Heavyweight Schedule for 2018

[Weltschmerz]

Friday fights,

Albert Sosnowski - Andras Csomor
Bogdan Dinu - Marino Goles
Christian Hammer - Michael Sprott
Adrian Granat - Samir Kurtagic

[Weltschmerz]

[mlac]

Friday fights,

Albert Sosnowski - Andras Csomor
Bogdan Dinu - Marino Goles
Christian Hammer - Michael Sprott
Adrian Granat - Samir Kurtagic

jesus christ how has Sprott still got a license? How many times has he been brutally KTFO ? 20? 25? 30 ?
He has been slurring his speech for over 10 years ffs.

[Weltschmerz]

Frank Warren on the heavyweight scene:

FRANK WARREN’S SCRAPBOOK – 18.3.16.

Deontay Wilder hasn’t exactly set the heavyweight world alight since yanking the WBC belt from the waist of Bermane Stiverne 14 months ago.

He has looked some distance from than the fearsome, big-hitting monster we saw when he was moving towards his title shot. His three defences against hand-picked opposition that at best could be described as ordinary have failed to set pulses racing.

Now comes his moment of truth. He has to go to Russia to face former WBA champion Alexander Povetkin, who many believe is the best contender around in any of the heavyweight rankings.

The Bronze Bomber from Alabama wanted to stay in America for this fourth defence, against his mandatory challenger. A date and venue have yet to be confirmed but it is mooted to be in Moscow on May 21.

Wilder claims he is not worried about heading into Povetkin’s back-yard. Well, he should be.

This is a tough, tough call. I am quite surprised that Al Haymon’s outfit lost out on what is a very intriguing bout, Povetkin’s billionaire promoter, Andrey Ryabinsky winning a purse bid believed to be north of $7million.

Povetkin is no slouch, and hasn’t been since his amateur days when he had a perfect pedigree.

He was Olympic super-heavyweight champion in Athens 2004, and was also world and European amateur champion.

At 6ft 2in he is no Ivan Drago, and he may be 36 but he is strong, skilful and hits hard. His only defeat in 31 contests came in October 2013 when he lost his WBA ‘regular’ title to Wladimir Klitschko.

It may be of some comfort to Wilder that this was also in Moscow. But that night Klitschko turned on one of his signature performances, boxing with supreme confidence, knocking down Povetkin once in the second round and three times in the seventh. At the end all three judges scored the fight 119-104 for Klitschko.

Wilder will need to be similarly dominant if he is to retain his belt but he has done little since becoming champion to indicate that this will be the case.

Lennox Lewis believes Wilder will struggle, suggesting there are many weaknesses in Wilder’s game, and that Povetkin has both the power and experience to dethrone him. He could be right.

Exactly forty five years on from The Fight of a Lifetime when Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden, the heavyweight division has descended into a state off fragmentation with a quartet of claimants to the various alphabetical thrones.

This may be frustrating and confusing but at least it sustains interest. This certainly has been heightened by Lucas Browne winning the same WBA title Povetkin once held.

I like the Aussie slugger. He’s brash and lively and I predict he will create some havoc on the heavyweight scene.

As usual David Haye has been busy making himself busy, shouting the odds for a fight with Browne who responds with typical Down Under forthrightness, tweeting: “I think it’s funny how full of **** @mrdavidhaye is. I’m not fighting him. (Fres) Oquendo is next, it’s all in the contract. A fight with Haye ain’t.”

Seems far more likely that @mrdavidhaye will end up with his proposed 02 May date against 44-year-old has-been Shannon Briggs, who is also here busy shooting his mouth off.

That is, if the Board of Control are happy that the psychologically unpredictable ancient American is a fit and proper opponent, which surely is by no means certain.

One exciting young heavyweight who in the very near future will be ready to upset the apple cart Haye has remounted is Hughie Fury, with whom I have just agreed a promotional agreement.

The undefeated 21-year-old (18-0), who is trained by his dad Peter, will have his first fight under the Queensberry banner on the undercard of Billy Joe Saunders‘ WBO world middleweight title defence against ‘Mad’ Max Bursak on Saturday April 30 at the Copper Box Arena in London’s Olympic Park, a bill exclusively live on BoxNation.

Not only do I think fast-punching Hughie could give Haye a few problems right now I predict it won’t be long before he is right up there in the higher echelon of heavyweights alongside his world champion cousin Tyson.

[Weltschmerz]

[Weltschmerz]

Eddie Hearn on Fury vs Joshua, courtesy of The Daily Mail:

I enjoyed a pleasant chat with Tyson Fury on social media this week and he seems to share the same vision as us. A fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua is simply inevitable at some point, and it might even be this year.

It's obvious that both men have some pretty huge business to take care of first. Tyson has to win his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko after beating him so brilliantly to win his world titles and AJ also faces a huge task against Charles Martin when he goes in pursuit of the IBF heavyweight crown.

What happens in those fights remains to be seen. But I find it funny when I get all these messages on social media saying I wouldn't then put Joshua in with Fury. It's the natural fight - a would-be unification fight between two British world heavyweight champions. It's what we are in the game for.

We are taking a huge gamble by putting AJ in for a heavyweight world title match in his 16th professional fight. I see it as a 50-50 fight but we and Anthony are convinced he can do the business. If he wins and so does Fury, make no mistake about our intentions. There will be a huge fight to make with Fury and we will try to make it.

The timeframe will be interesting. Rumours are that Fury-Klitschko II will be announced soon for June 4 and an AJ defence would probably come a month later. From there, it is possible, all being well, that we might make Fury-Joshua in November.

We would still have a little time before AJ's first mandatory is called so it could be that we try for that November. Obviously that would mean an indoor venue like the O2, which has become a second home for Joshua as he has stormed his way through to this point.

Obviously, these are all just loose possibilities at this stage. But there is no doubt we want this fight in the future. I remember popping in for tea a couple of months ago with Peter Fury, Tyson's uncle and trainer, to talk about AJ possibly fighting Hughie Fury in a British title defence. We spoke about the likelihood that one day Tyson and AJ would fight – everyone is excited about that thought.

It is a fight that would break all records in this country. Before any of that, both men have a big job to do.

[Weltschmerz]

[Weltschmerz]

Mick Hennessy is still Hughie Fury’s promoter; Hennessy Sports issue a statement on Hughie Fury:

In light of the news regarding Hughie Lewis Fury’s appearance on a BoxNation show on April 30, Hennessy Sports would like to clarify that Mick Hennessy remains Fury’s promoter and manager and will continue to guide the unbeaten heavyweight’s career alongside Hughie’s father and trainer, Peter Fury.

An opportunity for Hughie to box in the chief-support slot on April 30 at the Copper Box Arena was presented to both Mick Hennessy and Peter Fury (on the proviso Hughie isn’t cut or injured during his next fight on March 26) and they agreed it was one worth pursuing. Furthermore, they are receptive to other opportunities in the future.

“We have long considered Hughie Lewis Fury to be one of the hottest young talents in world boxing – a future superstar of the sport – and it’s encouraging to know other people in boxing are now realising what we have known and been saying since day one,” said Mick Hennessy.

“Hughie Lewis Fury is a special fighter and, like Tyson, his cousin, he’s going all the way to the top.”

[Weltschmerz]

Rearview Mirror:

On This Day: Mike Tyson lost that Razor sharpness: From ringside Claude Abrams said former champ Mike Tyson was in decline in 1991

IT took Donovan “Razor” Ruddock 16 months to get Mike Tyson into the ring after the former heavyweight champion withdrew from a title defence back in November 1989. But just minutes after the Canadian was stopped controversially in seven rounds at the outdoor Mirage arena, both fighters were talking rematch.

March must be a bad time of year for referee Richard Steele. As Ruddock fell back unsteadily into the ropes after absorbing Tyson’s best string of punches in the fight, Steele called it off.

Almost exactly one year ago to the day, Steele stepped in with two seconds left to save Meldrick Taylor, leading on points, against Julio Cesar Chavez in another highly debatable call.

But while Steele appeared to be hasty in waving this 12-round heavyweight title eliminator off, Tyson looked to be on the way to sending the hard-punching Ruddock to the canvas.

The sequence of punches he put together reminded me of the way Tyson ended Pinklon Thomas’ challenge in May 1987. If Tyson had been allowed to continue punching Ruddock probably would have gone down.

“I’m not happy,” Tyson said afterwards. “I can do better. Let’s fight again. I fear no man.”

It was the Canadian who came out of the fight the moral winner. Nobody expected him to show so much grit after absorbing countless rights and lefts as well as some bludgeoning body shots.

While Steele was booed from the ring as he left under security escort, the former champion followed with a similar reception. It wasn’t a typical Tyson performance.

Then followed a huge melee as the ring erupted into some sort of football terrace scrap. Once the fighting was calmed down the ring was cleared and the talk started for Tyson-Ruddock II.

“It was a tough fight but I knew from the third that I would win,” said Tyson. As for Richard Steele, I can’t make a judgement. He’s an experienced referee and I’m not his peer.

“My main objective was to dominate, to beat him slowly,” added Tyson and that he did.

Whatever happened to the fast hands, the foot and upper body movements that once made Tyson such a fearsome fighter? It was simply a show of strength and power from both men. From the first bell the intention of each fighter was to score a knockout.

Tyson was a terrible disappointment. Although he sent Ruddock to the canvas twice (early in the second, with a left that actually landed on the elbow, and with a volley of punches in the third), he was badly shaken at the end of the sixth round before turning it on in the seventh.

It was an exciting fight but a slow, heavy-hitting affair, not the kind of encounter you are used to seeing Tyson involved in.

A return fight just wouldn’t stir any interest. We know Tyson is the better man, but only just.

Tyson was full of respect for his Jamaican-born opponent.

“After the third I thought ‘Oh God, he’s not that bad’ but he has never fought a fighter like me.”

And of the finish, Tyson added: “He wasn’t going to last the round.”

Tyson looked solid at 15st 7lbs. Ruddock was equally impressive-looking at 16st 4lbs.

But while everyone anticipated a quick Tyson rush off the blocks, he wisely showed caution.

Tyson kept his hands up but the movement was slow. Ruddock claimed to be more versatile, but proved to be a one-punch fighter. His jab was non-existent and he barely threw the right.

Ruddock, who had won his last 10 fights inside, just couldn’t connect with his potent hooks. Tyson was doing all the scoring, but the former champion, 39-1 (35) going in, ended the fourth with a cut inside the bottom lip.

With Tyson moving so directly and slowly it was extraordinary how often Ruddock failed to find his target, though.

By the halfway point the pace had slowed again. But then Ruddock connected with a right in the sixth and Tyson looked hurt. He tried to hold the ropes.

An expression, only seen in Tokyo in February 1990, swept across Tyson’s face in those exciting moments.

All the action was inside. Tyson then stepped back to land a big left hook and Ruddock punched straight back at him. Another just missed the shorter Tyson and Tyson made him pay, wobbling Ruddock’s legs with an overhand right.

Ruddock was in trouble and Tyson moved in to finish it. Big combinations – a left-right, then another, then another – thudded into Ruddock and he fell backwards into the ropes.

Tyson was ready to race across and finish it but referee Steele decided he had seen enough with 2mins 22 seconds of the round gone.

Ruddock lost for the second time in a 28 with 25 wins (18 inside schedule) and a draw.

Now Tyson will meet Renaldo Snipes on June 8 in Las Vegas. A projected bout with unbeaten prospect Rid**** Bowe fell through but Bowe’s manager Rock Newman was quick to get the ball rolling again for a showdown with Tyson.

Having turned down a match with Tyson because a $3m offer wasn’t big enough, Newman says his man will take a smaller cut to meet Tyson now.

“He [Bowe] saw things that made him want to fight Mike Tyson,” said Newman. He won’t be the only one thinking along those lines. Tyson, simply, isn’t the same man since that crushing defeat in Tokyo.

[BigZ44]

Friday fights,

Albert Sosnowski - Andras Csomor
Bogdan Dinu - Marino Goles
Christian Hammer - Michael Sprott
Adrian Granat - Samir Kurtagic

Dinu and Granat are interesting prospects. Looking forward to seeing how they progress over the next couple years. Can't believe Sosnowski is coming back, when was the last meaningful fight he won?