Sports Journalist · 94 articles
John A. MacDonald analyses Deontay Wilder’s keys to victory against nemesis and title holder Tyson Fury in Saturday’s huge WBC heavyweight title fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Evolution, Not Revolution. It is unlikely that Deontay Wilder could ever be transformed in to a heavyweight Pernell Whitaker, it would be impossible to do […]
Few had heard of Mauricio Lara before he faced Josh Warrington at Wembley Arena in February. However, it took less than 27 minutes for Lara to etch his name in British boxing folklore. The Mexican dropped the Leeds fighter twice, prior to obliging referee Howard Foster to halt the contest in the ninth round. Tonight, […]
IBF featherweight champion Kid Galahad (28-1, 17 KOs) has offered Leigh Wood the opportunity to face him in the first defence of the title he won during the second week of Matchroom’s Fight Camp series. Wood (25-2, 15 KOs) upset the odds the previous week by stopping Xu Can in the 12th round to capture […]
IBF featherweight champion Kid Galahad has his sights set on a fight with his WBO counterpart Emanuel Navarrete. Galahad (28-1, 17 KOs) signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport after he captured the belt against James ‘Jazza’ Dickens, while Navarrete (33-1, 28 KO) is promoted by Top Rank. Such politics often prohibit bouts […]
Jez Smith always believed he had the talent required to forge a successful career in boxing, he simply needed the right opportunity. During his first four years as a professional, Smith endured the tribulations that many fighters who do not have the clout of a major promoter behind them experience: false dawns, empty promises and […]
Kid Galahad believed it was fated that he would beat Josh Warrington to become the IBF featherweight world champion. For 16 years, he had given his life to boxing. Dedication had long since transitioned into obsession. By his own admission, he had few friends and was without a partner. Such personal relationships were almost impossible […]
The tragic fate that befalls some professional boxers when they hang up the gloves has been well-documented. In the absence of the rigorous structure of training, many struggle mentally. Without the roar of the crowd or thumping beat of the music in the gym, their own thoughts become louder, to the point of being intrusive. […]
In the aftermath of an unexpected defeat, the inquest often begins immediately. There must be an explanation. When a reasonable justification cannot be found, flimsy excuses will suffice. It would be easy for Tommy Frank to provide mitigation for his shock loss to Rosendo Hugo Guarneros last December. In the third round, the Yorkshireman sustained […]
Tonight, Daniel Dubois returns to the ring for the first time since losing his unbeaten record to Joe Joyce last November, when he takes on Bogdan Dinu at the Telford International Centre. Dubois entered his last fight as the odds-on favourite with many believing he could be the heir apparent to the heavyweight throne. Seven […]
Two-time WBC super-middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell believes Billy Joe Saunders has the style to beat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs) is a significant underdog with the bookmakers (currently 9/2 with BetFred) ahead of his bout with Canelo (55-1-2, 37 KOs) this weekend, at the AT&T Stadium, Texas. However, ‘The Dog’ is certain that […]
At 36, Anthony Dirrell accepts he is in the twilight of his career, yet the competitive fire still burns brightly within him. Having overcome cancer to become a two-time WBC super-middleweight champion, his legacy in the sport has already been secured. For the last seven years, Dirrell (33-2-2, 24 KOs) has competed in the upper […]
Tonight, Carl Frampton will attempt to etch his name into the history books by becoming the first three-weight world champion from the island of Ireland when he challenges Jamel Herring for the WBO super-featherweight title at Caesars Palace, Dubai. To do so, Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) will have to overcome a 130lbs physical anomaly in […]