Heavyweight Schedule for 2018

[The Hammer]

[The Hammer]

[yoz]

[The Hammer]

Champion: Wladimir Klitschko

1. Alex Leapai
2. Dereck Chisora
3. Andy Ruiz
4. Deontay Wilder
5. Mike Perez
6. Christian Hammer
7. Tyson Fury
8. Kubrat Pulev
9. Bermane Stiverne
10. Bryant Jennings
11. Chris Arreola
12. Brian Minto
13. Denis Boytsov
14. Vyacheslav Glazkov
15. Alexander Ustinov

[yoz]

Australian Rugby Star takes up Professional Boxing

32 year-old Cronulla NRL captain, Paul Gallen, is the latest Australian rugby player to take up professional boxing. He will make his heavyweight debut on 19 February, on the Daniel Geale undercard, against Queenslander, Herman Ene-Purcel (1-1 (1KO)).

[yoz]

James Toney: 'Wilder and Fury are protected'

American boxing legend James 'Lights Out' Toney believes Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury are protected fighters. Speaking with Elie Seckbach, Toney said:

"Deontay Wilder, if you're watching this, and I hope you are watching this, please don't make a fool of yourself," espoused the controversial Toney.

"All your fights have been set-ups."

"Tyson Fury, you're the same thing. All your fights have been set-ups."

"Neither one of you guys are fighting."

When asked who he'd pick in a presumptive clash between the two massive heavyweight prospects, Toney declared it was a "toss-up," insisting they are equally untested.

"When I came up, I fought everybody. I fought the best."

"But they [boxing's promoters and managers] are scared to do that today," proclaimed the 45 year old pugilist.

[The Hammer]

[yoz]

Solomon Haumono joins Alex Leapai's sparring team ahead of world title fight; Latest on Lucas Browne

The former rugby league hitman, Solomon Haumono, will join Sydney-based Tongan Bowie Tupou and Las Vegas-based Romanian giant Razvan Cojanu as Leapai starts three months of hard preparation for his historic fight.

"All three are great sparring partners,'' said Leapai's trainer Noel Thornberry.

"Solomon is very fluent in his style and has a great right hand like Klitschko. Bowie is 120kg of muscle and very strong to work in close and Razvan is 2m tall, like Klitschko, with good skills.

"Together the three will give Alex fantastic preparation.''

Haumono was hoping to fight unbeaten Sydney heavyweight Lucas Browne in Melbourne on April 3 in the first all-Aussie Commonwealth heavyweight scrap since Peter Jackson beat Paddy Slavin 122 years ago.

But Browne's promoter, the British boxing legend Ricky Hatton said: "While negotiations with Haumono's team have taken place, the fight was never finalised.

"Hatton Promotions' Australian representatives have been informed by Main Event Pay Per View that the (Browne-Haumono) bout could be given PPV status in the near future, but a suggested date of April 3 isn't suitable as the network's schedule is already fully booked.

"As such, we feel that a Browne v Haumono fight should take place at a time which is more financially beneficial to all parties concerned. However, it must be stressed that Haumono is just one of the options available to Browne at this time.''

"Following his stunning fifth round stoppage of England's Richard Towers in November, Lucas is the only boxer guaranteed a shot at the Commonwealth title vacated by David Price.''

Browne is looking at big money fights in Britain against two of their leading heavyweights Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora.

[The Hammer]

Heavyweights Mike Perez and Carlos Takam fought to a 10-round majority draw on the undercard. Perez (20-0-1) and Takam (28-1-1) spent most of the bout with their heads locked together, trading short range blows to the head and body. Perez suffered a cut from a headbutt in the third round that hampered his performance.

The Frenchman Takam's best moment was late in the sixth when he rocked Perez with a right. Ringside judges scored it 96-94, 95-95 and 95-95.

Perez, a Cuban living in Ireland, had Mago written on his trunks in honour of Russian Magomed Abdusalamov, whose career he ended with a 10-round victory on November 2 in New York. Abdusalamov spent a month after the bout in an enduced coma and remains in a rehab centre unable to walk or talk.

[Alec900]

Robert Helenius says he is in "peace" negotiations with Sauerland and hopes that the situation is solved soon and he can get back in the ring before the summer