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Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight title defence against Kubrat Pulev is now likely to take place on December 5 or 12 as promoter Eddie Hearn looks to give as much chance to a crowd being allowed to attend.
Dillian Whyte is to seek a government exemption so he can return from his training camp a few days before his fight with Alexander Povetkin. Whyte defends his interim-WBC heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin at Eddie Hearn’s Fight Camp in Essex on August 22.
Eddie Hearn says he is so impressed by the set-up for Fight Camp that he could see it becoming an annual event, even after the coronavirus has passed into history. Hearn’s four-week carnival of boxing in what used to be his back garden on Saturday. A boxing arena has risen on the lawn where Eddie Hearn used to play with his toys as a child. Once the family home, then the headquarters of Matchroom Sport, for four weeks the big house on top of the hill in Brentwood, Essex, has become Fight Camp, Hearn’s attempt to preserve big-time boxing in a world without fans.
September 12 is no longer a realistic date for the next fight of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, according to Eddie Hearn, who says that he believes the Mexican modern-day legend could wait until November to box next in the hope that some fans will be able to attend.
Joe Joyce says he does not fear that the delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic could stop him getting a world heavyweight title shot one day. Joyce faces Michael Wallisch, of Germany, at the BT Sport Studios on Saturday in his first fight in more than 13 months. Victory is supposed to set up an October 24 fight with Daniel Dubois (who boxes Erik Pfeifer on August 29), although that is still dependent on coronavirus restrictions being relaxed enough to enable a big enough crowd to make the fight economically viable.
Billy Joe Saunders has been fined £15,000 by the British Boxing Board of Control for his social media video apparently giving tips about how to hit a wife or girlfriend. The WBO super-middleweight champion appeared before the Board’s stewards in Cardiff on Wednesday to answer a misconduct charge. He gave an explanation to the stewards. But was found guilty of the charge.
“Who would ever thought it would come to this?” said Frank Warren as a large Perspex screen was set up to allow Daniel Dubois and Eric Pfeifer to pose face to face for the cameras. It was an attempt to reintroduce a bit of normality in a post-pandemic world, even if it merely emphasised how strange things have become.
Joshua Buatsi could headline the first UK card with fans present since the coronavirus pandemic in September, according to Eddie Hearn. The Matchroom boss is targeting September 12 for a show, although he admits the numbers of tickets on sale could be as low as 100. The card, which will probably be in London, will be headlined by Buatsi, the unbeaten former British light-heavyweight champion and Olympic medal-winner, with Hearn also trying to set up a world title fight for Chantelle Cameron, the unbeaten lightweight. Matchroom are running their Fight Camp shows from their Essex headquarters on four successive Saturdays from August 1 until August 22 and have also announced shows in Cardiff and Newcastle in October, which Hearn expects to have social-distancing measures in place. They are also running their first US show since the lockdown without fans at an outdoor arena in the financial area of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
While Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua seem convinced that they will box each other twice in 2021, Eddie Hearn says there are still major hurdles to overcome if that is to become a reality.
There has been no offer made to John Ryder to face Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September, according to Eddie Hearn, Ryder’s promoter, who added that he did not believe DAZN, the Mexican’s broadcaster, would approve Jason Quigley or David Lemieux as opponents “in a million years”.