Dubois: I was in there on a demolition mission
“The only words are ‘and the new’ and I am just so glad it is now,” said newly-crowned WBA heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois after his demolition of Trevor Bryan on Saturday night in Miami. “It is happening now and we have made it real, my dad and my family, I’ve done everyone proud, the country and I can’t wait.
“In the first round I was just trying to figure him out and see what he had. I said I was going to test the chin and I just went for it.
“He brought out something in me, he brought out a wicked left hand! It was a punch-perfect ending, and I am just so happy. I had a few rough patches during this camp, but we pulled through and we got the victory.
“I am just so happy to have got this world title. This is what all the hard work was for and, no disrespect to Trevor, but his 0 had to go and I was just in there on a demolition mission.
“I am ready for whoever is next. I believe this will instantly make me a better fighter now. When you win the world title they say you become next level so names like Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker are all on my hitlist. I will fight whoever Frank puts me in with next.
“It has been amazing. Coming out here and winning a world title is what I dreamed of as a little kid and now it has finally happened.”
Trevor Bryan: “I’m feeling alright. I knew he was going to come out with big punches, and I was trying to land some and let him tire himself out. But I wasn’t shooting my jab enough.”
Weights from Australia
By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni (5-0, 4 KOs), who had his house sprayed with bullets last week, returns to the ring Wednesday against Las Vegas-based Aussie Joseph Goodall (8-0-1, 7 KOs) with the IBF Pan Pacific, WBO Oriental, and OPBF titles up for grabs at the Nissan Arena at Nathan, Queensland, televised on Foxtel Main Event and Kayo Sports Pay-Per-View.
Huni weighed in at 242.5, while Goodall tipped the scale at 239.5.
Justis Huni: “I’m not looking to have a padded record. I want fight the best of the best….I’m not here to sit around and play marbles. I’m here to get the hard fights, get the job done, build my way up to a world title fight and get out of this well and healthy.”
Joseph Goodall: “For me, it’s everything. I don’t know what it is for him. But for me, it’s everything.”
Promoter Dean Lonergan
Matchmaker Stuart Duncan
IBF supervisor: Ben Keilty
WBO supervisor: Danny Leigh
OPBF supervisor: Frank Hadley
Joe Joyce opponent named
Heavyweight “Juggernaut” Joe Joyce (13-0, 12 KOs) will return against Christian Hammer (27-9, 17 KOs) at the OVO Arena in London on July 2. Joyce has been out of the ring since last July, suffering a broken wrist that kept him out of action in the first half of this year.
“The most important thing is to get Joe active and confident again after injury,” said promoter Frank Warren. “Christian Hammer is an experienced campaigner who will provide a decent test and give him a good fight, but obviously we expect Joe to come through it successfully and then start preparing for a bigger showdown later this year.
“It was well documented that it was our intention to match Big Joe with Joseph Parker in September, but Parker has now opted to sign a promotional agreement elsewhere. Joe’s route to a world title shot does not revolve around Parker and we have plans in place for a major fight for him in the autumn.”
The 36-year-old Joyce commented on the fight from his training base in Las Vegas: “I’ve known about Christian Hammer for a while now. He has fought everybody, it is going to be a good fight, he comes forward and it will be exciting. It is one to get me ready for the next fights coming up.
“I’ve been out of the ring for a whole year now so it will be good to dust off the gloves and shake off the cobwebs. It is going to be a big year, this year and next, with some great fights and I just need to be in the right place.
“I have taken myself out to the right place with this training camp here to bring out the best in me.”
Demsey McKean next for Justis Huni?
By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Sounds like IBF #10, WBO #10 Demsey McKean could be the next opponent of Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni.
“Demsey McKean doesn’t want to fight.I don’t believe he wants to fight, and that’s alright. I’ll keep plugging away and my time will come,” Huni said. “I don’t know. I’m not into all of the talk and a lot of people know that. I don’t do a lot of talking. Like I said before the fight, I’ll let my actions do the talking.”
Huni’s promoter Dean Lonergan added, “Don’t even get me started about Demsey McKean. They will run like little b!tches because they will not fight Justis Huni because after that performance. Eddie Hearn will be sitting up there thinking, ‘why would I stick my big heavyweight in with him, he’s got no chance.’
“McKean has done very well to get where he has by fighting guys who can’t fight. They’re rubbish men who’ve come off their route, put their boxing shoes on and then turn around and get knocked out by someone who can’t fight. To mention Demsey McKean, even though he’s sitting at 10 in the world, he’d be easy pickings for Justis.”
Ruiz-Ortiz PPV undercard announced
The PPV undercard has been announced for the WBC heavyweight eliminator between former champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. and Luis “King Kong” Ortiz on September 4 in a Labor Day Weekend clash from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
In the co-feature, lightweights Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (23-2-1, 16 KOs) and Eduardo Ramírez (27-2-3, 12 KOs) collide in a 12-round WBC eliminator.
The action will also see the return of three-division champion Abner Mares (31-3-1, 15 KOs) in his first action in three years as he battles former title challenger Miguel Flores (24-4, 12 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight attraction, plus unbeaten lightweight José Valenzuela (12-0, 8 KOs) duels former world champion Jezreel Corrales (26-4, 10 KOs) in the 10-round opener.
Big Baby” Miller returns with win in Argentina
341lb heavyweight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (24-0-1, 20 KOs) fought for the first time since 2018 defeating local favorite Ariel Esteban Bracamonte (11-8, 6 KOs) by ten round unanimous decision on Thursday night at the WBA KO to Drugs Festival inside the Casino Buenos Aires in Buenas Aires, Argentina.
Bracamontes was inspired fighting in front of the locals and seemed to outwork Miller for the better part of the first three rounds. Miller appeared rusty from the layoff. In round four, Miller hit Bracamontes low and the referee allowed him five minutes to recover. Bracamontes didnt use the full five minutes and came out firing appearing to take round four. Miller outclassed Bracamontes all of round five fighting off the ropes and making him miss. Miller appeared to find his groove in round six and begin to punish Bracamontes with powershots. Round seven saw more the same with Miller connecting reguarly with hard placed punches. Bracamontes did better in round eight but it still appeared to be a winning round for Miller. The final moments of round nine saw Miller pouring it on, raining a variety of thudding punches but Bracamontes again weathered the storm to the see the bell ending the round. Both fighters at seperate moments lost their mouthpieces during the final round. Each fighter slugged it out the final seconds to the final bell to end the bout and round. The official three judges’ scorecards read 97-92 all in favor to Miller.
Heavyweight Ivan Dychko (12-0, 11 KOs) went the distance for the first time, taking a one-sided ten round unanimous decision over Kevin Nicolas Espindola (7-4, 2 KOs).
Joyce-Hammer Final Press Conference
WBO #1 heavyweight Joe Joyce and perennial gatekeeper Christian Hammer faced off at the final press conference for Saturday’s clash at the OVA Arena in London. The fight will air in the U.S. on ESPN+.
Joe Joyce: “I’ve had a great training camp in Las Vegas again with Salas, rehabbed the injury and I’ve been adding more tools to the arsenal. I am in a good place mentally, physically and I think Hammer is going to be a good test and a good fight. He is tough, durable, and has been in there with some really good names…I am not going to put any pressure on myself by predicting rounds. It could go the distance or I could take him out.”
Christian Hammer: “I am really happy to get the chance of a fight with Joyce and I am looking forward to it. I am feeling very well and I am in good shape. This is a big chance for me and I will give everything. I haven’t come here only for travel.”
Kownacki ready for comeback
Polish heavyweight star and Brooklyn fan-favorite Adam Kownacki will take on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in a 10-rounder on Showtime July 30 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Kownacki-Demirezen will be the co-feature to Danny Garcia-Jose Benavidez Jr.
The 33-year-old Kownacki will return to his home arena of Barclays Center, where he has previously fought 10 times, compiling a 9-1 record in front of the area’s raucous Polish fans. Kownacki, and his longtime trainer Keith Trimble, seek an emphatic victory after back-to-back KO defeats to Robert Helenius and a chance to get back into contention for the heavyweight title.
ADAM KOWNACKI
“This is the biggest fight of my career. I have to win to stay relevant in the heavyweight division. I’m training hard and I’m ready to win.
“Having two kids these last few years has been life-changing for me, but I can’t have everything with a cherry on top. I had to make more sacrifices in my life for this training camp to make sure that I stayed focused.
“I never thought I was done after fighting Robert Helenius. My goal is just to always go out there and do my best. My first boxing goal was to win the New York Golden Gloves, and I did that in my first year. My goal, now, is to win the world title, and that’s what I’m working toward.
“I had a good 20 fights, I hit a bump in the road, but on July 30 I’m coming to get a win and then I’m back on the right track. I want to get a world title shot in the next year or two, and with my team, I know that I can get that done.
“It’s going to be a red and white arena out there to support me. It’s going to be another great night. I can’t wait to be back in Brooklyn at Barclays Center.
“The footwork is really what we’re focused on. I remember being in camp with Wladimir Klitschko and being amazed by his footwork. I worked on it a lot back then but I got a little bit away from it.
“The fans are going to get what they always see with me. It’s fireworks. I can’t wait to be back in Brooklyn. Fight night can’t come soon enough.
“For a while, I could go blow for blow and come out on top. The past couple fights didn’t end that way, so we went back to some of our basics. That’s what I have to do to take the next steps.”