NZ boxing - News,Views and gossip.

[diehard]

Andrei won by TKO last night.

2024-04-24 Les Sherrington 39 17 0 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney W-TKO

[diehard]

Results from last night in Sydney. Looks like Christine lost a MD.

https://boxrec.com/en/event/894383

[diehard]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/boxing-andrei-mikhailovich-makes-devastating-return-jerome-pampellone-out-pointed-in-ibf-world-title-eliminator/5L6O5WGEFZG7LCI7AOFDD74BIU/

[diehard]

https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/05/02/david-nyika-takes-in-heavy-hitters-in-preparation-for-breakout-bout/

[diehard]

Boxing: Kiwi fighter Andrei Mikhailovich to get IBF world title shot against Zhanibek Alimkhanuly as early as July
Liam Napier

New Zealand has its latest boxing world title challenger.

Andrei Mikhailovich (21-0), the Russian-born, Auckland-adopted middleweight prospect, is officially in line to contest a world title after being anointed the IBF mandatory challenger.

After a long, frustrating quest to earn his title shot - a process that restricted him to two fights in 21 months - Mikhailovich now stands on the cusp of challenging Kazakhstan’s IBF and WBO world title holder Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (15-0) - possibly as early as July.

Mikhailovich has, for almost a year, been attempting to square off against Germany’s Denis Radovan for the right to earn a title shot. That fight was postponed multiple times after several injuries and excuses from Radovan’s camp which caused the IBF to eventually lose patience.

Before Mikhailovich’s first-round knockout of Australian veteran Les Sherrington in Sydney two weeks ago, on the Nikita Tszyu undercard, the Kiwi boxer was told a win would cement his status to challenge for the IBF crown.

His coach, Isaac Peach, has confirmed the IBF has since followed through on that promise. “As of today, Andrei is mandatory challenger for the world title,” Peach told Newstalk ZB.

“We were meant to fight for the IBF eliminator on December 16, then the German pulled out. They rescheduled for May 11. They pulled out again, so the IBF basically said take a fight and we’ll mandate you. No Limit promoter George Rose found an opponent, Andre knocked him out, and yeah, as they said, we’re now mandated. World title time.”

Peach has since been working with Mikhailovich’s Australian promoters No Limit in an attempt to fast track the title shot. “The champion’s Zhanibek [Alimkhanuly] and he’s got a flight scheduled for the July 14, which is without an opponent. So, we’re going to be doing everything we can to get that date. No Limit are in America now, so they’ll be discussing that right now. Hopefully, we’ll have some news in the next week.”

Mikhailovich entered camp with Peach last Sunday, aiming to have 10 weeks of training before contesting the IBF and WBO world titles.

“I’m elated but I’m not surprised either because I was born for this. This is what I do. I’ve been doing this for years now,” the 26-year-old Mikhailovich said. “People will be telling me, ‘Oh this is such a big deal, such a big moment.’ Nah, it feels natural. It feels like I was born to do this.

“I feel really excited but at the end of the day it’s just another dude, it’s just another fight, and this is what I do.

“My job as an athlete is to do my due diligence and be ready for whatever comes. So, if it’s in 10 weeks, it’s in 10 weeks, and that’s what we’re going to prep for.”

Alimkhanuly finished previously unbeaten German Vincenzo Gualtieri last October to add the WBO alongside his IBF title. Erislandy Lara (WBA) and Jermall Charlo (WBC) are the other middleweight world champions. Despite the significant step up in class, Mikhailovich remains supremely confident of his abilities.

“He’s a good fighter. Anyone in the top 10 in the world is good, and I’m obviously mandated so I’m pretty good myself. He’s a good fighter. He calls himself the monster but I’m Scooby-Doo and I chase monsters so that’s what it is,” Mikhailovich said.

“My attitude is always to dominate, take over and control. That’s all it is - world domination. Every fight I go into is all roads end at this. It’s the same thing; I keep my good attitude, I train properly, I train hard, I eat properly and it’s all good. I do what I do. I just listen to my coaches and I do my job.

“I learned a lot about myself and the people around me over the last year or so. I‘m just happy that I’m back and that this opportunity has finally presented itself. I’ve always known, from day dot, that this was going to happen, and now it’s finally here it’s everything to me.”

Charting a path to a world title from New Zealand isn’t easy. Peach is proud Mikhailovich is now guaranteed to have his shot on the big stage. Now the work really begins.

“We’ve been doing this for seven years or something for this point,” Peach said. “So Andrei is born ready for this. This is what we do it for. I wouldn’t be doing it with Andrei if I didn’t think he was going to be winning the world title, and it’s time.”

[bart]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz6u55okTuY
Hemi v Browne...didn't know about this one

[diehard]

I do. 2 guys looking to survive their careers who are about at the same level. Hemi revenging Fa. Come on Hemi, make it happen (I'm sounding like kiwi now. Lord help me!

PS Looks like Hemi bought a front tooth.

[jamieson1]

It was good to see Michael Reynolds turn pro last month. I hope to see him keep an active schedule 

[diehard]

Fury v Usyk: Opportunity awaits David Nyika in Ring of Fire undercard bout
Christopher Reive

David Nyika is looking to make up for lost time.

On Sunday morning, the Kiwi cruiserweight boxer will get back into the ring as he looks to continue his perfect start in the professional realm against Germany’s Michael Seitz.

The bout will take place on the undercard of the heavyweight championship unification bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia, and is one that should have come sooner.

The card was initially scheduled for mid-February but an injury to Fury saw the fight postponed and, with it, the entire Ring of Fire card.

Rather than being able to plot out a busy year, the 28-year-old has had to treat the first half of it as something of an extended training camp.

“Realistically it’s probably a negative, but I don’t think of it like that,” Nyika told the Herald. “I would have liked to have been busier early in the year, but there’s nothing you can really do about that. It’s one of the most uncertain sports where anything can happen.

“That’s part of the reason people love it so much – nothing’s ever written in stone. Just when you think that you’ve got someone that’s unbeatable, someone else comes along. There’s always someone out there ready to kick your arse.

“It’s just that it was a bit of a pain because I was prepped. I was ready, but now I’ve had more time to prepare and I’m feeling good.”

It will be a bout between two unbeaten boxers, and the biggest of Nyika’s professional career to date. The Kiwi holds an 8-0 record, with seven of those wins coming inside the distance, while Seitz is 12-0 with 10 stoppages.

It’s another step forward for Nyika, whose most recent bout with a second-round win over former world title challenger Robert Berridge, as he looks to make a mark in the cruiserweight division.

The ring in Riyadh will be the biggest stage he has performed on in some time. The headline fight is something boxing fans have been anticipating for years, and Nyika is well aware of the opportunity in front of him.

“It’s going to be one of those fights where we both want to win and because of that we’ll put on a good show. No one wants to miss out on an opportunity that could be incredibly beneficial down the line,” Nyika said.

“I’ve got big dreams, big aspirations, and this is a vehicle for me to get there. What the Saudis are doing is they’re changing the game and they’re monopolising it in a way; bringing all eyes to the new Mecca of boxing.”

As for his expectations of Seitz, he said he knew enough about the German but it was more a matter of Nyika getting on the front foot that would dictate the bout.

“He’s not the kind of guy that I need to study in depth because I don’t think he knows what he’s going to do on fight night and all I have to do is implement my gameplan,” Nyika explained.

“Whether or not he brings anything else to the table, it’s just going to be a matter of imposing myself in the right way and letting him know I’m the boss and I’m the reason he’s here as well.”

While hoping to use the bout to earn a place in the top 15 with the IBF, Nyika will also be raising funds for the Against Malaria Foundation - a charity that focuses on preventing malaria, a leading cause of death in many developing countries. In partnership with High Impact Athletes, Nyika will be donating US$10 (almost $17) to the foundation for every punch he lands in the fight, with fans encouraged to join him in his pledge through the High Impact Athletes website.