Terence Crawford finally has a fight in the pipeline, Logan Paul is targeting another legend of the combat sports world and Eddie Hearn is planning on getting Neil Diamond to sing at one of his shows. Here are five boxing stories you might have missed this week.
Terence Crawford Ordered To Fight Shawn Porter
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has formally ordered a welterweight title fight between Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter, with letters sent to the fighters’ respective promoters.
Three-weight world champion Crawford is widely considered to be one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world but the American’s career has stalled over the last couple of years thanks to a lack of activity within the ring. The 33-year-old was last in action in November, 2020, when he beat Kell Brook via a fourth round TKO.
Porter, also 33 and another former Brook opponent, although he was beaten when he met the Brit back in 2014, is a two-time titlist who has emerged as the number-one contender in the WBO rankings. His last fight was against Sebastian Formella last August, winning via unanimous decision.
The parties have 30 days to negotiate a deal.
Logan Paul To Fight Anderson Silva?
YouTuber Logan Paul and UFC legend Anderson Silva are reportedly in talks to meet in the boxing ring, according to ESPN.
Paul, who is 0-1 as a professional boxer, was involved in an exhibition match with Floyd Mayweather last month. The bout, which was unsanctioned and had no official winner, lasted the scheduled eight rounds, but there’s no confirmation yet on whether this one against Silva would be a sanctioned boxing match or another novelty exhibition.
Former UFC Middleweight champion Silva, 46, holds the record for longest title reign in the organisation's history, but the Brazilian isn’t a stranger when it comes to the sweet science, having beaten former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. last month in Guadalajara, Mexico in just his third outing as a boxer.
Callum Smith Teams Up With Veteran Trainer Buddy McGirt
Former WBA super-middleweight champion Callum Smith has joined forces with veteran trainer Buddy McGirt as he prepares to make an assault on the light-heavyweight division.
Smith has switched out ex-trainer Joe Gallagher for McGirt, a former two-weight world champion who has trained a multitude of world champions including Arturo Gatti, Antonio Tarver, Sergey Kovalev and Paulie Malignaggi.
In his last outing, in December, Smith was thoroughly outclassed by Canelo in Texas, losing by 117-111, 119-109, 119-109 on the judges’ scorecards.
Tyson Will Annihilate Wilder, Says John Fury
We might have to wait until October to see Tyson Fury back in action when he takes on Deontay Wilder for a third time, but according to his dad John, it’ll be an annihilation.
"He doesn't even deserve a third fight, does he? He's a horrible person that got battered to death. What can he do? He's not improved, has he? With his Mickey Mouse coach there. I've seen what's going on with them. Tyson will annihilate him this time," John Fury told Boxing Social.
Fury and Wilder had been scheduled to face each other this weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas but ‘the Gypsy King’ tested positive for Covid-19 and the fight was ultimately pushed back until October 9th.
"He's had a reprieve because Tyson's got COVID-19. But when Tyson gets him, it'll be the end of Deontay Wilder. He's only in it for a few quid anyway. Where's he gonna get another payday if he doesn't fight Tyson? Nowhere. He'd be working on the buses in wherever he's from."
Eddie Hearn Planning To Get Neil Diamond For AJ vs Usyk
Fed up of hearing ‘Sweet Caroline’ yet? Tough, because if Eddie Hearn has anything to do with it, Neil Diamond himself could be belting out the anthem himself when Anthony Joshua takes on Oleksandr Usyk on September 25th at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium or at Fight Camp, he told iFLTV.
The song, already a huge hit at Matchroom Boxing events for a few years now, rocketed in popularity this summer when it was adopted by England supporters across the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 campaign.
