The Undisputed

Hail to the little guys !

Tomorrow morning (UK time) sees a major fight take place in Tokyo, Japan with the much anticipated meeting between unified ‘world’ junior featherweight champion Stephen Fulton (21-0, 8 KO’s) and Japan’s three-weight ‘world’ champion Naoya Inoue (24-0, 21 KO’s). It promises much.

The Japanese is attempting to gain a ‘world’ title in a fourth weight class and build on his ‘pound-for-pound’ status, currently at #2 in the prestigious The Ring magazine rankings. Fulton, from Philadelphia, USA is an undefeated champion who looks the ‘real deal’ having recently unified the WBC and WBO world title straps.

In a bumper fight week it is arguably the second biggest event and one of the biggest fights to be made currently in the sport. The weekend’s Spence Jr. v Crawford welterweight unification takes top billing in the week. More will follow in our ‘Friday Faceup’ post.

As for tomorrow; the 122lbs (8st, 10lbs) title is up for grabs. It pits the adaptable champion Fulton, who’s good at infighting and also boxing off his jab at range. The ‘Monster’ Inoue is a concussive KO merchant who’s carried his power whilst moving through the weight classes. He won his first world title at light-flyweight (108lbs/7st, 10lbs).

Inoue clearly carries the greater power, with Fulton only registering 8 KO’s in his perfect win record. The big question is whether Inoue can continue to defy physics and carry his power up one more weight class. Our prediction is it will be fun watching and, in potentially a great fight, the Japanese will further secure his pitch to be ranked the #1 ‘pound-for-pound’ boxer in the world, thus overtaking Oleksandr Usyk at least until he fights Daniel Dubois next month.

The Fulton v Inoue contest will be available in the UK on Sky Sports from 9:30 BST tomorrow (25th). The renowned British fight publication Boxing News pronounce it as “Unmissable”, and they shouldn’t be far wrong.

Enjoy !

After a summer recess (fighters excluded; in training for their next outing) our website returns with a brief heavyweight division update.

Top of the agenda after the almost relentless ‘ducking and diving’ and financial shenanigans over what seems like months, is a return to significant action among the big men over the coming weeks.

With the exception of current WBC world and accepted lineal champion Tyson Fury (33-0-1, 23 KO’s), who’s opted for a cross code contest with an MMA fighter and, former WBC holder Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KO’s), all the major players have announced big fights over the coming months.

First up, will be an all British clash on August 12 between former unified champion Anthony Joshua (25-3, 22 KO’s) and former WBC #1 contender Dillian Whyte (29-3, 19 KO’s) in a Londoner’s rematch. Billed as ‘History of Violence’ and promoted by Matchroom it will be held at the 20,000 seater O2 Arena, London and shown live on DAZN pay-per-view. The fight is nearly eight years on from their first meeting at the same venue, won by Joshua by seventh round stoppage, before he later became a multi-organisational ‘world’ champion.

It will pit the 33 year old Joshua against a 36 year old Whyte in a tasty rematch with a lot of backstory. On the undercard will be highly ranked Croatian Filip Hrgovic (15-0, 12 KO’s), for him to hopefully build on his IBF world mandatory contender status.

Next, on August 26, The Ring magazine and unified champion Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KO’s) defends all his belts against WBA champion (of sorts) Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KO’s) in Wroclaw, Poland. For what it’s worth the WBO, IBF, full WBA and IBO titles will be up for grabs.

It’s an intriguing match up after the much bigger fight for Usyk against Fury failed to materialise. Derailed by the outbreak of war in his Ukrainian homeland Usyk has had to continue plying his trade on the road, Poland being his nearest destination to home.

Londoner ‘Dynamite’ Dubois is potentially a test; being significantly younger and a genuine heavyweight with concussive power. He was however dropped three times in his recent first defence of his WBA title so has his own vulnerabilites. He is though also a hungry fighter and it promises to be an interesting contest and let’s just be thankful a fight has been made and we see Usyk return to the ring. Write Dubois off though at your peril, this is after all the heavyweights !

Finally, but with equal interest, Chinese behemoth Zhilei Zhang (25-1-1, 21 KO’s) attempts to repeat his unexpected stoppage victory earlier in the year against Joe Joyce (15-1, 14 KO’s) with the rematch held at the Wembley Arena, London on September 23.

All the pressure will be on Joyce who needs to be victorious to leapfrog Zhang in the world rankings and reinstate his WBO mandatory status. The event will be promoted by Queensberry and broadcast live on TNT Sports (formerly BT Sports).

It promises to be an interesting six weeks and will be fascinating who emerges from the dust to ultimately call themselves the ‘real’ world heavyweight champion, as Fury seems to make that claim whilst remaining in a period of dormancy in backing it up, in ironically, the Queensberry rules professional code.

Despite some cynicism enjoy the coming confrontations which promise much.

In the early hours of Sunday morning (UK time) a proud Scotsman will again stride into a boxing ring in Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA.

Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KO’s) from Prestonpans, near Edinburgh, clad in Tartan shorts and robe, will hope to rekindle the spirit of former undisputed world lightweight champion Ken Buchanan who captured the hearts of the ‘Big Apple’ some fifty plus years earlier. It will be a throwback to a bygone era when Scotland ruled some of the boxing waves.

Buchanan sadly passed away earlier in the year and has always been, and continues to be an inspiration to Taylor, and most fighting Scots. It will be an emotional entrance to the ring.

Taylor meets Teofimo Lopez (18-1, 13 KO’s), a New York born fighter with Honduran heritage, and a former undisputed world lightweight champion who is now entering his third fight at the higher weight class.

The fight will take place in the basement of the ‘big house’ in the smaller venue known as The Theatre, but the stakes are high. It’s essentially a crossroads fight between two elite boxers. Lopez was top of the tree a mere three years ago, sensationally capturing the undisputed 135lb (9st, 9lbs) title from much decorated Ukrainian, Vasiliy Lomachenko and announcing his “Takeover”. He became the young poster boy of boxing at the time. Now only age 25 it will his motivation to return to that lofty status.

Taylor, aged 32, is ranked #7 in The Ring magazine pound-for-pound ratings and was the undisputed junior-welterweight champion after then being systematically stripped by the many sanctioning bodies or relinquishing belts due to injury related inactivity and failing to defend against their mandatory contenders within specified timeframes. He defends his WBO version and The Ring championship tonight.

‘The Tartan Tornado’ Taylor, has a few points to reaffirm. One, that he continues to be an elite fighter after near 16 months out of the competitive ring following a poor showing, and some consider loss, against England’s Jack Catterall in his last outing. Two, that his narrow points victory was merely a ‘blip’ and if victorious tonight that he is the real king at the weight despite other spurious ‘champions’. As a consequence, that he has big fights ahead.

The 10 stone (140lbs) division is still competitive but has slipped in the reckoning largely due to Taylor’s inactivity. However, there are elite lightweights moving up and he should have plenty of additional opportunity to shine, let alone make big money.

Finally, and importantly, he will cement the legacy of Scottish superiority and ‘machismo’ and will back up his pre-fight bravado and secure the legacy of Scotland’s fighting men. No pressure then.

Both combatants were decorated amateurs representing their countries in successive Olympics – Taylor for GB in London 2012 and Lopez for Honduras in Rio 2016. Neither medalled, but Taylor took gold in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games two years on from London.

So what can we expect ? Both have many qualities; are strong, technically sound, have KO power and, believe they should be at this level. There’s been much posturing and friction in the build up to fight night, with Taylor exuding supreme confidence in his ability and a need to positively bounceback from the Catterall showing. Lopez has been goading Taylor by his attitude and dismissal of the Scot. This reached a hiatus in yesterday’s weigh-in when Taylor was 139.8 and Lopez 140 exact.

Both have good jabs and knockout power. Taylor brings in a southpaw stance to counter Lopez’ orthodoxy. The Honduran challenger has been disappointing in his two outings at the weight but has renewed motivation. A poll of media in The Ring magazine favoured Taylor by 21-0, with most predicting a unanimous points victory after 12 rounds. This is likely, but not a true reflection of the closeness of their career and achievements to date. We see the fight closer than this throughout, possibly with knockdowns, but ultimately see Taylor victorious too, but by late stoppage.

The full event is promoted by Top Rank and will be shown in the UK on Sky Sports and ESPN+ in the USA. It promises much. Enjoy !

Back in April we said the cruiserweight picture was starting to look a little clearer with the announcement at a BOXXER press conference of Lawrence Okolie defending his WBO world title against compatriot Chris Billam-Smith in the latter’s hometown of Bournemouth, England. This Saturday (27th) the time will arrive.

Billam-Smith, known as ‘The Gentleman’ is one of a triumvirate of world ranked 200 pounders based in the UK. Inside the world top ten he is joined by the only man to beat him, Richard Riakporhe (16-0, 12 KO’s), who waits in the wings for the victor, or for an alternative title shot.

Top man, as recognised in the division, is New Zealander Jai Opetaia (22-0, 17 KO’s). This, by virtue of beating Latvian Mairis Briedis late last year and now being the man with most titles, also considered by The Ring magazine as their champion. Rumour yesterday was that Opetaia is about to step up to full heavyweight to face WBC and ‘lineal’ world champion Tyson Fury. This, if it happens, will further open the door to British and world cruiserweights to the big titles.

Lunchtime today, both Okolie and Billam-Smith met for a final time on a dais on Bournemouth beach’s pier for the last pre-fight press conference.

The ‘Sauce’ Okolie (19-0, 14 KO’s) is a 2016 Team GB Olympian and has answered all questions so far as a pro. He arrives only nine weeks off a recent WBO title defence in Manchester against David Light, which was heavily criticised for it’s lack of action. Okolie did though win a convincing unanimous decision and this will be an early chance for him to get everyone back on board.

Billam-Smith (17-1-0, 12 KO’s) recently fought in December 2022 in a comfortable home win and also has the British and Commonwealth titles at the weight.

The fight will be held open air at AFC Bournemouth (Association Football Club), in the aptly named Vitality Stadium. The local pulling power of Billam-Smith will ensure a good turnout and raucous atmosphere. It’s been said it’s already a 15,000 sell out and the atmosphere should be electric.

The home fighter knows Okolie well and claims to have sparred 300-500 rounds with him. Although they remain close friends; this will be put on hold for domestic bragging rights and a world belt.

It’s an intriguing match up for British bragging rights and future world domination. In a UK fight weekend packed ludicrously with two other ‘world’ titles being contested, both at featherweight, and staged by separate promoters, this cruiserweight contest has all the makings of a classic contrast of styles and engines.

Okolie is known for a cautious approach, but has undoubted boxing ability and respectable power. Billam-Smith is the pressure fighter of the two, albeit this can be reckless, but has the heart and engine to make the contest a ‘must see’.

Both boxers scaled 14st, 3lbs (199lbs) at Friday’s weigh-in and the championship fight is ON.

The whole event will be broadcast in the UK live on Sky Sports this Saturday (27th) from 7pm BST.

No Light Matter

In these current troubled times, when you push a Ukrainian you expect a reaction. The time may be delayed but is likely coming.

The final media staged weigh-in for tonight’s big lightweight (135lb/9st,9lbs) championship fight in Las Vegas, USA ended on a confrontational, and maybe, fight defining note.

In a Top Rank led main event The Ring magazine and current undisputed champion, American Devin ‘Dream’ Haney (29-0, 15 KO’s) will defend his titles against double Olympic champion and former three-weight professional world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KO’s). It’s an elite match up held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  

Last night, as both were brought together for the penultimate time for the expected and traditional pre-fight face off Haney visibly exchanged loud words with his challenger. In concluding his rant, receiving no visible reaction from Lomachenko, he lunged out quickly and unexpectedly shoved ‘Loma’ off balance. All in attendance were aghast as chaos initially ensued, before some semblance of order was restored. The Ukrainian was surprised but largely unshaken. His final chilling comments on being interviewed and directed towards his opponent and media was “Now he’s mine. He is scared”.

The first may be true and the latter may be be wishful thinking, but tonight we will find out for sure.

This a quality match up and ‘pick-ems’ between the 24 year old champion and Ukrainian veteran.

‘Loma’, at 35, and in the back end of his career, is a big outsider with most pundits and observers. His boxing class though is beyond reproach.  As an amateur he compiled an impressive 396-1 record with that sole loss avenged and his dominance topped by Olympic glory (Beijing 2008 and London 2012). He then achieved his world titles as a professional in record time, even after suffering his first defeat in only his second paid contest. A world title challenge to Orlando Salito in March 2014.  He subsequently held world titles from featherweight (126lbs/9st) to lightweight and is currently ranked #7 pound-for-pound by The Ring, having been inside their top ten for 361 weeks and their former #1.

Haney, from San Francisco, is yet to feature in their pound-for-pound listing but has done all expected of him as a professional after an impressive amateur career. Each test, he’s stepped up and achieved. This was emphasised by capturing two victories against former undisputed champion, George Kambosos Jr., both of them in the Australian’s backyard.

Haney is a slick boxer, very much in the Floyd Mayweather Jr. mode, and will attempt to outbox his foe.  Lomachenko, a southpaw, won’t be found wanting in that department and the acclaimed ‘Matrix’ will see this as his final chance to regain his former undisputed title. Loma held all the belts back in 2018 and was voted The Ring’s Fighter of the Year before being spectacularly dethroned by Teofimo Lopez in New York during ‘COVID lockdown’ in October 2020.  

This is very much an emotional return for Lomachenko with his country still at war and having taken time out to defend his family and country from Russian aggression.

The height differential is only officially an inch (Loma at 5’7” and Haney 5’8”) but it appeared more pronounced in this week’s face-offs. Haney is clearly the man with the bigger frame but Lomachenko will attempt to negate this with his technique and aggressive sorties.

The American claims he first called out Lomachenko four years ago and has been denied until now the opportunity to defeat him. It is true to say that Loma had ‘bigger fish to fry’ at the time as he cemented a fistic legacy but now the timing seems right.

In many ways this is an opportunity for Loma’s ‘last hurrah’ as he attempts to turn back the clock. Some legends of the ring have achieved this in past (e.g. Robinson, Ali, Duran, Leonard) and he will attempt to do so again. The odds are against him being successful, but we see him prevailing in a split decision points victory. Then the career will be almost complete and the Ukrainian enter boxing folklore. Haney is young and skilled enough to come again.

The contest is headline promoted by Top Rank and will be available live on ESPN+ pay-per-view in the USA and Sky Sports in the UK.

Last month, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (29-0, 27 KO’s) excelled against Ryan Garcia (23-1, 19 KO’s) in a catchweight contest and earlier two-weight ‘world’ champion Shakur Stevenson impressively entered the lightweight party.

Tonight’s Las Vegas card also features a ten round junior-lightweight contest between Oscar Valdez (30-1, 23 KO’s) and Adam Lopez (16-4, 6 KO’s) in a rematch of their 2019 fight won by Valdez.

Also featured is another ten rounder between Raymond Muratella (17-0, 14 KO’s) and Namibia’s Jeremia Nakatila (23-2, 19 KO’s) also at lightweight.

With the future boxing career of Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin in a state of uncertainty, the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan is now proudly represented among the middleweight elite by classy southpaw Janibek Alimkhanuly.

The 2016 Rio Olympian made his second successful defence of the WBO 160lbs (11st, 6lb) title in Stockton, California, USA on Saturday. He destroyed Canadian challenger Steven Butler inside six minutes with three knockdowns, first registering a powerful left uppercut followed by left hook that took the legs away from the Canadian for the remainder. The stoppage from there on was inevitable with referee Jack Reiss giving Butler every opportunity to continue before finally waving it off after 2:35 of the second.

The 30 year old Alimkhanuly improved his record to 14-0 (9 KO’s) and confidently called out all in the division, “Champions ! Boxing superstars ! Where are you ? I am waiting. Lets fight”. He then called specifically, “Canelo (Alvarez) and (Jermall) Charlo, I am ready !”. The Kazakh clearly has the amateur pedigree and has been largely faultless as a professional, his first successful defence against Britain’s Denzel Bentley being his sole poor showing in a competitive fight.

The excitement generated by and achievements of Golovkin will take some equalling, but the WBO middleweight belt looks safely in the hands on the new Kazakh hero. Should he get the marquee fights he strives for, he is well equipped to be successful.

Butler dropped to 32-4-1, 26 KO’s) and will need to regroup.

The Top Rank promoted card also featured Australia’s Jason Moloney (26-2, 19 KO’s) winning the WBO ‘world’ bantamweight (118lbs/8st, 6lb) title with a majority decision over Filipino Vincent Astrolabio (18-4, 13 KO’s). The scores were 114-114, 115-113, 116-112 in the man from Melbourne’s favour. He calmly outboxed his opponent after breaking his hand in the fourth round.

His brother Andrew (25-2, 16 KO’s) also boxes for a ‘world’ title soon. Jason proudly predicting “This is job done for Team Moloney. Next week Andrew will join me as champion of the world”.

Australian boxing is back on the up with several new and exciting world champions and contenders. Tim Tszyu (22-0, 16 KO’s) at 154lbs (11st) is the pick of the bunch and sure to challenge for junior-middleweight supremacy soon.

This national resurgence is good for world boxing moving forwards.

Worldwide fight and boxing event of the weekend was held Saturday (6th) before an estimated 55,000 fans in the Akron soccer stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Hometown hero Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KO’s) defeated England’s John Ryder (32-6, 18 KO’s) to defend his undisputed world super-middleweight (12st/168lbs) title for a second time.

The Mexican hero, future hall-of-famer and The Ring magazine pound-for-pound #5, secured a solid victory by unanimous decision (120-107, 118-109, 118-109).

The fight was always competitive and both mixed solid shots throughout. Ryder sustained a broken nose in the second round and bled profusely throughout the remainder of the contest. This clearly affected his breathing and the effort he put in over the twelve rounds was exemplary, in a fight he was always in, but never fully in reach of victory.

Alvarez dropped his challenger midway through the fifth round with a powerful straight right and Ryder, although on the verge of being stopped, managed to regroup and give a good account of himself. Ryder ultimately finished the stronger of the two as he forced the pace in the later rounds, but by then the Mexican was clearly ahead. The Englishman’s stock has risen on the back of his performance and he can look forward to future marquee fights.

Alvarez was coming off his his trilogy victory last September over Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin, and post fight Saturday, talked of avenging his earlier 2022 loss to Dmitry Bivol up at light-heavyweight (175lbs/ 12st, 7lbs). This is a fight that all of boxing will eagerly wait to be made and is sure to be big box office. Bivol is expected by us to be victorious again, but Alvarez is sure to rise to the challenge to cement his already assured legacy.

Also Saturday, in Birmingham, UK on a BOXXER card, world ranked light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi (17-0, 13 KO’s) laboured to a unanimous twelve round points victory against capable Pavel Stepien (18-1-1, 12 KO’s) from Poland. Rio Olympic bronze medallist Buatsi, had been out the ring for over a year and this fight served to shake off his ‘ring rust’ and retain his undefeated record and world ranking with the sanctioning bodies. He was never in trouble throughout but seemed to struggle to change gear to up the pace.

The light-heavyweight division is ‘red hot’ in the UK on a world level with five fighters ranked by The Ring magazine in their top ten. Current British, European and Commonwealth champion Dan Azeez (19-0, 13 KO’s) was in attendance from ringside and a fight between the two is a natural. Callum Smith, Anthony Yarde and Craig Richards also feature in the rankings, with Smith (29-1, 21 KO’s) contesting the world title soon against intimidating Russian, Artur Beterbiev.

The BOXXER card also featured the long anticipated third professional outing of Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker (3-0, 2 KO’s) also at 175lbs dominating and stopping Jordan Grant in the third round. The flash and multi-talented Whittaker from Wolverhampton, England has huge potential and the performance further enhanced this. The 25 year old has the world at his feet.

Whittaker was joined in victory by fellow Tokyo Olympic medallist Lauren Price (4-0, 1 KO), who clearly defeated Kirstie Bavington on points to win the first contested British female welterweight (147lbs/10st, 7lbs) title. An extremely bright future is expected for Price, from Wales, who is likely to be the new face of British and world female boxing. The famous (Lord) Lonsdale belt was awarded post fight, the first time to a female, and Price adds this to her many amateur titles which include a gold in last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Bright futures await for all the Olympians on show on Saturday with exciting contests ahead. ‘Canelo’ Alvarez meanwhile rolls onto a Bivol rematch when terms are finally agreed. A minefield awaits before light-heavyweight superiority is determined.

Standout performance of the weekend goes to Joe Cordina who regained the IBF ‘world’ title at 130lbs (9st, 4lbs) with a hard fought split points decision (114-113, 115-112, 111-116) over previously undefeated Shavkat Rakhimov of former Soviet state Tajikistan.

Welshman Cordina (16-0, 9 KO’s), had previously been stripped of the title he’d won last June due to sustaining a hand injury post-fight. Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KO’s) subsequently picked up the vacant title to then lose it in is first defence on Saturday to the original (and rightful) title holder.

Shown live on the DAZN streaming site the contest was an early contender for fight of the year. Held in a a packed and vocal Cardiff International Arena, the fight was toe to toe for the full twelve rounds.

Cordina dropped his opponent in the second round thereafter the Tajikistan southpaw spent the rest of the fight coming forward to the slick Welsh boxer. On our card the fight was finally sealed with a strong final round from Cordina.

This was a standout victory for the Welshman and the promise he showed coming out of the 2016 Rio Olympics has now been fufilled both at domestic and world level. He looks all set to equal the popularity and achievement of his compatriot and boxing hall-of-famer Joe Calzaghe if he continues on this trajectory. Calzaghe was supporting at ringside, and knowing him, nothing will delight him more than further Welsh fistic success.

Elsewhere, the main headline was in Las Vegas, USA in the big ‘lightweight’ fight (albeit at 136lbs, slightly over the divisional limit) . Three division ‘world’ champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis dropped and eventually knocked out Ryan Garcia before a 19,000 star studded crowd at the T-Mobile Arena. Broadcast on Showtime pay-per-view in the US this was big business.

It was another contest between previously undefeated fighters and although it was always interesting, failed to deliver on its pre-fight build up and hype. Both fighters exchanged months of verbal barracking, and leading in, it was viewed as a contest the sport needed to deliver and ultimately crown a new ‘young’ king.

Garcia won the first round and Davis known as a notoriously slow starter just bided his time. The tall and rangy Latino-American was then dropped in the second round from a left hook and, although managed to rise and compete in the following rounds, the die was cast.

Davis edged all the subsequent rounds with the exception of the sixth, a clear Garcia round. The compactness and power-punching of Davis eventually won the day as he had accurately predicted pre-fight.

Midway through the seventh round with the fighters coming out of a clinch the Baltimore southpaw landed a straight left cum hook just under Garcia’s chest. The results of the impact had a 3-5 second delay and Garcia in retreat dropped to one knee. In distress and gasping for breath within, he was eventually counted out after 1:44 of the round.

Davis’ record rose to 29-0 (27 KO’s) with Garcia falling to 23-1 (19 KO’s). At ages 28 and 24 respectively, both will come again. Post-fight Garcia was magnanimous in defeat admitting he’d been caught by a “good shot” and acknowledging the “better man”. He later announced he would campaign at 10st (140lbs), possibly resulting in him closing in on recognised #1 Josh Taylor.

Davis’ star continues to rise and big further big fights now await anywhere from 135 to 147 pounds.

At lightweight, all eyes now switch to Devin Haney versus Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 and the continued rise of Americans Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis. All potential Gervonta Davis opponents.

Over the next month the lightweight division is definitely where it’s at. In a period where most of the world’s elite fighters in other weight classes are meticulously avoiding legacy defining fights, the 135 pounders (9st, 9lbs) are setting the standard.

The Ring magazine and current unified champion is American Devin Haney (29-0, 15 KO’s). He defends his titles against Ukraine’s double Olympic champion and two-weight pro world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KO’s), in an elite match on May 20 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

First up tonight, also in ‘Sin City’ at the T-Mobile Arena, is the mouthwatering prospect of two of the top five world ranked lightweights meeting head on.  The contest held at a ‘catchweight’ 136lbs will pitch Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (28-0, 26 KO’s) against Ryan ‘King Ry’ Garcia (23-0, 19 KO’s). Both have shown mutual contempt throughout the pre-fight build up.  Their lengthy verbal barbs on social media and numerous face-offs, peaking in yesterday’s public weigh-in, have added fuel to the fire.

Both, rare in this current era, bring in undefeated records and long term promise for the division. Davis, at 28, already an ‘achiever’ has won world belts in three weight divisions. From the US city of Baltimore, Maryland he is known for his tough upbringing and equally confident demeanour. To add, he’s a vicious puncher and is coming down from campaigning at a heavier 10st (140lbs).

Latino American, Garcia, featured on The Ring cover way back in May 2021 with a crown inked in and at the time was promoted as the youthful future of the division.  This was straight after he’d dropped and stopped former Olympic champion and world title contender Luke Campbell to legitimately announce himself. From then, he unfortunately was derailed by mental health issues and is now firmly on the way back. Over a number of months he’s almost goaded Davis into taking the fight. The Baltimore man has duly obliged.

Garcia holds a significant height advantage over the compact Davis, the latter who from his record and standout victories looks to have the greater power.

The fight is available on the DAZN streaming service and via the Sky network in the UK early hours and on Showtime pay-per-view in the USA. It promises much, to the extent that The Ring once christened it ‘A Matchmakers Dream’ and listed it as a ‘must see’ fight in 2022. Albeit a year late, it’s time for both to deliver.

Waiting in the wings is the Haney-Lomachenko victor and also the perceived future of the division, two-weight champion Shakur Stevenson (20-0, 10 KO’s). The American, an Olympic silver medallist in the Rio Games, and winner two weeks ago at 135lbs adds further lustre to the division.

Then there’s recent undisputed champion George Kambosos Jr. (20-2, 10 KO’s) who adds an Antipodean mix to the pot.  After losing back-to-back fights to Haney he is looking for some further redemption. Up and coming is also another American Olympic medallist from 2020 Keyshawn Davis (8-0, 6 KO’s). A big star in waiting.

 In terms of tonight’s routes to victory; if Garcia can use his long levers and keep Davis at range, backed by power shots, frustrating him as the fight progresses, then he can eek out a points decision.

In an ultimate ‘grudge match’ we though expect Davis to dominate on the inside. His superior power and downright toughness should be telling. We predict him to gradually unravel his Latino foe and win by stoppage anywhere from rounds 8 to 10.

It should be great whilst it lasts and as they say “Someone’s O’s gotta’ go’. Garcia is young and hungry enough to come again in future marquee fights and will make the lightweight division all the better for his continued presence. There should really be no losers tonight and enjoy the fireworks in a genuine peak match up.

‘Wrecking ball’ contest of the weekend should be at the Copper Box Arena on the London 2012 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday. Two elite giants collide when Britain’s Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce (15-0, 14 KO’s) faces Chinese, Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang (24-1-1, 19 KO’s) for the WBO world ‘interim’ heavyweight title.

The Queensberry and Top Rank promotion sees these huge men, both Olympic super-heavyweight silver medallists – Zhang at Beijing 2008 and Joyce in Rio 2016, collide. Both now as professionals are significant pieces of the muddled world heavyweight puzzle.

As current sanctioning body champions Oleksandr Usyk (IBF, WBA and WBO), Tyson Fury (WBC) and ex-champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder circumnavigate each other to delay coronation of the outright boxing king, it is now left to the next best to duke it out.

Joyce is the mandatory contender for the WBO title held by Usyk, is ranked #4 heavyweight by The Ring magazine, with Zhang just outside of their top ten.

The Chinese brings his enormous 6ft, 6″ frame, power, fast hands and an always awkward southpaw stance to the party. He boldly announced at yesterday’s London press conference “I am the Big Bang…I bang everything…I’m gonna’ land my shots”. Continuing he said “I’m not here in London to sightsee. I’m here to take things…I’m here for a reason – to be the strongest and best one”.

Zhang will be 40 years old in a few weeks and is coming off a much disputed points defeat to Croatian Filip Hyrgovic in his last contest, his sole defeat to date.

Joyce, age 37, and of similar physical stature, albeit taller, when questioned in the conference said “This is the calm before the storm…I’m a tough man”. He added, in reference to his contemporaries, “All the others (champions etc) seem to be running scared”.

On his opponent and fight strategy Joyce said “I respect Zhang’s power and won’t be going in there recklessly… “It could go twelve rounds, but I don’t plan on that”

It’s a contest that is sure to be explosive for as long as it lasts. The general  consensus is that Zhang will be dangerous early and fade in the second half of the fight due to his advancing years and his perceived low workrate. Zhang responded to this supposed flaw identified in defeat to Hrgovic, claiming he thought he was clearly ahead in the fight and he relaxed in the twelfth round.  In an intriguing match-up this should be fully tested tomorrow night in a scheduled twelve rounder.

The contest is considered high risk for both fighters due to their respective knockout ratios and what’s at stake in the world pecking order. Whether the ‘Big Bang’ can detonate or Joyce can safely negotiate the ‘Great Wall’ it should be a good watch.

We think the technical sniping will be high until the first big shot is landed by either man. It could be the Chinese’ fast hands will come as a surprise to the Briton early on, and if clubbed, Joyce may have to come off the canvas to win. We expect him to be victorious by registering a late KO in an attritional fight.

Joyce is known to be ponderous and methodical in his approach; advancing forward in straight lines, taking multiple shots, but his chin has been impervious to date. He will need to show a bit more savvy tomorrow to prevail. His elite amateur pedigree would indicate he does possess this.

At today’s weigh in Joyce scaled 18st, 4lbs (256lbs) compared to Zhang at 19st, 12lbs (278lbs). The Brit comes in almost 14lbs lighter from his previous contest last September against New Zealand’s world ranked Joseph Parker. So far, his standout victory.

Chief support to the big one is an interesting British middleweight (11st, 6lbs/160lbs) title contest between champion Denzel Bentley (17-2-1, (14 KO’s) and unheralded Kieran Smith (18-1, 7 KO’s). Bentley should have too much for his challenger, but is prone to switch off at times. His higher knockout ratio and mixing in better company should be the telling factors.

Also featured, at lightweight are Kent, England’s Sam Noakes (10-0, 10 KO’s) in a test against Indian national Kathik Sathish Kumar (10-0, 4 KO’s). This should be excellent between two undefeated fighters, with Noakes expected to prevail.

Plus, Kent’s young heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma (2-0, 2 KO’s) has his third professional fight. Much is expected of the 18 year old Itauma after a successful amateur career at youth level. Recently turning pro, he has a lofty ambition to become the youngest world heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson showed “Plenty at twenty” when spectacularly ripping the WBC ‘world’ title from Trevor Berbick in November 1986. That record still stands today.

Itauma should safely make it 3-0 against his Ukrainian opponent to remain on course.

The stacked event should be excellent and will be shown live in the UK on BT Sport 1 from 19:00 BST and selected contests on ESPN+ in the US. Settle in for a cracking night’s boxing.