The Undisputed

Article originally posted on 18/6/22

This week’s confirmation of the rematch for the heavyweight titles held by Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, due to be re-contested in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 20 August, has been met with the expected writing off to former champ Anthony Joshua’s chances. Almost to the extent that it’s not worth the Londoner entering an arduous training camp to attempt to win back his WBA, IBF and WBO titles. Usyk’s just too good they say, his style’s all wrong for Joshua, the Brit is chinny and will get sparked clean out.

Although this is an appreciation of the Ukrainian’s undoubted class, it is almost disrespectful to the Brit.

Joshua, is an Olympic super-heavyweight champion (ironically at the same London Games Usyk won the heavyweight title), is a two-time heavyweight champion, still young for the division at 32 and possesses the physical attributes at 6ft 6in, an 82 inch reach and 92% knockout rate, to trouble his significantly smaller foe.

Oleksandr Usyk is good, extremely good, but not unbeatable. No fighter, aside from a few exceptions (Marciano, Mayweather Jr, Calzaghe) who remained unbeaten as pros but arguably beaten along the way on some judges and experts cards, and Usyk is likely to be no exception come the end of his career.

The 35 year old Ukrainian currently boasts a 19-0 (13 KO) record, which includes only three fights in the heavyweight division, albeit bookended by his impressive title win against Joshua last September.

The big Londoner, will granted, have to change a lot from his poor performance in the first fight in which although competitive in losing a twelve round unanimous decision, he was thoroughly outboxed by the surprisingly aggressive southpaw. Usyk has the long and elite amateur experience, Joshua; they say like his fellow countryman Frank Bruno is a manufactured boxer, too musclebound to compete at the real elite heavyweight level.

Whilst Usyk will go into the rematch as a heavy favourite, rightly so, there are a few other things to factor in when predicting the outcome:

1) The Ukrainian has had the trauma of the invasion of his homeland to contend with, serving some of his boxing layoff in the Ukrainian home defence regiment. Whilst this may be extra motivation to put his country further into international consciousness and attention, and illustrate his nation’s strength, the layoff and psychological impact may have an influence,

2) a change in strategy combined with Joshua’s size may be an irresistible force – the Brit has been accused of being gunshy since his shock defeat to Andy Ruiz in June 2019. This was evident in the rematch as he boxed his way to victory, knowing he had the skillset to do that against the out of condition Mexican-American. It’s widely known in the first Usyk fight he tried to ‘outbox the boxer’ which was ultimately never going to happen. His strategy for the rematch will be critical, one that will be compiled by new trainer Robert Garcia who will support Angel Fernandez. If Joshua can combine that explosive power with a more aggressive approach the outcome could be different,

3) the Brit’s motivation, although will not be dictated by external world events and patriotism, it is the motivation of a fighter who is being written off and will be desperate to win back his titles and the status that comes with it. That is a dangerous cocktail when combined with his size and athleticism.

As we edge closer to fight night the pendulum will heavily swing towards the Ukrainian with most fans and pundits predicting an easy repeat victory. But, heavyweight history has shown many times that ‘a good big un’ will always beat a good little ‘un’. We know Usyk is exceptional, but Joshua has been good and may still be. Heavyweight history is littered with one punch or heavy KO’s changing the lineage of titles – think of a certain James ‘Buster’ Douglas v Mike Tyson.

Before you totally write off the Londoner’s chances just consider the above.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 16:15 local time

The final press conference has been held for the big heavyweight title showdown, the ‘Rage on the Red Sea’ between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, scheduled for Saudi Arabia this Saturday 20th.

The main talking point in the conference was around competition.

British challenger Anthony Joshua, in response to Head of Matchroom Promotions Eddie Hearn said – this is “Must win, I like the pressure. Lets get the job done, stay focussed”. On the challenge ahead “It’s competition, I’ve got goals I want to achieve in the ring on the night”. When asked about the prizes on offer (The Ring magazine championship, IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight titles) he responded “The belts mean something, but that’s all at the end…I wanna compete and I’m looking forward to it”.

Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk, outright favourite for Saturday’s contest and wearing a traditional cossack suit said “It’s true, we learned (from) each other in the first fight… this Saturday night will be a great, great fight…We were born to compete, for life, for belts for anything…all our lives are competitions”.

Both fighters then took up a tasty face-off in front of the mass assembled media. The event will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Box Office, DAZN worldwide and free to air in Ukraine.

Look out later today for a re-post of our earlier article originally released when the rematch was announced.

With no action in British rings over the weekend we’re into a ‘monster’ week in the build up to the big world heavyweight rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday 20th.

The contest will be for The Ring magazine championship after last week’s retirement announcement from former lineal champ Tyson Fury. This adds significant lustre to the fight that was already for Usyk’s world IBF, WBA and WBO titles.

Fury’s retirement should also render the WBC title vacant, although despite their president Mauricio Sulaiman congratulating ‘The Gypsy King’ on his career and announcement, it’s uncertain as to the exact status of this at the moment. What is certain is Saturday’s contest is a blockbuster and effectively between the two best active heavyweights in the world.

The Ukrainian, Usyk, (19-0, 13 KO’s) is the #1 ranked heavyweight and Joshua (24-2, 22 KO’s) #2, as recognised by The Ring, and their ratings policy states that when their champion retires the title will be awarded to the winner of contest between their #1 and #2 contenders.

On this basis The Ring and lineal championship is legitimately up for grabs. It’s also worth noting that Usyk is now recognised by them as their #2 pound-for-pound – ranked second best fighter in the sport behind Japanese sensation 118lb Naoya Inoue, an honour given regardless of weight class. This illustrates what the Londoner, Joshua, is up against.

‘AJ’ has to fight the psychological demons again and attempt to regain the heavyweight title for a third time, something only Muhammad Ali has achieved in the past. The similarity ends there because the nature of his defeats to Andy Ruiz in June 2019, and Usyk last September, show that as good as Joshua is he stands in Ali’s shadow as far as being a dominant heavyweight as a professional.

However, let’s accept the Brit’s accomplishments for what they are. A two-time heavyweight title holder who’s appeared in, and won, some of the biggest fights in a British ring in recent years. His pulling power and fanbase is staggering and has made him a rich man. To regain the title on Saturday will be a monumental task and a significant achievement should he pull it off. He should be commended for going straight into the rematch.

Usyk, now 35, was so dominant in the first contest that few give Joshua anything other than a puncher’s chance. The 32 year old challenger deserves more consideration than this. He has a sound technique, as the London 2012 Olympic champion at super-heavyweight, has superb conditioning and concussive power to match. He also enjoys height and weight advantages, although rumour is that Usyk has put on 19lbs of muscle since the first contest, bringing this discrepancy closer.

Usyk, is a boxing beast, able to box out of his southpaw stance to a game plan and engage with significant power when sensing a weakness in his opponent. He has immense amateur experience as the London 2012 Olympic champion at heavyweight and is attempting to be the first to be recognised by The Ring magazine as their cruiserweight and heavyweight champion.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have paid a significant eight figure sum to stage the fight and the event billed as ‘Rage on the Red Sea’ by promoters Matchroom is sure to deliver. Joshua knows his main chance of victory is to blow away Usyk and this will surely make the fight exciting in the early rounds. Usyk is unlikely to meet the Brit head on in the first six minutes, but having wobbled him last September, knows he has the power to hurt his opponent. Joshua’s chin is considered suspect and he will have to address that.

Over the coming week there will be much talk of the legitimacy of holding the contest in Saudi on the basis of their human rights record. Looking specifically at the sporting contest, our focus will be on the aligning of the weights, the motivation of Usyk (in essence a freedom fighter representing a proud nation under siege) his boxing IQ, and the fallibility of the challenger. This will all be added into the mix as we move towards the first bell. Watch this space for further updates as we move through the week.

Ultimately, the victor will rightly take their place at the forefront of the sport, and then, all eyes will switch to ‘The Gypsy King’ and the legitimacy of his so called ‘retirement’.

The ‘Rage on the Red Sea’ will be available in the UK on Sky Sports Box Office as a pay-per-view event at £26.95 from 6pm Saturday. It’s also available world wide on the DAZN streaming channel (excluding UK, Ireland and Ukraine).

Main news over the weekend was the continuing traction on the Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn catchweight contest which has now officially sold out the 20,000 London O2 Arena. This is remarkable for a fight that has no title on the line and is not until October 8th. Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn has cited this as being the biggest fight he’s promoted, due to it’s generational draw. Early evidence suggests he might be right.

Finally, the weekend also saw the successful return of former undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez (17-1, 13 KO’s) who successfully stepped up to junior-welterweight (10st/140lbs) with a seventh round stoppage of Pedro Campa in Las Vegas, USA. He immediately called out Scotland’s Josh Taylor, Regis Prograis and Jose Zepeda in his new division. Exciting match ups all.

Enjoy the build up from Jeddah.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” so said Conor Benn in yesterday’s London Bridge press conference to formally announce his forthcoming fight with Chris Eubank Jr.

That, in essence is what we have in the 157lbs (11st, 3lbs) ‘catchweight’ contest at London’s O2 Arena on 8 October. Billed as ‘Born Rivals’ and co-promoted by Wasserman Boxing and Matchroom it’s a match up between two carbon copies of their parents; in confidence, physicality and boxing style, and with some attitude thrown in for good measure.

The early 1990’s fights between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr. were a couple of the most iconic fights in British boxing history, the sequel played out to a terrestrial TV audience of 17 million on a peak time Saturday night. That is why this fight has been made.

Not, because either need it at this moment in time. Both are world ranked in their natural and respective weight divisions – Benn at welterweight (147lbs) and Eubank at middleweight (160lbs). Both are close to securing a title shot with one of the world sanctioning bodies, but their promoters are struggling to get a champion to fight. Conor Benn summed up “This is a fight that makes sense at this time”.

More relevant to the promotion and public interest is the family history and that both need to settle a score for their respective family honour. The log currently sits at 1-0 to the Eubank’s, the second fight a hotly disputed draw at a sold out Old Trafford football stadium on 9 October 1993. This autumn’s contest will fall one day short of 29 years on. The original fight was a nine round epic stopped in Eubank’s favour. Both cemented the legendary status of the families in British sporting history. This will be Act III.

In a tetchy press conference Eubank Jr. who’d pressed his promoter Kalle Sauerland to take the ‘Benn route’, to settle what the promoter referred to as a “Monster family feud”, was repeatedly dismissive of his opponent.

Whilst noting “He’s undefeated, he has momentum, he has highlight KO wins” Eubank summarised “I’m gonna take you back to school, sit you down in class”. He toyed that he would only need to be 60% prepared on the night, and then added “If I’m 100%, it’s a public execution !”.

On the family rivalry Eubank said “I don’t dislike Conor, but at the same time this fight is personal…I watched the mental stress and injuries (of my father) as a child…I can’t forget, I can’t forgive…I can’t let the Benn name get on top”.

Potentially, this has all the makings of a classic confrontation. Eubank (32-2, 23 KO’s) is the taller man, technically sound with respectable power and at 34 has greater experience having fought at championship level for the last decade. Benn (21-0, 14 KO’s), stocky with powerful shoulders has shown in recent fights the power inherited from his father’s genes. At 25, he’s entering his peak but lacks the experience of his opponent.

The fight provides the greater opportunity for Benn, he will be the man moving up in weight to test the waters, if he loses he will return to welterweight. Eubank will have to boil down to make the agreed 157lbs and being the older man, more is on the line. On the unacceptable prospect of losing the fight Eubank said “If I lose to Conor Benn…I’m finished”.

The Brighton fighter confessed he won’t make 157, a weight he claims he hasn’t been at since 18 years of age. He will take the substantial six figure penalty clause for every pound over 157, he won’t “kill” himself for this fight in training camp. Summarising “I just need to show up”.

Benn was more circumspect “Each fight I treat as a world title fight. I’m a young, hungry and motivated fighter…I will prepare the same way I prepare for everyone else, full steam ahead”. He referred to Eubank’s repeated bravado as being his “ego talking” and got particularly animated when Eubank claimed he was in his “father’s shadow”. An insult sure to stoke up further the fire in the younger man’s body.

It was left to Eubank’s trainer Ronnie Davies, a man who’d seen and done the first two contests in the family feud to sum up the significance and potential in this fight “The first fight was brutal…this fight will be brutal as they’ve got the same passion – their fathers”.

The hype will build significantly up to 8 October, with the main stories being the family feud and weight discrepancy. It promises to be an exciting journey to fight night. Look out for further updates on this site.

Tickets for the 20,000 seater O2 Arena have just gone on sale and the fight and supporting card will be available live and exclusive on the DAZN streaming platform as a pay per view event.

Update 14 August – the event sold out within 30 minutes.

On Saturday (30th), at a rockin’ Bournemouth International Centre on the English south coast, local favourite Chris Billam-Smith successfully defended his European and Commonwealth cruiserweight (200lbs/14st, 4lbs) titles against London’s Isaac Chamberlain over twelve hard fought rounds.

The contest, a contender for British fight of the year, topped an excellent night of action on the BOXXER promotion shown live on Sky Sports in the UK, with the main event also broadcast in the USA.

Billam-Smith (16-1, 11 KO’s) won on all three cards 117-111 but this didn’t tell the full story of the competitiveness of the contest. Chamberlain (14-2, 8 KO’s) from Brixton, London, gave the thick set champion all he could handle and left the ring with his head held high. In a fight that was brutal throughout and captivated the rabid local fanbase The Undisputed scored it 116-112 in the home fighter’s favour.

Both fighters met toe to toe from the opening bell and the champion tried to bull charge his way to an early stoppage. The slick boxing Londoner withstood the early assault using a ramrod jab to set up his own attacks and shared some of the early rounds. Mid-fight it was apparent the contest was going to be a war of attrition, as it ebbed and flowed with each boxer gaining the ascendancy and then retreating into defence. With both fighters visibly tiring due to the relentless pace of the contest they supplemented sorties with periods of rest on the ropes and the exchanges of body attacks were intense. Billam-Smith just put in more work than his adversary over the full distance, seeming to get a second and third wind and covering up when needed.

Despite the fight having no knockdowns and only Chamberlain sustaining a cut late it was an all action contest that’s up there with any recent all British encounters. It certainly brought a continuing impetus and focus to the highly competitive cruiserweight division.

Billam-Smith had to dig deep to retain his titles and moves onto potential British blockbusters against WBO champion Lawrence Okolie or a revenge match against hard hitting Richard Riakporhe, the only man to defeat him.

It was also a night of prospects with Team GB Olympian and Tokyo silver medallist Ben Whittaker making his professional debut at light-heavyweight, fellow Olympian and female Londoner Caroline Dubois having her third contest and, the return of Tokyo bronze medallist Frazer Clarke at heavyweight for his second fight after a long layoff due to a hand injury.

As expected, all the Olympians came through easily with matchmaking befitting the embryo of their professional careers, however, all impressed in so doing.

Pick of the bunch was the entertaining and flashy Whittaker, who having returned from a training camp in the USA with well respected trainer SugarHill Steward, showed an array of confidence and variety that bodes well for a successful and possible box office pro career. Rare it is for a debutant to start with a six rounder and exude the self confidence shown against a solid domestic opponent in Greg O’Neill (6-7-1, 1 KO) who went hell for leather from the opening bell.

From the 25 year old Whittaker we saw multiple bolo punches, looping uppercuts, punching whilst looking the other way and ducking under big counters by the slimmest of margins as he glided around the ring. Apart from a few shots on the referee’s call of break it was as impressive a debut as you will see. He ended the contest emphatically with a jab followed up by a heavy right hand after 21 secs of the second round.

Caroline Dubois (3-0, 2 KO’s) at a mere 21 years old stopped brave but outgunned Happy Daudi on 0:46 in the third and Frazer Clarke bludgeoned 22 stone Ariel Esteban Bracamonte into submission with a brutal left hook after 2:57 of the second round. The 6 foot 6 and nineteen stone Clarke boxed well and refused to get drawn into a slugfest with the totally out of shape Argentinian and the finish was clinical efficiency.

Clarke rises to 2-0 (2 KO’s) and joins the rich talent pool of UK heavyweights backed up with elite amateur experience. At only 30 years old, time is on his side.

Promising welterweight Hassan Azim (4-0, 2 KO’s) had to work hard in an excellent learning fight to overcome tough Jacob Quinn (4-2) winning on the referee’s six round decision 59-55. On another night this would’ve been the fight of the night but such was the talent on offer and the competitiveness and significance of the main event that it featured way down on the card. However, this is well worthy of mention here.

There were also impressive stoppage wins in the last contest of a packed night for big punching Joe Pigford (20-0, 19 KO’s) halting Ghanaian Raphael King after 1:49 of round three to win an eliminator for the Commonwealth super-welterweight title, plus earlier, cruiserweight Mikael Lawal who stopped Crispulo Javier Andino after 1:25 of the second.

Elsewhere, on a Wasserman promotion up in Newcastle, north east England and shown live on Channel 5 in the UK, super-welterweight Josh Kelly (12-1-1, 7 KO’s) continued his positive comeback with an emphatic ten round unanimous decision against Lucas Bastida (18-2-1, 10 KO’s) to win the WBO international title. Returned scores were 99-92, 98-92, 96-95 in favour of the 28 year old from Sunderland. Kelly is now on the cusp of a title fight and has good amateur pedigree to draw from.

The Commonwealth Games continue in Birmingham, England and updates will follow as we approach the final stages.

The cruiserweight division (200lbs/14st, 4lbs) has never been glamorous. Stuck between light-heavyweight (175lbs/12st, 7lbs) and the unlimited enormity of the heavyweight division it has suffered a bit of a middle-child syndrome. Despite having some elite champions emerge from it such as Evander Holyfield and Oleksandr Usyk, it’s been difficult to love.

This indifference has been worldwide, but also in Britain, albeit a lesser degree. In recent years we’ve seen Carl Thompson, David Haye, Enzo Maccarinelli and Tony Bellew elevate themselves beyond the masses, but generally no soon has a champion gained some success and momentum than he’s talked of moving up to heavyweight, where the big bucks lie.

Now think re-set. The cruiserweight division in the UK is hot !

First, we have sanction belt ‘world’ champion Lawrence Okolie (18-0, 14 KO’s), as currently recognised by the WBO. Then there’s big hitter Richard Riakporhe (15-0, 11 KO’s) the current WBC#8 and IBF#2 ranked challenger. Closely followed on the rails by European and Commonwealth champion Chris Billam-Smith (15-1, 11 KO’s) and the man he faces tomorrow on a big show in Bournemouth, England, Isaac Chamberlain (14-1, 8 KO’s).

Taking place in the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), the so called ‘Battle on the Beach’, is a crossroads fight between popular local man Billam-Smith against tough Londoner Chamberlain.

The latter is on the comeback trail having notched up five victories since a disappointing showing when competing at championship level against Lawrence Okolie in February 2018. The fight was a stinker and the now 28 year old has had to quietly rebuild. His last outing was in December 2021 blowing out Dilan Prasovic inside a round and looking impressive in so doing.

Billam-Smith, 31, going by the nickname of ‘The Gentlemen’, has taken the gamble to switch from the Matchroom promotional company to BOXXER to secure bigger fights and a world title shot. He’s well placed as a double-belt champion, and has just a sole defeat on his record to Richard Riakporhe on a split decision back in July 2019. That loss looks more impressive with every knockout Riakporhe has notched up since their contest.

A Riakporhe v Billam-Smith rematch is a natural if the latter comes through tomorrow and would sell out a large venue. The local man’s dream is to box at Bournemouth Football Club’s stadium in a big fight, which could feasibly be for a world title further down the line.

In tomorrow’s stacked card, promoted by BOXXER and shown live on Sky Sports from 8pm, Team GB Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ben Whittaker will make his much anticipated professional debut. He meets capable Greg O’Neill (6-6-1, 1 KO) from County Durham in a six rounder. The slick Whittaker has been training stateside with much renowned SugarHill Steward from the Kronk Gym setup and the light-heavyweight from Wolverhampton, England is an exciting addition to the British pro ranks. Much is expected and we are confident he will gradually build and deliver. His launch tomorrow should be nothing but entertaining.

Team GB captain and fellow Tokyo medallist Frazer Clarke (1-0, 1 KO) returns to the ring for his second professional outing following his stunning first-round stoppage win on the undercard of Khan vs Brook in February. The big heavyweight has a wealth of elite amateur experience, having sparred with and competed alongside Anthony Joshua and Joe Joyce in recent years.

The third Team GB Olympian on the card is Caroline Dubois (2-0, 1 KO) who aims to impress again in a six rounder against beautifully named and experienced Tanzanian Happy Daudi.

Big hitting Joe Pigford (19-0, 18 KO’s), from Southampton just along the coast, also appears in a challenge for the vacant WBO European super-welterweight championship.  The bill is topped off with cruiserweight Mikael Lawal (15-0, 9 KOs) looking for his sixteenth career win, Hassan Azim (3-0, 2 KOs), brother of Adam, and also local boy Lee Cutler (10-1, 7 KOs).

As to the main event, we expect an excellent contest which should go into the championship rounds (10-12) and we see Billam-Smith with the more complete skillset and, buoyed by his vociferous home support, forcing the referee to intervene and stop the contest in the eleventh. It should be very competitive and the whole card an excellent watch live and on Sky Sports.

Saturday night also features the second return fight of super-welterweight Josh Kelly (11-1-1, 7 KO’s) in a ten rounder against Argentinian Lucas Bastida (18-1-1, 10 KO’s) in Newcastle, England.

Kelly represented Team GB in the 2016 Rio Olympics and after an early setback in the pros, losing to quality campaigner David Avenesyan at welterweight, is now continuing his rebuild. This is a good test for the Sunderland man and will gauge where he’s at. The Wasserman Boxing promotion also features impressive Harlem Eubank (14-0, 6 KO’s) and Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Pat McCormack (1-0, 1 KO). It is available on Channel 5 in the UK, free to air.

With the start of amateur boxing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, the weekend is loaded with excellent action. The Games are available on the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) over the next eleven days and the boxing will build towards the finals next weekend with all GB nations individually represented.

Enjoy now, what promises to be a great fight weekend.

It takes a special match-up to draw this writer across the Atlantic.

In 1987 my first sortie was for ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler v ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard, a contest between two of the modern greats. I was 22 at the time, had just graduated and was boxing mad. With a close friend I spent three months travelling coast to coast to and around the fight, also taking in a peak Mike Tyson and an emerging Evander Holyfield among others. It honed my boxing observer education at the highest level.

I returned twice in the 1990’s taking in strawweight legend Ricardo ‘Finito’ Lopez and witnessing Michael Moorer become the first southpaw to gain the lineal world heavyweight title in boxing history.

Into the new millennium, I returned in 2001 for ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed against Marco Antonio Barrera, a big disappointment from a British perspective. Then, in 2007, I crossed the ocean again for ‘The World Awaits’ between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. and, over the next two years, saw Joe Calzaghe boss Bernard Hopkins and a peak Manny Pacquiao destroy Ricky Hatton.

Apart from a couple of sorties to New York City to see Gennadiy Golovkin and Miguel Cotto at the Garden and visit the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota I haven’t been back to Las Vegas since 2009. COVID-19 has had something to do with it, but quite simply there hasn’t been a match-up that has whetted my appetite to compete with some of the above.

Vegas, the fastest growing city in the USA will have changed much; hotels will have been levelled and resorts come and gone, however, the big ones (Caesars Palace, MGM Grand) remain and the buzz around a big fight weekend will be electric.

On September 17 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas I will witness a historic match-up that meets my criteria. Whether the fight lives up to my expectations remains to be seen, but as a contest going in, the third and defining trilogy fight between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin ticks all the boxes. Two first ballot hall-of-fame fighters, who’ve had two previous contests that were fight of the year in 2017 and 2018 respectively, have a combined win-loss record of 99-3 (76 KO’s) and, who will meet to determine the undisputed super-middleweight (12st/168lbs) championship of the world.

This contest is potentially a fight for ‘the ages’ and, that, is the one question mark over it. Can a 40 year old Golovkin compete, as before, toe to toe with his adversary, and both deliver the fight we all hope for ? Much will have to do with what GGG has left, some say he’s well past his best and predict a Pacquiao-Mayweather-like contest, when the former was five years past his prime and the latter just about at his peak. Only when that first bell rings will we know the answer.

This writer though, believes the match up is worth the trip. The Mexican world champion ‘Canelo’, is only 32 but coming off a loss against Dmitry Bivol up at light-heavyweight (12st, 7lbs/175lbs). His era of invincibility is no more, and he’s moving down a division. This makes the contest more of ‘a contest’. Golovkin has campaigned at middleweight (11st, 6lbs/160lbs) the whole of his professional career and is not renowned as a ‘big’ middleweight. The challenge for him will be to carry that extra poundage but also retain the mobility that he enjoyed at 160. However, GGG has never relied on his elusiveness. The Kazakh is an ‘in your face’ pressure fighter which is combined with the skills of an Olympic silver medallist and a lengthy elite amateur pedigree. Plus he has mind numbing power, shown by his 37 KO’s in 44 fights.

The Mexican, is similar in his aggressive approach and in the second fight with Golovkin changed tactics to take the fight to the Kazakh. This won him that second fight on a majority decision. Golovkin was adjudged to have won the first on everyone’s card, apart from the three men that mattered (at ringside) and the fight was deemed a draw. Outrage ensued among the media and fans and that second meeting came a year on.

So, in many eyes the log reads 1-1 with the third fight determining who is the true champion and the dominant boxer of the two in this era. On September 17 we will see a match up that can comfortably stand in the annals of boxing history with some of the greatest of all time. Whether we see a fight that matches up to that hyperbole remains to be seen, but this writer believes it is one worth travelling across ‘the pond’ for, and one that all casual boxing fans should tune in for. The hard core will know, and will have their doubts by virtue of the above, but I believe this is one to give the benefit of the doubt to.

Aside from a heavyweight unification and Terence Crawford v Errol Spence Jr this is the biggest fight in boxing. Let’s face it, which casual boxing fan really knows who the latter are ? Canelo and GGG they might have half a chance, but on September 18 they will know for sure.

The fight is currently scheduled to be shown on the DAZN streaming platform as a pay per view event and is well worth the investment to catch it. If you love boxing you will love this event.

Check this website for further updates on the fighters in training camp and on-site fight week coverage live from Las Vegas.

Oldham, England’s Mark Heffron spectacularly won the British and Commonwealth 168lbs (12st) titles on a packed Queensberry card at the Copper Box Arena, London on Saturday. Heffron (28-2-1, 22 KO’s) dethroned Birmingham’s Lennox Clarke in an action packed contest by fifth round stoppage on 2.28 secs.

The 30 year old Heffron had twice unsuccessfully contested the British middleweight (160lbs/11st,6lbs) title, but buoyed by being comfortable at the higher weight, admitting he didn’t know why he ever fought at middleweight, he went straight at Clarke from the opening bell.

Clarke was wobbled several times in the first round and returned to his corner looking dazed and confused at the round end. Both fighters then went toe to toe in the next two rounds and seemingly when Clarke appeared to get a foothold in the fight in the fourth, Heffron raised the heat early in the fifth and referee Bob Williams stepped in towards the end of the round.

The win re-ignited Heffron’s career and he can now look forward to the prospect of championship fights. There are some excellent matches that could be made in the domestic twelve stone division including the likes of Chris Eubank Jr and Zach Parker.

Clarke must regroup and dropped to 20-2-1 (8 KO’s).

Top of the bill was English middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz in an international contest against rugged Argentinian Francisco Emanuel Torres. The exceptionally tall Sheeraz had just moved up from 154lbs (super-welterweight) and his 6ft,3in frame looks suited to the higher class. Sheeraz dominated early proceedings with his solid left jab, but had a shock in a ding-dong second round when he was dropped by the Argentine between the two knockdowns he registered.

A heavy right hook ended the contest at 1.56 secs of the fifth.

Sheeraz (16-0, 12 KO’s), from Ilford, London was recently voted British Young Boxer of the Year and after extensive training in California looks set to move himself through the world rankings. With his victory he won the WBC silver title and an immediate top ten ranking with that sanctioning body.

There were also good wins for hot prospects Dennis McCann (13-0, 7 KO’s) and Nick Ball (16-0, 9 KO’s), both at featherweight. A fight between the two would be a natural or, McCann against another Liverpudlian in Andrew Cain (10-0, 9 KO’s). There was also a stoppage win for Maidstone, Kent’s Sean Noakes in his second pro outing.

Stateside in Texas, comebacking Mexican-American Ryan Garcia (23-0, 19 KO’s) stopped Javier Fortuna inside six rounds at super-lightweight (10st/140lbs) to launch himself in the new weight class. The tall and multi-talented ‘KingRy’ Garcia dropped his opponent in rounds 4 and 5 before finishing it in the 6th. Fortuna dropped to 37-4-1 (26 KO’s).

Post-fight, Garcia again called out Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (27-0, 25 KO’s) in what could potentially be one of the best fights in the sport. Davis is currently campaigning at lightweight (135lbs/9st,9lbs) but the money to move up could prove irresistible. This would be a genuine grudge match and provided the two opposing promoters can make it happen would be mouthwatering.

Big news expected this week is a potential ‘catchweight’ contest between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn. This is mooted to be close to being signed at 156lbs (11st, 2lbs) and would re-ignite the family rivalry shared by their famous fathers in the 1990’s.

Everyone likes a grudge match. This is a grudge match.

Yesterday at the Banking Hall, London two undefeated fighters faced off to promote the first female main event that’s expected to sell out the O2 Arena in Greenwich on September 10.

American, double-Olympic and multiple world champion Claressa Shields (12-0, 2 KO’s) faces England’s Savannah Marshall (12-0, 10 KO’s) in a battle for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world.

Their rivalry has festered and built for ten years since Marshall defeated her adversary en route to winning the world amateur championships in 2012 and Shields went on to win successive gold medals in the London and Rio Olympics. Marshall was eliminated early in her home games which has long been a source of ridicule by Shields.

Since turning professional, the American from Flint, Michigan has been nothing short of sensational, defeating all before her and even having a successful sortie in the MMA code. She currently holds the majority of sanctioning belts in the 160lbs (11st, 6lbs) division, plus The Ring magazine championship and, it was fitting that yesterday’s press conference was opposite the Bank of England given the bling on show. Marshall also brought her WBO title to the dais.

The contest will be a classic US v UK confrontation for all the straps and undisputed supremacy. Adam Smith, Head of Sky Sports Boxing, who will televise the bout in the UK described the contest as ending a “Deep rooted decade of rivalry” and a “landmark moment for women’s boxing and women’s sport”.

This was followed by BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom, co-promoter of the event, grandly proclaiming it as “the biggest story in women’s sport”. This is undoubted in British women’s boxing as will be the first ever all-female UK boxing card and first to headline at the O2 Arena. The significance of this breakthrough bout for the female code on British shores should not be underestimated.

The war of words between the two boxers which has been largely played out on social media over the last ten years and more recently after their latest victories in the UK reached a hiatus yesterday.

It started fairly civil with Shields saying “It means a lot to be here (in London) and that she felt “lucky” in terms of the opportunity and magnitude of the event. On being asked about her adversary she replied “I don’t hate nobody, but have a huge dislike for her”. In explaining she did admit “She has the recipe to beat me”.

Marshall was up next and responded ” September 10th, I will be the new undisputed middleweight champion of the world”. On her opponent she said “I’m a fan of Claressa Shields, she’s a pioneer for the sport (but) the reality is she won’t beat me”.

The volume and barbs then started ratcheting up as Shield’s threw comments on her substantial accomplishments across the dais “I’ve got five belts over here, you(ve) got one”. She continued “Speed is power, she’s slow as hell….you can’t do nothing that I do”. Marshall responded “I’m gonna hurt you, I’m gonna outbox you”.

Those in attendance were subject to an increasing high pitched, almost ‘catfighting’ across the table as both slung insults about comparative performances. This led to comment on the fight taking place in the UK, as opposed to the US, with Marshall poking fun that Shields couldn’t sell tickets in the US, the American then sarcastically responded “If it was up to her she’d be fighting in her hometown, Newcastle” and added “I’m the GWOAT (Greatest Women of All Time), nobody knows you”.

After a glowing commentary of his fighter by Dmitriy Salita (Shields manager) it was left to Marshall’s trainer Peter Fury to bring some semblance of tranquility and rationale to the proceedings. “Clarissa is a top fighter….this fight is the best women’s fight of all time….the only two in this division on a collision course….it’s gonna be a hell of a fight – it’s a 50/50 fight”. Ben Shalom added, September 10 would be “A historic night for the whole sport”.

It was finally left to both fighters to give their predictions;

Shields “On September 10 you’re gonna see a very exciting fight, I see myself coming out on top (by) knockout in 8,9 or 10”.

Marshall “I win this fight from heart and my boxing brain” and added “See you on September 10 babe !”.

Chief support to this event will be another female grudge match between American’s Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner who face off in a world unification fight in the 130lb division.

The fights will also be shown in the US on ESPN+ and promoted in association with Top Rank Inc. Ones to watch out for no doubt.

British heavyweight Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce cemented his place high in the world rankings with an emphatic fourth round stoppage of Christian Hammer at the Wembley Arena, London on Saturday.

Joyce (14-0, 13 KO’s) bludgeoned his way to victory despite leaving himself exposed to heavy overhand rights from the German-based Romanian, and sometimes looking devoid of any defensive skills or self preservation. The Londoner has never been the most elusive of fighters and this is compounded by his sometimes robotic style. However, give credit where it’s due, he got his man out of there and emphatically at that.

The Rio Olympic silver medallist dropped Hammer four times en route to victory with sickening body shots before referee Victor Loughlin called a halt to proceedings after 1:20 of the fourth stanza.

Whilst it lasted, Hammer (27-10, 17 KO’s) was game and after gaining early success from heavy overhand rights detonating high on Joyce’s head he took the fight to the Londoner. There were moments in the opening eight minutes where sitting ringside you thought there might be a tremendous upset here, but Joyce dropped Hammer with a left hook to the body before the bell in the third and the Romanian began to unravel. He was up on the count of eight and saved from further punishment by the bell. Whilst Hammer re-grouped between rounds Joyce came out with almost a look of relish to finish the contest scoring further knockdowns.

The 36 year old Londoner remains in pole position for a crack at the fighter who emerges from the Usyk/Joshua/Fury triumvirate. Currently ranked #1 by the WBO he is the mandatory challenger for the winner of the Usyk/Joshua rematch being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on August 20. The boxing future of Tyson Fury remains uncertain but a return is expected and Joyce is well ranked with the WBC to face him.

Joyce on this showing has the power to win any contest against any of the above should he land his bombs first, but to be victorious the next six months will undoubtedly need to be focused on his defence. His standing is improving with every contest and the key will be to keep him active. Despite his limitations he’s a good watch and the next few years are sure to be entertaining.

Performance of the night was delivered by South African super-bantamweight Zolani Tete who stunningly knocked out Britain’s Jason Cunningham 0:34 secs into the fourth round.

Going in, there were doubts whether Tete, a former double-weight ‘world’ champion, had at 34 seen his best days and after having a lengthy period of activity. However, from the opening bell he was on point, flashing out his quicksilver jab from a southpaw stance and dominating the early exchanges. Cunningham struggled to get any success in the first nine minutes and looked tentative throughout.

The stoppage early in the fourth was sensational with a straight left dropping Cunningham shortly after the opening bell, and although the Englishman was up on the eight count, Tete jumped on him and after a dozen unanswered punches poleaxed him. Cunningham fell heavily to the canvas and referee Howard Foster waved it off immediately. There were a few moments of concern as the loser received extended medical attention and Tete to his credit delayed his celebrations. Cunningham recovered some minutes after and the South African team eventually joined in an emotional victory hug.

The win brings the classy Tete (30-4, 23 KO’s) right back into world title contention. Cunningham drops to 31-7 (7 KO’s).

There were also impressive wins for Portsmouth’s Mark Chamberlain (11-0, 7 KO’s) defeating tough Spaniard Marc Vidal unanimously on points to gain the IBF European lightweight title, plus welterweight Micky Burke Jr, super-lightweight Henry Turner and promising cruiserweight Tommy Fletcher on debut. The Queensberry promoted card was an excellent watch with a number of competitive fights.

Performance of the weekend on the world stage was Australian southpaw Jai Opetaia (22-0, 17 KO’s) winning a unanimous decision against Latvian Mairis Briedis (28-2, 20 KO’s) to gain The Ring magazine and IBF world cruiserweight championship. The Aussie came through a broken jaw in the fight and is now the man to beat at 200lbs.