Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank Jr have been arguing on social media again, David Haye’s comeback fight has been classified and Josh Warrington prepares to face Mauricio Lara for the second time. Here’s five boxing stories you might have missed from this week.
Warrington admits embarrassment after Lara loss
We are now just a matter of days away from Josh Warrington’s much-anticipated rematch with Mauricio Lara at Headingley, and the Leeds Warrior has been reflected on the damage the first loss, his first career defeat, had on him.
"For the first six or seven weeks, I was dealing with injuries and that covered up all the thoughts of losing," Warrington told ESPN.
"I had a fractured jaw, I had to have an operation on my elbow, I had a damaged shoulder, my ear was perforated. I didn’t really leave the house because I was kind of embarrassed and I didn’t want to bump into folk and them asking me ‘what happened Josh?’”
Now, this weekend, he has a chance to get revenge in front of a packed home crowd, something he didn’t have due to the pandemic when he tasted defeat in February. The Sportsman will be covering the entire build-up and the fight itself on Saturday night.
Caleb Plant takes aim at Canelo
The undefeated American Caleb Plant has taken a shot at Canelo Alvarez by claiming he will beat the Mexican when the pair meet on November 6. This fight is seen as Canelo’s next step on ‘the road to undisputed’, yet Plant feels he has the skills to stop one of the all-time greats in his tracks.
"He's looked beatable in a lot of his bigger fights,” Plant said, having beaten Caleb Truax back in January. “He looked beatable vs Lara, he got schooled by Floyd, he lost the first fight to GGG and it was really close the second time. They're not gonna convince me the guy's unbeatable.
"I'll beat Canelo Alvarez and, if he wants to take the rematch, I'll beat him twice. I'll beat David Benavidez, I'll beat Jermall Charlo and I'll be crowned as one of the greatest fighters of this era, period."
Billy Joe Saunders wants £5m to fight Eubank Jr
Billy Joe Saunders was handed the first defeat of his career by Canelo in May, and is now looking for his next fight. One constant irritant for BJS over the past few years has been Chris Eubank Jr, even though he beat Eubank back in 2014.
Their war of words this week began as Eubank Jr claimed BJS quit against the Mexican champion. “There was no smashed orbital bone, no broken eye socket… If that was the truth, there would've been doctors' reports, pictures. The guy was driving around in his car a week later with sunglasses on. We're not sheep. No, he quit."
Saunders replied, having scooped $5m for his fight against Canelo: “5m, and I will come back and spank you once again, man down,”. Meanwhile, promoter Kalle Sauerland has hinted that he is in ‘advanced negotiations’ for a big fight at the end of the year on Sky’s PPV - and this one fits the bill. Wembley Stadium for the rematch, anyone?
David Haye fight won’t be on his record
David Haye’s mildly anticipated comeback fight against Joe Fournier, has not been sanctioned by the California Commission which means it will now be an exhibition bout that will not feature on the Hayemaker’s record. On September 11th, Haye and Fournier will share the ring for eight, two-minute rounds and will be wearing 12-ounce gloves, it has been confirmed.
Nico Ali Walsh set for second fight of his career
Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, fresh from winning the first professional fight of his career against Jordan Weeks, will feature in Atlanta on October 23rd on the undercard of Jamel Herring v Shakur Stevenson. Herring is looking to defend his WBO super-featherweight title having stopped Carl Frampton earlier this year, while Stevenson, at 24 years old, is yet to taste defeat.
