Lennox Lewis Comeback - Is it worth it?

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97

Surely just a joke?

Twitter has blown up this morning with the news that British heavyweight legend Lennox Lewis could potentially make a comeback to fight current heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF, WBA, WBO & IBO world titles.

Can Pulev become world champ?

By Andrew Graves @andrewgravess

In his latest bout Kubrat Pulev defeated Tony "The Tiger" Thompson in one of the most boring fights I have ever watched in my entire life. Pulev had so much hype surrounding him coming up to this fight especially after his performance against unbeaten Belarusian Alexander Ustinov finishing him in a superb display in the 11th round defending his IBF International Heavyweight Title for the 3rd time becoming ranked number 1 with the International Boxing Federation.

Wladimir Klitschko Vs Alexander Povetkin - Fight Preview

By Andrew Graves @andrewgravess

This weekend the boxing world will see Wladimir Klitschko defend his WBA (Super),IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring Heavyweight titles against unbeaten WBA (Regular) champion Alexander Povetkin in Povetkin's home country of Russia.

Wladimir Klitschko Vs Francesco Pianeta - Fight Preview

Will Pianeta be just another victim of 'Dr Steelhammer'?

By James McKnight @JamesMcKnight83

WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight ruler Wladimir 'Dr Steelhammer' Klitschko will defend his titles on May 4 when he comes up against southpaw, Francesco Pianeta. The SAP arena in Mannheim, Germany, hosts this heavyweight title contest. 

Wladimir Klitschko (59-3-0, 50 KO's), needs no introduction. He has been dominating the heavyweight scene since 2004 winning 17 bouts (12 inside the distance), in succession. The only blemishes on his record came in 1998 (Ross Puritty), 2003 (Corrie Sanders), and 2004 (Lamont Brewster). All three of those losses came inside 12 rounds. It is safe to say that 'Dr Steelhammer' has taken a liking to ending contests before the final bell is sounded. 

Klitschko of course has fought southpaws in the past. In 2000, he came up against Chris Byrd whom he beat on points. In 2003, however, Corrie Sanders inflicted only the second defeat of Klitschko's career at the time after a two round demolition job. In 2006, Klitschko rematched Chris Byrd and beat him in 7 rounds. Sultan Ibragimov (2008), Tony Thompson (2008 & 2012), and Rusian Chagaev also suffered at the hands of 'Dr Steelhammer'. 

Manuel Charr - Could he be the real deal?

By John Hoolan @JohnHoolan.

http://murmuringsofaboxingmad-man.blogspot.co.uk/

Can he back up his comments and claims?

Manuel Charr ranked 8th in the world by the WBC has a record of 22 fights, winning 21 of which 12 were by KO. His only loss was to Vitali Klitschko when he was stopped in the 4th round from a cut after being put on the canvas in 2nd round. That was 2 fights ago. He won his comeback fight Vs Konstantin Airich by a first round KO. A great way to bounce back from a loss by stoppage.

In recent weeks Charr has taken to twitter to "call out" some names including Fury and Haye for elimination fights so he can get another shot at Vitali. The loss to Vitali is something that clearly eats away at Charr and one which he truly belives he can avenge. 

There was mention of a possible fight with Chisora, but Charr has declined that offer saying he would only consider Haye. There was also a spat on twitter against "contender" (I use that description in it's loosest sense) Deontay Wilder, with Charr quite rightly dismissing Wilder's claims for a shot. 

Price looks to have two more fights before world title shot.

By Jack Price @PriceJ97.

British heavyweight giant David Price believes that himself along with the other up-and-coming heavyweights will bring excitement back to the heavyweight division in coming years. The fast-rising 3-year old believes he is only a couple of fights away from being able to mix it with the world heavyweight champions.

"I don't agree that this is the worst time in history for the division," Price told Nick Parkinson of The Daily Star. "The fact that no one can compete with the Klitschko's has put a lot of people off. But that's a credit to them. They have an effective game plan."

"Once Vitali has retired, and that might be very soon, the division will open up. It will be an exciting time and a generation of young fighters like myself are coming through."

Mike Tyson talks Haye and the Klitschkos...

David Haye (right) with Wladimir Klitschko (left.

Former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson believes there is still more to come from British heavyweight David Haye.

Haye retired after losing his WBA world title to Wladimir Klitschko in July of last year but returned in July of this year for a grudge match with Dereck Chisora, who he knocked out in just five rounds. 'The Hayemaker' is now looking to land a fight with Wladimir's older brother Vitali.

Tyson believes that even if he doesn't land a fight with Vitali he should continue with his boxing career.

"David should continue to fight because he's a young guy," said Tyson. "I thought David fought very well against Klitschko and I have a lot of respect for him because I expected him to be obliterated."

"Unless he has something else to do and plenty of money he should definitely keep fighting because he can get better and better."

"Fighting is our profession and its what we do. I fought 15 times one year."

Tyson was also praised the Klitschko brothers who some people believe are ruining the heavyweight scene because of their dominance of the division.

"They should dominate. They have learnt their craft and overcome adversity... People want to see very exciting guys, talking smack and knocking guys out. People want barbarism and blood... But I love waht the Klitschkos are doing. They beat people, they inspire people and they're erudite, they show you don't have to be brainless to be a boxer."

When asked if he would have defeated the brothers if they were around in his era, he replied: "I'd like to think so, my ego mates me think so! But these guys would have been hard to beat in any era, they're changing the face of boxing."

 

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

Bernd Boente: Wladimir will not be forced into a fight with Povetkin!

Bernd Boente (left) with Wladimir (right).

Unified heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente claims that his fighter will not be forced into a bout with the WBC "super" champion Alexander Povetkin.

Povetkin fought last Saturday against Hasim Rahman in a completely one-sided bout that Povetkin ended up winning by second round KO. The Russian's promoter, Sauerland Event, spoke after the bout and claimed that Wladimir had been given to the end of February 2013 to face Povetkin or he will be stripped of his WBA title. "Dr Steelhammer's" next defence comes against Maruisz Wach on November 10th in Hamburg.

Team Klitschko have denied the WBA's mandate and claims Wladimir has up until the end of the July and even then he will only take the best fight possible.

This is what Bernd Boente had to say: "The WBA gave us a period of two years from the time of the David Haye fight [July 2011] to make a mandatory defence. In other words, up to July 2013. Povetkin's not a true champion, he's the same, a normal contender. We will not allow anyone to force us to do anything."

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

What next for David "The Hayemaker" Haye?

By @Danemicus

Now that the dust has settled and beef has been resolved, if indeed there really was any,  speculation is rife as to what’s next for David “The Hayemaker” Haye [26-2 - 24 KOs] following his emphatic stoppage of a very game Derek Chisora [15-4 - 9 KOs]. With the revival of verbal jousting between the Haye and Klitschko camps in the media, it’s difficult to gauge the probability of Haye meeting Vitali Klitschko [44-2 - 40 KOs], despite the fact it would represent by far the most lucrative fight for both boxers. With due consideration of Vitali’s political ambitions, it has been suggested that fighting Haye will suddenly be much more likely to happen if Vitali underperforms in election cycle polls later this year. Considering how great an ambassador he has been for the sport, there are few boxing fans who wouldn’t wish Vitali well in his political career.

If a fight with Vitali doesn’t materialise, there is little else that would motivate Haye. A rematch with Wladimir Klitschko [58-3 - 53 KOs] undoubtedly would, but enthusiasm for such a fight would be significantly reduced, while Haye’s chances of victory would be no better than the first time round. On that night, Haye was extremely wary of Wlad’s one-punch KO power, as well as subordinate to a very underrated jab. Neither factors would be negated even if Haye didn’t have a toe complaint. Wladimir was able to cut-off the ring effectively enough to win a comfortable decision and would have no issues doing so again. After all, Haye’s tactics would almost certainly be very similar in a rematch. Of course, Haye would once again make bold claims about how he’d jump on Wlad from the opening bell, even though he didn’t even do that against Audley Harrison!

So what about a hypothetical match between Haye and Vitali? At a glance, the older Klitschko could be a more winnable fight for Haye. In comparison to Wladimir, Vitali has less one-punch KO power, less snap in his jab, inferior lateral movement, and prone to cuts. IVitali’s exceptional work rate, size and solid power with both hands has made him an insurmountable proposition for contenders and pretenders alike in today’s division, but how would he fare against an elusive opponent who is content to remain on the outside for large periods of a fight? To that, many may be of the view that Vitali’s performance against Chris “Rapid Fire” Byrd over a decade ago is evidence that he would fair well under such circumstances, but Haye is much bigger, hits harder and arguably has a higher work rate than what Byrd ever had. In addition, considering how much Vitali has slowed down at the grand old age of 41, it’s certainly not far fetched to suggest that Haye could outpoint him. For this reason, Haye vs Vitali would be a much more interesting and competitive fight than Have vs Wladimir II.

If Haye wanted a tune-up, he could respond to the challenge of Tyson Fury [19-0 - 14 KOs). Fury is looking for an opponent in November and Haye's physical dimensions would help Haye prepare for Vitali, but the modest payday may be too discouraging for Haye. It would be a tough fight to sell in terms of PPV due to the fact that Fury is still largely unproven and yet to appeal to a wide audience. Furthermore, if Fury's recent development is anything to go by, it would certainly not be a fight without its risks.

With talk of Haye going back into retirement if he is unable to fight Vitali, it's a possibility that we might not even get to see David Haye in action again, despite the fact he's aged just 31. Haye has always talked of his desire to retire early from the sport whilst his faculties are still intact. If he does bow out, the heavyweight division will certainly be worse off for it. On the financial side of things, Haye has a massive fanbase in the U.K. and is a large PPV draw. As for what he brings to the table in terms of ability, Haye is a very good heavyweight in today's era. Ever stepping up a weight class in pursuit of new challenges, Haye has maintained his cruiserweight speed and harnessed genuine heavyweight power. Just ask Mr. Chisora, who was stopped for the first time against Haye inside 5 rounds, yet was able to withstand 12 rounds of punishment against Vitali earlier in the year. Not to say Haye has more power than Vitali, but it's impressive nonetheless considering Chisora's excellent durability. It confirms that Haye, despite not being a natural heavyweight, is capable of KOing anyone in the division. Love him or hate him, Haye is a top #3 heavyweight for as long as he chooses to stick around.

Big Fights Weigh-In Results

Here are the weigh-in results for all of tomorrow night's big fights...

Tyson Fury Vs Vinny Maddalone

Tyson Fury - 17st 7lb 8oz 

Vinny Maddalone - 16st 8lb  

Chris Eubank Jr Vs Terry Carruthers

Chris Eubank Jr - 11st 8lb 9oz

Terry Carruthers - 11st 8lb 10oz

Kell Brook Vs Carson Jones

Kell Brook - 10st 6lb 10oz

Carson Jones 10st 6lb 2oz

Wladimir Klitschko Vs Tony Thompson

Wladimir Klitschko - 17st 11lb 2oz

Tony Thompson - 17st 6lb 11oz

Mayweather and Pacquiao announced as the two highest paid athletes in the world!

Who ever said that boxing is no longer a main-stream sport?.. Well, I don't know who said it, but they are definitely wrong. Forbes Magazine has released the list of the world's highest paid athletes from June 2011 through to June 2012, and guess who the top two are? Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao!

'Money' Mayweather made $85 million from his fights with Victor Ortiz and Miguel Cotto. Although, Pacquiao was second, his earnings were quite a long way off from his "sporting rival." The Filipino earned $56 million from his super showdowns with Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy Bradley.

The main reason that Mayweather's earnings are so much higher than any other boxer and also any other athlete is that he manages and promotes himself. This means that he collects every he makes from his fights, including tickets revenue, PPV buys and all sponsorships. With most of the other fighters in the sport, they get a considerable amount of money taken from their promoters. Now, I wouldn't advise every fighter to do this as it wouldn't pay off. You can sl*g Mayweather off as much as you want but you cannot deny that he is a very smart man. He takes complete control of his money and makes sure that he is always in charge.

There were only two other boxers on the list, and they were:

• Wladimir Klitschko - Ranked at No.24 and his total income was $28 million.
• Miguel Cotto - Ranked at No.75 with a total income of $19 million..

This isn't going to give boxing the extra boost that he needs but it is certainly an eye opener to the people saying our sport is dead. No matter what happens, boxing will always have die-hard fight fans that tune in for every fight.

Haye gives up on the Klitschko's...

Haye in his fight with Wladimir Klitschko.

British heavyweight David Haye has admitted that he has almost given up on the Klitschko's as he feels like they will never give him a fight. This means that his bout with Dereck Chisora on July 14th could be the last fight we will ever see the 'Hayemaker' in.

His main target was the older brother, Vitali, but the 40-year old Ukranian will be retiring very soon. He is having his last fight against Syrian Manuel Charr on September 8th. After this he is leaving the sport to continue with his career in politics.

Haye has also stated many times that he would be more than willing to have a rematch with the younger brother Wladimir. In their first fight, Haye was widely outpointed and looked helpless against the Ukranian giant. However, Wladimir feels that the Brit has nothing else to offer him as he has already added his WBA and IBF world titles to his collection.

"The Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente said to fight Chisora and the winner fights Vitali," said Haye. "Now it seems like he is fighting someone I've never heard of called Jimmy Carr, or something... There's a reason for him choosing this opponent because they know Vitali will knock him out, look good and get a nice win before going into politics."

"Wladimir has said he doesn't want to fight me again, which is fair enough, so I don't think a rematch is realistic. That fight would have only happened if I would have fought Vitali and won.

Haye also revealed that, although he is not looking past his fight with Chisora, if a fight with either of the Klitschko's doesn't happen in the next year or so, it will be just a one-fight comeback.

"I've not thought beyond this fight but if there's no Klitschko fight, it's going to be back for one fight only," explained Haye. "My last fight was a loss and if I had stayed retired it's not ideal to go out on a loss. But I can put that right against Chisora."

Klitschko-Price could happen according to Wladimir...

World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has revealed that a fight between himself and British prospect David Price could happen soon. He revealed that he is a great admirer of the 6"8 Olympic bronze medallist and believes that he reminds him of himself.

The 36-year old Ukrainian who holds four versions of the heavyweight world title said: "Maybe David Price and I are going to end up fighting. I will not exclude David from my list of possible opponents. We will now see how he develops himself."

British prospect David Price.

"I think David Price is doing an incredible job. I see myself in him in a certain way... He is a couple of inches taller than I am but his technique is pretty much the same as mine, so there are certain similarities between us and my trainer Emmanuel Steward always points them out. When we have watched his fights, Emmanuel says, 'Oh look, he moves like you and even his trunks and his boxing shoes look like yours."

"Manny always thinks he is copying me and likes the way I fight. I agree with Manny because I used to have my idols. Maybe he looks up to me."

Klitschko is currently preparing for a rematch with American heavyweight Tony Thompson.

"I understand that I will not be boxing forever and that is why I am enjoying every moment of it... I think about retirement. I know it will be over some day. Health and motivation are two big factors. If one of those disappears, I am out."

"Always in the history of this sport, the generations change. I am ready and I am there and if a challenge comes, I will take it."

Price is regarded by most as the best heavyweight in Britain and the best heavyweight prospect since Lennox Lewis. He has only had 13 fights but he has knocked out 11 of them with ease, using his trademark straight right hand. His promoter Frank Maloney, who also guided Lennox Lewis to a world title, is certain that Price is a future world champion.

"People may have dismissed David's comment when he said he could become world champion by his 20th fight," said Maloney. "That doesn't look like a bad prediction now. He could probably earn his chance quickly, but is about becoming world champion and having a long reign."

For the time being, Klitschko is preparing for his mandatory defence against Thompson but the chances of a fight between himself and Price seem to be getting bigger and bigger. Maybe soon we could see a world heavyweight champion that is not a Klitschko brother.

Vitali Klitschko close to retiring...

WBC world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has told his fans that he does not have very long left in his boxing career. The 41-year old has had 44 fights with just 2 losses and along with his brother holds every major title at the weight.

"My sports career is nearing completion, but sports have always had a place in my heart and they always will have," said the Ukrainian.

Once he has retired from the sport, he will be dedicating most of his life to politics. He is the current leader of the UDAR political party in Kiev and is a well-known member of the Kiev City council. 'Dr Ironfist' has already run twice for the mayor of Kiev but has not yet been successful. He believes that once his full attention can be given to politics his political career will be a lot more successful.

Vitali is considering at least two more fights before retiring but it will be tough to find even that many opponents that will give the world champion a challenge as him and his brother have beaten just about every decent fighter in then division. His last fight was one of the hardest of his career, but it is highly unlikely that he will ever meet British heavyweight Dereck Chisora in the ring again after all of the chaos in February.

Lennox Lewis to return to the ring?

''For 100 million I'd come back'' were the words of former World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis speaking to a German reporter.

Lennox Lewis in fight with Vitali Klitschko back in 2003.

Although it's hard to believe that he will ever return to the ring as he is now 46 and had his last professional fight back in 2003, but boxing fans can still hope that 'The Lion' will make a comeback and end the boredom of the heavyweight division. 

This is actually the reason that Lewis is slightly contemplating returning. He believes that right now heavyweight boxing is at it's worst as the Kiltschko's are dominating and their fights are insanely boring.

''Right now, the heavyweight division is dead. The Klitschko brothers and their opponents are just filling their bags. Their opponents will not improve, they wouldn't have even made sparring partners with me,'' said Lewis to German paper Stern.

''At some point, the referee steps in and stops the fight'' he said. ''They are boring. If you are looking to decide the best boxer in the world it must be decided by an epic fight. Not this circus.''

To be fair to the Klitschko's, there is not really anybody capable of giving them an epic fight at this moment in time. Maybe the likes of David Price or Seth Mitchell in a few years time when the brothers are older and weaker but apart from that there is absolutely nobody. The last man that gave either brother an epic and memorable fight was Lennox Lewis himself when he clashed with older brother Vitali in his final fight.

Lewis then went on to talk about a possible return to the ring. ''For 100 million, I'd come back... For that I would take my pyjamas off and go to the gym.''

He has said many times before that he is too smart to come back, but has he changed his mind. Could this be the long awaited move that will add much more drama and excitement to the heavyweight division?