Heavyweight Schedule for 2018

[The Hammer]

Klitschko v Povetkin next, then Helenius or Pulev await

Exciting news for Robert Helenius (18-0, 11 KOs) and Kubrat Pulev (17-0, 9 KOs). Both top heavyweight contenders currently hold the number one spot in their respective rankings.

After beating former world champions Lamon Brewster, Samuel Peter and Siarhei Liakhovich, the WBO (World Boxing Organization) already instated Helenius as their number one fighter back in September of last year.

However, after the fight for the European Championship against Dereck Chisora in December 2011, the Finn had to take a longer break due to a serious shoulder injury. On November 10, Helenius gave his successful comeback in Helsinki. After ten rounds, the "Nordic Nightmare" won a unanimous points decision against Sherman "The Tank" Williams - the WBO's previous number ten. In their latest Rankings, 28-year-old Helenius is back as the number one ranked boxer.

Kubrat Pulev has also been enjoying some very successful months. The prodigy of coach Otto Ramin first laced his gloves as a professional back in
September of 2009. In his debut fight as a pro, he beat Romanian Florian
Benche on points. Since then, the 31-year-old has won every single one of
his 17 fights and boasts a perfect record. The big break came this year
after beating Alexander Dimitrenko to claim the European Championship on May 5 in Erfurt, Germany. Another victory followed on September 29, when the Bulgarian took on the 140-Kilo colossus Alexander Ustinov in Hamburg.

Hence, the move up to first place of the official IBF (International Boxing
Federation) rankings was just a matter of time.

The current WBO and IBF Champion is Wladimir Klitschko. The Ukrainian also
holds the WBA (World Boxing Association) Super Champion status. The regular WBA Champion is Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 Kos), who is signed to Team Sauerland just like Helenius and Pulev. "The hunt for Wladimir Klitschko is on. First, he will have to face mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.

Once that fight has happened, we will see if Klitschko is still the
champion," said a confident Kalle Sauerland. "We already have one
heavyweight world champion in Povetkin. With Robert Helenius and Kubrat
Pulev we have two more fighters who capable of taking the belts of
Klitschko. Added to that, we also have 24-year-old heavyweight hopeful
Edmund Gerber in our ranks. But before we can start thinking of anything
else, Klitschko has to face Povetkin."

[BostonGuy]

Why you ducking me Freedom?

[The Hammer]

Bowie Tupou steps up to face Bryant Jennings

Heavyweight boxer, Bowie Tupou, 22-2, 16 KOs, has traveled many miles over the course of his lifetime. He was born in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga, grew up in Australia, moved to Los Angeles for his boxing career, then relocated to Las Vegas to improve his chances as a professional fighter. Next week, Tupou will log another 2,500 miles when he travels from Vegas to Philadelphia for the biggest fight of his boxing career, a December 8th match with Philly's Bryant Jennings, 15-0, 7 KOs, for the latter's USBA heavyweight championship. The 12-round main event will be nationally televised by NBC Sports Network as part of its Fight Night boxing series. The telecast will begin at 10PM ET.

Tupou lived in Tonga until he was eleven years old.

"It's just one little island," Tupou said of his homeland. "It's not that big. You can walk the whole country, the whole island, in half a day."

His family left Tonga for Australia in 1993. Bowie, one of six children, spent his early days playing sports, and attending school. "When you're young, you just want to do something to keep active," he said. "I was playing a bit of rugby. That's mostly what we do in Australia."

Eventually he became a professional rugby player, but that career didn't last long. He found himself running around with his friends and not really applying himself to the sport.

"I didn't play professional for that long," he said. "I was just hanging around with my buddies not really focused on what I was supposed to do. Suddenly I found life was not going the way I planned."

Tupou wasn't getting himself in any real trouble, but he didn't feel like he was growing up either. Eventually he met the woman who would become his wife, Georgia, also a Tongan living in Australia. She became a catalyst for many things in Tupou's life.

"I proposed to my wife when I was 19," Tupou said. "I wanted to stay out of trouble, and I needed to straighten out my life. That's why I married so young. I settled down. It was something to keep me straight."

Married and working various construction jobs, Tupou was putting food on the table and living a rather settled life, but he was still getting into an occasional street fight. That's when his wife pointed him in a life-changing direction.

"Why don't you go try out boxing?", Georgia asked him. "It may help you mentally."

"I was a physical guy," Tupou said. "So I said, okay, I'll have a go at it."

Georgia had grown up in the same neighborhood as legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis, instructor of Down Under ring greats like Kostya Tsyzu and Jeff Fenech. So she made the introduction.

"I started with Johnny Lewis," Tupou said. "Once I started training, I said, 'Oh Yeah! I kind of like this'. So I always tell everybody that my wife talked me into boxing."

Lewis insisted that the sometimes unfocused young Tupou dedicate himself to training for at least one year before scheduling any fights. Bowie complied, patiently working and applying himself as he'd never done before. The young version of himself probably would have grown restless waiting around for a match, but Tupou was a becoming a new man.

"There's a lot to learn in boxing," he said. "You're not going to pick up boxing in one day. It takes time. In fact, you never stop learning about boxing."

So after a year's "apprenticeship" in the gym, Tupou finally got into the ring for the first time as an amateur boxer.

"I didn't have a long amateur career," Tupou said. "I only had one amateur fight. Then he (Lewis) put me through to the pros."

Tupou rattled off nine straight victories as a professional in Australia. However, he kept working his construction job on the side, learning that boxing paydays in Australia are nothing to live on. It was at this point, 2007, that Tupou and his wife packed their bags and moved to Los Angeles.

He found his way to Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym and resumed his boxing career in the States.

"California, it was a new experience for me," Tupou said. "A different lifestyle, but I knew my purpose. I knew the reason I came here."

And so Bowie continued to fight and to win. The restless teenager was nowhere in sight. Tupou was living the life of a professional boxer and finally had a real goal to pursue.

"That is the dream of every fighter out there," he said. "To win the heavyweight title."

Four years ago, Tupou moved his base to Las Vegas and began working with Jeff Mayweather, the low-key link in the wild and wooly Mayweather boxing clan. Although he is still learning his trade, the time has come for him to make a real move toward his dream. Enter Bryant Jennings, and the December 8th title fight.

"I don't know much about him," Tupou said of his opponent. "But I know he has the USBA title. It will be a good fight. It will be a good night. And as they say, let the best man win."

Tupou's hard-earned maturity won't allow him to trash-talk the least bit.

"Anything can happen during the fight," he said. "My wish and my dream is to win this fight and to move on. We will both fight our fight and we'll see who wins on that night. It should be a good night."

[The Hammer]

I think this is the best option for Jonathon Banks - target the only other belt-holder not name Klitschko. However, I don't think it's feasible as Povetkin seems to want to finally fight Wladimir early in 2013.

Banks seems to be in a conundrum - does he fight Wladimir Klitschko? The guy who he trains and who is a personal friend?

I don't know, it's an unusual situation.

Jonathan says he wants to fight Povetkin or the winner of Adamek-Cunningham (he wants to avenge his loss to Adamek if possible).

I'd like to see him fight Dennis Boytsov as a co-feature on the Povetkin-Klitschko fight card. Or if Banks gets a high WBO ranking, he might fight Helenius in a WBO final eliminator.

[White_Knight]

I'd like to see him fight Dennis Boytsov as a co-feature on the Povetkin-Klitschko fight card. Or if Banks gets a high WBO ranking, he might fight Helenius in a WBO final eliminator.

Freedom, are you sure there is a Povetkin-Klitschko fight in the works? Boxrec doesn't mention it.

[The Hammer]

Freedom, are you sure there is a Povetkin-Klitschko fight in the works? Boxrec doesn't mention it.

Povetkin is Wlad's WBA mandatory. Sasha and all members of his team say they want the fight. Wlad has said Povetkin would be his first choice as his next opponent.

However, there will need to be several problems worked out before it will be on the BoxRec schedule.

- Sauerland wants it to be in February and televised by ARD.

- K-2 wants it to be in March and televised by RTL.

- the WBA has given Wlad until the end of February to fight Povetkin.

- Wlad has applied to the WBA for an extension of at least a month, until late March, because he needs a break from training.

It will take some time to work the date and TV network out, so you won't see it on the BoxRec schedule for a while.

[The Hammer]

[The Hammer]

Price out to topple Skelton

Heavyweight David Price reckons has Portugal training camp has got him in the mood to hammer Matt Skelton. The undefeated Liverpool boxer makes the second defense of his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles against Skelton at Aintree Equestrian Centre on November 30th on Wealth TV and WealthTV.com.

Since beating Audley Harrison in 82 seconds last month, Price has been preparing at promoter Frank Maloney’s training camp in the Algarve. Price, 29, said: “I went to Portugal because the fight was so soon after the Audley Harrison bout. I needed a change of scenery because I was going straight back into camp. It has been refreshing and exactly what I needed. I have had some good sparring with Danny Price and John McDermott. I am more or less there and ready to do a number on Skelton. I only had a week off after the last fight so it was a case of maintaining what I had already done in the gym in the weeks previously.”

So far this year Price beaten John McDermott, Sam ***ton and Harrison with his three victims lasting just 13 minutes and 42 seconds between them – but Price still needs a break.

He explained: “I have trained for four 12 round fights this year which is god because I have been busy. Although the first three fights haven’t gone the distance the training camp takes it out of you and I will welcome a month off over Christmas.”

[The Hammer]

[The Hammer]

Mike Perez is injured and won't be able to fight Ruslan Chagaev on Dec 1.

They'll need to find a replacement to fight Chagaev on one week's notice.