHER vs ALEN BABICCopper Box Arena, LondonDAZNSHAKUR STEVENSON vs ARTEM HARUTYUNYANPrudential Center, NewarkSKYSPORTS/ESPN(WBC lightweight title)O’Shaquie Foster vs Robson Conceição(WBC super-featherweight title)Keyshawn Davis vs Miguel MadueñoWILLIAM ZEPEDA vs GIOVANNI CABRERAToyota Arena, Ontario, CaliforniaDAZNNATE DIAZ vs JORGE MASVIDALHonda Center, Anaheim, CaliforniaFanmio…2 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024UNDER THERADAR“I COULDN’T skip – my feet were everywhere. I had to really work at it to get any good,” recalls Commonwealth 115lbs champion Emma Dolan of her early days in the gym.For the Norwich-born, Newark-based fighter, much has changed since she first nagged her dad to let her tag along with her older brother to the gym. “I was just jealous,” she laughs. “I just wanted to be in on whatever he was doing. But I remember just sitting there being too shy to join in with this room full of boys. Eventually, the trainer coaxed me into hitting the pads, and I immediately thought, ‘This is great; I like this!’”Dolan has come a long way since those first reticent prods as an overawed nine-year-old. She won a British Youth…6 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024BLOCKLEY’S TOMMO TRIBUTECARL GREAVES Promotions returned to Leicester’s Mattioli Arena for the second time this year and delivered a fantastic night’s entertainment, despite multiple pull-outs resulting in an eight-fight card instead of 10.It had been the toughest of weeks for Leicester’s Callum Blockley in the build up to his Midlands Area super-lightweight title final eliminator against former champion/serial Midlands Area title challenger/enigmatic hardman Jamie Stewart. Blockley’s trainer/mentor/friend and Leicester boxing legend Neil ‘Tommo’ Tomlinson had sadly passed away on the Wednesday morning of fight week, following a stroke at home 10 days earlier.Callum began the bout in a focused, positive manner, knowing that he would have to be at his very best against a highly-experienced and championship rounds savvy fighter in Stoke-On-Trent’s Stewart. The Leicester man kept beavering away in the early…4 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024Clegg in controlTHE Recreation Centre hosted a seven-bout show with a distinctly Latin feel, with five boxers of Central American or Mexican origin.Guildford’s Alfie Clegg, who goes by the nickname ‘Classy’, secured a ninth paid victory by taking all but one of six sessions against Southampton southpaw Valentin Marku on the card of referee Sean McAvoy.Albanian-born Marku was on something of a roll, having won his previous two, and he held centre ring for long periods against an opponent who darted in and out to score. While Marku enjoyed successes of his own, they were insufficient for a hat-trick – but enough to ensure the bout was closer than the score might suggest.The 24-year-old Clegg, who improved as the bout wore on, turned in a great spell towards the end of the…2 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024England pip ScotlandENGLAND, as ever, captured most gold medals at the GB Juniors and Youth tournament at the Sport Wales National Centre, but a rampant Scotland were only two behind with a best-ever 14.The hosts, with just one secured by the interval – and that on a walkover – finished strongly with no fewer than six more in a 15-bout afternoon session.It was a weekend of shocks, with several highly touted young prospects suffering setbacks, some for the first time in their fledgling careers.The first tremor came in the junior 66kgs semi-final, when last year’s European schools champion, England’s William Loveridge, having won all 27 bouts to date, was beaten on a split by fellow-southpaw Sam McCann of Wales. The mobile McCann, from the local Apollo’s club, went on to see off…6 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024LIAM WALSHWhen and why you started boxing?I was eight years old. My dad was one of the head coaches at Kingsheath ABC and he brought me and my brother Paddy down and I haven’t stopped since.Favourite all-time fighter?Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin – I love his style and toughness.Best fight you’ve seen?Gennady Golovkin vs Canelo Alvarez, fight one, in Las Vegas, 2017 [The fight ended in a controversial draw].Personal career highlight?Getting my first stoppage win and making it a great comeback from back-to-back draws.Toughest opponent?Vasif Mamedov – very tough fighter.Best and worst attributes as a boxer?My best is I have a great jab and can turn it into a great left hook. Worst is I will stand and fight instead of moving when I’m supposed to.Training tip?Stay consistent.Favourite meal and restaurant?Restaurant: The Horseshoe…2 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024A trip to the palaceAdam Smith@skyadamsmithFormer Head of Sky Boxing“GET your scarves’-the first shrill voice we heard penetrating through the soggy streets around Selhurst.Stark white and black one-offs – as dark as the storms brewing overhead – with CBS-RR knitted together - as they had been in that messy 10-rounder five years ago.A stadium awaited and with all the attention on The Euros, a warm feeling that boxing had taken over our national sport - at a Premier League ground… at least for an evening. Both fighters are true football fans. Chris – for once, away from the South Coast with his beloved Cherries; Richard provided home advantage again and marginal favouritism this time after that razor tight victory in 2019 at the O2. A lifetime ago with the significant boxing growth of both…6 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024THE WEEKLeague of GentlemenTHE week started with a potentially seismic story from multiple sources about Turki Alalshikh’s new plans for boxing.The chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority has already changed the face of the sport since his arrival with a number of huge events and ideas which have made Riyadh a genuine boxing hotspot.However, it has now been suggested that Turki is not finished and he has a vision to unite the sport entirely, by bringing together all the major promoters in order to create a UFC-like league. He has already managed to somehow bring Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren together and the finances at his disposal might just make this even more unlikely vision a reality. It has been reported that talks are already underway and a number of…6 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024MAYWEATHER PROMOTIONS AND ELLERBE PART WAYSBOXING luminaries congregated in the hallways of the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, June 13.Through the doors, MGM Resorts were hosting a co*cktail party to celebrate Saturday’s anniversary show — 100 world championship boxing events at the iconic, 17,000 capacity venue.The very first loss Julio Cesar Chavez suffered, when he dropped a split decision to surrender the WBC light-welterweight title to Frankie Randall in 1994, was the very first fight at the Garden Arena in 1994.Since then, Oscar De La Hoya, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, as well as British legends Naseem Hamed, Ricky Hatton and Tyson Fury, have all made the same walk Chavez and Randall did 30 years ago.Throughout the week, Boxing News heard anecdotes from Tom Brown at TGB Promotions and…6 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024Hutch ImprovedTHE fighters who played their part in helping Queensberry Promotions beat Matchroom 10-0 at the inaugural 5 vs 5 event all had something to prove, but perhaps none more than Willy Hutchinson.Hamzah Sheeraz was already a world title contender, Nick Ball should arguably already have been a world champion, Daniel Dubois was already a top 10 heavyweight, and Zhilei Zhang held two wins over Joe Joyce. But Hutchinson was known more as a talent who was yet to back it up. His humbling British title defeat to Lennox Clarke in 2021 brought echoes of an overconfident David Haye enduring defeat at the fists of Carl Thompson 20 years ago. However, ‘Hayemaker’ would go on to become a unified cruiserweight world champion and WBA heavyweight title-holder.Hutchinson’s career hadn’t received anywhere near…7 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024RevengeSimon Euan-SmithRINGSIDECHRIS BILLAM-SMITH kept his WBO cruiserweight title, and avenged his sole loss, taking a unanimous verdict over Walworth’s Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park.After 12 rather scrappy rounds, judge Phil Edwards scored it 116-111, while Gary Ritter and Jose Ignacio Martines Antunez had it closer at 115-112. Referee Kevin Parker docked Riakporhe a point in the last for headwork.The bout never really caught fire and Mr Parker spoke to both for various infractions – Riakporhe the greater culprit. Billam-Smith came forward but was frequently tied up and, while Riakporhe moved and countered, several of his long jabs either fell short or went over Billam-Smith’s shoulder.Riakporhe’s strategy, it seemed, was to shut the champion down and prevent him from working – and the 7-5 margins on two of the cards showed…7 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024Bye to BrumIT was a case of one last outing on home soil for Andrew Robinson at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre (the new name for the Holiday Inn in the heart of the city centre), where the former British and English title challenger, now 39 and looking at just one more possible title shot on the road, bade farewell to those who have followed his career through both highs and lows.Robinson took on ‘Camden Caretaker’ Robbie Chapman in what turned out to be a sometimes fractious four overseen by Solihull’s Chris Dean and came away with a 40-36 win. It wasn’t one for the purist and the closing session proved increasingly scrappy.Lacing them up for the first time in 13 months, Brummie Cori Gibbs eased back into the groove with…2 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024World rankingsHEAVYWEIGHTNo weight limit1. Oleksandr Usyk2. Tyson Fury3. Zhilei Zhang4. Anthony Joshua5. Joseph Parker6. Daniel Dubois7. Agit Kabayel8. Filip Hrgovic9. Deontay Wilder10. Martin BakoleCRUISERWEIGHT200lbs/14st 4lbs1. Jai Opetaia2. Chris Billam-Smith3. Gilberto Ramirez4. Mairis Briedis5. Noel Mikaelyan6. Arsen Goulamirian7. Aleksei Papin8. Michal Cieslak9. Richard Riakporhe10. Ryan RozickiLIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT175lbs/12st 7lbs1. Artur Beterbiev2. Dmitry Bivol3. David Benavidez4. Joshua Buatsi5. Anthony Yarde6. Callum Smith7. Ali Izmailov8. Oleksandr Gvozdyk9. Willy Hutchinson10. Albert RamirezSUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT168lbs/12st1. Canelo Alvarez2. Jaime Munguia3. Caleb Plant4. David Morrell5. Christian Mbilli6. Diego Pacheco7. Edgar Berlanga8. Vladimir Shishkin9. Osleys Iglesias10. Sergiy DerevyanchenkoMIDDLEWEIGHT160lbs/11st 6lbs1. Zhanibek Alimkhanuly2. Carlos Adames3. Jermall Charlo4. Erislandy Lara5. Hamzah Sheeraz6. Chris Eubank Jr7. Meiirim Nursultanov8. Kyrone Davis9. Elijah Garcia10. Liam SmithSUPER-WELTERWEIGHT154lbs/11st1. Jermell Charlo2. Sebastian Fundora3. Tim Tszyu4. Israil Madrimov5. Serhii Bohachuk6. Erickson Lubin7. Vergil Ortiz Jr8. Jesus Ramos9. Bakhram Murtazaliev10. Brian MendozaWELTERWEIGHT147lbs/10st 7lbs1. Terence…3 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024HOOLIGAN AND BOXERSteve Bunce@BigDaddyBunceVoice of boxingTHE debate over Ryan Garcia’s mind continues and there is no end in sight.Meanwhile, far away from the millions of dollars and the neon lights, a lot of other boxers have their difficulties with mental health. Garcia is just the poster boy for the damaged.Anthony Phythian was damaged, make no mistake. He was at one point banned from every football club in the land. He was also homeless, violent, addicted and falling ever deeper into a dark, dark hole. He had swollen to nearly 20 stone and was ready in a flash to fight anywhere and anybody on the pitch, on the street, in a pub, in a car park. Anywhere.In Bolton last week, Phythian was ringside to watch his friend, Macaulay McGowan, in the fight of…4 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024Davis dazzlesReporters’ star ratings for main events and undercards are based on in-ring entertainment, competitiveness and whether overall expectation was metAlan Dawson@AlanDawsonSportRINGSIDETHERE is no crowd in boxing with a reaction more raucous than when Gervonta Davis adds another knockout to his highlight reel.‘Tank’ Davis is typically a slower starter, and doesn’t just throw for the sake of throwing. He’s patient. The tension builds. But then once he’s found his spots and he puts his punches in bunches, it rouses his fans who have come to expect only one thing from him — a brutal, calculated, beatdown.Against Frank ‘The Ghost’ Martin, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 15, Martin lasted to the eighth before succumbing to Tank’s exorcism.In the middle of the round, when Martin had…11 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024Business as usualCASH has ruled everything around Tyler Denny for much of his boxing career, but he is finally starting to reap the rewards as European middleweight champion.But the 32-year-old who once said the idea of boxing for that particular title was ‘mind-blowing’ says he has barely realised that he is considered the premier 160lbs fighter on this continent since winning it from Matteo Signani in November.It has been business as usual for the former plumber during his day job at Errol Johnson’s thriving gym, which remains perhaps the most under-rated set-up in the whole of Britain. But what Denny’s European title has done is bank him a career-high payday as a result of the purse bid for his first defence.Incidentally, it is a man called Cash – Felix Cash – who…7 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024Rumble, young man, rumbleWHOEVER says youth is wasted on the young has never met Tony Curtis. The teenager from Southeast London has already lived abroad twice, won two amateur boxing titles, been taken on by a legend of the sport, turned professional and fought in three countries – all before he was a legal adult.Curtis, who turned 18 on Tuesday, has done more than many people twice his age, but upon reaching this milestone birthday he believes he is only just getting started – because now he can apply for a licence with the British Boxing Board of Control.Few boxers do so at the minimum age of 18. Fewer still do so with 10 pro bouts already under their belt. Curtis believes this gives him quite the head start – and is already…7 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024ABBAS CLASSWYTHENSHAWE’S Macaulay McGowan might well have failed in his attempt to wrest the European super-welterweight title from the grasp of classy Berlin puncher Abass Baraou but he will have earned admirers aplenty for his perseverance and absolute refusal to wilt.By the second session, Baraou, buoyed by early success downstairs, was already looking to kick on. He was landing cleanly while a fair percentage of what the challenger threw was falling short and, by the halfway stage, one wondered if the cumulative effect of that work to the body might just reap early dividends.Determined for that not to be the case, the Joe Gallagher trained puncher dug deep, despite a bloodied nose, and bit down on his gumshield. Spirited in the extreme, McGowan whacked back regularly with lefts of his own,…4 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024All cheers at MeresLESS than 24 hours after wrapping things up in Leicester, promoter Carl Greaves went again at the Meres Leisure Centre, where Boston’s former world title challenger, Callum Johnson, shed a little rust with a 40-35 triumph over Viktar Chvarkou. The Warsaw-based Kazakh, stopped just twice in 18 beforehand, held increasingly and was eventually docked a point by referee Ryan Churchill.Newark’s unbeaten Tom Cowling halted Swansea’s James Todd 66 seconds into the fourth of a scheduled six, hurting him with a right and following up with an unanswered barrage, when referee Andy Brook intervened.Boston cruiser Tom Pogson went in with heavier Brummie Joel Ducille and had an even earlier night, halting the Brummie 26 seconds into the second of another six. Pogson floored Ducille twice in the dying embers of the…2 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024A GLOVE STORYMiles TempletonBoxing historianON Saturday, July 26, 1890, a challenge appeared within the pages of Sporting Life with the following words: “Harry Peter of Islington says he is surprised at Joe Caly challenging him for the third time, he having already defeated him twice, once with the raw-‘uns and once with two-ounce gloves. Peter, however, will have much pleasure in meeting Caly at the Crooked Billet, Ponders End, to sign articles for a match”.Not only does this show how matches were made in those days, with challenges being issued in the sporting press and matches being agreed in public houses, it also reveals that professional boxers were concurrently engaged in fights with the bare knuckles, under the old rules, and with gloves, under the Marquis of Queensberry rules.Modern readers will be…3 min
Boxing News|20 June 2024OLD GUARD LAUD CACACESimon Euan-Smithsimonoldtimers@googlemail.comEBA correspondentI AM sorry to report the death of Jim Jenkinson, a long-time stalwart of the Merseyside Former Boxers’ Association.The current Mug’s Alley – MFBA’s monthly newsletter – records that a two-minute silence was observed at their June meeting, and includes a full tribute to Jim, noting he “played a pivotal role in the MFBA for over 40 years”.Jim was introduced to the Association by Bootle’s former British and Commonwealth welterweight champion, Johnny Cooke, in the early 1980s. In time, he took over the production of Mug’s Alley and later became MFBA Chairman. The tribute records that at monthly meetings, “often there would be some misunderstanding from members regarding some issue or other which Jim in his diplomatic way and with respect would sort out”.Among other achievements, Jim secured…3 min
