French Middleweight Champion Affif Belghecham arrived in Limerick today confident of playing his part in a French sporting double against the Irish this weekend.

On Saturday night the Lyon native, who also holds the European Union title will look to derail Andy Lee’s World and European title ambitions when they clash in the main event of the Yanjing Fight Night at the University Sports Arena in Limerick. More...

Irish – Canadian middleweight Matt O’Brien is hoping to upstage local hero Andy Lee when he has his first professional outing in Limerick on Saturday’s Yanjing Fight Night at the University Sports Arena.

Lee’s clash with reigning French and European Union Champion Affif Belghecham headlines the event with O’Brien featuring on the undercard. While Irish fight fans are familiar with current Irish middleweight stars such as Andy Lee, Matthew Macklin, John Duddy and Jim Rock the name Matt O’Brien may not be as instantly recognisable but he believes all that is about to change. More...

While Andy Lee’s bout with reigning French and European Union Middleweight Champ Affif Belghecham will be the main focus of attention on this Saturday’s Yanjing Fight Night at the University Sports Arena two other Limerick boxers will be looking to make it a memorable occasion for the cities fight fans.

The World rated Lee headlines as he bids to take another step to World and European titles by leapfrogging Belghecham who is rated above him in both the World and European ratings. More...

Irish middleweight Andy Lee, will face current European Union and French champion Affif Belghecham at the UL Arena in Limerick, on November 14 in a Brian Peters event entitled ’Yanjing’ Fightnight'.

Peters sees this as Lee’s ’stepping stone’ to a title clash with Birmingham boxer Matthew Macklin, or Irish boxer John Duddy, next year.

As Macklin is now the European and British champion at the weight and Duddy has become a big name in America, either matchup would be sure to fill the seats with Irish boxing fans wherever the contest is held.

At a press conference yesterday - Lee was excited to be fighting in Limerick and though confident - admitted this would be a hard fight against Belghecham.

There's a big show tonight at Madison Square Garden in New York as WBA feather champ Yuriorkis Gamboa and WBO super bantam titlist Juan Manuel Lopez put their respective crowns on the line.

Former Cuban defector Gamboa, 15-0 (13), could be the most impressive professional to come out of the boxing-rich island but it's too early to tell yet if this is truly the case.

After only 15 pro bouts, Gamboa has displayed stunning speed and reflexes that have thus far supported his superb punch selection and aggressiveness.

But, with such an emphasis on offense, there are holes in the defense. This has resulted in the Cuban phenom getting decked a few time but "El Ciclon de Guantanamo" has always gotten back up to win.

Last time out, the 27 year old Gamboa won the Interim WBA belt by stopping Jose Rojas in the tenth in April and has since been elevated to full WBA champ. More...

Undefeated world champions Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa defend their titles, in separate fights, headlining “Island Warriors: Latin Fury 12,” Saturday, October 10, from the “Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden.

Lopez will be defending his WBO junior featherweight title against top contender and Tanzania native Rogers Mtagwa while Gamboa will be defending his WBA featherweight belt against Panamanian strongman Whyber Garcia. More...

Andy Lee, Irish middleweight boxer, chalked up the 19th win of his career yesterday evening in a thrilling bout against a game Anthony Shuler at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.

Lee put on a class performance using his superior technical boxing ability and punching power to dispose of Shuler by KO in the eighth round.

In the last twelve months, the Limerick southpaw has been quietly working under the radar, picking up valuable experience in the gym and his four outings in Germany, Ireland and the United States. More...

Friday Night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ was indeed a very green night.

Fans were urged to take mass transit to help decrease emissions and preserve our planet. The fans not only created awareness about helping our Earth, they clearly indicated being loyal followers of John Duddy.

The ring card girls went green by announcing the rounds and ditching the paper signs. I realized, I am always green by using my BlackBerry, never pen and paper.

The co-main event was a 10 rounder between junior middleweights. Kassim Ouma, currently, 26-6 (16), and Gabriel Rosado currently 12-3 (7).

In the first two rounds, Ouma's southpaw stance clearly caused a challenge for Rosado and by the third round Ouma had Rosado in a hold, seizing his punches.

By the fifth round Ouma was consistent as he released and landed his right jab, and Rosado appeared hungry to dominate. More...

As he heads back to the middleweight division, former world title challenger Peter Manfredo, Jr., rejuvenated by his impressive seventh-round knocked out of Walid “Tempete de Sable” Smichet last Saturday, has his sites set on “Ireland’s” John Duddy.

The 28-year-old Manfredo, 32-6 (16), star of The Contender, Season I, is unable to attend Duddy’s fight tonight in Newark, but he’ll be represented there by his promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, the CES president, and father/trainer, Peter Manfredo, Sr. More...

Main Event Boxing Series will host their latest installment on Friday, April 24 live from The Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey with middleweight contender “Ireland’s” John Duddy, 26-0 (17), stepping into the ring against Billy Lyell, 18-7 (3).

Although the doors open at 8:00 PM, the fans will be treated to a multi-ethnic festival that begins at 6:00 PM at Entry Plaza, at the corner of Mulberry and Edison Streets. The Fan Festival will include Irish music and dancers, food and access to meet some of the fighters. The entertainment will continue throughout the night with the Irish bagpipe band "The Shots" performing throughout the evening.

SaddoBoxing had the opportunity to speak with John Duddy in an exclusive phone interview to discuss his upcoming bout.

SaddoBoxing: This Friday you will be stepping into the ring at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ against Billy Lyell; how was your training camp in preparation for the fight?

John Duddy: “Training camp went great; I had a short time between camps. Me and Patrick started where we left off after our last fight, we have been working hard on a lot of things leading up to this fight and we are just looking forward to fighting.” More...

On April 24 at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, junior middleweight, Kassim Ouma of Kampala, Uganda, 26-5-1, (16 ), will take on Troy Browning, of Philadelphia, PA, 20-3-1 (8), in what promises to be an exciting 10 round boxing match.

The fight is the co-feature on a Main Event boxing series card that also features a 10 round battle between middleweights John Duddy, of Derry, Ireland, 26-0 (17), and Billy Lyell from Warren, OH, 18-7 (3). More...

Commonwealth middleweight champ, “Dazzling” Darren Barker, has challenged John Duddy to earn a shot at world champion, Kelly Pavlik.

Barker’s promoter Mick Hennessy has offered the New York based Irishman the chance to challenge Barker for his Commonwealth title on the undercard of the Carl Froch vs. Jermain Taylor fight on the East Coast of the US on either April 18 or April 25 and it’s a fight Barker would relish. More...

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City Miguel Cotto regained the WBO Welterweight Title by sending Michael Jennings to the canvas three times before the referee stopped the bout at 2:36 of round five.

After his loss to Margarito last year, Cotto 33-1 (27) was looking to regain not only his confidence but also a world title. Mentally, the confidence may have been the bigger challenge; coming back after a brutal loss, having HBO pass on broadcasting your fight and entering the ring at Madison Square Garden to a crowd of 11,120 fans instead of the sell-out crowds that you have grown accustomed.

Regardless of the challenge Cotto was ready and proved to himself and his fans that he is still a dominant force in the welterweight division.

In a tactical opening round Jennings back peddled while Cotto primarily used his jab throwing only a few combinations. More...

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Last night at Madison Square Garden in New York, British man Michael Jennings faced his toughest challenge yet as he met Miguel Cotto for the WBO Welterweight title.

From the start, Jennings puts a lot of distance between himself and Cotto. Cotto stays in the middle of the ring while Jennings covers most of the canvas area keeping a couple of metres of ‘space’ between them and just dodging in with straight lefts and rights.

Cotto goes for the body in the closing minute of the round and tries for an uppercut which misses its mark. It’s a cautious first round. Southpaw Cotto lands a good left hook to the face of Jennings mid-way through the third. More...

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

The impossible may be possible tonight when Chorley, England's Michael Jennings meets former champion Miguel Cotto for the WBO Welterweight title at the Mecca of boxing, New York's Madison Square Garden.

For Jennings, it's a massive leap into the big time. For Cotto, it's a chance to get his career back on track after his first professional defeat against Antonio Margarito last July.

One year ago, things were going great for Cotto. Undefeated and looking like the next superstar in the sport, he was seen by many as the man to carry the welterweight division. More...

**With Slideshow**

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Yesterday at Madison Square Garden’s WaMu Theater in New York City, Top Rank hosted their final press conference for their “Two World Title Fights – One Night” Pay-Per-View event which will take place this Saturday, February 21 hosted from two locations.

The evening will begin at the “Mecca of Boxing” Madison Square Garden in New York City where Two-Time World Champion Miguel Cotto 32-1 (26) will face Michael Jennings 34-1 (16) for the vacant WBO Welterweight Title. The broadcast location will then shift to Youngstown, OH where WBC & WBO Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik 34-1 (30) will face number one rated Marco Antonio Rubio 43-4-1 (38).

Cotto will not only look to regain the welterweight title but also come back from the first loss of his career last July to Antonio Margarito. More...

Undefeated Top-Five contenders “Ireland’s” John Duddy and Anthony Peterson will light it up in separate bouts at Madison Square Garden, headlining the undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Michael Jennings / Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik vs. Marco Antonio Rubio two-city / two-title pay-per-view extravaganza. More...

Boxing promoter Tommy Egan believes he has agreed a deal that will solve a huge Irish boxing problem, thus revolutionising the sport in this country.

For decades, many fighters from The Emerald Isle have been faced with a dilemma when entering the paid ranks. They ponder whether or not to sign professional terms in the USA, in turn uprooting and taking all the boxing opportunities America can offer at the expense of massive exposure back home. More...

Cedric Kushner, President of Gotham Boxing, announced in New York today that he has been informed by Irish Ropes that they cannot deliver the services of John Duddy, the headliner on the November 21 New York City show. As such, the show has been cancelled.

NABA light middleweight champion "Mean" Joe Greene has been added to the star-studded "The Grande Event" card, promoted by Cedric Kushner's Gotham Boxing, November 21 at the famed Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.

Unbeaten middleweight "Ireland's" John Duddy, 25-0 (17), fighting out Queens, NY, by way of Derry, Northern Ireland, headlines against veteran Sam "The Punching Policeman" Hill, 17-9-1 (10). Duddy is rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Organization, No. 4 by the World Boxing Council, and No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation. More...