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Deontay Wilder Makes Final Decision On Boxing Future After Comeback Fight Collapses

By Admin March 5, 2025

Deontay Wilder was poised to announce a comeback fight for April after back-to-back losses in Saudi Arabia.

The former WBC Heavyweight Champion was beaten on points by Joseph Parker and knocked out by Zhilei Zhang in his last two efforts, with both performances leading many in the sport to believe retirement was near.

Wilder confirmed he would fight on and had reportedly agreed to face American heavyweight Curtis Harper as part of a BLK Prime show. It was reported in early February that a contractual dispute saw the bout fall through.

JUST IN: WBA Issues Statement After Reviewing The ‘Evidence’ Of Gervonta Davis Knee Against Lamont Roach

There has been no news since as to when the knockout artist from Alabama is set to return, again prompting theories that this could be it at 39-year-old.

However, Wilder’s trainer, friend and former opponent Malik Scott has now confirmed to Space Port Sweden that his charge still intends to step through the ropes again.

“Fighting is in Deontay’s heart. He’ll fight again. Deontay will fight again. He just moves on his own terms and does things how he wants to do them.

“Especially when it comes to the business aspect of things because like I said he doesn’t need this, so he ain’t going to do it if all the terms are not right. He’s still Deontay Wilder. He’s still big time boxing and people still want to see him. He’ll fight again.”

The level and stage on which ‘The Bronze Bomber’ returns remains to be seen. While a tune-up fight is ideal given the manner of his last two defeats, time is not on his side.

Scott has again mentioned a fight against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou, who has had two boxing contests against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, losing on points to the former and by KO to the latter.

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BOXING

WBA Issues Statement After Reviewing The ‘Evidence’ Of Gervonta Davis Knee Against Lamont Roach

By Admin March 5, 2025

The controversy from Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr’s draw in Brooklyn continues to unfold.

‘Tank’ Davis kept hold of his WBA Lightweight World Title with the scores of 115-113 in his favour and two cards of 114-114. Crucially, however, the champion took a knee in the ninth round which was not called a knockdown by referee Steve Willis.

Had it been dealt with as per the rulebook, and the same scores were recorded for every other round, Roach would have left the ring with a massive upset victory and the world title.

JUST IN: “Let’s Roll The Dice”: Anthony Joshua In Talks For Huge Summer Fight Against Unexpected Opponent

His team have since been in touch with the New York State Athletic Commission to call for the result to be overturned to a win in his favour. The commission says a ‘technical issue’ prevented the use of replay so the referee’s decision was not reviewed on the night. A further verdict is expected.

The WBA on its official website took an opposing view, stating that ‘skeptics’ were wrong to say the call, or lack of, was unfair.

“From our perspective, Willis’ decision was not unreasonable or unjustifiable. He ruled in real-time that Davis had not been struck by a punch before going down, and therefore, no knockdown should be recorded.

“Judges, by regulation, must follow the referee’s rulings—they do not have the authority to override his decisions on knockdowns. Some skeptics have suggested that Willis’ call benefited Davis unfairly, but we do not subscribe to that notion.

“In our long experience judging fights, we see no evidence of favoritism—only a referee prioritizing the physical safety of a fighter who appeared compromised by an eye injury.”

In contrast, the President of the sanctioning body, Gilberto Mendoza, called the fight ‘very controversial.’

The injury in question, Davis has since explained, was due to grease from a recent hair appointment getting into his eye. He has also said he is pushing for an immediate rematch, which may be called regardless of his willingness.

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BOXING

“Let’s Roll The Dice”: Anthony Joshua In Talks For Huge Summer Fight Against Unexpected Opponent

By Admin March 5, 2025

Anthony Joshua is now slated for a summer ring return.

Joshua was last in action in September when he was stopped inside five rounds by IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.

All signs then pointed towards ‘AJ’ taking on Tyson Fury in a huge all-British clash after Fury had come up short in his two battles with heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.

READ: New York Commission Could Overturn Davis Vs. Roach Result

Those plans were dashed in January when Fury abruptly announced his retirement, leaving Joshua with no clear next opponent.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has now revealed to IFL TV that initial talks are underway for Joshua’s next bout, making the surprise claim that they are speaking about a rematch with Dubois, despite it seeming like ‘DDD’ was all set for an undisputed showdown with Usyk.

“We’re talking to Queensberry about the potential of Dubois-AJ this summer, the rematch. They’re planning Dubois’ next move as well.

“Some brief conversations with His Excellency about AJ against Wilder, the Parker fight could have potential. At this stage why would you roll the dice against Parker for the interim would title when you could roll the dice against Dubois for the full world title?

“I don’t think there’s any difference in those fights really in terms of the toughness of them. I’d go for Dubois every day of the week. If we can’t get Fury, my advice is to fight Dubois for the world title. I think he [AJ] should do it and I think he will beat Dubois.”

As of January, Joshua is ranked number 7 with the IBF. Dubois does not yet have a mandatory challenger. He was set to defend his IBF title against Parker last month but pulled out of the contest on fight week due to a viral infection and replaced by Martin Bakole, with Parker winning that fight by second round knockout.

Dubois has made it clear that he wants a rematch against Usyk with all four heavyweight belts on the line. The Ukrainian is also pushing for the fight, as is Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh.

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BOXING

New York Commission Could Overturn Davis Vs. Roach Result

By Admin March 5, 2025

The New York State Athletic Commission could overturn the Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight result.

Tank retained his WBA Lightweight Title with a controversial majority draw against Roach after the referee failed to call a knockdown in round nine. Davis took a knee in round nine and went to his corner to remove some grease from his face. The referee should have started counting but failed to do so, meaning Roach was prevented from getting a 10-8 round that would have been enough to see him win on two of the scorecards. That would have made him a two-weight world champion with Tank’s WBA belt.

The CompuBox numbers showed that Roach was the better fighter. He outlanded Davis with his jabs and punches landed, showing just how hard he had been done by. There are naturally calls for a rematch, as the WBA President Gilberto Mendoza has stated that this is the goal. Meanwhile, Davis has also hinted that a rematch could take place in May. The New York State Athletic Commission has now reacted. They stated that a technical error meant they were not able to see a replay of the event. This is why it was not dealt with immediately.

JUST IN: Oleksandr Usyk Admits That Even At His Very Best There Is One Heavyweight That Would Beat Him

“During the round in question, following the commission’s request for the replay video, there was a technical issue preventing the commission from receiving it within the allotted time for review. Therefore, the referee’s in-ring decision was relied upon and the fight continued.

“The commission is dedicated to preserving the integrity of combative sports. And, is committed to working with all promotions and production teams — on behalf of the athletes, officials, and fans — to ensure technical issues do not occur in the future that prevent the delivery of ringside instant replay feeds to the commission’s officials when needed,” NY Commission said

But Roach could now get the win, giving Davis the first loss of his career. This naturally raises question marks over where Tank goes next. Before the Roach fight, Tank said he wanted to box three more times this year before walking away from the sport. However, a rematch with Roach means that he could very well extend his stay if he desires to secure the biggest fights on his way out of retirement. His team has also reportedly contacted Vasiliy Lomachenko over a unification.

“A member of Davis’ team inquired afterward with a Top Rank executive about the availability of Vasiliy Lomachenko as a potential opponent for Davis later this year,” Keith Idec

Loma is the IBF Lightweight Champion, having stopped George Kambosos Jr. in his last fight. The Ukrainian could very well end up retiring. But he may be tempted by a big payday against Davis before walking away from the sport. Davis’ brand will no doubt be damaged if he does have one loss in his career, no longer making him in the elite club of undefeated fighters. That leaves Davis with some thinking to do moving forward.

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BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk Admits That Even At His Very Best There Is One Heavyweight That Would Beat Him

By Admin March 5, 2025

Oleksandr Usyk wrote his name into boxing folklore after beating Tyson Fury for the second time last December.

The 38-year-old from Ukraine outpointed ‘The Gypsy King’ over another 12 competitive rounds at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to retain his unified WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles and secure his status as the greatest heavyweight of this generation.

Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the ‘four belt era’ in his initial encounter with Fury last May, although their first bout arguably closer than their rematch on December 21.

READ: “That’s Not Good”: 2nd Lowest in Boxing, Gervonta Davis Left Disappointed With Ridiculous Boxing Stat

Despite being without a doubt the absolute best heavyweight of this era, he has recently admitted that there is only one heavyweight in the history of the sport that he believes would have gotten the better of him at his very best.

In a round of ‘Prime vs Prime; Winner Stays On’ with Daily Mail Sport, Usyk didn’t hesitate to name the one heavyweight who would defeat him.

“Muhammad Ali.”

Muhammad Ali‘s legacy is undeniable, with many regarding the late-great heavyweight icon as the greatest fighter in boxing’s long and storied history.

‘The Greatest’ enjoyed incredible success throughout his professional career, where he defeated the likes of Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Norton to name a few.

The most successful period of Ali’s career came in the mid-to-late 1970s, where he kept a hold of the undisputed heavyweight championship which he won when he beat Foreman in ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’ back in 1974.

‘The Greatest’ went on to make 10 defences of the titles he won from ‘Big’ George that night, before he was dethroned by Leon Spinks when they fought in February 1978.

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BOXING

“That’s Not Good”: 2nd Lowest in Boxing, Gervonta Davis Left Disappointed With Ridiculous Boxing Stat

By Admin March 3, 2025

Gervonta Davis just got exposed—and after his performance against Lamont Roach Jr. tonight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

But even before the main event began, another revelation left Davis visibly disappointed—a particular boxing stat that he couldn’t improve even during the fight.

As you may know by now, Tank Davis was barely able to defend his WBA lightweight strap after ‘The Reaper’ proved to be a bigger challenge than anyone thought. The bout ended with a majority decision draw, tarnishing Davis’ perfect boxing record. However, this could have been a loss for Davis if the rules were followed to a T.

JUST IN: (VIDEOS) Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis Claps Back At Terence Crawford Diss After Knockdown Controversy

During the ninth round, Davis surprisingly took a knee, and it was waved off. Though he later revealed chemicals had dripped into his eye from his hair, if it was scored as a knockdown by the referee, which it should have, Roach would have won last night. Regardless, before the fight began, Davis appeared in an interview with PPV[dot]com.

During the interview, the reporter informed Davis that he had the highest knockout rate, 93%—one of the best in the sport. However, he also had the second-lowest punches per round at 32, just above Zhilei Zhang. Both shocked and disappointed, Davis said, “Me? For real?… If I’m only throwing 32 punches? … that’s not good.”

He even claimed, “As a fighter, I think I need to be throwing more punches.” However, he could not follow that up during the fight. According to CompuBox, Davis threw an average of 23.25 punches per round and landed 8.58 punches per round during the fight, even lower than his earlier average. Meanwhile, Roach outlanded Davis in most rounds and still was handed a draw.

Regardless, you’d expect Davis to be eager for a rematch after recording the first draw of his career—but is that really the case?

After the draw, Davis was adamant about having a rematch in Brooklyn, even stating as much during his in-ring interview. However, by the time he reached the post-fight press conference, something had changed. When asked whether the rematch would happen in 2025, Davis surprisingly claimed, “I’m not sure, bro.”

It can be assumed that Davis may want more time to train for the rematch, and he would like to fight next year. But that’s not the case. When pressed whether Lamont would be his next opponent, Davis stated, “It’s definitely the one I want next, but it’s not gonna be next.” It’s worth mentioning that Davis was supposed to call out Jake Paul following what he thought would be an easy win.

That said, it appears Gervonta Davis was relying too much on his explosive power to win the fight. Unfortunately for him, a former super featherweight was durable enough to weather the storm.

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BOXING

(VIDEOS) Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis Claps Back At Terence Crawford Diss After Knockdown Controversy

By Admin March 3, 2025

One of the more controversial decisions in a championship boxing match in recent memory occurred on March 1, 2025, when Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis faced Lamont Roach Jr. for the WBA lightweight championship.

In what ended up being an extremely competitive fight, Davis (the reigning WBA lightweight champion who entered the fight with a perfect 30-0 professional record) took a knee out of nowhere in the ninth round after absorbing several of Roach’s shots.

After taking the knee, Davis went to his corner, had one of his coaches wipe his face off, then returned to the ring — all with no penalty.

JUST IN: Deontay Wilder warned he’d get killed if he ever boxed again

Just about everybody watching the fight felt like the intentional knee should have been counted as a knockdown. However, referee Steve Willis ultimately decided not to rule it as such. And as a result of that point not being taken away from Davis, he escaped with a majority draw against Roach instead of a split-decision loss.

Much of the boxing world is claiming this was a horrible decision from Willis and that Roach Jr. got robbed of a much-deserved win. One of these people is pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford, who made a series of X posts that showed his dissent with the knockdown decision.

“Roach won and that should have been called a knock down. Let’s see what happens.”

– Terence Crawford

He later added, “I never seen someone take a knee and they don’t count it as a knock down. Must of forgot the rules for tonight.”

Another X user replied to this second post with a video of Crawford going to a knee during 2019 fight against Egidijus Kavaliauskas, which wasn’t called a knockdown at the time. And Davis reposted this video, which is the only thing he has posted on his X account since the controversial draw.

https://t.co/87g0BN0LS9 pic.twitter.com/xJKp37HUGf

— Fred Garvin (@FredGarvinReal) March 2, 2025

While that might have been a missed call, Crawford ultimately knocked Kavaliauskas out in that fight, which made the knee irrelevant. Davis can’t say the same about his controversial knee.

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BOXING

Deontay Wilder warned he’d get killed if he ever boxed again

By Admin March 3, 2025

Deontay Wilder hit the end of his career following a second loss to Tyson Fury and should never have boxed again.

That’s the view of John Fury, the father of Tyson, who predicted Wilder’s demise after a Fight of the Year battle in October 2021. Fury said Wilder should walk away from the sport and not attempt a comeback.

On the face of Fury’s comments, those views may have been a fair reflection of where Wilder’s career has ended up. However, how the ever-brash John spoke was utterly unforgiving.

READ: Reason Behind the Majority Draw in Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Fight

Wilder suffered back-to-back defeats at the height of his powers after missing out on a fight with Anthony Joshua in 2018. The Bronze Bomber turned to Fury, who was returning from a long absence, as he looked for a new dance partner.

Despite extensive back-and-forth correspondence between Eddie Hearn and Shelly Finkel, Joshua had walked away. It seemed Wilder was firmly a member of the ‘Who Needs Him Club?’ – for the Londoner. Given what happened with Fury over three fights, AJ might have been proven right about taking on Alexander Povetkin instead.

It’s safe to say neither Wilder nor Fury were ever the same again after their three-fight saga.

As talk began to hit boxing socials about a possible fourth fight, which Finkel had exclusively told World Boxing News was a possibility, ex-boxer John was having none of it. He was adamant that Wilder should grace the ring again, especially not against his son.

Tyson tore Wilder apart in February 2020 after surviving a controversial draw in late 2018. And eighteen months after the punishing return, the pair shared eleven captivating rounds in Las Vegas to end the trilogy. That third effort, which saw both boxers hit the canvas more than once, is the only valid reason why a fourth fight would be a solid request from Team Wilder.

However, John spat venom at possibly giving the Tuscaloosa puncher another crack at the WBC heavyweight title.

“He will kill Deontay Wilder. That’s its start and end,” Fury told The Mirror. “I don’t even think Wilder should be boxing anymore. Look at [the third fight with Tyson]. It was all over every time Tyson caught him up the side of the head. He’s a pressure cooker ready to explode, him.

“He’ll get hit the wrong way and won’t come to Wilder. If I were Deontay Wilder, I would seriously consider retiring with my health intact. He’s made millions of dollars. Why risk it? The Gypsy King will kill him stone dead, and I don’t want that. I want the best man to win, go home healthy to their family, and do what’s right.

“It’s a sport at the end of the day. Even though I love it, we train to knock people out, but knocking out and permanent injuries? That’s another matter.

“I wish that on no athlete on no athlete. I’ve got kids and grandkids. I love them all. What I wouldn’t like to happen to mine, I definitely wouldn’t want to happen to other people.”

Instead, Fury embarked on a less-than-stellar run after Wilder. He faced Dillian Whyte, Derek Chisora, and Francis Ngannou as he aimed to keep his faculties intact for later life. The Wilder battles had taken plenty out of both, and they were no longer at the peak of their powers.

Wilder faced Robert Helenius, an opponent he’d spent many rounds sparring and knew he could beat. He did in less than a round, his only win in the five years since suffering his first loss to Fury.

Both have lost their last two in a row, proving that when fighters find that career-defining dance partner, they never come out of it as close to the men they were.

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BOXING

Reason Behind the Majority Draw in Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Fight

By Admin March 2, 2025

Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Lamont Roach fought to a majority draw on March 1, 2025, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The judges scored the bout 115-113 in favor of Davis and 114-114 twice, allowing Davis to retain his WBA lightweight title.

The fight was closely contested, with momentum shifts between both fighters. A pivotal moment occurred in the ninth round when Davis took a knee due to an eye issue caused by hair grease. The referee did not rule it a knockdown, leading to controversy, as such a call could have influenced the fight’s outcome.

Both Davis and Roach have expressed interest in a rematch to settle the dispute.

Round 1

Lamont Roach Jr. throws a right to the body. It misses. But he’s still on his feet. Call it a victory for Roach. Gervonta “Tank’’ Davis showing no interest in opening up early. Roach throws a couple of jabs and that could be enough to seal this round. Half a dozen and Davis finally throws a punch – a right that does not land. Roach is the aggressor, but with caution. Davis scores with a halfhearted left. Roach 10, Davis 9.

Round 2

Roach opens with a couple of left jabs and this remains tactical. He throws a right. And a left. Davis looks to be content watching the punches miss. Davis lures Roach into the corner but Roach won’t take the bait. He keeps a wise distance. Davis fires a hard left. Then a right. But nothing for the highlight reel. Davis slightly more active. Slightly. Roach 20, Davis 18.

Round 3

Roach attacks with a left. Davis fends it off. Boxers still very careful here, although Roach is the technical aggressor. Davis fires a left and a right but looks tentative. Davis smiles as he sees Roach flinch. Davis scores with a left and Roach answers with a nice left. Scores with a chopping right. Davis connects with a left. Roach 29, Davis 28.

Round 4

Roach out quick behind left jabs. Davis unleashes a nice left and scores to the body. Roach wraps him up and fires a right. Davis loosening up, on his toes and fires a couple of rights. Neither connect, but he’s busier. A little showmanship from Davis. But where’s the big punch? Roach lands a nice left while Davis is complaining to the ref. Roach 38, Davis 38.

Round 5

Roach is the aggressor, but not showing a ton of confidence as he “stalks.’’ Fires his jab. He squeezes a right through Davis’ high guard. But Davis is deflecting most of the punches coming his way. Not a fan-friendly affair to this point. They trade lefts and Roach shows some aggression. Davis connects with a solid left and Roach looks agitated. Roach talking to Davis and closes the round with a jab to Davis’ face. But Davis scored effectively to the body. Davis 48, Roach 47.

Round 6

Davis, angered by a potential low blow, unleashes a flurry of punches. Roach’s body is the target. Davis unloads with a left with KO power, but it misses. They’re at the center of the ring now, and Davis lets fly with a couple of lefts to the body. Roach answers, only to be hit again. Davis connects with both hands and looks increasingly confident. Davis lands another good left. Davis 58, Roach 56.

Round 7

Roach marches forward and fires a left and right, then doubles up to the body. Not sure if anything landed. Davis smiling. Takes a left, and answers with a left. Davis surges behind two lefts. Connects with an uppercut. Roach scores but takes a hard left and then a hard right. Davis sticks out his tongue. Roach lands a hard right! And a second right. Roach showing courage. Great exchange as the round ends, and Roach puts together his best round. Davis 67, Roach 66.

Round 8

Roach inching forward but showing more caution now. May be able to give CompuBox the round off. Roach throws a double jab and Davis darts in only to be tied up. They exchange punches. Davis lands a hard right and then looks stunned by a counter right. Roach lands another solid right and eats a left, but he’s on his feet. Bell rings and Davis taps Roach as if acknowledging his worthy effort. Davis 76, Roach 76.

Round 9

Roach standing his ground. Takes a left and fires back with a right. Davis takes a knee. He went to his corner for an unspecified reason. Davis unloads and Roach fires right back. Davis is firing with that KO power, and Roach counters with a big right. Roach not backing down. Roach connects with another hard right. Roach 86, Davis 85.

Round 10

Action slows. But Davis scores with a left hook to the body and a combination. Davis lands a left and Roach connects with a harder right. Again, standing his ground and then moving forward. Davis lands two lefts and Roach fires back with the jab. But it’s Tank’s round. Roach 95, Davis 95.

Round 11

Roach out quick again behind his jab. They trade more big punches. Davis scores with a big left and digs into the body. Bu Roach storms back. Roach may be growing fatigued. And just like that, he lands another right. Roach lands a big right. Catches a body shot. They are, center of the ring, exchanging big shots. Davis warned for a low blow. Davis throwing heavy leather, and Roach up to the challenge. Davis 105, Roach 104.

Round 12

Round begins. Davis looks skyward with some confusion. He better stay focused on Roach. They open with a nice exchange. Davis tries to bait Roach. Davis darts in, takes a punch. Delivers a left. More nice exchanges here, and Roach getting the better of it. Davis lands a left, but Roach counters. Roach moving forward. Roach grabbing Davis by the ankles. Holding on. Roach takes a right as the bell rings, but it’s harmless. Davis 114, Roach 114.

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BOXING

Davis vs. Roach results: Highlights, analysis for WBA lightweight title card

By Admin March 2, 2025

Gervonta “Tank’’ Davis didn’t lose the fight, but he lost his aura of invincibility.

His fight Saturday with heavy underdog Lamont Roach Jr. ended in a majority draw.

Davis (30-0-1) and Roach (25-1-2) traded big shots over the 12-round lightweight fight at New York’s Barclays Center and, incredibly enough, Roach ended the fight on his feet.

The judges scored it 115-113 (for Davis), 114-114 and 114-114.

“Hopefully we can get a rematch,’’ Davis said.

Before the fight, Davis said Roach would be the most skilled boxer he’d faced yet. It was no exaggeration.

“For sure, Lamont is a great fighter. He’s got the skill, like I said before,” Davis said. “He got punching power.’’

Both fighters were cautious early, but by midway through the fight, punches were flying and landing.

“I’m one of the best fighters in the world, and I showed that tonight,’’ Roach said, indicating he wants a rematch. “I want to run it back for sure.’’

Davis-Roach controversy

Early in the ninth round, Davis took a knee and went back to his corner. Davis explained in his in-ring interview that he’d just gotten his hair done two days earlier and grease slid down his face and into his eye. The explanation apparently didn’t go over well with the crowd, which booed.

“Damn, why you all booing?’’ said Davis.

If the referee had ruled Davis taking a knee a knockdown, it would have resulted in a one-point deduction for Davis on all three judges’ cards.

“If that’s a knockdown I win the fight,’’ Roach said.

But in welcoming a rematch, Roach said about the controversy, “It is what it is.’’

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