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In a highly anticipated middleweight bout, Meiirim Nursultanov remained unbeaten after stopping Kazuto Takesato in the eighth round at the Paradise City Plaza in Incheon, South Korea on Saturday night. Both fighters produced solid exchanges throughout the fight, with the victory being up for grabs until the final moments. Nursultanov, originally from Kazakhstan and now residing in Oxnard, California, improved his record to 19-0, with 11 knockouts. The 29-year-old is managed by Egis Klimas and is ranked in the top 10 by three major sanctioning bodies. Takesato, a resident of Tokyo, Japan, entered the fight with an impressive record of 15-1-1, with 14 KOs. The 31-year-old had won his last five bouts by knockout, with his only blemish being a split-decision draw against Shuji Kato in March 2019. Takesato would go on to defeat Kato in a rematch by knockout five months later. The fight was tightly contested from start to finish, with both fighters exchanging blows in the pocket. In the eighth round, Nursultanov landed an overhand right to the head that stunned Takesato. Nursultanov followed up with a series of hooks and crosses to the head, backing Takesato into a corner. One cross landed to the chin, sending Takesato face-first to the canvas. The referee, Yuji Fukuchi, immediately stopped the fight at 2:33. At the time of the stoppage, Nursultanov was leading on the judges’ scorecards, with scores of 68-65, 68-65, and 67-66. Nursultanov's last fight was in October 2020, where he defeated Marcelo Coceres by unanimous decision. With this victory, Nursultanov looks to further establish his place as one of the top middleweight contenders and potentially earn a shot at a world title in the near future.

As Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr. prepare for their middleweight rematch later this summer, retired boxer Kell Brook has expressed an interest in the outcome of the fight. The two fighters first went head-to-head in January at the AO Arena in Manchester, with Smith winning in a shock upset after stopping Eubank in the fourth round. Brook, who announced his retirement last year after defeating Amir Khan, has hinted at the possibility of making a return to the ring, calling himself “semi-retired.” Ben Shalom, head of the promotional company Boxxer, which has exclusive ties with broadcasting giant Sky, believes that the winner of the Smith-Eubank rematch could be a potential opponent for Brook. When asked if he expected to work with Brook again soon, Shalom told SecondsOut.com, “I think a lot can ride on what happens with Smith-Eubank. I think he’ll probably be looking at that fight as a natural creation of his next opponent. Let’s not look beyond that fight.” Shalom defended the decision to host a rematch between Smith and Eubank, calling it an equally intriguing fight as the first. He also suggested that Eubank had to go through two grueling weight cuts in his camps, making him a special fighter in the ring. As for Brook’s potential return, it remains uncertain. However, boxing fans remain excited to see which fighter will emerge victorious in the upcoming Smith-Eubank rematch and how it will affect the future of the sport. If Brook does decide to return to the ring, his next opponent could hold significant weight in determining how successful his semi-retirement return will be.

On Saturday night, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis will enter the ring at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for their highly anticipated 12-round fight. However, the lead-up to the event has been overshadowed by comments made by Hall-of-Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya, who accused Davis’ team of being overprotective and lacking confidence in the undefeated knockout artist. De La Hoya’s comments stemmed from the restrictions placed on Garcia and Davis during weigh-ins and rehydration periods. Davis’ team insisted on a catchweight of 136 pounds, a weigh-in two hours later than usual, and a rehydration restriction for a second-day weigh-in late Saturday morning. Both fighters can add as much weight as they want from the time their second weigh-in ends until they enter the ring, but neither can weigh more than 146 pounds at their second weigh-in. De La Hoya, who has spent most of his early life in the ring and knows firsthand what it takes to compete at the highest level, believes that Garcia is ready and that his team has the confidence in him to win the fight. However, he questions whether Davis’ team feels the same way. Despite Davis looking physically ready and confident, De La Hoya suggests that his team’s actions throughout the promotion have left him wondering if they really think he is ready. He believes that by restricting Garcia at weigh-ins on back-to-back days, Davis’ team is displaying insecurity and lack of confidence in their fighter. The comments made by De La Hoya have added an extra layer of tension to what was already set to be an intense showdown in the ring. Fans are eagerly waiting to see whether Garcia can maintain his undefeated record and take down Davis, or whether the overprotectiveness of Davis’ team was necessary to secure his own unbeaten record. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is certain – this fight is set to be a spectacle, with both fighters looking to prove their worth and silence the critics.

Floyd Mayweather Jr believes that he faced Canelo Alvarez in his peak ten years ago, in 2013, when the Mexican fighter was 22 years old. Mayweather was 36 when he fought Canelo at 152 pounds, and he claims that if he had fought him when he was at his peak, he would have stopped him. Floyd is being dishonest when he says Canelo was in his heyday at 22 years old since he was nowhere near the boxer who fought Gennadiy Golovkin in his first two fights or in 2021 when he won the undisputed super middleweight championship by defeating Caleb Plant. Canelo's version of Mayweather will almost certainly have battered him, forcing him to run for twelve rounds. If Canelo had been in his peak, he would have either knocked Mayweather out or humiliated him in a one-sided decision. “Canelo Alvarez is a helluva fighter. [People talk about] a prime Mayweather vs. a prime Canelo. I fought a prime Canelo. I was the older Mayweather fighting prime Canelo. The fight wouldn’t have gone the distance if it were a prime Mayweather,” said Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fans argued that Mayweather was terrible for boxing because he focused on preserving his unbeaten record by meticulously selecting his opponents and fought top fighters when they were past their peak. Mayweather waited until they were well past their peak to fight Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, and Manny Pacquiao, and the fights were boring to watch.

In a highly anticipated announcement, UFC President Dana White revealed two exciting matchups that are set to take place in the upcoming months. Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier will headline UFC Vegas 75 on June 17, while a week later, Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria will take center stage at UFC Jacksonville on June 24. The middleweight showdown between Vettori and Cannonier has been highly anticipated by MMA fans around the world. The hunt for the UFC gold continues for both of the fighters. Israel Adesanya has recently regained the lost title back with a stunning approach at UFC 287 against his bitter rival Alex Pereira. So, The Last Stylebender is looking out for his options as he has beaten the top 5 of the division and Pereira has announced to move up a division. “Both guys are absolute beasts, and the winner will be on a very short list for the next title shot at 185 pounds,” White said. The 39-year-old Cannonier is coming off a split decision victory against Sean Strickland and will compete in his third consecutive main event. Before this fight, Cannonier had won consecutive victories over Kelvin Gastelum and Derek Brunson before losing to champion Israel Adesanya in a middleweight title fight at UFC 276. Since gaining a crack at the championship, 29-year-old Vettori has alternated between both winning and losing results in his most recent appearances. He stopped Roman Dolidze, an emerging contender, in his last outing. Before that, Vettori was defeated on the scorecards by former champion Robert Whittaker. At UFC 263, Vettori lost to Adesanya in his attempt to capture the championship, but four months later, he triumphed over Paulo Costa. Another highly anticipated bout announced by Dana White is Josh Emmett's face-off against Ilia Topuria in a featherweight bout that is sure to produce fireworks. Originally scheduled to be the headliner of UFC Vegas 75, a bout between former interim featherweight championship challenger Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria will now take place on June 24 as the main event of a UFC Jacksonville card. Emmett will attempt to recover from his February submission defeat against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 284. Emmett had won five straight matches before the loss, notably victories against Calvin Kattar, Shane Burgos, and Dan Ige. As he competes in his first-ever UFC main event, Topuria's record as a professional remains undefeated. In December, he participated in UFC 282, when he defeated grappling prodigy Bryce Mitchell by submission. Overall, these two matchups are sure to be must-watch events for any MMA fan. With so much on the line for the fighters involved, fans can expect to see some of the best performances of their careers. Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting bouts as the dates approach!

If you believe Eddie Hearn, Tyson Fury's opponent for his upcoming world title defense will be Andy Ruiz. Fury is yet to taste defeat inside the boxing ring in his professional career. Hearn believes that the former heavyweight champion will get the opportunity to become a two-time champion later this year after being pressed on the matter in a recent interview. Many people had hoped that Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk would square off in an undisputed match, but those hopes were dashed when an agreement couldn't be reached. Usyk is now likely to perform his mandatory obligations, leaving Fury without a challenger, but Hearn believes Ruiz will be the one called to take on the WBC champion. “I think Andy Ruiz by the looks of things.” said Hearn when discussing the heavyweight scene with Boxing Social “I know George Warren said in his interview, was it July 22nd? Obviously not the fight people wanted, but tick-over fight, decent fight.”

The UFC is back with another exciting event, and this time it's UFC 288 which promises to be a night full of thrilling bouts. One of the latest additions to the card is the short-notice co-headliner, featuring Gilbert Burns vs. Belal Muhammad. The organization made it obvious that they would begin searching for alternatives when the co-main event featuring Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush on May's UFC 288 show was scrapped. Dana White, the president of the UFC, consequently released a special announcement about the contest that was broadcast on the promotion's YouTube account. The main event of UFC 288 is a bantamweight title fight between champion Aljamain Sterling and former champion Henry Cejudo, which takes place on May 6 at the Prudential Centre in New Jersey. “What I love about this fight is both guys wanted it to be five rounds,” said White. “Two of the best guys in the division, and both guys think they deserve a title shot after this.” Burns will compete in the octagon three times in 2023. "Durinho" beat Jorge Masvidal by a unanimous decision at UFC 287 last month after submitting Neil Magny in the opening round of UFC 283 in January. The Brazilian requested the UFC declare him as a reserve contender for the next Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington title bout, which would qualify him for the victor, after his victory against Masvidal. Additionally, on short notice, Burns offered his services and identified others, including Muhammad and former interim champion Dustin Poirier. Muhammad will try to secure his first crack at the UFC championship by improving his current undefeated run. Muhammad is currently on a four-fight winning run consisting of wins over Sean Brady, Vicente Luque, Stephen Thompson, and Demian Maia. He has not dropped in his last nine fights. It's important to note that this fight is taking place on short notice, which adds an extra level of unpredictability to the bout. Both fighters have had less time to prepare and may need to rely on their instincts and experience in the cage to secure the win. Overall, this co-headliner is a great addition to an already stacked card, and fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an unforgettable night of MMA action. Will Burns' grappling be enough to secure the victory, or will Muhammad's striking game prove too much for the Brazilian? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain – this is a fight you won't want to miss.

Ryan Garcia will be defeated, according to former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather, who much of his career promoted Gervonta Davis. This coming Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Davis and Garcia will meet. After defeating UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a high-profile crossover match to improve to a perfect 50-0 record, Mayweather announced his retirement from the sport in 2017. Following his retirement, Mayweather concentrated on Mayweather Promotions, his promotional organisation. The biggest celebrity under Mayweather's management was Davis, but their relationship ended last year. Despite their split, Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, has been helping Davis' team promote the Garcia fight. Mayweather believes Davis will come out on top spectacularly in his upcoming test. “Ryan hasn’t won a title yet. We don’t talk about no interim belt – that don’t count. And we not taking nothing away from the guy, [Javier] Fortuna, but he was just an opponent. I’m gonna have 'Tank' in the best shape of his life. And just know, when he hit that boy, he ain’t gonna wake up until next year," Mayweather told the media.

Lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett may not return to the Octagon for some time. "The Baddy" most recently competed at UFC 282, where he won a contentious decision against Jared Gordon. While many thought Gordon had done enough to be proclaimed the winner, Pimblett confidently claimed he'd controlled the battle, which turned off many supporters. Pimblett's next steps in the UFC have remained unknown in the months after his previous fight, despite being undefeated in the Octagon. During his bout with Gordon, the former Cage Warriors champion suffered an ankle injury. "I had to get surgery after my last fight," Pimblett explained. "Last fight, I hurt my foot in the first round, in like the first minute or two, threw a kick, hurt it. I felt it, like, but we crack on, we get through the fight. At the end of the fight, I remember going back to the medical room and being like, 'My foot's sore.' "Couldn't get it looked at properly until I got home. Then, when the actual swelling went down, I didn't know if I needed to get surgery. It was a lot worse than we thought. I had to get inner and outer-ligament surgery, like reconstruction, so, it's big." 'The Baddy' was then asked how long he expected to be on crutches. He said he'll be out for another six weeks or so. Worse, he doesn't appear certain that he'll be able to enter the Octagon this year. "Could be another six weeks," Pimblett said. "I've already been on them for six, six and a half... I'll be lucky to fight this year."

Stephen Espinoza, president of Showtime Sports, has always been a man of the people. an early adopter of Twitter who used the service to communicate with followers. Since starting with Showtime Sports, Espinoza has never shied away from the spotlight and has been a prominent figure in the boxing world. On Wednesday, during media duties for the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight, which will be broadcast live on Showtime pay-per-view on April 22 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Espinoza debunked rumours that the long-awaited welterweight unification fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, the IBF, WBA, and WBC champions, would be announced on Saturday night's television broadcast. “We're close [to making Errol Spence vs Terence Crawford], but you know, we've spoken over the years, you've heard me say before, the deals not done till it's done,” said the president of Showtime Sports, Stephen Espinoza to Fight Hub TV. “Particularly this one because I thought we would get a deal done last fall and we were very close…it didn't happen. So I'm not going to make that mistake, again. This deal is not done until it's done.” Although Espinoza's words might frighten blue-collar fight fans who think that this might lead to political scheming, which could lead to the dreaded outcome of no bout taking place. When discussing the state of this battle with battle Hub TV on Wednesday, Espinoza seemed extremely optimistic. “The good thing is we're much closer now than we were last fall,” furthered Espinoza to Fight Hub TV. “We are making progress. There are active discussions going on. At this point, there are no plans for anything on Saturday [in terms of an announcement of Spence vs. Crawford]. It doesn't mean it won't happen. We could stay up into the late hours get everything done…and everybody [fly in], but I hate to throw cold water on it because I want the fight as much as anybody, but I think people are sort of trying to connect dots that aren't connected.”

Demetrious Johnson is aware that his MMA career is winding down. The former UFC flyweight champion acknowledges he is nearing the end of his professional career as he gets ready for a trilogy fight versus Adriano Moraes in the first-ever U.S. ONE Championship fight. It's not that his health has declined or that he believes he can no longer compete against the finest fighters in the world. Johnson claimed that the key is just realising when to declare it a career. “It’s definitely possible [this is my last fight],” Johnson said Wednesday on The MMA Hour. “Being 36, I sit down with the wife and kids, even my close friends, my inner circle who they don’t watch mixed martial arts, they don’t train, they all have normal citizen jobs you could say, and sometimes I sit there and think, how much more do I need to do? How much more do I want to do? “I’ve stated in a couple of interviews, I want to compete in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in IBJJF, because my kids are doing it, too. There comes a point where it’s like how much more do I need to do?” Johnson has made significant career advancements and has enjoyed financial success. However, he gained motivation from seeing some of his closest fighting friends achieve success outside of the ring. He enjoys the concept of relying on anything other than MMA to make a living and has already established a successful YouTube channel through his love of gaming. He claimed that the only scenario in which he would likely return to the ring would be a payoff so absurd that he would be unable to refuse it. “For me, I’ve been grinding so I think if I do step away, I don’t see myself coming back unless something just falls in my lap like I’ve got to go back and do it,” Johnson said. “We’ll see. Even if Johnson decides to hang up his gloves after his third bout against Moraes, don't anticipate him to do it in the ring and announce his decision aloud. It's likely that he will first discuss retirement with his wife before telling the rest of the world. “I think for me to share that moment with the world instead of her, would be [a disservice] to what she’s committed to me in my career,” Johnson said.

Deontay Wilder's co-manager Shelly Finkel claims that his fighter is open to travelling abroad in 2023 to take on fellow former world champion Anthony Joshua. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed that Wilder and WBC world champion Tyson Fury were the two probable opponents for Joshua's upcoming fight, which might take place in Saudi Arabia. Joshua competed earlier this month, defeating Jermaine Franklin in a twelve-round unanimous decision. The victory ended Oleksandr Usyk's two-fight losing streak to him. In his last outing in October, Wilder defeated Robert Helenius in a single round. Wilder's two-fight losing run versus Fury was broken by the triumph. Joshua was supposed to fight again this summer, but the British athlete announced on social media that his next match wouldn't happen until December. Finkel said that Wilder has no problem taking on Joshua in Saudi Arabia for their next bout. "Deontay has wanted to fight Joshua for a long time and of course is willing to fight him in Saudi Arabia," Finkel told Sky Sports.Wilder's trainer, former heavyweight Malik Scott, predicts that the deadly puncher will defeat Joshua in three rounds. Andy Ruiz and Wilder were scheduled to compete in the final WBC eliminator. These discussions are now in a standstill. Joshua's rematch with domestic rival Dillian Whyte was scheduled to be his next opponent. When they fought in 2015, Joshua prevailed in seven rounds via knockout. Joshua's management are progressively bringing up Fury and Wilder but Whyte is still considered as the favourite for the next fight.