Roy Jones Jr says he’ll become the first fighter to stop Bernard Hopkins when the veteran pair meet for the second time in Las Vegas next month. Jones-Hopkins II comes almost 17 years after the duo’s first meeting, a middleweight world-title fight won on points by Jones.
Britain’s most successful female boxer Nicola Adams hopes to put a six-month injury nightmare behind her after landing a place on the nation’s first fully-funded programme for the push towards London 2012. Adams was one of seven fighters named on Thursday by the British Amateur Boxing Association in their first elite female squad, who will compete for one of three available places for the discipline’s debut in the Games.
Matthew Hatton said his desire to emulate his brother Ricky will fire him to the European welterweight title by beating Gianluca Branco on Friday. Hatton takes on the veteran Italian live on Sky Sports on Friday Fight Night, and he will have Ricky at ringside once again cheering him on, as he again hinted his own fighting career could be over.
Danny Williams claims a “miracle supplement” will enable him to end his career in triumph before embarking on a new life as a celebrity bodyguard. Williams, the British heavyweight title holder, has confirmed his showdown with Commonwealth champion Sam Sexton at Upton Park on May 15 will be his final fight.
John Murray will have to wait even longer for his shot at the European title after his scheduled opponent pulled out. Murray’s proposed lightweight clash with Ukraine’s Andrei Kudriavtsev had been due to go to purse bids this week but is now off.
Briton Carl Froch can’t pick a winner of this Saturday’s Super Six World Boxing Classic showdown between Andre Dirrell and Arthur Abraham. Dirrell and Abraham meet in the second round of the tournament which features six of the world’s best super-middleweights, including Froch.
John Duddy won a split decision against Michael Medina in Texas on Saturday night. The American-based Irishman, touted as a possible world middleweight title challenger one day, did just enough to scrape the verdict despite having a decided size advantage over Medina – a natural light-middleweight.
Humberto Soto outpointed David Diaz in Texas on Saturday night to win the vacant WBC lightweight title. The 29-year-old Mexican (51-7-2) successfully stepped up from super-featherweight to claim the title via a unanimous decision on the Pacquiao/Clottey undercard at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Mexican veteran Jose Luis Castillo was retired on his stool after five one-sided rounds against former Contender star Alfonso Gomez in Texas on Saturday night. The showdown, on the Pacquiao/Clottey undercard in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, appeared to be one final bid to return to the big time for the now 36-year-old Castillo.
Manny Pacquiao produced another dominant performance to retain his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey with a lop-sided points victory in Texas on Saturday night. The reigning P4P king was on top right from the opening round as he prevailed by scores of 120-108 and 119-109 twice, but could not find Clottey’s breaking point as the man from Ghana maintained his proud record of never having been stopped.
