Innholdsfortegnelse for 9 October 2025 i Boxing News

WOMEN’S boxing isn’t for everyone. I get that. However, we’ve been seeing an increase in hard-hitting displays and explosive finishes in women’s bouts. So, the position held by some – that women’s fights seldom produce stoppages and therefore aren’t really suspenseful – is surely starting to erode. In support of this notion I’ll give you what I would call the ‘triple threat’ in women’s boxing: Gabriela Fundora, Elif Nur Turhan and Tamm Thibeault. Each of these women has won impressively inside the distance this year. Let’s look first at Fundora, the southpaw flyweight from the desert community of Coachella, California. She’s tall and rangy for her weight division — as is her big brother, Sebastian, the 154lbs champion. ‘Sweet Poison’ Gabriela stands 5ft 9ins and she towers over her opponents…

RICKY HATTON’S funeral will be held tomorrow (Friday, October 10) at Manchester Cathedral. While the memorial service itself will be a private affair, there will be a procession before and after, with members of the public invited to pay their respects to the two-time world champion, who died at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on September 14, aged 46. The Hatton family have announced details of the procession route, which will take in several locations with personal importance to the life and career of ‘The Hitman’. The cortege will start at 9.45am, setting off from the Cheshire Cheese pub in Gee Cross and then visiting another of his locals, the Harehill Tavern in Hyde. Next stop will be the New Inn, which was once owned by Ricky’s parents and…

GOOD QUALITY domestic shows in the Republic of Ireland have been at a premium recently. Step forward Jay Byrne, a former pro and current promoter, doing his best to change that. Two title fights head a mammoth 15-bout card at Irish boxing’s purpose-built National Stadium, Dublin, on Saturday, televised live on Triller TV. Unbeaten Cork man Cathal Crowley and Kerry’s beautifully monikered ‘Kingdom Warrior’ Kevin Cronin contest the vacant Boxing Union of Ireland (BUI) light-heavyweight crown. While Crowley sports a shiny, unblemished slate, it’s sturdy puncher Cronin who will fancy that his bigger fight experience can shine through. Cronin has two losses to Olympian Emmet Brennan, equipping himself well in both fights, particularly their hotly contested first encounter that ended on a split decision. He’s also endured a loss and…

OUTSTANDING GOOD FAIR DISAPPOINTING RUBBISH GLASGOW OCTOBER 4 WHOLE SHOW ATMOSPHERE IN A SHOW billed as The Next King Of Scotland, Nathaniel Collins’ coronation was delayed as he drew with Spain’s Cristobal Lorente in their European featherweight title fight. Glasgow’s Collins (17-0-1, 8 KOs, 125lbs 1oz) started sprightly and banked the early rounds. The hometown southpaw edged menacingly towards the Spaniard, inviting jabs and replying with crisp three-and four-punch combinations. Lorente(20-0-3, 8 KOs, 125lbs 1oz) looked daunted by Collins’ intensity. But the defending champion showed improvement in the fourth round, firing back with more spiteful shots, and made a strong argument to win the fifth with his renewed energy. The Scotsman marched towards Lorente with intent at the start of the sixth, unloading powerful combinations that wobbled the Spaniard. Collins was…

SOUTHAMPTON OCTOBER 4 WHOLE SHOW WHAT WAS set to be a truly promising card, featuring several 50/50 tussles, was suddenly plagued by a rather unfortunate spate of pullouts ahead of fight night. Reduced to just five bouts, it was far from the night of pulse-pounding action that promoters Steve Bendall and Gary White had hoped to deliver at the Hamble Sports Complex. Despite that, the main event saw Lloyd Farrington stroll out to a roaring reception, before producing a thumping display against charismatic Camden journeyman Robbie Chapman (13-60-10, 2 KOs, 175lbs). Soon enough, Farrington (9-0, 2 KOs, 174½lbs, Waterlooville) wiped the smile off his man’s face with a particularly sharp left hook, buzzing him in the second round, but was ultimately forced to settle with a 59-55 victory, according to…

LILLEHAMMER OCTOBER 4 WHOLE SHOW AN EMOTIONAL homecoming was the perfect final chapter in the incredible trailblazing career of Cecilia Braekhus. The 44-year-old leaves the sport a world champion once more after comprehensively outpointing Ema Kozin at the Nova Spektrum. All three judges had Braekhus comfortably ahead after 10 rounds, with scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 98-92 earning her the WBC and WBO super-welterweight world titles. The Slovenian, who had only previously lost to Claressa Shields, probably knew she needed a fast start if she was to retain her belts. The 26-year-old tried to stamp her authority on the fight from the opening segments, but Braekhus found her groove relatively quickly, and Kozin would have sensed those world titles slipping away from her as the fight entered the back nine. Already…

Highlighting the best of the week’s stories WWW.BOXINGNEWSONLINE.NETWEN DAZN entered the US boxing market back in 2018, the message was is dead. And, with that, the sport would experience a seismic shift, not least because of a $1 billion rights deal – as proudly announced by Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn at the time – but also due to the ever-changing boxing landscape which, time and again, has proven to be about as predictable as a Kinder Egg toy. Sure enough, DAZN made a meteoric splash, becoming the troublesome ‘disrupter’ for which its bold introduction had laid the groundwork. And yet, on the flip side, it must also be said that the streaming platform, as evidenced by a rather abrupt U-turn on its ‘pay-per-view is dead’ claims, has encountered no…

WBC rankings HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION Oleksandr Usyk | Ukr INTERIM CHAMPION Agit Kabayel | Ger 1. Lawrence Okolie | UK 2. Daniel Dubois | UK 3. Anthony Joshua | UK 4. Moses Itauma | UK 5. Filip Hrgovic | Cro 6. Efe Ajagba | Nig 7. Martin Bakole | DRC 8. Frank Sanchez | Cub 9. Bakhodir Jalolov | Uzb 10. Zhilei Zhang | Chi CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION Badou Jack | Swe INTERIM CHAMPION Michal Cieslak | Pol 1. Noel Mikaelyan | Ger 2. Ryan Rozicki | Can 3. Yamil Alberto Peralta | Arg 4. Chris Billam-Smith | UK 5. Ilunga Makabu | DRC 6. Leonardo Mosquea | Fra 7. Mateusz Masternak | Pol 8. Brandon Glanton | USA 9. Roman Fress | Ger 10. Yuniel Dorticos | Cub LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT…

YOU WILL no doubt be familiar with the movie trope of when the protagonist and the antagonist join forces in the face of the emergence of a bigger threat. The bad guy turns good and the bickering of the opening two acts is forgotten as the hero and the hitherto villain recognise a common purpose. As they say: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This story arc came to mind when monitoring the developments of the past week or so, when boxing’s much-maligned (and often deservedly so) sanctioning bodies suddenly became a lot more likeable – not because of any dramatic overhauling of their practices, but because of the emergence of a bigger threat. Dana White, that juggernaut of mixed martial arts promotion, has outlined his vision for…

EVERY so often, a heavyweight comes along who looks like he could be a threat to the division’s top fighters. But these things have a habit of not quite working out. Take Arslanbek Makhmudov, who meets Dave Allen on Saturday. He’s a big, dangerous fighter, definitely one to be respected, but not quite the terror he once seemed to be, before he was twice beaten. There have been other heavyweights with impressive records who looked as if they might reach the top but instead turned out to be might-have-beens. One of these was the huge Cuban, Jorge Luis Gonzalez, who stood 6ft 7ins and weighed around 250lbs. Gonzalez stood out in a crowd because of his size and also his unique hairdo, which consisted of a shaved skull on top…

WHOLE SHOW THE ART of manipulation has always sat comfortably in Eddie Hearn’s wheelhouse, but even his silver tongue has failed to convince fans that Uisma Lima – a sturdy but unremarkable super-welterweight – is capable of making even the slightest dent in Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. You may have heard interviews where the reporter has uttered something along the lines of, ‘Oi, Ed, this Lima looks a right handful’, almost as if they have been encouraged to join in the cheerleading. But the reality is that Lima (14-1, 10 KOs) appeared on a sizable list of potential opponents, and just so happened to be the one that accepted the lowest offer. In his most meaningful outing, Lima gave a plucky effort to go 10 rounds with Aaron McKenna, introducing the…

SHEFFIELD OCTOBER 4 WHOLE SHOW THE CANCELLATION of the British and Commonwealth flyweight title fight between Harvey Horn and Paul Roberts due to unspecified “unforeseen circumstances” left fans at Skate Central with a fairly routine bill, which saw the away corner win just one round in total. Doncaster’s Hughie Wilson (10-2, 2 KOs, 153¾lbs), a split-decision loser to Billy Pickles over 10 as recently as July, scored the only knockdown of the night in the rearranged bill-topper on this Dennis Hobson promotion when, already in the ascendancy and on his way to a fully deserved 60-53 victory, he sent Peruvian Oscar Robledo (2-7-2, 2 KOs, 153lbs 9oz) over backwards with a right as the bell to end the second round sounded. Referee for the bout was Sheffield trialist Mark Downing, with…

LIVERPOOL OCTOBER 3 WHOLE SHOW IN THE first professional show at what will surely become one of the city’s most crowd-pleasing venues – BoxPark Liverpool - Middlesbrough’s Will Howe (5-1-0, 256lbs 5oz) pulled off a surprising but deserved 59-56 win over ‘home’ fighter Boma Brown (5-1-0, 3 KOs, 257lbs 2oz). After a bright opener that saw him score well with the jab, Londoner Brown seemed on his way to another entertaining win, but the visitor – always in the fight – had other plans. Relentless and aggressive even when both tired as the contest wore on, Howe wasn’t to be denied, even when cut over the right eye in the fifth after an ugly clash of heads. Andy Kremner refereed and Jamie Kirkpatrick scored. In an all-action debut, Warrington’s wellsupported…

ON MARCH 3, 1943, anti-aircraft rockets were fired from Victoria Park, Bethnal Green, a little after eight o’clock in the evening. It was a dark night and as civilians made their way to Bethnal Green Tube station, thinking that an air raid might be in progress, they reached the steps downwards, which were blacked out, and a young mother and child tripped and fell. Within seconds, many others fell around them and within a minute, hundreds had. 173 people died, including 62 children – crushed and asphyxiated within the tangled pile of bodies. One of them was Dick Corbett, two-time British and Empire bantamweight champion in the early 1930s. Corbett, whose real surname was Coleman, had a brother, Harry, who held the British featherweight title during 1928/9, and the two…

IT WILL never end. There will always be a kangaroo, a bear, crocodile or an octopus for a legitimate boxer to fight as a publicity stunt. There will also, sadly, always be somebody from the sprawling and increasingly lawless world of martial arts ready and willing to fight a boxer. It often feels like there is some type of mythical chalice on the line each time a great boxer walks away from the ring and blurs reality. It is invariably ugly. There are a lot of lows in the clashes between proven boxers, men with gloves and glory, in fights with very little pride. Leon Spinks tumbled from grace and mixed it with men like Tarzan Goto, a wrestler, hustler and actor. He also met Antonio Inoki – yes, the…

OUTSTANDING GOOD FAIR DISAPPOINTING RUBBISH The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be MAIN EVENT UNDERCARD AT THE age of 33 and after twists and turns in his career, David Allen has astonishingly acquired a new lease on life as a fighter. He’s actually a heavyweight contender now (No. 8 in the WBA ratings). Fights against some of the division’s biggest names could be in the pipeline if Allen can get past Russia’s towering, menacing Arslanbek Makhmudov in their 12-rounder at Sheffield Arena on Saturday. Makhmudov is no longer world-rated, but he’s a big name. It wasn’t so long ago that people in the boxing business were seeing him as a potential champion. Things…

EVERYTHING about Arslanbek Makhmudov screams ‘danger’. There’s the visible raw power and the statistically monstrous knockout record, and standing at 6ft 6ins while tipping the scales at more than 260lbs, he is built like a tank and boasts sledgehammers for fists. And what marks him out further as one of the heavyweight division’s most terrifying propositions goes beyond what we can obviously see – it’s the legend that surrounds him outside of the ring. One of the most jaw-dropping moments in his growing mythos is the infamous video of him wrestling a bear. Yes, a real bear. And Makhmudov grappled with it like it was part of his warm-up routine. That video didn’t just go viral, it cemented the image of someone who seemed more beast than man. If you…

CANNOCK SEPTEMBER 25 WHOLE SHOW BRUMMIE Steed Woodall (20-3-1, 12 KOs, 171lbs) was back with a bang on this three-bout Scott Murray promotion at The Premier Suite, flooring American-based Argentinean Marcelo Fabian Bzowski (11-31-4, 170lbs) with a meaty left as early as the first round, before cruising to a 60-53 victory on the card of third man and ex-pro boxer Peter McCormack. Switching his attacks up and down, Woodall – halted early, some thought too early, by Barnsley’s multi-titled Callum Simpson back in January – handed out something of a battering. Anxious not to suffer the same fate that befell him in that opening stanza, the southpaw visitor erred on the side of caution for the remainder of the contest. A couple more similar sorties and Woodall and his team…

BIRMINGHAM OCTOBER 3 MAIN EVENT AFTER losing out over 10 to Brandon Bethell in a cracker while contesting the Midlands Area super-featherweight title in June, Brummie Nico Ogbeide (6-1-1,138lbs, pictured inset) was back punching for pay on this Black Country Boxing promotion at the Eastside Rooms. He duly completed the double over Worcester’s Michael Mooney (10-119-3 (3), 141lbs 6oz), who he’d outpointed at this same venue last year. That initial meeting had finished 39-37 in Nico’s favour, but this rematch, more one-sided especially in the early stages, saw the polished home boxer open a healthy lead before easing off a little in the last. At the finish, referee Peter McCormack turned in a card reading 40-37. There was a return to the squared circle after a lengthy absence for Coventry’s well-supported…

LAGOS OCTOBER 1 WHOLE SHOW AMIR KHAN PROMOTIONS continues to provide ‘bucket list’ moments for veteran British boxers with his push into Africa. This time, in the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, it was the turn of Lewisham’s former British, European and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Dan Azeez, a man of Nigerian heritage who jumped at the chance to perform in Lagos. Similarly, when Khan promoted in Ghana in June, Ohara Davies came out of retirement for a one-off shot at fighting in his parents’ homeland. In Azeez’s case, though, this not just a box to tick. Even at 36, he remains focused on his fighting future, aiming for one more title run. And while his win over local 40-year-old Sulaimon Adeoson (11-3, 7 KOs) was to be expected, Azeez looked good in…

THE reigning NAC and Development Champions clashed on Halliwell ABC’s show in Bolton. Harley Burrows made the 370-mile round trip from Cambridgeshire to the northwest to face local favourite Sam Akinsete – and for two rounds, the NAC middleweight champion was on the receiving end. Akinsete quickly found his range against the 19-year-old southpaw from March ABC, landing his jab and, when Burrows looked to launch an attack, he ran on to rights, bringing cheers from the pro-Akinsete crowd. Burrows was more purposeful in the second, but it wasn’t until around a minute into the session that he had his first success. That came when he switched downstairs at the end of a combination to sink a hard left into the pit of Akinsete’s stomach. The blow seemed to take…

CROYDON EBA had a lively and enjoyable meeting on September 28, with the raffle raising £85. Chairman Barry Penny opened the meeting by welcoming everybody – including a contingent from Brighton EBA who make the trip up whenever they can – then gave the sad news that member Bobby Wells (who had only joined at our July meeting) had passed away. A minute’s silence was held for Bobby and former world champion Ricky Hatton. Called on to speak about the Hall of Fame in Hastings, President Pat Doherty said it was a good day, and praised both the organisation and the brochure. He said the venue was great and could have been filled at least twice over – and he was delighted to meet some people he had not seen…

Oct 9 MARY MCGEE vs NATASHA SPENCE Mayflower Hotel, Washington DC Oct 10 KEVIN CRONIN VS CATHAL CROWLEY National Stadium, Dublin (vacant Irish light-heavyweight title) TRILLER Dean Walsh vs Daniel O’Sullivan (vacant Irish super-welterweight title) Spike O’Sullivan vs Mateusz Pawlowski MICHEL SORO vs EVANDER CASTILLO Palais des Sports, Marseilles Anauel Ngamissengue vs Jose Rivas Oct 11 JARON ENNIS vs UISMA LIMA Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia DAZN Alexis Barriere vs Guido Vianello Giorgio Visioli vs James Wilkins DAVE ALLEN vs ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV Sheffield Arena DAZN Josh Padley vs Reece Bellotti Junaid Bostan vs Bilal Fawaz Leo Atang vs TBA Ibrahim Sulaimaan vs James Chereji MIGUEL BERCHELT vs EDISON PEREZ Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico Oct 17 KIERON CONWAY vs GEORGE LIDDARD York Hall, Bethnal Green (British and Commonwealth middleweight titles) DAZN Jimmy Sains…