Frank Warren Video Interview - Tyson Fury will defend his unbeaten record and lineal title against fellow unbeaten Otto Wallin Saturday at T-Mobile Arena as part of the Las Vegas' Mexican Independence Day Weekend festivities. (photos by Mikey Williams).
THE NO.1 HEAVYWEIGHT in world boxing is once again Vegas-bound this weekend as he continues his charm offensive on the American market and demonstrate why there is nobody else like him in the division. Tyson Fury enters into just his fifth fight since making his return to the ring in June 2018 and will take on the 20-0 Swede Otto Wallin at the T-Mobile Arena. It is a huge weekend for boxing Stateside, with the date usually occupied by Canelo and Floyd Mayweather before him, but this year our unbeaten lineal champion takes centre stage.
THERE HAS BEEN a bit of back and forth over the last week over a potential coming together of heavyweight giants Joe Joyce and Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller. It was disappointing for Joe when Agit Kabayel withdrew himself from defending his European title against the Olympic silver medallist, but Miller was quick to put his name in the frame.
A BRITISH AUDIENCE was treated to seeing the majestic movements of Vasyl Lomachenko first hand on Saturday night but one man – a boxing figure from the past – was seemingly not impressed with what he witnessed from the magical Ukrainian.
ON THE CUSP of stepping into world title action is our super lightweight contender Jack Catterall. Jack holds the mandatory spot with the WBO but his accession has been held up a bit due to the recent unification clash between Maurice Hooker and the WBC champion Jose Ramirez.
On the subject of featherweights, we’ve got our man, the IBF world champion Josh Warrington in the division – and, no, I am not planning to put him in with Vasiliy Lomachenko just yet – who returns to world title combat in Leeds on October 12 against Sofiane Takoucht.
THE PARTICIPATION OF Anthony Yarde in world title contests has only just got started and, against world championship veteran Sergey Kovalev, he demonstrated that he is not out of his depth against such exalted company. I said all along that, even if he lost over in Chelyabinsk in his first foray into the deep end, he would still be better for the experience in future and it would provide a steep learning curve.
Frank Warren wants to have a “proper grown-up conversation” with Anthony Yarde and his trainer Tunde Ajayi in the wake of Yarde’s defeat to Sergey Kovalev in Russia at the weekend. Yarde was knocked out in the 11th round in his attempt to claim the WBO light-heavyweight title in Chelyabinsk, having looked on the verge of victory in the eighth round.
Sergey Kovalev came through a difficult eighth round to stop Anthony Yarde and retain his WBO light-heavyweight belt in Chelyabinsk. Kovalev reclaimed his title from Eleider Alvarez in January, having been knocked out by the same man in an initial meeting last year, to set up a return to Russia for the first time since 2016.
Frank Warren has heard and read a lot of the criticism regarding Anthony Yarde’s supposed lack of preparedness for his upcoming title fight against Sergey Kovalev. England’s Yarde is 18-0 and has knocked out 17 of his pro opponents. The 27-year-old Yarde hasn’t fought a legitimate light heavyweight contender, however, and clearly will take a gigantic step up in competition when he challenges Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KOs) for his WBO 175-pound championship August 24 in Chelyabinsk, Russia, Kovalev’s hometown.