Boxing / News

Devin Haney vs. George Kambosos Rematch Scheduled for Oct. 16 in Australia

The highly anticipated rematch between Devin Haney and George Kambosos for the undisputed lightweight championship reportedly has a date.

According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, the fight is “being planned” for Oct. 16 in Kambosos’ native Australia and will be broadcast in primetime on ESPN on Oct. 15.

Haney (28-0, 15 KO) defeated Kambosos via unanimous decision in June to claim all four belts at 135 pounds. The bout agreement Haney had signed in March included a return fight in Australia for later in the year, and Kambosos exercised his rematch clause immediately after his loss.

Kambosos (20-1, 10 KO) had upset Teofimo Lopez by split decision in November to claim the undisputed lightweight crown after an exciting fight that saw both boxers hit the canvas before the final bell. But the 23-year-old Haney outclassed him during their match, using his jab to keep the fight on the outside and cruise to a lopsided victory.

Coppinger noted that a site for the rematch has not yet been finalized, but it could take place at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, the home of the Australian Open.

The lightweight division is arguably the most exciting weight class in boxing right now thanks to a long list of intriguing matchups and promising contenders.

Lopez is set to make his return on Aug. 13 against Pedro Campa. Ryan Garcia is coming off a knockout victory at 140 pounds this past Saturday and called for a super fight against Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Plus, former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is waiting in the wings after his decision victory over Richard Commey in December.…

Boxing / Sports

‘I want to live’: Oleksandr Usyk ready for time off after biggest fight

Heavyweight champion said his corner helped him execute his plan, while a pensive Anthony Joshua will analyze mistakes. The new champion walked in first, just after one in the morning, with his face bearing the brutal realities of heavyweight boxing. Despite his dominant defeat of Anthony Joshua on Saturday night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Oleksandr Usyk wore the marks of battle. A jagged cut ran above his right brow while his bruised skin had turned a shade of burst violet below that same eye. The swollen mouse beneath his left eye was even more prominent and a reminder that Usyk had fought 12 rounds against a world champion who weighed 19 pounds more than him.

Usyk is not a small man but he also gave away four inches in reach and three inches in height. Yet in the final moments of the last round the usually imposing figure of Joshua, who is 6ft 6in, had sagged against the ropes as Usyk came close to winning by stoppage.

A singular character, who is as intelligent as he is amusing, Usyk was nonchalant as he sat down to address his stunning rise in boxing’s premier division to become the new IBF, WBA and WBO world champion in only his third fight as a heavyweight. When someone asked him to break down his fight strategy, for this had been a dazzling display, he spoke in Ukrainian. His fellow countrymen and women laughed before the translator tried to inject some of that comedy into English.

“The plan was just to walk in, to see, to start. So we went in, we saw, we started and then in the 12th round they said speed up and so I did and then they said: ‘….and the new [heavyweight champion of the world].’ So that was the plan.”

Usyk continued in more serious vein. “I tried a few times [for the stoppage]. I put my speed into it. I punched him a couple of times but then I was losing rhythm. I went back to my …

Boxing / News

Jake Paul defeats Tyron Woodley via split decision to extend winning streak in his toughest fight yet

YouTuber-turned-boxer stays undefeated in his fourth fight but is unable to get the knockout for the first time; Jake Paul came through adversity when he took a big right hand from Tyron Woodley. The YouTuber-turned-boxer faced real adversity for the first time since becoming a boxer, taking a solid right hand which rocked him against the ropes, but the referee did not score a knock-down against him. His controversial crossover into boxing remains undefeated in a fourth fight despite not finding a knockout for the first time. Paul had not previously been to the end of the second round in any of his previous fights but it was quickly evident that Woodley, a former UFC champion albeit making his boxing debut, would not go down as quickly. Paul was forced to display more of his skills over a longer period for the first time, and he did land a counter left hook then an uppercut in an impressive third round. Paul’s only major concern came in the fourth when a right hand clubbed against the side of his head and staggered him, and it seemed he was only kept on his feet by the middle rope.

The judges scored the fight 77-75, 75-77, 78-74 to the social media sensation who was fighting in his home city. His mother was already celebrating his victory in the ring.

“He has been boxing, striking, for 20 years. I’ve been doing it for three years,” said Paul on BT Sport Box Office.

“It was tougher than I expected. He is a tough opponent. He put up a good fight.

“He hit me with one real shot in the whole fight.”

He could next fight Tommy Fury, who beat Anthony Taylor on the undercard.

‘Get a tattoo and we will rematch!”

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