Heavyweight Division

[diehard]

Heavyweight Zhilei Zhang (21-0, 16 KOs) returned from his 14 month absence from the ring with a ten round unanimous decision over late sub Andriy Rudenko (32-6, 20 KOs). Two-time Olympian Zhang was in command pretty much all the way. Scores were 99-91, 98-92, 97-93.

[diehard]

Ex-champs Peter, Liakhovich get iced in Canada

Former WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter and former WBO heavyweight champion Siarhei Liakhovich were both halted inside the distance in their bouts on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Unbeaten heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov (10-0, 10 KOs) scored a first round TKO over 39-year-old Peter (38-9, 31 KOs) in a bout for the NABF title. Makhmudov dropped Peter with a big right hand, then got the stop when he sent “The Nigerian Nightmare” reeling into the corner.

Heavyweight Simon Kean (18-1, 17 KOs) overwhelmed 43-year-old Liakhovich (27-8, 17 KOs) in round ten to claim the vacant WBC international silver title. Kean got a referee’s stoppage when he hurt “The White Wolf” a flurry of punches in the final stanza.

[diehard]

Joshua facing either Pulev or Usyk next

WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been ordered to make mandatory title defenses against both IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev and WBO mandatory Oleksandr Usyk. The IBF and WBO will hold talks to try to reach a solution. Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs), who has been waiting 14 months since beating Hughie Fury in an IBF eliminator, is expected to get the fight. Formerly undisputed cruiserweight world champion Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) made his heavyweight debut two months ago and may face Derek Chisora next. Eddie Hearn promotes both Joshua and Usyk.

Meanwhile, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has a February 22 rematch with Tyson Fury in Las Vegas that is expected to be officially announced soon.

[diehard]

Just a follow up on the Trevor Bryan watch.  No fight in the last 16 months, and he's ranked the WBA #1 challenger.

https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/584916

[bart]

JP and Fa should be keen to fight that man

[diehard]

WBO orders Anthony Joshua to fight Oleksandr Usyk
13:36, Dec 13 2019

As expected, two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is under instant pressure to start defending his belts.
Anthony Joshua has been ordered by the WBO to defend their heavyweight belt against the Ukraine's mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua reclaimed the WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO belts when he beat Andy Ruiz Jr Joshua in their rematch in Saudi Arabia last weekend.

He has mandatory challengers in both the WBO and IBF camps.

The WBO has jumped in first, saying the big Brit must let them know by January 10 of his intentions to fight Usyk on or before June 4.

If he decides against that, he will vacate the title. That would mean Usyk could fight either Joseph Parker or Dereck Chisora for the vacant title.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has strongly indicated in the last few days that Joshua's preferred target was the IBF's Kubrat Pulev.

Hearn has both Usyk and Parker on his books so could keep the WBO title "in house" at Matchroom Boxing if he set up that fight, providing Joshua with a chance to fight the winner at a more convenient time.

Joshua has said he was against vacating any belt but the tricky timelines might dictate that.

Parker is raring to go, having recently returned home from a training camp in Las Vegas, vowing to stay in shape for any opportunity that might arise in a three-fight deal with Hearn that has two fights left on it.

Parker's manager David Higgins last week told the WBO convention in Tokyo: "If the belt becomes vacant, he would like to raise his hand and fight Usyk for the vacant title."

Usyk, totally dominant at cruiserweight, has stepped up to heavyweight and had just one fight, a win over Chazz Witherspoon in Chicago in October.

[bart]

Tyson Fury splits with Ben Davidson... not sure this is a good sign 2 mths away from Wilder fight

[diehard]

Fujimoto: Daniel Dubois, I’m going to knock you out

Just four days away from his titanic tussle with unbeaten Daniel Dubois, WBA #13 heavyweight Kyotaro Fujimoto today battled the British weather as he enjoyed the ‘Christmas by the River’ market at London Bridge City.

Fujimoto then issued a warning. “Daniel Dubois, I’m going to knock you out!”, he thundered. “I love Japan. I am very proud of being Japanese and I will win for them.”

[diehard]

https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/daniel-dubois-battles-kyotaro-fujimoto-this-saturday-on-espn/138266

[Infern0]

Fujimoto looks confident lol