It’s been a tough few weeks for fight fans; the drought brought about due to the lockdown conditions we are all currently living under seeing to it that we all must do without our fix of fistic violence. Yes, there are far more serious concerns regarding the coronavirus and the damage it has done and will sadly continue to do before this is all over.
The Heavyweight Dinosaur, The Cruiserweight King And The Lethal Light-Heavyweight
Together, they’re not known as grandly as anything like The Three Kings, but between them, from 1991 to 1997, heavyweights George Foreman, Evander Holyfield and Michael Moorer (placed here not in order of greatness but in alphabetical order) gave us four fights that proved memorable for a number of reasons.
WBC/WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez is staying ready.
As fans may have read, former super-middleweight champ Carl Froch recently called out Joe Calzaghe – this despite the fact that both men have been retired for some time, ten years in the case of Calzaghe. Speaking on his podcast, “The Cobra” mocked the size of Calzaghe’s head, pointing out how swollen it looks these days. Froch said that if Calzaghe took him up on his offer for a fight, he would “iron him out.”
Whether he has retired from the rigors of the ring or not, superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. has paid out his plans to become “one of the world’s best trainers.” Saddened deeply due to the passing of his uncle and head trainer Roger (along with his father, the two Mayweathers taking turns to train “Money”), the 43 year old has taken to social media to inform fans of his goals.
Unified lightweight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is riding out the COVID-19 pandemic in his native Ukraine, but the three-weight kingpin is chomping at the bit to get his hands on the division’s leading names, including IBF world champion Teofimo Lopez, WBC world champion Devin Haney and Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
British star and former 140 pound champ Amir Khan is thinking about whether or not he should retire. Very much in two minds, the 33 year old was speaking with Eddie Hearn via Instagram Live (such are the lock down conditions we are all currently living under) and the ‘R’ word came up, but then Khan added how he has “at least two fights left.”
Former world welterweight title challenger Hedgemon Lewis passed away yesterday, March 31, at the age of 74. A fine fighter who became an accomplished trainer in his later years, Lewis of Alabama was one of the toughest 147 pound fighters during the 1970s. A standout amateur, Lewis winning the National Golden Gloves as a lightweight and as a welterweight, Hedgemon went pro in May of 1966 aged just 19.
Bob Arum started at the top, and he’s still here. A one-time practicing attorney who worked in the tax division for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Arum promoted his first card on March 29, 1966. Muhammad Ali defended his heavyweight world title at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens against Canadian challenger George Chuvalo and won a 15-round unanimous decision.
It’s fair to say, it was never going to be an easy job selling a third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. Now, with the contracted three-match postponed until at least October (according to promoting duo Bob Arum and Frank Warren), this due to you know what, it’s entirely possible those fans who did have an urge to see whether or not Wilder could possibly come back with a vengeance will have lost interest by then. Wilder, who was so comprehensively hammered in the second fight last month, is being given virtually no shot against Fury the next time around.
Wilder-Fury II streaming on demand on ESPN+ beginning Monday
Four-fight Wilder-Fury II card to air at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN following a special re-air of Wilder-Fury I (7 p.m. ET)
Encore presentation of “O.J.: Made in America” shifts to March 24-26
There is a forthcoming book on the life and times of the one and only Drew “Bundini” Brown (“Don’t* Believe The Hype – Bundini” by Todd D. Snyder – the book due for release in August – *the word Don’t crossed out in the clever title) – and what a fascinating read this promises to be.
Due to the publication of a number of misleading and misrepresentative statements and articles made by third parties relating to Tyson Fury, the following statement is made jointly by MTK Global, Top Rank and Queensberry Promotions.
Tyson Fury is the globally recognized No. 1 Heavyweight in the world and the current Lineal, WBC and Ring Magazine champion. Tyson is contracted to a third fight with former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder.
