Indholdsfortegnelse for 3 July 2025 i Boxing News

Four people with different perspectives tell Boxing News what it was like to be in the presence of greatness PRIOR to his multi-decorated professional career, Lomachenko was possibly the greatest amateur boxer of all time, losing just one of nearly 400 bouts. So, facing him in the unpaid code was no small task, either – as Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell found out when he faced ‘The Matrix’ twice in a two-month spell in 2013, failing to win a round on either occasion. What was it like getting the call to face Lomachenko? It was in the World Series of Boxing [WSB] against the Ukrainian team, the Otamans, and I remember Lomachenko hadn’t taken part in it yet. I was supposed to be facing one of the other Ukrainian guys, so I…

BRIAN NORMAN JR knocking out Jin Sasaki with a left hook from out of the blue was what we now call a “wow moment”. Sasaki, down twice in the opening round, was making a gritty fight-back. He even won the fourth round on one judge’s card. Then, in the fifth round, Norman’s left hook dropped Sasaki flat on his back, out like a light. “Wow” indeed. The Norman KO win got me thinking about other dramatic left-hook moments. There have been quite a few of them. THE SWEETEST HOOK EVER THROWN As a personal favourite, I’ll go with Sugar Ray Robinson’s fifth-round knockout over Gene Fullmer at Chicago Stadium in May 1957, when Sugar Ray regained the middleweight title. The rugged, mauling, brawling Fullmer had beaten Robinson on a unanimous…

QUEBEC CITY, CANADA JUNE 27 WHOLE SHOW CHRISTIAN MBILLI, aware of his position as a boxer too dangerous for his own good, yet not famous enough to force a marquee fight, is doing the best he can do under the circumstances: posting repeated reminders of the threat he poses to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. When Canelo can command vast riches regardless of who he fights, it’s understandable he’d opt for the lesser-punching likes of William Scull over a powerful pressure fighter such as Mbilli, or a former lightweight in Terence Crawford over the hulking, undefeated Canadian who is built like – and fights like – a 168lbs Mike Tyson impersonator. Mbilli is ranked No.2 at super-middleweight by Boxing News, although admittedly has achieved elite status without beating anyone truly elite. But…

HARROW JUNE 28 WHOLE SHOW HEADLINED by a six-rounder, although opened by the evening’s only eight-rounder, Costas Evangelou’s Premier Boxing Promotions brought fighters from all over the globe to a sweltering Harrow Leisure Centre. It was Kosovan-German Drilon Rama, a Big Brother winner in Albania, who ended the evening’s boxing by seeing off Dzimitry Atrokhau (16-29,7 KOs,165¼lbs) 59-56 on Amy Pu’s scorecard. Rama (5-0, 1 KO, 167lbs) often switched to southpaw to mirror his Belarusian opponent, but had more success when he stayed orthodox. Jonatas Rodrigo de Oliviera (Brazil, 6-28, 5 KOs, 140lbs 1oz) recovered well after being dropped by a body shot from Witney’s unbeaten Bradley Townsend (18-0, 3 KOs, 143lbs 9oz) in the opening stanza. An accidental head clash later cut Brad’s left eye, however he kept his composure…

BETHNAL GREEN JUNE 27 WHOLE SHOW ATMOSPHERE ZAK CHELLI made a winning bow at light-heavyweight when he stopped Adam Hepple in the 10th and last round to claim the vacant English title at York Hall (Trinity Entertainment Boxing/Warren Boxing Management promoted). Fulham’s Chelli, former British and Commonwealth champion at super-middle, led clearly for all three judges: 89-81 for Lee Every and Marcus McDonnell, 88-82 for Terry O’Connor. While many rounds were similar, the fight always held the interest, with Chelli’s better movement, faster hands and greater variety letting him pile up points with jabs and rights. Hepple (5-3, 1 KO, 174lbs 1oz) came forward throughout but was too predictable. When the Seaham man did land a left hook or right hand, Chelli (16-3-1, 7 KOs, 175lbs) fired back with combinations. The…

A NEW ERA at the World Boxing Organization was ushered in when long-time president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel stepped down at the end of 2024, to be replaced two months later by Gustavo Olivieri. The 41-year-old Puerto Rican succeeded Valcarcel, who was president for 28 years, having previously served as lead attorney for the sanctioning body. Oliveiri is a markedly younger face than his predecessor, who was 74 when he resigned, as well as his “Big Four” counterparts, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, Gilberto Mendoza Jr (WBA) and Daryl Peoples (IBF). He talked Boxing News through some of his plans, ideas and opinions. Do you feel any pressure stepping into your new role? “I do. I’m occupying a chair previously held by one of the most knowledgeable boxing experts in the industry. “Paco…

WHAT a great fight both Galal Yafai and Francisco Rodriguez Jr put on in Birmingham. Rodriguez was terrific and Yafai, in only his 10th professional fight, was magnificent in defeat. However, Yafai was outgunned in every facet. Rodriuez had fast hands, was more ferocious and was heavier handed. Sadly I fear now for Yafai’s future, for this was a very tough fight and he took a lot of heavy punches. So, what went wrong? In my opinion, it wasn’t the way Galal boxed, he was just too inexperienced as a professional boxer to know how to deal with a fighter like Rodriguez. The blame rests with Eddie Hearn, for surely he should have known how good Rodriguez was and the reality of how relatively inexperienced Galal was. This was poor…

THE FIRST Brit to face Lomachenko as a professional found him to be in a particularly destructive mood. Manchester’s Anthony Crolla challenged him for the WBA, WBO and lineal lightweight championship in Los Angeles in April 2019 and found that, even as former WBA titleholder himself, he had never faced anyone quite like Lomachenko. How did you feel when the Lomachenko fight was made? I was made up. It was a world title shot, I was fighting the pound-for-pound number one at the time – and I was well aware of the task. I remember one of my mates ringing me – this is a guy who went to all of my fights – and he started laughing! “Croll, seriously? How are you going to beat him?” and I was…

THE retirement announcement of Vasily Lomachenko was, like so much of his work inside the ring, perfectly timed. The switch-hitting Ukrainian captivated opponents and fans in equal measure as he glid around the ring, stopping to fire improbably accurate combinations and then seeming to disappear before his opponent could even think about replying, reappearing a moment later in a different place and punching his man again, or proving maddeningly impossible to hit even when standing within arm’s reach of an increasingly tormented adversary. Rarely has a boxer’s nickname been so apt as Lomachenko’s ‘Matrix’. His legacy was forged across just 21 professional contests; a number at which many boxers are still firmly placed among the “prospect” ranks. Of course, that paid career was preceded by one of the most incredible…

★★★★★ OUTSTANDING ★★★★ GOOD ★★★ FAIR ★★ DISAPPOINTING ★ RUBBISH Reporters’ star ratings for main events and undercards are based on in-ring entertainment, competitiveness and whether overall expectation was met ANAHEIM, CA JUNE 28 MAIN EVENT UNDERCARD IF BOXING does indeed need ‘saving’ from Jake Paul and his travelling circus, it was perhaps not the smartest idea to send in another clown. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened on Saturday night, as former WBC middleweight champion turned perennial disappointment Julio Cesar Chavez Jr squeezed one final payday, at 39, out of his famous last name with a meek showing over 10 painfully pedestrian rounds. The ‘fight’ – Paul’s 13th as a professional – was as low on action as it was on quality, with neither man doing much of anything…

ONE OF the first boxers to report back from the front line to the readers of Boxing News was Sergeant Pat McEnroy of the Irish Guards. Sgt McEnroy was a well-known figure in British rings prior to the outbreak of war, having won 51 of his 68 professional contests. He boxed for the British middleweight title in 1912, losing to Jack Harrison of Rushden over the full 20-round course at the National Sporting Club in May 1912. In late September 1914 he sent a letter to the editor of Boxing News in which he reported that “Right "Right from the start we have been very fortunate. We had agreat reception from the French people, and a very warm one from the Germans, which we did our best to return in…

The very best action, previews and news from Olympic-style boxing SEND us your club’s news, results or upcoming events to submissions@boxingnewsonline.net THERE was a new name added to the list of British boxers who have conquered America after Robert McNulty won gold at USA Boxing’s Summer Festival in Las Vegas. The 22-year-old from Goodfellows ABC headed back to Glasgow with cruiserweight gold after winning three bouts in three days. He won every bout unanimously and in both the semi-final and final McNulty beat opponents ranked in the top 10 in the United States. “That was top international boxing,” said McNulty. “All the top Americans were there. “It was class and the atmosphere was crazy. It was mobbed. “[Two-weight world champion] Teofimo Lopez was there, commentating. I could see him at…

★★★★★ OUTSTANDING ★★★★ GOOD ★★★ FAIR ★★ DISAPPOINTING ★ RUBBISH The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be MAIN EVENT UNDERCARD IT HARDLY seems possible, but after career-best wins, over Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis last year, Jack Catterall finds himself in what could be a make-or-break fight, against Harlem Eubank on Saturday. In a way, it’s a new beginning for Catterall, fighting at 147lbs after Arnold Barboza Jr outscored him at 140lbs WBO in February. But while Catterall seeks to regroup, Eubank will see this Manchester 12-rounder as his big chance; a fight which can propel his career. The term “crossroads fight” tends to be overused, but this one fits the bill. Catterall’s…

HULL JUNE XX MAIN EVENT UNDERCARD ATMOSPHERE THE VACANT European light-heavyweight title was up for grabs at the smart Connexin Live where, at the culmination of an engrossing 12-round affair, Mancunian Bradley Rea (21-1, 10 KOs, 174lbs 6oz) was adjudged a unanimous yet close winner over Birmingham’s Shakan Pitters (20-3, 7 KOs, 173lbs 7oz). Fortune favoured the fleet-of-foot Rea early on, with the taller Pitters, erring a little too much on the side of caution, attempting, not always successfully, to keep the pleasantries at his considerable arms' length, and it was those early banked rounds which would ultimately see ‘The Sting’ home. Brad, busier and having scored regularly to the body, may well have been nursing a fairly healthy lead by the halfway stage, but those who thought his victory…

MAESTEG JUNE 8 THE SOUTHERN Division eloped with bragging rights after eclipsing their rivals in the Western Division by four wins to three in a bitterly contested showdown at the Celtic Rugby Club. The hosts flew out of the traps to assume an unassailable 4-0 lead before the West rebounded with a late hat-trick to plug the gap, after an afternoon of high-grade boxing, officiating and corner work. Starlet of the show was Llynfi Valley hotstepper Tyler Harris, who levelled her long-standing rivalry with Lacy Darling (Premier ABC) at 2-2 with a hugely impressive third-round stoppage victory. Lacy largely held ring centre, but the wonderfully relaxed Welsh Youth champ Harris was too busy and had too much variety, forcing four counts before the referee intervened. Talented Tyler, 48kgs, copped the…