Indholdsfortegnelse for 12 June 2025 i Boxing News

NE thing that saddens aficionados is when a fighter goes on too long. So it’s always a good thing when a boxer retires at what we would call “the right time”-that is, when a boxer is still at or near the top of his form. Two great champions retired in the past week. Vasily Lomachenko left the game because, at the age of 37, he felt, in so many words, that he had achieved all he could hope to achieve. Four-weight world champion Kosei Tanaka also retired, at 29, but in his case it was due to recurring eye injuries. Both Lomachenko and Tanaka could be said to have made their exits at the right time, albeit for different reasons. Lomachenko left at the top, having most recently knocked out…

★★★★★ 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 IPSWICH JUNE 7 MAIN EVENT UNDERCARD FABIO WARDLEY proved last Saturday that in the heavyweight division, more so than anywhere else, nothing can come even remotely close to measuring up against genuine knockout power. In other words, the optics of a truly devastating finish – such as the one produced at Portman Road, the home of Ipswich Town Football Club – will always inspire a range of emotions, quite simply lending itself to a unique, but no less compelling, spectacle. And that, of course, was exactly what Wardley, 19-0-1 (18 KOs), delivered, just at the moment he needed it most.…

BETHNAL GREEN JUNE 7 WHOLE SHOW SOUTH Ockenden’s George O’Leary secured a clear points win over Islington’s Jordan Grannum at York Hall. O’Leary (5-1-1, 1 KO, 165¼ lbs) started quickly against Grannum (12-162-5, 165¼ lbs), shooting out left jabs and occasionally switching to southpaw. Grannum pressed forward but rarely let punches go. O’Leary landed a big right to the head in the third, and when Grannum dug in a solid right to the body in the fourth O’Leary came straight back. Grannum really opened up in an action-packed sixth – but it was too little, too late. Sean McAvoy, scoring at ringside for triallist referee Bernard Oyet, had it 59-55. Six four-rounders completed this Goodwin Boxing bill. Mikey Sakyi (14-5, 5 KOs, 156lbs 7oz) overcame Chippenham’s Dan Belcher (0-3, 163 ½lbs),…

RAINTON JUNE 7 WHOLE SHOW CLACTON’S Arnie Dawson (7-0, 4 KOs, 135lbs) lived up to his ‘Terminator’ moniker, dispatching Ali Shah (4-1, 134½ lbs) in ice-cold fashion on this Jobes Promotions show. The Horden man was caught and hurt at the end of the first and Dawson carried that momentum forward, consistently finding the target with crunching rights which bloodied his opponent’s nose, while absorbing what came back with a composure belying his years. Credit to Shah, who dug deep, but when he was backed into his corner in the fourth, several spiteful shots went unanswered, and referee Ron Kearney intervened at 1-59. Jose Manuel Perez (15-24-1, 10 KOs, 129lbs 10oz) handed Sunderland’s Joe Miller (4-1, 1 KO, 129lbs 6oz) his first defeat in an entertaining six-rounder. ‘Masher’ controlled the first behind…

HAMBURG, GERMANY JUNE 7 MAIN EVENT MOURAD ALIEV was not the first to learn that a hulking physique does not necessarily translate to top-level boxing success, nor does a superior amateur pedigree always carry over to the pro ranks. The former Olympian (Tokyo 2020) and 2019 European Games silver medallist stands a chiselled 6ft 7½ins and looks, with his long, dark hair and luxuriant beard, like a Game Of Thrones character. On paper, and in terms of the more superficial eye test, he was clearly favoured to dethrone European heavyweight champion Labinot Xhoxhaj. But in boxing, often papers are torn up and the eyes can deceive. Xhoxhaj (pronounced Sho-shai) held a 24lbs weight advantage at 268½lbs, but given this was spread over a frame seven and a half inches shorter,…

KOTO-KU, JAPAN JUNE 8 WHOLE SHOW JUNTO NAKATANI continued to tick all of the right boxes in his quest for superstardom, as he turned in a career-best performance, on his biggest night, to pound bantamweight rival Ryosuke Nishida into submission after six punishing rounds at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan. In just the fourth all-Japanese unification clash in history, it was WBC champion Nakatani (31-0, 24 KOs, 117½lbs) who would outlast his IBF counterpart, utilising his vast offensive arsenal to pepper his opponent at will in a fight that was decidedly more action-packed than some had expected. While match-ups between two left-handers can often result in less-than-absorbing encounters, this, thankfully, was no such contest, with Nishida electing to stand and trade with his lethal opponent from the first bell.…

★★★★★ 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 WHOLE SHOW I TALK a lot, but I prove myself” – the words of IBF 140lbs champion Richardson Hitchins, and he aims to prove himself again when he defends his IBF title against George Kambosos Jr at Madison Square Garden’s theatre on Saturday. Brooklyn-born Hitchins has been critical of top-level fighters he feels are avoiding him. He’s outspoken, but the words have conviction. “It’s my time,” he asserts. He’s setting the bar high and putting pressure on himself. All of this helps to create interest in the fight with former lightweight champ Kambosos. And anything less…

FROM THE moment he glides regally out of the entrance to his handsome home in a quiet suburb of Accra, Azumah Nelson is instantly recognisable. Though nearing his 67th birthday, ‘The Professor’ doesn’t look much heavier than in his fighting pomp and there is nothing punchy, ponderous or hesitant about his movements. Clad in a white shirt emblazoned with the face of a lion, he retains the warrior aura that characterised his magnificent career as a two-weight world champion. However, it’s the look in Nelson’s deep brown eyes that lingers longest – a look of depth, intelligence and determination that sears into your soul. ‘The Professor’ may be long retired, but his legendary intensity is clearly undimmed. I am at Nelson’s home thanks to British- Ghanaian fight promoter and manager Michael Amoo-Bediako,…

ROYDON EBA enjoyed another lively meeting at The Orchard on Sunday, May 25, with the raffle raising £115. As Chairman Barry Penny pointed out, the raffle is our chief source of income and it was good to see it so well supported. Again, there was a good contingent from Brighton EBA, and we were delighted to welcome first-timer Bob Edgeworth from Crawley. For many years, Bob was a BBBofC timekeeper, and his services to boxing have won him several honours, including being made a Freeman of the City of London. We also welcomed back Croydon’s Lee McKenzie, former Southern Area super-lightweight champion. Lee has been undergoing treatment for cancer, and it was great to see he’d come through it successfully. Rob Benson thanked CEBA, again, for the hospitality shown to…

Jun 13 ANDREW TABITI vs JACOB DICKSON Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra, Ghana DAZN Ohara Davies vs Mohamed Aliseni Brandon Glanton vs John Napari LUCAS BROWNE vs DAVID PADOVAN Q Room, Thomastown, Australia KURT SCOBY vs HASKELL RHODES  2300 Arena, Philadelphia Brandon Pizarro vs Israel Mercado Jun 14 RICHARDSON HITCHINS vs GEORGE KAMBOSOS JR Madison Square Garden, New York DAZN (IBF super-lightweight title) Andy Cruz vs Hironori Mishiro MARIE CONNAN vs NICOLA HOPEWELL Skate Central, Sheffield FightZone NONITO DONAIRE vs ANDRES CAMPOS Casino Buenos Aires RYAD MERHY vs ANDREJ PESIC Louvain La Neuve, Walloon Brabant, Belgium Jun 19 BRIAN NORMAN JR vs JIN SASAKI Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokto ESPN+ (WBO welterweight title) Christian Araneta vs Thanongsak Simsri (vacant IBF light-flyweight title) Jun 20 MATT McHALE vs SEAN BRUCE Caledonia Gladiators Arena,…

BARNSLEY JUNE 7 MAIN EVENT UNDERCARD ATMOSPHERE THANKFULLY, while decidedly nippy, the rain held off as hugely popular local favourite Callum Simpson returned to Oakwell, triumphing once more and duly claiming the vacant European super-middleweight title in what, right from the off, in front of 15,000 adoring supporters, proved a real up and down affair. Simpson had to twice pick himself up off the canvas against seriously tough Italian Ivan Zucco before thrice downing his co-challenger and winning in the 10th. The contest had barely begun when those same noisy supporters were silenced, a pair of lefts from the southpaw sending Callum (18-0, 13 KOs, 165lbs) sprawling for the first time in his career. He rose and, in determined fashion, instead of erring on the side of caution stood and mixed…

NEWCASTLE JUNE 6 WHOLE SHOW ‘FAST AND Furious’ – rarely has a show’s tagline proven so prophetic. That was the story of Josh Kelly’s violent appearance at the Utilita Arena, where he knocked out Flavius Biea in just 123 seconds. The word ‘story’ is used advisably. ‘Paragraph’ might be a more fitting, given the brevity of the Wasserman main event. The Sunderland super-welterweight wasted no time, with his sharp left going to work upstairs and downstairs before a crisp left hook to the head decked the 35-year-old Romanian. Biea, unbeaten since 2017, was correctly counted out in the act of rising by referee Reece Carter at 2-03. More cynical observers than I suggested Biea (24-2, 12KOs, 157¾lbs) was in no rush to continue, but it would be nice to think…

PORTSMOUTH MAY 30 WHOLE SHOW SUSSEX’S Joseph Butler (7-0, 136lbs) headlined the return of boxing after 37 years to the Guildhall as he scored a 79-73 win over Frenchman Jordan Patrick Tomasoni (6-2-1, 2 KOs, 136lbs). Butler’s display on this Chris Hitchings-promoted show was rounded and dominant; he used fast hands and clever feet to steal the space from the visitor and launch combinations to which Tomasoni struggled to reply. Butler’s rapid-fire hooks upstairs from both sides were impressive, and he did well to remain composed despite dripping blood from the nose in the last. Sean McAvoy refereed and scored. Moroccan Younes Baati (3-0, 3KOs, 160lbs) forced Mr McAvoy to stop Costa Rica’s Jose Aguirre (2-13, 1KO, 165lbs) at 2-29 of a scheduled six. Baati thudded in a left hook to the…

BROADBEACH, AUSTRALIA JUNE 8 WHOLE SHOW JAI OPETAIA reinforced his interest in a unification showdown with Gilberto Ramirez, shortly after retaining his IBF and Ring Magazine titles in dominant fashion. The world cruiserweight champion’s victory arrived against Claudio Squeo, with the pair headlining a Tasman Fighters show at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia. Eyes widened after Squeo – a relatively unknown entity, as it was – hit the scales at just over 191lbs when the pair took to the scales the pre-fight weigh-in. It is typical of the Italian to come in well below the 200lb limit but, even so, the notable size difference only contributed to further speculation that he would not survive the 12-round distance. In any case, a measured start saw Opetaia (28-0, 22…

MAIN EVENT IF THE return of one fortysomething Filipino legend wasn’t enough for you, then boy do we have great news! Before Manny Pacquiao returns against Mario Barrios in July, it is the turn of 42-year-old Nonito Donaire, as he takes on Chilean Andres Campos for the WBA’s ‘interim’ bantamweight title on Saturday in Buenos Aires. Donaire (42-8, 28 KOs, pictured above) has been inactive since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Alexandro Santiago in July 2023 – a bout in which he looked a shell of the fighter he once was. No longer the potent offensive force of old, and exhibiting all of the dimmed reflexes of a fighter that has seen better days, Donaire was a sitting duck defensively and ended up soundly beaten by a man who…

FOR SEVERAL years now, knowledgeable observers have pointed out Mo Safari as one of the best prospects coming through the system. The Bracknell southpaw had collected three European medals and been unbeatable domestically, with three Tri Nations golds. Within a minute of the start of his 51kgs Youth semi-final at the Sport Wales National Centre the referee was administering a count to his Welsh opponent, Gavin Alexander, who was duly halted in round two. Another title was surely heading to Berkshire. Awaiting him in the final was Scot Aaron Sarwar. A year behind Mo in the age groups – although actually only six months younger – the lad from Kilmarnock had struck Junior gold in the Welsh capital last year while Safari was claiming the crown as a Youth. But…

IN the fading light of an Accra day, Azumah Nelson was standing, throwing punches, moving his head and watching his first fight against his great rival Jeff Fenech. “Look, look,” urged Nelson, “he’s hurt, he’s hurt.” And then, zoom-zoom, let a couple of left hooks fly. It was a privilege being in his sitting room, watching his fights all afternoon and missing the sunshine. His two husky dogs had danced with him as he shadowboxed. It was an extraordinary day. Nelson’s bungalow is in the Achimota district of the city; his iron gates were between the Blood of Jesus Church and Tina’s Chops Shops – that is the correct spelling. At his gate were traders, often kids, selling pictures of the boxing idol and small bags of fruit. The market…

GLASGOW JUNE 5 WHOLE SHOW Although it wasn’t the fight he’d been preparing for (a Celtic super-bantamweight title defence), Dylan Arbuckle headlined this night at St Andrews Sporting Club, progressing to 8-0, 3 KOs, as he did so. Original opponent Ruadhan Farrell had to withdraw injured, so instead Arbuckle [pictured above] took on heavier opponent Cesar Ignacio Paredes (18-20-1, 5 KOs, 131lbs) to ensure his camp didn’t go to waste. The Peruvian didn’t use his weight advantage, instead circling the ring for the majority of the bout, and when he did come forward, the Newarthill boxer responded comfortably with accurate shots. The Scotsman (129lbs) on occasion managed to trap his man on the ropes, where he unleashed hooks that would likely have finished lighter men, but he would have to…

TORQUAY MAY 31 WHOLE SHOW ERROL JOHNSON’S Black Country Boxing made a welcome return to the Riviera Center and showcased both experienced and up-and-coming talent from the Southwest. Boxing locally for the first time in two years, Brad Pauls (20-2-1, 11 KOs, 160lbs) got back in the win column after losing the British title to Denzel Bentley in December, with a drubbing of competent Panamanian Omir Rodriguez. Rodriguez (15-27-1, 6 Kos, 158lbs) looked confident, throwing with venom, but started to hold in the seventh as Brad’s shots produced the desired effect. Finally, a sustained attack from the ‘Newquay Bomb’, culminating with big right hand, had Rodriguez take an eight count from referee-forthe–evening Sean McAvoy, who determined that the ropes had stopped him from touching down. On resumption the final bell rang,…

NORFOLK, VA JUNE 7 WHOLE SHOW LIGHTWEIGHT wonderkid Abdullah Mason revelled in his role as stand-in headliner on Saturday night, as he dissected former world title challenger Jeremia Nakathila inside four rounds in Norfolk, Virginia. After Keyshawn Davis’ bout with Edwin De Los Santos was pulled at the eleventh hour due to Davis missing weight — a move that also saw him forfeit his WBO lightweight belt — the stage was set for precocious puncher Mason, 21, to reaffirm his own championship credentials in a stacked 135lbs division. A watchful start to the contest saw Abdullah (19-0, 17 KOs, 134½lbs) box patiently; prodding for openings out of the southpaw stance and manoeuvring the ungainly Nakathila around the ring. However, his pedestrian approach didn’t last for long, with a laser-like left-hand…

“That’s exactly what I’m about: challenging myself against the best” HE TEMPTATION for a fighter to take their eye off the ball, soon after scaling far beyond their wildest dreams, should never be underestimated. It remains palpable – dangerous, even – to a point at which, without that same fire burning deep inside, they are swiftly left with nothing but a blunt set of tools, pathetically designed to fend off rivals. No longer do they possess that almost animalistic instinct, so fierce that even the idea of running through brick walls once seemed a walk in the park. Instead, a fighter – having adjusted to their drastic change of lifestyle – becomes little more than a civilian, enveloped by a comforting world of fine dining and lavish excursions. “It’s tough…

N MONDAY, October 24, 1949, a small car was taking the boxer Jimmy Green from Warrington to Leeds so that he could box Gus Foran for the North-Central Area bantamweight title. As well as Green, his second, Cyril Shuttleworth, his trainer, James Collin, and his manager, Pete Ray, were also in the car. As it approached Salteye Corner, near Eccles, a known accident blackspot, it skidded, careered across the road, and crashed head-on with an oncoming lorry. The occupants were all thrown out into the road as the body of the car was ripped open. Green was severely injured, as were both Collin and Shuttleworth. Ray was not so lucky, losing his life. Peter Urey, to quote his real name, was well known in Northern boxing circles in 1949. Like…