Search Results

Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis are set to square off on April 22nd in a highly anticipated catchweight bout at 136 pounds. While Garcia has amassed an impressive record of 23-0 with 19 KOs, many have questioned whether he has truly earned his shot at one of boxing's premier stars. Despite the doubts, Davis, with a record of 28-0 and 26 KOs, has acknowledged Garcia's legitimacy as a fighter. In particular, Davis was impressed with Garcia's recent one-sided beating of former titlist Javier Fortuna, who has a reputation for having a durable and reliable chin. Many in the boxing world have speculated that Garcia's celebrity status on social media has done most of the heavy lifting in securing him the Davis clash. However, Davis believes that Garcia's skills, not his brazen trash talk, make him a worthy adversary. Garcia's steady improvement in the ring, as evidenced by his recent victories over Fortuna and Luke Campbell, has won over Davis, who now views him as a legitimate contender. As such, Davis is looking forward to a tough and competitive fight against Garcia. Despite the fact that Garcia is currently pegged as an underdog in the betting world, he remains confident in his ability to stop Davis in his tracks. With his speed, power, and remarkable skills, Garcia is hoping to prove the naysayers wrong and emerge victorious on April 22nd. As the two popular fighters prepare to face off in Las Vegas, boxing fans around the world are eagerly anticipating what promises to be a thrilling and hard-fought bout between two of the sport's rising stars.

Undefeated junior lightweight prospect Julian "Gifted" Gonzalez is set to take on Clay Burns in the featured bout on Friday, April 7th at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. The card is promoted by King's Promotions. Gonzalez, hailing from Reading, PA, boasts a record of 9-0-1, with all of his victories coming by way of stoppage. The 21-year-old is coming off an impressive fourth-round stoppage over previously undefeated Rosalindo Morales (9-0) as part of a SHOBOX: The New Generation card on January 20th in Bethlehem, PA. Gonzalez has been making waves in the boxing world with his explosive performances and looks to continue his winning streak against Burns. Burns, on the other hand, hails from Fort Worth, Texas, and has a record of 10-17-2 with four knockouts. The gritty fighter has only been stopped once and has notable wins over Yovani Rodarte (10-1-1) and Dartell Smith (4-1). Burns is coming off a decision loss to Terrell Bostic on February 23rd in New York City and will be facing his 13th undefeated opponent in Gonzalez. In an eight-round welterweight bout, Tahmir Smalls (9-0, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia is set to take on an opponent to be named. The undercard features a range of exciting bouts, including Kamil Bednarek (11-0, 6 KOs) of Dzlerzonicow, Poland, taking on the experienced Mike Guy (12-7-1, 5 KOs) of Sacramento, California, in a super middleweight fight. Quaidir Albright (6-1, 6 KOs) of Chester, PA, will fight David Thomas (6-5-1, 2 KOs) of Orange, Texas in a welterweight contest, while James Martin (9-3-1) of Philadelphia takes on Roudly Lolo (5-0-2, 3 KOs) of Camp Hill, PA in a super welterweight fight. Ibrahim Robinson (4-0-1, 4 KOs) of Baltimore, MD, squares off with Jahqwon Humbert (2-0, 1 KO) of Raleigh, NC, in a welterweight fight. Featherweight Jalique Holden (3-0, 2 KOs) of Wilmington, DE; heavyweight Ali Ellis (1-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia, and super welterweight Dwyke Flemmings Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) of Paterson, NJ, will all see action in four-round bouts, with opponents to be named shortly. Overall, the card promises to deliver an action-packed night of boxing, with some of the sport's most exciting rising stars and seasoned veterans set to step into the ring. Boxing fans should mark their calendars for April 7th and prepare for an unforgettable night of fights at The 2300 Arena.

Even the most passionate of Ryan Garcia's fans found his brazen threats directed at Gervonta Davis absurd. The 24-year-old Garcia will have the chance to show his strength after years of loudly proclaiming that he'll wreck the hard-hitting ace. Garcia and Davis will square off in the middle of the ring on April 22 in front of what is anticipated to be a packed house. Despite his arrogant battle of words, Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) is regarded as an underdog by the betting public. “He needs to do his job and train 100%,” said Alvarez to FightHype.com during an interview. “He’s a good fighter. Ryan is a very good fighter. He’s a very talented fighter.” Despite the talent , Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) will rely on his destructive knockout power in their fight on April 22. Hector Luis Garcia was brutalized by the Baltimore native during his most recent appearance in the ring; Garcia was stopped at the very conclusion of their match on January 7. No matter how successful his opponents have been in previous rounds, Davis has a habit of finding a way to land a vicious strike on their chins. Alvarez does not, however, think that Davis will have a walk in the park come fight night, despite the fact that Davis consistently lands that knockout strike. In fact, with Garcia displaying his own violent knockout power, most recently against Javier Fortuna, Alvarez urges Davis to approach their clash with extreme caution. “He needs to be very careful with Ryan because he’s a strong and very fast fighter.”

The world of mixed martial arts is no stranger to heated rivalries and trash-talking, and the latest feud between Belal Muhammad and Colby Covington is no exception. Muhammad recently called out Covington for turning down a potential fight against him at UFC 286 and instead opting to be a backup fighter. Muhammad did not mince his words, calling Covington a "coward" for his decision. For those unfamiliar with the backstory, Muhammad and Covington have been exchanging barbs on social media for some time now. Muhammad has been eager to get in the octagon with Covington and settle their differences, but it seems that Covington is not interested in a matchup with Muhammad now. Instead, Covington has agreed to be a backup fighter for the main event at UFC 286, which features Leon Edwards defending his title against Kamaru Usman. Muhammad was quick to react to the news, taking to social media to call out Covington for his decision. In a scathing post, Muhammad accused Covington of being afraid to face him and challenged him to step up and take the fight. Muhammad's words are not without merit. Covington has a reputation for being a brash and outspoken fighter, but when it comes to actually backing up his words with actions, he seems to fall short. Muhammad is a rising star in the UFC, with a record of 22-3-0, and has proven himself to be a formidable opponent. It's no wonder that Covington might be hesitant to face him. However, it's worth noting that being a backup fighter is not necessarily a cowardly move. In fact, it's a smart strategic move for Covington. As the backup fighter for the main event, he will still be paid for his time and efforts, and if either Usman or Edwards is unable to compete, he will have the opportunity to step in and fight for the title. It's a win-win situation for Covington, and it's not fair to label him a coward simply for making a smart career move. That being said, Muhammad's frustration is understandable. As a fighter, he wants to face the best opponents and prove himself in the octagon. Covington's decision to be a backup fighter is a setback for Muhammad, who was looking forward to a potential fight with him. Muhammad has every right to be upset, but it's important to remember that being a backup fighter is not a sign of weakness.

The UFC's biggest star Conor McGregor recently announced that he has only two fights left on his current contract with the organization. The news has sparked a lot of discussion in the MMA community about the future of one of the most popular fighters in the sport's history. After his trilogy fight versus Dustin Poirier in July 2021, "The Notorious" was never seen inside a cage. The Irishman shattered his leg towards the conclusion of the opening round. He has been sidelined for more than a year because of the accident. Recent episodes of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani featured Conor McGregor talking about his comeback. After his next two fights, the former lightweight champion's UFC agreement will expire. McGregor would prefer to complete his career with the Dana White-led organization rather than explore the waters of free agency. “For me, the UFC is the pinnacle. It’s the company I love, it’s the company I wish to be with this company for the rest of my career.” Conor McGregor stated on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. “So I’ve got two fights left on my contract and I hope we can continue. So, I wanna be in the UFC, that’s my catalog, is in the UFC. My highlight reel is in the UFC.” He continued, “Let’s see what happens. I hope they feel the same way also. I love the company dearly, it’s the company that’s changed my life. It’s given me so much and helped me in many situations in my life. The UFC is my company.” Many fans are speculating about who McGregor's opponents will be in his final two fights. With one most anticipated fight with Michael Chandler by the end of the TUF 31 season, some wish for a trilogy fight against Nate Diaz. However, Nate Diaz has left the UFC, and McGregor has yet to reveal who he plans to face in his remaining bout. What is clear, however, is that McGregor has no plans to explore free agency when his UFC contract expires. Despite rumors that he could potentially sign with other MMA organizations or even pursue a career in boxing, McGregor has stated that he is committed to finishing out his UFC contract and remaining with the organization. McGregor's commitment to the UFC is a testament to his love for the sport and his desire to cement his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Despite his recent struggles in the octagon, McGregor remains a massive draw for fans and has helped to elevate the sport to new heights of popularity. For the UFC, keeping McGregor on board is essential to the continued success of the organization. His star power and ability to generate massive pay-per-view buys have made him one of the most valuable assets in the sport, and the UFC will undoubtedly do everything in its power to keep him in the fold. As for McGregor's future opponents, the Irishman has faced MMA legends over the years, including Diaz, Eddie Alvarez, Jose Aldo, and Donald Cerrone, among others. Whoever he faces in his final bouts, fans can expect fireworks and a level of excitement that only McGregor can deliver.

Kevin Lee could be about to face a familiar rival in his second voyage in the UFC Octagon. In a recent interview, Lee said that it appears as though Ferguson will be his first challenge for his second stint in the UFC. Lee returned to the UFC earlier this year after signing an exclusive multi-fight contract. Before leaving the promotion, he won his final contest against UFC veteran Diego Sanchez at Eagle FC 46. In his final UFC contest against Daniel Rodriguez in August 2021, Lee was defeated by a unanimous decision. He lost four of his previous five fights, including contests against Charles Oliveira and Rafael dos Anjos, before leaving the promotion. At UFC 216 in 2017, Lee and Ferguson squared off for the interim lightweight championship of the UFC. Ferguson struggled with him in the first two rounds before submitting him in Round 3 with a triangle choke. If Lee's claims are accurate, he will get the opportunity to exact revenge on Ferguson, who has lost five consecutive matches. At UFC 279, he most recently suffered a guillotine choke loss against Nate Diaz. At UFC 279, Ferguson was scheduled to compete against Li Jingliang in a welterweight bout but Khamzat Chimaev's disastrous weight-cut attempt forced the UFC's hand. Ferguson's most recent victory came at UFC 238 over Donald Cerrone. He is open to the possibility of competing at welterweight but hasn't ruled out a return to lightweight.

As Colby Covington was summoned to the scales for the UFC 286 backup opponent, the MMA community seemed gobsmacked. Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman were called into question regarding the actual rumor that Covington had been seen in London and whether or not he was the backup fighter at the UFC 286 news conference. Other dismissed it since both claimed this had been the first time, they learned of it. A great deal of discussion about the reserve fighter for this Saturday's trilogy match involving Edwards and Usman. Nowadays days, there is always a reserve opponent for high-profile UFC title matches in case any of the superstars withdraws. Enthusiasts discovered Colby Covington was really the backup fighter earlier this morning. Covington responded to his weigh-in on social media and alluded to himself as the real main event. He won't, however, since Edwards and Usman made the scales. It's unclear whether Covington shall contest the Edwards-Usman 3 winner for the championship despite becoming the official backup combatant. 'Chaos' hasn't competed since beating Jorge Masvidal by decision in March of last year, and he's been quiet ever since because of the investigations into the alleged attack on him by Masvidal. But the fans have raised questions regarding the eligibility of Covington being the backup fighter as he has been 0-2 in the title fights both against Kamaru Usman. Both of those fights have been very tough and competitive. Covington won an interim welterweight championship in June 2018 by defeating former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, however, he was later removed from it and never competed in a title unification match. Overall, it's unclear what Covington's ultimate goals are with this move. According to Dana White, Colby is ready to fight but it looks like he has been ducking the top welterweight contenders and ultimately chose to become a replacement for the UFC 286 main event. But his presence as a backup fighter at UFC 286 adds an extra layer of excitement to an already highly anticipated event. Fans will have to wait and see if he ends up making an appearance in the Octagon on fight night.

Jake Paul is attempting to figure out what to do next in boxing after losing to Tommy Fury, and the YouTube sensation hasn't helped himself by running away from Floyd Mayweather. Last week, Paul was seen figuratively running away from a possible conflict with the former world champion. The two have been at odds since Mayweather competed against Logan Paul, the sibling of Jake Paul, in an exhibition match. Jake Paul started a fight at one of the fight's advertising events when he took Floyd Mayweather's cap off of his head. Although this may seem like a childish move, Mayweather was very upset by it, and he still seems to be holding a grudge. After the most recent NBA game that they both witnessed, Mayweather made the decision to approach Jake Paul along with his group. We're walking and, all of sudden, out of nowhere, Floyd's right there with nine people in a straight wall," Paul explained on his BS Podcast. "Then boom, another car is right there. "These dudes slowly started to create this sort of surrounding barrier around me to kind of close me in. They attacked at the right time because there was a wall behind me. "It was like a full-on Army Delta Force on a mission. "I felt like a Spartan for one second, but then I just realised it wasn't possible. "I've never been caught lacking and I feel like such a b**ch, I am a b**ch. "One to five dudes, let's fu**ing go. Six or more and I'm a b**ch. "I'm that p**sy right now, I'm not even going to cap. "I made the smart decision, they had two cameras ready, they had both angles. "They were about to chop this sh*t together like a TikTok." If that was the case then it indeed was a smart move for Jake Paul to escape away from Floyd Mayweather's entrourage.

Kayla Harrison, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, suffered a surprising loss to Larissa Pacheco in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) women’s lightweight championship final. However, rather than wallowing in defeat, Harrison is embracing the loss as a valuable learning experience. Following her trilogy match with the Brazilian in November of last year, the renowned Judoka has remained out of duty. Few people anticipated the title match of the PFL championship show, which featured two lightweight women, to be interesting. Many expected Harrison to overpower Pacheco in their third meeting since she had done well in their first two meetings. Ironically, the challenger overcame the unbeaten previous tournament champion. Five rounds of back-and-forth action between Harrison and Pacheco resulted in Pacheco's unanimous decision victory. By that, the Brazilian had claimed victory in the women's lightweight competition, handing the reigning champion her first loss ever. In a recent interview, Harrison acknowledged that the loss to Pacheco might just be the “best thing” that could have happened to her. Months after the trilogy, she explained that she had become complacent after winning her first two PFL championships and that the loss gave her a much-needed wake-up call. “The loss was like a spiritual awakening,” Kayla Harrison stated. “For me, for the longest time, it was either I’d become the best of all time or die from the shame of failing. I would tell myself if I didn’t win, I was worthless. I was fighting to earn love. That’s how I’ve felt since I was a child. If I wanted respect, then I needed to win. If I wanted to love, then I had to win.” (h/t Sports Illustrated) She continued, “…I’ve moved on. I’m healthy. The loss wasn’t because I didn’t train hard. I put in the work, the game plan was solid, but it just wasn’t my night. The lowest moment is what I needed for me to get where I need to go. You can’t rest on your past victories, but neither can you rest on your past defeats. Professionally, it’s still yet to be seen, but losing to Larissa may have been the best thing to happen to me personally.” “I’m blessed financially. I have two beautiful children I adopted, and I’m taking this time to be as present as possible with them. I’m still in the gym every day getting better, working on the areas I need to work on—and I’ll remain patient and keep working.” Harrison’s positive attitude and willingness to learn from her mistakes are admirable. It’s not easy to admit defeat and accept that there is room for improvement, but Harrison’s humility and determination are sure to take her far in the sport. Moreover, her attitude towards the loss can serve as an inspiration to other athletes and fans alike. Harrison’s resilience and growth mindset demonstrates that even when faced with setbacks, we can choose to learn from them and become better.

The news of Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's upcoming contest has been greeted with a variety of reactions. The previous promoter of the Mexican superstar is one of those who is unimpressed. The recent news of Alvarez's upcoming title defense against England's John Ryder had both good and negative implications, according to Hall of Fame former six-division champion Oscar De La Hoya. The fight will be the main event of a DAZN Pay-Per-View show on May 6 from Estadio Akron in Alvarez's home state of Jalisco, Mexico, according to a confirmation from Matchroom Boxing on Tuesday. The homecoming marks the first fight for Alvarez in his birth country since November 2011, which has been well received. The opponent choice, however, is another matter. “I think it’s great that Canelo Alvarez is going back to his roots,” De La Hoya told Fight Hub TV while Duarte, California for a charitable event ahead of fight week in nearby Long Beach. “He’s going back to his hometown. I think it’s a special thing. We at Golden Boy were the last promoter to promote him in his hometown, I believe 12 years ago. It makes me happy that he’s doing that for his people in Guadalajara. “In terms of his opposition, I’m not sure in what direction he wants to go. It seems like he’s regressing inside the ring. He’s regressing in picking these opponents. He’s fighting all these British fighters that does nothing (for) his legacy.” From January 2010 through November 2020, Golden Boy Promotions served as Alvarez's primary promoter; their partnership resulted in a contentious split. Before signing him to a multi-fight deal, the Los Angeles-based organization promoted two of Alvarez's fights. This led to another 25 fights together as the Mexican superstar became the face of boxing in the post-Floyd Mayweather period. Then, on May 7 in Las Vegas, Alvarez experienced his first loss in nearly nine years when he was defeated by WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Their deal had a rematch provision that hasn't been used yet. Instead, Alvarez made a return to super middleweight, where he beat Gennadiy Golovkin, a middleweight who had moved up, in their trilogy bout on September 17 in Vegas. Ryder of London (32-5, 18KOs), who defeated Zach Parker, an unbeaten opponent from his own country, in the fifth round at The O2 on November 26, earned his spot in line. After the victory, Alvarez would be given the opportunity to challenge for the WBO super middleweight championship in the near future. De La Hoya believes that Alvarez should want these fights rather than be told to seek them because his 16-year professional career set the standard among his peers for taking on the most difficult challenges. “I don’t know whose fault that is. I don’t want to mention anything,” noted De La Hoya. “I think Canelo should really analyze carefully who he wants to fight next. Whether it’s Bivol, whether it’s [Golden Boy co-promoted Jaime] Munguia. But he has to step up and fight the tough opposition. “The tough guys who are out there who can give him a fight. It’s not the John Ryders of this world.”

Jake Paul, 26, recently trained with Bo Nickal, one of the sport's most promising up-and-comers, indicating that he appears to be serious about competing in MMA at some point. Given that his most significant victories in the boxing ring have come against former MMA fighters, "The Trouble Child" is well-known to MMA fans. He has won twice against former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley. The 26-year-old fought UFC icon Anderson Silva for his biggest career victory, but in his most recent match against Tommy Fury, he suffered his first professional defeat. Paul still has alternatives for future boxing contests, but after agreeing to a contract with the PFL, it seems as though he may be getting ready for a new challenge. Recently, "The Trouble Child" uploaded a video to his YouTube channel that featured a training session he had with Nickal. “The fact that you wrestled through high school and stuff, like you have a huge wrestling advantage," Nickal said. "So I wouldn’t even worry like a lot honestly about takedown defense, I would think about takedown offense. And a lot of times if you’re more aggressive it’s even less likely that you get taken down.” The 27-year-old even taught Paul how to set up the arm triangle choke that Nickal recently used to finish Jamie Pickett in his UFC debut. Nickal continued by showing Paul several choices for takedown entrances based on his boxing. While Paul has stated that his MMA debut for the PFL will take place at some point in 2023, there have already been rumours that the illustrious wrestler will make a return for his second UFC match as soon as possible.

The potential matchup between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been the talk of the town in the boxing world over the past few weeks. Despite the social media exchanges and rumors about a potential date, there has been no formal announcement, leaving fans to wonder if the fight will even happen. While it’s easy for fans to get their hopes up, it’s important to be skeptical. However, Fury-Usyk is undoubtedly the most significant fight that can be made at heavyweight right now. Fury’s trash talk and Usyk’s unconventional responses have only added to the excitement surrounding this potential matchup. But what if the fight doesn’t happen? The good news is that there are other options to get excited about in the heavyweight division. While they may not be as thrilling as Fury-Usyk, they could ultimately lead to that fight. One of the more realistic alternatives is the WBA mandatory situation, which recently got fans’ hopes up. The WBA was considering ordering a showdown between Usyk and their secondary titlist, Daniel Dubois. While Dubois may be a sizable underdog, a win over him in Fury’s backyard could help add a few more cents to an undisputed showdown between Fury and Usyk. Other potential alternatives include Fury facing Joe Joyce or Deontay Wilder, while Usyk could fight Andy Ruiz or Filip Hrgovic. However, Fury-Usyk remains the most significant and anticipated matchup. One thing to consider is the ages of all these heavyweight fighters. While they may not age like smaller boxers, this era of heavyweight boxing is not new anymore. If Fury-Usyk doesn’t happen soon, the window for the fight could narrow significantly. Moments slip away in boxing all the time, and this could be the best chance for Fury and Usyk to face each other. In conclusion, while it’s easy for fans to get excited about the potential matchup between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, it’s important to be skeptical until a formal announcement is made. However, if the fight doesn’t happen, there are other alternatives to get excited about. Nevertheless, Fury-Usyk remains the most significant fight that can be made at heavyweight, and if it doesn’t happen soon, the window for the fight could narrow significantly.