London buses
There is a possibility that we are still awaiting information on the fighters and weights for the upcoming clash between Matchroom and Queensberry in Riyadh on June 1 in Saudi Arabia. However, Eddie Hearn has disclosed that discussions are already underway for a second edition of the event to be held in London in September.
During his interview on the Matchroom Youtube channel, Hearn provided an update on Anthony Joshua. He mentioned that a decision regarding Joshua’s next fight will not be made until after the Fury-Usyk fight. Hearn expressed his belief that if Fury emerges victorious from that bout, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh will go to great lengths, disregarding the previously agreed two-fight deal, to arrange what could potentially be the most significant fight ever witnessed in the sport’s history.
In the meantime, Mike Tyson, a 57-year-old boxer who is still over 18 weeks away from his Netflix fight against Jake Paul, shared a video on his Instagram. The clip showcased his impressive skills as he trained with focus and intensity. With his shirt off, Tyson confidently stated, “This is just day one. The exciting journey has just started.”
In the meantime, big Martin Bakole chose to share a video of himself successfully dislodging Joe Joyce’s headguard during their sparring session. Further details will be provided tomorrow.
Postponed yet again
May I surprise you? The scheduled match between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall has once again been postponed. On Thursday, it was announced that Taylor’s injury would prevent them from competing on the originally planned date of April 27.
In March of last year, they had planned to meet for the second time, but Taylor’s foot injury caused the fight to be postponed. Now, a whole year has passed, and we find ourselves facing yet another postponement. However, there is good news as Matchroom has recently announced that the two will finally face off just a month later, on May 25, at the same arena. Let us rejoice.
Regarding Joyce, Sam Jones, his previous manager, viewed the video clip that Bakole shared on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, Sam Jones uploaded his own recording of a sparring session involving the Juggernaut and Bakole. However, in this particular video, captured during a separate session, Bakole is seen experiencing discomfort as he kneels down and reaches for a sick bucket.
Featherweight Ray Ford was interviewed by The Week regarding his remarkable triumph against Otabek Kholmatov. However, despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding his win, Ford did not indulge in any grand celebrations. Instead, he simply visited the hospital to get stitched up and then drove himself back home to New Jersey, a four-hour journey.
On March 2, 2024, at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY, Ray Ford joyfully commemorates his triumph over Otabek Kholmatov. The event was captured by Ed Mulholland from Matchroom.
Sixes and sevens
The day started with Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the WBC, demanding a minimum of six ringside judges for the highly anticipated heavyweight bout between Fury and Usyk. Sulaiman proposed placing two judges on each side of the ring, specifically in areas not covered by broadcast cameras.
According to a report from Boxing Scene, Sulaiman has approached the other prominent sanctioning bodies to seek their approval for an idea that could potentially impact one of the most significant fights in recent times. Additionally, he has reached out to Fury and Usyk to request their consent. However, as of now, none of the parties involved have shown any support for this unexpected proposal, which appears to have come out of nowhere for a fight of this magnitude.
Frank Warren’s latest Magnificent Seven show took place in Birmingham on Friday, where the weigh-in also occurred. Joe Joyce, who recently engaged in a series of exchanges with Bakole, stepped on the scales at a career-high weight of 286 1/2lbs. This was five pounds heavier than his weight during the unsuccessful rematch with Zhilei Zhang in September, and a remarkable 30-pound increase from his weight when he first faced the Chinese puncher 11 months ago.
Saturday night fever
On SATURDAY, Ryan Garcia added a new element to his ongoing saga by announcing on social media his intention to sue the New York State Athletic Commission. He accused them of defaming him by allegedly attempting to subject him to a mental evaluation before his upcoming fight against Devin Haney in Brooklyn next month. While The Week acknowledges that it isn’t qualified to assess mental health, the suggestion doesn’t seem completely unfounded.
In Birmingham, British middleweights Nathan Heaney and Brad Pauls delivered an electrifying Fight of the Year contender, despite it being the early hours of Sunday morning when they finally concluded their match across the pond.
In the meantime, the recent comeback of Joe Joyce caught attention for the remarkable corner work by former heavyweight Richard Towers. Towers almost successfully guided his fighter, Kash Ali, through the entire 10 rounds, but unfortunately, the match was stopped merely seven seconds before the end. However, Towers’ performance caused a frenzy on Twitter and even caught the attention of the TNT broadcast team. This was mainly due to his use of colorful language during the breaks, including referring to his own fighter as a ‘fucking pussy’, which was certainly an unprecedented occurrence.
Ali is finished by Joyce (James Chance/Getty Images)
Mum’s the word
Dillian Whyte, a beloved Irishman in the world of heavyweight boxing, made his comeback after a long hiatus since November 2022 due to a failed drugs test. He was later cleared by an investigation.
In August of last year, there were plans for Whyte to have a rematch with Anthony Joshua. However, due to adverse analytical findings in a VADA test, the match had to be cancelled. Nevertheless, Whyte managed to make his comeback against Christian Hammer in Castlebar, Ireland.
In an untelevised and unstreamed fight in the UK, Whyte compelled the 27-11 German opponent to retire by the conclusion of the third round. The lackluster ending left Whyte visibly frustrated. “He lacks bravery,” Whyte expressed to Seconds Out in response. “He should never be compensated for stepping into the ring again, as he is a coward. All I desired was to engage in a fight, to overpower someone. I have endured numerous challenging moments, nearly losing my family and myself during this period.”
When questioned about his desire for a rematch against Tyson Fury, he responded, “I’m up for a challenge, I’d even go against my own mother. She’s pretty strong, you know. I’m willing to fight anyone. In fact, I’m aiming for another seven or eight fights.”
Primal scream
The first-ever PBC on Prime event faced a setback on Monday as its headline fight was unexpectedly canceled, leaving Amazon Prime to question their decision to venture into boxing.
Tim Tszyu’s opponent, Keith Thurman, suffered a bicep injury just 12 days before their scheduled show at the T-Mobile Arena. Reports indicate that Thurman, who has been plagued by issues throughout his career, has only fought once in the past five years.
Initially, it seemed like the injury would result in the cancellation of the entire show. However, the situation quickly turned around thanks to the promptness of Amazon Prime’s sameday delivery. A backup plan was swiftly put together and delivered through the living room window in the form of Sebastian Fundora. Despite already being scheduled to fight on the card, Fundora will now take on Tszyu in the main event.
Nevertheless, it is highly doubtful that he possesses the necessary qualifications to serve as Tszyu’s adversary in a pay-per-view spectacle. This skepticism arises from his previous bout in April, during which he suffered a devastating knockout at the hands of Brian Mendoza.
Josh is on the board
On Tuesday, a shocking announcement revealed that Josh Warrington has become a member of the board of directors at Steve Wood’s VIP Boxing Promotions, making it the most surprising news of the week.
Warrington has recently been appointed as the Head of Boxing at the company, which was established by Wood in 1996. Additionally, two new investors have joined the board with the shared goal of transforming ‘VIP’ into a prominent force in promotions and expanding their events on the global platform.
Shan Selvendran, the owner and CEO of Morleys, a renowned fried chicken brand, is among the investors who have made a substantial financial investment. Both Morleys and VIP Boxing excel in delivering consistent success. While Wood and his brand have established themselves in the small hall circuit, this collaboration could potentially propel them towards the realm of prominent promoters. With Morleys’ support, they might just soar to new heights.
Warrington hasn’t stepped into the boxing ring since his defeat by Leigh Wood, who is not related to Steve. This happened in October, and we are still eagerly awaiting confirmation for their highly anticipated rematch.
After much anticipation, the WBO has officially announced that the victor of the Tszyu-Fundora match will be given a mere five-day window to initiate negotiations with the new 154lb mandatory challenger, Terence Crawford. Failure to do so would result in the disqualification of their championship title.
