From boxing biopics to glove tampering allegations, here are five boxing stories you might have missed this week...
WBC Orders Luke Campbell vs Ryan Garcia
Fight fans are in for a lightweight treat as the WBC have ordered a fight between Hull’s Luke Campbell and highly-touted Californian Ryan Garcia for the interim 135lb title.
Olympic gold medallist Campbell, 32, was set to fight Javier Fortuna in a title decider but the Dominican decided to fight Jorge Linares in August instead. Campbell and the unbeaten Garcia are ranked second and third by the WBC, respectively.
Garcia tweeted: "I’m finally getting to fight a southpaw, my favorite fighters to fight! Bring it on Luke Campbell."
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Golden Boy Promotions' Oscar De La Hoya now have 30 days to agree terms for the fight until it goes to purse bids.
Jarrell Miller Insists He’s Going Nowhere
You’d have a tough time finding a more unpopular boxer than Brooklyn heavyweight Jarrell Miller right now but ‘Big Baby’ insists he’s going nowhere despite failing another drugs test.
Miller, 31, failed three tests in total in 2019 and last week, ahead of his planned comeback this month, he once again tested positive for GW1516, the same substance discovered in his system ahead of his scheduled fight with Anthony Joshua last year.
Speaking to Fight Network, Miller said: ‘I’m prepared to accept my suspension and I’m willing to do my monthly testing duration for my suspension, but to be banned for life, no, you’re out of your mind, because I did my due diligence.’
Tyson Fury Laughs Off Glove Tampering Allegations
Tyson Fury took to social media to laugh off claims from Deontay Wilder’s younger brother Marsellos that The Gypsy King’s gloves had been tampered with in his victory over the elder Wilder brother in February.
On Instagram, Marsellos, who campaigns at cruiserweight, wrote: “'It was discovered by doctors that my brother has a dent in the side of his head due to a blunt object struck against his head from his last fight.
“No glove or fist was able to cause the damage according to the autopsy.”
After being made aware of the allegations, Fury took to social media himself and posted a video stating: “Unless Deontay Wilder's own trainer Jay Deas was in on the conspiracy as well along with all the Las Vegas Commission guys who never left the room.
“Jay Deas was in the room while I had my hands wrapped, he examined them. He was in there when I had my gloves put on, examined them, and everybody else was in the room, they don't leave you.
'So everybody citing foul play - bulls**t. And the next time I'll put a dent in his boxing career, end it. It'll be two knockout losses in a row, bye bye forever.”
Wilder Vs Fury Trilogy Fight Heading To Oakland Raiders’ New Stadium
Speaking of Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has said that ther Oakland Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium has been reserved for December 19 with a view to hosting the trilogy fight between the Brit and American.
Speaking to ESPN’s Steve Kim, Arum thinks the stadium will be a perfect fit for the bout, two days after the Raiders play their first match at the stadium against the LA Chargers.
"We've reserved that date for Allegiant Stadium," he said. "The Raiders are playing on that Thursday, which is perfect. After the game is over, we put up the ring and so forth. We have a couple of days to do it, and Saturday we have the fight."
Jack Johnson Biopic Finds Its Lead Man
There aren’t many boxers in the history of the sport that are as deserving of a biopic as Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight world champion, and now HBO’s six-part drama Unruly has cast its lead man.
Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Green Book) will stepping into the shoes of the famous heavyweight, whose talent in the ring was overshadowed by overwhelming racism and discrimination.
In development since 2003, Unruly will be based on Geoffrey C. Ward’s biography of Johnson, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson.
