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In November 2020, Josh Taylor faced off against Jack Catterall in what would become one of the most disputed decisions in recent British boxing history. Despite widespread criticism of the judges’ scoring, Taylor walked away with the WBO 140-pound title, and Catterall was left to ponder what might have been. Over a year later, Taylor remains unbothered by the controversy surrounding his victory. In a recent interview with Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast, the Scottish boxer stated that he has not received much blowback for the win, despite the social media storm and headlines that characterized the decision as a “heist job.” Taylor also suggested that the commentary for the fight, which was broadcasted by Sky, may have unfairly influenced public opinion against him. He argued that the commentary was heavily biased in favor of Catterall, and that without it, the fight would have been perceived very differently. Despite the controversy, Taylor is moving on. After multiple attempts to stage a rematch with Catterall fell through, Taylor announced that he would be defending his title against Teofimo Lopez, the former unified lightweight champion, in June 2023 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. For Taylor, the fight against Lopez represents an opportunity to prove his worth on the world stage and silence any remaining doubts about his abilities. And while the controversy surrounding his win over Catterall may continue to linger, Taylor seems content to let his performances in the ring do the talking.

John Ryder will wake up this morning in Guadalajara, Mexico, just four days shy of the biggest opportunity of his boxing career. The 34-year-old Englishman has been paid for punching for the last 13 years and is now facing the biggest challenge of his life. His opponent? Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has been the biggest commodity in boxing for nearly a decade. Ryder has spent most of his career working the smaller rooms across the United Kingdom, with the exception of higher-profile matches at the Copper Box Arena and the Echo Arena in Liverpool. In those three matches, he fought for regional titles against Billy Joe Saunders, Rocky Fielding, and Callum Smith, losing two competitive decisions and a wider verdict in his first career grab for a world championship. Ryder's three opponents, Saunders, Fielding, and Smith, have all fought and lost to Alvarez, two by KO and the third by a wide decision. Ryder's chances of winning are slim, with an 8-to-1 underdog status, but he remains determined and focused. Ryder returned from a 13-month hiatus after losing to Smith and scored consecutive wins over Mike Guy and Jozef Jurko. He then opened 2022 with a split 12-round decision over ex-middleweight claimant and former Alvarez challenger Daniel Jacobs. The win over previously unbeaten Zach Parker nine months later gave Ryder the WBO's interim title and put him in line for Alvarez, who was looking for a foe to appear opposite him when he returned to action with his first fight in Mexico in more than a decade. Ryder is not in Mexico for a holiday and wouldn't bring his team with him if he didn't believe he could win. He has worked hard to get back into this mandatory position and took the right fights at the right times. Ryder is determined to leave no stone unturned and believes he can come away victorious. In conclusion, Ryder is facing the biggest challenge of his career against Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. Although the odds are against him, Ryder is determined to give it his all and come out on top. His hard work and dedication have brought him to this point, and he's ready to leave no stone unturned in his quest for victory. It'll be interesting to see how the fight plays out and whether Ryder can pull off the upset of the year.

MMA has a history of causing horrifying wounds. Bruised faces, fractured limbs, torn ligaments, and lost teeth. But occasionally, we experience an injury that even MMA would consider unusual. It's a cauliflower ear eruption this time. The event occurred at a fight card in Tijuana, Mexico, where UWC Mexico 43 was held this past Friday. Dorian Ramos, the UWCM featherweight champion, took the front stage when he faced José Pealoza in a title defense. Jose Pealoza entered this battle with a severe cauliflower ear. Pealoza was given some ground and pound by the UWCM champion, which caused his ear to swell three times its normal size. Referee Luis Cobian signaled for the cage-side doctor to examine the ear as Ramos and Pealoza entered the ring for the second round. He let "Relámpago" go on, which let Ramos resume a dominant top control position and apply more ground-and-pound. Pealoza's ear was badly hit. Blood was flying, and Pealoza's only option until the referee stopped the fight was to try to hide from Ramos' barrage of punches and elbows.

Former UFC fighter Felipe Colares passed away after being hit by a bus at the age of 29. On his way home from training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Colares was struck by a bus on Monday morning. According to his coach Rodrigo Babi, the MMA fighter was rushed to Hospital Rocha Faria in Campo Grande but passed away before arriving there. Between 2019 and 2022, the former featherweight champion of Jungle Fight went 2-4 in the UFC, winning over Domingo Pilarte and Luke Sanders. After losing to Chris Gutierrez and Chase Hooper, he left the organization. Eight months after the birth of his first kid Rhavi, "Caboco" fought for the first time after his UFC release under the Ares FC banner and choked out Alioune Nahaye in Paris, France, to improve to 11-4 in MMA.

Canelo Alvarez Wants Rematch with Dmitriy Bivol at Light Heavyweight Division's Limit Canelo Alvarez recently announced his desire for a rematch with undefeated WBA light heavyweight champion, Dmitriy Bivol, to be contested at the light heavyweight division's limit, just like their first fight. Despite promoter Eddie Hearn and Bivol's manager, Vadim Kornilov, discussing a super middleweight division bout that would allow Bivol an opportunity to become the undisputed 168-pound champion, Alvarez is worried that his detractors wouldn't give him the credit he deserves for beating Bivol if the latter drops down seven pounds for their rematch. During an open workout at his gym in San Diego, Alvarez explained that he is concerned about critics who would say he won because he brought Bivol down in weight. He pointed out that no one complained when he moved up in weight to challenge Kovalev and win the light heavyweight title. Last May, Alvarez challenged Bivol at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the Russian outboxed Alvarez and won their 12-round fight unanimously. Alvarez did not exercise his contractual right to an immediate rematch after the loss to Bivol. Instead, he won a 12-round, 168-pound championship match against rival Gennadiy Golovkin in his most recent appearance. Despite the setback, Alvarez is expected to face Bivol again in September if he defeats John Ryder in his upcoming bout at a sold-out Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico. Alvarez is scheduled to defend his IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles against England's Ryder, who is the mandatory challenger for Alvarez's WBO belt. DAZN will stream Alvarez-Ryder as the main event of a pay-per-view show in the United States, with DAZN subscribers able to purchase the show for $59.99 and a one-month subscription, while cable and satellite companies offer the card for $79.99. In conclusion, Alvarez's desire for a rematch with Bivol at the light heavyweight division's limit is understandable. He does not want any excuses made if he beats Bivol, and his concerns about critics are legitimate. Alvarez is looking to make a statement with a win against Ryder before his highly anticipated rematch with Bivol, where he hopes to come out victorious and cement his status as one of the best boxers of all time.

Ryan Garcia, the popular young American boxer, has announced that he will continue his career at a higher weight and with a new head cornerman. After his lone career defeat at the hands of Gervonta Davis in April, Garcia has parted ways with veteran trainer Joe Goossen. The two had only worked together for three fights, with their partnership culminating in the seventh-round stoppage loss to Davis. It is unclear why the split occurred, as no firm reason was given by either party. Garcia had previously worked with Eddy Reynoso, who is best known for his work with boxing superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Under Reynoso’s tutelage, Garcia won five fights, all inside the distance, before splitting with the trainer in early 2022. He then connected with Goossen for his next three fights, winning two and losing one. Garcia had expressed his desire to fight Davis for some time before their April super fight, which was pushed back due to external factors. Both boxers had interim fights before the eventual showdown, which Davis won by stoppage in the seventh round. Following the loss, Garcia announced that he would campaign in the 140-pound junior welterweight division. It is currently unknown who will take over as Garcia’s new head trainer. Garcia’s father, Henry Garcia, will remain on board, but it is not expected that he will resume his previous role as the leading voice in his son’s corner. The decision to change trainers comes as Garcia looks to rebuild and continue his promising career at a higher weight.

On May 27th, all eyes will be on Belfast as Irish boxer Michael Conlan takes on IBF featherweight world champion Luis Alberto Lopez at the SSE Arena. Conlan, who challenged Leigh Wood for the WBA featherweight strap last year, has been dreaming of winning a world title since he started training in a gym. This fight is an opportunity for Conlan to make that dream a reality. Conlan's last fight against Wood was a dramatic one. He knocked Wood down hard in the first round and had him reeling throughout the first half of the fight. However, Wood came back strong in the second half, dropping Conlan in the eleventh and knocking him out in the twelfth. Despite the disappointment of that loss, Conlan is confident that he can achieve his dream of becoming a world champion. Lopez will be a tough test for Conlan. He has a tricky style and quick punching power, as he showed when he captured the world title by defeating hometown hero Josh Warrington in a twelve-round decision last December. Conlan knows that he will have to be at his best to defeat Lopez. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Conlan acknowledged that Lopez is a bigger challenge than Wood. He praised Lopez's ring IQ and boxing skills, saying that he is a better fighter than Wood. Conlan is confident that the experience of last year's fight will help him in this bout. He believes that he is a better fighter now because of that loss and that he will react better in the heat of battle. Conlan is ready for war, and he knows that this fight has the potential to be a Fight of the Year contender. He is determined to win a world title, and he sees this fight as his best chance to achieve that goal. The last three Irish world champions have all won the IBF title, and Conlan hopes to make it four. The SSE Arena in Belfast will be electric on May 27th as these two warriors step into the ring. Fans of boxing and sports in general will not want to miss this fight, as Michael Conlan takes on Luis Alberto Lopez in what promises to be an epic battle.

Oscar De La Hoya is aware that a rematch between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis is unlikely to take place soon. But Garcia's promoter predicted that if Davis and Garcia ever square off again, the second fight would generate significantly more revenue for pay-per-view than the first fight did. "The Golden Boy," who predicted that their fight on April 22 would generate 2 million buys in the US, predicted that a Davis-Garcia sequel would bring in 4 million buys. Only two pay-per-view events in boxing history – Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao (4.6 million) and Mayweather-Conor McGregor (4.3 million) – have eclipsed 4 million buys domestically. The Showtime Pay-Per-View card headlined by Davis’ seventh-round knockout of Garcia generated approximately 1.2 million buys, more than any Showtime Pay-Per-View production since Mayweather-McGregor in August 2017. Davis-Garcia also accounted for $22.8 million in ticket sales, the fifth-highest total in Nevada boxing history. In the upcoming weeks, De La Hoya intends to personally consult with Garcia to discuss the 24-year-old fighter's anticipated August return to the ring. In his post-fight presser, Garcia announced that he would fight again at the 140-pound limit. For his high-profile matchup with Davis, the Victorville, California native dropped from 140 pounds to a contracted catch weight of 136 pounds. Davis dropped Garcia twice and finished him off with a body shot in the seventh round. Although Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs) suffered his first professional loss, his promoter anticipates that after competing with Davis (29-0, 27 KOs), Garcia will be a bigger star than ever.

ONE Championship CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, has announced that the company will not be pursuing the signing of former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, after careful consideration. Francis Ngannou remains one of the most sought-after free agents in combat sports since the conclusion of his spectacular UFC departs in January. But is there ultimately an end of interest in him? One has to question whether Ngannou is exaggerating his cards in because, yet another organization has decided against chasing the heavyweight. While Ngannou's signing would have undoubtedly brought a great deal of excitement to the promotion, Sityodtong ultimately felt that it would not have been the best move for the organization in the long run. Additionally, it seemed this past weekend that the Asian promotion was winning the struggle to acquire Ngannou. Before the company's American debut on Friday, CEO Chatri Sityodtong disclosed that he had a talk scheduled with "The Predator" over the weekend during his visit to the USA. The ONE CEO officially confirmed the details of his talks with Ngannou in Los Angeles on Monday to Nicolas Atkin of the South China Morning Post. The journalist shared a quote on Twitter: “I met with Francis (Ngannou) yesterday for almost three hours,” Chatri Sityodtong said. “ONE has decided to withdraw from the process of bidding for Francis Ngannou’s services. After careful reflection, we decided not to submit our final offer. Francis is a good guy and a good champion. I wish him continued success and happiness.” “At the end of the day, I didn’t feel like Francis, and I were fully aligned on non-financial matters,” Sityodtong explained. “It is nothing personal. It is just a lack of alignment.” Chatri Sityodtong and Ngannou had non-monetary differences, whereas David Feldman, the president of BKFC, did not. Ngannou had declined hefty UFC contracts in favor of more flexibility in his fighting future. But at BKFC, cash ended up being a problem. Do you believe that Ngannou has chosen properly throughout this bargaining? Will he be sorry he left the UFC? Where do you anticipate his next battle will be held?

The most important fight in Devin Haney's career will take place in a few weeks when he defends his undisputed lightweight title against former three-division world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. The event is held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 20. Some people think that regardless of the outcome of the fight, Haney's career at 135 pounds would likely come to an end. A switch to junior welterweight is said to be highly likely. But should he triumph later this month, Haney still has some significant matches at 135 to look forward to. Haney acknowledges that the "only way he stays at 135" is for a fight with "Shakur Stevenson" or "Gervonta 'Tank' Davis." "That depends on how it goes on May 20, first coming out of the fight successfully and then we'll go from there. But the only way I'm going to stay at 135 is because of guys like Stevenson, or guys like Tank," Haney told ESPN Deportes. "I don't plan to be here much longer. This has been my first weight class. I've been at 135 since I was 16 years old, My body has been maturing. I've been saying this for a long time. "I have the best team in boxing. I have a great nutritionist, I'm going through all the steps to do it successfully, but you never know what happens in the ring. I feel good, I feel healthy, I feel strong." Last year, Haney, at 24 years old, defeated George Kambosos in a decisive decision match to unify all four divisional belts. A few months later, in a scheduled rematch, he outboxed Kambosos once more.

In a thrilling and bloody battle, Eddie Alvarez emerged victorious over Chad Mendes in the main event of Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship 41 on Friday night. The former UFC lightweight champion secured a split decision victory after five grueling rounds, but it was Mendes who stole the show with his display of heart and determination. The fight started with both fighters exchanging blows in the center of the ring. Mendes, a former UFC featherweight title challenger, landed some heavy shots early on, but Alvarez weathered the storm and began to find his range. The two fighters traded punches and clinches throughout the first round, with neither able to gain a clear advantage. Alvarez, a bare-knuckle first-timer, began with a long jab and reached for a lead, but Mendes responded with powerful punches, leaving a cut under his right eye. In the second round, Mendes landed a left that knocked Alvarez down. Alvarez tried to regain control, but Mendes countered with stiff uppercuts. Alvarez got his revenge with a short shot that briefly dropped Mendes. By the fifth round, Alvarez's face was showing signs of damage with cuts and blood. He launched a flurry of punches that overwhelmed Mendes, who fell to the canvas, but Mendes bounced back with a left-right combo that wobbled Alvarez, the referee ruled it as a knockdown, evening the score between the fighters. In the end, the two judges scored the fight 47-46 in favor of Alvarez, while Mendes got the same score from the third judge with a split decision fight going in favor of Alvarez. “This is a pleasure,” Alvarez said. “Chad is a f****** dog. I did not expect that. The man hits crazy hard. This is a dog fight in here. I’m convinced right now this is going to be the best sport in the world. BKFC is here to stay.” Mendes, on the other hand, announced his retirement from combat sports immediately after the fight, citing he has no desire left to engage in combat sports. “Eddie is a freaking beast. Hats off to Eddie,” Mendes said. “I just wanted to say thank you to all the fans. I’m officially hanging them up tonight. Thanks for all the awesome memories.” The fight was a testament to the toughness and skill of both fighters and a reminder of the excitement and unpredictability of bare-knuckle fighting. BKFC 41 was a night of thrilling fights, with a few other exciting bouts on the card, but it was the main event that will be remembered for years to come.

Aljamain Sterling, the current UFC bantamweight champion, appears to be motivated to become champ-champ. At UFC 288 on May 6, 2023, Sterling will defend his bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo, a former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion. 'Sugar' Sean O'Malley and Henry Cejudo are the rumored opponents for Aljamain Sterling's defense of his bantamweight (135-pound) championship. Then, according to Sterling, he'll advance to the featherweight (145-pound) division. He stated that he'd prefer to compete against and defeat the victor of the next match between Alexander Volkanovski, the current UFC featherweight champion, and Yair Rodriguez, the interim featherweight champion. "Funk Master" said that he might stop competing in mixed martial arts after defending the featherweight title once. Sterling said: "I smash Henry Cejudo. I smash Sean O'Malley. I go up to 145 pounds. I fight Alex Volkanovski or Yair Rodriguez, and maybe I defend the belt one time, and I'm done." Only four fighters have ever held UFC championships in two different weight divisions at the same time in the organization's history. Conor McGregor, a past UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, Daniel Cormier, a former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, Amanda Nunes, current UFC women's bantamweight and featherweight champion, and Henry Cejudo, a former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion are among these fighters.