Heavyweight Schedule for 2018

[The Hammer]

Mariusz Wach interview, he has no excuses:




Sauerland's Meyer says Alexander Povetkin will fight Wlad by March:




Over half the people in Ukraine watched Klitschko-Wach, the fight had the highest possible rating:




Jonathan Banks says Alexander Povetkin is a top heavyweight and will be an interesting opponent for Wladimir:



Jonathan Banks in line for WBC title shot if he wins on Saturday

Unified heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s new trainer Johnathon Banks faces Seth Mitchell this weekend, just days after coaching the Ukrainian to victory over Mariusz Wach.

The 30 year-old, who took over training the formidable WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO title holder after the passing of boxing legend Emanuel Steward, knows a win over Mitchell could put him next in line to face his fighter’s brother Vitali next year.

The WBC semi-final eliminator takes place on the DeMarco v Broner undercard this Saturday at the Boardwalk Hall and will see the victor possibly facing the elder Klitschko if a fight with David Haye fails to materialize.

It may be an awkward situation should Banks come through and whether the Detroit fighter would be willing to accept such a fight looks doubtful in the current climate. Another possibility could be a fight with Tyson Fury in March, for the right to face Haye for the vacant title towards the back end of 2013.

Unbeaten power-puncher Mitchell will undoubtedly be a stern challenge for Banks though, and could make any title talk academic if he inflicts a second defeat on the fledgling trainer in Atlantic City.

[The Hammer]

Johnson: I'm ***** and Fury is Romney - I'm the President of this division!

Former world heavyweight title challenger Kevin Johnson 28-2-1 (13KOs) is one of the smoothest talkers in boxing and 'Kingpin' is equally as smooth inside the ring with his all around boxing skills.

The big man has a huge opportunity to put those skills to the test and prove his credentials once again as he prepares to face undefeated heavyweight star Tyson Fury 19-0 (14 KOs) on December 1st in Belfast, Ireland.

Since his disappointing loss to Tor Hamer in the finals of last June’s Prizefighter - Heavyweight tournament, Johnson has yearned for the opportunity to erase the setback that almost halted his path towards another heavyweight title opportunity.

“As far as Prizefighter, anyone that knows Kevin Johnson knows that I start out slow and usually lose the first couple of rounds. I go in, I look, I seize and I conquer. It takes a couple of rounds for me to formulate the equations and execute.“ Johnson told World Boxing News.

“The way Prizefighter was brought up to me, I was to go in there and fight, then within seconds after that fight, I would fight again. Then instantly after that, the third guy would be in the ring, but them delays in between each fight were unbelievable.”

“It was 34 minutes after the first fight and my body was asleep and I couldn't warm up for the second fight, that’s why I struggled. And by the third fight I was cold and shot, I was asleep.

"Tor Hamer won and I can’t take nothing from him but one thing he will tell you is that you do not want to fight me in a 10 or 12 round fight.”

Kevin Johnson and Tyson Fury are no strangers to trash talking as even with less than three weeks before the fight, expect the trash talking to reach intense proportions as the fight inches closer. That is one of the reasons why this fight is so intriguing to the boxing public, as
Johnson knows heading back to the UK and beating a superstar like Tyson Fury will get him one step closer to bigger opportunities.

“We wanted this fight a long time ago. We’ve been looking for this fight for years. I wanted to a least give this kid a chance to develop and now he feels that he’s on top of the world. He wants to be the better man and I want to be heavyweight champion of the world. This fight is going to be a walk in the park for me.

“I’m coming to seek, annihilate and destroy. All I ask for is the same thing my president asked for, I just want four years to be heavyweight champion of the world. I’m Barack ***** and he’s Mitt Romney and I will be the heavyweight champion and the president of my division. I will be acknowledged throughout the world with or without this guy.

“This guy Fury is an Oak tree and at the bottom of this tree, one of the roots is broken. I am the lumberjack who will find that broken root and I will chop this tree down on December 1st.

[BostonGuy]

I'd be intrested to know what kind shape Kevin Johnson is in. This fight is less than 3 weeks away - I wonder if he's been in the gym or not. In my estimacion Tyson Fury will be in excellent shape as he's really shown improvement and dedication this year.

[The Hammer]

Sanders promises Price the fight of his life against Skelton

Kevin Sanders knows all about orchestrating boxing upsets. One of the UK's most respected trainers, Sanders has been developing fighters and producing champions for decades.

Kevin was in Nigel Benn's corner when the 'Dark Destroyer' upset the odds to beat feared American Gerald McClellan in a 1995 WBC world title defence and, more recently, was instrumental in Matt Skelton's 2008 'away from home' victory over Paolo Vidoz for the European heavyweight crown.

On November 30, at Liverpool's Aintree Equestrian Centre, Sanders will be hoping he can help Skelton (pictured) pull off another underdog coup when 'The Bedford Bear' challenges big-punching David Price, 14-0 (12), for his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

With a well-earned reputation as a man that always comes to fight, Matt, 28-6 (23), a former domestic champion and world title challenger, enters the contest with nothing to lose and everything to gain, and that, Sanders believes, makes him very dangerous.

Hear from Kevin in the lead up to the fight:

You've been around boxing for decades and have seen a lot of heavyweights – how good is David Price?

He's a very good, very well-schooled fighter.

Each fight he's had as a pro he's improved and that's down to his coach. I did a bit of pad work with him last year and he's very correct and powerful with his punches. He's coming along very well.

Would you say he'll end up as one of the UK's best heavyweights?
It's a little bit too early to say. He's progressing the right way and I'm sure they'd [Price's camp] be the first to tell you that. There are too many people wanting to run away with it and say he's this, that and the other.

I think he needs to learn his trade, which he's doing.

One thing's for certain, he's in for the toughest fight of his life on the 30th, and then we'll see.

What did you make of Price's win over Audley Harrison?
I think Audley did come to fight; he didn't sit back, but David was far too sharp for him. He was very precise and accurate, and they've [his coaches] taught him that.

How hard is it to prepare Matt for someone of Price's stature, amateur pedigree, and power?

If you stand of front of him he's going to catch you. That's the key; don't stand in front of him. Matt will be on his chest, throwing punches from all over, and Matt can work for 12 rounds.

I've got a 6' 8" heavyweight in Carl Spencer from Doncaster, who beat the Canadian Olympian and had a win over Richard Towers. He's just turned pro and has had one fight and he's been sparring with Matt. He's getting that height, so it's good.

Training's good. He's in great shape and you'll see that at the weigh in.
You've known and worked with Matt for a number of years – what kind of mind-set will he be in for this fight?

He's the underdog so he's got no pressure.

He's been a multiple champion and won everything in the game. He's been the distance with, at the time, one of the recognised, proper heavyweight champions in Ruslan Chagaev. He bashed up Vidoz, who was a great amateur, and stopped him in nine rounds. He's beaten [Michael] Sprott and Danny Williams. He came unstuck against Martin Rogan, but that fight was against our recommendations; his mother passed away and we told him not to take it.

He's coming to fight, no doubt about that. He's not coming to dance around.
Matt's a huge underdog - what makes you confident that he can cause an upset?

One thing about Frank Maloney, he knows how to manoeuvre fighters, but he's never manoeuvred him [Price] into a tank; he [Price] has been well manoeuvred.

If Matt's an underdog then he's got nothing to lose and he'll just go out there and have a row; and that's what he wants to do, completely spoil him for 12 rounds.

It'll be a similar job to [Tom] Dallas and Vidoz, who he beat like that. He was the underdog in those fights, he's got no pressure and he'll just go out and jump on him.

[The Hammer]

Peter Fury says Alexander Dimitrenko, Tor Hamer and Michael Grant turned down the fight with Tyson Fury:

Trainer reveals battle to fill December 1 date

Tyson Fury announced his opponent for what will be his 20th professional contest on December 1 in Belfast recently, with just under three weeks to go until the fight after struggling to find an opponent.

Now the number three ranked WBC title challenger’s trainer and uncle Peter has listed the names to WBN of the fighters who refused to oppose the 6ft 9ins man mountain and attempt to end his heavyweight run.

Rumours had spread and been confirmed that Prizefighter champion Tor Hamer, who beat Fury’s eventual opponent Kevin Johnson in the final, was offered the contest and rejected it, which was first to be rubberstamped by Peter.

“It’s true that Tor Hamer was offered the fight, but obviously he turned it down,” Fury confirmed to World Boxing News.

“(Former Lennox Lewis foe) Michael Grant got in touch with Mick Hennessy (Fury’s promoter). We accepted it and then he backed out.

“(One-time European title holder) Alexander Dimitrenko, American Eddie Chambers were both offered and Denis Boytsov, who has now postponed on us.

“Some people are now slating Johnson, but he has been offering Seth Mitchell and Deontay Wilder out for a year and they are avoiding him. This needs to be said and Tyson should get credit for the opponent’s he wants to fight.”

Johnson, 33, once went the distance with Vitali Klitschko, losing via a wide points margin, but not embarrassing himself by any means and ‘Kingpin’ has already begun his customary verbal assault, which Tyson Fury has brushed off.

“I know the guy can sell a fight for sure. But Johnson can have the war of words because in the ring it's entirely another situation when he faces me,” The former Irish champion stated bluntly.

Tyson Fury and Kevin Johnson will square off at the Odyssey Arena next month in what has been billed as a WBC semi-final eliminator, with a shot at Vitali Klitschko one step closer for the winner.

[The Hammer]

Kevin Johnson: "Fight with Tyson Fury will be a cakewalk for me"




Jonathan Banks and Seth Mitchell will fight for the vacant WBC Intercontinental title vacated by Mariusz Wach.




Tomasz Adamek says he wants to become the IBF mandatory and fight Wladimir Klitschko in 2013.




Magomed Abdusalamov is back in training after recovering from a rib injury he had while preparing for his September 2012 Jameel McCline fight.

[The Hammer]

Mitchell was impressed with Banks work in Wladimir's corner:



Byrant Jennings:

[The Hammer]

Seth Mitchell says he respects the Klitschkos, they are "committed professionals"

[The Hammer]

Dereck Chisora says he's not going to retire:

[The Hammer]

The WBO rankings were updated today:



Wladimir Klitschko (Super Champion)

1. Robert Helenius

2. Denis Boytsov

3. Seth Mitchell (NABO)

4. David Haye (International)

5. Chris Arreola

6. Luis Ortiz (Latino)

7. Carlos Takam (WBO Africa)

8. Tyson Fury (Int-Cont)

9. Francesco Pianeta

10. Shane Cameron (Asia-Pac.) (Oriental)

11. Kubrat Pulev

12. Christian Hammer (WBO Europe)

13. Joe Hanks

14. Andriy Rudenko

15. David Price