35 stories on BoxingScene are published under the John MacDonald byline.
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With the middleweight division currently in a state of uncertainty, promoter Eddie Hearn, feels that Daniel Jacobs is ideally positioned to capitalise. WBC, WBA, IBO and IBF champion, Gennady Golovkin will defend his titles against Vanes Martirosyan on 5 May, at the StubHub Center, California.
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) have ordered that the organisation’s bantamweight title be contested by Emmanuel Rodriguez and Paul Butler. IBF Championships Chairman, Lindsey Tucker, confirmed to BoxingScene that Rodriguez and Butler’s respective promoters have been contacted and have until Thursday 15th of February to respond.
Both HBO and Showtime are vying for the exclusive T.V rights to broadcast Anthony Joshua’s first defence of his IBF heavyweight title, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.
Anthony Joshua could make the first defence of his IBF heavyweight world title on June 25 at London’s O2 Arena. Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) claimed the belt with a two-round demolition of – the previously unbeaten – Charles Martin. Immediately afterwards, his promoter – Eddie Hearn – announced that they were provisionally looking for the 2012 Olympic Gold medallist to return on to the ring on July 9, with Wembley Stadium a potential venue.
Luke Campbell, (12-0,10 KOs), returns to the ring on December 12 at London’s O2 Arena on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua- Dillian Whyte grudge match and is looking to take the next step in his professional development. London 2012 Olympic Gold medallist Campbell - who now holds a top 15 ranking with the WBC and IBF – could face a fellow world ranked contender in what will be his 13th fight. While Campbell leaves the matchmaking - and the politics that comes with it – to his manager and promoter he is ready to test himself against a higher calibre fighter.
Matchroom Sport have confirmed they are looking to stage Paul Butler’s British super flyweight title defence against Kal Yafai on October 17 in Birmingham, having won purse bids for the fight. Paul Butler, 17-1 (8 KOs), won the vacant British title back in November 2012 with a first round stoppage victory over John Donnelly. Butler hasn’t defend the title since he captured it, instead focusing on the Commonwealth and Inter-Continental titles as made his way up the world rankings.
IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale, 21-1 (14 KOs), looks set to make the first defence of his title in October, with some marquee names lined up as possible opponents. DeGale, 29, made history last month when he became the first British Olympic gold medallist to win a world title as a professional with a unanimous decision victory over - another Olympic medallist – Andre Dirrell in Boston.
BoxingScene.com understands that the representatives of Callum Smith and Christopher Rebrasse are in negotiations to stage a bout between the pair on June 26 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
Amir Khan, 30-3 (19 KOs), has turned down an eliminator against Tim Bradley that would have determined who became the mandatory for the IBF welterweight title, currently held by Kell Brook. Khan, 28, had previously reached out to Boxing Scene to categorically refute the claims. However, the IBF Championships Chairman confirmed that Khan had indeed been offered the fight with Bradley and that it had been rejected on his behalf by his team. “Amir Khan’s people turned down the fight. Bradley accepted,” Tucker told BoxingScene.
Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg appear to be on-course for a massive British showdown this summer. IBF super bantamweight champion, Carl Frampton (20-0 14 KOs) and WBA “Regular” holder Scott Quigg (30-0-2, 22 KOs) are generally accepted as being amongst the best in the 122lbs weight class, alongside fellow titlists Guillermo Rigandeaux and Leo Santa Cruz. Whilst too often fights amongst the best in a division fail to materialise – or happen too late – Quigg’s promoter Eddie Hearn is confident the fight will take place.