Tony Bellew Knocks out Ilunga Makubu to grab WBC cruiserweight title.

In extraordinary scenes at Everton's Goodison park Liverpool, Tony Bellew became the new WBC world cruiserweight champion with a 3rd round knockout of Junior Ilunga Makubu..  Bellew (27/2/1) was attempting his third shot at a world title having lost in previous attempts to Nathan Cleverly and Adonis Stevenson at light heavyweight, Bellew started boxing patiently behind the Jab, looking for openings, knowing mistakes against the  #1 ranked Makubu (19/1) 18 knockouts could prove costly, Makubu himself a slow starter showed very little until a reaction counter punch dropped Bellew with seconds left in the opener, It was a stark reminder to the Liverpool fighter of the power Makubu carried..  Bellew boxed a cautious second stanza with neither fighter prepared to commit with such high stakes..  Midway into the third Bellew took the initiative to force the fight, hurting Makubu with a right hand, the African fighter physically shaken backed into the ropes, Bellew cautiously poked shots at Makubu's high guard, sensing opportunity with his opponents back on the ropes, the hometown man drilled home accurate head shots as Makubu began to unravel, the final two, a right hand, left hook collapsed Ilunga Makubu to the canvas with Victor Loughlan waving it off..   the former Rocky star probably never dreamed of a more fitting night to grab a championship, climbing off the floor in his own backyard to fulfil a childhood dream...  An gracious Makubu looked hugely dissapointed but was first to congratulate Bellew on the victory, his failure to capitalise on his early success cost him the title..  Bellew joins the other 13 British fighters that currently lay claim to versions of world championships.

Results from Goodison park, Liverpool.

Heavyweight David Price (20/3) beat Vaclaj Pejsar (9/2) of the Czech Republic with a right hand in round 2..  Price dropped Pejsar in round one with an uppercut but the Czech was lucky to survive the round..  Pejsar did rally in the second but Price looked a class above..

In a competitive welterweight affair, Liverpools Tom Farrell (8/0) outworked Kofi Yates (13/1) of Manchester over 10..  Farrell seemed to land the more accurate shots and finished the stronger during a highly entertaining bout.  Referee.. Ian John Lewis's scorecard  98/93.

WBA #1 ranked super middleweight Callum Smith (19/0) Liverpool, had a tougher nights work than expected before beating tough Cesar Reynoso (14/7/3) Buenos Aires Argentina in round 6 of a scheduled 8 rounder. Smith dropped the game Reynoso in the first but allowed the tough South American back into the fight, Smith again had Reynoso on the floor from bodyshots in the 4th and 5th before Referee Steve Gray stopped the fight at 2:02 a round later..

Two-time super middleweight world title challenger Paul Smith (37/6) outpointed Bartlomiej Grafta (17/21/3) over 6 rounds, this is the Liverpool fighters second straight win after suffering consecutive losses to Andre Ward and Arthur Abraham (twice)

In a bout for the WBC international lightweight title, Birkenhead's Sean 'Masher' Dodd (10/2/1) outpointed Pasquale Di Silvio (20/7/1) Lazio Italy over 10 hard fought rounds,..  Di Silvio Started effectively but Dodd steadily outworked the Italian over the second half of the fight.
Scores were.   (97  93)  (98  92)  (98  92).

Stephen Smith (23/2) completed a Smith brother trio of victories by stopping Daniel Brizuela (28/5/2) Argentina in the 7th round for the WBC silver super featherweight title. Smith dominated the bout and scored 2 knockdowns before Ian John Lewis called it off at 2.59 of the round.  Smith was coming off a losing IBF world title challenge to Jose Pedraza just 6 weeks ago.

Flawless Burns makes three division history.

Super lightweight Ricky Burns (40-5-1, 14 KOs) became Scotland’s first ever three-weight world champion with a one-sided eighth round KO win over Michele Di Rocco (40-2-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday night at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland. Burns outclassed the WBA #1 rated Di Rocco, who's ranking quite honestly must reflect his record and not his ability, Burns was able to control the fight with the jab, keeping the very raw Di Rocco on the outside in the early rounds..  Di Rocco was more aggressive than usual but continually made fundamental mistakes which Burns capitalised on, dropping him in round three and finally finishing him in round eight.  Ricky's victory claimed the vacant WBA 140lb title formerly held by Adrien Broner and vacated on the scales prior to the Theophane bout..  Burns now along with Duke Mackenzie and Bob fitzimmons is amongst a unique trio of British fighters to win recognised world titles in three separate weight divisions..  Burns previously holding super featherweight and lightweight championships..  

British super lightweight champion Tyrone Nurse (33-2-1, 6 KOs) retained his title with a ninth round TKO over local hero Willie Limond (39-5, 11 KOs). Referee Victor Loughlin waved it off at 1:54 to save Limond from further punishment.

Conor Benn (2-0, 1 KO), son of former world champ Nigel Benn, took a four round unanimous decision over Luke Keleher (2-5-1, 1 KO).

2012 Olympic middleweight bronze medalist Anthony Ogogo (9-0, 5 KOs) won by third round stoppage over Chris Herrmann (21-11-1, 12 KOs).

Avanesyan outscores Mosley in Arizona.

WBA interim welterweight champion David Avanesyan (22-1-1, 11 KOs) retained his title with a unanimous points decision over 44-year-old Shane Mosley (49-10-1, 41 KOs) last night at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. It was a close fight with both fighters having successful spells. Mosley had a point deducted for a low blow in round ten by referee Wes Melton. The final round was the most eventful round of the whole bout as both fighters finished strong, Avenesyan did seem the more busier throughout the fight and scores were 114-113, 117-110, 117-110 for Avanesyan, who should now face the winner of the June 25 Thurman-Porter showdown for the WBA title.

On the undercard Super middleweight Shane Mosley Jr (7-1, 5 KOs) won a six round majority decision over Roberto Yong (5-8, 4 KOs). Scores were 57-57, 59-55, 58-56.
and undefeated cruiserweight Dimar Ortuz (11-0-2, 8 KOs) battered Ricardo Campillo (9-10-1, 7 KOs) until the bout was finally waved off in round six. Time was :25.

Shane Mosley returns to fight David Avanesyan in Arizona.

This Saturday night Shane Mosley returns to action against David Avanesyan, as the 44-year-old former three-division titleholder looks to will himself back into the title mix at 147 pounds, fighting for an interim WBA belt and a possible shot at Keith Thurman or Shawn Porter later this year.
David Avanesyan is more famous as a pro boxer for being the guy who caused a rib injury to Kell Brook last October, which canceled Brook's scheduled December title defense against Diego Chaves.
The Russian turned pro a couple of months before his 21st birthday in 2009, lost his second pro fight to the very capable Andrey Klimov in a six rounder, David would go on to win his next twelve before drawing with another competent fighter, Aslanbek Kozaev in 2013.  For his last three fights, Avanesyan has had to travel overseas, beating Laszlo Fazekas and fading Irishman Dean Byrne in the United Kingdom, followed by a win in Monaco last November over fringe contender Charlie Navarro.
The fight with Navarro earned Avanesyan the interim WBA welterweight title.
Avanesyan does not have any career defining wins but victory on Saturday would certainly slide the Russian into mainstream vision.  We all know about Shane's placement in the history books, but most of those glorious victories were over a decade ago...  Shane was 37 years old when he last looked even close to his best, January 2009, when he destroyed Antonio Margarito at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mosley was the underdog in that fight, and for good reason. Margarito was coming off of a big win over Miguel Cotto, who had beaten Shane in 2007, and Mosley was coming off of a poor showing against Ricardo Mayorga, where he looked flat and off his game before scoring a sensational KO in the final seconds of the bout.  A year later Mosley found himself in the long awaited fight with Floyd Mayweather, rocking the champion before dropping a unanimous decision. Mosley followed the Mayweather fight with a dreadful draw with Sergio Mora, and losses to younger fighters Manny Pacquiao and Saul Alvarez in his last two meaningful bouts..  Shane flirted with retirement but returned for bouts in 2015, a meaningless spectacle against Ricardo Mayorga and a points win over Patrick Lopez, that shows that Shane still has fire in his belly, plus he's recently hooked up with the legendary Roberto Duran who can only add a positive spin on preparations..    The 2016 version of Sugar Shane won't be vintage..  But it may have enough to beat the comparatively mediocre Avanesyan..

Glowacki v Usyk purse bids deadline set.

The WBO has informed representatives of WBO cruiserweight champion Krzystof Glowacki and undefeated Oleksandr Usyk that a purse bid will be held June 9 at the Affinia Hotel in New York City. The minimum acceptable bid is $300,000. WBO President Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel will preside. Glowacki (26-0, 16 KOs) will be making the second defense of his title that he won in an upset against Marco Huck in August of last year, Glowacki beat Steve Cunningham in April in a first defence in Brooklyn. Oleksandr Usyk has been consistently avoided since turning pro in 2013, Usyk is (9-0, 9 KOs) is the 2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist and the WBO’s #1 contender.

Tony Bellew and Ilunga Makubu weigh in ahead of WBC title clash.

WBC #1 Ilunga Makabu (19-1, 18 KOs) and local contender Tony Bellew (26-2-1, 16 KOs) both made weight for their clash on Sunday for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title at Goodison Park in Liverpool.  Makabu weighed 196.5, a few pounds less than Bellew who weighed 199.1. They are fighting for the belt vacated by Grigory Drozd, who twice pulled out of fights with mandatory challenger Makabu due to injuries

Travis Kauffman.. On the news of Wilder v Arreola.

Yesterday news emerged from a very reliable source, confirming that it is likely that a WBC heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Chris Arreola could take place within the next 8 weeks. However heavyweight Travis Kauffman who last shared a ring with Arreola is a little hurt by the possible matchup..  Arreola had only just squeezed past Curtis Harper in March of 2015, then scored a miserable draw with Fred Kassi in July in a bout that many thought Kassi had done enough to win..  Yet in December in Texas, Arreola was originally given a majority decision over Kauffman despite being on the floor in the third...  Worse was to come, Arreola failed a drug test following the bout and the result was changed to a NC..   Considering Arreola has already had two failed WBC title challenges and had hardly put together an impressive audition of late I find it hard to see why Chris could be seriously considered as a challenger for Wilder..  Chris is (36/4/1) hasn't looked impressive in years, and considering Wilders recent dissapointing episode with another drugs cheat in Povetkin, I find it staggering they would offer first crack to a man who himself failed a drugs test following his last outing..   Kauffman is (30/1) and despite numerous setbacks hasn't lost in 7 years. Kauffman took the fight to Arreola in December and regardless of the original outcome or the shenanigans that followed, most at ringside saw that he did enough to win the bout..  Travis is a respectful humble man, but had to say his piece...  I don't blame him..  

Oleksandr Usyk.. The cruiserweight avoided for a reason.

29 year Old Ukrainian southpaw Oleksandr Usyk is a cruiserweight in a hurry, many including WBC title challenger Tony Bellew have labelled him the most avoided fighter in the division..  As an amateur Usyk won the 2008 European amateur championships at light heavyweight, by 2011 Usky was a fully grown heavyweight and would win the world amateur championships furthered a year later by a gold at the London 2012 Olympics, beating would ranked Artur Beterbiev en route in both competitions..  Usyk turned pro in 2013 under the Klitschkos K2 banner and racked up 9 straight knockout victories in just over 2 years.. Along the way he picked up a WBO interim and intercontinental cruiserweight titles, the latter title he last defended in December knocking out the (22/1) Pedro Rodriguez in Kiev..   Usyk looks a very special talent, a tall (6ft3) puncher with an exciting style, a professional of only 30 months yet 9 straight knockouts in 9 outings against improving opposition..  Canadian based Beterbiev is making all the noises at the minute as a pro and is looking down the barrel of a possible matchup with Sergei Kovalev in the near future. Usyk knows full well what may lie ahead if he continues on the course he is on, Beterbiev wasn't even the toughest fight in the 2012 Olympics according to Oleksandr, yet it seems that both have been two of the most avoided fighters in their respective divisions so far..   "My aim is to keep winning, let victories speak for themself, those at the top will have to fight eventually."  Usyk will play the patience game, hoping eventually everything comes to he who waits.

WBC give Wilder the green light to make a voluntary.

WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder should have had the chance to prove his critics wrong last Saturday against tough ex champion and number one mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin in Russia, yet just over two weeks ago the bombshell that put a halt to one of the most eagerly awaited heavyweight title fights in years dropped heavily.. Povetkin had failed VADA's drug test for the substance Meldonium..  Following the bombshell amidst the denials and accusations, the fight was inevitably postponed, then according to Wilders people cancelled...  Deontay and his team based in Sheffield England, flew home soon after..  So now where do we stand?   Deontay was really in dire need of a defining victory and the Povetkin match was the ideal opportunity to voice a statement..   Public opinion on Wilder since becoming champion has been brutally unsympathetic, the first choice of opponent for a defence in 2015 caused a few raised eyebrows.. Eric Molina was a no risk choice, he'd lost in a single round to Chris Arreola and looked on paper to pose zero chance of threat..  Then came the relatively unknown Frenchman Johan Duhauppas, who actually came to fight on the NBC televised show, raising a mouse under the eye of the champion before being stopped after a gallant showing..   The third defence saw Wilder struggle to nail elusive Artur Szpilka down, missing wildly and looking alarmingly open to counter punches from the comparatively smaller pole, however as advertised, Wilder pulled out the knockout leaving a hapless Szpilka out cold for several worrying minutes, proving very little we didn't already know..  Opponents that on paper shouldn't have honestly been challenging, left us still speculative about how the champion would fare with one of the divisions more threatening adversary's. Defence number 4 should have satisfied that void, but Povetkins failings left the WBC champion out on a limb..  Until today.
The WBC issued a statement today, offering Wilder the grace of another voluntary defence in the light of his recent dissapointment.  So who could Wilder possibly choose?
First shots fired were from Bermaine Stiverne, the former WBC champion who lost his belt to Wilder in 2015 in a fight where he claimed to have been chronically dehydrated, Stiverne commented on social media "what comes after #1 Deontay.??  Me, I'm #2 ranked"  followed by #WilderStiverne2.   Bermaine did happen to extend Deontay in his losing effort in what still remains Wilders only 12 round trip in 36 outings..  Luis Ortiz look to be the opponent of Public demand, the WBA interim holder looks like too much of a risk at this point and could be well worth saving for a bigger payday down the line..  Andy Ruiz is a distinct possibility, unbeaten with a deceptive less than athletic appearance, he could bring to the table exactly what they require..    Interesting that both former Wilder opponents Eric Molina and Johan Duhauppas both recently recharged their careers with impressive bounce back upset wins over ranked opposition..  Molina travelled overseas to pull off a late come from behind knockout of Tomasz Adameck while Duhauppas scored a dramatic knockout of hugely respected Robert Helenius, both rematch possibilities considering the situation..  Regardless, Wilders people will no doubt reveal all in a day or two, but from previous form I'm not expecting miracles..  I think Deontay is capable of beating anyone on his day, but without demanding fights and challenging opposition it's hard to imagine Wilder improving as a champion..   It's just a great shame that Alexander Povetkin deprived Wilder and us of a meaningful heavyweight duel.

Meet Ilunga 'Junior' Makubu.

Ilunga Makubu is a stranger to these shores, but on Sunday night he fights Tony Bellew in Liverpool for the WBC cruiserweight title..  The compact Makubu turned pro in 2008 in Hammanskraal North Africa, losing his first ever professional fight by knockout to khayeni Hlungwane in a first round shocker... this didn't deter Makubu, who would win his next 13 fights by stoppage or knockout, beating the once fancied Collice Mutizwa in the first round in Brakpan in 2011. Makubu has boxed several times up at heavyweight, including the Mutizwa fight, yet his weight has never wandered above 201..  In November of that same year Makubu would win the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt with an 11th round stoppage of the 23/1 Pedro Otas.. In 2013 Ilunga would pick up both the IBF youth cruiserweight belt by beating the unbeaten Gogita Gorgiladze (12/0) and the WBC silver title by overcoming another unbeaten prospect Dmytro Kucher (21/0) in Monaco on a Majority points decision in Makubu's only distance fight. In 2014 Makubu would take on his most experienced opponent, the American former champion Glenn Johnson (54/18/2) scoring a rare stoppage in the 9th round in Kinshasa and in his most recent bout, back in 2015 Makubu beat Thabiso Mchunu (16/1) knocking him out in the 11th round in a bout that appeared too close to call..    Ilunga or Junior as he is more better known back home is 19/1 with 18 knockouts, but has boxed 16 of his 20 bouts in his native Africa, his toughest on form opponent to date looks to be Bellew on Sunday in the biggest fight of his career so far..  The Southpaw Makubu has only actually boxed 85 rounds compared to Bellews 194 and in comparison will be dwarfed in height by the Liverpool boxer..  There is no doubt at all that Ilunga Makubu can punch, 18 knockouts tells us that, but in what company??  Sunday night may answer a lot of questions..