Joshua v Povetkin - it’s Official.

[Master]

Matty Askin to defend British cruiserweight title vs. Lawrence Okolie on Joshua vs. Povetkin undercard



Matty Askin is set to return to the ring, defending his British cruiserweight title vs. Lawrence Okolie at Wembley Stadium on Sept. 22. The bout is featured as part of the Anthony Joshua vs. Alexander Povetkin undercard.

Askin, 23-3-1 (15 KOs) enters the bout on a five-fight winning streak, last defeating Stephen Simmons in March. Okolie, undefeated in nine professional fights, is facing his highest profile opponent in the championship opportunity.

"This announcement is a fantastic day for me,” Okolie said "My ultimate goal is to be the unified World Champion but before that I want to go down the traditional route, clean up domestically and prove to myself and the fans that I belong at that level.

"Matty Askin is a very experienced fighter who is ranked in the top 10 in the world. I want to start making my way towards the World scene and so I need to be able to beat people like Askin to do that."

Askin, 29, is making his second defense of the title after winning the strap from Craig Kennedy in May 2017. He has held the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) cruiserweight title in the past, but lost it on separate occassions.

"Every credit to Okolie, he’s vacated the Commonwealth title because he wants this fight but he’s going to end up flat on his back,” Askin said. “I can punch, I can box, and I can have a fight. I’ll do whatever I need to do against him to get the win. I don’t think it will go past four or five rounds, it definitely won’t go the distance.

“We’re both going to come out all guns blazing, it’s as simple as that. He’s going to come out thinking’s he’s going to bang me out straight away. I’m looking to go out there and tear his head off. I’ll be going in there and giving 110 percent, my 110 percent beats his 110 percent every day of the week. I believe that I’m a level above him.”

Okolie, 25, the current Commonwealth (British Empire) cruiserweight title and the WBA continental cruiserweight title holders, has stopped seven opponents inside the distance.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/mat...140510051.html

[Master]

Luke Campbell: Former Olympic champion to fight Yvan Mendy in September rematch



Luke Campbell will have the chance to avenge his "devastating" defeat by Yvan Mendy in a rematch with the Frenchman on 22 September at Wembley.

Lightweight former Olympic champion Campbell suffered his first career loss when he was beaten by Mendy in 2015.

Mendy, 33, is ranked number one at lightweight with the WBC and is undefeated since 2015.

Campbell, 30, said: "I'm bigger, I'm wiser, I'm 10 times better than I was when he beat me three years ago."

The fight, a WBC lightweight world title final eliminator, will be on the undercard of Anthony Joshua's heavyweight bout with Russian Alexander Povetkin.

American Mikey Garcia, 30, is the WBC lightweight world champion.

Campbell has been training with Shane McGuigan, who previously worked with David Haye and Carl Frampton and led George Groves to the WBA super-middleweight title.

"I've already struck up a great relationship with Shane and I have no doubt that he is going to take me to the next level," Campbell said.

"I want to become a world champion and Shane has a proven track record of achieving that with his fighters."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/45087451

[Alpha]

Very solid card so far.

[Alpha]

Both AJ and Povetkin have been getting quality sparring for this fight. Both should be in excellent condition. Looking forward to this one.

[Gandalf]

I hope Povetkin knocks him out. And then knocks out Wilder and then goes to the Kremlin for a shot of vodka and a bear hug with Putin. Show them the new world order.

[Gandalf]

And then of course the great James Toney comeback to put them all in their places. I am sick of all these upstarts who didn't even have the decency to start at MW. Calzaghe beats them all even now. Next!

[Alpha]

And then of course the great James Toney comeback to put them all in their places. I am sick of all these upstarts who didn't even have the decency to start at MW. Calzaghe beats them all even now. Next!

I watched Toney/McCallum again earlier, its such a good fight. Scored it 115-113 Toney.

[Master]

And then of course the great James Toney comeback to put them all in their places. I am sick of all these upstarts who didn't even have the decency to start at MW. Calzaghe beats them all even now. Next!

I watched Toney/McCallum again earlier, its such a good fight. Scored it 115-113 Toney.

I had the body snatchers winning the first 2 fights.

[Alpha]

And then of course the great James Toney comeback to put them all in their places. I am sick of all these upstarts who didn't even have the decency to start at MW. Calzaghe beats them all even now. Next!

I watched Toney/McCallum again earlier, its such a good fight. Scored it 115-113 Toney.

I had the body snatchers winning the first 2 fights.

Yea very close fights.

[Master]

And then of course the great James Toney comeback to put them all in their places. I am sick of all these upstarts who didn't even have the decency to start at MW. Calzaghe beats them all even now. Next!

I watched Toney/McCallum again earlier, its such a good fight. Scored it 115-113 Toney.

I had the body snatchers winning the first 2 fights.

Yea very close fights.

The skill, experience and ring craft on show in the first fight in particular was a privilege and joy to watch. It was for the Ring/Hagler/liniel middleweight title as well.

[Gandalf]

Even when he loses James Toney wins IMO. It's like with Ricky Hatton in his last fight, he may have lost but he won in my eyes. It isn't just what they do in the ring. With Toney in his recent fights you know he is shot, but just the balls of losing all that weight to fight Lebedev, damaging his ligament early, and still having the smarts to go the distance. That's a win. I love the guy.

[Master]

Even when he loses James Toney wins IMO. It's like with Ricky Hatton in his last fight, he may have lost but he won in my eyes. It isn't just what they do in the ring. With Toney in his recent fights you know he is shot, but just the balls of losing all that weight to fight Lebedev, damaging his ligament early, and still having the smarts to go the distance. That's a win. I love the guy.

Let it go. Toney is gone and we will never see someone so young with his sublime innate boxing skills with attitude again ever.

[Gandalf]

Even when he loses James Toney wins IMO. It's like with Ricky Hatton in his last fight, he may have lost but he won in my eyes. It isn't just what they do in the ring. With Toney in his recent fights you know he is shot, but just the balls of losing all that weight to fight Lebedev, damaging his ligament early, and still having the smarts to go the distance. That's a win. I love the guy.

Let it go. Toney is gone and we will never see someone so young with his sublime innate boxing skills with attitude again ever.

True, but he would whip all of these posers at HW were the clock to be turned back and the government regulated the fast food industry.

[Master]

Even when he loses James Toney wins IMO. It's like with Ricky Hatton in his last fight, he may have lost but he won in my eyes. It isn't just what they do in the ring. With Toney in his recent fights you know he is shot, but just the balls of losing all that weight to fight Lebedev, damaging his ligament early, and still having the smarts to go the distance. That's a win. I love the guy.

Let it go. Toney is gone and we will never see someone so young with his sublime innate boxing skills with attitude again ever.

True, but he would whip all of these posers at HW were the clock to be turned back and the government regulated the fast food industry.

Toney's best win at heavyweight was against Ruiz or Holyfield but that would not be enough to beat AJ/Fury/Wilder who are too big.

[Alpha]

Toney at Cruiser against Jirov showed how great he was, he was well above his best weight, against one of the best fighters in the division and he went to war.

The Holyfield fight, again showed how good he was, even at an advanced aged and weight.