Tag: boxing news

Lucas Browne Names UFC Fighter as Hardest Hitter He’s Faced—Even Stronger Than Tyson Fury or Dillian Whyte

Lucas Browne Names UFC Fighter as Hardest Hitter He’s Faced—Even Stronger Than Tyson Fury or Dillian WhyteAussie knockout artist Lucas Browne has sparred with Tyson Fury and gone toe-to-toe with Dillian Whyte, but nobody hit him harder than…

Lucas Browne Names UFC Fighter as Hardest Hitter He’s Faced—Even Stronger Than Tyson Fury or Dillian Whyte

Aussie knockout artist Lucas Browne has sparred with Tyson Fury and gone toe-to-toe with Dillian Whyte, but nobody hit him harder than one former UFC interim title challenger.

Competing in the sweet science for 15 years, Browne amassed an impressive 30-6 record with 26 of his wins coming by way of KO. Along the way, he claimed the WBA Oceania and IBF Australasian heavyweight titles and famously traveled to Chechnya where he defeated Ruslan Chagaev to claim the WBA regular world heavyweight championship.

In May, Browne announced his retirement from the sport following a first-round TKO loss against Hemi Ahio in Perth.

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During an interview on the David ‘White Rhino’ Allen YouTube channel, Browne recounted an incident where he found himself sparring against former UFC heavyweight sensation Mark Hunt. According to Brown, ‘The Super Samoan’ walloped him harder than any other boxer or kickboxer he’s ever shared the ring with.

“I sparred with Mark Hunt. I hit him with everything, and he just smiled at me. Then he went, ‘Bang.’ He hit me the hardest I’ve ever been hit in my life,” Brown said. “Without a doubt. He hit me in the forehead, and I went, ‘Wow.’”

Mark Hunt’s UFC Career came crashing down following his fight against Brock Lesnar

After making a name for himself in PRIDE with wins over the likes of Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop, Hunt made his way to the UFC in September 2010. Though he came up short in his promotional debut against Sean McCorkle, the New Zealand native quickly bounced back with four straight wins against Chris Tuchscherer, ‘Big’ Ben Rothwell, Cheick Kongo, and Stefan Struve.

Adding a win over Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson and a majority draw against Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, ‘The Super Samoan’ scored himself an interim heavyweight title opportunity against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 180. Hunt failed to claim the crown, succumbing to a TKO in the second round. Hunt found the win column two more times before an ill-fated clash with Brock Lesnar brought his UFC career to a crashing halt.

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Hunt was properly pummeled by the former heavyweight titleholder at UFC 200, though the fight was later overturned to a no-contest after Lesnar tested positive for a banned substance. Hunt would later sue the UFC, claiming that the promotion knew Lesnar had failed the test ahead of their fight and kept it under wraps until the event had ended.

Unable to make his case, Hunt’s lawsuit was thrown out and he was ordered to pay the UFC $388,235 in legal fees.

Mark Hunt

Hunt still competed five more times for the UFC, losing four of those bouts before being shown the door. He last competed in May 2022, scoring a fourth-round TKO against Sonny Bill Williams in a boxing bout in Sydney, Australia.

Turki Alalshikh Eyes Canelo-Crawford Clash for Riyadh Season Superfight

Turki Alalshikh Eyes Canelo-Crawford Clash for Riyadh Season SuperfightTurki Alalshikh is homing in on a superfight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford. It’s a fight that…

Turki Alalshikh Eyes Canelo-Crawford Clash for Riyadh Season Superfight

Turki Alalshikh is homing in on a superfight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford.

It’s a fight that the world has been waiting to see. Unfortunately, nobody has been able to put it together, but that could all change soon as Alalshikh — the promoter who’s brought us Fury vs. Usyk, Joshua vs. Dubois, and Bivol vs. Beterbiev — is setting his sights on booking what could very well be the biggest boxing match of the 21st century thus far.

During a recent interview with DAZN, Alalshikh revealed that he has not been in direct contact with Canelo or his team, but hopes that word reaches the undisputed super middleweight world champion so they can sit down and work out a deal.

“I don’t know anyone now from the Canelo team, and I don’t have any connection, but if he’s hearing me, we are ready to discuss,” Alalshikh said. “But I want to discuss [with] him directly, without anyone in the middle” (h/t GiveMeSport).

Canelo Alvarez

Alashikh also has some big plans in store for former WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder — including a potential clash with MMA sensation Francis Ngannou. However, Alalshikh is unwilling to jump straight into booking a bout between the two after seeing ‘The Bronze Bomber’ lose four of his last five fights, including an especially embarrassing performance against Zhilei Zhang in June.

“I can catch it from two minutes [and check] if [Wilder’s] ready or not [to fight]. I don’t want to waste time and money anymore,” Alalshikh added. “I need to check first if he’s still got it.”

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As for Ngannou, Alalshikh is keeping his options open, but he has a couple of big possibilities lined up for the former UFC champion. One presumably being the fight with Wilder while the other remains a mystery, though it would see ‘The Predator’ return to the PFL Smart Cage in 2025.

“Yes, I have on the table two options for Francis — one in MMA and one in boxing I want to discuss with [Ngannou],” he revealed. “The MMA [fight], you know all the time, my answer is we want to do the biggest things.”

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Turki Alalshikh Books the ‘greatest fight card of all time’ on February 22

While Alalshikh continues to line up big things for the coming year, Riyadh Season is already set to host one of the biggest boxing cards of the decade on February 22 in Saudi Arabia. In the main event of the evening, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will run back their instant classic from October that saw Beterbiev land a questionable majority decision victory to annex all four 175-pound titles.

In the co-feature, Daniel Dubois — who smashed his way through Anthony Joshua in September via a fifth-round TKO to claim the IBF heavyweight title — will put his gold on the line against Joseph Parker.

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Also on tap is Shakur Stevenson who will defend his WBC lightweight title against undefeated prospect Floyd Schofield, and Vergil Ortiz is set to meet Israil Madrimov in a battle of top-five junior middleweights. Not to be outdone, top 10 ranked heavyweight Zhilei Zhang will square off with Agit Kabayel in a fight for the WBC interim heavyweight title.

Adding to the excitement is the fact that the pay-per-view extravaganza will only cost fight fans in the United States $25.99 — far less than the $100 price tag for Mayweather vs. McGregor in 2017 or a premium UFC event that’ll typically cost you $79.99 on top of an ESPN+ monthly subscription.

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Sydney Sweeney Details ‘Emotional’ Experience Playing Boxing Legend Christy Martin on the Big Screen

Sydney Sweeney Details 'Emotional' Experience Playing Boxing Legend Christy Martin on the Big ScreenSydney Sweeney’s upcoming biopic about women’s boxing icon Christy Martin has officially wrapped. Earlier this year, Sweeney (Anyone But…

Sydney Sweeney Details 'Emotional' Experience Playing Boxing Legend Christy Martin on the Big Screen

Sydney Sweeney’s upcoming biopic about women’s boxing icon Christy Martin has officially wrapped.

Earlier this year, Sweeney (Anyone But You, Immaculate) announced that she would portray Martin in a film depicting the trials and tribulations of one of boxing’s most influential females. Over the last several months, Sweeney has documented her incredible body transformation on social media, but she hasn’t commented on her experience making the film until recently.

Sydney Sweeney 1

In a post on the 27-year-old star’s Instagram, Sweeney shared a lengthy tribute to Martin and called her experience on the film “transformative” and “deeply inspiring” alongside a picture of the pair.

“I don’t usually write a lot in my captions, but this movie and experience I feel need more than just a few words. We have wrapped filming Christy Martin’s story and it has been one of the most emotional, transformative experiences of my life. Christy’s journey is so deeply inspiring, and having her by my side during this process was nothing short of surreal. There were moments on set where I’d glance over at her standing by the monitors, cheering us on, and I’d just become so emotional.

“This story is so much bigger than just a film. It’s a testament to resilience, survival, and finding the strength to keep fighting.”

Sydney Sweeney loved the challenge of bringing Martin’s ‘physically and emotionally demanding’ story to the big screen

Competing from 1989 to 2017, Christy Martin amassed an incredible 49-7 record with 32 of her victories coming by way of knockout. Along the way, the West Virginia native captured the WBC women’s super welterweight title.

Martin became a well-known name in the world of boxing during the mid-90s, gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated and becoming the first woman to sign with famed promoter Don King. In 2016, she became the first female boxer inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

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14 months after her WBC title win, Martin’s then-husband 66-year-old James V. Martin stabbed her several times and shot her at least once in the torso before leaving her for dead in their Apopka, Florida home following an argument. Miraculously, Martin survived the attack and a week later, he was apprehended.

In April 2012, he was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison — a sentence he is currently serving at the Graceville Correctional Facility in Graceville, Florida.

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“Christy’s story isn’t a light one; it’s physically and emotionally demanding, and there’s a lot of weight to carry,” Sweeney told Deadline earlier this year. “But I love challenging myself.”

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Jake Paul Over Floyd Mayweather? Ex-Champ Says YouTube Star Revived Boxing While Floyd Made it a Circus

Jake Paul Over Floyd Mayweather? Ex-Champ Says YouTube Star Revived Boxing While Floyd Made it a CircusIs Jake Paul responsible for boxing’s recent revival? Probably not, but he’s certainly doing a better job of it…

Jake Paul Over Floyd Mayweather? Ex-Champ Says YouTube Star Revived Boxing While Floyd Made it a Circus

Is Jake Paul responsible for boxing’s recent revival?

Probably not, but he’s certainly doing a better job of it than undefeated icon Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. At least, that’s what former WBA light middleweight world champion Austin Trout thinks.

During a recent appearance on Inside Fighting’s FIGHT SZN, the reigning BKFC welterweight titleholder suggested that despite all the vitriol being spewed at him, ‘The Problem Child’ is actually doing something positive for the sport of boxing while Mayweather is running around the world making a mockery out of it.

Jake Paul

“For instance, what is killing boxing is still killing boxing: Floyd Mayweather. The circus that he’s putting on doesn’t have an ounce of real boxing in it,” Trout said.

Whereas, as I said before, Jake Paul gave us two Fight of the Year candidates, some record-breaking purses, and record-breaking views for some real boxing. His fights specifically maybe were not “real boxing,” but they were coupled with some real shots and real fights. We got to see some great up-and-comers, some well-established unified champions, and everything in between.

A Floyd Mayweather fight, where it’s him versus Gotti, you know, it’s just a circus up and down. There’s no real boxing. The only person that makes any money is Floyd Mayweather. You know, that’s not what’s helping boxing out at all, right? That’s what’s draining the game and giving it a bad name.”

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson > Mayweather vs. JG3

To be fair, Jake Paul’s fights have become legitimate events — the most recent being his eight-round clash with Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Though the fight itself didn’t exactly set the world on fire, more than 70,000 people paid for a ticket to the event and over 100 million people streamed the card, making it one of the most watched events in combat sports history.

Jake Paul

Meanwhile, Mayweather is months removed from his rematch against John Gotti III after their first fight ended in an abrupt disqualification followed by a massive brawl between the two corners.

Their sequel scrap in Mexico City went off without a hitch, but failed to generate any of the excitement they got from their first fight — even if it was for all the wrong reasons.

Jake Paul

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 Historic $190M Purse Set for Riyadh Showdown

Oleksandr Usyk vs.Tyson Fury 2 Historic $190M Purse Set for Riyadh ShowdownAccording to reports for Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury 2, the total purse for this heavyweight clash is reported…

Oleksandr Usyk vs.Tyson Fury 2 Historic $190M Purse Set for Riyadh Showdown

According to reports for Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury 2, the total purse for this heavyweight clash is reported to be a staggering $190 million, which is significantly higher than their first encounter. This heavyweight boxing title clash is set for December 21, 2024, live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 – $190,000,000

This rematch comes after Usyk’s victory over Fury in their first fight on May 18, where he claimed the undisputed heavyweight title in a thrilling split decision. The success of their initial bout, which had a combined purse of around $150 million, has led to even greater financial stakes for the rematch.

Fury Usyk

The distribution of the $190 million purse is expected to favor Usyk this time. As the new Undisputed champion, Usyk is set to receive the larger share. Some reports suggest that the split could be 60% for Usyk and 40% for Tyson Fury, which would mean Usyk could potentially earn around $114 million for the fight.

In their first meeting, the fight was closely contested and went the full 12 rounds. Usyk started strong, but Fury found his rhythm in the middle rounds. The turning point came in the ninth round when Usyk hurt Fury badly and scored a knockdown. Fury managed to survive, but he struggled in the final rounds. In the end, Usyk won by split decision. Two judges scored the fight in his favor (115-112 and 114-113), while one judge had it for Tyson Fury (114-113).

This victory made Usyk the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000, as he added Fury’s WBC title to his own WBA, IBF, and WBO belts.

The increase in the fight purse reflects the immense popularity and anticipation surrounding this rematch. The $190 million purse sets a new benchmark for rematch fight purses.

Oleksandr Usyk earns hard fought split decision win over Tyson Fury in undisputed title fight

Rukiya Anpo’s Fiery Attack on Ryan Garcia: ‘Missing Weight, Alcohol… I’ll Show Him His Place’

Rukiya Anpo vs. Ryan garcia Boxing RizinThe exhibition boxing match between Ryan Garcia and Rukiya Anpo is turning into a bad-blood showdown. Each athlete enters…

Rukiya Anpo vs. Ryan garcia Boxing Rizin

The exhibition boxing match between Ryan Garcia and Rukiya Anpo is turning into a bad-blood showdown. Each athlete enters the match with some anger in their motivation for the Rizin New Year’s Eve event.

Rukiya Anpo vs. Ryan Garcia

Over the past several years, Ryan Garcia went from a promising young talent with knockout power in his hands to a suspended athlete with questionable life choices. Currently, he is suspended for PED usage and expelled for using racist and homophobic slurs. Additionally, he is not popular among sports fans due to missing weight and abusing drugs and alcohol. In a press conference, Japan’s Rukiya Anpo used this as motivation, he said:

“Ryan Garcia must mean ‘Fake idiot’ in Japanese … We all know Ryan Garcia’s issues. Missing weight, alcohol … I’ll show him exactly where he belongs. F*** you.”

Garcia believes he is fighting to redeem boxing legend Manny Pacquiao who Anpo faced in an exhibition match last year. Garcia said:

“Manny is past his prime, and for him to try to knock him out rubbed me the wrong way. I will knock him out and teach [Anpo] a lesson of respect.”

Rukiya Anpo is a former kickboxing world champion who held titles in K-1, he was well known for his high kick attacks and has spent a lifetime training in karate. Anpo and Garcia will have an exhibition boxing match with Rizin in Tokyo, Japan, on December 30.

Rukiya Anpo vs. Ryan garcia Boxing