Indholdsfortegnelse for 21 August 2025 i Boxing News

HAVE YOU noticed we’ve had a spate of draws in recent weeks? Antonio Vargas fought a draw with Daigo Higa in their fight for Vargas’ WBA bantamweight title in Yokohama, while in Malaga, Spain, hometown fighter Samuel Molina kept his European welterweight title with a draw against Belgian challenger Anas Messaoudi. And before that a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao surprised many of us by battling to a 12-round draw with Mario Barrios, 16 years his junior, in a welterweight title fight. Home favourite ‘Gucci’ Manny Flores looked fortunate to get a draw with underdog Jorge Chavez at Indio, California, that same weekend. And this past weekend 1/12 favourite Omar Trinidad was held to a 10-round by Venezuela’s Lorenzo Parra (nephew of the ex-champ of the same name). There’s nothing wrong with…

EMAIL submissions@boxingnewsonline.net ON TWITTER/X @BoxingNewsED ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/boxingnewsonline ON INSTAGRAM @boxingnewsonline I AM REALLY enjoying Miles Templeton’s 'History of Boxing', and also the 'Where Are They Now?’ articles – great stuff. On the subject of boxing history, the other night I settled down to watch some George Foreman fights from both incarnations of his career. What struck me was not just the bouts themselves, but the historical figures surrounding them – trainers such as the great Archie Moore, Sandy Saddler and, weirdly, seeing Angelo Dundee in Foreman’s corner – not to mention pre-fight appearances by the likes of Joe Louis. This is in stark contrast to the experience of watching a modern-day great – and he truly is great – in Oleksandr Usyk. In the future, instead of feeling a…

IRISH contender Callum Walsh has landed a golden opportunity to shine on one of 2025’s biggest stages. The Los Angeles-based super-welterweight (14-0, 11 KOs, pictured above) will meet fellow hard-hitter and unbeaten Fernando Vargas Jr (17-0, 15 KOs) on the September 13 Canelo Alvarez–Terence Crawford undercard in Las Vegas. Vargas Jr, nicknamed ‘El Feroz’, is the son of former two-time world 154lbs champion ‘Ferocious’ Fernando Vargas. Walsh, trained by Freddie Roach, has been steadily building a fanbase in the US and will see this Netflix-streamed event as the perfect platform to make his mark. Also confirmed is a super-middleweight shootout between two more undefeated fighters. Christian Mbilli (29-0, 24 KOs) faces Guatemala’s Lester Martinez (19-0, 6 KOs) in what could be Mbilli’s final hurdle before a world title shot. With…

NEATH AUGUST 16 WHOLE SHOW LLANSAMLET hardcase Willy Gilheaney emerged as a two-weight Welsh champion with just six fights and 34 pro rounds on his ledger when he walked down then chopped up Cardiff’s Carvell Crocker (8-1, 158lbs 6oz) in the scheduled 10-round bill-topper of a Pat Barrett Black Flash promotion that was combustible between the ropes and beyond. ‘Gladiator’ Gilheaney (6-0, 1KO, 158¼lbs) gobbled the national 168lb gong last April but appears an altogether more formidable beast 8lbs south. Despite leaking heavily from the nose after skulls collided in round two, hammer-handed Willy proved too rough and ready, sapping the strength then draining the heart from Crocker. Spiteful hook/uppercut combos dumped Crocker on the deck late in fifth and early in the sixth, convincing cornerman Gary Locket to wave the…

A NEW AND surreal chapter in the bizarre annals of boxing history will be written on Saturday night in Lagos, Nigeria, when former top heavyweight contender Ike ‘The President’ Ibeabuchi makes a comeback at the age of 52 – more than 26 years since his last ring appearance. At least, that’s the plan. Given Ibeabuchi’s volatile past and the untested nature of nascent promoters Prizefighting.tv, who have organised his scheduled $29.99 pay-per-view contest against Idris ‘Finito’ Afinni at the 24,000-capacity Teslim Balogun Stadium, scepticism abounds over whether the fight will actually happen. This is, after all, an Ike Ibeabuchi fight, and the Nigerian heavyweight’s rollercoaster life has already encompassed a suicide attempt, a conviction for sexual assault, claims to promoter Cedric Kushner that demons inhabited an air-conditioning unit in his hotel room,…

THERE is a saying in the sport, “as go the heavyweights, so goes boxing”, and this is still as true today as it has ever been. In 1924, British heavyweight boxing was at its lowest ebb, despite the wider game booming as never before. Georges Carpentier had put paid to most of our hopes either side of the Great War, the poor showing of our champion Frank Goddard during 1919 and 1923, and the disastrous Wembley show that saw the demise of not only our leading heavyweight, but also his promoter, dealt damaging blows to British heavyweight championship boxing in the early 1920s. We had no-one to compare with Carpentier, let alone Jack Dempsey. An early attempt to improve this depressing situation was made in 1922 when an American, Tex…

THANKS to the determined efforts of Terry Kavanagh, and others, from the Merseyside Ex-Boxers Association, a commemorative stone was recently unveiled by John Conteh at the site of the famous Liverpool Stadium. This famous venue, where professional boxing was held regularly between 1932 and 1985, stood on Bixteth Street, near St Paul’s Square in the heart of the city, and Terry was determined for it to be properly remembered. The hall opened on October 20, 1932, when Portsmouth’s Stoker Harry Reynolds stopped local hero Alf Howard in four rounds in a British welterweight title eliminator. On the same bill that night were Liverpool legends Ernie Roderick and Ginger Foran. Every Thursday night, until well into the 1960s, Liverpool Stadium was the place to be for the best professional boxing anywhere…

IF YOU’D asked me at any point since I was 14 years old where I’d want to work, I’d have told you “Boxing News”. I was 13 and a half when I, along with millions of other Brits – including seemingly everyone in school – found myself enthralled by the rivalry between Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn and tuned in on a Sunday night in November 1990 to see them settle it. So good was the fight that I decided to follow both boxers from that point on. But I found myself doing much more than that. As it would be several months before Eubank or Benn next fought, I started reading about other boxers in the newspapers, browsing the boxing section on Teletext, and buying boxing games for my…

Highlighting the best of the week’s stories WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NET FORMER WBC strawweight champion Yudai Shigeoka (9-2, 5 KOs) has announced his retirement from boxing, three months after his younger brother, Ginjiro (11-2, 9 KOs), suffered a life-changing injury in the ring. On May 24 in Osaka, Japan, Ginjiro was defeated in his bid to become a two-time IBF strawweight champion by Pedro Taduran (18-4-1, 13 KOs), the man who had dethroned him the previous July. Taduran caused a major upset in Otsu last summer, stopping Shigeoka in the ninth round of a one-sided fight. Alarmingly, the beaten champion collapsed in the ring and had to be carried out on a stretcher. The rematch went the distance, with Taduran retaining his title via split decision. Yet again, Shigeoka collapsed afterward and was…

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 RIYADH AUGUST 16 MAIN EVENT THERE’S a story as old as time itself as it pertains to the careers of boxers; the old wolf on the hill must make way for the young wolf climbing it. This was a narrative that was exhausted in the buildup to this fight and it’s impossible not to address here. Moses Itauma has been heralded as the second coming of Mike Tyson and had been hopeful to break his record of being the youngest heavyweight champion. While this opportunity has passed, Itauma has bulldozed and broken just about everything and everyone in his path so far. His statistics are…

BIRMINGHAM AUGUST 16 WHOLE SHOW BRUMMIE Cori Gibbs (20-1, 3 KOs, 136¼lbs) had boxed just twice since slipping to his sole career loss at the hands of Brighouse’s Jimmy First way back in December 2022 (a defeat he was quick to avenge), so his outing against usually durable Peruvian Cesar Ignacio Parades (18-23-1, 5 KOs, 136¼lbs) was very much a rust-shedding exercise. Boxing for the first time in 14 months, on this Anthony Manning promotion, the 60-54 score handed down by third man Peter McCormack at the end of six rounds will have ticked a number of boxes for Gibbs [pictured]. Previously unbeaten Zain Ali (3-1-2, 161½lbs) goes by the nickname of ‘The Problem’ and certainly has no problem shifting tickets, but his noisy supporters were left disappointed as he…

THAI PAYAK GYM THE midday heat hits like a wall as we step out of the AC-cooled car. Inside, the air is heavy, fans turning slowly. Chatchai Sasakul, the former world flyweight champion, who has produced multiple titleholders since becoming a trainer, sizes Turner up. Four hard rounds follow with former 105lbs and 108lbs champion Panya Pradabsri. The gym falls silent except for the snap of leather and the creak of the ring. “He is good – very good technique,” says Chatchai. technique,” says Chatchai. NAKORNLUANG PROMOTION A GLOOMY, overcast day matches the atmosphere. Nakornluang, closed to the public, has a guarded feel. It’s home to a stable of world-ranked contenders. Promoter Surachart Phisitvuthinun watches from ringside, older and serious, as Turner goes six rounds with former WBA light-flyweight challenger…

HOWARD EASTMAN lost in Los Angeles to Bernard Hopkins in the last professional world title fight from overseas to be broadcast on the BBC. It was a fine fight and, a month later, it was all over for the BBC and boxing. It was February of 2005, Hopkins was the middleweight champion of the world and Eastman had been the British and European champion at the weight; it was a gruelling fight and Eastman, if I remember correctly, sacked his cornerman after about five or six rounds. He lost, but he could have made it very difficult for Hopkins if he had not had a long-running and vicious war of words with his trainer at the end of each round. The fight came close to the end of a good…

Highlighting the best of the week’s stories WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NET GERVONTA ‘TANK’ DAVIS is now free to focus on his career after domestic violence charges against him were dropped. The WBA lightweight champion was arrested on July 11, on an outstanding warrant linked to an incident on June 15, when Davis was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend – the mother of his two children – outside her home in Doral, Florida. Davis had been scheduled to defend his title in a rematch against Lamont Roach on August 16, five months after their first meeting ended in a draw in Brooklyn. Many observers felt Roach, moving up from super-featherweight, had done enough to win. That rematch may now be back on the table after TMZ Sports reported that the domestic violence case had…

UNDERCARD ATMOSPHERE IT HAS fallen to Nick Ball to carry the mantle – and responsibility – of being Britain’s only current boxing world champion. That pressure came thick and fast in the form of Sam Goodman (20-1-0, 8 KOs, 126lbs), who came to wrest Ball’s WBA title away and take it back with him to Australia. Moses Itauma isn’t the only one to draw the Mike Tyson comparisons, as Kirkdale’s 23-0-1, 13 KOs, ‘Wrecking Ball’ continues to showcase bobbing, weaving and movement that has no fat on the bone – much like his physique. Goodman offered plenty of resistance and the fight was a pleasing clash of styles; Ball offering extremely purposeful movement and hardhitting shots, while Goodman used his size and range to pile on a series of twitching…

RIYADH AUGUST 13 WHOLE SHOW HEAVYWEIGHT power-puncher Keaton Gomes is proving to be the surprise package of the WBC Grand Prix. The 26-year-old entered on the back of a loss of his South African championship and is now through to the semi-finals after three straight stoppages in Riyadh. Devon Young was the latest to bow to his power, being halted in the first. The American – ranked among the pre-tournament favourites – spent most of the 118 seconds this fight lasted on rubbery legs. Inside the opening 20 seconds, Keaton cracked him with a right that dazed him. Young – who had seven early wins on his 9-0 record – regained his senses, but couldn’t get out of the way of Gomes’ right hand and was eventually dropped heavily for five. Referee…

MARK ‘THUNDER’ CHAMBERLAIN looked like a man who knew his responsibilities but was getting restless with the antics around him. On the second floor of a Bury venue sat a table, four fighters and Queensberry’s Dev Sahni. The cameras rolled for Locked In – a spin on the tired face-off format, where boxers trade words in a confined setting. Alongside Chamberlain were Jack Rafferty, Zak Miller and Leon Woodstock. The latter pair provided most of the drama. Miller, defending his Commonwealth featherweight crown, looked bemused as Woodstock, in a balaclava, tried mind games relentlessly. Chamberlain, meanwhile, cut a quieter figure. “It was just going round in circles,” he tells Boxing News afterwards. “It’s no secret to anyone, me and Jack have that mutual respect. [But] when we get in there…

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 FIGHTER vs boxer usually produces a compelling contest, and that’s the sort of matchup we have on Saturday when Jack Rafferty meets Mark Chamberlain for the British and Commonwealth super-lightweight titles at Altrincham, Greater Manchester, on Saturday. Rafferty (26-0, 17 KOs) is the fighter with the come-forward style, looking to break his opponents down and ultimately overwhelm them. Chamberlain (17-1, 12 KOs) is more of the counter-puncher from out of his southpaw stance. The two styles should gel perfectly. Rafferty, 29, is the favourite at 4/11. He is undefeated, he’s the champion, the home fighter and he’s in…

BEATEN in three successive National Amateur Championship finals, Mary Kate Smith plans to shock the world in Liverpool next month. England Boxing are sending the 21-year-old from Hook and Jab to compete at the World Championships at the M&S Bank Arena – only five months after she was beaten in the NAC final in Derby. The tightest of 3-2 split decisions went against her in the 75kgs final against Danielle Marshall (Hartlepool Catholic) after she emptied her tank in the last three minutes, in a result that left her “heartbroken”. “I have changed a lot since that final,” said Smith. “I’m not the same fighter I was then. I was an emotional fighter. I was taking punches to land them. Now I’m in and out, off to the side. “I’m…

THE weather couldn’t have been kinder – and there was a packed house (and garden) at The Romans for Brighton EBA’s Summer Barbecue. I went with fellow-Croydon EBA member Trevor Cattouse and his wife, Caroline – and when we arrived we were delighted to find another CEBA member, Karl Barwise, all the way from Hertford. I keep stressing how important it is that EBAs support one another by attending functions, and meetings. Home Counties EBA Chairman Bob Williams was there, too. Karl Barwise was reunited with old opponent Mark Baker, now living in Horley. The pair clashed at York Hall in January 1994, Karl winning on points. It was Mark’s first loss after six straight wins, and he would win his next 14 – including outpointing Sven Hamer for the…

Aug 23 JACK RAFFERTY vs MARK CHAMBERLAIN Planet Ice, Altrincham DAZN (British and Commonwealth super-lightweight titles) Zak Miller vs Leon Woodstock (Commonwealth featherweight title) Jack Turner vs Nicolas Agustin Muguruza Lewis Richardson vs Artjom Spatar JAMAINE ORTIZ vs STEVE CLAGGETT Caribe Royale, Orlando DAZN Yoenis Tellez vs Abass Baraou Jasmine Artega vs Linn Sandstrom (WBA super-flyweight title) Stephanie Han vs Paulina Angel (WBA lightweight title) Lucas Bahdi vs Roger Gutierrez Yankiel Rivera Figueroa vs Angelino Cordova MURAT GASSIEV vs ANDRZEJ WAWRZYK Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort, Miami JAKE WYLLIE vs YOUSSEF DIB Fortitude Music Hall, Fortitude Valley, Australia Skye Nicolson vs Urvashi Singh ILUNGA MAKABU vs CHARLES MANYUCHI Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa IKE IBEABUCHI vs IDRIS AFINNI Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos Aug 28 RIMA AYADI vs ELIF NUR TURHAN Paris Kevin Lele Sadjo…