Tag Archives: two

Posted on 10/16/2020

By: Hans Themistode

The names associated with this weekend’s contest has everyone around the boxing world excited. So much so, that many observers have a difficult time pinpointing the lie even when its staring directly at them.

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Teofimo Lopez is currently billed as one of the biggest fights in the sport of boxing. Something many would agree with. It’s also viewed as a grudge match. With all of the derogatory words and threatening messages that have been hurled at one another, there’s no doubt that both men will be throwing shots with a little something extra behind it.

Lastly, and most importantly, their matchup has been promoted as an undisputed lightweight contest. Something that Devin Haney and his trainer Mickey Bey are incredulous too.

“It’s a real big fight but it’s definitely not an undisputed fight,” said Bey to Boxinginsider.com during a recent interview. “Loma is an excellent fighter but Devin Haney is the WBC champion.”

The status of Haney’s title run has become a confusing one. In September of 2019, the Las Vegas resident dished out a one sided beating to then, undefeated contender Zaur Abdullaev. The win resulted in the interim WBC lightweight title and a supposed first class ticket to a showdown with Lomachenko who picked up the full title just one month prior against Luke Campbell.

Haney however, would have his dreams both realized and crushed soon after.

President of the World Boxing Council (WBC) Mauricio Sulaiman elevated Lomachenko’s status from full titlist to franchise champion. That in turn nixed any possible Loma vs Haney matchups, but it did push the 21 year old to full champion status.

Still, even with Haney branded as a world titleholder, Sulaiman made his words clear when discussing his championship run.

“Lomachenko is the WBC lightweight champion,” said Sulaiman during a recent conference call.

Bitterness and resentment would soon follow anyone who is being slighted. But for Bey, the always calm former belt holder understood exactly where Sulaiman was coming from. All he’s asking is that the winner of this weekend’s contest steps up to the plate.

“I don’t think they should be saying that Lomachenko is the WBC lightweight champion. But we know it’s business and they have to sell the fight. We don’t take it personal. I think the winner should step up and face the real WBC champion. The road to undisputed runs through Devin Haney.”

In terms of who travels down said road after Saturday night, Bey believes that although Lopez is a helluva fighter, experience will be the difference.

“If Lopez can fight the right game plan and stick to it then he has a chance. But it’s different from thinking you can do something to a guy like Lomachenko and going in there and actually doing it. Lopez has to hurt him because I don’t see him out boxing Lomachenko. I just don’t think he has the experience to beat a Lomachenko.”

Posted on 09/18/2019

By: Hans Themistode

One of the very best women boxers in the world will return to the ring on November 2nd, at the O2 arena, in Manchester, England. She’ll be at the top of the billing on a card that will feature Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Crolla and a host of others.

The last time Taylor was seen in the ring, she was winning a hard fought but controversial decision against Delfine Persoon. It was a rougher than expected contest as Persoon had every reason to believe that she had done enough to win that contest.

Persoon successfully roughed Taylor up throughout the contest and made it as ugly as possible. Taylor seemed to have a difficult time adjusting to the physicality of Persoon. Still, Taylor managed to box her way to a decision.

The win for Taylor gave her the WBC Lightweight title which was the last belt at the weight class, making her an undisputed champion at the weight. Now that she has captured the last piece of the championship puzzle, she is looking for an even bigger challenge as she will be moving up in weight to take on WBO Super Lightweight champion Christina Linardatou.

“It’s a new challenge at a new weight and something I’m really excited about,” said Taylor. “I still feel like I have so much left to achieve in the sport and becoming a two-weight world champion is one of those goals.”

As for her opponent, Linardatou hasn’t lost a contest since 2016. Since then she has won four fights in a row and will be facing the biggest match of her career. Don’t expect the pressure of the moment to get to Linardatou.

“I plan on leaving England with my title,” said Taylor. “If I need to knock Katie Taylor out in order to retain the title, that’s what I’ll do.”

The move up in weight will have many fearing that a future contest against seven division champion Amanda Serrano is now unlikely. Taylor assured everyone that her plan isn’t to simply campaign at Super Lightweight.

“There are still so many huge fights out there for me like the Amanda Serrano fight, a rematch with Delfine Persoon and a fight with Cecilia Brækhus but the first goal is November 2 and winning another world title. I don’t have any issues making lightweight so I think I can move comfortably between the two weights. I always want to push myself and Christina is an excellent world champion, so it will be a big test for me.”

Taylor and Linardatou seem highly motivated to put on a show but it will be another fighter on the card who will receive most of the attention.

Former champion Anthony Crolla will step into the ring for one final time. It’s been a long and successful 13 year career for Crolla which first started in Manchester England. He has managed to win his fair of big fights including against Ismael Barroso, Ricky Burns and a championship winning effort against Darleys Perez. His career is now coming full circle as it will officially come to an end in the same place that it started 13 years ago.

Posted on 06/15/2019

By: Kevin Dyson

It is one of the many contradictions that surround Tyson Fury.

Over the course of his career, big Traveller’s personality has arguably become ever more unconventional and entertaining.

At the same time, at least until the Wilder fight, his bouts have been getting somewhat dull. Much of this has been the way he has consolidated his most effective attributes, his speed and awkward movement.

I first noticed this direction of travel in his second fight against Dereck Chisora in 2014.

The first fight, in 2011, was a belter of a fight. The second was a stroll for Fury, exemplifying the improvements he had made. Unfortunately, the entertainment was lacking.

That carried through to Fury’s crowning moment against Wlad Klitschko the following year. The tepid nature of the fight was largely overlooked given the significance of the Ukranian’s decade long tenure coming to an end.

The build up to the fight was also far from bland, no more than that moment when Fury arrived in a Lamborghini dressed in Adam West era Batman gear and, with the help of cousin Hughie, created one of the most WTF moments in boxing history.

This is just one example of the big man’s complex nature, something that attracts and repels in equal measure.

When he is in good form, there are few boxers who exude the sort of charisma, humour and self deprecation that Fury has in abundance. These are the moments that show exactly why he has been dubbed the people’s champion.

Odd moments were endearing. When the UK’s Channel 5 bought up rights for his fights, they seemingly had little idea of how to do a conventional broadcast, which was perfect for Fury. Weird extended interviews showed him in a good light, even with strange vignettes like chatting over a table stacked with a mountain of crap food he had cut from his diet.

There has always been a dark side, though. His vicious homophobic tinged abuse of rival David Price, himself one of the soundest in the sport, was unpleasant.

His relentless dissing of Anthony Joshua has also been a sticking point. All of the slagging of Joshua “the bodybuilder” was a bit sad (and somewhat hypocritical when you see the physique of brother Tommy).

It looked as though the beef may have cooled after he tweeted a fairly conciliatory message in the wake of Joshua’s loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.

Unfortunately, his dual personality didn’t take long to return to aggro setting, claiming AJ is ‘finished’.

I have changed my mind several times about whether all of this is just Tyson Fury or simply mind games. His battle with himself post-Wlad points towards it just his nature.

Having gone back down in my estimation after the AJ grief, I was glad to see the good guy back in the Tom Schwarz build up, including vomit inducing suit, comedy catalogue posing and that magnetic charisma.

I have decided that my support for Fury will be just as contrary. Either he puts on a performance and ensures that the rebirth of the division remains, or faces a similar humbling to that of AJ. Either will do…