Former titleholder David Avanesyan is aiming to reclaim the European welterweight boxing title. The European Boxing Union has scheduled purse bids for the fight on Monday, May 6, unless Jordy Weiss, the current champion, and Avanesyan reach an agreement before that date.
UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan has responded to fellow UFC fighter Michael Chandler, who previously expressed bewilderment over Arman turning down a rematch with Islam Makhachev, the promotion's lightweight champion.
"I didn't expect you to understand me, Mike. We are not on the same level. I'm here to be the champion. And you're just waiting for another check. I also don't understand why you're waiting two years for Conor McGregor. You could have lost four great fights in that time," Tsarukyan wrote on social media.
Recall, Arman Tsarukyan was offered to fight Islam Makhachev in early June, but he refused.
Campbell Hatton has revealed a new partnership with trainer Barry Smith at the Ben Davison Performance Centre in Harlow, Essex. This news came shortly after Hatton's surprising defeat to Jimmy Joe Flint in Sheffield on March 2, where he missed out on the BBBofC Central Area title. The announcement of their collaboration was made through social media, marking a significant shift as Hatton moves away from training under his uncle, Matthew Hatton.
Islam Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion, has named a high kick that his next opponent, former interim promotional champion Dustin Porier, doesn't like in the division.
"Dustin doesn't like high kicks either. Maybe this punch will help me again (Makhachev knocked out Volkanovski with a high kick - note). When you stand in a left-handed stance, kicks to the head and body become key. I try to hit hi-kicks in all my fights. I prepare them a lot, Dustin also needs to be ready," Makhachev said in an interview with the New York Post.
Recall that the fight between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Porier will take place on June 1 in Newark as part of the UFC 302 tournament.
Callum Smith, a former super middleweight champion, has voiced his views on rising boxing star Ben Whittaker's in-ring behavior. In a recent interview Smith critiqued Whittaker's showmanship and urged greater respect towards his opponents. This advice comes amid Whittaker's attempts to emulate iconic boxer Prince Naseem Hamed’s flashy style.
UFC lightweight championIslam Makhachev has spoken out about a possible bout with the organization's former featherweight champion Max Holloway.
"I'd be a little surprised at how the Holloway/Getty fight turned out. I felt like Justin might have knocked him out, but Max won all the rounds. He deserved all the hype surrounding that win - he knocked out a fighter with some serious power. A fight with Holloway? Only if he beats a couple other guys at lightweight. I don't want to give him a chance right now. There are other contenders at lightweight - first Porier, then Tsarukian. That's where I have business in my division and he has business in his weight class. Maybe if he beats Topuria and I win the next two fights..." - Makhachev said in an interview with the New York Post.
UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev expressed his opinion that Arman Tsarukyan is not really burning to have a rematch with him.
"I'm not surprised that Arman didn't agree to fight in June. He talks about a rematch all the time, but he's been given a chance to fight me for, I think, the third time. And he's said no every time. So there's no surprise here.
I was told right away that my opponent will be determined after UFC 300. But Arman in any case would not agree," - said Makhachev in an interview with the New York Post.
Recall that on June 1 at UFC 302 in Newark, USA, Makhachev will fight Justin Gaethje.
UFC ranked American lightweight Michael Chandler has expressed confidence that he will defeat former two-division champion Conor McGregor in dominant fashion.
The fight between the American and the Irishman will be the main event of UFC 300, which takes place on June 29 in Las Vegas, USA.
"I would venture to say that because of the downtime, his timing, movement and reflexes are not what they used to be. By the time we fight, his downtime will have been three years. From the first exchange, I'll start throwing bombs and making him doubt himself. I'll just come out and completely de-classify him, dominate him and then finish him because I deserve it," Bloody Elbow quoted Chandler as saying.
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman doesn't hide his surprise at the fact that former kickboxer Alex Pereira managed to win two titles in the promotion.
On April 13 at UFC 300 in Las Vegas, USA, the Brazilian made his first defense of the bantamweight division with a brutal knockout of Jamal Hill in the opening round.
"I see a big hole in his style in wrestling, and he hasn't fought wrestlers at all. It's crazy to have such a major weakness based on what we've seen so far. It's like Ben Askren would come into the UFC and become a multi-time champion without striking.
When a puncher looks at Askren, he thinks, "How did this guy become a world champion?". He won titles in Bellator and ONE. He had an incredible career in MMA, but no striking at all. Alex is the complete opposite. I'd say he's as bad at wrestling as Askren is at striking.
And this guy could go down in history as one of the best fighters of all time. It's weird for me to see that. I don't know if it's the matchups or the evolution of the sport," MMA Mania quoted Weidman as saying.
Michael Benson, a well-known journalist and insider, published a post on his social networks, in which he revealed the ambitious plans of Turki Al-Sheikh, an advisor to the royal court with the rank of minister and current chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia. According to Benson, the official wants to hold three boxing mega-fights in Saudi Arabia in the near future.
