Tag Archives: announcement

By: William Holmes

The unthinkable appears to just have happened.

The most financially successful pay per view of all time, Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, sold millions of pay per views and was a world wide success. It was a fight that fans saw Mayweather win by comfortable margin. Afterwards, Pacquiao felt he did enough to win the fight and claimed he injured his shoulder halfway through.

It took years for that fight to take place with a lot of negotiation and posturing on both sides. Many felt that fight took place a few years too late and there wasn’t a whole lot of commotion for a rematch.

But Pacquaio is now a free agent, and one of the impediments that kept the first fight from happening, the fact both fighters were represented by two different promotional companies, is no longer present.

Shockingly, sport fans around the world woke up to a message on Instagram from Floyd Mayweather. He stated, “I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year another 9 figure pay day on the way @mayweatherpromotions”

View this post on Instagram

I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year another 9 figure pay day on the way @mayweatherpromotions

A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Sep 15, 2018 at 3:51am PDT

In the clip, you can see Mayweather and Pacquiao talking in a club and hear Floyd tell some members of his entourage that he’s coming back in December. You can also hear Mayweather tell Pacquiao he doesn’t want to hear anything about his shoulder this time.

No official announcement has been released about this alleged planned fight. HBO has appeared to be slowly backing out of the boxing business so it ‘s likely that Showtime will be involved.

When something is officially announced Boxing Insider will let you know, but Floyd Mayweather has once again caused a big buzz in the boxing world.

By: Sean Crose

🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨 for all you @anthonyfjoshua fans… The $50M offer for him to fight me next in the US is still available. Today I even agreed to their offer to fight Joshua next in the UK. If he prefers the fight in the UK, the ball is in their court. It’s up to them to choose. pic.twitter.com/03PE8sk5x0

— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) June 11, 2018

“BREAKING NEWS for all you @anthonyfjoshua fans… The $50M offer for him to fight me next in the US is still available. Today I even agreed to their offer to fight Joshua next in the UK. If he prefers the fight in the UK, the ball is in their court. It’s up to them to choose.”

The above was tweeted out Monday by WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, who was making it clear that he he accepted Anthony Joshua’s terms to fight in England for his title, along with Joshua’s WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles.

Photo Credit: Deontay Wilder Twitter Account

According to ESPN, Wilder’s co-manager, Shelly Finkel, stated the following on Monday: “We have agreed to the terms that Eddie has put out to us for a fight in the U.K.. Deontay has accepted his terms to fight in the U.K. Deontay sent an email to Joshua (Sunday) night and I sent one today to Barry Hearn and Eddie telling them that we officially accept the offer to fight under the terms they gave us and to send us the contract,”

As Wilder said, the ball is in the court of team Joshua now. Britain’s Joshua is considered the current king of the heavyweight division. Not only does he hold a majority of the prominent belts, his victory in a war over onetime long reigning division king Wladimir Kltischko established the fighter as the man to beat throughout the fight world. Yet America’s Wilder has been standing in the way of Joshua’s complete dominance. The fact that both men are the height of NBA stars and have devastating knockout power will make the bout, should it happen, a must see for fans – even casual fans.

The Joshua-Wilder deal, should it come to fruition, will consist of two fights, the first being held in England, the second in the United States. Joshua now regularly packs entire stadiums in his homeland and it would be no surprise if a match with Wilder would bring in a live audience of close to one hundred thousand people. The first fight would reputedly transpire this autumn.

The internet was set ablaze with today’s news, with some journalists and analysts acting as if the fight was already a done deal while others encouraged caution. The fact that a fight between two of the most exciting athletes in the world got so much closer to fruition, however, was enough to get pundits and fans alike talking.

By: Ste Rowen

The game changing World Boxing Super Series is returning for a second series and, at a press conference today Kalle Sauerland announced that the second instalment will involve 24 boxers across 3 weight divisions.

One of the 3 weight classes will be bantamweight. WBO and IBF champions, Zolani Tete and Emmanuel Rodriguez, newly crowned at the weekend, also attended the press conference, confirming their places in the upcoming tournament.

In a short statement, South African, Tete said,

‘Thank you to everyone for this opportunity. I’m very honoured…I believe it’s going to be one of the best sellers…People (in South Africa) are very excited. Hopefully their champion will bring all the titles home.’

Rodriguez also spoke briefly, via translator,

‘It’s great to be fighting against two other world champions for all the belts…God willing I’m going to win.’

Kalle also confirmed WBA champion, Ryan Burnett would be part of the tournament and read a prepared statement on Ryan’s behalf,

‘I have always wanted to be a world champion and to unify the titles against the best opposition out there. I feel I have proved this in my last 3 fights, and now the WBSS allows me to continue my dream against the other champions in the division.’

The draw to decide the quarter final schedule will take place in July, with the first bell to kick off the tournament sounding in September.

One of the other weight classes to be introduced to the WBSS will be super lightweight (140lb), with ESPN reporting that WBA titlist, Kiryl Relikh, Eduard Troyanovsky, Ivan Baranchyk, Anthony Yigit and Regis Prograis were five of the names set to fight in the 8-man tournament.

The third and final weight class is currently unknown.

It was also announced at today’s press conference that the dates for the finals of the cruiserweight and super middleweight tournaments, Oleksandr Usyk vs Murat Gassiev & George Groves vs Callum Smith, will be confirmed within the next 10 days. Usyk/Gassiev was set to take place this weekend in Saudi Arabia but had to be postponed due to an injury sustained to WBC & WBO champion, Usyk.

Concerning, the super middleweight final, Sauerland said that they weren’t going to wait around to put the final on,

‘The tournament is bigger than any fighter and that’s just the way it is. As a promoter you have to rule out august, so the final will happen in July.’

Rumours were circulating social media yesterday that Chris Eubank Jr, defeated in the semi-finals by George Groves, would replace the WBA champion in the final. Groves dislocated his shoulder in their September matchup, forcing him to undergo an operation, pushing the original final date back.

Lucrative Mayweather-McGregor Novelty Bout Officially Set For August 26th
By: Sean Crose

Cue John Williams’ famous theme to the movie “Jaws.” The shark is heading to shore. For the much hyped, hoped for, and hated Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor boxing match is set to go down at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas on August 26th. “IT’S OFFICIAL!!!” Mayweather boasted on his Twitter account. And indeed it is – to the delight of some and the ire of others. The fight will highlight a pay per view card hosted by Showtime, which means fans will have to pay out of pocket for this one or stream it illegally. Those intrigued by the matchup, however, surely don’t care.

It became increasingly obvious that Mayweather, whose record is 49-0, would face McGregor, a loud, bullying UFC star who has never had a professional boxing match in his life, when Mayweather put the date of August 26th on hold at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas. The hold on that date was removed, but after a Wednesday meeting with the Nevada State Athletic Commission came the fireworks, via Mayweather’s announcement.

In truth, this fight means nothing by way of boxing’s current pecking order unless McGregor, who is essentially a boxing novice, stuns the pound for pound great in an upset for the ages, or performs so brilliantly in defeat that attention must be paid. Indeed, Mayweather’s quite clear he’s in this one for the money. McGregor, on the other hand, acts as if he truly believes he has a chance. And perhaps he does. Most boxing analysts simply don’t think so.

None of that will stop the hype train for this, however. Mayweather, who has done time for being an abuser, and who leads an openly hedonistic lifestyle, has long been seen by the world at large as a rogue. McGregor, too, likes playing the bad guy, swaggering about in Gottiesque fashion and mercilessly mocking all those who oppose him. Yet both men have huge, almost fanatic fanbases. Mayweather fans are fiercely – almost comically – loyal, while McGregor fans tend to goofily encourage the Irish native’s anti-social behavior. Mayweather and McGregor may not be nice guys, but that might actually be the reason they appeal to significant swaths of fans.

As much money and attention as the fight is sure to bring in, there are concerns that another Mayweather dominated dud could impact the reviving popularity of boxing. For Mayweather’s twelve round fight against Manny Pacquiao brought in tons of money, but little fan approval. Mayweather is a ring tactician, after all, not a thrilling fighter. And many, if not most, expect him to dominant McGregor come August. Then, of course, there’s the matter of race, always a hot button issue. Those who argue McGregor would never have gotten the fight if her weren’t white might have a point. And, in the hyper, nearly idiotic, defensive mood the nation finds itself in, the verbal jabs of two major league mouths might lead to some drama no one wants to see unfold.

With that in mind UFC honcho Dana White has said the weight limit for the bout will be at 154 pounds, making it a junior middleweight affair. The bout will also go twelve rounds, be held at the T-Mobile arena in Vegas and and be fought with 10 oz. gloves.

Canelo-GGG Superfight Announced Among Wreckage Of Canelo-Chavez Disaster
By: Sean Crose

There probably isn’t a fight fan in the world who would have thought the announcement of a Canelo Alvarez – Gennady Golovkin match would come during one of the worst nights the sport of boxing has endured in years. Yes, Canelo Alvarez and GGG have agreed to fight on September 16th. That’s nothing but enormous and wonderful news.

Unfortunately, the announcement came immediately after what had to be one of the sport’s bleaker performances. For the notorious Julio Caesar Chavez Jr made a classically bad showing of himself against Canelo Saturday night in Vegas. Just how bad was Junior’s performance? Think Buster Douglas…against Evander Holyfield. Even the fact the match everyone wants to see was announced immediately afterward couldn’t take the bad taste out of the fight world’s mouth.

What a shame. It was kind of like receiving the greatest birthday present ever in the parking lot of a funeral home after a wake. Still, it’s nice to see boxing making the matches fans want. Yes, it took too long for Canelo-GGG to be made, but at least Canelo and promoter Oscar De La Hoya didn’t drag their heels for as long as many thought they would. This bout is a big risk for Canelo, after all. Most will probably assume he’s going to lose. Then again, most thought his battle against Chavez Junior would at least be entertaining, so there’s that to chew on.

The reality is that team Canelo was fortunate to announce the fight in the ring immediately after Junior phoned it in against it’s man. Saturday provided a very, VERY bad night of boxing. If Canelo-GGG wasn’t made a reality, if GGG hadn’t stepped into the ring in grand fashion to help kick things off, the situation would have been that much worse. And the irony that a terrible weekend directly followed the great weekend of the Anthony Joshua–Wladimir Klitschko bout would have been completely disheartening to fans. Fortunately, that didn’t happen.

And so now the biggest fight in boxing is a reality. That’s something to get excited about. Again, Golovkin will probably – and rightly – be the favorite, but it would be unwise to sleep on Canelo. The man has proven to be an exceedingly skilled fighter, a menace to anyone he steps in the ring against. It’s hard to dispute the guy puts his punches together better than most anyone else in the sport. In short, this will be a bout looking forward to, even in light of Saturday’s colossal disappointment.