Boxing archive

Even tough guys cry. Luke Campbell joined female flyweight Nicola Adams as an Olympic champion. The 24-year-old from Hull fought the contest of his life to hold off swarming Irishman John Joe Nevin last night and claim Britain's first bantamweight gold in more than a century.

In what has been the most successful Olympics for British boxers since Melbourne in 1956, Campbell scored frequently and decisively against an opponent he knows well but whose performances in this tournament have been sharp and exciting. In front from the start, Campbell had a lead of 5-3 after the first round, showing a clarity of punching that was to improve as the bout progressed, notably with the smart use of a left hook and his southpaw jab.

A storming second round saw Nevin come out more aggressively, catching Campbell with a neat right cross, but the Briton remained unruffled, one point ahead at 9-8.

Read More: Boxing: Campbell's super right picks up a gold - Other events - Olympics - The Independent

Women's boxing was a big hit in its first Olympics.

It could get even bigger in Rio.

The debut tournament got rave reviews from fans, boxers and Olympic officials who loved the sold-out crowds, evenly matched bouts and the emergence of stars on the international stage, including Ireland's Katie Taylor, US teenager Claressa Shields and Britain's Nicola Adams.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said he's thrilled the competition removed any doubt of the sport's Olympic worthiness. AIBA President Wu Ching-Kuo is determined to at least double the Olympic field for the 2016 Games in Brazil.

And Taylor can't wait to see what happens over the next four years after these four days of history in the London ring.

"Hopefully there are a lot of young girls sitting at home watching this, and they will realize this is what they can work towards," said Taylor, who won gold in the lightweight final. "This is amazing for women's boxing."

Even in an Olympics featuring several milestone achievements for women, the boxing stood out.

Read More: Women's boxing looks to grow after Games debut|Sunday Sports|chinadaily-com.cn

By the time Britain's Anthony Joshua won a thrilling tiebreaker to claim the final gold medal in the London ring Sunday, every fighter from the most successful men's boxing team in Olympic history had already been eliminated for five days. Although middleweight gold medalist Claressa Shields and bronze-winning flyweight Marlen Esparza saved the Americans from going home empty-handed, the nine U.S. men in London are returning with no shiny souvenirs.

"It's not the way we wanted to go out," U.S. assistant coach Charles Leverette said. "It's tough to take."

A shakeup is coming at USA Boxing, that's for sure. But changes in the worldwide amateur sport could be equally seismic before Olympic boxing returns in Rio in four years.

A pro-style scoring system is expected to be in place well before 2016 as the sport's governing body rids itself of the much-criticized computer scoring system. The move to a 10-point system would fundamentally change amateur boxing, which evolved into a distinct discipline from the pro sport with the computerized scoring that decided bouts on total punches landed, rather than style, power or defensive skill.

Read More: US men's boxing disappoints on Olympic stage  | ajc-com

Michael Dokes, a former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, has died. He was 54.

The Rhoden Memorial Home in Akron, Ohio, said Dokes died Saturday.

The Akron Beacon Journal reported the boxer died in an Akron hospice from liver cancer.

Dokes won the heavyweight title at 24 in December 1982 when referee Joey Curtis made a controversial decision to stop his fight against champion Mike Weaver. Dokes dominated the first round over Weaver, prompting the decision.

An admitted problem with cocaine helped him lose the WBA title only nine months later to Gerrie Coetzee, however, and Dokes never held the heavyweight crown again.

Known as "Dynamite" Dokes because he packed a powerful punch, he had a career record of 53-6-2.

Read more here: Former boxing champion Dokes, 54, dies of cancer - Olympics - The Sacramento Bee

As 18,000 fans in London cheered their every movement, it was clear that women’s boxing is indeed a welcome addition to the Olympics.

Now what about women’s role in professional boxing?

Ireland’s Katie Taylor, USA’s Claressa Shields and Great Britain’s Nicola Adams captured gold medals and proved before a packed arena in the first year of women’s Olympic boxing that fans do love to watch women fight.

USA Boxing’s male contingent failed to medal for the first time in modern Olympic history. The USA’s Marlen Esparza picked up a bronze to go with Shields’ gold.

“I got it accomplished,” said Shields to NBC.

Women’s amateur and professional boxing has existed for decades, but most boxing promoters and television networks refuse to pay attention. Most are unwilling take a chance and cite the lack of an interested audience. The Olympic crowds of screaming fans dispelled that falsehood.

Times have changed dramatically in women’s boxing.

A decade ago it was tough for any woman to box in Great Britain. It was frowned upon by the boxing public in that nation, but change came suddenly. The Olympic Games proved acceptance of female boxing in the land of Queen Elizabeth was absolute.

Many in the boxing industry were shocked. Men have always dominated the professional and amateur sport. Some like Oscar De La Hoya and Sugar Ray Leonard made the transition from Olympic gold medal success to mega millions as prizefighters.

Can that happen to women?


Read More: BOXING: Women shine in Olympic ring | Breaking News | PE-com - Press-Enterprise

I'm not a fan about women's boxing. But they done a great job.

Former undisputed world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is of the view that Anthony Joshua’s size is his biggest plus. According to Lewis, no matter what others say, size does matter in the sport of boxing.

“No matter what they tell you, size matters,” said the former heavyweight.

Joshua is 6ft 7in. He won the Olympics gold medal by defeating Roberto Cammarelle of Italy on Sunday at the ExCel Arena. According to Lewis, if Joshua is able to fulfil the other requirements of being a professional boxer then his size will give him an edge over his opponents in the ring.

Lewis is hopeful that if Joshua is able to stay on top, he can break records such as of Mike Tyson and Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather in terms of earning from his fights.

While Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are today’s boxing icons, Lewis insists that the world is waiting for a dynamic heavyweight. According to Lewis, Pacquiao and Mayweather are small guys and so the space for a heavyweight to pitch in is still vacant.

“Floyd and Manny are small guys. The world is waiting for the next dynamic heavyweight. If Joshua is that big man then translate those hundred million dollars into pounds, for starters. He would certainly earn more than Mike Tyson or myself,” asserted Lewis.

Joshua is currently 22 which makes Lewis and many other fighters hopeful of the fact that he can be the next big English boxer.

Read More: Lennox Lewis hopeful of Anthony Joshua being the next heavyweight attraction

Gold medalist Claressa Shields received a standing ovation Wednesday as she was honored by lawmakers at the Michigan Capitol for her pugilistic prowess in the London Olympics.

The 17-year-old boxer beat Nadezda Torlopova of Russia 19-12 to win gold in the first Olympics featuring women's boxing. The Michigan native was the only U.S. fighter to win gold at this year's games.

The high schooler acknowledged that all the attention made her a bit nervous, noting it was her first time at the state Capitol. She was greeted by state senators and guests in the Senate gallery Tuesday afternoon in Lansing, and a similar reception was planned in the House.

"It looks like a castle, it's big," Shields said before exploring the Senate chamber. "I feel numb because of the cameras and stuff (that) comes with the territory."

Shields is a junior at Flint Northwestern High School in Flint, about 50 miles northwest of Detroit. Hundreds of Flint and Genesee County residents greeted her return home Monday at Bishop International Airport.

"This is not only a victory for Flint, Michigan. This is a victory for the ages," said Sen. John Gleason, who represents Genesee County. "We got the gold and this is the face of the U.S. Olympics, right here."


Gold medalist Shields honored at Mich. Capitol | mich, lansing, medalist - Boxing News - Brownsville Herald

The London 2012 Olympics were 99 per cent a rousing worldwide success. Unfortunately, the boxing scoring system formed a fair chunk of the remaining 1 per cent.

Firstly, after a manic but amazing fortnight for the Games, The Pugilist feels good to be back.

Secondly, before we go deep into negativity, a massive congratulations are due to those Great Britain and Ireland boxers who took medals home from East London - in particular, the seminal gold medal performances of Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor, and the blistering bantam final between Brit Luke Campbell and Irishman John Joe Nevin.

Right, feel-good stuff out of the way. Now for the the less-glowing developments.

The introduction of a new scoring system (covered in-depth by TP for Eurosport's London Spy Olympic series here) irked purists, and sure enough a storm was brewing.

It felt like there wasn't a single day of action from London's ExCeL that didn't involve at least one contentious, sometimes downright incorrect, result.

It bore something of a resemblance to the issue of empty seats at some Olympic events, despite the struggles many had finding a way to experience a once-in-a-lifetime deal first-hand, in that the efforts of the athletes and the enthusiasm of the public were being undermined by the poor organisation of those in charge.


Read More: Can Olympic boxing be fixed? | The Pugilist - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

Sonny Bill Williams' next boxing opponent will be South African heavyweight Francois Botha, media groups claim today.

The All Black will square off against the 43-year-old nicknamed the 'White Buffalo' in Durban on November 17 this year, the South African website sport24.co.zasays.

A final decision about the fight was made on Wednesday night, boxing promoter Thinus Strydom told Beeld newspaper.

Botha will be a step up for Williams as he has fought several world heavyweight champions including Mike Tyson, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko.

The South African, who has a record of 48 wins (29 knockouts), 7 losses and 3 draws, was reportedly very confident earlier this year about a possible fight with Williams.

Botha told South Africa's Rapport newspaper in February he wouldn't mind doing it "somewhere during half-time of a rugby match" and with "one hand tied behind his back".

Williams, 27, has a big fanbase in South Africa and it has been suggested the boxing match could kick off a month-long "sports tour" of the country.

There is also a "50-50 chance" that Williams will play in the 7s Premier League rugby competition in George, South Africa on December 14 and 15, organiser William Strauss told Beeld.


Read More: Boxing: SBW to take on Sth African heavyweight | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News

After months of media speculation about rugby off-load maestro Williams boxing in the republic, promoter Thinus Strydom said arrangements for the bout were concluded this week.

Williams, who played for the All Blacks against Australia on Saturday in the opening match of the new Rugby Championship, is the reigning New Zealand Boxing Association heavyweight champion.

The 27-year-old, who helped Waikato Chiefs win the Super 15 title for the first time this month, is quitting New Zealand soon to play rugby union in Japan and later rugby league in Australia.

Botha, a 43-year-old known as the ’White Buffalo’, has won 48 fights, drawn three and lost seven and his previous opponents included American Mike Tyson, Briton Lennox Lewis and UKrainian Wladimir Klitschko.

Quizzed this year about a possible fight against Williams, Botha told South African newspaper Rapport he would not mind doing it “somewhere during half-time of a rugby match” with “one hand tied behind his back”.


Sonny Bill Williams to fight 'White Buffalo' in SA - Sport LIVE

THE London Olympics hoped to have a lasting legacy on sport participation in the United Kingdom and one Wakefield club is already taking full advantage.

White Rose Boxing Club, at Lightwaves Leisure Centre, has seen an influx of interest on the back of the success of London 2012, and in particular British boxers.

Games fever swept the nation and gold-medal winning boxers such as Nicola Adams, from Leeds, and heavyweight Anthony Joshua, were among the highlights of Team GB’s numerous successes in the capital.

‘Inspire a generation’ was the London 2012 motto and White Rose coach John Hall says there’s been big interest in the club following the Olympic success.

“I’ve had a few e-mails from people who’ve been inspired by the Olympics and want to come down to the club,” he said.

“I thought there’d be some after the Olympics and the boxing in particular was so successful.

“The gym has been busy over the last few months. It’s the off season and some clubs close for a few months, but we’ve stayed open through the week and lots of people have been down, people who are regulars at the club but also a few people who’ve just started down here.”

Team GB won three gold, one silver and one bronze medal in London to top the medal count in boxing.


Read More: City boxing club gets London Olympics legacy boost - Other Sport - Wakefield Express

In boxing circles around the world, the legendary Kronk Gym — producer of more than 30 world champions — is synonymous with Detroit.

But after more than 90 years, the gym could be moving outside the city limits.

Hall of Fame boxing trainer Emanuel Steward, owner of the current gym at 19239 W. Warren Ave., said he wants to move to Southfield, where he will have a bigger space that's more accessible to an increasing number of suburban youth fighters.

The city closed the original Kronk Recreation Center — a hot, sweaty basement gym — on the east side after vandals stole its copper piping in 2006. Although Kronk has been a haven for Detroit's youths for decades, Steward said it's time to move.

"If we get that, we'll be able to get out of here because it's more conducive to the people that are into boxing now," Steward said, naming Dearborn and Sterling Heights as common homes of fighters. "It's not an inner-city crowd anymore. It's a lot of suburban kids."

Steward, 68, said a lot of black youths in Detroit have become more interested in basketball and football because of the prominence of those sports.

His desired new location is an abandoned business on Telegraph just north of Nine Mile, and the Kronk Gym Foundation is raising funds to buy and renovate it. Steward said he's working with Huntington Bank to possibly finance the move, estimating the 9,000-square-foot building will cost about $500,000.

From The Detroit News: Famed boxing gym seeks home in suburbs | The Detroit News | detroitnews-com

Police say a former boxing champion and Connecticut city councilor who yelled at officers and refused to leave a disturbance has been zapped with a stun gun and arrested.

Travis Simms is free on $1,000 bond.

The 41-year-old Simms is a former World Boxing Association light middleweight champion and served two years on the Norwalk city council. He faces charges including breach of peace after his Sunday night arrest.

Police say Simms was among those who refused to leave a large disturbance involving the widow of his adopted brother. They say he screamed at them and strongly resisted when they tried to handcuff him so they used a stun gun to subdue him.

Simms hasn't responded to requests for comment made Monday.

Simms also was arrested in 2010 after authorities say he fought with his twin brother.


Ex-boxing champ, Connecticut city councilor Travis Simms arrested - News | FOX Sports on MSN

James Bryant is throwing haymakers and roundhouses. It's lunch, and he's only talking, but Bryant is delivering some hard-hitting statements without reservation or apology.

He has dressed up like a mass murderer. He has enjoyed knocking people out. He has taken people's souls from them.

It's ghoulish. It's dark. It's the rarely discussed honest, visceral side of athletes who have products to sell.

Bryant, 26, is a rookie fullback in training camp with the Lions, but in another life not long ago, he was a professional heavyweight boxer. A good one. He could hit. Hard. And he learned how to listen.

Mostly, though, Bryant's true talent in the ring was devastation, in all its forms: physical, psychological and just for fun.

Bryant dressed in a Hannibal Lecter mask and a straightjacket for one weigh-in. He wore a Michael Myers mask from the "Halloween" horror flicks to another. Bryant went 4-1 with four knockouts in his brief boxing career that ended nearly two years ago.


Read More: Lions rookie James Bryant goes from pro boxer to fullback | Detroit Lions | Detroit Free Press | freep-com

Former boxing champion Johnny Tapia died from heart disease and high blood pressure and not from a drug overdose, his widow said Wednesday.

Speaking during a press conference at the late boxer's Albuquerque gym, Teresa Tapia said that an autopsy report showed that the death was accidental and was a result of heart problems and the onset of Hepatitis C, likely from the many tattoos the boxer had.

Teresa Tapia shared the newly released autopsy report with reporters at a press conference and said she was doing it to dispel the myth that her husband, who had struggled with cocaine abuse in the past, died in May after using illegal drugs.

"This (report) shows that he did not die of a drug overdose,'' Teresa Tapia said. "It doesn't make the pain go away, but I felt I needed to say that.''

Investigators found one Hydrocodone tablet, a painkiller, on the floor beside his body. They said there were no indications of an overdose or alcohol use, but that the 45-year-old former fighter likely developed medical complications from past illegal drug use.

Teresa Tapia said her husband was taking medication for his bipolar disorder and for his high blood pressure.

Read more: Wife says boxer Johnny Tapia died from heart problems - SI-com - Boxing

When Arthur Abraham flattened Jermain Taylor at the O2 World Arena in 2009 he looked like breaking through as a legitimate world superstar.

Then 30-0, the Berlin-based Armenian was drawing huge crowds and a favourite with plenty in boxing to go on and lift the Super Six.

However, three defeats in four subsequent outings saw his star fade so 'King Arthur' tries to kick-start his career this weekend when he challenges Robert Stieglitz for the WBO super-middleweight title.

As a middleweight Abraham was a straight-up killer, defending his prized IBF crown in impressive fashion time and time again with a series of devastating stoppage wins.

But it's no secret he has struggled up at 168 and should he blow this opportunity against Stieglitz then he can wave goodbye to the big paydays and glory nights, perhaps forever.

That's the bad news. The good news for Abraham fans is the fact that Stieglitz is a capable but beatable operator who has compiled a 42-2 (23) record by beating largely B-list opposition.

There are no standout names on his resume and the two times he has stepped up against punchers, he has failed to hear the final bell.


Read More: King Arthur to reign in Berlin | Sporting Life - Boxing News | David Haye, Dereck Chisora, Amir Khan

This Saturday night will feature a great Super Middleweight matchup between former Middleweight kingpin Arthur Abraham and current WBO Super Middleweight champ Robert Stieglitz. Despite being the challenger, Abraham is currently a solid favorite to win his first title at 168 pounds.

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As a Middleweight, Abrahams dominated the division, compiling a record of 30-0 along the way. Since stepping up to Super Middleweight he has gone 4-3, and the punching power that once dominated his smaller opponents does not have the effect it once did.

That doesn’t stop Bovada from handicapping him as a -300 favorite to dethrone Stieglitz. He has looked better in his last two fights, but Stieglitz will be step up into the elite of the division. He will need to get started early and keep the pressure up as he utilizes his jab and counterpunching if he hopes to stretch his current win streak to three.

Stieglitz will be making his seventh title defense in front of hometown German fans as the Bovada +240 underdog. He has won 11 straight against second-tier competition but will be in tough against Abrahams’ combination of power and technique.

Stieglitz will need to throw punches in bunches as Abrahams advances to keep the pressure up and stop him from unloading on him. If he can crowd Abrahams and negate his outside punching, the chances of the Stieglitz upset paying off go way up.

The big question that has to be answered before betting on this fight is whether or not you believe that Abrahams is still one of the elite in the sport. He has shown signs of fading over his last seven fights, and if he’s not 100% on Saturday night his chances of remaining relevant in the division, and the sport of boxing, will come to an abrupt end.

He's known for his big hair and his big personality and at 81 years old, legendary boxing promoter Don King is still hard at work trying to turn his big dreams into reality. His latest endeavor: a boxing and music event in North Korea.

"This came about by me thinking about Korea and feeling that Korea, that it should be one Korea," said King. When asked about the odds of this event actually coming together, King says, "It's very difficult to believe, I understand that."

Understanding King may help explain why he believes he can make this event happen.

The hallways of the Don King Productions office in South Florida are lined with photographs of him posing with world leaders, celebrities and athletes. There are old boxing posters and newspaper articles framed and hanging on the walls.

It feels more like a museum than an office building. For decades, King has appeared alongside boxing greats including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield -- promoting legendary matchups that have catapulted many boxers into lifelong fame.

Boxing has always been more than a sport to King, who contemplates the photos.


Read More: Don King aims for boxing match in North Korea - CNN-com

British prospect Tyson Fury claims he is on course to battle Ruslan Chagaev, the former WBA heavyweight champion.

Fury, 24, is unbeaten from 19 professional contests, but has hardly been tested in each of his last four, against the likes of Vinny Maddalone and Nicolai Firtha.

He has now opted to answer his critics by going after Chagaev, who brings an impressive pedigree. He claimed the WBA crown in 2007 and made two defences before a defeat to Wladimir Klitschko two years later.

He was unsuccessful in a bid to reclaim that title last year, losing to Alexander Povetkin, but since then has bounced back with two victories - and Fury has been impressed by the 33-year-old.

"He's top ten in the world, he's experienced, and I'm sure he's going to give me a tough fight," Fury told britishboxers.co.uk.

"I think he'd beat [Jean-Marc] Mormeck, and you got [people] like [Tomasz] Adamek avoiding the fight. You've got [Sergiy] Liakhovich [as another option]. I think Chagaev is the best of the lot."

Read more at Tyson Fury heading for Ruslan Chagaev clash | Boxing News | ESPN.co.uk