Search Results

IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk's promoter Alexander Krassyuk has sternly warned WBC king Tyson Fury. The scheduled fight between the two undefeated champions is set for April 29 at Wembley Stadium, but Usyk's representatives are unsure of Fury's motivation to hold the event. It was revealed last Friday that Usyk had agreed to a 70–30 financial split in Fury's advantage. "The negotiations now go live on Instagram, so we see both fighters exchanging messages," Krassyuk told Sky Sports News. "We are expecting to get some basic agreement with the terms and things like that but it's still pending. We've been negotiating for so many months. We went through all the small issues, bigger issues, large issues whatever. "So it's all done already. It's been done actually several weeks ago. But the one thing that was pending was Tyson's consent, which is still pending. Though he claims he's ready and pretends he's training. If Fury is unable or unwilling to proceed with the fight on the scheduled date, Usyk's willingness to accept a 70-30 split is jeopardized and may no longer be guaranteed. "We never mention anything like June or August, it's never been under discussion. Usyk was very clear in his message. April 29 I accept 70/30 [for the purse split]," Krassyuk explained. "Egis Klimas [Usyk's manager] yesterday came out on Twitter saying that if it moves just for one day then it's going to be 50/50 again. "I'm not really confident that this fight is going to happen on April 29, I will be surprised if it takes place, but if it takes place I will be really happy. Because this is the biggest thing Usyk wants, the baddest thing he wants in his life, to unify all the belts in the heavyweight division, the second division in his career."

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez Set to Return to the Ring Against Gabriel Rosado Former world super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is set to make his return to the ring after suffering his first professional loss. The 31-year-old fighter will face two-time world title challenger Gabriel “King” Rosado in the 12-round main event on a card promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zurdo Promotions. The event will be streamed live on DAZN from The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs), fighting out of Mazatlan, Mexico, lost his undefeated record in November 2020, in a fight against World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Bivol successfully defended his crown by way of a dominant 12-round unanimous decision. “It just wasn’t my night and meant for my opponent,” Ramirez explained about his fight with Bivol. “Looking back, I could have been a little more active, but it is what it is. I definitely would like a rematch in the future.” But before he can think about a rematch, Ramirez needs to get back on the winning track against Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs), a Philadelphia-born fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Rosado, who holds wins over former world champions Joshua Clottey and Kassim Ouma, will be moving up to the light heavyweight division for the first time against Ramirez. “He (Rosado) is a tough opponent who is always ready to fight,” Ramirez said. “He has been in the ring with the best and can be dangerous at any time of the fight. And to have it be a Mexico versus Puerto Rico match-up is just a cherry on top to make this an exciting fight for fans.” The loss to Bivol has left “Zurdo” even more motivated. “It’s a different feeling,” Ramirez noted, “but preparation does not change. I’m more motivated than ever to get back on track and show why I’m still one of the best in the game.” Fight fans are eagerly anticipating the Mexico versus Puerto Rico showdown on Saturday, and with both fighters having plenty to prove, it promises to be an action-packed encounter.

Former UFC champion Luke Rockhold is optimistic about his prospects against the reigning middleweight champion Alex Pereira. Rockhold was there at UFC Fight Night 221, which took place this past weekend at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. During an interview there, the Californian gave some information about his future. The legendary middleweight left open the possibility of returning to mixed martial arts, despite his present focus being on endeavours outside the ring. Should he continue to be physically fit, Rockhold asserts that he is more than capable of competing against the best of them. And that includes Alex Pereira, the middleweight champion of the UFC. "Do I still think I could compete at the top? With a healthy body and a good training camp, yeah. I think I could beat Pereira, easy. I'm sure," Rockhold said. "Do I wanna go through that process of getting up to him? Not quite yet. I took three years off and did nothing. Just getting back to the Paulo Costa fight was a lot for me. Now I'm continuing to train. That was like, my base point. Now I'm getting better." Next month at UFC 287, Pereira will face Israel Adesanya again in an attempt to make his first championship defence. A few weeks later, Rockhold will be fighting. The 38-year-old Californian will debut in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on April 29. In the BKFC 41 main event, he will square off against Mike Perry, another former UFC fighter. Do you agree with Rockhold? Comment and let us know!

Ryan Garcia Faces His Toughest Challenge Yet Against Gervonta Davis The boxing world is eagerly anticipating the upcoming showdown between undefeated stars Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis. Scheduled to take place on April 22nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the fight promises to be one of the biggest of the year. Garcia, who has a record of 23-0 with 19 knockouts, has been vocal about his desire to face Davis for some time, and after years of feuding, the two fighters will finally square off in the ring. Despite Garcia’s impressive record and recent victory over Javier Fortuna, he faces a daunting task against Davis, who is also undefeated with a record of 28-0 and 26 knockouts. While Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, has expressed confidence in his fighter, he acknowledges the dangers that Davis poses. De La Hoya considers Davis to be the top fighter in the lightweight division, and while there are other rising stars in the weight class, Davis’ all-around skills set him apart. The catchweight for the fight has been set at 136 pounds, with Garcia relenting on his demands to fight at a higher weight class. But the young fighter remains confident and determined, as does his team and fans alike. The fight promises to be an exciting clash between two talented fighters, and the boxing world will be watching closely to see who comes out on top.

Francis Ngannou, has announced a return to mixed martial arts and named two organisations competing for his services. In the aftermath, attention was drawn to the different reasons for the negotiation's failure, with White speculating that Ngannou is aiming for simpler opposition and "The Predator" charging that the promotion rejected requested terms including fighter healthcare. Since then, though, focus has shifted to what one of the hardest hitters in the world would do next in combat sport. All things considered, the ring seems to hold the key. Prior to his UFC exit, a boxing career already appeared likely, but in recent months, the Cameroonian has made significant progress towards that goal. In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA, Ngannou stated that his MMA career, in which he has developed into one of the most well-known heavyweight competitors worldwide, is far from over. Ngannou, who became a free agent, drew a lot of attention, as was expected. The PFL CEO Peter Murray has shown enthusiasm for talks with "The Predator," in addition to Scott Coker calling the former champion a "great fit" for Bellator. "I wanna do one boxing match first, then maybe go back to MMA. I actually enjoy MMA and still want to do (it)," Ngannou said. "I do believe that I still have a couple fights in me... I've been having some serious conversations with PFL, also with ONE (Championship).” “Not too much with Bellator... But there is not a rush. My first fight has to be with boxing. If I have some good conditions, a right contract with the right terms, maybe I have no problem making an agreement (in MMA) before stepping into a boxing fight.” Where do you think Ngannou would fight next? Comment and let us know.

UFC fans can expect an electrifying featherweight matchup between Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290. The highly anticipated fight is set to take place during International Fight Week on July 08, 2023, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both fighters are known for their impressive striking skills and athleticism, making this matchup one to watch. Volkanovski, the current featherweight champion, will be defending his title against the newly crowned interim champion Rodriguez, who is considered one of the most exciting fighters in the division. Volkanovski has been on an impressive run since joining the UFC in 2016, with his last loss dating back to 2013. He claimed the featherweight title in December 2019, defeating Max Holloway in a closely contested fight. Since then, he has successfully defended his title four times, against Holloway x2, Brian Ortega, and The Korean Zombie. Apart from Amanda Nunes' women's featherweight championship, he now holds the record for the promotion's longest-reigning champion. The last time around, Alexander Volkanovski's 22-fight winning run was broken when he lost a tight decision against Makhachev at UFC 284 in Perth, Australia. Volkanovski was looking for a quick but now Rodriguez will serve as the next opponent for the featherweight champion, according to Dana White. In his most recent fight, Yair Rodriguez defeated Josh Emmett by second-round submission to capture the interim featherweight title at UFC 284. With major victories over Ortega, Korean Zombie, Jeremy Stephens, BJ Penn, and Dan Hooker among others, the Mexican is 10-2-1in the UFC. Yair Rodriguez will compete at UFC 290 to unify the belts and enter the list along with flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and women's flyweight champion Alexa Grasso as the third Mexican-born undisputed champion in UFC history. The fight between Volkanovski and Rodriguez has been highly anticipated for some time, with both fighters expressing their interest in facing each other. Volkanovski sees Rodriguez as a worthy challenger, while Rodriguez has been vocal about his desire to face the champion. This fight is set to be a clash of styles, with Volkanovski's aggressive style and grappling ability coming up against Rodriguez's dynamic striking and unpredictable movements. The winner of this fight will solidify their position as one of the top featherweights in the world.

UFC president Dana White has recently warned bantamweight fighter Merab Dvalishvili against avoiding a potential fight with his friend and fellow fighter Aljamain Sterling. Dvalishvili recently competed in a one-sided five-round match versus Petr Yan. If it were a different fight, a display similar to what Dvalishvili had against Yan, earning by unanimous decision, would have the crowd screaming for him to have a championship shot, as UFC broadcast team Daniel Cormier noted. The issue is that Sterling and Dvalishvili mutually swore to never confront in the octagon. White has voiced his concerns about Dvalishvili’s reluctance to fight Sterling, stating that it would be a "really bad idea" for Dvalishvili to avoid a fight with Sterling simply because of their friendship. The potential fight between the two friends has been a topic of discussion in the UFC community for a while now, with fans eager to see the two top-ranked bantamweights go head-to-head in the Octagon. “I don’t remember who the hell I was talking to the other day about this and I was like, ‘We don’t have to deal with that bulls*** anymore,’” White said, speaking to the media at UFC APEX on Saturday night. “Back in the early days, the camps were so small you didn’t have a lot of different options, so we had a lot of these guys saying, ‘Oh, he’s my friend, he’s my friend.’ You can still be friends and want what your friend has. “It would be a really bad idea for Merab to go down that path.” Dvalishvili has recently expressed reservations in the post-fight interviews about fighting Sterling, citing their friendship, and training history as reasons for his reluctance. However, White has emphasized that in the world of professional fighting, such concerns should not be prioritized over the sport. In the past, several well-known contenders have expressed a desire to avoid having to go against colleagues to compete for the championship, with Anderson Silva declining to face Lyoto Machida and Daniel Cormier stating that he would switch divisions instead of challenging Cain Velasquez. Three welterweight contenders, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, and Mike Swick, used to train at American Kickboxing Academy; all three regularly declared they would not battle one another, even though Fitch and Koscheck had previously taken on Georges St-Pierre for the UFC championship. Although their friendship deteriorated, and they eventually fought for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 145, Rashad Evans and Jon Jones made history by famously refusing to fight one another after training. As Sterling is scheduled to face the returning Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 on May 6, White won't pressure Dvalishvili into accepting a title opportunity against him if he chooses not to, but his emotions on Dvalishvili choosing friendship over the championship are apparent. “Does Merab want a shot at the title, or would Merab rather have people under him jump over him and him have to take on all these different top guys when he’s not even getting the title shot when he’s next in line for it?” White asked. “That’s a personal decision that he needs to make. If that’s what he wants to do, I can tell you how that story ends. It’s not a good ending to that story. But he’s a big boy, he can figure that out on his own.”

The potential heavyweight unification bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is still up in the air, according to Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk. Despite news last week that the two fighters had reached a tentative agreement to fight at Wembley Stadium on April 29, Krassyuk remains unconvinced that the fight will take place. Krassyuk believes that Fury is continuously making new demands in a tactical move to make the fight fall through. Usyk has already agreed to Fury’s demand of a 70-30 monetary split, as long as Fury donates $1 million to Usyk’s home country of Ukraine, which is currently in conflict with Russia. “As Usyk said, the greedy belly (Fury) is still hoping to find a way to pull out. We knew before and know it now,” Krassyuk told Talk Sport. “He bluffed and Usyk called his bluff. This is 100 percent. He didn’t expect Usyk to accept 70-30.” Krassyuk claims that even if Fury were to accept the current terms, he would still try to find a way out of the fight. “It’s all about nothing. He’s not prepared and scared to fight. He will try to find a way to avoid Usyk for as long as possible. We don’t trust him, we don’t believe him,” Krassyuk said. The WBA had been pushing both boxers to reach a deal, or they would have ordered Usyk to make a mandatory defense against Daniel Dubois. Despite the tentative agreement, it seems that there is still a long way to go before the fight can be confirmed.

On Saturday, May 20th, the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland will host an explosive night of women’s boxing featuring a historic homecoming clash between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron. The undercard for this event will include two more exciting women’s world title fights, one of which will see Terri Harper defend her WBA Super-Welterweight World Title against former world pound-for-pound No.1 Cecilia Braekhus. Harper, the former WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Champion, won the WBA 154lbs World Title last year with a convincing victory over Scotland’s Hannah Rankin. Braekhus, on the other hand, is a modern pioneer of women’s boxing who held the WBC and WBA World Titles at Welterweight from 2009 to 2020, also picking up the WBO Title in 2010 and the IBF Title in 2014. Braekhus lost her titles to Jessica McCaskill in August 2020 and lost again to her in a rematch in March 2021. McCaskill is the only fighter to have beaten Braekhus as a professional. Now, Braekhus will attempt to become a two-division world champion by defeating Harper. “This fight has been a long time coming but it will be worth the wait to be on such an amazing card,” said Harper. “All eyes around the world will be watching that night and I want to show everyone who Terri Harper is.” “I’m very excited to challenge Terri Harper for the WBA 154lb. World Title on this tremendous card, my first time fighting in Ireland,” said Braekus. “I’ve spent my entire career facing the toughest challenges and this fight is another chapter.” The event’s promoter, Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn, expressed his excitement for the fight, calling it “one of the greatest nights of boxing in Irish history.” He also promised that there is “still so much more to come” in terms of the undercard fights. “This has just got a whole lot more exciting now we are sharing a bill with what I believe has the potential to be the best and most thrilling fight female boxing can deliver in Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron," said Harper’s trainer and manager Stefy Bull. "May 20 is going to be one hell of a night.” Braekhus’s promoter, Tom Loeffler, also expressed excitement for the fight, stating, “we’re excited to work with Eddie, Matchroom, and DAZN again for Cecilia being on this tremendous show in Dublin, Ireland.” This fight between Harper and Braekhus promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the best female boxers in the world. Fans around the world can tune in to watch the event live on DAZN.

According to the general consensus, Ryan Garcia's upcoming battle with Gervonta Davis will be the most challenging test of his six-year professional career. Garcia did, however, warn those who have overlooked his most notable victory—a seventh-round knockout of Luke Campbell two years ago—to remember that his highly anticipated matchup with Davis might end up being a simpler contest. Campbell of England is a southpaw like Davis, but at 5-foot-9, he's taller and rangier and will present different difficulties than Davis, who is 5-foot-6, these two stars meet on April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “You know, Luke Campbell, you gotta understand that it causes different problems,” Garcia told a small group of reporters after a press conference Wednesday at Palladium Times Square. “He’s a taller fighter. His shots will hit me at a different range. [Davis] has to really come up and hit me. “It’s much different. It’s a much different fight. So, you never know – this one may be easier. You just don’t know. Yes, at face value he’s the tougher fighter, you know, on paper. But you just don’t know. You just don’t know.” Compared to Campbell, Davis, who is 28 years old, punches much harder. The Baltimore native has defeated 93% of his competitive opponents by knockout. (28-0, 26 KOs). Campbell, a retired Olympic gold medalist from London 2012, ended his career with a 67 percent knockout rate. (20-4, 16 KOs). At the halfway point of the second round of their fight in January 2021 at the Dallas American Airlines Center, Campbell floored Garcia with a long-range left hand. Garcia immediately stood back up, bounced back, and in the seventh round, stopped Campbell with a left hook to the body to claim the WBC interim lightweight championship. Garcia, 24, has only fought twice since defeating Campbell (23-0, 19 KOs), but with Davis on his calendar for this year, he made sure to face a southpaw in his most recent contest. The Dominican veteran Javier Fortuna (37-4-1, 26 KOs, 2 NC) was knocked out on July 16 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles by the Victorville, California resident once in each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds. Two of Garcia’s past three fights have come against left-handed opponents, including the Campbell bout. “I did that on purpose,” Garcia said, “just so I could have, you know, more of a feel for a southpaw, where the punches are coming. And, you know, everything was preparation for this big fight.”

In the world of combat sports, there is always a desire for new and exciting matchups. And now, it seems that a tag-team boxing match extravaganza could be on the horizon featuring some of the biggest names in the sport and entertainment industry. According to Happy Punch Promotion, a match that would see boxing legends Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao team up with KSI and TikTok star Salt Papi respectively is “officially in the works.” KSI, who has a massive online following, tried out the tag-team concept in early March with his Misfits Boxing banner. The move was a hit among their crossover fanbase, and now, it seems that Mayweather and Pacquiao could be added to the mix. Mayweather, who retired from professional boxing in 2017 following his victory over UFC icon Conor McGregor, has boxed in six exhibitions since then. He has faced YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI’s younger brother, Deji. In his last exhibition fight in February, he took on Geordie Shore star Aaron Chalmers. On the other hand, Pacquiao is keen on a return to professional boxing and is in talks to face Conor Benn. The Filipino boxer has fought Mayweather in the past, in what was the most lucrative fight of all time in 2015, grossing over £500 million with 4.4 million pay-per-views sold in America. Although they have since fought in exhibition bouts, a rematch between the two legends has always been elusive. Meanwhile, Salt Papi, who is promoted and managed by Happy Punch, has a white-collar boxing record of 3-0 and expressed an interest in fighting KSI himself. The tag-team boxing match extravaganza could be an exciting event for both the boxing and entertainment industries. It is a unique concept that could attract a wider audience and offer a new way of experiencing the sport. While there are no confirmed dates or details of the match yet, it is something to keep an eye on for fans of combat sports and entertainment.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have been in discussions about fighting for the heavyweight title in April; Fury advises Usyk to drop any thoughts of a rematch clause. The World Boxing Association announced on Friday night that a fight between the unbeaten duo, who currently share the four titles in the heavyweight category, had been "agreed" to. WBC champion Fury addressed WBA, WBO and IBF champion Usyk in a video posted on Twitter, saying: "I've been speaking to the lawyers and Usyk's people have been talking about rematch clauses. "Here's one to up the ante - how about there is no rematch clause for both of us? Let's up the ante completely. "Never worry about what's in the future or how many more dollars you can get after you've been defeated. Worry about the fight. "No rematch clause. Winner takes the glory, the loser goes home. How about that? Agree to that." Usyk responded by releasing a video of his own, in which he said: "Greedy Belly [Fury]. Very much, the clause comes from your side, not mine. Stop whining and ducking. "Be a man. Ink the contract or vacate the belt. I need undisputed - and not to play your stupid games." Well, this could be another stumbling block in the making of this blockbuster fight. Will the fans ever get to witness the super fight between Usyk and Fury?