https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/gi...vol/253360

https://fightnews.com/lomachenko-ortiz-f...nce/139435

Wilder-Helenius Virtual Press Conference


Former WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and top-rated Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius previewed their WBC heavyweight title eliminator showdown during a virtual press conference Tuesday before they step into the ring on Saturday, October 15 topping a $74.99 pay-per-view from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Deontay Wilder: “I don’t feel any pressure. I’m soaking in my happiness and peace. This reign is about being happy. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone. I’ve done an amazing job in my career, so now I want to do the things that make me happy. Whatever we gain, that’s a plus.”

Robert Helenius: “I like being the underdog. It wakes me up a little bit. I know that I have to concentrate fully and be the best version of myself. Of course, there’s still some pressure, but that’s what comes with being in such an important fight.


DEONTAY WILDER

“This is an exciting time. It’s special for the heavyweight division. I’m really looking forward to October 15 at Barclays Center. This is going to be an amazing fight. Even though we know each other well, make no mistake, when it’s time to turn it on, the fans are going to leave with another memorable moment.

“October 15 is the return of the king. I’m looking forward to returning to my second home. My second reign is going to be filled with joy and excitement for me and those who support me. I’m looking to put on great fights like I always have.

“Changing the way we train has definitely opened up my mind leading into this fight. Training the same way all the time can get boring. This camp has been more fun and more exciting. I made it my business to do pre-camp away from home, before coming back to Alabama for sparring. It’s definitely refreshed me in this business of boxing.

“Barclays Center holds something special in my heart. It’s a second home to me. My most electrifying knockouts and exciting memories have been there. It feels good to be able to go back and add more memories.

“Sparring someone and fighting when it actually counts are two different things. Sparring is more of a practice. If Robert feels that he’s going to be able to match my showmanship, then I have to take his word for it. It will bring more excitement to the fight.

“I’ve never faced Helenius when it counts, so who knows what he’s going to bring. Everyone knows that fighters train harder than ever before when they face me. Hopefully we’ll be able to bring that excitement on October 15.

“I don’t feel any pressure. I’m soaking in my happiness and peace. This reign is about being happy. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone. I’ve done an amazing job in my career, so now I want to do the things that make me happy. Whatever we gain, that’s a plus.

“Seeing the statue made for me in Alabama is what brought me back. My accomplishments are set in stone. But being there and seeing the people supporting me made me feel like there’s more that I can do. I’m still young. I’ve got three more years left in this business. There’s still a lot more left for me to do.

“Me and (head trainer) Malik Scott clicked instantly when we met helping Tomasz Adamek prepare for a fight years ago. To be able to make him one of my head coaches was a no-brainer. It means so much to have people who you trust and who you know has your back. What’s understood doesn’t need to be explained.

“I can only speak on what I’ve been doing in training and in sparring. I would say I look amazing. I haven’t lost any steps. If anything I’ve improved, gone back to the fundamentals and added new aspects to my skillset. It’s really about applying some things that I used to not work on as much.

“My weight is not going to be what we worry about in this fight or fights in the future. We gained a lot of weight the last fight, but it was more about the expectations of seeing my body a certain way. Now I’m going back to what I’m used to and what’s comfortable for me.”

ROBERT HELENIUS

“I’m finally back in Brooklyn and it feels really good. I’ve had a great training camp and I’m ready for this fight. I’m doing everything in my power to be my best self on fight night.

“I’m very blessed to be in this position. I’ve been in this game for a long time. I was knocking guys out in 2011 before I had a severe injury that kept me out for a long time. Now is the first time that I really feel like I’m back.

“It took me a while to get back to normal training after the operation on my shoulder. I still have several more good years to give, so why not give it all?

“There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm for my fans back home, so I know that I have to bring it on October 15.

“I’ve had a long career and I know how I feel before fights. I feel more comfortable and more confident heading into this fight than I’ve felt in a long time. Beating Kownacki was key to me and I know that without those victories, I would not be here.

“Deontay and I know each other very well. When we sparred he was preparing for a tall guy like me, while I was training for a very different kind of fighter. But some things do still get stuck with you during training. However the fight is much different than sparring.

“It’s tough to say if I felt Deontay’s power in sparring because of the headgear and bigger gloves. I think it’s more about his speed. Some people punch with a lot of force, but I think his best attribute is the explosiveness.

“I like being the underdog. It wakes me up a little bit. I know that I have to concentrate fully and be the best version of myself. Of course, there’s still some pressure, but that’s what comes with being in such an important fight.

“We’ve been training for this fight for a very long time, so we’ve made some tactical changes over that time. I obviously can’t reveal it but we’re going to be ready for Deontay.

“Deontay is fast and unpredictable with his right hand. That’s his best skill. He disguises that right hand and when it’s coming.”

Yep, this fight will be on DAZN for those who forked over the $15 or online somewhere for free.  It'll be on NEXT Sunday morning (NZ time).  Oops, I thought it was this Sunday by mistake.

https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/be...ire/251796

Haney-Kambosos undercard lineup

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
The undercard is shaping up for the rematch between undisputed lightweight world champion Devin “The Dream” Haney and former champion “Ferocious” George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday, October 15 (Sunday afternoon, October 16 local time) at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.
In the co-feature, two-time world title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (24-2, 19 KOs) takes on Nawaphon Kaikanha (56-1-1, 46 KOs) in a 12-round final eliminator for the WBC bantamweight world title.
Former world champion Andrew Moloney (24-2, 16 KOs), Jason’s twin brother, battles two-time world title challenger Norbelto Jimenez (31-9-6, 16 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO International junior bantamweight title.
In other action, cruiserweight Olympic bronze medalist David Nyika (4-0, 3 KOs), heavyweight Hemi Ahio (19-0, 14 KOs), and junior middleweight Amari Jones (7-0, 7 KOs) will take on opponents to be named.

https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/wb...nal/250808

https://www.boxingnews24.com/2022/08/and...tiz-fight/

Report: Fury-Usyk Targeted For February, Super Bowl Weekend, In Middle East; 50-50 Purse Split ‘Is A Given’


BY SEAN NAM
Published Sun Aug 28, 2022, 06:20 PM EDT
The undisputed heavyweight championship could benefit from a marketing boost by being scheduled close to the biggest annual sporting event in America.
According to Mark Kriegel of ESPN, the heavyweight title unification bout between WBC champion Tyson Fury of England and WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine may air on the same weekend––or the week after––of the NFL’s 57th Super Bowl, with the Middle East as the "most likely" location for the fight.
Kriegel, citing unnamed sources and conversations with Bob Arum, the head of Top Rank which promotes Fury, sounded a note of optimism about the chances for seeing the historic match-up, especially because, according to Kriegel, there does not appear to be any disagreement regarding the purse split for the fighters. An Usyk-Fury fight would have to be televised by ESPN, as the network has an exclusive broadcasting arrangement with Top Rank.

“It’s going to happen,” Kriegel said during Saturday’s ESPN broadcast of the Jose Pedraza vs. Richard Commey lightweight bout. “How do I know this? What’s the source of contention in the lead-up to every big fight? The purse split.
“Is it 70-30, 60-40? This one is going to be 50-50. I spoke to Bob Arum today. He said that is a given. My other sources agree. So, we have one point of contention completely out of the way, or supposedly. That’s welcome news, proof to me the fight’s going to happen.”
“Now as to when?” Kriegel continued. “You may have seen reports this week that the Saudis want to host it in December. Don’t hold your breath on that. Quote, ‘highly unlikely,’ according to Arum and others I spoke to.
“Likely date now: February, Super Bowl weekend, or maybe the week after, probably the Mid[dle] East, but not necessarily Saudi Arabia. Remember, there’s also Abu Dhabi, could be a player, Qatar could be a player, and still an outside shot that the UK gets it."
Talk of Usyk-Fury has intensified ever since Usyk successfully defended his WBO, WBA, and IBF titles against London’s Anthony Joshua earlier this month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Usyk, who beat Joshua by unanimous decision in the first fight last September, came away with a split decision win. After the fight, Usyk called out Fury to an undisputed showdown. Fury, in turn, seemed to reciprocate the same desire, despite recently calling himself retired.

Fury’s British promoter, Frank Warren, has also stated that he is hopeful the fight can be made since Usyk does not have any exclusive ties to a promoter or network that could make negotiations difficult. Usyk’s tenure under Matchroom Boxing ended with the second Joshua fight. Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, is backed by his Ukrainian promoter Alexander Krassyuk, while his manager is Egis Klimas, who has several fighters under contract with Arum's Top Rank, including three-division Ukrainian titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Warren has stated that the UK could be a possible home for the fight, but only if London's Wembley Stadium is available. Kriegel, however, stated that Wembley, an outdoor arena, simply could not be an option for a fight taking place in the dead of winter, if in fact the UK emerges as a serious frontrunner.
 “It will not be in Wembley," Kriegel said. "Don’t listen to that stuff. It’s winter. You know, you need to protect the fighters from the elements. That would be an 80,000 indoor seat arena in Cardiff (Wales)—if it’s the UK." 

Press conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7GWaeWb-bg

It's on Channel 53 on SKY from 6AM-10:30AM (NZ time).